Google Pixel Fold review

Google's first foldable phone, the Google Pixel Fold, combines the helpfulness of Pixel with a design that unfolds into a compact tablet, unlocking even more ways for you to use your device. Powered by the Google Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel Fold is fast and secure.

When closed, the exterior screen lets you do all the usual tasks you’d expect from a Pixel phone, and when fully open, the large, immersive screen gives you all the benefits of an Android tablet. From the camera, to the battery and speakers, the Pixel has been reimagined and redesigned to fit within the clever thin design, along with a custom-built and durable hinge that allows for ultimate flexibility.

Testing the Google Pixel Fold

I've recently been introduced to the Pixel world with a Google Pixel tablet, which I've thoroughly enjoyed using, so I was excited to try out a Pixel phone and see what I thought of it. I'll start with setup. The instructions that came with the Google Pixel Fold were so straightforward, there was a cable to connect the two devices to move over my apps, contacts and files, I simply moved across my sim card, left the two phones to pair up for a little while, and just like that everything I needed was on the Pixel Fold. It was really quick and painless. I was already on an Android so I was pleased that most of the functionality of the phone was familiar to me.

The phone then walks you through the rest of the set up, from connecting to your home wifi, pairing with your Google account, creating a PIN login and even setting up fingerprint recognition on the power button. You can skip through some of the steps if you wanted to, and a prompt comes up at the top where you can finish setting up in your own time, or get some tips on using your new phone.

Weight-wise it is heavier than my previous Samsung phone, but I stopped noticing that after a short time. It’s only slightly thicker than the Samsung with its case on. I didn’t use a case with the Pixel Fold so I’m not sure how much, if any, bulk this would add. The dimensions of the phone fits comfortably in my hand and easily slides into pockets too – which I wasn’t expecting when you consider the size of the inner screen, the fold really is very compact.

The fold is smooth and it closes securely, effectively protecting the inner 7.6 inch screen. The great thing about the fold is that it’s so flexible that you can position it exactly how you’d like to, either leaving it a bit more open like a book so you can stand it somewhere, or like a laptop so you can watch a video on one half of the fold out screen with a base to secure it. This was especially useful for doing at-home workouts and using fitness apps as I could have the phone on the exercise mat next to me. The crease down the middle of the inner screen doesn’t completely go away when it’s open, there’s a slight bend there, but it’s not that noticeable and didn’t bother me too much when using apps.

I was concerned about keeping the phone in good condition with so much of it being screens, but I was really impressed with the durability of the screens, they have no scratches at all even after a couple months of use.

The Google Pixel Fold has 12GB RAM, which was plenty for me, it only ever lagged when I was on the train wifi and it was struggling to get a strong enough signal. I could have multiple apps open at once without a noticeable lag – however this was in comparison to my current Android.

The Pixel Fold runs on Andriod 13 so it felt very familiar to me, having come from a Samsung. It behaves like an Andriod phone when closed, and as a Pixel tablet when open – which again was familiar as I have a Pixel tablet at home. So it has great features of the Pixel tablet such as Split Screen, which is especially useful for when trying to get work done on the commute, as you can open two apps at the same time.

The front screen does have other features of a Pixel phone which I wasn’t used to, such as the swiping on the edges to go back and forth between apps and homepage. I also did have to Google how to see what apps I had open, and at first I felt a bit lost not having the nav bar at the bottom of the screen. Once I got used to using it, it became second nature, when using my Samsung now I’ve started to swipe at the sides! The swiping functionality makes it a lot easier to hold your phone in one hand and smoothly navigate from one app to another, but if you don’t get on with it you can turn it off and you’ll get the normal nav bar instead.

Most apps worked well on the inner screen, however I did find certain ones, such as Instagram, didn’t resize to the larger area. This wasn’t too much of a problem as I could just switch to the outer screen to use those apps, but if you were into the rhythm of using the inner screen it was something that I noticed.

The speakers are also worth a mention, as I found the sound quality was really good, I rarely had them at full volume, but could have music playing while in the kitchen, with a recipe open along with a YouTube playlist on the Split Screen, or a YouTube video of the recipe as I followed along with the instructions!

Battery life

The Google Pixel Fold battery lasts well, I didn’t need to charge it every night, and I also loved the charging feature where if you set an alarm it will slow charge so that it’s at 100% ready for when you wake up. As I, like most people, tend to charge my phone overnight when I’m asleep this is a really clever feature to preserve your phone’s battery life.

Camera

This is where the Google Pixel Fold really comes into its own. There’s a triple camera on the back, as well as a camera above the inner screen, ideal for video calls. The camera can only be described as brilliant, not just because of the photo quality itself but also for the clever features that it includes, such as Best Take which shares the best version of the photo you took, so if the shot you took was slightly blurry for example, you can save a clearer version.

It’s also great for group photos, where if someone has blinked in one shot, you can choose a version where they were looking at the camera! The fold functionality is perfect for group shots too, no more balancing your phone precariously against a pile of books or on sofa cushions, you can simply fold your phone into position, and get everyone to pose while you set a timer, or say “Hey, Google” and get the Google Assistant to take it for you.

I tried the camera in a variety of lightings, with portrait shots and landscape. There are a few handy modes for this too which created beautiful images. The zoom functionality is great. Honestly I was so, so impressed with the camera, it’s the closest camera I’ve used to what you can capture with your own eyes.

Final thoughts

The outer screen works so well that I found myself using that most of the time, and using the inside screen for specific tasks such as checking emails or documents for work when commuting, or watching media and shopping online – tasks I’d normally use my tablet for.

Personally, since I already have a Pixel tablet, I didn’t use the inner screen as much as others might do. This feature was most useful when I was commuting by train, but I don’t do this all that often. If you don’t have a tablet at home or are regularly on the train, wanting to get some work done or watch something while travelling, then I would definitely recommend this phone – provided you have the budget to do so. The price may put some off, but you can get monthly contracts at around £70 - so if you want something that can be both a tablet and work as a phone as well, you're going to be spending a fair bit to do so.

This is the first Google Pixel phone I’ve used and I have to say it’s made me want to continue using a Google Pixel phone, for a long time I’ve been a Samsung fan but this phone has definitely changed my mind! The only reason I've taken off half a star is for the weight and because the inner screen doesn't go completely flat, although I have no doubt Google will figure out a clever way to do this in no time.

Stephanie Spencer is the Deputy Digital Editor of Yours.co.uk. Having worked across a variety of topics, from travel and food to pharmaceuticals, she also has a particular interest in mental health and wellness. She has a house full of pets with two dogs and two cats.