Second time’s the attraction
Google has utterly reinvented the Fold’s picture with its second model, making it higher in just about each method. The larger and brighter shows, new AI options, and the slimmer and lighter design, all make for a superb foldable expertise. It is nonetheless dear, however not less than it now seems to be the half.
For
- Refined, premium design
- Slimmer and lighter than earlier than
- Comfy side ratio when folded
- Seven years of software program updates
- Newest Tensor G4 SoC
- Loads of helpful AI options
In opposition to
- Smaller battery dimension in comparison with Pixel Fold
- Costly
The defending champ
Samsung did not fiddle with its method for the Fold 6 an excessive amount of, and that is beginning to turn into an issue. It is a unbelievable flagship foldable in each sense, and the slimmer and lighter design is definitely welcomed. Compatibility with the S Pen nonetheless provides it an edge over the competitors.
For
- Lightest Galaxy Fold but
- Much less outstanding show crease
- Galaxy AI options are enjoyable
- Wonderful efficiency
In opposition to
- Nonetheless awkward to make use of when folded
- Dearer than earlier than
- Predominant and telephoto cameras similar as Fold 4
The brand new Pixel 9 lineup is Google’s strongest and most aggressive {hardware} launch but. However what’s much more spectacular is its newest foldable known as the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. Somewhat than calling it the Pixel Fold 2, Google is clubbing it with the remainder of the brand new collection, and that is sensible because it shares plenty of the options and {hardware} with the Pixel 9 telephones. The brand new 9 Professional Fold has a serious design overhaul and, to our shock, comes on the similar beginning worth as final 12 months’s mannequin.
Within the U.S., its largest rival goes to be the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, which has just about gone unchallenged in its section and is likely one of the greatest foldable telephones out there. Newer choices just like the OnePlus Open have given it good competitors, however we predict the brand new Pixel 9 Professional Fold can be its largest opponent. With comparable flagship {hardware} and a ton of AI software program options, we pit the Google Pixel 9 Professional vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 to see if we now have a definitive winner and which telephone you can purchase subsequent.
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Design and shows
The brand new Pixel 9 Professional Fold seems to be nothing just like the Pixel Fold from final 12 months, and that is a great factor. The design is arguably significantly better; the brand new matte glass and aluminum finishes really feel richer, and the ugly thick bezels contained in the folding show are all gone. It seems to be prefer it’s a part of the Pixel 9 household. You get the identical broad side ratio that we cherished from the primary mannequin, however the chassis is now slimmer and lighter. It measures 10.5mm in depth when folded and simply 5.1mm when unfolded. It is not the world’s slimmest, however I am going to take it.
The load has additionally been lowered considerably, all the way down to 257g. The telephone is available in Obsidian and Porcelain colours. The 9 Professional Fold continues to be IPX8-rated for water resistance. One main annoyance we confronted with the Pixel Fold was that it by no means fairly unfolded utterly flat, however Google has mounted that with the brand new mannequin.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 seems to be roughly the identical because the earlier two generations, though it has a barely wider side ratio this time. It is solely nearly noticeable if you happen to’re coming from an older Fold telephone, nevertheless it’s not sufficient to make the typing expertise on the quilt display significantly better. Samsung, too, makes use of aluminum and glass for the development, and the Fold 6 is lighter than the Pixel at 239g. It is nonetheless barely thicker, although, at 12.1mm and 5.6mm in its folded and unfolded state, respectively.
Samsung provides far more colours, because the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is available in Silver, Shadow, Pink, and Navy. Crafted Black and White are two unique shades if you happen to purchase them by way of Samsung.com. The Fold 6 is now IP48-rated for “mud” and water resistance, however take into account that the mud resistance solely protects it from strong particles bigger than 1mm, which does not qualify as mud.
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold will get new shows on the inside and outside. The outer show is a bigger 6.3-inch Actua show with a 20:9 side ratio, much like the Pixel 9 Professional. It is an OLED with a Full HD+ decision, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 safety, and a variable refresh charge of 60Hz-120Hz. Google claims it may get as vivid as as much as 1,800 nits for HDR content material and as much as 2,700 nits of peak brightness.
The folding display is bigger too, at 8 inches. Google calls it a Tremendous Actua Flex show. This OLED panel has a 2,076×2,152 decision, UTG glass, and LTPO tech which may differ the refresh charge from 1Hz to 120Hz. It has the identical peak brightness because the outer display, however HDR brightness is as much as 1,600 nits.
Samsung introduced some minor refinements to the show on the Fold 6, however not any main adjustments. The corners of the folding show are not curved, which is the alternative of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. It is a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, options LTPO tech, and has a 2,160×1,856 decision. Peak brightness is comparable at 2,600 nits.
The outer show is a 6.3-inch AMOLED panel, nevertheless it’s taller with a narrower 22.1:9 side ratio than the Pixel. It too has LTPO tech with a 1Hz to 120Hz refresh charge and the identical peak brightness. The slimmer profile makes it simpler to slide into narrower pockets, however the 9 Professional Fold nonetheless trumps the Galaxy in the case of ease of utilizing the outer display, espeically when typing.
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: {Hardware} and specs
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold begins at $1,799 for the bottom mannequin with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Not like some nations like India, which can solely get one variant, the U.S. and the remainder of the world will get a 512GB choice, too, with the identical quantity of RAM. I like that Google elevated the RAM on the brand new Fold, as all these AI and multitasking options ought to profit from it in the long term. The 9 Professional Fold is powered by the Tensor G4 SoC, which claims to be faster and extra environment friendly on the whole and AI processing. Different {hardware} options embody Google’s Titan M2 safety chip, fingerprint sensor, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and dual-band GPS.
The digital camera sensors have additionally acquired minor updates. The Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s rear cameras embody a 48MP broad with an f/1.7 aperture, a brand new 10.5MP ultrawide with a wider 127-degree subject of view and autofocus for macro pictures, and a ten.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom and as much as 20x Tremendous Res Zoom. The again additionally encompasses a laser autofocus system and spectral and flicker sensors.
The digital camera on the quilt show and within the folding show is identical 10MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. The 9 Professional Fold can shoot as much as 4K 60fps movies, together with 10-bit HDR movies from the rear digital camera and Evening Sight video.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s battery is smaller than its predecessor’s, nevertheless it’s nonetheless bigger than the Fold 6. The 4,650mAh capability might be rapidly charged utilizing Google’s licensed 45W optionally available charger.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 begins at $1,899 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and goes as much as $2,259 for the 1TB variant. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, which continues to be the flagship chip in 2024. It’s going to be fascinating to see how this compares to the brand new Tensor chip within the Pixel. Just like the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, the Fold 6 additionally will get Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, Extremely-Wideband assist, and USB 3.2. The Galaxy has the distinctive benefit of supporting Samsung’s S Pen stylus, which is a useful device for jotting notes or sketching out concepts.
The cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 are fairly versatile and adequate for on a regular basis use, though we might have favored to see an even bigger improve by now. The rear of the Fold 6 will get a 50MP predominant, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide. The quilt display has a 10MP sensor, whereas the folding display makes use of the identical 4MP under-display digital camera. The latter has improved because it was first launched, nevertheless it’s no match for the standard of a high-resolution sensor.
Battery life on the Fold collection has usually been good, and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 encompasses a 4,400mAh battery. A day’s price of utilization is one thing you possibly can sometimes count on from this telephone. Sadly, wired charging continues to be solely 25W, and you may must get your personal charger. Wi-fi charging is supported at 15W.
Header Cell – Column 0 | Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 |
---|---|---|
Folding show | 8-inch OLED, LTPO (1-120Hz), 2076 x 2152 decision, 373 ppi, 2700 nits peak brightness | 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x, LTPO (1-120Hz), 2160 x 1856 decision, 20.9:18 side ratio, 374 ppi, 2600 nits peak brightness, 480Hz PWM dimming |
Cowl show | 6.3-inch OLED, 60-120Hz, 2434 x 1080 decision, 20:9 side ratio, 422 ppi, 2700 nits peak brightness | 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x, LTPO (1-120Hz), 2376 x 968 decision, 22.1:9 side ratio, 410 ppi, 2600 nits peak brightness, 480Hz PWM dimming |
Working System | Android 14 | Android 14 (One UI 6.1.1) |
Processor | Google Tensor G4 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy |
RAM | 16GB | 12GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB |
Battery | 4,650mAh | 4,400mAh |
Charging | 45W wired charging, wi-fi charging | 25W wired charging, 15W wi-fi charging |
Rear cameras | 48MP predominant + 10.5MP ultrawide + 10.8MP telephoto (5x optical zoom) | 50MP predominant + 12MP ultrawide + 10MP telephoto (3x optical zoom) |
Selfie cameras | 10MP (cowl show) + 10MP (folding show) | 10MP (cowl show) + 4MP (folding show) |
Dimensions | Folded ( 77.1 x 155.2 x 10.5 mm); Unfolded (150.2 x 155.2 x 5.1 mm) | Folded (68.1 x 153.5 x 12.1 mm); Unfolded (132.6 x 153.5 x 5.6 mm) |
Weight | 257g | 239g |
Colours | Obsidian, Porcelain | Silver, Shadow, Pink, Navy |
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Software program
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold ships with Android 14 and is slated to obtain seven years of software program updates and safety patches. You additionally get Gemini baked in from the second you set it up, which may do rather more than Assitant, like generate tales in your weblog, draft, and electronic mail, or assist you recognize extra about what’s in your display. Fold customers will even get a one-year free subscription to Gemini Superior by way of Google One, which incorporates 2TB of cloud storage and the power to make use of Gemini in Gmail and Docs.
Google can be including new AI options, which can be unique to Pixel units. Pixel Screenshots makes use of Gemini Nano to recollect all the main points from screenshots taken in your Pixel telephone, so you possibly can merely immediate it to seek out what you are searching for later as a substitute of getting to dig via your pile of screenshots. The brand new Add Me characteristic for the digital camera app enables you to add your self to group pictures if you happen to’re the one taking it by merging two photographs of 1 with you in it and one with out. Google has beefed up its multitasking capabilities, too, with Break up Display and the power to save lots of app pairs. You additionally get a taskbar with latest apps that may be pinned for fast entry.
Samsung has now nearly perfected its multitasking options for its Fold collection. It means that you can open three apps without delay and extra in floating home windows. Folding the Z Fold 6 midway routinely rearranges the structure in some apps to supply prolonged performance. There are additionally a ton of Galaxy AI options to play with, probably the most fascinating one being the “Sketch to Picture” characteristic. This allows you to generate life-like pictures of objects and animals by merely doodling over an current picture. There are lots extra Galaxy AI options like reside translate, in addition to Google AI options like Circle to Search and rather more.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 ships with Samsung’s One UI pores and skin, which is predicated on Android 14. Just like the Pixel, it will get seven years of OS and safety updates. It additionally helps Gemini Nano, Google’s light-weight GenAI platform.
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Which must you purchase?
If I had been to decide on between the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold or the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the selection could be fairly straightforward — I would go together with the Pixel. There are a few good causes, too. The principle one must be the shape issue. The broader side ratio of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold makes it really feel like an everyday telephone when folded, so it is simpler to make use of, kind on, and play video games on it, too. Subsequent must be the design. It seems to be extra trendy in comparison with the Fold 6, which, by now, might be mistaken for even the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Then there are these cool, unique Pixel AI options like Add Me, which might be extraordinarily helpful. On prime of that, you possibly can count on nice issues from the cameras, and you may all the time be among the many first to get the most recent Android software program.
Now that the 9 Professional Fold is right here, we might see a worth shuffle for the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It is nonetheless a great choice for anybody searching for wonderful stylus assist, nice gaming efficiency, and desktop-like computing with Samsung DeX.
The one to beat
Google has simply raised the bar for foldables with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, providing a surprising design, flagship specs, and helpful AI options. You may have all this on the similar worth as final 12 months’s mannequin, which is the cherry on prime.
Nonetheless one of the best foldable with a stylus
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 does not win any design awards, nevertheless it’s a reliable foldable with a few years of software program assist. It is the one one to assist a stylus, and is a superb workhorse for productiveness junkies.