Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special vs Google Pixel Fold: Which Foldable Reigns Supreme?

The foldable phone market is maturing, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special and Google Pixel Fold represent two distinct philosophies. Samsung aims for raw power and feature richness, while Google prioritizes software integration and a refined user experience. This comparison dissects their core components to determine which foldable best suits your needs.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For users prioritizing peak performance and demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special is the clear winner thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. However, the Google Pixel Fold offers a compelling alternative for those valuing Google’s AI features and software experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special	Google Pixel Fold

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66	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
5G bands	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6	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
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	-	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO

Launch
Announced	2024, October 21	2023, May 10
Status	Available. Released 2024, October 24	Available. Released 2023, June 27

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions	Unfolded: 157.9 x 142.6 x 4.9 mmFolded: 157.9 x 72.8 x 10.6 mm	Unfolded: 139.7 x 158.7 x 5.8 mmFolded: 139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1 mm
SIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)	Nano-SIM + eSIM
Weight	236 g (8.32 oz)	283 g (9.98 oz)
	-	IPX8 water resistant

Display
Resolution	1968 x 2184 pixels (~367 ppi density)	1840 x 2208 pixels (~378 ppi density)
Size	8.0 inches, 205.3 cm2 (~91.2% screen-to-body ratio)	7.6 inches, 183.3 cm2 (~82.7% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak)	Foldable OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1450 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)

Platform
CPU	8-core (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520)	Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)	Google Tensor G2 (5 nm)
GPU	Adreno 750 (1 GHz)	Mali-G710 MP7
OS	Android 14, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1	Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	512GB 16GB RAM	256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
	-	UFS 3.1

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
Triple	200 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 66mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm, AF	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
Video	8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/120/240fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR, panorama
Single	4 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 2.0µm Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm	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
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	-	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers

Comms
Bluetooth	5.3, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-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

Battery
Charging	25W wired, QC2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless	Wired, PD3.0 Wireless
Type	Li-Po 4400 mAh	Li-Po 4821 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black	Porcelain, Obsidian
Models	SM-F958N	G9FPL
Price	About 1870 EUR	€ 670.87 / $ 389.26 / £ 899.99
SAR	0.66 W/kg (head) 1.13 W/kg (body)	-

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special

Superior processing power with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Faster wired charging at 25W
Potentially brighter and more color-accurate display

May be more expensive
Samsung’s One UI can be feature-heavy for some users

Google Pixel Fold

Google’s AI-powered features and software integration
Potentially more compact and ergonomic design
Wireless and reverse wireless charging

Slower processing power with Tensor G2
Slower wired charging speeds
Image processing may prioritize computational photography over raw sensor quality

Display Comparison

While both devices feature foldable displays, specifics are missing. However, Samsung historically leads in display technology. The Z Fold Special likely boasts a higher peak brightness and potentially a more refined hinge mechanism. The Snapdragon’s ISP will also likely contribute to more accurate color reproduction. The Pixel Fold’s display quality will depend heavily on Google’s calibration, but it will likely prioritize color accuracy over sheer brightness. The absence of refresh rate data makes a direct comparison difficult, but both are expected to offer adaptive refresh rates for smoother scrolling.

Camera Comparison

Without detailed sensor information, a direct camera comparison is limited. However, Samsung typically employs larger sensors and more versatile lens configurations. The Z Fold Special likely features a more capable main sensor and telephoto lens. The Tensor G2’s strength lies in computational photography, potentially offering superior image processing in challenging lighting conditions. Google’s software algorithms excel at noise reduction and dynamic range optimization. The absence of details regarding OIS and aperture sizes prevents a definitive assessment, but Samsung’s history suggests a more feature-rich camera system.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) is a significant advantage over the Google Pixel Fold’s Google Tensor G2 (5nm). The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s Cortex-X4 prime core, clocked at 3.39GHz, offers substantially higher single-core performance than the Tensor G2’s Cortex-X1 cores at 2.85GHz. The Snapdragon’s more modern architecture and 4nm process node also translate to better thermal efficiency, reducing the likelihood of throttling during sustained workloads. The Tensor G2 focuses on AI and machine learning tasks, but falls behind in raw processing power, impacting gaming and demanding applications. The Z Fold Special’s LPDDR5x RAM will also contribute to faster data access and overall system responsiveness.

Battery Life

Battery capacity is not specified, but the Z Fold Special’s 25W wired charging with QC2.0 support offers a faster charging experience than the Pixel Fold’s unspecified wired charging. The Pixel Fold’s inclusion of wireless charging and reverse wireless charging provides added convenience, but the slower charging speeds may be a drawback for users who frequently need to top up their battery. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s improved power efficiency could partially offset the Pixel Fold’s potential battery capacity advantage.

Buying Guide

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special if you need uncompromising performance for demanding applications, extended gaming sessions, and benefit from faster charging speeds. Buy the Google Pixel Fold if you prefer a more streamlined software experience, prioritize Google’s AI-powered features, and value a potentially more compact and ergonomic design (assuming real-world dimensions favor the Pixel Fold).

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Will the Tensor G2 in the Pixel Fold struggle with demanding games like Genshin Impact?

The Google Tensor G2 is not optimized for sustained high-performance gaming. While it can run most games, you may experience frame drops and throttling during extended gaming sessions, especially compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the Z Fold Special.

❓ How does the software experience differ between the Z Fold Special and the Pixel Fold?

The Z Fold Special runs Samsung’s One UI, which is feature-rich but can feel cluttered to some. The Pixel Fold offers a cleaner, more streamlined Android experience with Google’s exclusive features like Magic Eraser and Call Screen, and guaranteed software updates.

❓ Is the 4.5W reverse wireless charging on the Z Fold Special useful for charging accessories?

The 4.5W reverse wireless charging is primarily for charging small accessories like earbuds or smartwatches. It’s not fast enough to significantly charge a smartphone, but it provides a convenient way to top up smaller devices in a pinch.

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the Z Fold Special generate excessive heat during prolonged use?

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is more thermally efficient than previous generations, minimizing throttling. However, foldable phones inherently have limited thermal headroom. While the Z Fold Special will manage heat better than the Pixel Fold, prolonged gaming or video recording may still result in some warming.