The Google Pixel Fold is a brilliant foldable, but it's not without its problems. Here's what I learned after spending two weeks with it.
This story is part of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 coverage Some of what you’re about to read is going to make it sound like I hate the Google Pixel Fold, but this is not the case. I’ve spent about two weeks with the phone, and there are multiple elements I really like . However, this is an $1,800 smartphone, and when something costs that much, it needs to come close to being exactly right — especially when there is a really fantastic competing product selling for the same price.
Related Why? It’s all about holding the phone. Closed, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is more comfortable to use because my hand can close around it, meaning my thumb can reach the most sensibly placed buttons without having to use two hands. This is much harder to do with the Pixel Fold, as my hand doesn’t get close to reaching around it.
Now I’m going to be contrary Watching video on the partially open Google Pixel Fold is better than it is on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and a lot of it is due to the wider, shorter style. Annoying, right? It’s uncomfortable to use when closed, but better when you want to watch videos with the phone acting like its own stand. What’s more, Google has implemented its own “Flex Mode,” where video controls show on the lower half of the screen, not unlike what you get on foldable Samsung phones.
Why doesn’t it fold flat? Every single time I open the Pixel Fold, I wonder why it doesn’t fold flat. It’s close, but like the Honor Magic Vs, the hinge seems to give up a few degrees before it gets there. It doesn’t particularly affect the use, but it does look and feel a bit odd. I don’t like the way it makes me try to flatten it out, which probably isn’t all that good for the hinge, and even when I do put some pressure on it, the phone still doesn’t get completely flat.
It’s somewhat understandable, as it is a first-generation folding product from Google, but there’s currently no reason to put up with it as a consumer when the Galaxy Z Fold 5 exists — and is superior. Previous Next 1 of 11 Samsung has improved the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s camera, but mostly when you take 3x zoom photos, with the rest being quite similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. I never felt I could rely on it in the same way as the Pixel Fold. Whether it’s the Google Pixel 7a or the Pixel Fold, Google’s cameras just haven’t disappointed this year. It’s definitely the best camera I’ve used on a folding smartphone too.
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