Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 6: Which should you buy?
Google/SamsungGoogle and Samsung have both showcased their latest foldables for 2024. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 6 are both solid smartphones. If you’re having trouble deciding which one to buy, we’ve done a detailed comparison of the two.
If you’re looking for a book-style foldable, Google and Samsung are your best bets. There’s OnePlus as well, but the company’s last foldable debuted in 2023, and it has yet to showcase a new one in 2024.
Google’s newest foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, was announced in August, while Samsung announced the Z Fold 6 in July.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold brings a significant overhaul, featuring the same chip as the rest of the Pixel 9 series. It also boasts design changes and upgrades in display technology. The Z Fold 6 isn’t without its changes either. It introduces a new chipset and a slightly updated design.
Price
GoogleThe Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799 for the 256GB model, which matches the price of its predecessor. The Z Fold 6 costs $1,899 for the base model, making it $100 more expensive than Google’s foldable. This also marks a $100 price increase from last year’s Z Fold 5.
As you can see from the pricing, neither of these foldables are cheap. If you’re considering a regular phone, even the most premium devices, like the Pixel 9 Pro XL or the Galaxy S24 Ultra, can be had for under $1,300.
Design
The Pixel Fold 9 Pro and Galaxy Z Fold 6 have different designs, both distinct from their predecessors. Google has made the 9 Pro Fold taller and slimmer than the original Pixel Fold, giving it a square shape with a height difference of approximately 15.5mm compared to last year’s model.
The smartphone’s camera bump has been completely revamped. Instead of the edge-to-edge visor-like island, the foldable now features a rectangular bump positioned in the top-left corner.
SamsungThe Pixel 9 Pro Fold is also quite thin, measuring 10.5mm when folded and a mere 5.1mm when unfolded. It’s lighter too, weighing 9.1 ounces (257 grams).
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 brings a boxy look with a flat screen and back, resembling the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
The foldable returns to a vertical camera layout, but the cameras are grouped together in a small raised section. The Z Fold 6 is 12.1mm thick when folded shut, and 5.6mm thick when unfolded. It weighs 8.4 ounces (239 grams), which makes it lighter than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Display
| Feature | Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Outer) | Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Inner) | Z Fold 6 (Outer) | Z Fold 6 (Inner) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display Size | 6.3 inches | 8.0 inches | 6.3 inches | 7.6 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2424 | 2076 x 2152 | 968 x 2376 | 1856 x 2160 |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak Brightness | 2700 nits max | 16002700 nits max | 2600 nits | 2600 nits |
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a 6.3-inch outer display with a resolution of 1,080 x 2,424, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and 422 PPI. The smartphone has a peak HDR brightness of 1,800 nits (with a maximum of 2,700 nits).
The inner display steps up with an 8.0-inch panel. It offers a nearly squarish aspect ratio with a 2076 x 2152 pixels resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, 373 PPI, and 1,600 nits of HDR brightness.
The Z Fold 6 has a 6.3-inch outer display with a 968 x 2376 pixel resolution, 2600 nits peak brightness, and a 120Hz refresh rate. The inner display measures 7.6 inches and offers an 1856 x 2160 pixel resolution, 2600 nits peak brightness, and a 120Hz refresh rate.
In simple terms, both phones have great displays with high resolution and refresh rates. However, the Pixel Fold has an advantage when it comes to HDR brightness.
Camera
GoogleThe Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with a 48MP main shooter on the rear alongside a 10.5MP telephoto lens (5x optical zoom) and an updated 12MP ultrawide module. For selfies, it has two 10MP cameras on both internal and external panels.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 sticks with the same camera setup as the Z Fold 5, sporting a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP telephoto camera. For selfies and video calls, it offers a 10MP front-facing camera on the cover screen and a 16MP under-display camera on the folding screen.
Both phones can shoot video in 4K and offer different frame rates to tweak the recording speed. You can also get cool features like slow motion, panorama, hyper-lapse, and night mode. Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a slight edge, thanks to its cloud-based servers that boost video quality.
Specs
| Feature | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Google Tensor G4 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| RAM | 16GB | 12GB |
| Battery | 4650mAh | 4400mAh |
| Charging | 45W | 25W |
| Display | 6.3-inch (outer), 8.0-inch (inner) Super Actua Flex OLED | 6.3-inch (outer), 7.6-inch (inner) Dynamic AMOLED |
| Cameras | 48MP + 10.8MP + 10.5MP, 12MP front | 50MP + 10MP + 12MP, 4MP front (under display) |
| Price | Starting at $1799 | Starting at $1899 |
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 brings 12GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features 16GB of RAM and 256GB and 512GB of storage. By comparison, last year’s Pixel Fold shipped with a base 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage.
If you are looking for higher storage, the Z Fold 6 should be your choice, but if you need more RAM, go for the Pixel Fold.
Performance
Google packs the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with its latest Tensor G4 chip, while the Galaxy Z Fold 6 features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
The Tensor G4 scored 1556 in single-core and 3706 in multi-core tests. In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 averages around 2226 and 6917 in these tests. This means that if you’re after a smooth and lag-free gaming experience, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold might not be the best choice. However, it should handle normal day-to-day tasks fairly well.
Battery
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold brings a 4,650 mAh battery which Google claims will last 24 hours of normal use. The handset supports 21W wired charging. The Galaxy Z Fold 6, on the other hand, brings a 4400mAh with 25W charging.
In a battery test conducted by PCMag, the Z Fold 6 lasted 11 hours and 30 minutes. Similar tests haven’t been performed on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold yet.
Software
SamsungGoogle phones shine when it comes to software, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is no exception. It comes loaded with Android 14 and a bunch of AI features. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 isn’t far behind, matching the Android version and AI features.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold introduces a new Pixel Screenshots feature that lets you revisit everything on your phone. As the name suggests, it takes screenshots of everything you do on your phone to keep track of your events, activities, and more. The smartphone also brings Circle to Search, a faster, improved Gemini assistant, new AI photo editing features, AI weather summaries, and more.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 also offers a range of impressive AI features, including generative AI editing tools for photos and other useful tricks with Galaxy AI. Both phones offer 7 years of software updates.
Which phone should you get?
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold offers better value, with powerful hardware and software features, and it’s also $100 cheaper. However, if you need higher storage and more powerful performance, the Z Fold 6 should be your go-to choice.