Pixel Fold review: Simply the best and worst foldable we’ve ever tested

Samsung, Huawei, Honor and Motorola have all tried their hand at bendy phones, now it’s the turn of Google to see if it can finally make a foldable we all want to buy. The Pixel Fold is available now and features a neat design, clever software and useful dual screens which include a massive 7.6-inch main display.

The big question is…should you part with £1,749 of your hard-earned cash to buy one? Express.co.uk has been putting the Fold through its paces and here’s our full review.

There’s no question that Google has done a great job when it comes to the Fold’s design. This device, which is around the same size as your passport, feels pretty perfect and other phone makers definitely need to copy this form factor in the future. It’s not too big to handle but plenty large enough to play games, check emails and multitask on the move.

It’s also beautifully made with touches of metal around the edges and a soft matt finish on the rear case. We’d confidently say that this is the nicest-looking foldable on the market but there are some issues.

Firstly, it’s really, really heavy. Pop it on the scales and you’ll find it weighs a lot more than the already chunky iPhone 14 Pro Max.

That extra fat is really noticeable and there’s no way you’ll easily poke it in your skinny jeans. In fact, we’ve ended up placing it in our backpack to avoid our trousers being weighed down.

The next thing that’s weird about the design is the hinge as it’s so stiff you’ll struggle to open it with one hand.

That rigidity does mean the fold can be opened and used at any angle but those wanting to quickly flip things open will need both hands free to get to that bigger display.

Finally, there’s the weird quirk of how flat the Fold goes when fully opened. For some bizarre reason, it won’t lie totally horizontal and the very slight bend quickly becomes very noticeable – especially as it rocks about when tapping the screen when the device is lying on your desk.

So that’s the design but what about the displays?

Like all foldables, there are two screens to choose from. Firstly you get a pixel-packed 5.8-inch OLED 120Hz display on the front of the Fold which is brilliant for answering emails, watching videos and surfing the web without flipping things open.

This panel is just like a standard smartphone and is extremely usable. In fact, it’s so good you may find you rarely need to access the larger screen hidden inside.

Of course, if you fancy a more immersive experience there’s that option to go supersized. The main screen (also 120Hz) measures in at a whopping 7.8-inches and is perfect for playing games, working on the move or sitting down for a boxset binge.

There’s plenty of space to run apps side-by-side and it’s also super bright and colourful.

It’s hard to fault the display experience on the Fold with both panels offering a supremely good experience. Our biggest and only gripe is the massive crease that runs right down the middle of the main screen. It really is pretty nasty and probably one of the worst we’ve seen on a foldable.

You do get used to it after a while but there’s no hiding the fact it’s there.

Tucked under the shell of the Fold is Google’s Tensor G2 processor which is the same chip found in the Pixel 7 Pro. This is a very capable brain and we’ve not had any issues running multiple apps, using it for work or playing memory-hungry games.

All tasks are performed without the hint of a stutter and the Fold really is a joy to use.

There are also a bunch of added security features including a Titan M2 chip which helps to make the device more resilient to attacks plus the Fold comes with Google One VPN at no extra cost. This allows you to encrypt your online activity for an extra layer of protection.

Although the Fold offers a decent level of performance the battery life definitely isn’t market-leading. You will just about get a full day’s usage out of it and don’t expect to head away for a weekend without your charger.

Pixels are renowned for snapping stunning pictures without any fuss and the Fold continues that tradition. This device can’t quiet match the photography prowess of the mighty Pixel 7 Pro but it’s not far behind and it’s probably got one of the best cameras you’ll find on a foldable.

Popped on the rear case is a triple-lens system that includes a 48-megapixel main sensor along with 10.8-megapixel dual PD telephoto camera and 10.8-megapixel ultrawide camera

This gives you plenty of options when taking photos and, thanks to Google’s clever mix of hardware of impressive software you’re unlikely to take a bad photo on the phone.

There are also useful features such as the brilliant Magic Eraser which removes unwanted photobombers in the background without you needing a degree in Photoshop.

Google’s clever Night Sight mode is added for bright images when the sun goes down and those wanting to shoot video will find the option to make mini movies in full 4K resolution.

Another nice bonus of the Pixel Fold is the ability to open it up like a laptop and make video calls hands-free using the selfie camera.

There’s no question that those simply wanting a phone that take great snaps when you point and shoot won’t be disappointed by the Fold.

Google has worked hard to make sure the Fold makes total use of that bigger screen. Once in tablet mode a quick swipe up on the screen reveals a PC-style dock with all your favourite apps inside. A quick drag and drop then launches them on the screen with it easy to run dual applications side-by-side. You can also start a YouTube video or a Gmail message on the front display, then open things up and instantly continue on the main screen.

It’s all incredibly intuitive to use and even those buying a foldable for the first time should master things in minutes.

Then there are Google’s optimised apps which look truly stunning on the bigger screen. Launch the Weather application and you’ll see the week ahead on one side with daily hourly conditions shown on the other side of the screen.

Gmail lets you see your inbox with messages then shown alongside and Calendar takes up the whole screen making it easier to see what’s happening in the week ahead.

This is all good news but don’t expect the same experience from every app you open as many aren’t compatible with the giant screen which means they pop up in the middle of the panel surrounded by black space.

Hopefully, more Android apps will be optimised for the Fold in the future but it’s a solid start from Google.

Along with a foldable screen, there are a number of other tech treats from Google including wireless charging, fast fingerprint scanner mounted in the power button and 5G data speeds. You also get some decent speakers and it’s covered in Gorilla Glass for added protection. There’s also an IP68 rating which means it can cope with a British summer soaking.

There’s nothing this device is missing that you’ll find on standard phones such as the Pixel 7 Pro and it’s definitely packed with some premium and very useful features.

Why Google has placed just a high price on the Fold is baffling. At £1749 you could buy two Pixel 7 Pros (now £699) or four Pixel 7a (now £399) devices for the same price. That cost also makes it £100 more expensive than Samsung’s Fold range of devices which are now well-established in the market.

Yes, this is a new technology for Google that is clearly expensive to make but splashing out that much money on a first-generation smartphone that has no track record for durability is a risk that we’re not sure is worth taking. One thing that is worth noting is Google’s current deal which is offering users a Pixel Watch for free when they buy the Pixel Fold. That deal is only available for a limited time.

The Pixel Fold is a mixed bag. The design is sublime, it includes great cameras and both of the screens are really good.

There are decent speakers, loads of power under the hood and Google’s apps make great use of the larger main display. We also really like the passport-style size which needs to be copied by other manufacturers in the future.

There is lots to love but also plenty to loathe at the same time. It’s way too heavy, the crease through the bendable screen is ghastly and it’s stupidly expensive. Then there’s that quirk with the display that means it doesn’t go completely flat which is totally bizarre.

Don’t discount the Pixel Fold as there’s plenty that Google has got so right. We’d just recommend waiting for the Fold 2 as that device will hopefully refine the experience and iron out those annoying creases.