This year is the second year that the Google Pixel series has been marketed in Malaysia, with it facing serious challenges from Apple and other Android device manufacturers. Last year, I said that the Pixel 9 Pro XL was less competitive for the Malaysian market due to its lack of power and feature set that was not unique enough. With the Pixel 10 Pro XL, I feel like I finally know what makes the Pixel truly unique.
It’s not the power to offer 100FPS gaming graphics, it’s not the support of the Apple ecosystem, and it’s not the fastest charging power. Instead, it’s a true artificial intelligence (AI) device for those looking for a device with the best AI integration.
SPECIFICATIONS
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
6.4″ OLED screen, 120Hz Actua Display
8.0″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz Super Actua Flex
HDR10+
Google Tensor G5 processor (3nm)
1 X 3.78 GHz Cortex X4 chip
5 X 3.05 GHz Cortex A725
4 X 2.25 GHz Cortex A520
PowerVR DXT-48-1536 Graphics Chip
RAM 16GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 256/512 GB UFS 4.0
Primary Camera 48MP f/1.7, OIS (Primary)
10.5MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide)
10.8MP f/3.1, OIS (5X Telephoto)
Selfie Camera 10 MP, f/2.2 (Outside)
10 MP, f/2.2 (Inner)
Battery 5015 mAh
30W wired charging
15W Qi2 wireless charging
Reverse charging
SIM/Telephony 1 Nano, 1 eSIM
5G Sub 6
NFC Yes
Audio Jack No
Waterproof IP68
Scanning System Side fingerprint scanner
Face scan
Selling Price RM 7999 (16/256GB)
RM 8599 (16/512GB)
SCREEN
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold's 6.4" OLED outer screen has the same 20:9 aspect ratio as a candybar device. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate but is not of the LTPO type. The refresh rate is only between 60-120Hz.
I moved from a Pixel 10 Pro XL to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and the experience of using both devices was similar. The screen is very responsive to every touch and the screen ratio makes it very comfortable to use. It reminds me of the Oppo Find N5 that I reviewed earlier this year.
I can say that the Find N5 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold are two very similar devices, except that the Oppo device is slightly larger. If you are looking for a foldable device with a similar user experience to a candybar device, these two devices are the best in the market right now.
Because they are so similar, I rarely feel the need to open the inner screen. The inner screen is 8″ in size and is of the LTPO 120Hz type. You can still see the crease on the screen but I feel that it is no longer a big issue. This screen has a boxy 1:1 ratio that makes it a little awkward to use compared to the Z Fold7 or Magic V5 screens.
I praise the outer screen for being easy to use but the inner screen is less practical. Imagine playing COD Mobile with a square screen. It is very strange and you lose your side view. So I recommend in the application settings, make sure to select the mode to launch certain applications with a ratio of 18:9 or 20:9 because it is better than 1:1. Finally, the screen supports HDR10+ display in Netflix, Prime Video and HBO Max applications. There is no Dolby Vision support because Google followed Samsung's lead here
BIOMETRY
The biometric system is of the type of fast side fingerprint scanner and face scanning. The location of the fingerprint scanner is ergonomic because on Pixel devices, the power button is placed above the audio adjustment button. The face scanning system is also no less fast than in situations where there is sufficient lighting.
DESIGN
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold has a thicker body design compared to the Z Fold7 and Magic V5. From a negative point of view, this design can be said to be outdated in the current era of phones like taking Ozempic. But in fact, this more "chubby" design is necessary for a folding device. It is easier to open the 10 Pro Fold than the two thin flip devices mentioned earlier.
The device has a finish that feels luxurious and comfortable in the hand. Not too heavy and has flat sides. There is a power button and audio adjustment on the right door of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The SIM tray is located on top with two stereo speakers both firing to the sides. The USB-C charging port is located at the bottom. Again, I would like to mention that the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is very similar to the Find N5.
The body passes the IP68 standard which is the highest among foldable screen devices. The Z Fold7 only passes IP48 and the Magic V5 is only IP59. The back panel has a non-glossy finish that does not trap dirt. The camera bump on this device is indeed large but because it is flat, the device is quite stable when placed on a table surface.
This thick body is fully utilized by Google to house a 5015 mAh battery. It is smaller than the 5820 mAh on the Magic V5 but much larger than the 4400 mAh on the Z Fold7. The battery supports only 30W charging which can be categorized as not very fast.
Software – The Most Original Google Android
The purest Android 16 software without bloatware and uninteresting third-party launchers. There is no big difference between the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and the Pixel 10 Pro XL except for the mode for a larger screen on the inside.
The software runs quite smoothly with it being matched to the Google Tensor G5 chip, 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Google does not offer additional virtual RAM features like other manufacturers and I personally feel that the 16GB of RAM included is more than enough.
It is the first device to use Material 3 Expressive which is much easier to use with elements that are also cheerful. I dislike the Android 15 of the past year which felt a bit empty. This year the interface elements feel more in line with the needs of the modern world.
In addition to the lightest software, it comes with exclusive Pixel features and receives support for 7 Android version updates and 7 years of security patches. For those looking for a phone that will be used for a long time, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is a good choice.
Although the Android 16 used is the purest, it is not the best and most practical in my opinion. For example, the taskbar system on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is not user-friendly compared to the Z Fold7 taskbar. On the Z Fold7, this application bar is always displayed below the screen to facilitate quick application switching, and launch two applications simultaneously with Multi Window.
On the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, scrolling from the bottom has to be done every time to display the taskbar. Sometimes due to excessive scrolling, the Split Screen screen appears and this makes me impatient. Maybe in the next iteration, Google will just borrow Samsung's Taskbar feature because it is the best and it has also been borrowed on Oppo's foldable device.
Another interesting feature is that Gemini Nano runs directly on the device for various AI tasks such as the Reimagine and Pixel Studio features. Pixel Studio generates images using generative AI directly from the device without the need for internet. Therefore, images can be generated in about 10 seconds.
Change the app's screen size ratio
Reimagine also modifies images by inserting a prom in Google Photos. For example, you might want to change a blue sky to a red sky like a sunset. Turn a road into a fast-flowing river. The image can also be re-composed with parts not generated by Gemini.
There is also a new Screenshot feature that saves all screenshots in a special application. AI then reads all the information in the screenshot such as phone numbers, WiFi passwords, flight reservation numbers and event venue addresses. From within the application, the user only needs to ask the question they want to know the answer to and Screenshot will provide it based on the information it has collected.
More useful in my opinion is Recorder which can automatically generate audio transcripts of interviews. Over the course of more than 4 weeks of use, this feature has reduced the time spent working on writing articles. NotebookLM is also installed on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold to make it easier to process documents, understand them, and then turn them into podcasts automatically.
The best features are still Google Circle to Search, Gemini, and Gemini Voice, which are now finally getting smarter. But these three features are not exclusive to Pixel devices. Google is giving away a 12-month Google AI Pro subscription for free, which gives you access to image generation, Notebook LM, and Google Gemini, which are more comprehensive than using a free account.
The Magic Cue and Call Screening features did not work at all during the review period. I feel like this feature is still not activated in Malaysia. Just like the feature of editing Photos using voice commands is also limited to users in the United States.
BENCHMARKS
Here are the Antutu 3D, Geekbench 6 and 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme benchmark scores. I compare the Tensor G5 chip used in the Pixel 10 Pro Fold with the benchmark chips below.
Dimensity 9500 – Oppo Find X9 Pro
Apple A19 Pro – Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy – Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7
Snapdragon 8 Elite – Honor Magic V5
Snapdragon 8 Elite (7 Core) – Oppp Find N5
Snapdragon 8 Elite – Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy – Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
MediaTek Dimensity 9400 – Oppo Find X8 Pro
Apple A18 Pro – Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
AnTuTu 3D
Chip Score
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold 1,214,735
Oppo Find X9 Pro 3,472,342
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 2,634,345
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 1,747,012
Oppo Find N5 2,157,718
Xiaomi 15 Ultra 2,341,598
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 1,946,864
Oppo Find X8 Pro 2,629,017
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 1,720,751
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 1,016,712
Geekbench 6
Single Core Multi Core Chip
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold 2303 6134
Oppo Find X9 Pro 3158 9298
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 3560 8835
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 2745 9060
Oppo Find N5 2866 7987
Xiaomi 15 Ultra 2918 8917
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 2957 9435
Oppo Find X8 Pro 2663 8959
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 3359 8129
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 1916 4644
3DMark Wildlife Extreme
Chip Score
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold 3266
Oppo Find X9 Pro 6127
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 5873
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 5633
Oppo Find N5 5507
Xiaomi 15 Ultra N/A
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 6135
Oppo Find X8 Pro 6251
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 4560
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 2567
In all tests, the Tensor G5 scored lower than the Snapdragon 8 Elite, Apple A19 Pro, Apple A18 Pro and Dimensity 9500. It was only able to beat the Tensor G4 which was last year the weakest flagship chip on the market.
The performance of running various common applications is satisfactory with everything running smoothly. The processor chips of the majority of Android devices on the market today, even from the mid-range, are more than enough. Once again, we would like to emphasize that the Tensor G5 is a mid-range chip paired with 16GB of RAM to ensure that owners will not face any serious issues when using the device.
The issue of the chip getting hot as experienced on the Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 also occurs on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The device heats up even when just opening the camera and starting to take pictures. It also gets hot when running low-graphics games like Roblox. The Pixel 10 series is not a device for video game fans because it gets hot too quickly.
Next year, the Tensor chip needs to be improved immediately because it is difficult to justify the Pixel being a flagship device if the benchmark scores are low and it gets hot too easily when asked to work a little hard.
CAMERA
The camera on the folding screen is not as good as that of a candybar device. To reduce costs, the main camera only uses a 48+10.5+ 10.8 MP sensor with a dual 10MP selfie camera. In terms of photography capabilities, I feel it is better than the Z Fold7 and Magic V5 even though it is equipped with a smaller sensor.
The fact is that the Pixel camera algorithm is excellent, capable of producing better quality images even with a sensor that is not the latest. It excels in bright light or dark night. The camera performance does not disappoint.
The camera can only do digital zoom up to 20x which is not as good as the 100x on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The image quality at the 20x setting is still good, aided by the AI algorithm that improves the final quality.
BATTERY
The 5015 mAh battery used is capable of offering all-day use. If only the internal screen is used, there is no problem getting SOT up to almost 6 hours. I enjoy this long usage life because I rarely open the internal screen.
The large battery for this foldable device only supports 30W charging and takes about 90 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%. Google only provides a USB-C to USB-C charging cable with every purchase without a charger. Wireless charging support is 15W using the Qi2 format.
AUDIO
The two stereo speakers used are satisfactory and balanced because they are both fired to the sides. I find them quite satisfactory for a smartphone. There is a clear bass and treble. However, this audio grille will be easily covered by the palm of your hand if held in the position below.
IN THE BOX
Here is what is included in the box.
1x Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
Conclusion
Gen Z kids love to use the word “mid” for something that is in the middle. Yes, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is in the middle but it may be a “mid” device but in this situation being in the middle does not carry a negative connotation. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is sandwiched between the Z Fold7 with better software and the Magic V5 with a much larger battery. It offers 7 years of supported software, the best camera of the three devices and enough battery to last a whole day.
Admittedly with a starting price of RM7999 each it is a bit expensive. But overall I don’t think it disappoints. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is a neat, comfortable and stylish foldable device and more importantly, practical compared to other foldable devices on the market.
Pros
Premium design feels very comfortable in the hand.
The most original Android 16 software.
7 years of software updates and security patches.
IP68 water and dust resistance.
Good camera performance for a foldable phone.
Cons
The Tensor G5 is not up to par with other flagship chips.
Charging is only 30W which is slow for modern devices.
The device heats up easily.
