The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the second iteration of Google’s foldable line, which launched in 2023 alongside the Google Pixel Fold.
Although the flexible and interesting features of foldable devices caught my attention, I decided not to buy one for a number of reasons.
google pixel fold
Photo credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable
First, they are too expensive and have inferior camera systems compared to their single-monitor counterparts. Second, they are too fragile. (The jury is still out on whether the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has longevity). Third, dual-display devices usually mean less-than-great battery life.
It turns out that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s long battery life proves me wrong on that last point.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: The longest battery life we’ve ever recorded
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold battery life
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold lasted more than 16 hours, based on our testing of a TikTok video excerpt posted with the display at 50% brightness.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Photo credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable
That’s much better than the battery runtime of the Pixel 9 Pro’s Samsung rival, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which lasted nearly 13 hours on a single charge.
Take a look at the battery life of the foldable devices we tested this year:
Mix and match speed of light
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Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold – 16 hours 6 minutes
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 – 12 hours 44 minutes
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 – 12 hours 13 minutes
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold may be more power-efficient than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but according to our internal testing, it doesn’t perform as well as its Samsung rivals.
In the Geekbench 6 benchmark, which tests processor performance, the Google Tensor G4 chip in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold achieved low multi-core scores 4,706. Comparing this to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which scores 6,638 in the same test.
On the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google seems to be sacrificing performance and power for battery life.
Google Pixel 9 Pro foldable phone
Photo credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable
Mashable’s Alex Perry reviews the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. While he’s not a fan of the bloated AI, yawn-inducing color choices, and less-than-impressive camera array (compared to the Pixel 9 Pro models), he’s impressed by the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s “fantastic” 6.3-inch The interior display is full of praise.
“The screen inside the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is absolutely huge, growing from 7.6 inches to 8 inches, which is perfect for reading or watching content. Everything looks clear, smooth, and colorful. It’s awesome,” Perry said.
Turning to how the Pixel 9 Pro Fold compares to its competitors, its closest competitor appears to be the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. Pixel outperforms Samsung; Google’s foldable phone lasts longer on a charge, impressively 3 hours and 22 minutes.
Photo credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable
While the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is slightly heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 at 0.64 ounces, it has a sleeker profile and is slimmer than its Samsung counterpart (height of 0.20 inches vs. 0.22 inches).
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799. The price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 has increased by $100 to $1,899.
