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Samsung might be in a bit of trouble now that Google has debuted the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. When I reviewed the Galaxy Z Fold 8, I praised its passport book-style design and media-friendly inner display, but in an era of skyrocketing tech prices, the 11 Pro Fold's lower price and higher RAM may well be more appealing. The real question is whether that lower price comes at a different cost. I've used both phones, so let’s see how these two foldable titans stack up where it matters most.
Full Specs
| Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | ||
| Operating System | Android 17 | Android 17 |
| CPU | ||
| CPU | Google Tensor G6 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Dimensions | ||
| Dimensions | 6.11 by 3.0 by 0.39 inches folded, 6.11 by 5.92 by 0.2 inches unfolded | 4.88 by 3.22 by 0.38 inches folded, 4.88 by 6.35 by 0.18 inches unfolded |
| Screen Size | ||
| Screen Size | 8 inches | 7.6 inches |
| Screen Resolution | ||
| Screen Resolution | 2,076 by 2,152 pixels | 1,848 by 2,448 pixels |
| Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing) | ||
| Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing) | 48MP, 10.5MP, 10.8MP; 10MP, 10MP | 50MP, 50MP; 10MP, 10MP |
| Battery Life (As Tested) | ||
| Battery Life (As Tested) | 14 hours 21 minutes | 16 hours, 30 minutes |
Price: Google Gives You More for Less
The starting price for both the 11 Pro Fold and the Z Fold 8 hovers at around $1,900. However, just because they're about the same price doesn't mean they have the same value. The 11 Pro Fold offers more memory, with a base configuration of 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. The Z Fold 8, on the other hand, offers the same storage but gets stingy with just 12GB of RAM.
If you want 512GB storage, you'll have to shell out $2,019 for the 11 Pro Fold and $2,099.99 for the Z Fold 8. Once again, you're paying more for the Samsung foldable but getting less RAM: only 12GB on the 512GB Z Fold 8, while the 512GB 11 Pro Fold has 16GB.
The same story continues for the maxed-out models, which offer 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM on both phones. The 11 Pro Fold nabs $2,249 from your bank account, which is already pricey, but the Z Fold 8 requires an extra $250 for the same configuration.
Winner: Pixel 11 Pro Fold
Design: Candy Bar vs. Passport Book
With its short-and-wide design, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is my favorite design in the realm of foldables. Unlike the tall-and-skinny profile of the 11 Pro Fold, the Galaxy Z Fold 8's passport-style aesthetic offers a more media-friendly aspect ratio when you unfurl it to watch videos.
After all, what good is a foldable with a spacious inner display if your viewing pleasures are flanked by unsightly letterboxing?
Samsung equips the Z Fold 8 with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3, while the 11 Pro Fold features custom ceramic cover glass and a glass-fiber composite on the back that Google claims is crack-resistant.
As for durability, the 11 Pro Fold has a better certification with an IP68 rating, which means it's protected against dust and can be submerged in nearly five feet of water for 30 minutes. The Z Fold 8 shares the same water resistance but lacks dust-tight protection. As such, the 11 Pro Fold should fare better at the beach compared with the Z Fold 8.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 comes in Cream, Graphite, Lavender, or Pistachio (available only at Samsung). The 11 Pro Fold comes in only two colorways: Obsidian or Olive.
Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 8
Size: Pocketability vs. Screen Real Estate
Compared with the Z Fold 8, the 11 Pro Fold is taller and skinnier, but also thicker. When opened, the Samsung foldable measures 4.88 by 6.35 by 0.18 inches (HWD), compared with the Google device's 6.11-by-5.92-by-0.2-inch body. When closed, the Z Fold 8 measures 4.88 by 3.22 by 0.38 inches, while the 11 Pro Fold measures 6.11 by 3.0 by 0.39 inches. The Z Fold 8's extra width is great for media consumption, but typing a message requires more thumb stretching to reach every key.
On the back, the Z Fold 8 features an oval camera island, while the 11 Pro Fold has a rectangular module with rounded edges. Google's camera housing includes HiLight, an LED notification light that lets you color-code your contacts to easily identify callers when the phone is resting face down.
It's also worth noting that the Z Fold 8 is lighter than the 11 Pro Fold (8.43 ounces versus 7.09 ounces). With the Z Fold 8 having a thinner and lighter profile, the size crown goes to Samsung.
Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 8
Display: Samsung's Titanium Magic Kills the Crease
When I first pulled the Z Fold 8 out of the box, I was surprised to find the crease virtually nonexistent. Samsung achieved this seamless look by using an ultra-thin titanium alloy layer that underpins the flexible screen.
The 11 Pro Fold has a conspicuous crease in comparison. It catches the light from every possible angle, and running your finger across the screen makes it immediately obvious. This might not bother most people, but if you're particularly sensitive to visual imperfections, you may want to opt for the Z Fold 8 instead.
Unfolding the Z Fold 8 reveals a gorgeous 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED inner panel running at a smooth 120Hz, packing a crisp 1,848-by-2,448-pixel resolution. The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold features a striking 8.0-inch, 2,076-by-2,152-pixel inner display; its refresh rate matches the Z Fold 8. As mentioned earlier, the Z Fold 8 is best for streaming your favorite shows. It has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is more advantageous for media consumption. The 11 Pro Fold, on the other hand, is less video-friendly, resulting in heavier letterboxing.
The Z Fold 8's cover screen has a 5.5-inch, 1,972-by-1,248-pixel Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's OLED cover panel features a taller 6.5-inch, 2,342-by,1,080-pixel display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Though the Z Fold 8 beats the 11 Pro Fold when it comes to media consumption, its 3,000-nit displays (cover and inner) are dimmer than the Google foldable's 3,600-nit panels.
I'm giving the Z Fold 8 the win here. Its peak brightness is more than enough for daily outdoor use, and you simply can't beat that glorious media-friendly aspect ratio.
Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 8
Performance and Connectivity: Ready for Agentic AI
Google's Tensor G6 chip powers the 11 Pro Fold. Google says it features a capable NPU designed to handle more complex on-device Gemini AI features, promising faster, more efficient processing, particularly for agentic tasks. The Z Fold 8 has a chip with similar AI capabilities, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.
I ran Geekbench 6 on the Z Fold 8, and it delivered single- and multi-core scores of 3,136 and 8,975, respectively. On the 3D Wild Life Extreme benchmark, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip is so beastly that the app said, "Your device is too powerful for this test." As for the 11 Pro Fold, I won't know until I put the phone through a full round of testing.
Both the 11 Pro Fold and Z Fold 8 support 5G (sub-6GHz, C-band, and mmWave). They also feature Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0.
Winner: TBD
Battery Life: Samsung Charges Faster, But Google Ditches the Case
The Z Fold 8 has impressive staying power. Thanks to its 4,800mAh silicon-carbon battery cell, it lasted 16 hours and 30 minutes in testing, which consists of looping a 1080p video over Wi-Fi at max brightness.
Once again, I can't share battery life results for the 11 Pro Fold yet, but it features a 4,750mAh battery without silicon-carbon battery tech.
The 11 Pro Fold supports wired charging up to 30W, while the Z Fold 8 supports faster 45W wired charging. As for wireless charging, the 11 Pro Fold supports up to 25W, while the Z Fold 8 tops out at 20W. The 11 Pro Fold features built-in magnetic alignment, so you don't need a specialized case, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 8 does require one for magnetic accessories.
Winner: Too Early to Tell
Cameras: Google Brings Optical Zoom to a Digital Fight
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 50MP, f/1.8 shooter with AF and OIS, as well as a 50MP, f/1.9 ultra-wide camera. However, it doesn't come with a dedicated telephoto lens, though it does support 10x digital zoom. The 11 Pro Fold, on the other hand, does come with a 10.8MP telephoto sensor; it supports 5x optical zoom. The Google foldable also supports up to 30x zoom, thanks to the Super Zoom feature.
As for the selfie cameras, you'll find 10MP, f/2.2 shooters on both the 11 Pro Fold's cover and inner displays. The Z Fold 8 also features a 10MP, f/2.2 shooter on the cover display, but an inferior 4MP, f/1.8 under-display camera on the inner screen.
Both Samsung and Google claim that night photography has improved on their respective foldables. The Z Fold 8 has a new, improved ProVisual Engine that results in brighter, cleaner shots in low-light environments. Google says the 11 Pro Fold's main 48MP camera has a 56% improvement in light sensitivity compared with its predecessor, which means that nighttime shots should capture more detail with less noise and grain. However, we won't know for sure until we take it for a spin when the sun goes down.
When it comes to video recording, you can shoot at 4K 60fps on the 11 Pro Fold, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 supports 8K recording at 30fps.
With the 11 Pro Fold offering a telephoto sensor and better selfie cameras across the board, Google gets the win for now.
Winner: Pixel 11 Pro Fold
Software and AI: Google's Home Turf Advantage
The Z Fold 8 and the 11 Pro Fold both ship with Android 17. They also offer matching promises: seven years of OS and security updates.
Both devices have deep integration with Google Gemini. Whether you get the Z Fold 8 or the 11 Pro Fold, you can ask Gemini to book a restaurant for you, or research plane tickets in the background while you do other things.
Both devices also feature Gemini Notebooks. This app lets you add files in any format—music, audio recordings, photos, and more—and turn them into an organized structure of your choice. For instance, you can drag your boring college lecture recording into Gemini Notebooks to convert it into a fascinating, highly entertaining podcast about the subject.
However, there are some tools that the other doesn't have. For example, Samsung has Now Nudge, which is designed to smartly anticipate your next action (think of it as a digital psychic), so that you can quickly add a new calendar event or pull up map directions. Google, on the other hand, has Rambler, which lets you speak naturally and will transcribe your voice and send it, even if you sound inarticulate.
On the camera app, Samsung's Photo Assist lets you edit your pictures using natural language, and Fan Cam lets you lock onto a specific person in a crowded video. Google has a fun feature called Magic Capture, which analyzes hundreds of frames to deliver the best shots in HDR+ quality.
Which foldable delivers the best AI smarts? I’ll go with the 11 Pro Fold because Gemini powers most AI experiences across both foldables, and Google has the advantage of owning both Gemini and the Tensor G6 chip that powers the Pixel.
Winner: Pixel 11 Pro Fold
Which Foldable Titan Belongs in Your Pocket?
It's a close race. I need to review the Pixel 11 Pro Fold before offering definitive buying advice, but for now, consider the following:
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold stands out for its value, with a generous base configuration of 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM for around $1,900, alongside a dedicated telephoto sensor, superior selfie cameras (on paper), an IP68 rating, and built-in magnetic alignment for wireless charging.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a short-and-wide, passport-book-style design optimized for media consumption, with virtually no screen crease, faster 45W wired charging, and a lighter, slimmer chassis.
Ultimately, it looks like deciding between the two comes down to whether you prefer Samsung’s media-friendly widescreen aspect ratio and form factor or Google’s greater memory value, more versatile cameras, and more durable build. That said, check back soon for a full review of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and an update to this story with a clear winner.
