Is Google Pixel Fold Worth it?
We’re about to find out.
Hey friends!
I’m Tasia Custode and this is the Pixel Fold, Google’s first foldable phone.
So let’s dive into all the tech specs.
We’re talking hardware, software, performance, and of course a final verdict.
Pixel Fold is powered by Google Tensor G2 and has a 5.8” full high-definition OLED
cover display, when folded and an inner display of 7.6” when unfolded.
It can withstand immersion in at least one meter of water, and its hinge is constructed
from mirror-polished, multi-alloy steel proving to be quite durable.
And when it’s folded, it folds completely flat.
So there is no gapping like you see on some foldables.
Plus, I’ve gotta say, it’s relatively thin for a foldable.
But let’s do a quick size comparison here.
I’ve got my iPhone 11 Pro as a size comparison since their screen size is the same.
So when I’m talking the size of the device in hand, it’s comparable, but keep in mind,
I’ve got a protective case on my iPhone.
So, if you put a case on your Pixel Fold, you’re going to need to picture adding that
much more size and bulk around the device.
It will definitely make it wider and thicker.
So here is the width in comparison to my Pixel 7 Pro.
Again, it’s as thick as the 7 Pro with a case on it.
You can really see the difference when I take the case off my Pixel 7 Pro.
The Fold is much thicker.
And I do find Pixel Fold a little bit heavier, even without a case on it.
And I’ll touch more on that later.
For now, back to some tech specs.
When unfolded, it’s all about multitasking.
As expected from a foldable, you can view apps in split-screen mode.
All you have to do is drag and drop apps from the taskbar at the bottom to create a split
screen.
You can drag on the vertical bar to resize an app so it takes up more space than the
other.
And you can double tap on the divider bar in the middle to have the apps switch sides.
This is really useful for taking notes on a video call or any type of multitasking you
can think of.
Right now, you can only do this with two apps, which I don’t know why you’d want to do
it with more, but just FYI.
And if you long swipe from the bottom of the screen to open overview, your apps will remain
paired for you.
Another great feature of the split screen is that you can drag and drop from one app
to another.
So, here I am in the Gmail app in my compose window, and now let’s open the google photos
app in split screen mode.
I can simply select a photo then long press on that photo in google photos and drag it
over to my Gmail to add it to that email.
And yes, you can select multiple photos at the same time to drag and drop between apps.
Not only does this work in your entire suite of Google apps, so yes, Messages and Youtube
as well, but also in some other apps like Canva, Outlook, Word, WhatsApp and more.
It’s such a time saver.
Something else you may notice is that you can also see the crease on the screen.
I’ve yet to see a foldable where that totally goes away.
So, it might be something you have to get used to with a foldable device like this.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all apps are optimized to take advantage of
the size of this inner screen yet.
Luckily, there are a ton that already are, including of course your suite of Google apps,
and apps like Calm, TikTok, WhatsApp, Spotify, and more.
So let’s talk about the three modes you’ve got with Pixel Fold.
The first mode is one we just touched on, and that’s unfolded.
So, say you’re watching a youtube video with the device folded, you’ll just unfold
and the video will continue playing.
In YouTube, you can pinch to zoom to use the full inner display.
But then there’s also Tent mode.
To use tent mode, you just unfold the phone to an angle less than 90 degrees and place
it on a flat surface in a tent shape.
This will play the video hands-free on the front display.
Last, you can use Tabletop mode.
If you open Pixel Fold to a 90-degree angle, you can view content more like you would on
a laptop and adjust the angle as you see fit from there.
And it’s important you know these modes as we move into the glorious camera specs
and features.
So first, the specs.
Pixel Fold has 5 cameras total.
There’s a 48MP main camera, a 10.8MP telephoto camera, and 10.8MP ultrawide camera.
On the front, there’s a 9.5MP camera, and when it’s unfolded, there’s an 8MP camera.
As expected from a Pixel device, the image quality is really good, even though it’s
hard to pack a lot in a thin device.
So, if you want to get nitpicky about it, when I compare Pixel Fold to my Pixel 7 Pro,
the 7 Pro has a much higher resolution telephoto lens.
Some people have reported the Fold images are not as vibrant color-wise, but it’s
really hard to knock it, to be honest.
I loved the quality of the photos on Pixel Fold.
And you can take rear camera selfies with Pixel Fold, which is cool.
With the phone folded, you’ll open the camera app.
Then, tap on the rear camera selfie button and unfold the phone with the camera bar facing
you.
Now just snap your selfie.
It does take some getting used to since for me it’s like so many screens and I sometimes
tap something by mistake on a screen and have to go back into rear camera mode.
But it’s cool nonetheless because your selfies are higher res than on the 9.5MP front-facing
camera.
But it’s not just about image quality on Pixel Fold.
Remember the modes we just learned about?
Well, they’re pretty handy when snapping pics and taking vids on Pixel Fold.
You can open up Pixel Fold to tabletop mode and place the phone down on a level surface
and tilt it to your preferred angle and snap your shot.
So, this mode is great for group shots where you need to place your phone farther away,
it’s great for video calls, astrophotography, and for taking steady timelapse videos.
But, you can also take hands-free selfies too.
Oh, this is good.
I guess technically you need your hand because you’ll be taking a selfie with a Palm Timer.
So, all you have to do is select the 3 or 10 second timer, but instead of tapping the
shutter button to start the timer, take your time to get into position.
Then, simply raise your hand to the camera to start the timer.
This is compatible with all Pixel Fold’s cameras when folded, unfolded, or in tabletop
mode.
I mentioned off the top that Pixel Fold is powered by Google Tensor G2, so let’s talk
a little bit about that performance.
If you’re a Pixel fan by now, you know that chip powers the awesome camera features you’ve
come to know and love like photo unblur, portrait blur, magic eraser, and more.
But beyond that, the camera is as efficient as you’d expect, and apps open quickly.
There’s a really short split-second delay when switching from folded, to unfolded, to
tabletop to tent mode, which you really don’t notice much.
Now when it comes to other performance indicators like battery life, this lasts a couple of
days on one charge for me.
But, I don’t use it as my daily driver.
So, I’d expect about a day battery life if I was constantly messaging, and taking
video calls on here.
I will say, it runs a little warm for me when I watch videos in unfolded mode.
It’s also legit 115 degrees where I live, so who knows how much that impacts indoor
usage.
It gets pretty warm in here sometimes.
So with all this said, is Google Pixel Fold worth it?
In order to determine this, let’s talk about pricing and your use case scenario.
Pixel Fold starts at $1800 USD, so this is NOT a cheap device.
I also have a hard time getting used to going from a regular device to a foldable - it’s
a whole new user interface to get used to.
I need two hands to unfold it, and I do find it a bit heavy.
So, if I were to put a case on this, I think it may become too bulky to fit nicely in my
pocket.
I keep asking myself if anyone actually needs a foldable.
Plus, besides being able to use tabletop mode and tent mode, a lot of the other camera features
are already available across most Pixel devices.
And yes, that includes the Palm Timer that works on Pixel 6 and above.
The pros here are that it is really fast, it’s a 2-in-1 and it’s really good for
Google’s first foray into a foldable.
But you have to want a foldable, you know?
So, use case-wise, I think this makes sense if you’re already in the Pixel ecosystem
and you do a lot of traveling and maybe you don’t want to have to bring multiple devices
with you.
You can now just take your Fold and have your phone and tablet in one while you’re on
the go.
I’m giving the Pixel Fold an A for effort, while keeping in mind its niche audience.
I also wonder if this will be a collector's item one day - Google’s first-gen Foldable.
Ya, I’m keeping the box.
So that’s your Pixel Fold review and features.
But I’m curious to know, what do you think of Pixel Fold?
Are you all in on foldable phones?
Drop a comment below so we can discuss.
And keep your eyes peeled for my complete Pixel Tablet review.
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