Zack Nelson, the YouTube host of JerryRigEverything, tested the durability of Google’s latest foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and the results weren’t promising. Despite improvements, the device broke during the bend test, just like its predecessor, the Pixel Fold. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold cracked under pressure, though interestingly, the hinge survived. The phone snapped along its left side, specifically around the antenna lines — typically a weak spot for many smartphones.
Check out the video below:
The test started with a scratch evaluation. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s external display, protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, showed minor scratches at level six on the Mohs scale, with deeper marks appearing at level seven. The inner display, however, proved more vulnerable, showing scratches from just fingernail pressure—an issue not uncommon for foldables. Despite these weaknesses, the inner display remains protected when the phone is closed.
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Nelson also put the phone through a dust-resistance test, which is particularly crucial for foldables. While the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has an IPX8 rating for water resistance, it lacks dust protection. During the test, sand and dust were sprinkled on the phone, and Nelson noticed crunching sounds when opening and closing the hinge — indicating that the phone isn’t well-suited for gritty environments.
Additional scratch and burn tests were conducted, but the real moment of concern came during the bend test. While the hinge held strong, the phone still broke — along the antenna lines rather than the hinge, highlighting a structural weakness in the design. Nelson remarked that Google might have avoided this failure by relocating the antennas.
This marks the second consecutive year that a Google foldable has failed Nelson’s durability test, raising questions about the long-term durability of the Pixel Fold series, especially in comparison to other foldable devices that have passed the test.