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 onto my MagSafe wireless car charger—no third-party magnetic case 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 stayed stuck and gave me a much larger view of Google Maps.
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Google’s broader Pixel 10 series are the only flagship Android phones with native Qi2 wireless charging support, 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. 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 this summer, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s main competition, and I wish Google had followed suit. Phones are getting slimmer than ever, and while you may not care for an ultrathin candy-bar handset with not-so-amazing battery life, any millimeter that’s shaved off 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, 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 saw only 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 as they once were. Google says the phone is capable of 10 years of folding, which helps assuage long-term concerns.
