Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Main differences to expect

Intro

As usual, these two phones will be the main competitors vying for their rightful place in consumers’ pockets, but which one would come on top?

Design and Size

Baby steps

We currently anticipate design changes only with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. 

Rumors also say we might get slightly larger displays. The external one will likely grow from 6.3 all the way to 6.5 inches, and thankfully, the rumor mill says the increase will be mostly sideways. This would give us a wider and not-so-narrow cover screen, which would more likely than not boost its overall usability. The internal screen would also grow from 7.6 to 8 inches, it seems. 

Galaxy Z Fold 7 render based on leaks (Image Credit-OnLeaks, Android Headlines)

Those changes likely mean we’d get a slightly squarer aspect ratio of the inner screen, too, which would bring it closer to other foldable devices out there. 

Other than that, the design language of the device will certainly reiterate the Galaxy Z Fold 6, with flat aesthetics, zero-wedge design, and IP48 or better resistance against the elements. 

On the other hand, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is a bigger mystery at the moment, as we haven’t heard about any specific potential changes in the design language. Google will most certainly evolve the design language, but it remains to be seen in what direction. 

For now, it’s safe to assume that the upcoming foldable will be fairly similar to its predecessor, with a more rounded metal frame, Gorilla Glass on the rear panel, and ultra-thin glass on the inner screen. 

Size-wise, we definitely expect the Samsung foldable to have the upper hand. According to the rumors, the Z Fold 7 will weigh around 236gr, or some 3gr lighter than its predecessor, which is already stepping into standard smartphone territory. Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will likely weigh more, probably in the ballpark of 250gr, so undoubtedly not as compact as its Samsung rival. 

Display Differences

As mentioned, we will be getting slight display size increases with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The cover screen will grow to 6.5 inches, while the inner one will get a noticeable bump from 7.6 to 8 inches. 

More important than the size increase itself, however, is its direction: the external screen is set to get wider so that more content can fit on it, while the inner screen will get a more functional squarish aspect ratio, consistent with other foldable phones. 

Aside from that, we expect the core specs of the displays to remain mostly similar. This means dual Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with smooth 1-120Hz refresh rate, excellent sharpness, and peak brightness that’s at least 2,600 nits, but could possibly be higher than that. The inner screen will boast ultra-thin glass, while the cover one will rely on Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for a more resilient experience.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold will possibly remain similar to its predecessor, with a 6.3-inch cover screen and an 8-inch internal one. Both displays will be OLED, of course, with up to 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of at least 2,700 nits. So, pretty much a similar experience. 

Performance and Software

One will crush the benchmarks, the other one probably not

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is coming with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the first Qualcomm one built on a 3nm manufacturing node. Mind you, it will be the slightly tuned-up version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which carries a higher clock speed along with the “for Galaxy” suffix. 

Samsung phones equipped with this chip are proper powerhouses that are among the better-performing ones on the market right now, so we are certain that from a pure performance perspective, the Z Fold 7 will be the superior device. 

In terms of software support, both devices will likely be supported for seven years. 

Camera

Big improvements for the Samsung foldable

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will reportedly feature a new, higher-res 200MP main camera. At long last, a camera upgrade on Samsung’s chief foldable line! 

The rest of the cameras will be pretty familiar to anyone who has inspected a recent Galaxy Z Fold specs sheet: a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP telephoto with 3X. Not a particularly exciting camera setup, but then again, foldables aren’t really about the camera prowess. 

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is expected to feature a similar camera setup as its predecessor, led by a 50MP main camera with a Samsung GN8 sensor, a 10.5MP ultrawide, and a 10MP telephoto with longer 5X zoom. This setup sounds slightly more capable, and Google’s software optimizations might squeeze out a better image quality out of the existing hardware. 

Battery Life and Charging

A race for the bottom while 

While foldable phones hailing from China are boasting nearly 6,000mAh silicon-carbon batteries, Samsung and Google are significantly more backwards in this regard, still relying on the standard lithium-ion batteries for their foldables. Nothing wrong with that, but these deliver inferior energy density and capacity, leading to more lackluster battery life.

Neither the Galaxy Z Fold 7 nor the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will change that. Both will feature batteries smaller than 5,000mAh: likely a 4,400mAh or slightly larger for the Samsung foldable and around a 4,650mAh one on the Pixel foldable. Imagine how much more battery capacity could we get if Samsung or Google utilized the newer battery technologies available… 

Charging-wise, it could be another snooze fest, as neither device is currently rumored to improve its charging speeds. 

This sadly means that the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will likely charge at just 21W through a wire and up to 7.5W wirelessly, which isn’t something you’d expect of a 2025 foldable phone. The situation with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 would be better, but still laughable: 25W of wired charging and standard 15W wireless charging. Tsk tsk. 

Specs Comparison

Summary

So far, and based on rumors of course, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is shaping up to be the more exciting foldable. With an addressed design, better camera, and improved performance, it will likely face little competition from the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. 

True, we haven’t had a particularly rich round of leaks detailing everything there is to know about the next Pixel foldable (which is usually the case with Google’s devices), but we sincerely hope that the company hasn’t fallen victim to complacency. 

There’s a lot of room for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold to grow if it wants to be the real alternative to a Galaxy Z Fold foldable, not to mention the exceptional foldable devices from the likes of Huawei, Vivo, Honor, and Oppo, which are all in a league of their own.