Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold Review: Missing Pro Features

Magnets are the most exciting new feature on Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold for me. I was giddy with excitement when I popped this book-like folding phone^[1] on my MagSafe wireless car charger^[2]—no third-party magnetic case^[3] needed, no annoying clamps. I was even able to open the phone up, and while it drooped into landscape orientation due to the weight of the second screen, it still stayed stuck and gave me a much larger view of Google Maps.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold^[4] and Google’s broader Pixel 10 series^[5] are the only flagship Android phones^[6] with native Qi2 wireless charging support^[7], meaning they can magnetically recharge just like MagSafe iPhones, enabling faster and more efficient charging. It might not sound like a big deal, but it’s little things like this that can make a big impact on day-to-day use.

Unfortunately, outside of magnets and its folding trick, this Pixel still doesn’t feel quite as “pro” as its name suggests, as it’s missing a few staples found on the actual Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL. It’s a good smartphone, but when you’re spending $1,799, you want to get the best bang for your buck.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold on a MagSafe wireless charger.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Ten Fold

Samsung greatly slimmed down its Galaxy Z Fold7^[8] this summer, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s main competition, and I wish Google had followed suit. Phones are getting slimmer than ever^[9], and while you may not care for an ultra-thin candybar handset with not-so-amazing battery life^[10], any millimeter that’s shaved off on a folding phone can make a big difference in usability.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold doesn’t feel like the chonker it was originally, but next to the Z Fold7, it feels a little more cumbersome to use. I still find it hard to open sometimes (I wish there was a small lip), and I also am not a fan of the asymmetrical design, with visible curved edges on the left near the hinge; Samsung’s phone looks more elegant.

The hardware feels better than ever though, with a reliable gearless hinge, and a crease I find easy to ignore (if you care, the Galaxy Z Fold7’s crease is slightly less noticeable). This is one of the few folding phones with a proper IP68 dust- and water-resistance rating^[11], even better than what Samsung offers, so you can feel safe using this phone in various environments like traditional smartphones. I dropped the phone when I was getting out of my car (onto asphalt), and I only saw a few nicks in the aluminum frame. And while so much of that comes down to luck, these folding phones just aren’t as fragile^[12] as they once were. Google says the phone is capable of 10 years of folding, which helps assuage long-term concerns.