The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold launched last week with a newer chip, the latest operating system, and a HiLight lighting system. With a few of these innovations, Google hopes that buyers will choose their device over some of the competing devices in the Fold-type foldable category. This review answers the question of whether the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the foldable you should buy.
SPECIFICATIONS
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold
6.5″ OLED screen, 120Hz Actua Display
8.0″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz Super Actua Flex
HDR10+
Google Tensor G6 processor (3nm)
1x 4.11 GHz C1-Ultra chip
4x 3.38 GHz C1-Pro
2x 2.65 GHz C1-Pro
PowerVR CXTP-48-1536 Graphics Chip
RAM 16GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 256/512 GB UFS 4.0
Primary Camera 48MP f/1.7 OIS (Wide Angle)
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 4806 mAh
30W wired charging
25W wireless charging
4.5W 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 7,999 (16/256 GB)
RM 8,599 (16/512 GB)
SCREEN
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold actually collapsed before it could even get up. As soon as the device was taken out of the box, the crease line on the 8″ screen was very noticeable. More noticeable than the crease line on the Z Fold8 screen that I have been using for over two weeks. See the picture below taken two days after launch. It is very noticeable, especially if the white background image is used.
I did say that if you are a user of a foldable screen device, this crease line will disappear from view after a few days. But if Google wants to be competitive in the foldable phone market, they should at least offer a product that is comparable to their competitors.
The effect of the fold on the screen will become more noticeable with age. It is predictable that the lines will become more pronounced within a year of use. This is already the case with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold unit that I reviewed last year.
Another drawback of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, Oppo Find N6 and Hono Magic V6 screens compared to the Z Fold8 series is that the outer and inner screens have rounded corners. The rounded corners on the screen are too large compared to the corners on candybar devices and are less attractive than the sharp-edged Z Fold8 series screens. There is no cut-off content when reading comics and e-books on the Z Fold8 screen.
It is not all negative because I have to praise the Pixel 11 Pro Fold screen this year which is brighter. It can reach a peak brightness of 3600 nits compared to 3000 nits last year. Content looks brighter and clearer when used in bright sunlight. The only supported HDR system is HDR10+, putting it on par with the Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra. I had no issues streaming HDR content on YouTube, Prime Video, Netflix, HBO Max, and Prime Video on this device.
BIOMETRICS
The fingerprint scanner is placed on the right side of the device. It's strategically located and easy to access, as on Pixel devices the power button is placed above the volume rocker. Scanning is fast even with wet fingers.
A facial recognition system is included, but it doesn't work well in dark situations. So far, only Vivo has placed an under-screen fingerprint scanner on both foldable screens. So I'm not criticizing the Pixel 11 Pro Fold for having a fingerprint scanner built into the power button.
DESIGN
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has the same body design as last year's model. If you've ever held a Pixel 10 Pro Fold, it feels the same in your hand, just with a smaller camera bump. The smaller bump now no longer has a temperature sensor, which has been replaced by a new HiLight light that can provide notifications and interactions while using Gemini.
Below is a comparison of the thickness and weight of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold compared to some competing devices.
Model Thickness (closed) Thickness (open) Weight
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold 10.1mm 5mm 239g
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 8.9mm 4.1mm 215g
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 9.7mm 4.5mm 201g
Honor Magic V6 9mm 4.1mm 219g
Oppo Find N6 8.9mm 4.2mm 225g
It's thicker and heavier than its 2026 flagship foldables. Like the screen issue I touched on above, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is lagging behind before the competition even begins. Using the device after a day feels like there hasn't been any serious evolution by Google to bring the improvements users have been asking for.
What saved Google from being smeared with charcoal is the build quality of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold that still feels premium. It really feels like a phone that costs more than RM7000 each. The hinge feels sturdy and can stay in place even when I hit the table surface. Here the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is on par with the Z Fold8 Ultra.
The process of opening the screen is also easy because the side surface is wide enough for finger grip. My issue with the Z Fold8 and Magic V6 this year is that both are too thin that it is difficult to open them..
The body also passes the IP68 waterproof and dustproof standards which is better than the Z Fold9 series (IP48), Find N6 (IP59) and only loses to the Magic V6 (IP69). No need to worry about spilling water or submerging the device in the pool while in use.
SOFTWARE – The Most Original Google Android
The Android 17 software used with the Pixel 11 series is the second after the Z Fold8 and Z Flip8 were launched with this latest Android operating system, It brings a new exclusive feature to the Pixel, namely Bubbles. Like all Pixel devices, support for 7 Android version updates and 7 years of security patches is provided for long-term peace of mind.
On the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, I find this feature not very useful because the process of switching apps is faster by activating the Taskbar. The Taskbar can be changed to stay at the bottom of the screen that is open or floating. In addition, launching two apps at the same time with Split Screen is also accessible
Taskbar
There are also other AI features such as Gemini Intelligence which can understand the context better by reading Gmail, YouTube history, Maps, Photos and various other apps.
Voice typing is also more accurate with Rambler in Gboard which intelligently removes unnecessary sentences. All of this from my understanding using the Nano Banana model built into the device without it being sent to the cloud first making it fast.
There is also a new Screenshot feature that saves all screenshots in a special application. The 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 just needs to ask the question they want to know the answer to and Screenshot will provide it based on the information it has collected.
A recorder that can automatically generate audio transcripts of interviews. The Notebook also comes with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, making it easy to process, understand, and then turn documents into podcasts automatically.
Google Circle to Search, Gemini, and Gemini Voice are now finally getting smarter with Gemini Intelligence providing answers based on personal information collected through various Google services.
HiLight
What about the HiLight feature that is the focus of the Pixel 11 Pro series advertising? It's like the Glyph system on Nothing devices or the notification light that used to be standard on smartphones. It can only be used to notify phone calls from specific people (that you designate) or when using the Gemini in the flip position.
Only the lights light up with different warrants. It's a disappointing feature and has absolutely no wow factor. The Glyph on Nothing devices can be programmed to flash in a specific pattern and be personalized. On the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, HiLight is just a multi-colored notification light with limited functionality.
BENCHMARKS
Google doesn't allow benchmarking apps to be installed on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold through the Play Store. I waited until the last minute to install them side-by-side. After testing a few times I may have an answer as to why Antutu 3D, Geekbench 5 and 3D Mark won't install. The Tensor G6 chip used scores disappointingly. Here are the Tensor G6 scores when compared to some of the top devices on the market.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold – Tensor G5
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 – Exynos 2600
Honor Magic V6 – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Oppo Find N6 – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 – Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
Vivo X300 Pro – Dimensity 9500
Apple iPhone 17 Pro – A19 Pro
Antutu 3D
Score Device
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold 1,212,510
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold 1,214,735
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 2,630,271
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 2,184,626
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 2,463,934
Honor Magic V6 3,439,798
Oppo Find N6 3,080,123
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 1,747,012
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 3,136,285
Vivo X300 Pro 3,507,869
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 2,634,345
Geekbench 6
Single Core Multi Core Device
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold 1764 4688
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold 2303 6134
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 3295 9125
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 3512 9871
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 1923 5091
Honor Magic V6 3529 9938
Oppo Find N6 3450 9393
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 2745 9060
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 3651 10819
Vivo X300 Pro 3507 10469
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 3560 8835
3DMark Wildlife Extreme
Chip Score
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold 3318
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold 3266
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 5996
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 5365
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 4099
Honor Magic V6 6481
Oppo Find N6 6020
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 5633
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 7375
Vivo X300 Pro 7075
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 5873
I was surprised by the scores recorded because they are not much different from last year's Tensor G5 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite on the Z Fold7. The Tensor G6 only comes with 7 CPU cores with a combination of C1-Ultra and C1-Pro. I expected the scores recorded to be better than last year's chip but these expectations were far off.
There were no issues running common social media, streaming, messaging, and photography apps on this device. For starters, the lack of processing power of the Tensor G6 will start to show. In COD Mobile, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, and PUBG Mobile there were no issues running it on high settings.
But in Wuthering Waves and Zenless Zen Zero the graphics are stuttery at higher settings. This is probably because these two games were not developed to support the Tensor G6 chip. At the same time, the PowerVR CXTP-48-1536 GPU on the Tensor G6 is quite old. The combination of only 7 CPU cores, the old GPU and the fact that it supports MediaTek and Qualcomm chips contribute to the less than satisfactory performance on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
CAMERA
The main camera trio consists of a 48MP wide-angle lens with OIS, a 10.5MP ultra-wide and a 10.8MP 5X telephoto also with OIS. Meanwhile, the two telephoto cameras are 10MP. There is no change in megapixel size but the main 48MP sensor uses a larger sensor size this year.
The captured images look natural, bright and have colors that are similar to the real world. The color reproduction I feel most deserves praise because I feel it is the best on a foldable phone. Performance is good regardless of light or dark conditions. The Pixel's Nightshift dark mode is once again excellent with minimal noise, decent HDR, no issues with broken light sources and images looking bright.
The downside is the zoom which is only satisfactory at the 2X setting. At the 5X setting it starts to break up and at the 10X setting the image looks like a mosaic. Zooming up to 30X is possible but with a sensor that's only around 10.5MP the quality is not satisfactory.
2X zoom
5X zoom
10X zoom
BATTERY
Other manufacturers have been increasing battery capacity year after year. But Google has thought outside the box with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold equipped with a 4806 mAh battery compared to last year's 5015 mAh. This puts it behind the battery capacity of the Z Fold8 Ultra (5000 mAh) and Magic V6 (6600 mAh). Google has also yet to use SiC batteries which offer high capacity in a smaller size.
If the device is unplugged from the charger at 7am, it still has around 10% battery at 8pm. A decent life by last year's standards but not this year. The Magic V6 is still the king of foldable screen batteries as it can last more than a day.
The battery can be charged in 70 minutes with a 30W charger only. Samsung is no longer using the 30W charger this year as it has upgraded to 45W. The battery is not that old and the charging is slow. This is a combination that is hard to forgive.
AUDIO
The audio system is just ok with one speaker placed on the left door and another on the right door. Like last year the audio is less balanced if the phone is held in the hand. One of the palms will cover the audio grille. There is no Dolby Atmos system with Google using its own spatial audio system.
IN THE BOX
Here's what's included in the box.
1x Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable
1x Manual
1x SIM Pin
CONCLUSION
Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the most advanced and premium foldable device ever produced by Google. From a design perspective, not many improvements have been made with just a slightly larger screen and a larger main sensor. The focus is on software, AI features and the ability to process AI directly from the device. It's just an iterative improvement that has been the trend of Apple and Samsung for the past five years.
But in fact, this is the design used since the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. So various issues on previous devices such as the lines on the folding screen that are noticeable, the device's body is thick and heavy still exist. If other manufacturers can offer a screen without noticeable lines, a much larger battery and a thinner body, why can't Google do the same?
The battery is also smaller and the biggest sin is that the Tensor G6 does not offer the performance expected on a flagship device. The processing power is lower than the chip used in the Z Fold7 in 2025. The Pixel 11 11 Pro Fold is a foldable device that is late to adopt the latest technology and is also weak in power supply compared to competitors in the market.
In Malaysia, the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is sold at a starting price of RM 7,999 each. At this high price and less than satisfactory performance, I can't recommend it to you unless you are a die-hard Pixel fan. Better alternatives are the Z Fold8 and Magic V6. But if you want a better value foldable device, last year's Z Fold7 is still attractive but at a price of around RM5,200 that won't burn your bank account.
Pros
Premium design is very comfortable in the hand.
The latest Android 17 software.
IP68 water and dust resistance.
Good camera performance.
Android 7 version updates and 7 years of security patches.
Cons
Smaller battery. Slow charging.
Noticeable line effects on the screen.
HiLight is not very useful.
Tensor G6 is not powerful enough.
