This time around, we’re comparing two devices that are a part of the same series. It’s a Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL comparison. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the company’s most powerful foldable in the Pixel 9 series, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the most powerful phone in that series. While they do have some similarities, of course, these are two completely different form factors we’re checking out here.
As per usual, we will first list the specs of both smartphones. Following that, we’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio. Let’s see how these two phones compare, as we’re checking out two completely different form factors. Both have been announced in August 2024. Let’s get to it, shall we?
Specs
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
| Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (unfolded/folded) | 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.1 mm / 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.5 mm | 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm |
| Weight | 257 grams | 221 grams |
| Main display | 8-inch Foldable LTPO OLED (120Hz) | 6.8-inch LTPO OLED (120Hz) |
| Cover display | 6.3-inch OLED (120Hz) | N/A |
| Resolution | 2152 x 2076 / 2424 x 1080 | 2992 x 1344 |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 | Google Tensor G4 |
| RAM | 16GB (LPDDR5X) | 16GB |
| Storage | 256/512GB | 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1) |
| Main camera | 48MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.0-inch sensor size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) | 50MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/1.31-inch sensor size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) |
| Ultra-wide camera | 10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.4-inch sensor size, 127-degre FoV, PDAF) | 48MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV, dual pixel PDAF) |
| (Periscope) telephoto camera | 10.8MP (f/3.1 aperture, 1/3.2-inch sensor size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom) | 48MP (f/2.8 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom) |
| Selfie camera | 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.94-inch sensor size, PDAF) x2 | 42MP (f/2.2 aperture, PDAF) |
| Battery size | 4,650mAh | 5,060mAh |
| Charging | 21W wired, 7.5W wireless, bypass charging (charger not included) | 37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W wireless (Qi), reverse wireless, bypass charging (charger not included) |
| Colors | Obsidian, Porcelain | Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian |
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Design
While there are some design similarities here, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold does differ from the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup. It has a different camera design on the back, and on top of that, it’s a foldable phone, so… there you go. The display on the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the cover display on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold both have the same corner curvature, and a centered display camera hole up top. The bezels are also uniform here, but they’re thinner on the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
The main display on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a display camera hole in the top-right corner, and uniform bezels as well. Both phones include their physical buttons on the right-hand side, with the power/lock button sitting above the volume up and down buttons. That power/lock key also doubles as a fingerprint scanner on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Both smartphones have glass backs and frames made out of aluminum.
They both have flat backplates as well, and different camera designs. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a squarish camera island in the top-left corner, with two pill-shaped cutouts on the inside. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a pill-shaped camera bar at the top of its back side, and that camera bar is quite large and centered up top. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is IPX8 certified, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with an IP68 certification. Neither phone is particularly grippy, quite the opposite.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Display
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has an 8-inch Foldable LTPO OLED panel with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ content is supported here, while the peak brightness is 2,700 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is around 89%. The resolution this display offers is 2152 x 2076, and we’re looking at a 1:1 aspect ratio here. The cover display on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold measures 6.3 inches, and it’s an OLED panel. A refresh rate here is 120Hz, and HDR content is supported. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is protecting this panel. The resolution here is 2424 x 1080 pixels, and the aspect ratio is 20:9. The peak brightness is 2,700 nits.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, has a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display. That panel has an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and supports HDR10+ content. The peak brightness is 3,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 88%, while the resolution is 2992 x 1344 pixels. The display aspect ratio is 20:9, while the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this panel.
All of these panels are quite good. They’re vivid, sharp, and have great viewing angles. They’re well-balanced out of the box, though you can tweak them further via the display settings. Do note that neither display offers a high-frequency PWM dimming, though, so if you have sensitive eyes, that may be a problem. For everyone else, the displays are quite good, all of them.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Performance
These two smartphones use the same processor, the Google Tensor G4. That is a 4nm chip, and it’s made by Samsung. It is paired with LPDDR5X RAM in both smartphones, while both smartphones also use UFS 3.1 flash storage. They even have the same RAM count at 16GB. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes in 256GB and 512GB of storage, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage variants. Do note that neither phone supports storage expansion, however.
When it comes to performance, they both do a good job. They’re not speed demons by any chance, though, as that chip is behind competition from Qualcomm and MediaTek. If you stack this phone next to competitors that have more powerful hardware, you will see a difference in speed. On their own, however, these two phones are plenty smooth and plenty fast. That’s not something you’ll end up complaining about, unless you’re used to something completely different.
Neither of the two phones is made for gaming. That’s not where Tensor chips shine, that’s for sure. However, you can play games on them. Do note that the most demanding games may not run as you’d expect them to at times, or you’ll have to use lower settings. Everything else, however, should not be a problem whatsoever.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Battery
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold includes a 4,650mAh battery. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, has a 5,060mAh battery on the inside. In comparison, the Pixel 9 Pro XL does offer better battery life. It’s not a big difference, but it’s worth saying. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s battery life will also depend on how much time you spend on the inner display. We were using the cover display like two-thirds of the time.
For most people, both of these phones will be enough to get them through the day. As long as you’re not a power user, you should be fine. Camera use does drain the battery quite a bit on both phones, especially if you’re shooting video in 4K. That’s the main power draw in addition to playing games, and hanging on the main display all the time on the foldable model. There are phones out there with much better battery life, but these two should be more than enough for most people.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold supports 21W wired, 7.5W wireless, and bypass charging. The Google Piel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, supports 37W wired, 23W wireless (with Pixel Stand), 12W wireless (Qi), reverse wireless, and bypass charging. Do note that neither phone includes a charger in the box, though, so that’s something you’ll need to grab on the side.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Cameras
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has four cameras on the back. A 48-megapixel main camera has a 1/2.0-inch sensor size and an f/1.7 aperture while supporting dual pixel PDAF and OIS. There’s also a 10.5-megapixel ultrawide unit with a 1/3.4-inch sensor size, f/2.2 aperture, and a 127-degree FoV. The last camera is a 10.5-megapixel periscope telephoto unit (1/3.2-inch sensor size, f/3.1 aperture, 5x optical zoom, OIS, dual pixel PDAF).
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, also has three cameras on the back. A 50-megapixel main camera has a 1/1.31-inch sensor size, f/1.7 aperture, along with dual pixel PDAF and OIS. A 48-megapixel ultrawide camera is also included with a 1/2.55-inch sensor size, f/1.7 aperture, dual pixel PDAF, and 123-degree FoV. The last camera is a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto unit (1/2.55-inch sensor size, f/2.8 aperture, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom).
The Pixel 9 Pro XL has better camera hardware across the board. The difference in performance is not that big, however, at least not during the day. At night, the differences are more visible. The Pixel 9 Pro XL can provide sharper images most of the time, with slightly better dynamic range and more details. They both do a good job, though they’re nowhere close to the best camera phones out there.
Audio
Both of these smartphones have stereo speakers. Those speakers are more than loud enough, and they also offer good audio output in terms of quality. They’re not the best, but they’re very good (by smartphone standards).
There is no audio jack on either of the two smartphones. You can use their Type-C ports to connect your wired headphones, though. Alternatively, Bluetooth 5.3 is supported by both smartphones for wireless audio connectivity.
