Pixel 9 Pro Fold: The $500 Discount That Still Can’t Hide Its Flaws
Hello everyone. Let’s talk about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold – Google’s apparently “historic” foldable bargain. Yes, the price has dropped by $500, which is cute until you read the fine print and realise you’re still signing away $1,299 for the privilege of owning last year’s model. If Apple’s pricing is an exercise in laughing at customers, Google’s is more of a “how much can we shave off before you notice the flaws” kind of deal.
The Supposed Bargain
Best Buy is waving a shiny “28% OFF” sign like a loot box flashing in a free-to-play game. You can even get another $100 knocked off if you’re willing to wrap yourself up in the warm embrace of AT&T or Verizon contracts. Oh, and trade in your old phone – apparently even one that has survived being run over by a car – and you’ll save more. Because nothing says “value” like giving away your anonymity with a carrier lock-in that’ll probably haunt you longer than malware in Skyrim mods.
Specs That Do Impress… Sort Of
I’ll admit, two gorgeous 120Hz OLED displays and 16GB of RAM are like finding legendary loot – bright, shiny, and borderline excessive. The folding hinge feels sturdy, the battery life doesn’t drain faster than a chocolate milkshake at a gaming LAN party, and you get seven years of OS and security updates, which in smartphone terms is equivalent to reaching level cap without being forced to restart from scratch.
And yes, the Tensor G4 chip gives it the same AI wizardry as its Pixel 9 siblings. It’s stuffed with all the computational magic Google loves to brag about lately, which means your phone might be smarter than you – or at least clever enough to anticipate when you’re about to take a regrettable bathroom selfie.
Where It Falls on Its Foldable Face
Here’s where I, as your friendly sarcastic tech doctor, look at the chart and say “Diagonosis: terminal mediocrity.” The camera? Passable. Not terrible, but far from the jaw-dropping wizardry of its competitors. Considering the price, I expect my foldable to take photos that can summon tears in the eyes of professional photographers. Stylus support? Non-existent. Which means no easy note-taking, no impulsive doodles during boring meetings – and forget about pretending you’re an artist while sipping overpriced coffee.
The biggest issue? The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is lurking just over the horizon, waiting to drop on August 20th like a raid boss ready to make your expensive purchase look like a low-tier drop. Based on Google’s history, it’s likely not all that different, but the marketing hype will make you feel like you’re walking around with last season’s loot skin.
A Deal Worth Grinding For?
If you’re desperate to join the Pixel foldable ecosystem without paying top-tier launch prices, this Best Buy deal might be your golden ticket. Just remember, it’s still last year’s hardware – you’re not buying the bleeding edge here, you’re buying something that’s had time to collect dust in the warehouse. Sure, it’ll run smooth for years, but so will other options that don’t come with a four-figure price tag and this many caveats.
Diagnosis: This deal is like finding an epic sword in a dungeon you’ve already cleared – cool, but you’ve already seen everything it can do.
Final Verdict
Do I recommend it? Only if you’re a die-hard Pixel fan, allergic to waiting three weeks, and immune to buyer’s remorse. The discount is genuinely impressive for a foldable of this calibre, but don’t let the bright price tags blind you to the reality that you’re still paying a small fortune for a phone that’s about to be replaced. Sometimes, the best loot is the one you don’t grab until the next expansion drops.
Overall impression: Cautious thumbs sideways.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is entirely my opinion.
Source: This ‘superb’ foldable just scored a record-smashing $500 discount during Best Buy’s Back To School Sale, androidcentral.com
