Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Which should you buy?

As expected, Google has officially unveiled the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The new phone brings plenty of upgrades to the table, but how does this new foldable phone compare to Samsung’s more established Galaxy Z Fold series? Let’s jump in and compare the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 6: Specs

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 6: Design, size comparison, and colors

Despite similar form factors, there are certainly some core differences between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. For starters, Samsung favors a boxier shape to its foldable, while the Pro Fold has a much more rounded aesthetic. Samsung’s camera bump is also very similar to the Galaxy S series, while the Pro Fold has a thicker and wider bump than the rest of the Pixel family.

Both Samsung and Google changed up their designs quite a bit from their respective predecessors. This not only includes new aspect ratios but also some major changes to the hinge. Samsung introduced a dual-rail hinge structure and a strengthened folding edge that should help improve durability. It even managed to secure an IP48 rating, giving it actual (limited) particle resistance for the first time, something the Pro Fold can’t claim with its IPx8 rating. Pro Fold also has a new hinge, which it calls a fluid friction hinge. This new design allows it to open flat with a nice snap that not only works better, it looks better too.

When you fold the new Pixel shut you’ll notice it’s a bit thinner than Samsung’s Fold 6 at just 10.5mm vs 12.1mm, making it the thinnest foldable available in the US. On the flipside, it’s 18g heavier than Samsung’s foldable. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is also slightly larger all around when compared to the Fold 6, likely due to the slightly larger 8-inch internal display and its differing aspect ratio. In folded form, the Fold Pro is 155.2 x 77.1 versus 153.5 x 68.1 for the Fold 6. Unfolded you’ll see a similar story, with the Pro Fold at 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.1mm, versus 135.5 x 132.6 x 5.6mm.

If you like customization and are hoping for a lot of color choices, the Fold 6 takes the lead here coming in Silver Shadow, Yellow, Blue, Mint, and a few Samsung.com exclusives such as Crafted Black, White, and Peach. Meanwhile, the Pro Fold will come in just Obsidian or Porcelain.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 6: Features

Starting with processing power, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has an advantage here thanks to its beefy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, which packs more raw power than the new Google Tensor G4 chip. Despite Qualcomm’s inroads with AI performance, Google’s chip still looks to lead here. The Pro Fold also has more RAM at 16GB versus the 12GB found onboard Samsung’s foldable. Part of that is because Google dedicates a certain (unspecified) portion of RAM to running Gemini multi-modality, which ensures an even smoother AI experience.

Both phones should handle anything you throw at them with ease, but the Fold 6 might be a bit better for mobile gaming and similar use cases. You’ll also get more storage with the Fold 6, as it comes in either 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB configurations. Google offers the former two sizes but doesn’t have a 1TB model at all.

We already talked about displays a bit, but there’s one more thing to address. Unlike Samsung’s foldable, the Pixel Fold opened up in landscape by default, but the Pro Fold makes the welcome shift to portrait mode. This makes it easier for apps to adjust without giving us the ugly black bar approach we often saw with the Pixel Fold.

Moving on to battery life, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a slightly bigger battery at 4,650 mAh versus 4,400 mAh. Until we have time to test the Fold Pro in-depth, we can’t say for sure if the bigger battery equates to better battery life, but you should hopefully get a full day’s use out of either. If you do manage to run the battery down fast, the Pro Fold at least has decently fast wired charging speeds at 45W versus 25W on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Samsung and Google both have three cameras on the rear, in addition to an internal camera and a front cam. The actual specs are quite different here, but until we have more time with the two devices, it’s too early to say how the experience compares. We can tell you the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a new ultra-wide sensor with a 127-degree FoV and support for Macro Focus. It also has a slightly higher megapixel count at 10.8MP versus 10.5MP. The rest of the sensors remain the same as the original Pixel Fold.

Another big difference between Samsung and Google is their software approach. Samsung tends to take a heavier hand, while Google favors a cleaner, minimalist approach. While Google might favor cohesion and simplicity in its design, it doesn’t mean the Pro Fold doesn’t pack some serious new software improvements in addition to returning features like split-screen multitasking. Here are just a few of the highlights:

• A rebuilt Panorama mode with all-new interface.
• New Magic Editor features, including auto framing and the ability to change backgrounds entirely.
• Made You Look: a feature that lets you put a silly view up for your child to see when you want to snap a picture, that way they look directly at the phone for a better shot.
• Gemini Live: This lets you have a live, free-flowing conversation with Gemini using natural language.
• YouTube Multi-View lets you watch four live streams at once. What’s less clear is if this is for YouTube proper, or just YouTube TV.
• Satellite SOS: Later this year the Pixel 9 series will be the first to have satellite SOS support. The service will eventually cost, but you’ll get free access for two years.

As you can tell, AI is a particularly big deal for Google here. To that end, it’s giving Pro Fold users a whole year of Gemini Advanced for free, alongside a 2TB Google One Drive membership.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 6: Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 went on sale back in July with a price of $1,899.99 for the base model. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold undercuts Samsung’s foldable a little bit at $1,799, with pre-orders starting on August 13.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 6: Which should you buy?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is perfectly suited for today’s power user with its beefy Qualcomm processor that is great for gaming, tinkering, and light productivity. Then again, Google’s increased RAM will ensure its AI game is even better than ever, even if its processor isn’t quite as powerful. It comes down to what you care more about. Another important factor is how you feel about Google’s vision for Android compared to Samsung’s. Some prefer Google’s clean, simple approach, while others love that Samsung has so many features that you’re still discovering new ones months after you’ve bought your new phone.

Truth be told, you can’t go wrong with either foldable. Both have seven years of software support and pack so many meaningful improvements compared to their predecessors.