The Pixel 9 Pro Fold was put through the usual scratch, burn, and bend torture tests by the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything. The process also included a rough durability test, in which the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s hinge was the most surprising aspect.
Google’s latest foldable smartphone has a durable hinge
Google recently unveiled the Pixel 9 series smartphones, which include the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Being the only foldable in the lineup, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a premium, multi-display Android smartphone.
During our review of Google’s latest foldable smartphone, we noticed how thin the smartphone stayed even while folded. Even Google’s design team claimed it followed a “phone-first” mantra while designing the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Google has repeatedly claimed that its new Pixel-series flagship is the toughest foldable smartphone it has ever made. However, the design choices and their impact on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s real-world performance were quite visible in the torture tests.
YouTuber JerryRigEverything put Google’s claims to the test and surprisingly, the hinge holding the two halves of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold survived the famous bend test. The same cannot be said about the inner display and the two halves of the device.
Is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a reliable foldable smartphone for everyday use?
Two YouTube channels have declared Pixel 9 Pro Fold as Google’s most repairable smartphone to date. This means buyers can confidently rely on this foldable as their daily driver.
That said, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has to be used as every other premium foldable device. In other words, it is still a somewhat delicate and expensive foldable smartphone that’s also vulnerable to dust.
The sophisticated hinge may not have broken during the testing, but it is susceptible to retaining and absorbing dust. During the “grit sandwich” portion of the test, the foldable started to emit concerningly crunching noises.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold faired as good, if not worse than its predecessor, during the JerryRigEverything’s routine torture tests. However, the device didn’t survive when Zack folded it the wrong way and snapped it in half. The YouTuber observed that the symmetrical antenna lines on the top and bottom of the secondary display could have created the weakest area of the foldable smartphone.
2024-09-15 15:06:34