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 (and even love). 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.
By the end of my time with the Pixel Fold, I had reached a surprising, but very happy conclusion.
My most controversial opinion on the Pixel Fold
It has only been a short time since I used the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, but coming almost immediately to the Pixel Fold taught me one thing: The Z Fold 5’s tall, thin shape is more hand-friendly than the shorter and wider style of a folding phone. I had that feeling when I used the Z Fold 5 for my review, but the Pixel Fold really solidified the thought in my mind.
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.
The issue is exacerbated by the Google Pixel Fold’s weight. It’s 283 grams ocompared to the Z Fold 5’s 253 grams, and fatigue sets in far earlier when you’re holding it. The Pixel Fold may be ever so slightly thinner than the Z Fold 5, but any advantage is negated by the additional 15mm width and 30 grams of extra weight. The no-gap fold and tall, thin shape of the Z Fold 5 make it ergonomically superior to the Pixel Fold.
Not everyone will agree with this, with some seeing the more traditional phone width of the Pixel Fold as being the ideal foldable format, but it really isn’t the case. Does this mean I think the Z Fold 5 is ideal? No, as I’m about to explain.
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. Except this works better on the Pixel Fold than on the Z Fold 5.
Partially folded, the Pixel Fold is more stable than the Z Fold 5 too, and because the viewing area isn’t as compacted as the Samsung phone’s, it’s a more inviting viewing experience, and I’ve watched for far longer on the Pixel than on the Z Fold 5. Not only are the on-screen controls expertly laid out, but the physical volume controls are sensibly placed on the top edge of the device, unlike on the Honor Magic Vs.
I’m not much of a mobile gamer, but playing Pocket City on both big folding phones has been great. You have to rotate the Pixel Fold to view the game full-screen when the phone is open (if you don’t, it looks like a standard screen mobile app), and along with watching videos, it’s this kind of experience that makes me love big-screen folding smartphones. Whichever you buy, video and games are more fun and more involving than on a non-folding phone, and you’ll have to be careful as both these devices will make you play and watch more.
