We’ve just published our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review on Tech Advisor, declaring it “the best foldable phone you can buy”. But there are models on the way which might take its crown, including the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
The Z Fold 7 looks like a marvel of engineering – a beautiful phone with a lot to like. However, Samsung hasn’t focused on the things that matter most to me, so if the leaks are true, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will be the winner.
We don’t know how thin the Pixel 10 Pro will be yet, but I actually don’t care
It seems that Samsung was too busy trying to make the Z Fold 7 as thin as possible, playing foldable phone ‘Top Trumps’ against the likes of Honor and its Magic V5. While half the internet is debating which is thinner, Google is about to come along with a better option.
We don’t know how thin the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will be yet, but I actually don’t care. A race to the bottom in that respect doesn’t impress me, apart from in a theoretical engineering way.
Sure, it might be thinner than a pencil or a coin, but there are inevitable downsides in order to achieve this.
Even if Google does make its next foldable thinner, it doesn’t seem like it will have the same sacrifices compared to the Z Fold 7.
Dust buster
Leaked information, which is often spot on, suggests the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will come with an IP68 rating. This means it’s fully dust-proof and you can fully submerge it in water – that’s seriously impressive for a phone that unfolds like a book.
Luke Baker
Meanwhile, the Z Fold 7 is limited to IP48, meaning it has the same water resistance (the 8 in the IP rating) but is still susceptible to dust particles, jeopardising its durability and longevity.
When you live with a two-year-old and a dog, phones need to be durable, typically meaning a foldable is out of the question, but the Pixel 10 Pro Fold appears to have solved this problem.
Power where it matters
Furthermore, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold looks like it will beat the Z Fold 7 in another crucial area… battery life.
Samsung’s super-thin design and lack of silicon-carbon battery technology mean the phone is limited to a 4400mAh cell.
Luke Baker
However, rumours suggest the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will be coming into the ring at 5015mAh. That’s 14% bigger, and I’ll take it even if the phone is thicker and heavier than its Korean rival.
I’m certainly not saying the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will beat the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 in every respect; it almost certainly won’t, but where it matters most to me, it looks like it will be the winner.
Google phones rarely win in raw benchmarks, but that’s not the kind of power I need from my phone. I need minutes, not frame rates.
We don’t have too long to wait either, as Google has confirmed its next launch event will take place on 20 August, where the entire Pixel 10 series will almost certainly be officially unveiled.