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The two foldable handsets we’ll compare here have been on the market for quite some time. They come from Google and Xiaomi, and both of them are book-style foldables. In this article, we’ll compare the Google Pixel Fold vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 3. The Pixel Fold arrived back in May, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 has been on the market since August. Now, this comparison should be quite interesting.
Both of these phones are book-style foldables, but they’re quite different. They have considerably different aspect ratios, and thus offer different experiences, more on that soon. We’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. Also, do note that that the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 is exclusive to China. Let’s get to it, shall we?
Specs
Google Pixel Fold & Xiaomi MIX Fold 3, respectively
– Screen size (main):
7.6-inch Foldable OLED display (120Hz, HDR10+, 1,450 nits)
8.03-inch Foldable LTPO OLED+ (120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1,300 nits)
– Screen Size (cover):
5.8-inch OLED (120Hz)
6.56-inch AMOLED (120Hz)
– Display resolution (main):
1840 x 2208
2160 x 1916
– Display resolution (cover):
2092 x 1080
2520 x 1080
– SoC:
Google Tensor G2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (overclocked)
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5)
12GB/16GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
256GB/512GB (UFS 3.1)
256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear cameras:
48MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, OIS), 10.8MP (ultrawide, 121-degree FoV), 10.8MP (telephoto, 5x optical zoom, OIS)
50MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, PDAF, OIS), 10MP (ultrawide, 120-degree FoV), 10MP (telephoto, 3.2x optical zoom), 10MP (telephoto, 5x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
8MP (main display, f/2.0 aperture), 9.5MP (cover display, f/2.2 aperture)
20MP (main & cover display, wide, f/2.3 aperture)
– Battery:
4,821mAh
4,800mAh
– Charging:
21W wired, 7.5W wireless (no charger)
67W wired, 50W wireless (charger included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
158.7 x 139.7 x 5.8mm
161.2 x 143.3 x 5.3mm
– Dimensions (folded):
139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1mm
161.2 x 73.5 x 10.9mm
– Weight:
283 grams
255/259 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 13
Android 13 with MIUI Fold 14
– Price:
$1,799
CNY8,999 ($1,239)
– Buy:
Google
Xiaomi (China only)
Google Pixel Fold vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 3: Design
Both of these phones are made out of metal and glass, though the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 also comes in an aramid fiber variant. The Google Pixel Fold is short and wide, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 is tall and narrow. As I said, they have different display aspect ratios, and different orientations because of it. The Pixel Fold has more of a landscape format display when unfolded, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3’s is more of a vertical panel.
The Google Pixel Fold is considerably shorter, considerably wider, and also noticeably thicker than the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3. That goes for both when it’s folded and unfolded. You’ll also notice the difference in weight between the two phones, the Pixel Fold weighs 283 grams, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 weighs 255 or 259 grams, depending on the model. They also look different, actually.
The Google Pixel Fold has a centered display camera hole on the main display, and a recognizable camera visor on the back. It also has curved corners, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 is rather boxy. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 also has a centered display camera on the cover display, and a landscape-oriented camera module on the back. The thickness of this phone’s backplate gradually increases to meet the camera module.
They feel entirely different in the hand, by the way, which is not surprising considering all those differences. The Pixel Fold also comes with an IPX8 rating for water resistance, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 doesn’t offer anything like that.
Google Pixel Fold vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 3: Display
Both of these devices have rather compelling displays included. The Google Pixel Fold has a 7.6-inch main panel with a resolution of 1840 x 2208. That is a foldable OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR10+ content, and has a peak brightness of 1,450 nits. The cover panel measures 5.8 inches, and it’s a 2092 x 1080 OLED display. This display is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus. It supports HDR content, and has a peak brightness of 1,550 nits.
The Xiaomi MIX Fold 3, on the flip side, includes an 8.03-inch main display. That’s an LTPO OLED+ panel with a resolution of 1916 x 2160. It supports up to 1 billion colors, and has a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ is also supported, as is Dolby Vision. The peak brightness here is 1,300 nits. The cover display measures 6.56 inches, and it has a resolution of 2520 x 1080. This is an AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it supports HDR10+ content. Dolby Vision is also supported. This panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and it has a peak brightness of 2,600 nits.
All four displays mentioned here are up to the task. Granted, there are better panels out there on foldables, in some ways, but these are excellent, actually. All of them are vivid, have good viewing angles, and are more than sharp enough. High refresh rates are also where they should be, and so on. The only complaint that you may have is the brightness, even though all four panels are more than bright enough. They’re not as bright as the OnePlus Open displays, for example, but still, chances are you won’t have any complaints. The touch response is also very good on all of them. Just note that the Pixel Fold crease is more noticeable than the one on the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3.
Google Pixel Fold vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 3: Performance
The Google Tensor G2 SoC fuels Google’s first-ever foldable, the Pixel Fold. That is no longer the latest and greatest chip from the company, but it was at the time. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 3, on the other hand, is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Qualcomm has a new flagship chip now, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is plenty powerful still. It’s worth noting that the Pixel Fold has LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 includes LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage.
Based on the performance-related specs alone, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 does have the edge. And yes, the phone does open apps a bit faster and all that, but both smartphones are plenty fast in general usage. Neither is laggy or anything of the sort. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 is more future-proof, though, at least from the spec side of things. As far as gaming is concerned, they both do a good job. High-end games do fit the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 more, though, and it will perform a bit better in such conditions. The Pixel Fold can hold its own, though, even though the Tensor SoC is not made for gaming. Google’s foldable also gets a bit warmer in such scenarios.
Google Pixel Fold vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 3: Battery
The Google Pixel Fold has a 4,821mAh battery on the inside, while Xiaomi’s handset includes a 4,800mAh battery. Do note that the Pixel Fold has smaller displays, both of them, and yet a bigger battery pack. Does that result in better battery life? Well, no, not really, at least that was the case for us. The Google Tensor G2 inside the Pixel Fold is less power efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and that balances things out, kind of.
Getting to over 7 hours of screen-on-time on both of these phones is possible, without a problem. Of course, if you push them too hard, you will hurt battery life. Also, your mileage may vary, of course. You will use a different set of apps, in a different location, in different ways, and so on. Do note that gaming does affect battery life quite a bit, so if you’re a gamer, these numbers likely won’t be the case for you.
What about charging? Well, that’s a clear win for the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3. That device not only supports 67W wired and 50W wireless charging, but it also comes with a charger included in the box. The Google Pixel Fold, on the other hand, supports 21W wired, and 7.5W wireless charging. It does not include a charger in the box, though. Yes, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 will charge considerably faster overall. Even wireless charging on the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 is faster than wired charging on the Pixel Fold, and it’s not even close.
Google Pixel Fold vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 3: Cameras
The Google Pixel Fold includes a 48-megapixel main camera, a 10.8-megapixel ultrawide unit (121-degree FoV), and a 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera (5x optical zoom). The Xiaomi MIX Fold 3, on the other hand, has a 50-megapixel main camera. In addition to that, a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV) is included, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (5x optical zoom). It’s also worth noting that the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 has Leica lenses on the back.
The pictures these two smartphones provide are different, but both devices do a good job. The Pixel Fold prefers that contrasty look we’re used to, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 images do look a bit more realistic, but they’re also quite vivid. Well, if you switch to Leica Authentic mode you’ll get that more muted tone with vignetting on the sides. The details that both main cameras provide are great, and both handle HDR situations really well. They even do a great job in low light. The Pixel Fold does tend to brighten up low light scenes a bit more, though.
Their ultrawide and telephoto cameras are good, and do keep a good balance when it comes to colors with the main cameras. However, the step down in quality is noticeable. Also, we did prefer ultrawide and telephoto shots from the Pixel Fold more often than not. Those are not large sensors on either phone, and Google’s camera processing did come into play quite a bit here.
Audio
Both of these smartphones include stereo speakers. Both sets of speakers are very good, though the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3’s speakers are a bit louder. The speakers on both sides are well-balanced, and the sound coming from them is rich enough.
What you will not notice on either of these two phones is a 3.5mm headphone jack. If you’d like to use your wired set of headphones, you’ll need to use a dongle. There is always the option of using the Type-C port, of course. In regards to wireless audio, the Google Pixel Fold offers Bluetooth 5.2, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 supports Bluetooth 5.3.