Pixel 11 Pro Fold Initial Review: Great, But When It Isn't

Quick summary: I’ve used the Pixel 11 Pro Fold on and off for a few days. It isn’t my main phone, but I already have strong opinions. The cameras, cover screen, build and smoothness are excellent. Gaming performance is not, and at $2,000 that’s hard to overlook.

Cameras

The photos are so good it might be my favorite camera on a foldable. I shot video in 4K 60 on the front cameras, the main camera and the ultra-wide. Video is sharp, especially in good light, but Pixel’s color science is more muted and “artsy” than the vibrant, darker look I like. It’s still good, and I could get used to it.

Build quality

It’s excellent. The hinge is tight and nothing feels cheap. It’s not the thinnest or lightest foldable, but without a case it feels pretty thin. It has a built-in magnet. My SnapGrip holds fairly well, though not as strongly as some magnetic cases.

Cover screen

It’s my favorite part: basically regular phone size, bigger and more comfortable than the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s, though not as wide as the Z Fold 8’s. Both displays are bright and high quality, but I need 60 to 100% brightness to feel comfortable, where on Samsung I can go lower.

Inner screen and crease

You can see the crease at an angle, but not while using it. It’s not the best crease this year, but it doesn’t ruin anything.

Annoyances

• Folders: setting up about 20 folders by hand took forever. There’s no plus button to add apps from inside a folder like on Samsung. Coming from another Pixel copies your layout.
• Buttons: the power/fingerprint key sits above the volume keys, the reverse of what my Samsung muscle memory expects.
• App drawer search: the search bar is stuck at the top, and I prefer it at the bottom.
• Multitasking: you can use the taskbar, drag apps or a button, but I miss Samsung’s gesture multitasking.

Smoothness

It’s one of the smoothest Android experiences, smoother than a Galaxy. Opening apps, multitasking animations and everyday use are buttery smooth.

Performance and gaming

Geekbench gave me 2,260 single-core and 5,898 multi-core, versus about 9,500 to 10,000 multi-core on Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 phones. Roblox at max graphics is playable but hiccups. Fortnite stutters at medium and even at low, making it unplayable. On the plus side, games work in either orientation, while a Z Fold 8 Ultra often forces you to rotate.

Speakers

They’re loud, maybe slightly louder than the Z Fold 8 Ultra, but a bit tinny with little bass for music. Voices sound fine.

Final thoughts

It’s a great foldable if you don’t play intense games and don’t need deep customization, and it has 16GB of RAM and years of updates. I could see myself using it, since I don’t game a ton. But at $2,000, it’s hard to recommend over a Z Fold 8 Ultra or a Motorola foldable, which are more powerful and may age better. At around $1,400, it would be an amazing buy.

• Pixel 11 Pro Fold at Best Buy
• OhSnap SnapGrip Stand