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The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a very expensive smartphone. It starts at £1,749, so there’s no way for me to start this review without first acknowledging that most of us aren’t setting aside this kind of money for a new phone.
But, this type of foldable promises that it’ll deliver as not only one device but as two devices in one. It’s a phone, of course, and it’s also a tablet after you unfold the main 6.3-inch screen to reveal the 8-inch display within.
This isn’t the first time Google has attempted a foldable, but this model has several upgrades and a refreshed design compared to the company’s debut foldable, the Google Pixel Fold.
It even has a new naming scheme, now becoming the Pixel 9 Pro Fold to align it with the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL in the updated lineup.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: At a glance
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Design and displays
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold design is where you can see obvious improvements and refinements. It’s a super sleek device that feels much thinner than you expect. It's also easy to hold and use whether closed or opened up like a book. It does have a bit of a protruding camera bump, but all phones seem to nowadays, and this isn’t as large as others I’ve seen.
This form factor is ideal if you think you’d like to multitask or want a far bigger display for social media or watching videos. The displays are smooth and bright, so they’re great to use in all conditions. The massive 8-inch internal screen is excellent for using two apps side-by-side or propping up on a table to watch videos on YouTube.
Once folded up, it works like a normal smartphone and isn’t much thicker than most phones. It has a face unlock and a fingerprint sensor built into the side button, and it charges quickly via USB-C or when placed on a wireless charging pad.
It isn’t available in quite as many colours as the Pixel 9 or 9 Pro handsets. It comes in either obsidian black or porcelain white – I’ve seen both colours and can confirm they’re lovely matte shades.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Can it replace a tablet?
The big selling point of a foldable phone is that you can buy one and not need to get a tablet too. But does it live up to this claim? I tried to use it for the tasks I’d use a tablet for to test this out. Thankfully, the software accommodates many of the important features you’d want from a tablet in a smaller size.
For example, when it comes to productivity, I paired it up with a Bluetooth keyboard and used it to type out much of this review. When you prop it open at a 90-degree angle, it sits up on a tabletop a bit like a laptop, so this is a functional way to use the device.
Use it open, and you can have two apps running side-by-side simultaneously – ideal for research. For example, it’s great if you are planning a trip itinerary on the left-hand side and viewing the relevant locations using Google Maps on the right.
The inner screen is also brilliant for watching shows and films – something I know I use a tablet for a lot – as it’s so much bigger than most other phone displays. It’s excellent for viewing photos in detail at full-size, and for browsing social media. Prefer to read on a bigger screen? I’ve found it great for getting through my reading list, whether browsing the news online or delving into books with the Kindle app.
There are some downsides if you want it to be a tablet replacement. The big one is that it doesn’t support a stylus. That means you can’t use it to jot down notes with a pen or create artistic drawings. Several apps also don’t feel optimised for the extra screen space. They just look like “stretched-out” normal apps. And, it’s worth mentioning that you could buy a comparable tablet with a bigger screen and an excellent phone... and you'd still not quite reach the cost of the 9 Pro Fold!
Of course, there’s also a little bit of a learning curve for iPhone and iPad users who haven't used an Android device. But it’s not as difficult as it used to be and Google’s clean software experience is intuitive.
Like the other new Pixel devices, there’s also a lot of AI packed in here. You’ll find the same Gemini voice assistant, image generation features, new photo editing features and clever screenshot organisation that I’ve already discussed in our other Pixel 9 reviews.
There are also many features exclusive to the Pixel Fold. These include the ability to show a photo preview on the outer screen when taking somebody’s picture, high-quality selfies using the rear camera, the “Made You Look” photo feature for kids (more on that below), use of both screens on a Google Meet call (so you can show yourself and what you’re looking at), and “Live Transcribe” during translations so both participants in a conversation can see their responses as they speak.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Cameras
If you’ve heard anything about any Google Pixel phone over the past several years, it’s probably that the cameras are excellent. It comes as no surprise that the camera system of the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is predictably fantastic.
The triple camera setup on the back of the phone is great for snapping crisp photos with punchy colours, while you can take 4K videos too.
The range goes up to a 5x zoom, which is better than most foldables too. All the cameras do a great job in bright lighting conditions and the main lens still performs well in low light. But with the ultrawide, you’ll find better results from the Pixel 9 or the Pixel 9 Pro.
There’s also a new “Made You Look” feature on the 9 Pro Fold, aimed at parents. It uses the outer screen to show attention-grabbing cartoony visuals so you won’t have as much trouble getting young children to look at the camera. It’s a fun feature that’s easy to set up.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Performance and battery life
The phone has the same chip as the other new Google Pixel phones and as much RAM as the other handsets in the 9 Pro family, making it a top performer. It feels fast and smooth even when multitasking and moving between different apps.
If you compare it to the original Google Pixel Fold, it’s a substantial leap. That’s because last year’s phone used a Tensor G2 chip from 2022 that was already outdated when it launched.
This handset is better at on-device AI jobs and efficiency, and the RAM increase helps improve everyday tasks like launching apps, gaming performance and keeping more apps active at once.
It has an impressive battery life too. The main thing I noticed was that it doesn’t feel any different for its everyday longevity than the other Pixel devices I’ve recently tested. In my real-world testing, I found it got me through a day of use quite capably. However, I’d also say you need more than a couple of weeks to properly evaluate the battery of any handset.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Storage
For such a high-end device, some might find it disappointing that you only get two storage options on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold – either 256GB or 512GB. Don’t get me wrong, that is plenty of storage for most people, especially if you’re keeping some files, photos and videos in Google’s cloud storage too.
But, you can get the Pixel 9 Pro with a huge 1TB of storage that’s not possible with this phone. And, if I compare this to Android tablets, some of those allow you to expand the space with a micro SD card slot. That’s not an option here too. There’s also no way to lower the high price with a 128GB storage variant too, which you can pick with all other new Pixels.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Price
However impressive the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is, the price is the clearest indication that it’s not for most people.
Foldables are still a niche product and far more expensive than conventional smartphones. That’s the case whether you’re looking at this tablet-sized folding screen or something more compact like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. These products can be tough to justify when there are so many great budget phones under £500.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s price starts at £1,749, but it’ll set you back £1,869 if you want to get it with the larger 512GB storage capacity.
Good Housekeeping’s verdict on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
There’s no getting around it. This is a very expensive phone, and for most of us, it’s not one I can recommend with ease.
I’m impressed by all the new Google Pixel phones, so would suggest most people searching for a great Android phone buy the regular Pixel 9 or the Pixel 9 Pro if they want the best possible cameras. Those after a terrific big-screen experience will be well-served by the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
All these phones are more affordable than the 9 Pro Fold, so you need to know you’d enjoy the foldable form factor before you invest. If you’re certain you do, this is a tremendous foldable in a sleek design that delivers Google’s smooth Android experience with several multitasking and efficiency upgrades for those who use their phones for work, gaming, browsing, entertainment and much more.
Can it truly replace a tablet and live up to the promise of a two-in-one device? It gets about as close as it’s possible to get. Paired with a portable keyboard, I can get work done on the 9 Pro Fold and it’s one of the best portable devices I’ve ever used for viewing films and videos, with its expansive 8-inch inner screen, which is bigger than you can find on rivals.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a substantial upgrade over the Google Pixel Fold, and it has the price tag to match its high-end capabilities.
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.