Foldables belong to a niche category of the flagship smartphone segment. These cutting-edge, dual-screened gadgets are reserved for the ones willing to spend considerably more than what a regular (still expensive) flagship like the iPhone 15 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra costs. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold are two of the latest and greatest entrants into this elite arena. They are the most advanced embodiments of the foldable smartphone tech, flaunting thinner bodies, larger screens, and sturdier, more efficient hinges. So then, which of these state-of-the-art, futuristic pieces of consumer tech is the best? Moreover, which one would suit your needs the best? Find out in this in-depth Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold comparison. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 — The Trailblazer Of Foldable Smartphones 

Ever since its inception, the Samsung Fold series has played a pivotal role in popularizing foldable smartphones. The Galaxy Z Fold6 is the latest heir of this innovative bloodline. The Fold6 sports a squared-off design compared to the more rounded-off aesthetics of its immediate predecessor. Upgrades underneath its skin are incremental and there isn’t much to be super-excited about, except for the new AI features. However, Samsung has strengthened the dual rail hinge of the Fold6 with a more rigid folding edge, which they claim is better at distributing the shock of external impacts. While we see that smartphone hardware is generally evolving at a slower pace, it is actually satisfying to know that Samsung putting in significant effort to make their foldables more durable. While the Fold6 shares all other technological aspects with regular smartphones, including performance and cameras, enhancing and upgrading the foldable components, seems like the right move. On top of that, the more squarish design doesn’t just deliver sleeker aesthetics but also provides a better in-hand feel, thus enhancing the user experience. 

Keeping the tech aspects apart, from a user perspective, the Fold6 is the most polished iteration of the Fold series, not simply because it’s the latest but because of the re-proportioning of the design. The cover screen is now slightly wider, and less like a TV remote, and the weight has come down by around 14 grams compared to the Fold5. Another groundbreaking upgrade is on the ingress protection front. While the previous Fold models were limited to only water resistance, the Fold6 offers IP48 dust and water resistance. In simple words, the 4 in the rating ensures that no particles larger than 1 mm can enter the device. As it happens every year, the chipset has been upgraded to the latest in the market. Powering the Fold6 is the best of Android chipsets, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Other than these significant upgrades, the Fold6 mostly matches its predecessor’s hardware components including camera hardware, battery size, and charging speeds. 

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: The Vanilla Foldable Experience

Software experience is the paramount strong point of any Pixel phone. However, that isn’t only how the first Pixel Fold amazed us. Google’s first foldable was a well-proportionate device in terms of screen real estate. However, these user advantages were overshadowed by some of the disadvantages of the design itself. The Pixel Fold was too bulky to deliver the goodness of the proportionate screen during prolonged usage. On top of that, the original Pixel Fold didn’t open or fold flat, which further took away from the user experience, when compared to the more refined competitor of the time — the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5. However, for a first-generation foldable, it can undeniably be said that the Pixel Fold was a superlative product. 

Recently, Google introduced the successor to the original Fold, along with the Pixel 9 series. Now called the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, a name that aligns better with the current flagship lineup, the new folding smartphone is seemingly leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor. For starters, the new phone is taller and slimmer, while the fluid-friction hinge has been upgraded for increased durability and delivering a satisfying snap when the phone is opened. Both the displays are now larger, delivering a more immersive user experience. The cover screen has grown from a 5.8-inch unit with a peak brightness of 1,550 nits in the previous FOld to a 6.3-inch unit with a peak brightness of 2,700 nits. The larger inner screen of the Pixel Fold measured 7.6 inches diagonally (1,450 nits peak brightness) which is now upgraded to a massive 8-inch unit (2,700 nits peak) in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. 

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has also gained a superior ultra-wide lens which now features a larger sensor, offering 127 degrees of truly “ultra-wide” coverage. Furthermore, both the front cameras (cover screen and inner screen) have been upgraded to the same 10 mp shooter. On the battery front, it is surprisingly a downgrade from the 4,821 mAh unit of the original Pixel Fold to a 4,650 mAh cell in the 9 Pro Fold. However, as Google is a smartphone company focused primarily on software experience and optimization, we’ll have to test the phone out extensively to determine whether the downsizing has inversely affected the battery life or ended up boosting it. These are the groundbreaking upgrades Google has bestowed upon the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, resulting in an all-encompassing redesign of their foldable. For a second-generation foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro is now up to the mark and capable of competing with the mighty Samsung. However, there is one major drawback, which we will address in the comparison. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: So Then, Which Foldable Triumphs Over The Other?

It’s time for the battle now and firstly, let’s discuss similarities and keep them apart. Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold run Android 14 out of the box and are promised seven major updates. Both feature crisp and bright OLED displays inside out, although of different sizes and specs. Also, both the phones are equipped with three rear cameras each and a total of two front cameras, one on the cover screen and one inside. Now for the differences, I’ll lay them out sector by sector. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Is The More Powerful One

Processing power is one of the central factors when it comes to the performance of any smart device or computer, including smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is powered by the latest and greatest processor from Qualcomm — the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold on the other hand is invigorated by Google’s in-house Tensor G4 chipset. While both of these powerhouses are built on the 4 nm architecture, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is far superior to the Tensor G4 in terms of sheer processing power and gaming performance. 

According to tests conducted by NanoReview, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performs 76% better in floating-point computation and shows up to 55% higher AnTuTu 10 benchmark scores. The 8 Gen 3 also supports 20% higher memory bandwidth (77 against 64 GB/s) and runs on a 6% higher CPU clock speed (3300 Vs 3100 MHz). On paper, the only pro in favor of the Google Tensor G4 over the Snapdragon is its higher GPU frequency (~22%). However, when tested out by NanoReview, the GeekBench compute score of the Adreno 750 GPU in the 8 Gen 3 completely obliterates the Mali-G715 of the Tensor G4. The Adreno 750 scored 14,269, which is around 148% higher than the 5,758 score of the Mali-G715. 

This means that regardless of whether it is single-core, multicore, or GPU performance, the 8 Gen 3 is miles ahead of the Tensor G4. We hope the Tensor series to evolve into a more capable and potent chipset as its next iteration, the Tensor G5, is reportedly being built on TSMC’s 3 nm process. But as of now, it is no match to the mighty, Snap-py, Dragon. 

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold Takes The Cake For The Software Experience

Google offers arguably the best Android user experience because the OS itself is made by Google in the first place. Hence, the vanilla Android experience provided by Google phones remains unmatched and unaffected by competitors. It is just so pleasantly designed, with the right amount of simplicity and vibrancy. There is absolutely zero bloatware, and it is exceptional to use in both screens of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. And then there are the clever features Google has reserved for their own phones. These features such as Live Caption, Pixel Studio, Pixel Screenshots Circle To Search, and Now Playing, all contribute to delivering a superior user experience. 

Although the latest Galaxy devices including the Fold6 come integrated with AI features, Google is simply better in terms of overall software experience. On top of all that, the latest range of Pixel phones, also offer a bunch of cool new Camera software trickery. The most prominent one is the “Add Me” feature which allows the photographer to be in the photo by combining two consecutive images together. The results of this AI feature are too good to be true, and it is just one example of the Pixel’s impressive software prowess. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Other Significant Hardware Differences

Apart from the processor, there are some other major hardware changes differentiating these foldables from each other. They are as follows – 

Size, Convenience, And Protection: The Lighter One vs The Thinner One

The Samsung Galaxy Flip6 weighs in at 239 g whereas the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is heavier at 257 g. To put that into perspective, the iPhone 15 Pro Max weighs 221 grams, and the S24 Ultra 232 grams. So in comparison, the Flip6 is only marginally heavier, while the Pixel is considerably more hefty, which might affect day-to-day usability. On top of that, the Flip6 offers IP48 dust and water resistance, while the Pixel is limited to IPX4 water resistance. However, the Pixel is thinner and wider, both when folded and unfolded. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a thickness of only 10.5 mm when folded, against the 12.1 mm thickness of the Fold6. 

Screens: The Pixel Offers More

The cover screens of both these phones measure 6.3 inches, with negligible differences in resolution and pixel density. However, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a wider aspect ratio and looks more regular against the longer structure of the Flip6. Similarly, the inner screen of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is larger, measuring 8 inches diagonally, against the 7.6 inches provided in the Flip6. Both the inner and outer screens of the Pixel also boast a 100 nits higher peak brightness rating of 2700 nits. 

Storage: Faster, Larger Storage Options vs Extra RAM

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 offers up to 1 TB of fast UFS 4.0 storage, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is capped at 512 GB, that too, slower UFS 3.1. Conversely, the 9 Pro Fold offers up to 16 gigs of RAM, whereas the Flip6 is limited to 12.  

Camera: 8K Video Recording vs Better Front Cameras 

On the optics front, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, as mentioned earlier, offers a wider ultra-wide lens — 127-degree coverage against 123 in the Fold6. The Fold6 retaliates by offering 8K video recording when the Pixel is limited to 4K. When it comes to front cameras, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold dominates by offering the same 10 MP camera with autofocus on both its screens. The Samsung, while incorporating a 10 MP camera onto the inner screen, is limited to a 4MP sensor in the cover screen, both of them without autofocus functionality.  

Battery: Larger Battery vs Faster Charging 

Keeping the Galaxy Fold6 alive is a 4,400 mAh battery pack that supports wired fast charging of up to 25 watts and wireless up to 15 watts. It further offers reverse wireless charging functionality, rated up to 4.5 watts. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a larger 4,650 mAh battery pack. However, its wired fast charging wattage hasn’t been revealed by  Google yet, but we know that the wireless charging speed is rated at a mere 7.5 watts. Google just mentions “hours of power in minutes of charge with Google 45W USB-C Charger”, although multiple sources mention that the wired charging speed is capped at 21 watts.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Crowning the Foldable Champion

We have analyzed the specs and features of these two foldables in-depth and we conclude that we would prefer both of these devices; just for different usage styles. It might seem like the usual diplomatic answer, but hear me out. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is a more performance-oriented device, offering phenomenal processing power compared to the Pixel. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, on the other hand, dominates on the software front with its clever tricks that are not just gimmicks but legitimately usable in daily life. Hence, you will have to make a choice based on your needs, preferences, and aesthetic taste. To help make your decision easier, here’s a simplified list of differentiating factors that set these two impressive foldable phones apart.