Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro And Pixel 9 Review: Android Excellence

	Google Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL - Available for $799, $999, and $1,099. Google's new Pixel 9s are infused with AI for sure, but there's a lot more going on here and they're excellent values among flagship Android handsets.
	Refined, attractive design Class-leading camera performance Solid battery life Pixel 9 Pro offers a compact premium option Excellent software with seven years of updates Sharp, bright display with 120Hz refresh ×Fast 80W charging and included plug ×Excellent performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ×Alert slider is back	Some Gemini AI features need work Higher price than Pixel 8 series Tensor G4 isn't as fast as the latest Snapdragons

---

Google hasn't always taken its Pixel top tier phone hardware seriously—in 2020, it didn't even bother to release a flagship phone, settling for the mid-range Pixel 5. What a difference a few years (and billions in AI spending) can make. In 2024, Google has revealed a family of four phones, one of which is a foldable. The pricey Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a niche device, but the remaining three Pixel 9 phones are likely worth considering for anyone looking to upgrade their Android or Apple daily driver.

The flat Pixels range from $799 for the Pixel 9 to $1,099 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL, but there's a new middle option in the mix. This is the first year Google has offered a smaller yet premium phone. The Pixel 9 Pro has almost all of the Pro XL's features in a much more compact body. All of these phones include upgraded fingerprint sensors, new displays, and more Gemini AI features than you can imagine. There's a lot to like, but the price is also higher than last year. Let's see how Google's most ambitious Pixel lineup yet compares to the competition and its previous gen Pixels.

Google Pixel 9 Series Features and Specs

Processor Platform	Google Tensor G4
Display	Pixel 9: 6.3-inch 1080 x 2424 "Actua" OLED, 60-120Hz, 2700nits Pixel 9 Pro: 6.3-inch 1280 x 2856 "Super Actua" OLED, 1-120Hz, 3000nits Pixel 9 Pro XL: 6.8-inch 1344 x 2992 "Super Actua" OLED, 1-120Hz, 3000nits
Memory	Pixel 9: 12GB Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL: 16GB
Storage	Pixel 9: 128GB / 256GB Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (XL only) Pixel 9: Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL: Pixel 9: Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL:
Rear-Facing Cameras	Pixel 9: 50 MP wide, 48 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL: 50 MP wide, 48 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus, 48 MP 5x telephoto lens
Front-Facing Cameras	Pixel 9: 10.5 MP Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL: 42 MP
Video Recording	Pixel 9: 4K60 Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL: 4K60, 8K30 (video boost)
Battery	Pixel 9: 4700 mAh Pixel 9 Pro: 4700 mAh Pixel 9 Pro XL: 5060 mAh
OS	Android 14
Dimensions	Pixel 9: 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm Pixel 9 Pro: 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm Pixel 9 Pro XL: 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm
Weight	Pixel 9: 198g Pixel 9 Pro: 199g Pixel 9 Pro XL: 221g
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, UWB (Pro only), NFC, 5G sub-6GHz and mmWave
Colors	Pixel 9: Peony, Wintergreen, Porcelain, Obsidian Pixel 9 Pro: Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian Pixel 9 Pro XL: Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian Titanium Green, Titanium Blue, and Titanium OrangeTitanium Green, Titanium Blue, and Titanium Orange
Pricing	Pixel 9: $799 Pixel 9 Pro: $999 Pixel 9 Pro XL: $1099

The Pixel 9 family represents the most dramatic redesign of the Pixel lineup since the first-gen Tensor Pixels launched in 2021. The full-width camera visor is gone from the back, replaced by a floating camera bar on all three models. It's even more pronounced now, standing out starkly on the otherwise unremarkable back. This design does make the phones rather top-heavy, but that's only noticeable on the larger XL model. The bar is still centered, which we appreciate because it makes the Pixels perfectly stable when sitting on a table.


All three phones are even more physically similar than previous Pixels. For example, the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro have identical measurements despite the different features and camera setups, allowing them to use the same cases. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is just a scaled-up version of that design. All three phones have narrow, symmetrical bezels with extremely rounded corners. This quirk makes the phones, even the huge XL version, reasonably comfortable to hold.

The camera bump continues to be distinctive on Pixels, but the rest of the design takes its cues from market leaders Samsung and Apple. While there is no titanium option, the aluminum frame has the same flat edges we've seen on the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S24 lineups. The back and front panels of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 are completely flat, with no curve at the edges like older Pixels. The metal frame is rolled just a bit at the edges to make it less pointy, an issue we've noticed with phones like the Galaxy S24+.


We're impressed with the overall build quality, which is now on par with Samsung's non-Ultra flagship phones and features IP68 protection from water and dust. Google's hardware isn't perfect, though. The power and volume buttons are on the right edge. They're easy to find by touch on the smooth, flat frame, but they're slightly wobbly. That's not necessarily a deal breaker, but if you're going to pay $1,000 for a phone, it's okay to be picky about things like that.

The two Pro models have matte glass on the back with glossy edges. The Pixel 9 is the opposite, a glossy back with matte rails. So, no matter which version you get, it might be a little more slippery than you'd prefer. The good news is that Google designs its phones with cases in mind because the overwhelming majority of smartphone buyers use them. The official Pixel cases are superb, offering good protection without making the devices too chunky. The camera bar sits almost flush with the cases, too.

Google's new "Actua" OLED screens are excellent, featuring the highest peak brightness ratings of any current smartphone. Google says the Pixel 9 Pro XL can hit an incredible 3000 nits in ultra-bright conditions. The colors, viewing angle, and sunlight readability of these screens are unmatched—only the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra gets anywhere close, thanks to its Gorilla Glass Armor with the anti-reflective coating.

All three phones are 1080p (the Pixel 9) or higher, with the XL clocking in at 1344 x 2992. The screens are also smooth and efficient. The Pro models are LTPO panels, allowing the refresh rate to drop as low as 1Hz to save power or up to 120Hz for fast motion. The base model can only go as low as 60Hz, though.


Under the screen, Google has upgraded to an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The new sensor won't light up a dark room, and it's much quicker and more reliable than the old optical sensors. It works well even if the screen is wet or a little grimy.

Google Pixel 9 Series Review: Software, AI Experience And Update Support

Google didn't even wait for its new Android OS to launch the Pixel 9 family. These phones all run on Android 14, with a promised update to Android 15 as soon as it's ready later this year. As Google has expanded its Android customization, the underlying version has mattered less and less. Even though we've seen Android 14 before, there are more new features than we usually see on Pixel phones. You can thank Google's escalating obsession with generative AI for that.

Before we dive into the abyss of mobile AI, it's worth mentioning how damn good Android looks on Pixels these days. Google's Material You theming engine has come into its own now that there are more compatible apps and widgets. Just pick a background, and the phone extracts complementary colors to apply to various system and app elements. Not only does Google's engine choose better colors than other OEMs, the colors are applied in more places around the OS. It looks fantastic.


These are the first Pixels to fully eschew Assistant in favor of the Gemini AI. Not only is it the default assistant app, the phones are designed around it. Google has set aside some RAM to keep the Gemini Nano model in memory, allowing the phone to process data locally for some of its new AI gimmicks. Google hasn't told us how much RAM is dedicated to Gemini, but it's not a major concern with the increased RAM in all three models.

Processing data locally is more secure, allowing the Pixel 9 family to use AI analysis without sending all your data to Google. For example, there's the new Pixel Screenshots app, which collects all your screenshots and uses Gemini Nano to understand their contents. You can pop open that app and search for anything, even asking simple questions about them. It works pretty well. 

Pixel Screenshots is the best of the new Gemini features, but there some other, marginally useful examples of AI. Pixels have had Call Screen for years, and that continues to be an amazing feature. The Pixel 9s have a new calling feature known as Call Notes, which lets you record a phone call and have Gemini Nano create searchable notes from it. The feature loudly announces on the call when you activate it, which is understandable but could be a little annoying for some. The transcript of calls is handy, but its AI summary is hit or miss. 

Across all the chatbot implementations of Gemini, you can access more of your Google account data with Gemini in Gmail, Drive, and more. It's cool that you can ask Gemini questions based on your email—it even gets them right most of the time. You can also turn on the conversational Gemini Live mode, which lets you converse by voice with the chatbot. We found the way Gemini Live will drone on and on to be a little annoying, but it is technically impressive how realistic it sounds. This feature could get much more useful in the future, but for now, it's just in its infancy it seems, like many things powered by AI. 


The new "Reimagine" feature in Magic Editor let you remove objects and add (almost) anything you can think up. We've had some problems with Gemini refusing to create things it (sometimes incorrectly) believes to be controversial. The results are also bad about half of the time. Similarly, there's a new Pixel Studio app that lets you generate entire images from scratch with the Imagen 3 model. However, it can't generate people right now as Google works on improving the model's accuracy. As with other image generators, some of what it makes is good fake art, but most of it is bad fake art. 

Some of the new AI features are exclusive to those with a Gemini Advanced subscription, but luckily, Google is including a 12-month trial of Gemini Advanced with the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL. Otherwise, it's $20 per month, which seems like too much. Gemini Advanced does have more features and a larger context window (it can accept more input data), but the quality of the output doesn't seem any better.

The real utility of Gemini is unclear. While Google has come up with some cool ideas, like the Screenshots app and Call Notes, it's still hard to trust generative AI. Despite Google's efforts, the chatbot still lies regularly. For example, Gemini Advanced can access data from other Google services like Gmail. However, on several occasions Gemini claimed it couldn't do that for privacy reasons. When pressed, the robot admitted that's 'just what a chatbot is supposed to say.' And it's not wrong—LLMs don't know anything. The result is that whenever something isn't working, you have to wonder if Gemini is simply lying or if it's actually broken. Google's generative tech is no worse than competing services, but being forced to outsmart the phone's digital assistant is frustrating. 

While only some of the Gemini additions are worth your attention, we cannot fault Google for its update guarantee. These phones all get seven years of OS and security updates, and unlike Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus, Google actually gets those updates deployed in a timely manner even years after a phone's release. It's a little easier to justify a $1,000 smartphone when you know it'll be supported through 2031.

Google Pixel 9 Series Cameras, Sample Shots And Performance

The division between the Pro and non-Pro members of the Pixel 9 family is most clear when it comes to the camera setups. The Pixel 9 has a 50MP primary shooter and a 48MP ultrawide. The Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL have those sensors and add a 48MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. Google uses its AI chops to upscale digitally zoomed photos, allowing the Pro phones to reach up to 30x "Super Res Zoom," but the base model stops at 8x.


The hardware hasn't changed much this year—the only notable upgrade is a newer sensor for the 5x telephoto lens. The Pixel 9 also has the same 48MP ultrawide as the other phones, whereas the Pixel 8 had a measly 12MP ultrawide. Pixels have consistently produced some of the best smartphone photos we've ever seen, and this year's crop is no exception. Google continues to invest in new camera features like Add Me, which lets you add yourself to a photo after the fact. After taking a photo, the phone can guide someone else to line up a second photo just right to merge you into the image. This works much better than we expected.

Snapping photos with the new Pixels is like autopilot for photography. Google's image processing is unmatched, pulling out details in dark areas without blowing out highlights. The colors are also very true to life. The phones bin the 50MP sensor to produce 12.5MP shots, but the level of detail is very impressive even compared to phones with several times more pixels. 


The Pixel 9 phones are better at identifying your subject than any other phone we've tested. Not only does it nail the focus quickly, it can follow them around if you need to reframe the shot. These phones are also super-quick when you press the shutter. The Pixels regularly attain quicker shutter speeds in all lighting conditions compared to Samsung and Apple phones, which makes it easier to capture motion. Night Sight continues to be the gold standard for low-light mobile photography, too. It consistently captures images quicker and with better results than Samsung and Apple. 


Google has a pro mode if you want to tweak the exposure, ISO, and other settings, but this is only available on the Pro models. Yes, that is a completely arbitrary limitation, but you're not missing much. The Pixels are so good at crafting a photo that you won't be able to do much better even with all the time in the world to tinker with the sliders. While Google's HDR+ processing is overall very effective, it can sometimes push contrast a little to high, producing halos and hard edges that look artificial. 


The ultrawide sensor has an expansive 123-degree field of view, and there is some distortion at the edges, but that shouldn't matter as long as your subjects are sufficiently far away. Google's tight control of exposure and shutter speed produces detailed (though slightly soft), evenly illuminated landscapes. The inclusion of autofocus means you can even shoot macro images without a dedicated lens. The phone also switches to macro mode automatically when you need it.

With the Pro phones, you get that 48MP telephoto shooter. This 5x periscope-style zoom lens gives you more reach than the telephoto cameras on most phones. You can get much closer to your subject, and the high resolution combined with Google's Super Res Zoom lets you go far beyond 5x. We've found images shot around 10-12x still look good enough to share online, but don't expect to crop them. If you want to be picky: the little things don't look quite as crisp on this camera compared to the other two. This telephoto is also a bit worse for low-light, and Night Sight won't always save you. It's harder to keep the 5x zoom frame stable long enough to get a good night mode photo even with Google's powerful processing. 

The same image processing qualities that make the rear cameras so good also apply to the selfie camera. Google's phones consistently take selfies that are bright, sharp, and accurate. The Pro phones have a very wide field of view, making it easy to get a group shot. The Pixel 9's 10.5MP selfie camera isn't quite as good, but the results are still excellent compared to other phones in its price range.


You can shoot 4k60 video on all three Pixel models. Google has come a long way with video recording, which is looks sharper and more stable on the Pixel 9. Other high-end phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra have the Pixel beaten with 8K video options, but Google does have a software solution there. the Pro phones (again, this is arbitrary) get Video Boost, which can upscale videos to 8K in the cloud. Still, if 8K video capture on your phone is important to you for some reason, Pixels aren't the phones for you currently.

Let's look at Pixel 9 Series benchmark performance, next...