11 Cons of Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Review 2024)

Let’s be honest: I’ve spent years chasing after that next big thing in smartphones. Every time a new “game-changer” hits the market, my ears perk up and my wallet inches nervously closer to the edge of my pocket. So, when the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold landed with a wave of PR hype and some pretty intense promises—seven years of updates, a fancy folding screen, and that Google logo on the back—I got intrigued. Scratch that, I got excited. After all, foldables are supposed to be the future, right?

But the moment I started digging deeper, that excitement took a nosedive. Plenty of reviewers out there are busy showering the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with praise, going on about how it’s a “bold new direction” for Google and how the company’s unique software might just usher in a new era. I’m not buying it.

There’s a whole lot that’s overlooked, and if you’re tired of the endless love letters to devices that cost as much as a decent laptop, buckle up. Let’s talk about what’s actually not so great here—the things that mainstream reviewers tend to gloss over. I’m going to take you through all the glaring weaknesses, from that underpowered chip to the camera compromises and software stumbles, and I’m not going to spare anyone’s feelings. This phone’s got problems, and I’m going to lay them out on the table.

The Tensor Chip: Strong Brand, Weak Performance

For starters, let’s address the elephant in the room: performance. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold relies on Google’s in-house Tensor chip. By now, we’ve all heard the pitch—Google’s going for AI smarts, not brute force, right? That’s their angle. But after spending some real time with this thing, I’m left shaking my head. In a world where Qualcomm, Apple, and even Samsung push their flagship processors to the absolute limit, the Tensor chip here feels like it’s catching its breath after a brisk walk, not a sprint.

If you’re just browsing social media or firing off a few emails, fine, it’s usable. But dare to push it: try a hefty mobile game or run some processor-intensive tasks back-to-back. The phone stutters, it gets warm, and it simply doesn’t keep pace with top-tier rivals. This sort of underwhelming muscle might be okay if the phone cost a third of the price.

But at almost two grand, it’s embarrassing. Plus, Google keeps hyping that seven-year software support window. Cool idea, but what good is it if the hardware under the hood is already struggling today? If the phone can’t keep its head above water now, how’s it going to handle in year four or five when apps are even more demanding? My guess: not great.

Cameras: Welcome To The Pixel (Lite) Experience

We’ve been conditioned to think of Pixels as camera kings. Year after year, they’ve pumped out phones that punch above their weight in photography, especially in low light. Yet this time, Google stuck some smaller sensors into their fancy foldable, and it shows. Don’t get me wrong, the pictures aren’t awful. But they’re nowhere near what we’ve come to expect from a flagship Pixel, and that stings—especially when you realize this thing costs more than practically any other Pixel out there.

In bright, even lighting, the phone still churns out a decent shot. But once you step indoors or take it outside at dusk, details get softer and that classic Pixel crispness starts melting away. Colors can look a bit off, the dynamic range suffers, and the overall vibe is just… meh. For a device that’s meant to scream “premium,” it sure takes a lot of lukewarm photos. If you’ve been spoiled by the stellar cameras on the standard Pixel lineup, this feels like stepping back in time. Cameras are one of those rare areas where Google usually nails it. Here, they fumbled.

Outer Display Without LTPO: The Missed Opportunity

Alright, let’s talk about the screen situation. Foldables are basically screens that fold in half—that’s their big trick. So you’d hope the display tech would be next-level. Instead, Google decided the outer display wouldn’t be LTPO. For those who don’t obsess over acronyms, LTPO allows displays to adjust refresh rates on the fly, potentially dropping super low to save battery and enabling nifty features like a power-friendly Always On Display.

Without LTPO, the outer screen just sits there like a regular old panel. It’s fine. It’s not terrible. But it’s also not special, and for the price we’re shelling out, we deserve special. We deserve a screen that doesn’t just light up—it adapts, improves, and feels like it’s from the future. Instead, we get a middle-of-the-road display choice that screams compromise. It’s a “could have been” scenario, and it leaves me wondering what Google was thinking. If you’re going foldable, go big or go home.

Wireless Charging: A Wobbly Experience

Wireless charging used to be a luxury. Now it’s standard, but that doesn’t mean it’s always done well. This Pixel’s wireless charging is both sluggish and fussy. There’s no Qi2 support, which might not matter to everyone today, but it does lock you out of that next-gen compatibility. The bigger headache, though, is coil alignment. It’s surprisingly picky. You think you dropped it right onto your pad or stand, but nope—tilt it a fraction of an inch and the phone’s not charging. I don’t know about you, but when I come home at midnight, I’m not in the mood to fuss with placement like I’m performing surgery. I just want to plop it down and crash.

All these tiny frustrations add up, especially for something that costs a small fortune. When you’re paying this much, little quirks you’d ignore on a mid-range phone become glaring red flags. I mean, should I really have to buy a special wireless charger just because the phone’s alignment is that sensitive? Feels ridiculous to me.

The Elephant In Your Pocket (Price & Bulk)

At around $1,800, this phone is like having a luxury car payment in your pocket. That kind of pricing forces tough questions: if the phone were flawless, maybe I’d rationalize it. But it isn’t. There are real, tangible shortcomings here. And with that price tag, you feel them more. The bulkiness, for instance—foldables are inherently thicker and heavier than standard phones. That’s not new. But the Pixel 9 Pro Fold somehow makes it feel even more awkward. It’s not just a sleek gadget you slip into your jeans. It’s a chunk. It commands space in your pocket, and handling it one-handed is basically a no-go unless you’ve got massive paws.

And let’s not forget the psychological toll. For that kind of money, the device had better sing, dance, and maybe do my laundry. Instead, I’m dealing with mediocre battery life, subpar camera performance, and hardware compromises. All at a price that should guarantee top-tier everything. Let’s just say it’s a tough sell. You start thinking about all the other gear you could buy with that cash. Once you step into that mental territory, it’s game over for this phone.

Usability Blues: The Fiddly Foldable Factor

The biggest promise of a foldable phone is that it transforms. It’s supposed to be a sleek handset when closed and a mini-tablet when open. In theory, that’s genius. In practice, it’s sometimes a pain. On the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the large inner screen is nice for certain tasks—browsing large documents, maybe watching some videos—but you have to be incredibly careful with gestures. A slight mis-swipe and you’re closing apps, jumping back a screen, or performing weird actions you never intended. There’s a learning curve that feels steeper than it should be, and I’m not convinced that curve is worth climbing.

If you think this fussiness is just a matter of “getting used to it,” maybe you’re right. But I’d argue that at this price, the phone should adapt to me, not the other way around. I’m not here to practice fancy gestures and hope I eventually stop messing up. I want a device that just works. Instead, I got a device that requires a gentle, deliberate touch—like handling a delicate sculpture rather than a modern gadget.

Battery: The Tiny Heart Of A Giant Body

When I first learned that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold actually sports a slightly smaller battery capacity than some would expect for a device powering a gigantic inner screen, I groaned. Unsurprisingly, real-world battery life leaves a lot to be desired. Use that big inner display for more than casual peeks, and you’ll be racing the battery meter. On a busy day—some emails, a bit of gaming, browsing, maybe a few video calls—you might find yourself tethered to a charger by dinner time. For a phone that’s supposed to represent the future, that’s lame.

There’s nothing futuristic about having to ration screen-on time, especially after dropping nearly two grand. And no, I’m not impressed by claims that updates or software tweaks might improve this later. I didn’t buy “later,” I bought “now.” The fact that I have to worry about whether this thing can keep up with my day is a huge disappointment.

Durability Doubts: That Nagging Little Voice

Folding screens are fragile, we all know that. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is no exception. But I was hoping that by now—multiple generations into the folding craze—someone would’ve nailed durability. Instead, I’m paranoid about taking it to the beach or even leaving it open in a dusty room. Sand and grit can wreak havoc on the hinge, and the inner screen collects smudges like a magnet. After a few days, it never really looks “clean.” Even wiping it down doesn’t help much; fingerprints and smears are just part of the daily experience.

Over time, this cumulative wear feels lousy. A premium device should stay looking premium, especially if you treat it with care. It’s disheartening that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold seems poised to degrade in feel and appearance before long. This isn’t just a toy—it’s a serious investment. And the last thing I want is to baby it like some delicate artifact. Foldables should feel futuristic, not fragile.

Tinny Sound And Weak Haptics: Where’s The Premium Feel?

For an $1,800 gadget, audio and haptics shouldn’t feel like an afterthought. Yet here we are. The speakers are okay, but that’s about it. Play some music or watch a video holding the device in certain orientations and you’ll notice muffling. The sound just doesn’t hit you with the depth and clarity you might expect at this level. Likewise, haptic feedback—the little vibrations that give typing and notifications a tactile dimension—feels subdued. It’s like they toned it down to fit the thinner build, leaving us with a more muted experience.

Look, I get it, foldables have a lot of engineering hurdles, but audio and haptics are fundamental parts of a phone’s character. When I pick up a device this expensive, I expect it to greet me with satisfying clicks and a rich, full-bodied sound. Instead, it shrugs and says, “This is the best I could do.”

Software Failures: An Untapped Advantage

Google’s biggest potential advantage is software. They control Android, and this device is supposed to show off what a foldable Android experience can be. So why does it feel half-baked? Some apps from Google itself don’t scale elegantly on the odd aspect ratios. You’ll find yourself fiddling with app windows, sizing and resizing just to get something that feels right. It’s not what I’d call streamlined. It’s more like a rough draft—like Google knew they had to release something but didn’t really have the perfect tools to make their foldable shine.

And where’s the awesome multitasking we dreamed of? True, you can open multiple windows, but the entire approach feels clumsy and limited. You’d think that by now, Android on a foldable would be a canvas for innovation. Instead, it’s just Android stretched awkwardly across a different shape. I wanted this device to make me rethink how I use my phone. Instead, it makes me miss the simplicity and polish of a good old-fashioned slab of glass and metal.

Value: Or Rather, The Lack Of It

This brings us to the core problem: the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s value proposition is off-kilter. Nearly two thousand bucks for a phone that delivers a shaky performance, unimpressive camera upgrades, battery woes, questionable durability, and mediocre software optimization? That’s a bitter pill. The whole point of shelling out so much cash is to get something transcendent, something that stands apart and justifies its cost with every swipe and snap.

Instead, what we have feels more like a technology demo that made it to store shelves. Other brands are pushing foldables too, and some of them offer sturdier builds, better battery life, and, ironically, better optimized software experiences. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold leans heavily on the Pixel name and the allure of long-term updates, but that’s not enough to offset the sense that you’re paying top dollar for a device that falls short in too many key areas.

Final Verdict: The Cost Of Falling For Hype

I won’t lie: I wanted to love this phone. I wanted Google to knock it out of the park, to show the world that they understood the foldable category and could set a new standard. But the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, in so many ways, feels half-done. Sure, it’s got a cool hinge, and yes, it might get updates until we’re all wearing smart contact lenses instead of looking at screens. But what good is long life if that life is marred by performance hiccups, camera compromises, charging quirks, unimpressive displays, and software that never fully embraces the foldable potential?

If money is no object and you just love the idea of owning Google’s first big foldable experiment, maybe this will still intrigue you. Maybe you’ll look past all the annoyances because you enjoy tinkering with new form factors. But if you’re like most people, and you actually want your device to be worth what you pay for it—to shine, to delight, to excel—then I think you’ll leave disappointed.

We keep calling foldables “the future,” but if this is the future, it’s definitely not arrived in a way that feels fulfilling. Instead, it’s teasing us, showing glimpses of what might be possible down the road, without delivering a fully polished experience today. Until then, I’d say hold on to your cash. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold might have a big, beautiful folding screen, but it’s got a long list of issues that might just fold up your enthusiasm and tuck it away for good.

Nevertheless, if you’ve weighed all these drawbacks. Still wish to go with the purchase, congratulations! You’re making a considered decision that you won’t regret.

Reference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK9zxuXa3OA&t=409s&pp=ygUeR29vZ2xlIFBpeGVsIDkgUHJvIEZvbGQgcmV2aWV3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQlEbFThLKI&pp=ygUeR29vZ2xlIFBpeGVsIDkgUHJvIEZvbGQgcmV2aWV3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3hJhYElryg&pp=ygUeR29vZ2xlIFBpeGVsIDkgUHJvIEZvbGQgcmV2aWV3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcL-Ct2mxE0&pp=ygUeR29vZ2xlIFBpeGVsIDkgUHJvIEZvbGQgcmV2aWV3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjsYOs8F2Ic&pp=ygUeR29vZ2xlIFBpeGVsIDkgUHJvIEZvbGQgcmV2aWV3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElLTA4XLXT4&pp=ygUeR29vZ2xlIFBpeGVsIDkgUHJvIEZvbGQgcmV2aWV3