Pixel 10 Pro Fold Hands-on: Forget Thinness, Google Is Going Hard On Durability

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold was a revelation. Not only did Google move to a simpler creation while adding a larger main display, nan company caught up to Samsung's long-running foldable statement successful conscionable 2 generations. However, for its 3rd spell — nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold — Google is opting for a different strategy than we’ve seen precocious connected nan Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Instead of focusing connected thinness, Google whitethorn person conscionable created nan astir rugged foldable connected nan market. That’s owed successful ample portion to nan phone’s caller IP68 rating. Now I will admit that certification mightiness not sound for illustration a immense woody because non-flexy flagships person had this benignant of durability for years. But this is nan first clip immoderate foldable has put some top-tier particulate and h2o guidance together successful 1 device. And erstwhile you see that these kinds of gadgets are mostly a spot much vulnerable than their glass-brick counterparts, that intends something.

Furthermore, Google says nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s (P10PF from present connected out) 8-inch Super Actua Flex show features a caller titanium backplate that adds other rigidity while a much robust furniture of ultra-thin solid provides accrued scratch resistance. On nan outside, Google went pinch Gorilla Glass Victus 2 successful beforehand and backmost while installing a caller gearless hinge nan institution claims is designed to grip much than 10 years of bending. Then to apical things off, Google equipped nan P10PF pinch a larger 5,015mAh battery, which is simply a important jump up from nan 4,650mAh compartment successful its predecessor.

Even pinch each these improvements, nan P10PF’s wide dimensions are almost precisely nan aforesaid arsenic nan erstwhile model. Between its weight (9.1 ounces) and thickness (10.8mm folded) though, Google’s foldable is still alternatively chunky compared Samsung’s recently streamlined Z Fold 7 (8.9mm and 7.5 ounces). Following nan awesome redesign we sewage past twelvemonth connected nan Pixel 9 Pro Fold, getting different all-new, ace sleek chassis for nan P10PF astir apt wasn’t going to happen. But fixed nan accrued durability connected this year’s phone, I’m consenting to springiness Google different 12 months to harvester this newfound ruggedness pinch a thinner design. I conscionable dream its engineers don’t get complacent and push things retired further than that.

On nan inside, nan P10PF besides boasts upgraded specs and capacity pinch its Tensor G5 spot starring nan way. According to Google, its CPU features 34 percent amended capacity while its TPU fares moreover amended pinch a 60 percent jump complete what we sewage from nan Tensor G4. And conscionable for illustration nan remainder of nan Pixel 10 family, nan P10PF supports Google’s Pixelsnap magnetic charging ecosystem, which is afloat compatible pinch nan Qi2 protocol. So not only is nan Pixel 10 statement nan first batch of phones from a awesome Android OEM to support Qi2, nan P10PF is besides nan first foldable telephone pinch this manufacture standard. Wired charging speeds person accrued somewhat to 30 watts, but unluckily wireless charging is staying pat astatine 15W. Base representation is besides staying nan aforesaid astatine 16GB of RAM, though location is simply a wider scope of retention options from 256GB to 1TB.

Some different mini specifications I admit are nan P10PF’s slimmer bezels astir nan extracurricular of its exterior display. It makes nan curved area successful nan apical near look a batch little awkward and it allowed Google to summation its wide size a touch to 6.4 inches crossed (up from 6.3). On apical of that, some of its displays are brighter too, topping retired astatine 3,000 nits (up from 2,700 nits).

Aside from updated package and AI devices for illustration Magic Cue and nan Daily Hub, each of which will beryllium disposable crossed nan Pixel 10 family, nan P10PF is getting 2 notable foldable-specific upgrades. The first is enhanced resistance and driblet support that useful successful tandem pinch expanded divided surface functionality to amended multitasking and moving files betwixt apps. That said, arsenic I was utilizing demo devices that were fundamentally caller retired of nan box, it was difficult to show really overmuch of an effect this whitethorn person connected mundane use. The different summation is simply a caller dual-pane layout for nan P10PF’s camera app, which takes amended advantage of nan other surface abstraction you person erstwhile nan telephone is unfolded. This allows you to spot caller photos arsenic soon arsenic you threat them connected nan near while nan viewfinder stays unfastened connected nan right.

The biggest imaginable shortcoming of nan P10PF is that its camera hardware is mostly staying nan same. Granted, that's not a immense woody because nan erstwhile exemplary had nan champion photograph value of immoderate foldable phone. But sadly, because nan P10PF doesn't person nan aforesaid sensors arsenic nan Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL, this intends nan P10PF besides won’t person entree to Google’s AI-powered 100x Pro Res Zoom aliases nan expertise to seizure image shots successful afloat resolution. Unfortunately, erstwhile I asked if these features would beryllium ported to nan P10PF successful nan future, a Google rep told maine location are presently nary actual plans to do so.

In a batch of ways, it feels for illustration Google is doing almost everything it tin to amended nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold without wholly redesigning it pinch a thinner chassis. So if you’re nan type of personification who tin grip a small other junk successful nan trunk, there’s a batch to for illustration astir a foldable telephone that comes pinch much robust durability.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold starts astatine $1,799 and is disposable for pre-order coming successful 2 colors: jade and moonstone. However, location will beryllium a spot of hold until it really arrives arsenic charismatic income aren’t slated to commencement until October 9.