Pixel Fold Review: Is It Worth the Money?

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I’ve been using the Pixel Fold for a couple of weeks now and I’ve already learned that its defining feature probably isn’t what you’re expecting.

Let’s put some context around this. My daily driver is an iPhone but I always have an Android phone with me. The frequency with which devices running the latter operating system are released means I swap my ‘second phone’ almost as regularly as I swap my pants.

This provides access to lots of great – and often very affordable – alternatives to the iPhone, but they’re all incredibly similar.

Occasionally, something different comes along, and these days that usually means it flips or folds. The Pixel Fold does the latter, obviously, but it also costs £1,749. For starters; spec it up to 512GB and you’ll have to pay £1,869.

In the UK, availability for the Pixel Fold is sparse. At the time of writing, Google is only taking pre-orders and, if you decide to add one to your basket, you’ll have to wait until the end of August for delivery.

So, while you ponder what to do, let me help you make that decision.

The Pixel Fold specs and design

The Pixel Fold is powered by Google’s Tensor G2 chip and has one memory option – 12GB (I’m a fan of this; I’ve never liked the deliberate hampering of base storage Android devices when it comes to RAM). You can choose between two storage choices – 256GB and 512GB – and everything is powered by the purest version of Android 13 you’ll find anywhere.

Like all foldables, the Pixel Fold is a chunky little device compared to a regular smartphone, but it’s also one of the thinnest at 12.1mm. This makes it admirably comfortable when placed in your pocket and the width when folded makes it satisfyingly grippy.

Google promises “the most durable hinge on a foldable”, having chosen a mirror-polished, multi-alloy steel construction. My early experience of the Pixel Fold thus far suggests they’re onto a good thing; it feels super tight but satisfyingly smooth.

We’re promised beyond 24-hour battery life and the Pixel Fold holds true to that word. With normal use (which, in my case, is using the phone throughout the day for messaging, social media, and checking stuff like email and YouTube metrics) it easily makes it through to a second day. You’re not going to get two days out of it, but I’d never expect that from a phone with two huge displays.

The design is rather lovely. The Pixel Fold looks like a Pixel 7 Pro that has spent the last six months smashing it out at the gym and swapping height for girth. As a result, it’s a super premium-looking device which goes some way to making you feel better about spending all of that money. I just wish the attractive camera housing wasn’t quite as immediately scratchable as it is (something else from which the Pixel 7 Pro suffers).

Biometric security is handled via fingerprint unlock on the power button. I’m not sure why we don’t get the under-display sensor or facial recognition found on the Pixel 7 Pro – this feels like an unfortunate miss on such an expensive device.

The camera system? I’ll come onto that later because we need to talk about that big internal display.

The big display experience

The internal OLED display on the Pixel Fold measures 7.6 inches diagonally, which matches that of the Samsung Galaxy Fold4. It has a resolution of 2208 x 1840, 380 PPI, and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

It’s a bright display, too. You can expect 1,000 nits of brightness for HDR content and up to 1,450 nits at its peak.

Like all foldable displays, the Pixel Fold’s internal display uses ultra-thin glass and has a protective plastic screen protector attached. The durability of this needs more testing, but I’ve not experienced any of the display issues reported via some media outlets – no cracking, breaking, or weirdness. The Pixel Fold feels as confident in its folding capabilities as Samsung’s effort (which has several more years of development behind it). I should also note that it spent two days with me hiking in the Lake District under some atrocious weather conditions and survived intact.

Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold4, Google’s device folds completely flat. There’s no noticeable gap near the hinge when closed. This is an impressive engineering feat and one which makes the Pixel Fold feel oddly more complete than Samsung’s device.

However, like most foldable phones, the Pixel Fold doesn’t open completely flat. Tests suggest that it sits at an angle of around 178 degrees when fully opened, which means it won’t rest flat on a table surface. Does this matter during use? Not at all. This brings me to the crease.

All foldable smartphones have creases. As of 2023, there is no solution to this. I’m sure the super smart people behind the designs of these devices will crack the secret non-crease-required code one day, but for now, we’re stuck with it.

I’ve used foldables extensively, and, much like the notch on the latest MacBooks, I quickly forget the crease exists. Yes, you can see it if you tilt the display to catch the light, and yes you can feel it when you run your finger across the surface horizontally, but when you’re actually using that lovely big canvas, it fades into insignificance. I understand why some people cannot live with the crease, though, and if that’s the case for you, I’d steer well clear of all foldable devices for now.

Google has also opted for some fairly chunky bezels on the Pixel Fold. They’re at their largest at the top and bottom of the display which, again, will irk some users. The reason they’re so big appears to be related to the hinge, which is chunkier than that of the Fold4, thus requiring more space between the device’s edges and the display. I’d love smaller bezels like everyone else but, I guess, we’re still in the era of noticeable compromises with devices like this.

If you’re willing to look past the foldable challenges and concerns, you’re in for a treat. The Pixel Fold’s internal display is wonderful. Multitasking works a treat and is genuinely useful if, say, you’re messaging someone and need to reference a webpage or date on your calendar. But it’s the sheer volume of space for digesting content which remains the highlight of foldable phones, and I’m glad Google has jumped on the bandwagon.

The only issue is app compatibility. If you’re looking forward to a full-screen experience with the likes of Twitter, Instagram, BBC News, or Slack, you’ll need to wait for third-party developers to catch up on the changes required to make use of the Fold’s internal display. Even Google has some catching up to do; although most first-party apps have been reworked to make the best use of those 7.6 inches, YouTube Studio is a notable anomaly, adopting the centred vertical letterboxed display of similarly incompatible apps.

Switching from the front display to the internal display with an app open is a seamless experience, but it doesn’t work the other way. Start working on an app on the internal display, and the device locks when you close it. It would be great to have the option to prevent that.

I guess we had better talk about that front display, eh?

The Pixel Fold’s greatest asset

As big a fan as I am of the Galaxy Z Fold4, Samsung’s device delivers a frustrating experience when closed. The front display, while perfectly good-looking, bright, and sharp, is just too narrow for anything but scrolling duties.

Google has absolutely nailed the front display on the Pixel Fold. Measuring 5.8 inches diagonally, the front OLED display has a 17.4:9 aspect ratio making it, weirdly, the Fold’s greatest asset. In fact, I’d take a non-folding device with this display alone, tomorrow.

It’s brighter than the internal display (more so on paper than in practice, but it’s worth noting) and features the same variable 120Hz refresh rate and HDR support.

In one fell swoop, Google has solved all of the problems presented by the Fold4. That front display is a joy to use. The challenge it presents users is that it often detracts from the presence of the internal display; you have to remember to use the latter.

This is a lovely problem to have, but it’s one that does reveal how much you need to want that internal display to justify the cost of the Pixel Fold.

Photo wonder kid

The camera system in the Pixel Fold is pretty much the same one you get in the Pixel 7 Pro. This is a very good thing indeed – if you’re a fan of Pixel photography.

I am. Big time. And this photo taken in the Lake District earlier this week sums up everything I love about the Pixel Fold’s camera. It is, literally, picture-postcard-perfect, and has that signature Pixel processing quality that has always been highly attractive to my eye.

These images might impress you as much as they do me, or you may be non-plussed. But that’s why the photographic capabilities of smartphones are easily one of the most subjective elements.

What I love about Google’s approach, however, is that it rarely fails to capture the moment, no matter where you are or what subject you’re snapping away at.

The zoom ranges work brilliantly, the dynamic range is superb, and the processing and ‘Pixel look’ means you never have to faff about in post. You just point, hit the shutter button and marvel at the results. Or, at least, I do.

There are three ways to take selfies with the Pixel Fold. The first is via the 9.5MP front camera.

The second is via the 8MP internal camera.

Both do a great job, but due to the nature of the Pixel Fold’s form factor, Google has included the option of ‘high res’ selfies, which essentially uses the main camera system as a front-facing camera when the device is unfolded. In this setup, the front display acts as the selfie monitor which means you can benefit from the full 48MP sensor of that main camera system to grab photos of your face. The only downside is that the Fold is a bit cumbersome to hold in that mode, and lacks the comfortable grip of ‘normal’ selfie shooting. It’s a very smart use of a foldable design, though.

Conclusion

The Pixel Fold is a seriously premium device with a serious price tag.

Google has, in my opinion, mastered the form factor. The choices made for that front display limit the compromises made by the Pixel Fold to those big bezels and the usual trade-offs that come with foldable devices. This makes it a very convenient and satisfying device to use.

The challenge is, as everyone keeps pointing out, the price. You cannot ignore it and you cannot argue that you have to really want the Pixel Fold to spend all of that money.

The good news is that, if you do, you’re in for a treat. This is my favourite foldable to date, thanks to the build quality, front display, camera capabilities, and the completely pure version of Android 13. If Google continues this Pixel model, we’re in for some very nice and more affordable devices in the future, I have no doubt.

Expect a comparison with Samsung’s forthcoming update to the Fold in due course!

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