Now Google is folding too: How good is the Pixel Fold?

When Samsung introduced the Galaxy Fold in 2019, the first foldable smartphone with a flexible screen, expectations were high: what would the new display technology enable? Will mobile phones with a fixed screen be phased out soon?

Almost four years later, disillusionment sets in: companies such as Oppo, Huawei, Motorola and Xiaomi have now also presented their own foldables. To date, however, no manufacturer has been able to provide a convincing answer to the question “why” – and prices are usually still well above traditional devices.

Now Google comes with its own interpretation of the subject, its Pixel Fold (1899 euros). We tested and scoured the device in search of a better answer.

First, a note: Google doesn’t officially offer the Pixel Fold in Switzerland.

form and function

So far, there are two distinct categories of foldable devices: those that offer a small tablet-sized display when opened and that, when folded, look more like a standard smartphone – such as the Galaxy Fold – and those that are more like a typical smartphone when unfolded and significantly smaller when folded and pocket-compatible – like the Motorola Razr (read our review here).

The Pixel Fold belongs to the first category: when folded, its 5.8-inch display is slightly wider at the front and a lot shorter than, for example, the Pixel 7a, when unfolded it looks more like a tablet display with its 7.6-inch screen – even if the 6th:5 aspect ratio is somewhat unusual.

Compared to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4, we like the Google device at first glance: Because while the Samsung foldable is oddly long and narrow when folded, which makes it a bit special to use when folded, the Google device feels much more natural. At the same time, it is still quite thick when folded for a smartphone with a depth of 12 millimeters, but not comparable to the 16 millimeters of the Samsung device.

In the test it was less annoying in the pocket than many other smartphones, which tend to be thinner but taller, which is often much more annoying when plugged in.

The stainless steel frame looks high-quality, the finish is appropriate for the high price. The folding mechanism is also easy to use and offers a certain amount of resistance, so that the phone remains reliably in any chosen folding angle.

The two halves of the device fold flat on top of each other so that there is no opening at the hinge, as is the case with the Samsung Fold. As with all foldables, the fold is clearly visible in the center of the display if you want to see it. However, it does not interfere in everyday life. Furthermore, the device offers no external surprises.

Bigger, prettier – better?

So let’s get down to the question: what can the Pixel Fold do better than the Pixel 7 Pro, which is about half the price? Probably the most important answer: offer a lot more viewing area. But what do you do with all that space?

First of all, photos, videos, maps, and other visual content generally look better in large format. The 7.6-inch OLED display displays 2208 x 1840 pixels, is also suitable for outdoor use with 1000 nits brightness and scrolls super smoothly thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. If you really want to edit photos or cut videos on your mobile phone, you can of course do so much better on such a screen.

Of course, games also look much better this way – if the app supports the large display. Many standard applications are also easier to operate on the large display: Just like on a computer, Gmail shows the list of emails on the left and the selected email on the right, Google Calendar shows the date view on the left and the respective appointments on the right. The extra space is used wisely in the Google apps. This is not necessarily the case with third-party providers.

Surfing the web is also more fun: If you hold the device in front of you like an open book, Chrome will automatically display the desktop version of a website, so you can see a lot more at once. If you put the unfolded display upright, the mobile phone version of the website is shown – only significantly larger than on a classic smartphone. This can be a good help if you forgot your reading glasses.

Multitasking is also possible – ie the display of several apps at the same time. Strictly speaking, the Pixel Fold only has two apps at a time – Samsung allows a maximum of four applications here.

If you try to multitask, for example with the Google Photos app and Gmail, you will see that not everything can be intuitively translated to the new multitasking application: you actually import the desired image directly from the image overview to the desired image. other Gmail windows. Attempting this will only highlight multiple images. In order to drag an image into Gmail, it must first be opened. Intuitive is somehow different.

The different folding positions of the device are touted as another big advantage: if it is only open a few degrees, you can set it up like a tent. The device is therefore self-contained. Whether you actually use it in everyday life – or whether you prefer to watch the video on the twice as large display of the unfolded device – is another question.

The “table” mode, with one half of the device lying flat on the table and the other half folded upright, seemed only of limited practicality. When you have the Pixel Fold in front of you, you actually want to tilt the screen further back so that the viewing angle is better. However, the room for maneuver is limited here, otherwise the fold will simply tilt backwards.

Camera: Great selfies at last

Equipped with a total of five cameras, the Pixel Fold is almost equivalent to the Pixel 7 Pro, at least on paper. However, Google had to install other sensors due to space constraints – there was no time for a detailed comparison test, which we will have to submit later. Take the photos at first glance But a very good impression.

A real advantage of mobile phones with a foldable display is that the external display can often also be used as a viewfinder for selfies with the main camera. This is also the case with the Pixel Fold: when the smartphone is opened, the display on the front is next to the camera on the back – thus enabling selfies with the best camera in the device. This provides significantly better images, especially in low light. Portrait mode and ultra-wide-angle shots can also be captured.

That also doesn’t work completely intuitively: if you just start the camera app on the front display and open the device, you suddenly see black – because the image automatically moves over the entire surface of the large display. Instead, the front camera app must be launched first and a corresponding button tapped. You will then be prompted to open the Pixel Fold. Now the view remains as expected on the front display, which is now a selfie viewfinder for the main camera.

After all: in group shots, the “table” mode can prove to be a real advantage: positioned like this, shots with a timer can be taken very well – with typical mobile phones this is often a great balancing act.

The conclusion

That Google has now introduced its own foldable is good news for all fans of the format. Because by now Android should be much better adapted to the special needs of this device category.

The Pixel Fold itself is a very good foldable, the size of which we found better than that of the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The equipment must also meet all requirements: Google’s Tensor G2 chip performs all tasks with ease, 12 GB of working memory and 256 GB of device memory is full, the camera takes fine pictures. In addition, there are the many software benefits that always come with Pixel devices. In short: the Pixel Fold is a really good smartphone. But is that enough for a price of 1899 euros?

At the same time, it also fails to answer the question of why smartphone users should switch to this format.

Than although the larger screen is practical in many cases and some users will also appreciate the special installation options: For the vast majority of users, these small benefits should certainly not be worth the additional cost of around 1000 euros. The Pixel Fold also remains a niche device.

For that, you can currently get a better smartphone (e.g. the Pixel 7 Pro) AND a better tablet (perhaps the Google Pixel Tablet – or an iPad Pro).

For the small number of users who always need to have both in their pocket and are not put off by the new price of almost 2000 euros, the Pixel Fold is certainly worth considering, even if Samsung currently offers more extensive software support for the large format. But that may still come.

This means that the Pixel Fold remains a device for foldable solvency enthusiasts. Everyone else can safely wait until the devices become significantly cheaper. Because if the price comes close to that of “ordinary” smartphones, then the advantages of these devices are certainly worth a switch.

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(t online)