Google just revealed its new Pixel 9 devices, and among the 2024 lineup stands the second-generation Pixel Fold. We were impressed with the original Pixel Fold upon its debut last year, but noted that there was some room for improvement. Thankfully, Google took heed with the (somewhat confusingly named) Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which further refines the folding smartphone's design and brings some major upgrades to the table. Here are the most noteworthy improvements that make the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a serious contender for the best foldable smartphone of 2024.

4 Larger screen, tighter bezels

And a considerable brightness boost

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold got a major upgrade to the interior fold-out display. The first-gen Pixel Fold opened up to reveal a 7.6-inch OLED screen with a 6:5 aspect ratio and a 1,840 x 2,208 pixel resolution. The new Pixel 9 Pro Fold stretches those dimensions a bit, sporting a larger 8-inch OLED display with a 2076 x 2152 pixel resolution (about a 1:1 aspect ratio). Both models have a similar pixel density, but the second-gen refresh gives you more screen real estate to work with. Both foldable screens also notably offer a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, so no improvement was really needed there.

However, the brightness is where the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's interior display shines. The second-gen model's peak brightness caps out at a whopping 2,700 nits, almost double the 1,450-nit peak brightness of the first-gen Pixel Fold. That's a considerable improvement. While the original Pixel Fold's display wasn't exactly dim, the brighter screen will be noticeably more enjoyable to use when you're whipping out your Pixel 9 Pro Fold on a sunny day.

3 Performance upgrades across the board

The new Tensor G4 chip is powerful and AI-ready

Although released in 2023, the Pixel Fold ran on Google's proprietary Tensor G2 system-on-chip, which seems to be the same generation as the SoC used in the Pixel 7 series from 2022. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, now part of the flagship Pixel family, has the benefit of running the latest Tensor G4 chipset, giving it a two-generation lead over the first foldable. With it comes a considerable performance boost. According to benchmark tests, the Tensor G4 outpaces the G2 by a significant margin.

It's no surprise that the new chip beats out its two-year-old predecessor, but what's notable is its increased energy efficiency (thanks to its 4nm architecture versus the 5nm architecture of the Tensor G2) and its greatly enhanced neural processing capabilities. The Tensor G4 is built to handle the generative AI features that are becoming an increasingly large part of the apps we use every day. We also hope the enhanced power efficiency improves the battery life, as this was one of our biggest complaints with the Pixel Fold. However, these dual-screen devices will naturally be more power-hungry than standard smartphones, so we don't expect any miracles.

2 Slimmer and lighter

Although a tiny bit wider

Along with a bigger display than its predecessor, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold received a nice reduction in its size and weight. The second-gen Pixel foldable is slightly shorter than the Pixel Fold and a bit thinner, with a thickness of just 0.2 inch (a 0.03-inch reduction). Admittedly, that's not a huge change, but it's impressive that Google managed to trim down what was already 2023's thinnest folding smartphone. One thing you will feel in the hand is the weight difference. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold weighs in at 9.07 ounces, almost a full ounce lighter than the 9.98-ounce Pixel Fold.

The one exception to this sizing-down trend is the width. Despite its slightly trimmed-down bezels surrounding the main display, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is almost a half-inch wider than the first-gen Pixel Fold when open. That's due to its larger 8-inch display and 1:1 main screen resolution, though, so we don't consider it a drawback. We'll take a larger display with an overall reduction in size and weight. This makes the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feel like a more refined design, which is exactly what it is.

1 A better dual-screen Android interface with useful AI

Get more out of that big, beautiful display

Bringing Android to dual-screen foldable smartphones has not been without its challenges. Samsung has done an impressive job of it with its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip devices, but Google has less experience. In our hands-on review of the original Pixel Fold, we noted that the big-screen Android 13 interface needed some more time in the oven. Multi-tasking and app-juggling felt a bit clunky and awkward, often requiring you to rotate the phone when using two apps side-by-side. Also, while the Pixel software was clean, it lagged well behind Samsung's OneUI.

We need to spend more time with it, but so far, it looks like Google has improved the interface for its foldable Pixel, enough so that it's confident to place the Fold in its main Pixel 9 lineup this year. App compatibility should be much better than it was with the Pixel Fold. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also comes bundled with a suite of useful Google AI features, which includes Gemini, Google's own AI model, built right into the OS. Android on Pixel still needs some polishing for these dual-screen folding phones, but the situation is much better than it was even a year ago. We're sure it will only continue to mature with coming updates as these foldable devices become more popular.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the upgrade we wanted to see

Foldable smartphones are still somewhat of a niche item, but with recent releases being as good as they are, it feels like they're truly starting to gain a strong foothold in the extremely competitive mobile tech space. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold refines everything we liked about the Pixel Fold, including a slim design that feels great in the hand, solid performance, and a standard-setting camera suite. On top of that, it solves or improves most (if not all) of the issues we had with the original release, elevating the dual-screen Android experience while adding some genuinely useful AI functions.

The second-gen Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a clear upgrade over Google's first attempt. It's the one to buy for Pixel fans looking for a foldable, and a worthy option for any Android user who may be considering one of these unique folding smartphones.