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Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold are great phones.
Every foldable phone in the US has a niche.
But the Pixel has something the Z Fold 8 doesn't, and it's a game-changer.
As Google launched its new lineup of Pixel devices in New York, I was chilling in Myrtle Beach, enjoying a long-overdue vacation. My priorities at the time were ocean wave diving, a little reading, and enjoying some fun with my family. But I had to plan ahead for this vacation. Notably, I had to fire up my Kindle e-reader once again, and I had to switch phones.
The problem wasn't that I had to review another phone, which is often the reason why I need to switch. I had a bigger problem -- durability. Samsung went out of its way to make the Galaxy Fold 8 and Galaxy Fold 8 Ultra pretty durable. It added titanium to the hinge and the inner screen, which is a great addition. But it failed to add one more thing to the phone: dust resistance.
Also: Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: How the big Android foldables compare
It's true that IP48 water and dust resistance can withstand larger dirt particles, but sand -- beach sand in particular -- is another matter. Just look around YouTube, and you'll find no shortage of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 owners who mistakenly took their phones to the beach and came away with a crunchy hinge.
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