Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold Review: Against The Grain

Foldables in 2025 are on a diet, and the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, the Honor Magic V5 and the Vivo X Fold5 have raised the bar not just for the processing grunt and camera prowess, but for how razor-thin and feather-light foldables can get. And then there’s the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, pointing squarely away from the course set by its peers and doubling down – for better or for worse - on being practical, durable and unmistakably Pixel. Stuff that you’re going to have to be pretty sure you want, if you’re going to be plonking down ₹1,72,999 on one of these.

In not trying to out-diet the competition, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is an absolute chonker compared to the Z Fold7, and the extra girth and weight feel decidedly cumbersome, although it’s still comfortable to hold with its pleasantly rounded edges. I’m a big fan of squat proportions on foldables, but Google’s asymmetrical design feels a little off and lacks that cutting edge look that a 2025 foldable should sport.

There is an upside to the design choices Google has made, by way of durability. Its new gearless hinge allows the phone to be both water- and dust-resistant, with the same IP68 rating that you can find on most flagship candy bar smartphones – a first for any foldable. It’s a bigger deal than you realize – the seventh-generation Z Fold7 is IP48 rated, which means small dust particles and sand can wedge their way in. This is the first foldable that’s handled being tossed into backpacks and fanny packs without the fear of lint and dust and brought out for shots in the unseasonable rains we’ve been seeing off late. Bottom line, this is the first foldable I haven’t treated with kid gloves, which is a huge leap in and of itself. And, as with the rest of the Pixel 10 lineup, the 10 Pro Fold also has the Google’s new Pixelsnap magnetic charging, which opens up a world of iPhone MagSafe accessories - including charging stands, wallet cases, and magnetically attaching tripods - without the need for a third-party magnetic case. No other foldable does that, so until Apple releases its own foldable, this one plays nice if you’re already rocking an iPhone and want a taste of forbidden foldable fruit.

Now, Google used the same screen as the Pixel 10 Pro for the 6.4-inch outer display, which makes using the 10 Pro Fold feel very natural, particularly for typing, much like you on a regular smartphone, but the bigger benefit is how it unfolds into a wider 8-inch display inside. Both displays are excellent, they’re bright and colourful even when used outside thanks to the 2,000 nits (HDR) and 3,000 nits (peak brightness). Apps run comfortably side by side, movies are a joy to watch too, though I’m not going to lie, I wouldn’t mind less of a bezel on the inner display. Android 16 is gorgeous and refined, and we love the effort Google is putting into making Pixels AI-first phones, though some are legit while others border on gimmicky – read our full review of the Pixel 10 Pro XL for more. It has to be said – there isn’t a lot that Google has done to take advantage of the bigger screen inside, aside from maybe the camera app using both halves while shooting or using the outer display to set up shots with the rear camera. There are app pairs and floating taskbar to make swapping apps easier, but the multi-window system just isn’t as robust as what we have seen on the OnePlus Open or the Samsung. Google, a slick coat of paint a la Material 3 Expressive theming is nice but give me ways to be more efficient with that expansive inner display.

Of course, if you’ve kept up with the smartphone space, you know that Google’s Tensor G5 chips aren’t known for top performance, and while I saw no issues in casual everyday use, you’re going to want top performance when you’re paying top rupee. There were occasional stutters during heavy gameplay and some lag when using the on-device AI features, none of which went unnoticed and are likely on account of the lack of vapor cooling exclusive to the Pro phones. And hey, we get that some features fall by the wayside due to the folding design, but when you’re paying this much over the regular 10 Pro, everything counts – not getting the same camera system, seeing worse low-light performance, missing out on the Pro Res Zoom and faster wireless charging features. It feels like it lacks that ‘Pro’ touch. To be fair, the daytime photos and HDR performance in particular is rock solid, and the images pack that contrasty, people-pleasing Pixel look.

Redemption comes by way of better battery life, with the capacious 5015mAh battery lasting between 1-1.5 days of moderate usage – not something you can say about the Samsung - but the 30W charging speeds are still glacially slow. At this price, it’s difficult to overlook the competition, even as Google is unquestionably the most durable foldable you can buy this year.