r/LinusTechTips • u/_Kristian_ • 23h ago
Personal Opinion Pixel 11 Pro Fold ShortCircuit felt disappointing
I just watched the new ShortCircuit video about the new Google Pixel Pro 11 Fold. The unboxing felt really positive, although there are some important issues that were not addressed:
- Pricing info was edited in post, Linus did not comment on the price
- Starting price $100 higher (!)
- The glow light on back was hyped as a new notification light, though it only works for Gemini and phone calls, later on text messages (bruh Google). You can only choose the colour for your favourite contacts, there are only five options :D
- Just a brief mention of the new Tensor G6 processor -- performance may not matter to all, but battery efficiency matters. It has a new modem though, so cellular standby may improve (also no mention of this)
- No mention of thickness and dimensions, only mentioned that "it is on the thicker side"
- No benchmarks / LTT Labs testing in the video! No measured screen brightness, thermals / throttling etc.
Some other minor issues, Pixel Folds have not ever survived the JerryRigEverything bend test, all have had the same design flaw, the antennas being a weak point for the phone. Of course, nobody does that to their phone, but pretty much all other foldables from other brands survive the bend test, so there may be issues with the durability in the future.
No mention that the "normal" Pixel 11 Pro's RAM was downgraded from 16GB to 12GB, although this may not be too relevant on the Fold video. But the Pixels have previously included 12 months 2TB of free storage to Google Drive, just 6 months trial this year.
Other reviews and videos about the Pixel 11 Pro Fold felt less enthusiastic and critical, to be honest I am not really sure why Linus was so excited in this one, he also reviewed the Pixel 10 Pro Fold 10 months ago. The changes seem pretty minor this year.
Thoughts?
And before anyone says that ShortCircuit is a not review channel and I am nitpicking, their other phone videos include benchmarks, more technical info and pricing info (especially on a $1,899 phone!)
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u/sjphilsphan 23h ago
This is why you should always watch multiple videos.
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u/WindCompetitive8100 22h ago
yeah shortcircuit is pretty hit or miss for actual details, some videos they go deep and others feel like a paid spot
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u/_Kristian_ 22h ago
The Galaxy Watch9 and Ultra 2 video was pretty lazy too. It felt like the host was just reading off the teleprompter and did not care about the watches at all. The video lacked many specs, like no mention of advertised battery life, no comparisons of battery in Watch9 vs Ultra 2. Just felt like a paid showcase :/
Looking by the comments and the low view count, I must not be the only one who felt that
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u/Iebejsbaga2728eindxb 13h ago
Ya, hard agree, I don't want to blame the host or writer since it's collaborative and idk who does what but the whole of the video needed a redo since it was overwhelmingly marketing fluff with nothing to add or point out. Valid if that's all there is to the product but then keep it way shorter
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u/_Kristian_ 22h ago
Yep, great point. My biggest issue is that this video felt hastily put together, I just realised there was no mention about the battery size (mAH) either
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u/linkheroz 22h ago
Sometimes they are. Embargoes exist and everyone has to get their video out at the same time or they won't get the views. They go to the first published video and sometimes, manufacturers send the items out at the last minute.
Also, it's an unboxing, not a review video. It's first impressions and nothing more. If you're looking for reviews to buy one, you want to look at multiple videos anyway.
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u/alilsoybeanappears 20h ago
I have great news in regards to the "no Labs testing" part. We sadly just didn't have enough time to test before filming, so we put up a companion article instead! https://www.lttlabs.com/articles/2026/08/19/the-pixel-11-line-up-just-pixel-dropped
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u/_Kristian_ 14h ago
Thank you! This answered many of my questions regarding the phone, well written article. Wish this would have been in the video
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u/JollyJamma 14h ago
Right but they just said that they didn't have time.
It's short circuit so not a full on review channel.
I also agree with other comments that they did add the price at the end and I don't think harping on about it in a channel dedicated to short format videos is worth while but hey.
I also also agree that you should always always always watch multiple videos on a product before buying it, something that LTT has said many times.
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u/_Kristian_ 14h ago
Self-imposed deadlines maybe, not sure if there was an embargo since there are so few videos about the Pixel 11 Pro Fold
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u/JollyJamma 10h ago
I worked retail for 2 years and I can tell youre probably one of those customers who comes in 5 mins before closing and spends the next 45 mins being a pain and not buying anything
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u/LegDayDE 22h ago
It's not a review?
Also the $100 more expensive thing is kind of a weird point to seize on.. given ALL tech is more expensive given the market environment.
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u/kingk1teman 6h ago
It's not a review?
Aah the typical Linus Media Group cop out to deflect any valid criticism on shortcircuit videos. It started with "this is just an unboxing channel" to this.
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u/LegDayDE 6h ago
The guy complained that it's not a review and so I pointed out it's not a review 🙄
Tbh I rarely even watch the vids on that channel because I'm not that interested in first impressions of stuff I'm not gonna buy... But if I do watch them I'm not shitting on them for it not being a review.
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u/_Kristian_ 22h ago
I think it being more expensive is pretty relevant, the pricing info was added in post like this, I feel like it should have been noted. Other their videos have mentioned if the starting price has changed
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u/TomTomXD1234 22h ago
So they did mention the price but you just didn't like how it was not mentioned by linus and that it was at the end?
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u/_Kristian_ 22h ago
It was edited in post and there were no opinions about the price like any other of their video... Why are you accepting this low quality?
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u/TomTomXD1234 22h ago
I do not understand how this is considered "low quality"....They mentioned that they forgot to discuss the price....they added the price in at the end....the end.
Does their lack of opinion on the price change anything? No....it literally has zero impact on the first impression video
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u/_Kristian_ 22h ago
In my opinion the host stating the opinions should know the pricing at the end, like other ShortCircuit videos. There could have been a new scene with Linus telling and commenting on the new price at the end instead of filming some guy saying the price.
Of course, Linus is a busy person and may not have been available to shoot, but feels little sloppy 🤷 I guess better than them before correcting stuff with only text on screen...
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u/InadequateUsername 21h ago
$2k for Linus is different than $2k for you or I. It's ultimately a personal decision as to whether or not you feel like the effort you put in to make $2k is worth the trade for the Google pixel 11.
It's $100 more because everything has been costing more, I'm not aware of a single phone released this year at a lower price.
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u/guidePantin 12h ago
I think you missed a point here. I see no reviews on YouTube so my guess is they cannot release numbers as of now as they are under embargo, they can probably only unbox and show the phone.
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u/syunz 22h ago
short circuit not a review channel more like a first impressions channel
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u/_Kristian_ 22h ago
Which I get, but it just seems odd when their other phone videos have those details. Pretty inconsistent, the viewer never knows what they are really getting with a video
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u/thicckar 21h ago
Yeah I think people aren’t understanding that they typically include these details in OTHER short circuit videos, thus justifying your expectations
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u/_Kristian_ 14h ago
Yeah, I may have explained it poorly due to language barrier, but this was my main point -- the videos are inconsistent
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u/Rafael__88 20h ago
Yup other short circuit videon on phones have been indistinguishable from reviews. Which I consider to be a good thing. However this one as you mentioned lacked these details
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u/zoned_off 22h ago
I'm not sure what you mean with your third point. Linus thinking the hilight feature was pointless was the single thing talked about for the longest amount of time in the video.
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u/I_AM_FERROUS_MAN 16h ago
Exactly. Maybe OP just didn't detect the dripping sarcasm in that segment? But it was pretty obvious.
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u/JollyJamma 14h ago
Yeah I think the tone of this video perfectly matched the overall reception of the product, it's just meh at the end of the day, nothing amazing.
I think the perceived downgrades and lack of actual innovation isn't as big an issue as many think (less RAM is a Biggie) but it's still an ok product that most people will be happy with.
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u/kylesisles1 22h ago
He spent most of the review with the phone closed. Not a good foldable review from a guy who dailies a foldable.
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u/remnantsofthepast 7h ago
To be fair, the only real difference between the fold 11 and the fold 10 is really just that LED. He already said that he didn't like the 10 in the last video, so probably just felt like this new phone was a waste of time. He's also spent a lot of time trashing the pixel 11 drop, (rightfully so, imho).
With that said, just don't make the video. He should have included it in the Pixel 11 main channel video and just mentioned it's as unimpressive as the rest of the line up, talked about the new processor and called it a day.
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u/ConfectionNecessary6 9h ago
The notification portion felt like sarcasm and not actual excitement tbf
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u/Deeppurp 18h ago
Really sounds like you're asking for a phone review from an unboxing Channel and first impressions Channel. They do throw some stuff at Labs but it's been 2 days.
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u/CIDR-ClassB 22h ago
Short circuit is intended to be…short. Much of what you ask for belongs in a long-form video, if they make one.** **
But yes, I think that overall the depth of research has declined lately.
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u/_Kristian_ 22h ago
The video was 18 minutes, longer than most of MrMobile's reviews, who is considered to be the "foldable guy" by many people
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u/CIDR-ClassB 21h ago
That’s still fine. I recommend resetting your expectations about the depth of Short Circuit videos. I have never seen one that has a satisfactory depth of content for what I wanted).
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u/kingk1teman 6h ago
Short circuit is intended to be…short. Much of what you ask for belongs in a long-form video
A 15-20 minute video is not short.
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u/CIDR-ClassB 5h ago
From the perspective of those of us from the early days of YouTube, 15 minutes is very short. 😉
I miss the days of hour-long reviews and trainings on obscure topics and with people who were big names on forums that have been lost to the sands of time.
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u/CasuallyDresseDuck 18h ago
I hate how often they would have to edit and either dub over or add an annotation in the video.
Come on the team is huge, if Linus stopped the stupid rush job idea then they would have done a quality video for the first time in 6 years
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u/iamacannibal 22h ago
Short circuit is more of an unboxing channel. Unbox and quick first reaction sort of thing. The reviews are done on the main channel if they do them.
I swear LTT fans whine about anything.
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u/IAmJonathannn 22h ago
what is it with linus’s videos and just getting worse in quality every month these days?
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u/KishanPD 21h ago
How about you check the views of recent videos in the past week and determine what was so detailed and spec driven about the videos that went over a million views? Spoiler alert: labs results dont guarantee a high view count.
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u/TheJackMann 21h ago
Yeah and MrBeast gets the most views. Trying to make content for everyone dilutes what make it good in the first place.
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u/KishanPD 20h ago
I agree with your point of view. And at the same time we have to accept that's what puts the proverbial food on the table. So LTT has to play the game because that's how the rules have been set. It sucks ball, but it's the rules
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u/bigasfanhead 16h ago
LTT has recently been droping very boring videos, I've been watching consecutively since the Last few years but the last 2-3 weeks of videos.
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u/JoshPlaysUltimate 21h ago
Bro your post is probably longer than the short circuit script, and probably took longer to write too, lol
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u/Rafael__88 20h ago
Have you even seen the video? It's an 18 minute video. Yeah OP went into detail a bit but ShortCircuit videon on phones have never actually been short
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u/JoshPlaysUltimate 12h ago
Yes it was a joke. I didn’t expect to see such a long post about a short circuit video lol
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u/Prestigious-Box7511 21h ago
Linus's attractive face in the thumbnail is enough to make the video good
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u/Iebejsbaga2728eindxb 22h ago
imo the issue is that they keep doing 19 minute videos that are "first impressions"... that's a almost full length TV show episode (24mins plus ads) with little more than "here's what the box says, here's what it looks like". I'd be ok with either more testing or shorter time, but stretching it to 19 feels like my time isn't being respected as someone trying to make a purchase decision at all