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Following Google's big smartphone reveal, we've got our eyes on the new Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and it looks to be an impressive device. It's Google's only foldable, and it has seen multiple iterations over the years, before finally settling into what we see today. Google is positioning this as a premium book-style foldable phone that you can buy for under $2,000.

Also: I've used Samsung foldable phones for 7 years, and the Z Fold 8 Ultra finally gets it right

Meanwhile, Samsung also launched just launched its own premium book-style foldable: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. This is the first Samsung foldable to bear the "ultra" moniker, and it has some key advantages over Google's foldable, not the least of which is Samsung has been doing this for much longer, so in terms of support, Samsung has processes in place should anything go wrong. But Google has advantages as well. Here's how they compare. 

Specifications

You should buy the Pixel 11 Pro Fold if...

1. You want the cheaper phone

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has the ultra name, but it also comes with an ultra price tag: $2,099. I'm not going to stand here and pretend that anyone considering a foldable phone has a "budget" in the strictest sense of the word, but the fact is, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is $200 cheaper than Samsung's Ultra foldable, and offers a very similar experience overall.

Also: This subtle Pixel 11 Pro feature reminded me of the golden days of Android phones

You get the same great cover screen and inside screen, though the cover screen on the Fold 8 Ultra is a tad narrower and taller. The same dimensions await you inside both phones -- an eight-inch square screen with excellent brightness and resolution. So if you want to save a bit of money, and tell your accountant that "at least you didn't go over $2,000" then the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is for you.

2. You want the best software

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold also comes with the cleanest software you can find on a foldable. OneUI is nice -- and getting better year over year -- but the software on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold comes straight from the makers of Android, so it's really hard to make it any "better". Then, there are Pixel Drops.

Also: Google Pixel 11 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S26: I compared the two Android flagships, here's my pick

Pixel Drops are quarterly software improvements that Google releases to add new features and capabilities to your Pixel phone. Essentially, Pixel drops continue to make the phone better, long after you buy it. That's not something even Samsung can claim. Sure, Samsung will support its phones for the same seven years as Google promises, but that support is limited to security and OS upgrades -- both of which are important, but they don't have the same value as additional new features.

You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra if...

1. You want better cameras

It feels weird comparing two phones -- one of which is a Pixel and praising the cameras on the other phone. Pixel phones used to be all about the photography, and to a certain extent, they still are. But Samsung is packing its latest 200 megapixel main camera into the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 UItra, along with a 50-megapixel Ultrawide camera which bests both of the same sensors on Google's offering.

Megapixels aren't the whole story, for sure, but they are a big part of the story. Google claims it can do a lot with the 10.5-megapixel Ultrawide shooter, and if last year was any indication, it comes across as very "meh". We'll need to put these sensors through their paces to get the full story, but on paper, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the clear winner here.

2. You want more processing power

There's no debate -- the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is the best phone processor you can buy, Apple included. It just cooks like nothing else on the market. If you are the type to do a lot of heavy lifting on your phone, including gaming and video editing and exporting, this is the phone for you. Google has typically prioritized thermal management over raw power, and it shows, year after year.

Also: I compared Google's pricier Pixel 11 series to Samsung's Galaxy lineup - here's the better value now

Of course for most people, power might not be top of mind; that's fair. But when you're dropping nearly $2,000 on a phone, you will want it to last and there is something to be said for future proofing. You'll want your premium expensive phone to last for a good long time, and these internals will help it do just that.

Writer's choice

This is a genuinely tough choice to make, but given the fact that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is slimmer, lighter, and still has a bigger battery and faster charging, it gets my vote this time around. As a traveling journalist, I need to be as mobile as possible and away from the charger for as long as possible. Samsung beats the Pixel in both of those categories. But it is a genuinely hard decision.