Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs. vivo X Fold3 Pro: A Deep Dive into Foldable Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and rapid charging, the vivo X Fold3 Pro emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and significantly faster 100W charging system provide a tangible advantage over the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s Tensor G4 and 21W charging. However, Google’s software experience remains a strong draw for Pixel loyalists.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | vivo X Fold3 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, August 13 | 2024, March 26 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, September 04 | Available. Released 2024, April 23 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Carbon fiber hinge |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.1 mmFolded: 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.5 mm | Unfolded: 160 x 142.4 x 5.2 mmFolded: 160 x 72.6 x 11.2 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 257 g (9.07 oz) | 236 g (8.32 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 2076 x 2152 pixels, 1:1 ratio (~373 ppi density) | 2200 x 2480 pixels (~413 ppi density) |
| Size | 8.0 inches, 207.4 cm2 (~89.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 8.03 inches, 206.5 cm2 (~90.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 2700 nits (peak) | Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 4500 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.1 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.92 GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G715 MC7 | Adreno 750 |
| OS | Android 14, upgradable to Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades | Android 14, upgradable to Android 15, Funtouch 15 (International), OriginOS 4 (China) |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Multi-zone Laser AF, LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra-HDR, panorama, Best Take, Zoom Enhance | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Dual-LED flash, panorama |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10.8 MP, f/3.1, 112mm (telephoto), 1/3.2", dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 10.5 MP, f/2.2, 127˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", PDAF | 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm (wide), 1/1.3", PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.6, 70mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", PDAF (15cm - ∞), OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", PDAF |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, gyro-EIS, OIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.94", PDAF Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.94", PDAF | 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide) Cover camera: 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LHDC (market/region dependent) |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, dual band (INT), tri-band (CN), Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Dual screen fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired 7.5W wireless Bypass charging | 100W wired, 100% in 31 min 50W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 4650 mAh | Si/C Li-Ion 5700 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Obsidian, Porcelain | Celestial Black, White, Lunar White |
| Models | GGH2X, GC15S | V2330 |
| Price | € 1,020.97 / $ 649.95 / £ 784.99 | $ 1,999.00 |
| SAR EU | 0.98 W/kg (head) 1.39 W/kg (body) | - |
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- Google’s AI-powered features and software integration
- Potentially superior computational photography
- Clean and intuitive Android experience
- Slower charging speeds (21W)
- Shorter battery life in active use
- Less powerful chipset compared to Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
vivo X Fold3 Pro
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 delivers exceptional performance
- 100W fast charging (0-100% in 31 minutes)
- Longer battery life (13:26h active use)
- 50W wireless and reverse wireless charging
- May lack the same level of software polish as Pixel
- Potential for more bloatware (typical of vivo)
- Camera processing may not be as refined as Google’s
Display Comparison
Both the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and X Fold3 Pro boast impressive displays, achieving peak brightness levels of 2199 nits and 2129 nits respectively. While the Pixel marginally edges out the vivo in peak brightness, the real-world difference is likely imperceptible. Both are expected to utilize LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates, conserving battery life. However, the hinge mechanism and crease visibility – crucial for foldable longevity – remain unknown for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, while vivo has a strong track record of durable hinges. The X Fold3 Pro’s display is also likely to benefit from Qualcomm’s display optimization features, potentially enhancing color accuracy and power efficiency.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specifications, a direct comparison is challenging. However, Google’s Pixel line is renowned for its computational photography prowess, leveraging AI to enhance image quality. The Tensor G4 chip is specifically designed to accelerate these AI algorithms. The X Fold3 Pro, on the other hand, will likely rely on Qualcomm’s image signal processor (ISP) and potentially a larger main sensor to capture detailed images. The absence of information regarding sensor sizes and lens apertures makes it difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the Pixel’s software processing is a significant differentiator. We anticipate both phones will offer excellent image quality, but with different strengths – Google leaning towards software-driven enhancements, and vivo focusing on hardware capabilities.
Performance
The core performance difference lies in the chipsets. The vivo X Fold3 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) is a clear step up from the Google Tensor G4 (4nm) found in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 features a more aggressive CPU core configuration – 1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4, 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720, 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720, and 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520 – compared to the Pixel’s 1x3.1 GHz Cortex-X4, 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A720, and 4x1.92 GHz Cortex-A520. This translates to faster processing speeds and improved multitasking capabilities for the vivo. While both utilize a 4nm process, Qualcomm’s architecture is optimized for sustained performance, minimizing thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. The X Fold3 Pro’s LPDDR5x RAM further contributes to its performance advantage.
Battery Life
The vivo X Fold3 Pro delivers a substantial advantage in battery and charging. Its active use score of 13:26h significantly surpasses the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s 11:54h. This difference is compounded by the charging speeds: 100W wired charging (0-100% in 31 minutes) for the vivo versus a comparatively slow 21W wired charging for the Pixel. The X Fold3 Pro also offers 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Pixel. While the Pixel’s software optimizations may help mitigate battery drain, the X Fold3 Pro’s larger battery capacity and faster charging capabilities make it the clear winner for users who demand all-day battery life and quick top-ups.
Buying Guide
Buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold if you prioritize Google’s AI-powered features, seamless software integration with the wider Pixel ecosystem, and a potentially more refined camera experience focused on computational photography. Buy the vivo X Fold3 Pro if you demand maximum performance for gaming and multitasking, require incredibly fast charging, and value a longer-lasting battery during intensive use. The X Fold3 Pro is the choice for power users who don't want to compromise on speed or stamina.