I agree with you, I loved the form factor and aspect ratio of the Pixel Fold and miss it. Despite that, the year over year improvement they've made with the 9 Pro Fold in all other areas is substantial and has made for a great experience. So I can't complain too much.
I was originally annoyed to hear they were changing the design as I loved the original, however once it was released I absolutely loved it. Unlike Shane I much prefer and love the look of the camera bar. For me the whole design is perfect now so much so that I have completely swapped from the original being a 2nd phone to my iPhone to the P9PF being my main phone 😊
I watched his video when he released it and was happy to see the P9PFold get a couple. There were a few other creators with phone awards that also included the P9PFold.
At first I got The original pixel fold. But then I held it up to my s22 ultra and 9 pro fold and it wasn't any wider than those phones. I was hoping it would have been closer to the Microsoft surface width but it was actually closer to the width of a regular phone so I returned it and got the 9 pro fold. I still like the form factor of the original fold but it needs to be bigger for me to appreciate the wider screen.
Shane, if you miss the old pixel fold design, why not switch back and forth like you did between OnePlus and Pixel? You could use the pixel fold 2 for a week, then use pixel fold 1 for a week...
Yeah i agree, that shorter aspect ratio was really nice to hold. Shame they put it to rest. Maybe we can post a big poll and send it to google that we rather prefer the shorter aspect ratio. Maybe they will use that feedback for the next Pixel fold?
I agree. I'm still a big fan of the inner screen of my original fold. Don't see myself getting another foldable as I doubt they will ever go back to the original size.
My pick would be the yet to be revealed OnePlus Open 2, (if all the rumors are true) barring that it won't get as many software updates as the pixels and Samsungs.
One of the main reasons I chose to buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold was its revised design-I wouldn’t have considered it otherwise. Same would be true if it had gone too far in the direction of the Z Fold. The narrower body makes single-handed use when closed much easier and improves pocketability, which matters more to me than having a wider aspect ratio on the inner screen. Besides, most apps divide into thirds just fine allowing you to rapidly expand the app that has your current attention to 2/3s. As for the camera island, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Function over form-it looks fine to me anyway.
I have the Pixel Pro 9 Fold and the Samsung Fold 6. I really only got the phones because they are my first foldable devices and the trade in deal was so good I had to take advantage of them during the holiday season. I don't really want to get attached to either device since I still use my S23 Ultra as my daily driver, I plan on upgrading both devices when the newer models come with the newer silicone battery technology and the Samsung Fold 7 specifically comes with the better aspect ratio. I honestly like both foldable devices the same and plan on using the Samsung Fold 7 as my daily driver next year
To some extent surprising evaluation - I fully agree that Honor Magic V3 is the best feeling hardware, I still insist that Samsung Fold 6 is the best software implementation of the folding phone form factor and Google Pixel is heart-catching but in both hardware and software you can find "reserves" 🙂
Marquez is at Mogul level in this tech TH-cam game. So of course he's going to have serious haters. This is what happens when you actually have influence.
i have honor v3 , pixel 9 pro fold, pixel fold and had OnePlus open and zfold 6, my daily driver is pixel fold can't get over how much I love that passport aspect ratio ... and I actually don't see substantial difference between them in terms of performance battery etc. I do not game and not a power user. hope google brings back the original fold aspect ratio 😢
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the only phone I would switch to over my ZFold6. If Google had a stylus to use with their phone I would switch to it and stop buying Samsung because I really like everything else they're doing with their Pixel lineup. When it comes to social media influencers, they don't motivate my purchasing decisions. I only watch their videos because they have access to more products than everyone else because of their popularity.
The only problem with the Pixel Fold 9 - and it's a nice problem to have - is that the outer screen is so good that I very rarely choose to remember to unfold it.
The thing is, for some of us 90% of those features are just bloat we never touch lol. Google is better at picking the features people use and then making those really good. If you're the type of person Samsung caters to, no question. Just remember, not everyone is.
I'd have to agree that the 9 Pro Fold is most improved, so far. I am waiting anxiously to see what Samsung does this year. Will they make that SE version the basis for the Fold 7? Hope so.
I am making this comment as someone who is primarily an iOS user. However, foldables definitely have my attention. I have tried the Z fold four, five, and have had the six for about three days now. I also used the original Pixel Fold. I absolutely loved the Pixel Fold format. I traded z fold 5 for that device. I also kept the original Pixel Fold for the longest of any Android device before going back to my iPhone. I am not saying Apple software is better than android in any way. It is just what I am more familiar with. I knew I wanted to get back to a foldable at least for a little while and finally decided on the Z fold six. I hate to give the devil their due, but Samsung has the most polished experience software wise. The S pen just tops it off. Maybe I will consider the OnePlus open too when it rolls out later this year. I enjoyed my time with the Pixel, but the software experience was just so much more limiting in my opinion. I really want Samsung to take some risks. Lack of risk is my problem with the iPhone and Samsung has largely fallen into that. Foldables are the best place to take a risk in my opinion because it makes up such a small user base. I just want them to get crazy and do something cool. Throw some shit at the wall and see what happens!
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a great device. I currently use the Z Fold 6, and I find its software to be superior to Google's. However, I am anticipating the release of the OnePlus Open 2.
mine never has folded flat... i do think the pixel fold 9 pro should have kept the same aspect ratio, but at least its not as scary narrow as the zfold... iuhuh... i do agree roughly with what he said on the pixel fold
I don't think that implies he's been paid off. If I were going to give a phone of the year, it would not be the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. I understand that it's not the best phone of the year, it's just my favorite.
I personally think he made the right picks with the 9pro fold. I thinking the z fold 7 will get the top spot this year. Kinda hoping though that one plus 2 takes the crown for 2025. I'll probably have to try them all. Who knows maybe Google will step up to the plate this year with software?
I like the concept of a folding phone but I have gotten used to certain things with flagships that these folding phones don't have. I am not a neurosurgeon and I get flak from the wife for wanting a new phone every two years lol. I was really holding out for the Surface Duo 3 but Microsoft let me down. I'm probably going to wait for a Pixel Fold 3 or if Samsung ever improves their Fold some more, I may go for the Z-Fold 10.
So I keep hearing this phone is a square and then ... I got mine. This phone is so clearly not a square I was baffled. I looked up the specs in case my eyes were lying and nope it is 5 mm taller than it is wide. For video watching it is a very visible difference and for some apps it kicks them into wide mode, like youtube. That 5mm is huge IMHO. I must also point out that we overall lost 3.5 mm in screen width on the inner screen when comparing the fold 1 and 2 from their respective widest aspects. This SUCKS a donkey's sprocket IMHO.
@1cx7r23 yes from corner to corner however that has little to do with the aspect ratio. So you can make up 8 inches in all kinds of lengths and widths basically. The way this one makes 8 is by being almost as wide as it is tall leaving us with an overall slightly smaller video viewable screen in wide screen format. However since it doesn't need to crop the top it sort of gives the illusion of being bigger since you see more top and bottom aspect than from a normal skinny phone.
@@1cx7r23 yes. And I'm a snob when it comes to more screen, which is exactly why I like folds lol. Don't mind having to rotate the fold 2 to get a wider video but it still leaves me with 3.5 mm less width than the fold 1 which chaps my arse lol. Don't get me twisted though, overall the fold 2 is quite a great phone. This is a 1st world issue LMAO. There are in my mind so many other positives that they far and away out weigh this minor annoyance.
@@MarioRodriguez-gv9km it is annoying. I think the passport form factor for the folded screen is a good idea to get a wider aspect ratio on the inner display. I do appreciate the overall larger 8 inch screen. One thing that keeps mee interested in the pro fold 9 over something like the honor v. Which only hits 7.9 inches which just annoys me it doesn't get the rest of the way there in comparison to a pixel fold. The Chinese folds like vivo and xaomi get 8 inches but they retain their price for a long time. I'm looking to get a fold but find choosing one out of the 6 or so we get is not going so well. The only thing stopping me from getting the fold 9 by Google is the processor
My friend, open your mind to the possibility that other people have different opinions to yours lol. Here's some real data th-cam.com/users/postUgkxNanD16XVVqFpGPOnTOAh6fyUM0H1CydE
@shanecraigtech lol yes yes. But from what I've seen only you and mr.Mobile seemed to really like that. Granted I think being wide is cool, it's the short outer screen I don't care for. Also I saw that video already 😁😁
Hard to really take a reviewer's advice on "best" phones of the year, when they only "daily drive" them for a few days or weeks and go back to their iPhones (I think Marques always talks about his iPhone as main device, no matter what he tests) or other android as daily phones. How do you know it's the "best hardware" (especially folding phones with all the possible breakable parts) if you don't use it daily, 24/7, for the whole year? Sure it may feel nice and work great for those couple days of testing, but I really wanna hear from those who use the phone I am interested in consistently and for a long time.
He did a video on this. Always carries two phones with the iPhone as his consistent second device. His main device for all of last year was the Samsung Ultra
If "iPhone is his consistent 2nd device" and Samsung was his main device...that proves my point. How do you reliably prove any hardware is the best...aside from those 2 phones he uses mainly. I get that they had to try all these phones, it's the point of their channels and I appreciate first looks and tips, but In order to give a reliable and true review or award phones with a 'best of the year', you can't just passively use those devices and use others as your mains. Most of us have ONE device 247, 365. A few day test or using it a couple times a day outside your main devices tells us nothing about hardware and reliability, aside from the short term.
MKBHD is that go to guy when it to phone tech. HOWEVER Shane YOU are the guy that own s the P9 Pro Fold and uses it in the real world so you know how it's going to influence a person that is interested in getting this device. Benchmarking camara and performance tests mean very little to me. Real world usage is what matters to me.
Pixel 9 fold is not a good device guys, I was so hyped about this device also when I was in the US couple of weeks ago, and went to see it in the Google store, while I have the OnePlus Open... And they can't compete with the OnePlus in any section, The screen looks much worse than the open, cameras are not that good, charging speed is a joke.. And the price also is funny compared to the OnePlus, The only good thing I can say is the build quality, but they also copy that from the OnePlus Open...
@shanecraigtech the demo unit is the actual device.. So the screen is the same, cameras OnePlus is much much better, for me by 30-40% And also the speed of the device... I have been using my one plus for more than a year now, and I also got a pixel 8 pro..
I hate the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Tiny battery, absolutely massive bezels (i don't want to pay 1900 dollars for bezels larger than an iPhone XR), and an inefficient chip (though better than the g3 probably). Sure its thin ish and has ok ish cameras and typical Google software that I happen to usually like, but thats an insane price for the look and feel that you get. Maybe for a $1000 fold its ok. I'm super excited for the Oneplus Open 2 though. If they give the same insane trade in incentives for that phone compared to the old one (AKA I can trade in my S24 Ultra and basically get a 400 dollar phone + goodies) I'll probably do it, as long as I don't see a sacrifice in battery life (cameras can take a slight hit, I'd expect that coming from an S24U)
There's hardly a word in this that I would agree with lol. To start, hating a phone is really weird lol. I will never understand the obsession with bezels. The cover display left side is a bit ugly, beyond that it's fine. Room to hold my phone is a good thing, Function over form, please. For 99% of people 99% of the time, the chip is fine. Put it next to the latest snapdragon and have them do the things people do and with the optimization, it'll be right there with it. Only in high end gaming and video rendering will it look slower. I've done the tests. The cameras are easily the most consistent out of the Open and Z Fold 6. It doesn't have the same "Wow" shots as the Open, but it also doesn't blow 1/4 of my shots like the Open. There's a reason experts in the field like MKBHD like the Pixel. It's really good.
@@shanecraigtech You're right, hate was a strong word. I would just never buy it. As for bezels, I believe that symmetry is nice (for me its almost necessary, I was incredibly annoyed at my S23 Ultra for that reason. Some people just have priorities and aesthetics are high on that list for me), and I dont obsess over having the thinnest bezels on a phone, I just like having thinner bezels, it feels premium (Anything like the S22 or even the PIxel 8 Pro is fine in my opinion). The 9 Pro Fold has the same screen as the regular Pixel 9 Pro (or something like that), but the phone itself is larger in every dimension. I appreciate the effort to save money but having smaller and more even bezels like the Fold 6 would've been very nice. I know Google can do it. Also i never hold my phone in a way where my thumb is on the same side as the palm of my hand, rendering that larger bezel on the phone that you're claiming is beneficial useless. I would disagree for the performance, though I haven't used a G4-equipped phone yet. Yes, many of the issues I encountered with my 8 Pro weren't entirely to do with the chip performance and more to do with android itself, Google's optimization of it for the Pixel, and other apps (ex. the built-in PDF viewer was unbearably laggy and always froze when leaving and coming back to it, very annoying since I used it every day for hours). However, it was clear that the CPU was weak. It would take a while for the phone to become usable after a bootup (not as bad as other androids, but it was still pretty bad), camera processing speeds were pretty horrific (portrait mode, night mode, etc. Way slower than a base S22), and most telling were the stutters for all the animations that would randomly happen (screen on/off animation, quick panel, etc). Not to mention its horrible efficiency, causing heat and poorer battery life than other 5000 mAh-equipped phones. Making your own chip is beneficial for obvious reasons, but they aren't at a point where its pleasant to use yet, and you can't say anything I've mentioned is incorrect. People that are coming from 5 year old phones may not notice, but that doesn't mean that Google shouldn't improve, and that doesn't mean its "fine" and the issues don't exist. I don't really get that argument. Yes, the cameras are fine, especially compared to other US foldables, but that shouldn't be the bar, or no one will ever innovate. I don't care about massive camera bumps, stick the flagship telephoto in there, especially for the price. but at least it has a 5x telephoto unlike the Z Fold 6, props to them I guess. I am no "expert" like you are clearly implying, but I do know a lot about phones and considering the original fold had thinner bezels and the same cameras, they didn't innovate as much as they could have. Especially compared to the rate at which chinese phones in general are improving.
The fold we need is one with the honor v3 form factor, the vivo x fomd 3 pro cameras and Samsung x fold 6 software. 2024 was definitely an expensive year for phones on my end. S24 ultra 1tb, fold 1tb, 16 pro max 512gb and pixel 9 pro fold 512gb (pisses me off no 1tb version). And im in Canada so all of those are way more expensive than you guys in the US.
Faster here than MKBHD in a school zone.
My brain couldn't handle the video starting without the music. Lol
That's what was missing HAHAH! My brain was like "huh something is different"
I'm still struggling with the change of hair styles
I would love to see the Pixel 10 Pro Fold with the original Pixel Fold shape and its camera vizor :(
IPhone is 10 years out from even being mentioned in a most improved category compared with any maker.
I agree with you, I loved the form factor and aspect ratio of the Pixel Fold and miss it. Despite that, the year over year improvement they've made with the 9 Pro Fold in all other areas is substantial and has made for a great experience. So I can't complain too much.
Love your videos man you've got a great way of presenting your content
I appreciate that!
I was originally annoyed to hear they were changing the design as I loved the original, however once it was released I absolutely loved it. Unlike Shane I much prefer and love the look of the camera bar.
For me the whole design is perfect now so much so that I have completely swapped from the original being a 2nd phone to my iPhone to the P9PF being my main phone 😊
I watched his video when he released it and was happy to see the P9PFold get a couple. There were a few other creators with phone awards that also included the P9PFold.
I love MKBHD and you too Shane. I value the info and takes from you both
At first I got The original pixel fold. But then I held it up to my s22 ultra and 9 pro fold and it wasn't any wider than those phones. I was hoping it would have been closer to the Microsoft surface width but it was actually closer to the width of a regular phone so I returned it and got the 9 pro fold. I still like the form factor of the original fold but it needs to be bigger for me to appreciate the wider screen.
Shane, if you miss the old pixel fold design, why not switch back and forth like you did between OnePlus and Pixel? You could use the pixel fold 2 for a week, then use pixel fold 1 for a week...
Yeah i agree, that shorter aspect ratio was really nice to hold. Shame they put it to rest. Maybe we can post a big poll and send it to google that we rather prefer the shorter aspect ratio. Maybe they will use that feedback for the next Pixel fold?
I agree. I'm still a big fan of the inner screen of my original fold. Don't see myself getting another foldable as I doubt they will ever go back to the original size.
The pixel 9 pro fold is the only folding phone that I actually consider wanting.
My pick would be the yet to be revealed OnePlus Open 2, (if all the rumors are true) barring that it won't get as many software updates as the pixels and Samsungs.
I agreed with Pixel 9 pro fold winning his best foldable. It was my favorite phone last year.
Never really needed to fold flat for me to love the aspect of it ...
I have the Z Fold 5. I'm thinking about trying the new Pixel Fold 10 Pro when it releases.
One of the main reasons I chose to buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold was its revised design-I wouldn’t have considered it otherwise. Same would be true if it had gone too far in the direction of the Z Fold. The narrower body makes single-handed use when closed much easier and improves pocketability, which matters more to me than having a wider aspect ratio on the inner screen. Besides, most apps divide into thirds just fine allowing you to rapidly expand the app that has your current attention to 2/3s. As for the camera island, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Function over form-it looks fine to me anyway.
I have the Pixel Pro 9 Fold and the Samsung Fold 6. I really only got the phones because they are my first foldable devices and the trade in deal was so good I had to take advantage of them during the holiday season.
I don't really want to get attached to either device since I still use my S23 Ultra as my daily driver, I plan on upgrading both devices when the newer models come with the newer silicone battery technology and the Samsung Fold 7 specifically comes with the better aspect ratio.
I honestly like both foldable devices the same and plan on using the Samsung Fold 7 as my daily driver next year
To some extent surprising evaluation - I fully agree that Honor Magic V3 is the best feeling hardware, I still insist that Samsung Fold 6 is the best software implementation of the folding phone form factor and Google Pixel is heart-catching but in both hardware and software you can find "reserves" 🙂
ATT didn’t carry this device this year for the Pixel 9 pro fold so I missed out upgrading to it.
Marquez is at Mogul level in this tech TH-cam game. So of course he's going to have serious haters. This is what happens when you actually have influence.
i have honor v3 , pixel 9 pro fold, pixel fold and had OnePlus open and zfold 6,
my daily driver is pixel fold can't get over how much I love that passport aspect ratio ... and I actually don't see substantial difference between them in terms of performance battery etc. I do not game and not a power user.
hope google brings back the original fold aspect ratio 😢
You'll get there, I'm leaning on getting the Pixel fold 9
I love my 9 pro fold. And thank you for your videos!
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the only phone I would switch to over my ZFold6. If Google had a stylus to use with their phone I would switch to it and stop buying Samsung because I really like everything else they're doing with their Pixel lineup. When it comes to social media influencers, they don't motivate my purchasing decisions. I only watch their videos because they have access to more products than everyone else because of their popularity.
I have the same set up with the dbrand skin. Are you using anything to protect the camera?
nope
The only apps that should have floating windows is calculator, financial and music, the rest I will never understand why.
"I don't understand this, so it shouldn't exist"
Ah, the Internet 😂
For the algorithm. ✊
The only problem with the Pixel Fold 9 - and it's a nice problem to have - is that the outer screen is so good that I very rarely choose to remember to unfold it.
And the charge speed.
My wife said the same thing!
Does anyone else have a weak signal issue with their P9PF? The signal strength on mine is trash compared to any Samsung I've owned :/
I totally disagree. Even my Fold 5 will trash the pixel on features alone.
The thing is, for some of us 90% of those features are just bloat we never touch lol. Google is better at picking the features people use and then making those really good. If you're the type of person Samsung caters to, no question. Just remember, not everyone is.
I'd have to agree that the 9 Pro Fold is most improved, so far. I am waiting anxiously to see what Samsung does this year. Will they make that SE version the basis for the Fold 7? Hope so.
My ADHD brain appreciates your breakdown of MKBHDs video. I miss my foldable (replying on zflip6). I'm tempted to buy a used pixel fold from eBay.
I did, its cheap now. Will be a collectors item shortly I guess.
I am making this comment as someone who is primarily an iOS user. However, foldables definitely have my attention. I have tried the Z fold four, five, and have had the six for about three days now. I also used the original Pixel Fold. I absolutely loved the Pixel Fold format. I traded z fold 5 for that device. I also kept the original Pixel Fold for the longest of any Android device before going back to my iPhone. I am not saying Apple software is better than android in any way. It is just what I am more familiar with. I knew I wanted to get back to a foldable at least for a little while and finally decided on the Z fold six. I hate to give the devil their due, but Samsung has the most polished experience software wise. The S pen just tops it off. Maybe I will consider the OnePlus open too when it rolls out later this year. I enjoyed my time with the Pixel, but the software experience was just so much more limiting in my opinion. I really want Samsung to take some risks. Lack of risk is my problem with the iPhone and Samsung has largely fallen into that. Foldables are the best place to take a risk in my opinion because it makes up such a small user base. I just want them to get crazy and do something cool. Throw some shit at the wall and see what happens!
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a great device. I currently use the Z Fold 6, and I find its software to be superior to Google's. However, I am anticipating the release of the OnePlus Open 2.
I agree with MKHD all the way love way Google keeps improving their phones not just the software.
.
Why everybody says Marquez when his name is Marques ?
I say his name the way I've heard him say it.
@shanecraigtech I not talking about you specificaly, but all those say Marquez :)
You’re on your way bro.
🙏
mine never has folded flat... i do think the pixel fold 9 pro should have kept the same aspect ratio, but at least its not as scary narrow as the zfold... iuhuh... i do agree roughly with what he said on the pixel fold
can you root the pixel 9 pro fold?
Mkbhd is paid off. He runs a P9PXL out of his pocket as his daily driver and gives the award to S24 ultra. He has sold out but Shane is the man
I don't think that implies he's been paid off. If I were going to give a phone of the year, it would not be the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. I understand that it's not the best phone of the year, it's just my favorite.
The OnePlus Open 2 will be the best foldable of 2025.
P9ProFold is a great device, but I really hope One Plus can get back into T-Mobile stores
I personally think he made the right picks with the 9pro fold. I thinking the z fold 7 will get the top spot this year. Kinda hoping though that one plus 2 takes the crown for 2025. I'll probably have to try them all. Who knows maybe Google will step up to the plate this year with software?
If the tensor was slightly better I would have bought the phone
I like the concept of a folding phone but I have gotten used to certain things with flagships that these folding phones don't have. I am not a neurosurgeon and I get flak from the wife for wanting a new phone every two years lol. I was really holding out for the Surface Duo 3 but Microsoft let me down. I'm probably going to wait for a Pixel Fold 3 or if Samsung ever improves their Fold some more, I may go for the Z-Fold 10.
So I keep hearing this phone is a square and then ... I got mine. This phone is so clearly not a square I was baffled. I looked up the specs in case my eyes were lying and nope it is 5 mm taller than it is wide. For video watching it is a very visible difference and for some apps it kicks them into wide mode, like youtube. That 5mm is huge IMHO. I must also point out that we overall lost 3.5 mm in screen width on the inner screen when comparing the fold 1 and 2 from their respective widest aspects. This SUCKS a donkey's sprocket IMHO.
Is the pro fold not 8 inch inside display?
@1cx7r23 yes from corner to corner however that has little to do with the aspect ratio. So you can make up 8 inches in all kinds of lengths and widths basically. The way this one makes 8 is by being almost as wide as it is tall leaving us with an overall slightly smaller video viewable screen in wide screen format. However since it doesn't need to crop the top it sort of gives the illusion of being bigger since you see more top and bottom aspect than from a normal skinny phone.
@@MarioRodriguez-gv9km so you mean when watching video the original pixel fold is wider
@@1cx7r23 yes. And I'm a snob when it comes to more screen, which is exactly why I like folds lol. Don't mind having to rotate the fold 2 to get a wider video but it still leaves me with 3.5 mm less width than the fold 1 which chaps my arse lol. Don't get me twisted though, overall the fold 2 is quite a great phone. This is a 1st world issue LMAO. There are in my mind so many other positives that they far and away out weigh this minor annoyance.
@@MarioRodriguez-gv9km it is annoying. I think the passport form factor for the folded screen is a good idea to get a wider aspect ratio on the inner display. I do appreciate the overall larger 8 inch screen. One thing that keeps mee interested in the pro fold 9 over something like the honor v. Which only hits 7.9 inches which just annoys me it doesn't get the rest of the way there in comparison to a pixel fold. The Chinese folds like vivo and xaomi get 8 inches but they retain their price for a long time. I'm looking to get a fold but find choosing one out of the 6 or so we get is not going so well. The only thing stopping me from getting the fold 9 by Google is the processor
Where is the Sweet home Alabama type intro
Probably on someone's channel from Alabama
Lol brother nobody likes the short pixel lol but I did prefer the visor camera bar but I don't think the new one is ugly.
My friend, open your mind to the possibility that other people have different opinions to yours lol. Here's some real data th-cam.com/users/postUgkxNanD16XVVqFpGPOnTOAh6fyUM0H1CydE
@shanecraigtech lol yes yes. But from what I've seen only you and mr.Mobile seemed to really like that. Granted I think being wide is cool, it's the short outer screen I don't care for. Also I saw that video already 😁😁
Hard to really take a reviewer's advice on "best" phones of the year, when they only "daily drive" them for a few days or weeks and go back to their iPhones (I think Marques always talks about his iPhone as main device, no matter what he tests) or other android as daily phones. How do you know it's the "best hardware" (especially folding phones with all the possible breakable parts) if you don't use it daily, 24/7, for the whole year? Sure it may feel nice and work great for those couple days of testing, but I really wanna hear from those who use the phone I am interested in consistently and for a long time.
He did a video on this. Always carries two phones with the iPhone as his consistent second device. His main device for all of last year was the Samsung Ultra
If "iPhone is his consistent 2nd device" and Samsung was his main device...that proves my point. How do you reliably prove any hardware is the best...aside from those 2 phones he uses mainly. I get that they had to try all these phones, it's the point of their channels and I appreciate first looks and tips, but In order to give a reliable and true review or award phones with a 'best of the year', you can't just passively use those devices and use others as your mains. Most of us have ONE device 247, 365. A few day test or using it a couple times a day outside your main devices tells us nothing about hardware and reliability, aside from the short term.
MKBHD is that go to guy when it to phone tech. HOWEVER Shane YOU are the guy that own s the P9 Pro Fold and uses it in the real world so you know how it's going to influence a person that is interested in getting this device. Benchmarking camara and performance tests mean very little to me. Real world usage is what matters to me.
I love pixel 9 pro fold ❤
P9PF or Z Fold 7?
Pixel 9 fold is not a good device guys, I was so hyped about this device also when I was in the US couple of weeks ago, and went to see it in the Google store, while I have the OnePlus Open...
And they can't compete with the OnePlus in any section,
The screen looks much worse than the open, cameras are not that good, charging speed is a joke..
And the price also is funny compared to the OnePlus,
The only good thing I can say is the build quality, but they also copy that from the OnePlus Open...
As someone who has used both extensively, not a demo unit in a store lol, hard disagree.
@shanecraigtech the demo unit is the actual device..
So the screen is the same, cameras OnePlus is much much better, for me by 30-40%
And also the speed of the device...
I have been using my one plus for more than a year now, and I also got a pixel 8 pro..
I hate the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Tiny battery, absolutely massive bezels (i don't want to pay 1900 dollars for bezels larger than an iPhone XR), and an inefficient chip (though better than the g3 probably). Sure its thin ish and has ok ish cameras and typical Google software that I happen to usually like, but thats an insane price for the look and feel that you get. Maybe for a $1000 fold its ok.
I'm super excited for the Oneplus Open 2 though. If they give the same insane trade in incentives for that phone compared to the old one (AKA I can trade in my S24 Ultra and basically get a 400 dollar phone + goodies) I'll probably do it, as long as I don't see a sacrifice in battery life (cameras can take a slight hit, I'd expect that coming from an S24U)
There's hardly a word in this that I would agree with lol. To start, hating a phone is really weird lol. I will never understand the obsession with bezels. The cover display left side is a bit ugly, beyond that it's fine. Room to hold my phone is a good thing, Function over form, please. For 99% of people 99% of the time, the chip is fine. Put it next to the latest snapdragon and have them do the things people do and with the optimization, it'll be right there with it. Only in high end gaming and video rendering will it look slower. I've done the tests. The cameras are easily the most consistent out of the Open and Z Fold 6. It doesn't have the same "Wow" shots as the Open, but it also doesn't blow 1/4 of my shots like the Open.
There's a reason experts in the field like MKBHD like the Pixel. It's really good.
@@shanecraigtech You're right, hate was a strong word. I would just never buy it.
As for bezels, I believe that symmetry is nice (for me its almost necessary, I was incredibly annoyed at my S23 Ultra for that reason. Some people just have priorities and aesthetics are high on that list for me), and I dont obsess over having the thinnest bezels on a phone, I just like having thinner bezels, it feels premium (Anything like the S22 or even the PIxel 8 Pro is fine in my opinion). The 9 Pro Fold has the same screen as the regular Pixel 9 Pro (or something like that), but the phone itself is larger in every dimension. I appreciate the effort to save money but having smaller and more even bezels like the Fold 6 would've been very nice. I know Google can do it. Also i never hold my phone in a way where my thumb is on the same side as the palm of my hand, rendering that larger bezel on the phone that you're claiming is beneficial useless.
I would disagree for the performance, though I haven't used a G4-equipped phone yet. Yes, many of the issues I encountered with my 8 Pro weren't entirely to do with the chip performance and more to do with android itself, Google's optimization of it for the Pixel, and other apps (ex. the built-in PDF viewer was unbearably laggy and always froze when leaving and coming back to it, very annoying since I used it every day for hours). However, it was clear that the CPU was weak. It would take a while for the phone to become usable after a bootup (not as bad as other androids, but it was still pretty bad), camera processing speeds were pretty horrific (portrait mode, night mode, etc. Way slower than a base S22), and most telling were the stutters for all the animations that would randomly happen (screen on/off animation, quick panel, etc). Not to mention its horrible efficiency, causing heat and poorer battery life than other 5000 mAh-equipped phones. Making your own chip is beneficial for obvious reasons, but they aren't at a point where its pleasant to use yet, and you can't say anything I've mentioned is incorrect. People that are coming from 5 year old phones may not notice, but that doesn't mean that Google shouldn't improve, and that doesn't mean its "fine" and the issues don't exist. I don't really get that argument.
Yes, the cameras are fine, especially compared to other US foldables, but that shouldn't be the bar, or no one will ever innovate. I don't care about massive camera bumps, stick the flagship telephoto in there, especially for the price. but at least it has a 5x telephoto unlike the Z Fold 6, props to them I guess.
I am no "expert" like you are clearly implying, but I do know a lot about phones and considering the original fold had thinner bezels and the same cameras, they didn't innovate as much as they could have. Especially compared to the rate at which chinese phones in general are improving.
The fold we need is one with the honor v3 form factor, the vivo x fomd 3 pro cameras and Samsung x fold 6 software.
2024 was definitely an expensive year for phones on my end. S24 ultra 1tb, fold 1tb, 16 pro max 512gb and pixel 9 pro fold 512gb (pisses me off no 1tb version). And im in Canada so all of those are way more expensive than you guys in the US.
But you can get a Pixel Fold 1 on Amazon renewed for like $500! And that folding flat stuff is total BS... It just didn't "snap" open.
Who give a f***…….. stop hating…… this was a weak video 😂
You 100% did not watch the video if you felt the need to tell me to stop hating. Here's some advice for you though - go away lol