This Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold battle consists of a sixth-gen gadget towards a second-gen gadget the place the winner appears apparent. In spite of everything, an organization ought to have an edge if it has been constructing foldables for six years over a telephone producer that’s solely two years in.
But it surely’s not that straightforward, as these two are the precise reverse when it comes to generational upgrades. Whereas Samsung pushed out an iterative improve, Google went again to the design board and altered the foldable’s kind issue. Google appears to have already perfected its design language with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, whereas Samsung’s complacency this yr makes it appear to be it’s falling behind within the foldable telephone phase. Nonetheless, it’s not an entire slam dunk for Google, because the Korean firm added a bunch of significant upgrades over the Galaxy Z Fold 5. So, which do you have to purchase?
In case you’re out there for a book-style foldable, right here’s what you could know in regards to the newest foldables from Google and Samsung.
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: specs
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Measurement
Folded: 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.5 mm
Unfolded: 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.1 mm
Folded: 68.1 x 153.5 x 12.1mm
Unfolded: 132.6 x 153.5 x 5.6mm
Weight
257 grams
239 grams
Colours
Obsidian
Porcelain
Silver Shadow
Pink
Navy
Crafted Black (on-line unique)
Purity White (on-line unique)
Shows
6.3-inch OLED (2424 x 1080) cowl show with 20:9 side ratio
8-inch OLED (2152 x 2076) major show
As much as 120Hz refresh fee for each
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
As much as 2,700 nits (peak brightness)
6.3-inch HD+ AMOLED (2376 x 968) cowl show with 22.1:9 side ratio
7.6-inch OLED (2208 x 1840) major show
As much as 120Hz refresh fee for each
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
As much as 2,600 nits (peak brightness)
Chipset
Google Tensor G4
Titan M2 safety coprocessor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
RAM
16GB
12GB
Storage
256GB or 512GB
256GB or 512GB or 1TB
Rear cameras
48-megapixel huge digital camera
10.5MP ultrawide
10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom
50MP major
12MP ultrawide
10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom
Selfie cameras
10MP entrance digital camera
10MP inside digital camera
10MP with entrance show
4MP inside under-display digital camera
Battery
4,650 mAh
4,400mAh
Charging
Quick charging as much as 45W
Wi-fi charging, Qi-certified
25W quick charging
15W wi-fi charging
4.5W reverse wi-fi charging
Software program and Updates
Ships with Android 14
Seven years of OS, safety, and Pixel Drop updates
Ships with Android 14
Seven years of OS and safety updates
Worth
From $1,799
From $1,899
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: design and show
Galaxy Z Fold 6 (left) and Pixel 9 Professional Fold (proper) Ajay Kumar / Digital Developments
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold is a departure for the model, and strikes from the squat, passport-like design of the Pixel Fold to a extra common smartphone-like form when folded. Against this, Samsung is sticking to its slim cowl display screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. A slight bump of 0.1mm in display screen dimension has made typing simpler, and the display screen is now extra usable than earlier than.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold weighs 257 grams (down from 283 grams), whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 6 measures 239 grams (down from 253 grams) on the weighing scale. The Samsung foldable is simpler to deal with than earlier than and it feels nice within the hand. The Pixel 9 Professional is more likely to really feel comfy within the hand, because of the curved corners. Nonetheless, the Samsung foldable has sharp corners, particularly on the hinge aspect, which makes it really feel pointy within the left palm. The Pixel 9 Professional Fold could to be higher on this regard.
Samsung’s hinge is tight and the telephone stays put on the angle you need it to. The Google foldable options an improved hinge mechanism and may now lie flat on the desk. As famous in our Pixel Professional 9 Fold hands-on, opening the telephone is much smoother than earlier than.
Galaxy Z Fold 6 (left) and Pixel 9 Professional Fold Ajay Kumar / Digital Developments
The border on the left aspect of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold provides away the truth that it’s a second-generation foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 appears extra polished on this regard. Furthermore, Samsung is the primary firm to introduce mud resistance on its foldable telephone. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is rated IP48 mud and water resistance, whereas the Pixel foldable is rated IPX8 for water resistance. You’re nonetheless not really useful to take these telephones to the seashore, however it’s comforting to know that these foldables are protected.
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold incorporates a 6.3-inch OLED entrance show with assist for a dynamic 120Hz refresh fee, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 6 comes geared up with a 6.3-inch 120Hz AMOLED with cowl display screen. The Pixel is brighter at 2,700 nits peak brightness versus 2,600 nits on the Galaxy. Each the screens are sharp and vivid.
As for the inside display screen, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold sports activities an 8-inch LTPO OLED show with a 1-120Hz variable refresh fee and a pair of,700 nits peak brightness. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 comes with a 7.6-inch AMOLED folding display screen with the identical 1-120Hz variable refresh fee and decrease 2,600 nits brightness. Each shows function minimal crease. The Samsung foldable one-ups the Pixel with S Pen assist. However you’ll want an extra case to make use of the stylus since there is no such thing as a built-in slot for a similar.
With a greater cowl display screen side ratio and an LTPO OLED panel, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is the winner, regardless of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 providing a lighter design with mud resistance score.
Winner: Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: efficiency and battery
The Pixel Studio app operating on the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold Joe Maring / Digital Developments
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold is powered by the Google Tensor G4 chipset, paired with 16GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage. The Tensor chips aren’t recognized for his or her energy and effectivity however assist Google to fine-tune their good options and digital camera algorithms to present the very best outcomes. It packs a 4,650mAh battery with assist for 45W quick charging and wi-fi charging.
Against this, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 makes use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 8 processor with 12GB of RAM and 256GB/512GB/1TB of storage. It’s a tried and examined chipset that’s energy environment friendly and good for power-hungry duties like gaming.
Google didn’t even point out gaming or uncooked efficiency in its launch keynote, which is probably going a giveaway to not count on the Tensor G4 to be a strong SoC. We’ll watch for our evaluation course of to be accomplished earlier than giving a remaining verdict, however going by previous examples, the Samsung foldable is more likely to be the extra highly effective one.
The Samsung foldable comes with a 4,400mAh battery with quick charging assist. It provides a day’s price of utilization on a single cost constantly — when not pushed with navigation and digital camera utilization. Each telephones cost comparatively slowly, and don’t assist super-fast charging just like the OnePlus Open. However the Pixel 9 Professional Fold nonetheless fees at a quicker and extra respectful fee of 45W.
Whereas we’ll have to attend to see whether or not the Pixel 9 Professional Fold surprises us with its energy and battery effectivity, for the second, the Z Fold’s highly effective processor and environment friendly efficiency imply it’s the winner. We’ll you’ll want to revisit this after our evaluation is full.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: cameras
Galaxy Z Fold 6 (left) and Pixel 9 Professional Fold (proper) Ajay Kumar / Digital Developments
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold sports activities a triple rear digital camera setup. You get a 48-megapixel main digital camera, 10.5MP ultrawide lens, and 10.8MP telephoto digital camera with 5x optical zoom. The smartphone comes with an extra function referred to as Made You Look, which shows an animation on the outer show to seize the eye of hyperactive children and hold them nonetheless for images.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 additionally holds three cameras on the again. There’s a 50MP main digital camera, a 12MP ultrawide-angle lens, and a 10MP telephoto digital camera with 3x optical zoom. Usually, the telephoto digital camera was weak, and it’s disappointing that Samsung didn’t improve it this yr. The opposite two sensors did a tremendous job, however they wrestle with clicking images of transferring topics. Plus, the low-light digital camera efficiency is common, too.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 incorporates a 4MP under-display digital camera (which isn’t superb) contained in the folding display screen, which makes it an uninterrupted expertise to learn and look at fullscreen images on. The Google telephone comes with two 10MP selfie shooters on each the shows however it’s all the time suggest utilizing the first cameras for taking selfies on foldables.
We haven’t examined the Pixel 9 Professional Fold cameras totally but however they’re more likely to take higher images of children. It’s a tie as a result of we have to watch for the decision on Google’s cameras.
Winner: Tie
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: software program and updates
Galaxy Z Fold 6 (left) and Pixel 9 Professional Fold (proper) Ajay Kumar / Digital Developments
Each the Google Pixel 9 Professional and Galaxy Z Fold 6 include Android 14 out of the field with a promise of seven years of software program and safety updates. The Pixel additionally contains seven years of Pixel Drop updates the place it’s going to obtain new options. The 2 foldables additionally lead the race with AI options.
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold affords a bunch of Gemini-powered AI options. There’s a brand new Add Me mode within the Digicam app, which makes clicking group images with out lacking anyone simpler than ever. You may click on a gaggle photograph, change the digital camera with one other individual from the group whereas they click on one other shot of the group (this time with you current) and Add Me merges the 2 images to incorporate everybody. You get the same old Photographs AI options like Magic Editor, Magic Eraser, and extra as effectively.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 options Galaxy AI, which affords options resembling Portrait Studio and Sketch to Picture. The previous permits you to rework selfies into 3D cartoons, sketches, and extra, whereas the latter generates photographs primarily based in your tough sketches. Each telephones provide an AI function referred to as Circle to Search that places Google Lens search at your fingertips.
Samsung’s One UI is clean and extra feature-rich than the Pixel UI on the Google foldable. Each the telephones function the identical variety of OS assist years and party-trick AI options (a number of helpful ones, too), which depends upon how often you utilize them. It’s a tie.
Winner: Tie
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: value and availability
Andy Boxall / Digital Developments
The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold begins at $1,799. It’s at present accessible for preorder in two colours: Obsidian and Porcelain. The Google foldable will go on sale beginning September 4. On comparability, Samsung elevated the worth of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 by $100 this yr, and it now begins at $1,899 for the bottom 256GB variant, which is costlier and the Pixel 9 Professional Fold.
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Which one do you have to purchase?
Ajay Kumar / Digital Developments
Google appears to have perfected the foldable kind issue with its Pixel 9 Professional Fold. The smartphone nonetheless feels tough across the edges, which supplies it away as a second-generation foldable. Nonetheless, it options nice shows and a strong digital camera setup (on paper) that will beat the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The Google telephone can also be slimmer and nearer to an everyday telephone than the Samsung foldable, giving it one other attainable edge.
However, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 provides delicate refinements to be a significant improve. You get mud resistance, S Pen assist, tried and examined Samsung foldable software program, and a strong and environment friendly processor. But it surely’s $100 extra for a similar 256GB of base storage.
Google beats Samsung when it comes to usability on the duvet display screen, whereas Samsung affords a sturdy foldable expertise. All of it depends on the digital camera efficiency, which we’ll discuss quickly; we’re within the strategy of reviewing the Pixel 9 Professional and want extra time with the cameras. Samsung’s digital camera efficiency with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 was common this yr, so the Pixel 9 Professional Fold doesn’t have an enormous benchmark. If Tensor G4 proves to be energy environment friendly, we might be trying on the new foldable smartphone king within the U.S.
