Between the Phone (3) and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Phone (3) comes out ahead in front camera and wired charging, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold wins on ram and screen size. Overall, the Phone (3) scores 68.7 and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold scores 67.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (68.7 vs 67.1). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Phone (3) if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are front camera, wired charging, wireless charging, among others.
Pick the Pixel 9 Pro Fold if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are ram, screen size, water resistance, among others.
Both ship with comparable refresh rate, 5g support, optical image stabilization, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Nothing - Phone (3) wins
- ▲Front camera — 220.00% more. 32 MP vs 10 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 209.52% more. 65 W vs 21 W.
- ▲Wireless charging — 100.00% more. 15 W vs 7.5 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 65.32% more. 2050000 vs 1240000.
- ▲Weight — 61.00 g less. 196 vs 257.
- ▲Pixel density — 23.32% more. 460 ppi vs 373 ppi.
- ▲Battery capacity — 10.75% more. 5150 mAh vs 4650 mAh.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
Why Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold wins
- ▲RAM — 33.33% more. 16 GB vs 12 GB.
- ▲Screen size — 19.40% more. 8.0 " vs 6.7 ".
- ▲Water resistance: IPX8 (vs IP68).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 5).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3) | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 196 glead | 257 g |
| Thickness | 8.4 mmlead | 10.5 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IPX8lead |
| Form factor | bar | foldable_booklead |
Display
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3) | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 8.0 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 373 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 4500 nitslead | 2700 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3) | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 32 MPlead | 10 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3) | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5150 mAhlead | 4650 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 65 Wlead | 21 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 7.5 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3) | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3) | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Phone (3) or Pixel 9 Pro Fold?+
Phone (3) has 10.8% more battery — 5150 mAh vs 4650 mAh.
Which is lighter, Phone (3) or Pixel 9 Pro Fold?+
Phone (3) is 61g lighter — 196g vs 257g.
Is Phone (3) waterproof?+
Phone (3) has an IP68 rating.
Does Pixel 9 Pro Fold support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9 Pro Fold supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Phone (3) or Pixel 9 Pro Fold?+
Pixel 9 Pro Fold offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Phone (3) or Pixel 9 Pro Fold?+
Phone (3) has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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