Google has taken a page out of Samsung’s book and created a foldable phone for itself. The newly announced Google Pixel Fold, which will be shown at Google I/O 2023 alongside the Pixel 7A and Pixel Tablet, even looks like it’s borrowed a few chapters from Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4. The foldables bear a pretty striking resemblance since Google opted for the phone-unfold-in-tablet design philosophy and an equally high starting price of $1,799.99. However, if you look a little closer, you will see some major differences.
Here we pit the two foldable ultra flagships against each other to compare their specs and features on paper. While Samsung is working on its fourth iteration of the Galaxy Fold, Google will be a first player in the world of foldable phones when the Pixel Fold launches at the end of June. But can Google really compete with a first-generation product?
Let’s see how they fare, at least on paper, until we’ve had a chance to fully review the new Pixel Fold.
Google Pixel Fold vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: A game of inches and aspect ratios
Some of the biggest things that set these Android phones apart are their size and proportions. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts off quite long and thin and unfolds into an almost square-like device. The Pixel Fold, on the other hand, has a smaller outer screen that’s wider, giving it a more standard phone feel before you unfold it. Once unfolded, however, the Pixel has a wider, stockier stance.
Their internal screens are actually both 7.6-inch OLEDs, but the difference in feel and size comes down to those proportions. The Pixel Fold’s 6:5 aspect ratio makes for that wider 5.8-inch outer screen, while the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s 21.6:18 aspect ratio leads to a larger 6.2-inch cover screen. It’s almost an inch taller, but the Pixel Fold looks more usable on the outside, just like a regular phone.
Sticking to the size department for a moment, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is slightly thinner – but not when folded. The Pixel Fold has a very narrow gap between the folded halves, which makes it look, at least in the photos, quite nice (for a Pixel device).
Now, in terms of other key specs, two of the biggest deciding factors for most people buying a new phone are the cameras and battery life. While camera performance is something well beyond specs, there’s no denying the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a much larger main sensor – which usually means better low-light performance. But in terms of battery life, the Pixel Fold has a larger capacity at 4,821 mAh. Of course, if software optimization isn’t up to snuff, it may not be as big of a benefit as it seems.
As for other features, the two phones differ greatly in the processor department; the Galaxy uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, while the Pixel Fold uses Google’s own Tensor G2 (the same chip as the Pixel 7 generation). Another stark contrast between the two is the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s stylus support, as it’s compatible with the Samsung S-Pen Fold Edition (an additional $50 purchase), while the Pixel Fold is just for your fingers. Other than the differences, the phones have a lot of parity when it comes to ports, fingerprint sensor location (both are in the power button), water resistance, RAM, and starting storage capacity.
Here’s a deeper look at all the specs of the two devices side-by-side:
What are you doing think? Does the Pixel Fold look like a promising first attempt from Google? Want to shell out $1,800 on it, or would you rather get a Galaxy Z Fold 4 on sale? Samsung’s foldable flagship has seen its fair share of discounts, though arguably there haven’t been deals more consistent and deeper than what we’ve seen on the Pixel 7 generation. Perhaps the Pixel Fold will follow suit. Let us know what you think in the comments.