Foldables have certainly come a great distance, particularly in India. Whereas earlier restricted to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold vary, 2024 has supplied sufficient selection from plenty of producers throughout foldable segments. Now you can get one for as little as Rs. 64,999 in a flippable clamshell type issue or pony up Rs. 1,59,999 for a top-of-the-line book-style foldable that actually competes with premium slab-style smartphones. With the emergence of tri-fold units, foldables even make these bloated iPhone worth tags in India seem palatable for Android customers.
And for these curious iPhone Professional customers eager to check out one thing new, a foldable presents a brand new type issue and is a value-for-money providing on condition that they’re already paying properly over Rs. 1,00,000 for a “Professional” iPhone. And what higher Android machine to start with than Google’s personal Pixel foldable! It has an nearly iPhone-like philosophy, with each the software program and chip design managed by the model.
Certainly, that is one thing we’re witnessing for the primary time within the foldable section (at the very least in India). With an extended moniker that is sensible given the quite a few options it brings to the desk, is Google’s first Professional-branded Pixel worthy of its “Professional” branding and its price ticket?
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold Assessment Design: Magnificence and the beast
Dimensions (Folded) – 155.2mm x 77.1mm x 10.5mm Dimensions (Unfolded) – 155.2mm x 150.2mm x 5.1mm Weight – 257 grams Sturdiness – IPX8 water resistance
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold at the moment has the slimmest design of any foldable in India. When positioned on a desk subsequent to the OnePlus Open, it actually feels half as thick when folded (due to its thinner digicam bump) and abnormally slim when opened. It seems very “Swedish” (learn minimalist) by way of total design, and I’d have cherished holding it if it had not weighed over 1 / 4 of a kilo.
Vivo’s X Fold 3 Professional is taller and thicker (by a few millimetre) and is surprisingly extra comfy to carry than the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. That is partially as a result of its barely slender design (accompanied by skinny bezels), however additionally it is lighter by 21 grams and has bevelled corners and curved edges.
I want that Google had caught to its smaller passport-sized design (just like the previous Pixel Fold), which was distinctive and particular. The unique Fold’s design additionally meant that the machine all the time opened straight in a pill state (horizontal versus vertical) and so didn’t have to be reoriented when watching films. It was the right design for a foldable (which most individuals anticipate to show right into a tablets when opened), however Google’s designers took a smartphone-first design strategy and type of ruined its USP.
This new strategy leads to a narrower cowl show, which I agree is extra comfy to carry, however this additionally means you’ll have to reorient the telephone when watching a film, as defined within the show part beneath.
Google makes use of aluminium alloy for the steel components and has the slimmest profile due to its use of flat entrance and rear panels. Nevertheless, I am not assured about its sturdiness as a result of the body is skinny. It is barely 1mm thick close to the hinge, and whereas it seems modern, it additionally feels fairly delicate.
One other space the place Google manages to chisel down its foldable to beat the competitors is the bezel surrounding the principle folding show, which accurately seems like a shiny sticker.
Lastly, the general end of the Fold is a bit missing when in comparison with the Pixel 9 Professional XL’s design. Whereas the buttons and port cutouts are a bit sharp, there are minor gaps the place the glass panel meets the steel body. The telephone is IPX8-rated, which means that it might face up to splashes of water from any path, however do take into account that the guarantee won’t cowl any harm attributable to the identical.
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold Assessment Show: Really good
Cowl show – 6.2-inch, 1080 x 2424 pixels, full-HD+, 120Hz Major show – 8.03-inch, 2076 x 2152 pixels, 120Hz Show Kind – Cowl: OLED, Major: LTPO OLED Show safety – Cowl: Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Major: UTG
As you possibly can inform from the specs listed above, solely the folding show of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold presents the battery-saving LTPO expertise. Each shows present barely punchy colors on the Adaptive setting, with the identical getting toned down on the Pure setting. For those who favor the Pure setting for true-to-life colors, you’ll want to change to the Adaptive setting when watching films on OTT apps, because the shows are inclined to lose distinction on this mode.
I appreciated how broad the duvet show is, which additionally reduces the necessity to open the telephone on a regular basis. Like with the Pixel 9 Professional XL’s show, The well-rounded nook cutouts of the Fold’s design additionally eat into the viewable show space. It solely makes issues worse on a foldable as these corners make the oblong show seem squarish.
Given the principle folding show’s dimension, you get a extra usable video viewing space when holding the machine horizontally, and that is the rationale why it’s a must to reorient it when viewing video on full display (non-cropped view). And even then, there’s tons of wasted house above and beneath (letterboxing), so the squarish facet ratio is best suited to run two apps side-by-side than for leisure.
In actual fact, if you’re simply searching for a much bigger show for watching films on, the Pixel 9 Professional XL is a better option as a result of it can last more than the 9 Professional Fold with a single cost as properly.
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold Assessment Software program: AI-tastic
Software program – Pixel UI Model – Android 14 Software program dedication – 7 years of OS, safety and Pixel Drop updates
There may be a variety of element and a focus given to the folding expertise. There is a delicate closing animation with the house display icons and widgets shifting inwards when closing the principle show. The lock display clock additionally glides to the left when unlocking the machine straight from the principle show, which is a pleasant contact. My favorite is the break up format for the notifications tray with toggles on the left and the notifications on the correct, which is usually discovered on Android tablets that run near-stock Android software program.
Nevertheless, the Pixel 9 Professional’s multi-tasking capabilities are removed from what the competitors presents. At present, it is simply restricted to working two apps (displayed in full) in Break up Display screen mode, and that is about it. The OnePlus Open, regardless of being the oldest foldable at the moment out there, nonetheless appears to supply the most effective productiveness setup with the flexibility to run three apps in full and one other app in a small floating window, for individuals who want it.
When you can examine all of the AI options in my evaluate of the Pixel 9 Professional XL, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold does include a couple of enjoyable extras. This would come with the lovable Made You Look function, which performs humorous animations on the duvet show to make youngsters chuckle and smile when on digicam. Twin Display screen on Meet additionally lets customers present the output from each entrance and rear cameras collectively when on a Meet video name. Twin-Display screen mode for Stay Transcribe can be very helpful when on a vacation and may immediately translate 120+ languages. It additionally is available in use for these with listening to and speech disabilities.
Identical to the Pixel 9 Professional XL, Automotive Crash Detection is now out there, with the satellite-based Emergency SOS coming at a later date.
Google Pixel 9 Professional XL Assessment Efficiency: Fairly common
Processor – Google Tensor G4 RAM – 16GB Storage – 256GB
Regardless of the numerous foldable-friendly software program refinements, it’s a bit disappointing to see the UI stuttering with random apps (together with the Google Uncover feed). I perceive that the Fold’s cowl show is just not an LTPO unit, however I seen this very apparent lack of scrolling fluidity with each shows when shopping any app. This grew to become extra apparent after I in contrast it with the Pixel 9 Professional XL facet by facet. I imagine the perpetrator right here is the stricter battery optimisations. Both method, Google desperately wants to repair the jitter and stuttering, as Vivo’s X Fold 3 Professional presents a a lot smoother software program expertise at a cheaper price.
Google additionally skimps on storage, given that almost all foldables at this worth level simply supply 512GB of storage. In a method, they do again it up with a free 2TB Gemini Superior plan (for a yr), however once more, we might have cherished to see extra storage on a telephone that is this costly.
I used to be not in a position to check out Google’s in-game split-view, which is obtainable for sure titles as a Beta tester, due to some access-related points. Nevertheless, I attempted Name of Obligation: Cellular (at Max and Extremely body charge) on the duvet and most important show and located its efficiency fairly passable. Genshin Affect stuttered rather a lot when the settings have been maxed out. Contact sampling or sensitivity is just not as correct, and it felt a bit bizarre to play FPS video games on a sq. show, though it gives you with a a lot larger show in comparison with the duvet display.
The telephone will get scorching whereas utilizing the digicam app outdoor, but it surely doesn’t appear to have an effect on digicam efficiency (like on earlier Pixel fashions) due to the vapour chamber cooling system.
For some cause, quantity ranges like these on the Pixel 9 Professional XL don’t appear ample, particularly whereas watching films. I usually discovered myself maxing it out more often than not and nonetheless didn’t discover it ample by way of sheer loudness. It additionally lacks a ample bass (even for a foldable).
Whereas the side-mounted fingerprint reader labored simply high-quality, I solely wanted to make use of it in dimly lit settings, or these with no mild in any respect, because the safe face unlock system did the job fairly properly.
Google Pixel 9 Professional XL Assessment Cameras: Not what we anticipated
Major digicam – 48-megapixel (OIS), f/1.7 aperture, AF Telephoto digicam – 10.8-megapixel (OIS), 5X optical, f/3.1 aperture, AF Extremely-wide digicam – 10.5-megapixel, 0.5X, f/2.2 aperture, AF Selfie cameras – 10-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture, AF (cowl/most important)
Certainly, there’s nothing “Professional” concerning the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s cameras, as they do not maintain a candle to the Pixel 9 Professional XL’s cameras. Regardless, issues solely worsen compared with the Vivo X Fold 3 Professional, as will be seen from the digicam pattern comparability beneath.
Not like most producers making an attempt to squeeze high-resolution digicam sensors into their foldables. It stays to be seen whether or not Google desires to repeat Samsung’s digicam {hardware} technique and persist with the identical set of cameras for 3 generations, as the one actual upgrades we have now seen this yr are with its selfie cameras.
Images from the first digicam are first rate and are available out a bit gentle when capturing indoors or towards any outside lighting. When capturing outdoor, colors seem pure, with resolved element on the decrease facet and a few minor purple fringing. In low mild, photographs have first rate element however are inclined to crush the blacks because the older Pixel cameras did.
As with the Pixel 9 Professional XL, Portrait capturing is restricted to 1.5X and 2X. Nevertheless, not like the XL, the Fold has to deal with all of it with a somewhat dated digicam sensor, so these digitally scaled crops do not look nice. Portrait mode photographs from the rear digicam not solely lack element and distinction but additionally have horrible edge detection that may minimize out hair, ears and glasses. So, I like to recommend utilizing it solely in daylight (in the event you actually should). In actual fact, I most well-liked capturing common photographs at 1X and including an AI blur impact to them within the publish, which additionally supplied higher element.
The 5X telephoto digicam, whereas managing high quality photographs in daylight, shoots gentle pictures in low mild even when resorting to the Evening Sight mode. The ultra-wide digicam actually feels prefer it’s been added to finish the spec sheet. Video efficiency is satisfactory in daylight however comes out very noisy in low mild; even Google’s Video Increase software can not appear to show water into wine right here.
Google Pixel 9 Professional XL Assessment Battery: A bit beneath expectations
Battery capability – 4,650 mAh Wired charging – 21W Wi-fi Charging – 7.5W wi-fi (Qi)
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s battery life lasts a full day on a single cost with average use. This would come with some calls, digicam utilization, gaming, and often switching to the principle show. In our video loop battery take a look at, the telephone managed to final 12 hours and 50 minutes when utilizing the duvet show and eight hours and eight minutes when utilizing the bigger most important show. These numbers are beneath common for a foldable machine, as I’ve seen higher battery efficiency on foldables just like the Vivo X Fold 3 Professional and even the OnePlus Open (which is now a bit dated).
Charging speeds are comparatively gradual, with the telephone managing a full cost in 1 hour and 45 minutes when linked to a 61W PD charger. They’re on par with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 however nowhere near what the present Chinese language foldables supply each by way of wired and wi-fi charging.
Google Pixel 9 Professional XL Verdict
Google’s neatly laid out software program and segment-leading AI tips might come to the 9 Professional Fold’s rescue, which finds itself within the palms of Pixel followers who’ve been desperately ready for the foldable to succeed in Indian shores. However its dated digicam system desperately wants an improve and doesn’t match the “Professional” moniker that Google’s chasing for its foldable.
With regards to sensible options that matter to most shoppers, like easy software program, good battery life, quick charging and high quality cameras, it comes up horribly in need of Vivo’s X Fold 3 Professional (Assessment), making it an antithesis to this yr’s Pixel 9 Professional XL (Assessment), which was an enormous step in the correct path for Google’s slab-style smartphones.
If you’re searching for your first foldable, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Assessment) and OnePlus’s Open (Assessment) supply prolonged restore warranties to provide you higher peace of thoughts and each of those, just like the Vivo, are priced decrease than Google’s foldable Pixel.