We subjected the Google Pixel Fold to our rigorous SBMARK Battery test suite to measure its performance in terms of battery life, charging and efficiency. In the results of these tests, we will analyze how it performed in a number of tests and in several common use cases.
Overview
Key Specifications:
- Battery capacity: 4821mAh
- 21W charger (not included)
- 7.6-inch OLED display, 1840 x 2208, 120 Hz
- Google Tensor G2 (5nm)
- ROM/RAM combination tested: 256GB + 12GB
Pros
- Good battery life when using GPS navigation
- Low residual power draw from the wired charger
Against
- Weak battery life during individual usage tests
- Very high consumption during the night and at idle with the screen off
- Low autonomy recovered after a quick recharge of 5 minutes
- Overall high discharge currents
- Poor wireless charging efficiency
The Google Pixel Fold’s range, charging, and efficiency performance in our battery test protocol yielded an overall score that sat at the low end of our database.
Moderate use of the Google Pixel Fold provided just under 2 days of battery life, which is below average but close to the battery life of other foldable devices we’ve tested. However, in testing individual usages, the battery drained quickly, especially when streaming music and making calls, except when using GPS navigation on the go. In addition, the device consumes a lot of energy when idling with the screen off, losing more than 4% per night, a period in which the device presumably does nothing.
Charging times were slower than average on both wired and wireless. Wired charging took 1 hour and 50 minutes to fill the battery, while wireless charging took 2 hours and 56 minutes to reach full charge. The autonomy recovered after a quick 5 minute boost was poor, with an average of only 2 hours and 46 minutes.
The device’s overall wired charging efficiency and adapter efficiency were slightly below average. However, the wired charger showed very low residual power consumption whether the fully charged device was still plugged in or not. However, the wireless charging efficiency was poor and the residual power consumption of the wireless cradle was high when the device was fully charged and still on the cradle. Also, the discharge currents for all uses were above average, which means that the device is not well optimized.
Compared to other devices in the Ultra-Premium segment ($800+), the Google Pixel Fold ranked at the bottom of our database. Its battery life was decent, but slightly below average for this segment, and its efficiency and charging scores were very low compared to other devices in this segment. Considering foldable devices only, the Google Pixel Fold’s performance was comparable to other foldables, especially in terms of battery life, but when it came to efficiency, the Pixel Fold was far below the others.
Trial summary
Learn about SBMARK battery tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone battery reviews, SBMARK engineers conduct a series of objective tests over a one-week period both indoors and outdoors. (See our introduction and how we test articles for more details on our smartphone’s battery protocol.)
The following section compiles the key elements of our extensive testing and analysis performed in the SBMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations in the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.
| Drums | Battery charger | wireless | Screen | Processor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel Fold | 4821 mAh | 21W (not included) |
8W | OLEDs 1840 x 2208 |
Google Tensor G2 |
| Honor to magic vs | 5000mAh | 66W (included) |
– | OLEDs 1984 x 2272 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ gen1 |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 | 4400mAh | 25W (not included) |
15W | AMOLED 1812 x 2176 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
How the autonomy score is composed
The Battery Life Score is made up of three performance subscores: Home/Office, On the Go, and Calibrated Use Cases. Each subscore includes the results of a full range of tests to measure range in all kinds of real-life scenarios.
61h
Light use
Active: 2h30/day
47 hours
Moderate use
Active: 4 hours a day
33h
Intensive use
Active: 7 hours a day
Home office
A robot housed in a Faraday cage performs a series of touch-based user actions during what we call our “typical usage scenario” (TUS) (making calls, streaming video, etc.) – 4 hours of active use over the course of 16 hours. – a period of one hour, plus 8 hours of “sleep”. The robot repeats this series of actions every day until the device runs out.
In movement
110
Samsung Galaxy M51
Samsung Galaxy M51
The use of the smartphone on the go puts a strain on autonomy due to additional “hidden” needs, such as the continuous signaling associated with the selection of the cellular network. SBMARK Battery experts take the phone outdoors and perform a series of well-defined activities following the same three-hour travel itinerary (walking, taking the bus, the subway…) for each device
Calibrated
80
Samsung Galaxy M51
Samsung Galaxy M51
For this series of tests, the smartphone returns to the Faraday cage and to our bots repeatedly perform actions related to a specific use case (like gaming, video streaming, etc.) at a time. Starting with an 80% charge, all devices are tested until they have used at least 5% battery power.
In charge
105
Realme GT Neo 5 (240W)
Realme GT Neo 5 (240W)
How the recharge score is composed
Charging is a full part of the overall battery experience. In some situations where range is at its lowest, knowing how fast you can charge becomes a concern. The SBMARK Battery Recharge Score is made up of two subscores, (1) Full Charge and (2) Quick Boost.
Charge complete
104
Realme GT Neo 5 (240W)
Realme GT Neo 5 (240W)
The full charge tests evaluate the reliability of the battery charge indicator; measure how much time and how much energy it takes for the battery to charge from zero to 80% capacity, from 80 to 100% as shown by the user interface, and until fully charged.
The charging curves, in wired and wireless mode (if available) show the evolution of the battery level indicator as well as the energy consumption in watts during the charging phases towards full capacity.
The charging curves, in wired and wireless mode (if available) show the evolution of the battery level indicator as well as the energy consumption in watts during the charging phases towards full capacity.
Quick push
106
Realme GT Neo 5 (240W)
Realme GT Neo 5 (240W)
With the phone at different charge levels (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%), the quick boost tests measure how much charge the battery receives after being plugged in for 5 minutes. The graph here compares the average range gain with a 5-minute quick charge.
Efficiency
63
Oppo Reno6 5G
Oppo Reno6 5G
How the efficiency score is composed
The SBMARK Energy Efficiency Score is composed of two sub-scores, Charge Rate and Discharge Rate, both of which combine data obtained during a typical robot-based usage scenario, calibrated testing and charge rating, taking into consideration battery capacity of the device. SBMARK calculates the product’s annual energy consumption, shown in the graph below, which is representative of overall efficiency during a charge and when in use.
Charge Up
114
Nubia Red Magic 7 Pro
Nubia Red Magic 7 Pro
The secondary charge score is a combination of four factors: the overall efficiency of a full charge, related to the amount of energy required to fill the battery compared to the energy the battery can supply; the efficiency of the travel adapter when it comes to transferring power from an outlet to your phone; the remaining consumption when the phone is fully charged and still connected to the charger; and the residual consumption of the charger itself, when the smartphone is disconnected from it. The graph below shows the overall efficiency of a full charge in %.
Discharge
47
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The sub-discharge score evaluates how quickly a battery discharges during a test, which is independent of battery capacity. It is the ratio of the capacity of a battery divided by its autonomy. A small capacity battery may have the same run time as a large capacity battery, indicating that the device is well optimized, with a low discharge rate.
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