ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799, with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM.
• It features a slimmer and taller design, a massive eight-inch internal display, and a more capable Tensor G4 chip.
• Despite the price and branding, the camera system doesn’t match the other Pixel 9 Pro phones.

If my week of testing the new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has taught me anything, it’s that sequels can, in fact, be better than the original. After a rocky start with last year’s Pixel Fold, Google has gone back to the drawing board, etched out a new foldable that is more polished, user-friendly, and feature-packed, and is hoping that you’ll buy into its $1,799 master plan again. For me… it almost succeeds.

It’s only been a week, so I’m not 100% sold on Google’s foldable phone just yet. Still, after re-using the Pixel Fold in preparation for this review, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels much easier to recommend to enthusiasts than its predecessor, with upgrades in arguably every way, from the slimmer, taller display to the brighter panels to the Tensor G4 chip that powers Google’s other flagship phones this year.

These three aspects alone may be enough to entice Pixel Fold users to make the switch. I certainly would.