Android phones have evolved rapidly in recent years. We now have affordable mid-rangers that pack serious punch alongside premium flagships pushing the boundaries of smartphone innovation. Two devices that represent this pinnacle are Google‘s latest Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung‘s category-bending Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Deciding between the two can be tricky – on paper, they seem to serve different audiences. The Pixel 7 Pro brings Google‘s acclaimed camera prowess to a refined smartphone formula at an attractive price. The Z Fold 4 offers a glimpse into the future with its foldable screen and bleeding edge specs, for a hefty price tag.
This comparison aims to help you pick the right device based on your needs and budget. We will analyze how they stack up across key performance metrics and highlight factors you must keep in mind before choosing your next upgrade.
Pixel 7 Pro vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: At a Glance
Before jumping into detailed comparisons, let‘s briefly summarize how the two phones spec out on paper:
| Specification | Google Pixel 7 Pro | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.7 inches (120Hz) | 7.6 inches main (120Hz), 6.2 inch cover (120Hz) |
| Screen type | OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X (foldable, main) & AMOLED 2X (cover) |
| Screen resolution | 1440 x 3210 pixels | 2176 x 1812 pixels (main) & 2268 x 832 pixels (cover) |
| Dimensions (unfolded) | 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm | 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mm |
| Weight | 212 grams | 263 grams |
| Processor | Google Tensor G2 | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 128/256GB | 256/512GB |
| Rear cameras | 50MP (wide) + 12MP (ultrawide) + 48MP (telephoto) | 50MP (wide) + 12MP (ultrawide) + 10MP (telephoto) |
| Front cameras | 10.8MP | 10MP (cover) + 4MP (under display, main) |
| Battery size | 5,000mAh | 4,400mAh |
| Charging speed | 30W wired | 25W wired |
| Starting price | $899 | $1799 |
Glancing at the table, you notice a familiar trend – the Pixel excels at bringing great camera hardware and core performance at an affordable price point, while the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has bleeding edge specs and form factor but costs a premium.
But spec sheets rarely tell the full story when it comes to real-world usage. Let‘s analyze how the phones compare across the performance metrics that matter.
Performance and Hardware
The Pixel 7 Pro runs Google‘s second generation Tensor G2 chip built on a 4nm manufacturing process. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, built on TSMC‘s optimized 4nm process. Both processors use ARM‘s latest v9 CPU architecture and are manufactured by industry leaders promising peak performance and efficiency.
In benchmarks, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 wins by a slight margin. But Google has done an impressive job optimizing Tensor performance for its own applications like the camera while still leaving plenty of headroom even for intensive gaming.
Real world performance should meet all your needs regardless of which phone you pick. App load times, gaming frame rates and overall system fluidity are excellent on both. Unless you obsess over benchmarks, this category ends up as a tie.
The Photon 7 Pro offers 12GB RAM across all variants while the Fold 4 comes in 12GB and 16GB options. You are unlikely to notice any difference in normal usage – the ample memory is more than enough to keep dozens of apps in memory for quick resume.
For storage, the Pixel 7 Pro gets 128GB and 256GB variants compared to 256GB and 512GB on the Fold 4. More is better, so the Fold 4 wins if keeping hundreds of offline videos and games on your phone is a priority.
Cameras
Over its Pixel generations Google has taken smartphone photography to new heights, using industry leading image processing on its custom Tensor chip. The Pixel 7 Pro gets a 50MP primary camera paired with a 48MP telephoto capable of up to 5x optical zoom and a 12MP ultrawide lens.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a similar triple camera setup with 50MP primary, 12MP ultrawide and 10MP 3x telephoto lenses. On paper, the Pixel 7 Pro pulls ahead with its higher resolution telephoto camera.
In real world shots you can see Google‘s expertise shine through. Images have pleasing colors without looking overprocessed along with excellent detail even when fully zoomed in. The Pixel also captures more realistic night time and ultrawide shots with lower noise.
The Fold 4 produces social media ready images in most conditions but tends to oversharpen causing a glow around high contrast edges. Its colors also seem saturated and less accurate compared to the Pixel.
For selfies, the Fold 4‘s under screen camera on the main display is passable despite the low resolution while its holepunch front camera takes good images. But the Pixel 7 Pro easily beats both with excellent quality from its 11MP sensor.
Overall if photography prowess is vital to you, there is no beating Google‘s industry leading image processing and camera hardware combination.
Display
With a 6.7 inch curved OLED display tuned to 1400 nits peak brightness and 120Hz dynamic refresh rates, the Pixel 7 Pro provides an immersive viewing experience whether gaming, reading or binging shows on the go. The LTPO screen automatically adjusts between 10Hz to 120Hz switching rates based on on-screen content, boosting battery efficiency.
But the Fold 4‘s foldable screen is on another level. The 7.6 inch main display folds like a book while an additional 6.2 inch screen sits on the cover for quick tasks when closed. There is an unavoidable crease down the middle when unfolded but it becomes forgettable soon when you realize the possibilities – run three apps at once, video call while checking emails, compare documents or web pages by splitting the screen.
The main display hits the same 120Hz high refresh rate as the Pixel but at a sharper resolution. With up to 1600 nits of peak brightness, views remain crisp and vivid even under harsh sunlight. Covering almost the entire front of the device, it brings tabletsque real estate amplifying all kinds of content consumption and productivity tasks.
There is no competition – if you can afford it, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 provides the most advanced and versatile display on any smartphone-tablet hybrid device matching both portable tablets like the iPad Mini and almost laptop grade productivity.
Battery Life
The Pixel 7 Pro packs in a 5000mAh cell compared to the Fold‘s 4400mAh battery. On paper, it promises longer endurance but its brighter screen and Tensor chip tend to drain more juice.
In practical usage both deliver all day battery with about 6 hours of screen time despite intense activities like navigation, mobile gaming or media binging. The Pixel lasts about an hour longer despite its brighter display thanks likely due to better optimized software and Tensor‘s efficiency.
With its huge screen, running intensive apps can drain the Fold 4 before day‘s end so you may need some mid-day top up. But even if its battery depletes faster, the Fold races back to full thanks to fast 25W charging that pumps in around 70% in just 30 minutes. The Pixel isn‘t too far behind reaching 50% charge in the same duration on its 30W bricks.
All said, unless you push it to extremes, either phone should power through over 16 hours of real world use. Their rapid charging tech keeps you topped up even with brief plug ins making range anxiety a non issue.
Design
The Pixel 7 Pro refines the distinctive horizontal camera bar across the back panel introduced with the Pixel 6, lending it a unique flair many competitors lack. The polished aluminum frame matches the cameras bringing consistency to the design. Despite its expansive screen, the Pixel feels relatively compact thanks to minimized bezels.
Pick it up and the premium matte glass back combined with the lighter weight make the Pixel 7 Pro easier on the hands compared to its predecessor. The curved display edges too aid ergonomics allowing comfortable one-handed use over long periods. Just be ready to wipe away more fingerprints from that glass back and cases are still highly recommended to avoid cracks if dropped.
Unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is definitely wider thanks to its tablet style expansive display. Folded up, thickness almost doubles up too leading to a brick-like feel which gets better over time as you adjust to the form factor. But fundamentals like build quality are uncompromised – the Armor Aluminum frame feels rock solid while the hinge on our review unit already feels reassuringly rigid after months of iterations.
You cannot escape its heft though at 263 grams, a whole smartphone‘s weight heavier than the Pixel 7 Pro. Samsung deserves praise for shaving off grams making the Fold 4 lighter than its predecessor while retaining that premium density associated with luxury devices.
While heavy, the Fold 4 feels more solid too thanks to the metal-and-glass sandwich design that lends it an indestructible feel. And it better stay durable considering its stratospheric price tag.
Software and Special Features
Stock Android loyalists swear by the clean software experience on Pixel phones devoid of duplicate apps common on Samsung devices. Pixel phones also get the latest Android updates and security patches faster straight from Google multiple times each year.
But OneUI 5.0 on the Fold 4 cuts down significantly on bloatware while adding special value. App continuity allows you to seamlessly transition apps between the cover and main display as you unfold the device. Multi window support is baked right in too enabling advanced multi tasking with up to three apps including the ability to drag and drop elements between them. And Flex mode kick in automatically too adapting apps for the angled configurations as you partially fold back the display.
Power users will love the Fold 4‘s software enhancing productivity via its foldable form factor. But for most, the stock Android 13 experience on the Pixel 7 Pro brings the familiarity some desire on their phones.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Which Should You Buy?
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 shows us the future where smartphones and tablets effectively converge into a single do-it-all portable device. Despite impressive refinements around durability and software, its still very much a first gen product in an experimental form factor.
As a total package, the Pixel 7 Pro gets the fundamentals of a high end smartphone right at a relatively affordable price. It brings superb cameras, excellent performance, clean software and outstanding battery life together in a premium frame with Google‘s stamp ensuring prompt software support for years.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 makes sense only if you see yourself benefiting from its versatility daily – the promise of using a tablet sized display everywhere with pc/laptop grade productivity justifies its ambitious engineering to an extent. But for most, the Pixel 7 Pro satisfies all expectations from a high-end smartphone making it our recommended pick.
