Pros & Cons #
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Provides the full Google AI experience
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Top cameras for a foldable
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Excellent screens
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Solid wireless performance
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Expensive
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Slower processor than competing foldables
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold Specs #
| Battery Life (As Tested) | 14 hours 21 minutes | | Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing) | 48MP, 10.5MP, 10.8MP; 10MP, 10MP | | CPU | Google Tensor G6 | | Dimensions | 6.11 by 3.0 by 0.39 inches folded, 6.11 by 5.92 by 0.2 inches unfolded | | Operating System | Android 17 | | Screen Resolution | 2,076 by 2,152 pixels | | Screen Size | 8 |
The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold ($1,899) brings scant hardware updates but a bevy of fresh cloud-based AI tools, just like the rest of the Pixel 11 series. If you're a fan of folding phones, the 11 Pro Fold is blessedly thinner and lighter than the 10 Pro Fold, but it is still thicker and heavier than the Z Fold 8 or Z Fold 8 Ultra. It has durable hardware, brighter screens, and the best cameras available on a folding phone. It also features a new Tensor G6 processor with a Titan M3 security chip, a longer-lasting battery, faster radios, and the ability to run AI calculations on-device, including impressive new Gemini Intelligence features. If you're looking for a Google-first folding phone, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold holds considerable appeal, especially for photography. That said, the $1,899.99 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a slimmer and lighter design, faster performance, equivalent AI capabilities, and more powerful multitasking software, making it our Editors' Choice winner.
Design: The Smallest of Tweaks #
The new generation Pixel Pro Fold is a lot like the old one. That's good and bad. I found plenty to like in last year's Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but it wasn't free of faults. The same is true of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, which faces far more competition than its predecessor in the US market. It's going head-to-head against the Motorola Razr Fold ($1,899.99), the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 ($1,899.99), and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra ($2,099.99), not to mention imports like the excellent Oppo Find N6. And let's not forget that Apple may have a folding iPhone waiting in the wings for an early September debut.
I appreciate the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's general design. It's got a utilitarian look that just works. I think it comes across as a more usable phone than the humongous Motorola Razr, but it's certainly less refined than the svelte Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra. It's available in Obsidian (gray) or Olive (green). I received the Obsidian color for review, and I prefer it to the Olive (I'm just not a green guy). I like the matte finish of the rear panel and the rounded edges of the metal frame.
The most obvious difference between the new Fold and the old one is the rear camera module. Google shrank the raised platform's width by about half an inch, but the whole thing is raised a bit higher. It loses the flat-across design of the Pixel 10 for a pair of elevated glass ovals that encompass the lenses, sensors, and flash. It comes out more at you, and I'm not sure I love it.
Another thing I noticed is a little more snap in the hinge. Where the 10 Pro Fold's hinge has an even feel as you open it, the 11 Pro Fold's snaps open right at the last second. There's more springiness in there that gets you the last bit of distance when unfolding it all the way.
Dimensions and Weight: Thinner and Lighter, But Not by Enough
As a class, folding phones are generally larger and weightier than standard bar-style phones. When closed, the 11 Pro Fold measures 6.11 by 3.0 by 0.39 inches (HWD), and when open it's 6.11 by 5.92 by 0.20 inches. Last year's 10 Pro Fold measures 6.11 by 3.0 by 0.43 inches closed and 6.11 by 5.92 by 0.20 inches open. The 11 Pro Fold weighs 8.43 ounces, which is down from its predecessor's 9.1 ounces. I'm glad Google made the phone thinner and lighter—two of my chief complaints about the old phone—but it has a long way to go to match the competition.
Samsung's phones have entirely different measurements. The smaller, passport-shaped Z Fold 8 measures 4.88 by 3.22 by 0.38 inches closed, and 4.88 by 6.35 by 0.18 inches opened. It weighs 7.09 ounces. The larger Z Fold 8 Ultra measures 6.24 by 2.87 by 0.35 inches folded, 6.24 by 5.64 by 0.16 inches unfolded, and weighs 7.58 ounces. Both are thinner and lighter than the 11 Pro Fold.
Meanwhile, the Motorola Razr is a bit of a chunker at 6.30 by 2.90 by 0.39 inches open and 6.30 by 5.60 by 0.18 inches closed, and 8.50 ounces.
Durability: I Really Can't Ask for More
Most modern folding phones are relatively durable. They use protective glass front and back and carry decent IP ratings to protect against dust and water. Google uses ultra-durable ceramic cover glass and a composite for the rear panel. Google says the resulting material is stronger than glass and is more resistant to scratching. Samsung uses Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 for the Folds' cover screens and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for their rear panels. Motorola says the Razr Fold has Glass Ceramic 3 on its front display.
The 11 Pro Fold has an IP68 rating, which means it's sealed off from dust and can be submerged in about 5 feet of water for 30 minutes. The 10 Pro Fold had the same rating. The Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra share an IP48 rating, meaning they are less protected against smaller dust particles (<1mm) but are equally protected against water. Motorola outpaces the lot with an IP69 rating, which means it can handle dust and not just submersion, but blowing jets of water.
Buttons and Ports: No Meaningful Updates
The 11 Pro Fold's buttons and ports are almost identical to the 10 Pro Fold's, but there are some quixotic changes. The power button is closer to the top of the right edge. It doubles as a fingerprint scanner. The scanner is easy to set up and use, and quickly recognizes your fingerprint when needed. The volume toggle is below. Both buttons have the same amount of relief and action, though the toggle is much longer.
The bottom edge holds the USB-C port, speaker, and microphones. It also carries the physical SIM tray, something the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL lack. The SIM tray was located on the top edge of the 10 Pro Fold. Speaking of the top, the 11 Pro Fold's crown carries a second speaker and more microphones.
HiLight: A Limited First Effort
As noted in our other Pixel reviews, HiLight is a me-too feature that needs more time in the oven. If you choose, you can set the flash module to pulse various colors for select contacts and Gemini alerts. HiLight only works when your phone is placed face down. It's sort of like the blinking red light on old BlackBerrys. The pulsing light lets you know that an alert is present and who it's from, but not what it is. My brain wants to know what gives right away, so I found myself reaching for the phone to see, rather than letting it sit in peace. Peace is what some people might be after when they turn their phone face down, and HiLight gives you just enough visual jolt to disrupt that. Moreover, it's limited to calls right now, and doesn't let you know if you have messages. Google says it may add new features to HiLight over time.
Displays: Brighter, But Still Marked by a Crease #
The front and inner screens are essentially the same this year as they were last, with a couple of small upgrades. First, Google reduced the bezel thickness around the outer screen enough to squeeze a 6.5-inch display into the same space as the 10 Pro Fold's 6.4-inch display. Google also made both displays 300 nits brighter; they now push 3,300 nits at peak brightness, an improvement over the previous generation's 3,000-nit limit.
Outer Display: As Good as Any Other Phone
This 6.5-inch panel is Google's Super Actua OLED display with a resolution of 2,342 by 1,080 pixels at a density of 399ppi. Standard brightness reaches 2,000 nits, it has a 2-million-to-1 contrast ratio, and supports HDR with 24-bit depth for 16 million colors. It features Smooth Display tech, which means it has a variable refresh rate that ranges from 1Hz to 120Hz.
Competing outer displays are similar. The Z Fold 8 Ultra's cover display is a 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 2,520 by 1,080 pixels, adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and 3,000-nit peak brightness. The Z Fold 8 shares the same tech but has a different shape and resolution with a 5.5-inch, 1,972-by-1,248-pixel display. The Razr Fold, meanwhile, has a 6.6-inch pOLED outer screen with a 2,520-by-1,080-pixel resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate (for gaming).
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold's outside screen is shaped like that of many regular phones and functions just as well. You can do basically everything on it without compromise. The additional 300 nits makes a difference when using the phone outdoors, where I found it easier to take photos and get directions.
Inner Display: Samsung Has Google Beat Here
I'm bummed to report that Google carried over the same screen from last year's 10 Pro Fold. While it gains 300 nits in brightness, it is otherwise the same size, resolution, and so on. It's an 8.0-inch Super Actua Flex display with 2,152 by 2,076 pixels at 372ppi. It has a contrast ratio of 1.5 million-to-1 and supports HDR and 24-bit color. Google says the screen is made from ultra-thin glass. Most disappointingly, Google appears to have made no attempt to reduce the visibility of the inner crease. It's just as prominent as its predecessor. The screen doesn't support active stylus input.
Competing inner displays are better. The Z Fold 8 Ultra's inner screen is an 8.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 2,504 by 2,256 pixels, a 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and new hinge tech that reduces the crease visibility by 20%. It also has an antireflective coating that helps make its 3,000-nit brightness even more visible outdoors. The Z Fold 8's smaller 4:3 screen is a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 1,848-by-2,448-pixel resolution and an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. It has the same brightness, same hinge, same dynamic range, and anti-reflective coating as the Ultra. Both of these screens are top-notch. The Razr Fold has an 8.1-inch pOLED display with a 2,484-by-2,232-pixel resolution and an almost-square 8:7.2 aspect ratio. Its defining feature, however, is insane brightness: 6,200 nits. It makes the other phones' screens look like the moon compared with the sun. Last, Motorola's foldable supports an active stylus, which gives it a small advantage, even though the stylus is a $100 accessory.
Still, the Pixel's main screen is plenty big for running apps side by side, playing games, editing photos, and much more. Again, the added brightness truly helps when you're in places with lots of light.
Performance: Somehow Slower Than Last Year's Phone #
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold gets a new processor this year. It moves on from the Tensor G5 to the Tensor G6, which has a new Titan M3 security chip and other fresh components. Google sells three versions of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Each has 16GB of RAM and either 256GB ($1,899), 512GB ($2,019), or 1TB ($2,249) of storage. The latter two options have zoned UFS storage, which should provide faster performance. I received the 16GB/256GB model for evaluation. Google says that, more than ever, the G6 is designed to prioritize the TPU and AI processing tasks over delivering blistering CPU speeds. That means it doesn't set our benchmarks on fire, which you can plainly see in the results below.
Geekbench 6: A CPU Behind
This test puts the CPU through its paces, and the results aren't pretty for the Pixel. It scored 2,683 on the single-core test and 5,835 on the multi-core test. The Pixel 11 Pro XL, which has the same processor as the Fold, scored 2,755 and 7,563, and the Pixel 11 Pro scored 1,640 and 5,950.
Meanwhile, the Z Fold 8 Ultra scored 3,659 and 10,739, the Z Fold 8 scored 3,136 and 8,975, and the Razr Fold scored 2,617 and 8,819. The Samsung phones have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy with 12GB of RAM, while the Motorola has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and 16GB of RAM.
3DMark Wildlife Extreme: Last Place Among Competitors
This is a 60-second test that asks the GPU to crunch a lot of polygons in order to tell us how adept the phone might be at gaming. Results are tallied in frames per second (fps). The Pixel 11 Pro Fold ran 3,427 frames at 20.53 fps, the Z Fold 8 Ultra ran 6,221 frames at 37.26fps, the Z Fold 8 ran 4,213 frames at 25.23fps, and the Razr Fold ran 5,120 frames at 30.66fps. In other words, the Pixel ranks last here.
When I fired up some mobile games, however, it's only fair to point out that the phone did all right. I noticed some stuttering while playing Genshin Impact, but Alto's Odyssey ran smoothly.
PCMark Work 3.1: It Just Doesn't Keep Up
If you want to know how well your phone handles general tasks, such as browsing the web, editing documents, or viewing photos, this is the benchmark to run. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold scored 17,580, the Z Fold 8 Ultra scored 20,625, the Z Fold 8 scored 19,269, and the Razr Fold scored 20,367. Last year's Pixel 10 Pro Fold? It scored 18,015—better than this year's phone. I didn't expect the Pixel 11 Pro Fold to surpass Samsung on any of these results, but for it to fall behind its predecessor isn't great. However, the phone's user interface felt snappier to use than the 10 Pro Fold day in and day out during testing.
Battery: Enough to Get You Through a Day #
You want to know how Google made the phone thinner? It reduced the battery size year over year. That's not something we generally care to see. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold had a 5,015mAh battery, but the Pixel 11 Pro Fold shrinks that to 4,806mAh. Despite the smaller cell, Google says it should last the same 24 hours in mixed use as its predecessor.
To test battery life, I played a high-def YouTube video over Wi-Fi with the main screen's brightness cranked to maximum to see how long it would last. It ran for 14 hours and 21 minutes; last year's phone lasted 13 hours and 42 minutes. In comparison, the Z Fold 8 Ultra ran for 16 hours and 29 minutes, the Z Fold 8 ran for 16 hours and 30 minutes, and the Razr Fold ran for more than 18 hours. Again, the Pixel Fold falls short of the competition.
The phone supports 30W wired charging and 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging. Both of these numbers are quicker than last year's phone (20W and 15W, respectively). Google claims the phone can charge 50% in about 30 minutes, and I found that to be almost true. It reached 48% in 30 minutes by my count and required 1 hour and 18 minutes to charge fully, which is 7 minutes quicker than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
The Samsung phones support 45W wired and 20W wireless charging, while the Razr Fold supports 80W wired and 50W wireless charging. All of these folding phones take more than an hour to fully recharge from 0%.
Connectivity: Flagship Grade #
The 11 Pro Fold has a modern connectivity suite with all the goodies. You get sub-6GHz, C-band, and mmWave 5G; tri-band, 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi 7; Bluetooth 6.0 with antenna diversity; NFC; dual-band GPS; Ultra-Wideband for accessory location; and Thread network connectivity. That's the full, connect-to-everything package, and I love to see it. In addition to the phone's physical SIM card tray, you can use eSIM if you prefer.
I was able to test the phone on Fi's network in New Jersey, which runs on T-Mobile's towers. The good news is I was able to connect to Fi's fastest wireless service and saw solid cellular performance as a result. The 11 Pro Fold nabbed 896Mbps down and 199Mbps up, with the Pixel 10 following slightly behind with 773Mbps down and 146Mbps up. You can't ask for much more than this in a crowded urban area.
When I tested the Wi-Fi against my home router, the Pixel 11 pulled down data at 718Mbps and pushed it up at 215Mbps. I tested the Pixel 10 Pro Fold from the same spot, and it scored roughly the same with 707Mbps and 221Mbps, respectively.
## Audio: Business-Class Performance
If you plan to make phone calls with the 11 Pro Fold, you'll be happy to learn that it's adept at handling nearby background noise and produces clean, clear calls. Those I spoke with via the earpiece were easy to hear thanks to its maximum volume of 76dB. My callers said I sounded crisp to them, even when I held conversations in noisy spaces, such as my town's traffic-laden main street. The speakerphone is also quite good, pushing up to 88dB, which is particularly loud.
When listening ot music, it's best to rotate the phone 90 degrees to take advantage of the two speakers, which are mounted on its top and bottom edges. The speakers don't perfectly oppose one another, but they are close enough to produce solid stereo sound. Our test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout," has a pulsing beat that bips along and is easy to hear even when the track fills in with more instruments and rhythms. The phone is great for watching your favorite videos or social media clips, as it easily fills a bedroom or small living room with sound. If you move outdoors, you may want to opt for a Bluetooth speaker instead.
Cameras: The Best Available From a Folding Phone #
Looking at the spec sheet, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the third consecutive folding device from Google to use what appears to be the exact same camera hardware. That's somewhat disappointing. The specs are nearly identical year over year, which means the company is relying on its mathematical wizardry rather than advances in sensors and optics to derive results from its cameras.
The Fold has a 48MP main camera with an f/1.7 aperture and an 85-degree field of view (FoV); a 10.5MP ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 127-degree FoV; and a 10.8MP telephoto camera with an f/3.1 aperture, a 23-degree FoV, 5x optical zoom, and 30x Super Res Zoom. The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL get 120x Super Res Zoom. Even the two selfie cameras are carried over, with 10MP sensors, f/2.2 apertures, and 87-degree fields of view. Is Google's software good enough this year to account for the aging hardware?
Main Camera: Top-Notch Results
The phone takes fantastic photos with the main camera, regardless of the light around you. During the day, you can expect expertly exposed landscapes and scenery, with sharp focus and lush colors. The phone does a great job of balancing what your eyes see without going overboard, as it has in the past. Close-ups are full of detail, and shadows remain shadowy.
Ultrawide Camera: The Most Fun Camera to Use
I appreciate that, despite the wide-angle of view, the phone's ultrawide shots aren't too distorted. It captures a large percentage of what's in front of the lens without a dramatic fisheye effect, and still keeps things sharp and balanced with the main camera.
Telephoto Camera: Sharp Out to 10x
Like many phones with telephoto lenses, the 11 Pro Fold produces usable results up to about 10x. In fact, apart from perhaps a little extra grain, 10x shots are about as sharp as 1x shots. You can use the Super Res Zoom for hybrid telephoto/digital zoom out to 30x, but the results are (unsurprisingly) mediocre.
Selfie Cameras: Excellent, But Veering Toward Overprocessed
The two selfie cameras take equivalent photos. You can point the phone at yourself with the screen closed to take a "normal" selfie, or open the phone and use the inner camera. This latter scenario is, frankly, awkward because of the phone's size and weight. It's difficult to hold it one-handed and still reach the shutter button. Oddly, I noticed a few shots where the phone focused on the background rather than me. You can use the portrait tool to add bokeh to your selfies
Video Camera: Lots of Tools for Tweaking
The phone can capture video at up to 4K60. I'm rather surprised Google hasn't made a foray into on-device 4K120 to rival Apple on the video front, particularly since it includes cloud-based upscaling. You get a huge number of other frame rates and resolutions to choose from, as well as options for HDR capture, slow motion, time-lapse, astrophotography, stabilization, and Cinematic Pan. The wind noise reduction feature can be a lifesaver if you're recording outdoors. It's great video and better than what I've seen from the Z Fold or Razr Fold.
Software: Needs More Business Acumen #
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold ships with Android 17 and Google's latest AI creations. As expected, you'll receive seven years of OS upgrades, feature drops, and security updates if you hold onto it that long. This matches what Samsung provides for its Galaxy phones and outpaces Motorola's plans for the Razr Fold by several years.
It includes all the new features found in the rest of the Pixel 11 series, which include tools such as Camera Looks (new photo styles), Creator Suite (quick video editors), Gemini Intelligence (more agentic and action-oriented), Magic Capture (a zoetrope-like tool), Proactive Assistance (scans emails and texts to surface relevant info), and more. You can read in-depth assessments of each in our review of the Pixel 11 Pro.
In terms of features that are specific to the phone's foldable form factor, well, there's not enough to write about as far as I am concerned. You get the camera tricks that have long been part of the folding form factor, such as using both screens at once, a great search function while watching YouTube videos, and split-screen multitasking. The newer bubbles feature helps a little, but doesn't go quite far enough. You still can't run more than two apps side by side, however, and there simply aren't enough advanced tricks, like those available from Samsung and others, to make it a productivity powerhouse. I'd like to see three apps on the home screen, movable windows, and better keyboard options.
Final Thoughts #
The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold leans into AI and camera strength rather than multitasking chops, and the result is a polished folding phone built for daily use.