Google Pixel Fold vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3: The Ultimate Foldable Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Pixel Fold boasts a refined design, Google's Tensor G2 chip, and a potentially superior camera experience. However, the Z Fold3 offers a more mature foldable ecosystem, faster charging, and a slightly lower price point. It's a close call, but the Pixel Fold edges ahead for those prioritizing software and camera quality.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel Fold | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 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, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, May 10 | 2021, August 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, June 27 | Available. Released 2021, August 27 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 139.7 x 158.7 x 5.8 mmFolded: 139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1 mm | Unfolded: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mmFolded: 158.2 x 67.1 x 14.4-16 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 283 g (9.98 oz) | 271 g (9.56 oz) |
| IPX8 water resistant | IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1840 x 2208 pixels (~378 ppi density) | 1768 x 2208 pixels (~374 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.6 inches, 183.3 cm2 (~82.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 7.6 inches, 179.9 cm2 (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1450 nits (peak) | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| Cover display: OLED, 120Hz, HDR, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 5.8 inches, 1080 x 2092 pixels, 17.4:9 ratio, 408 ppi 1200 nits (HBM), 1550 nits (peak) | Cover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 6.2 inches, 832 x 2268 pixels, 25:9 ratio | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G710 MP7 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, 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), 1/3.1", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 121˚, (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.25µm | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR | 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm Cover camera: 9.5 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 4 MP, f/1.8, 2.0µm, under display Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD3.0 Wireless | 25W wired 11W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4821 mAh | Li-Po 4400 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Porcelain, Obsidian | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, Thom Browne Edition, Wooyoungmi Edition |
| Models | G9FPL | SM-F926B, SM-F926B/DS, SM-F926U, SM-F926U1, SM-F926W, SM-F9260, SM-F926N |
| Price | € 670.87 / $ 389.26 / £ 899.99 | € 453.57 / $ 367.74 / £ 449.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.73 W/kg (head) 1.22 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.04 W/kg (head) 1.44 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 75h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 635918 (v8), 752218 (v9) GeekBench: 12719 (v4.4), 3239 (v5.1) GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Google Pixel Fold
- Refined design
- Google Tensor G2 chip
- Excellent camera potential
- Wider outer display
- Slower charging
- Potentially higher price
- New foldable, potential software quirks
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
- Mature foldable ecosystem
- Faster charging (25W)
- Reverse wireless charging
- Slightly larger inner display
- Camera may not match Pixel Fold
- Snapdragon 888 is older chipset
- Less innovative design
Display Comparison
The Pixel Fold features a wider outer display, potentially offering a more comfortable one-handed experience. The Z Fold3's inner display is slightly larger and brighter (922 nits vs. estimated 800 nits for Pixel Fold), providing a more immersive viewing experience. Both utilize dynamic refresh rates for smooth scrolling.
Camera Comparison
Google's reputation for computational photography suggests the Pixel Fold will excel in image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The Z Fold3's camera system is capable, but may not match the Pixel Fold's potential. Both offer versatile camera setups with multiple lenses.
Performance
The Google Tensor G2 in the Pixel Fold is optimized for AI and machine learning tasks, potentially offering smoother performance in Google apps and features. The Snapdragon 888 in the Z Fold3 is a proven powerhouse, delivering excellent overall performance for gaming and demanding applications. Real-world performance will likely be comparable for most users.
Battery Life
Both devices are reported to have endurance ratings of 75h, suggesting similar battery life. However, the Z Fold3's 25W wired charging is significantly faster than the Pixel Fold's PD3.0 charging. The Z Fold3 also offers reverse wireless charging, a useful feature for topping up accessories.
Buying Guide
The Google Pixel Fold is ideal for Android enthusiasts who value a seamless software experience, exceptional camera performance, and a premium design. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is a better choice for users deeply invested in the Samsung ecosystem, seeking a more established foldable with faster charging and reverse wireless charging.