The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold represents a complete overhaul of the first Pixel Fold’s design and looks more durable. Still, you’ll probably want to slap a case on this great foldable. After using the Pixel Fold for a year, it doesn’t even get close to opening flat due to dust and debris in the hinge and is covered in scratches. Now that I’ve spent over a week with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, using the official Google case, it’s clear this protective covering isn’t like the others.
Before the Google case crossed my desk, I used the company’s official cases on the entire Pixel 7 series and the Pixel 8a. They were just fine, but the grippy silicone material never ages well, and you could definitely get more for your money elsewhere. While the official Google Pixel 9 and 9 Pro cases still feature classic silicone material, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold case is made of hard polycarbonate plastic. That makes it much thinner, and I can actually stand using it on my flagship phone — which isn’t something I usually say about foldable cases.
Google Case for Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Google’s official Pixel 9 Pro Fold case stands out from the rest of its protective offerings. Unlike the brand’s classic silicone cases, this is made from a polycarbonate shell. It’s slimmer and retains a soft-touch feel. However, Google can’t solve all the problems with foldable cases, and this one still isn’t perfect.
- Polycarbonate design feels much slimmer than past Google cases
- Colors match Pixel 9 Pro Fold colorways, plus a fun twist in “Aloe”
- Adhesive helps secure the front part of the case to your Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- It’s a serious fingerprint and smudge magnet
- Doesn’t feel the most premium
- Foldable cases are still frustrating to use and interchange
Price, availability, and specs
Google sells its official case for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold for $50, and it’s available directly on the Google Store. While you may find it available for purchase through some carriers, like T-Mobile, it hasn’t reached major retailers like Best Buy or Amazon yet. The Google case comes in Obsidian and Porcelain colorways, which match those of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. There’s also a curveball: you can get the official Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold case in Aloe, a bright green color that’ll surely spice up your foldable.
What’s good about Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold case?
The slim, hard plastic construction just makes sense for a foldable
I want to emphasize just how different the Google case for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is from its predecessor because first-party silicone cases are generally terrible. Holding the Google case for the Pixel Fold and Pixel 9 Pro Fold side-by-side, the differences are immediately apparent. The thickness is the biggest variable here, and it’s not just because the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is thinner than the Pixel Fold. The new case is thinner, too, at 17.8 mm thick — and that really matters when we’re talking about foldables that are already larger than the average phone.
One of the benefits of using a classic Google silicone case is the comfortable feel and added grip it provides. Luckily, that isn’t completely lost with the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold case, which has a polycarbonate shell made with 75% recycled plastics. The surface still has a soft-touch finish, and it definitely feels more grippy than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s glass back.
As for the design, I like it. The low-profile, sloping build of the Google case for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold reminds me of some of the most popular thin-fit cases out there. These designs are incredibly trendy right now, like the aramid and carbon-fiber ones from Mous and Thinborne. I have no doubt that I got the worst color — the Porcelain and Aloe versions look great — but the Obsidian one I tested does add some contrast to my Porcelain smartphone.
I didn’t go drop-testing my Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but my phone did take some hard falls from around waist height and survived. As did the case, with no visible scuffing or scratching. This is purely anecdotal, and I would keep your durability expectations in check. It isn’t a protective case, so you’ll want to go with something from Otterbox or Spigen if that’s your main priority. I do have every expectation that this version will hold up better over time than Google’s official silicone cases.
Coverage is pretty good, for a foldable case. The hinge is exposed when the phone is closed but covered when it’s opened. The edges are raised ever-so-slightly around the camera bump, but are much higher around the display. Since the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a fingerprint sensor on the power button, there’s no coverage for that or the volume rocker here. While the front piece of the case has four adhesive strips for security, the back has none.
What’s bad about Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold case?
Cases for foldable phones are still really, really bad — Google isn’t changing that here
Unfortunately, Google solved one problem with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold case and created another. The lint-magnet silicone is gone, but the polycarbonate finish is now a fingerprint and smudge paradise. As a glasses-wearer, I never go far without isopropyl alcohol wipes, and I swear my Pixel 9 Pro Fold case was covered in smudges mere seconds after wiping it down.
That’s really my only gripe specific to this Pixel 9 Pro Fold case. I’m still opposed to cases for foldable cases in general, and the official Google case doesn’t change that. The two-part design is clunky — I found the back portion of the case (without adhesive) popped off occasionally while opening and closing the device. So, you’d think the adhesive is good, right? Well, no. All that hair, dust, and grime that your phone comes in contact with daily can catch that adhesive and stay there forever.
I’ve tried many foldable cases over the years, and none of them have been perfect. I think cases for foldables are inherently flawed, but I also think Google’s official case for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is one of the best ones yet.
Should you buy Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold case?
My personal advice for Pixel 9 Pro Fold owners would be to invest in a good screen protector and maybe a Google Preferred Care insurance plan instead of buying a case. Slapping a clunky $50 case on an $1,800 phone just doesn’t sit right with me, which is why I rarely use one on my foldables.
However, if you’re dead set on rocking a case, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s official case is a really solid pick due to its low-profile design. You might get more bang for your buck with a third-party one from a brand like Spigen or Mous, though.
Google Case for Pixel 9 Pro Fold
If you want a simple case that provides an extra shell of protection for your Pixel 9 Pro Fold without adding a lot of bulk, Google has you covered. Just be prepared to deal with fingerprints and a few frustrations that come with using any foldable case.