The Google Pixel 9 flagships have launched before the new iPhones this year, which has to be a first from the company. The lineup now has three models, and a Pixel foldable as well. The Pixel 9 Pro moniker now features a 9 Pro XL variant which is close to being an iPhone 15 Pro Max rival, at least with its price tag and dimensions.
But as years go by, people want Google to answer this; do their phones match with the best in terms of performance? That’s what the company strives to offer with the Pixel 9 series, in particular the Pixel 9 Pro XL which is priced at Rs 1,24,999 and looks to offer the richness of Gemini AI and the usual flagship traits. But does it succeed in being better than its rivals? We used the new model to find out.
The Real Flagship Style
Pixel flagships have carried their own design style but Pixel 9 series takes the focus on premiumness to the required level. Right from the moment you take out the Pixel 9 Pro XL out of the box, you get the obvious refinements and design upgrades that make it feel premium. The dimensions are also echoing the value of an XL device, but it is the overall balance in the design that truly stands out.
The aluminium finish on the frame and the sharper edges are very iPhone-sque and that’s not a bad thing at all. The matte finish on the back panel made of glass is our favourite kind which doesn’t catch smudges and not that glossy either.
In terms of the numbers, the 9 Pro XL weighs 221 grams and comes with a thickness of 8.5mm. These figures are comparable to the iPhone 15 Pro Max (221 grams and 8.3mm), while lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (8.6mm and 233 grams). Make no mistake, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is heavy and big but Google knows there are buyers for such phones these days.
Even the camera module looks more accomplished rather than the work-in-progress nature of the Pixel 8 Pro. It has to be said that Google has finally hit the right notes, in its ninth effort with a flagship Pixel phone.
Actua-lly Bright And Big Display
The Pixel 9 Pro XL features a large 6.8-inch OLED or Actua display as Google calls it in its marketing notes. The panel offers LTPO technology which means the 120Hz refresh rate on the screen is adaptive based on what you are doing on the phone.
The screen gets Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection which seems to handle all the sharp objects in your pocket without causing major damage to the display. The bezels on the screen are still bigger for our liking but one cannot deny the pleasantness of seeing their symmetry on the panel. The screen resolution is the same as Pixel 8 Pro but the extra level of brightness (peak levels up to 3000 nits) makes a big difference in all conditions, especially outdoors.
The XL display further accentuates the viewing experience and the angles add further gloss to the eyes. The other main improvement is the use of the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor within the display on the 9 Pro XL which is quite the step up from the optical sensor on its predecessor and the results were evident during our tests.
Tensor G4 Shows Promise But Not Enough Power
Now, coming to one of the biggest pain points of using a Pixel phone over the years. The Tensor G4 chipset is once again using the Samsung Exynos chipset which is made on the 4nm process. However, the performance levels of the G4 chipset puts it closer to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and 2 rather than the current 8 Gen 3 version. The G4 is nowhere close to Apple’s A16 SoC let alone the A17 Pro variant.
The benchmark scores tell us the same story and the numbers are indicative of how Google prioritises experience than power-packed performance. You don’t notice major stutters or heavy strain on the phone but gaming is never going to be its strongest suit, and power users will feel underwhelmed by its ability to handle everything at once.
The company claims that the SoC has been tuned to work effectively on AI features and tools, while optimising the stock Android OS to deliver a fluid experience.
The latter is no doubt a strong point and most people would agree. However, the former continues to be a big con on our checklist for Google. The efficiency levels of the G4 are far better than the G2 and the G3 but the comparison within its family cannot be justified for what the Pixel 9 Pro XL costs. Yes, it does come with 16GB RAM by default now but that’s more to compensate for the heavy computing that the AI models will need. Google says the Pixel phones can last for years, but it needs the hardware to vouch for those claims and we are uncertain of that coming true.
The major downgrade with the Pixel 9 series this year is that you get Android 14 out of the box at launch. The early release of the Pixel 9 phones has worked against Google, so you will have to wait another few weeks to get the Android 15 update alert pop up on the device. Google does promise 7 years of OS updates for the Pixel 8 series and higher models and we are hoping that it lives up to the promise for the Pixel 9 series, starting with Android 15 and not 14 for the users.
Camera Upgrades Once Again Reliant On AI Magic
Google hasn’t upgraded the sensors on the Pixel 9 Pro as you get the same triple camera system of 50MP wide sensor, 48MP periscope telephoto lens and 48MP ultrawide lens. We often say the megapixels don’t deliver the results but in Google’s case the improvements are more linked to the software progress.
The cameras offer high-quality images once again but the colour tuning seems to have been tweaked which results in different output. The brighter colours from a Pixel camera generally look natural but this year’s focus has shifted and the profile is a mixed bag. Having said that, you can see the crispness and details in the image, even though the zoom levels on the Pixel flagships dwarfs in front of Samsung and Apple models.
The cameras also have new AI tools along with the older ones like Magic Editor. You have the Add Me feature which lets you click two images and add another person to the same frame with a different shot and then let the Google AI do its thing. So, the next time you have someone living far away and wants to feel included in the photo, the Pixel 9 Pro XL could be the weapon of choice to make it work.
The front camera has moved away from the 10.2MP sensor to a larger 42MP shooter that is finally offering images that the Pixels deserve.
Pixel 9 Pro XL offers images that most people will like but it is not the benchmark anymore with brands like Vivo and Xiaomi pushing the envelope while Apple and Samsung inching closer to these standards that will only excite buyers in the near future.
Let’s Talk AI
Google’s main reason to advance the Pixel 9 series launch this year was to showcase its development in AI and upstage Apple before its iPhone 16 event in September. The Gemini AI upgrades were fully on display at the launch event last month and some of them include the Pixel Studio, Pixel Screenshots, Gemini Live and more.
Gemini is going to be Google’s default assistant in the future and the AI-powered avatar shows its early promise which is still some far away from fulfilling its potential. Google is integrating Gemini into a One plan that costs over Rs 2,000 per month, and gives you the benefit of Gemini in products like Gmail, Google Docs and Sheets among others. Pixel 9 series buyers get 1 year of Google One AI plan bundled for free which gives them enough time to see if the AI is worth their money once the freebie period ends.
The Pixel Studio helps you generate AI images based on text prompts and using Google’s preset of image descriptions. The app will ask you to download the AI model that is credited with helping you generate these images. Similarly, you have the AI-powered Screenshots which is more helpful and lets your images get summarised and also searchable based on the keywords included.
Does The Battery Finally Deliver?
Pixel 9 Pro XL with its 6.8-inch display packs a 5060mAh battery which may sound like a lot but it is just 10mAh more than the 5050mAh unit on last year’s 8 Pro. The charging speeds have gone up from 30W to 37W in the wired mode but you need the right tool to benefit from the upgrade. You also have 23W wireless speed via the Pixel Stand or 12W with any Qi charging unit. Google has not upgraded to Qi2 with the Pixel 9 for some odd reason and Google’s explanation didn’t make much sense either.
Does the minor bump improve the battery life on the 9 Pro XL? The good news is, yes it does but not by a big margin. It can last through a day on a single charge with moderate usage but heavy tasks do take a toll on the battery, which thankfully doesn’t heat up so much.
The main concern is still regarding the charging speeds on the Pixel 9 phones which compared to 120W or even 80W speeds is painfully slow. You need a good part of 1 hour to get the phone charged from 10 percent to 68 percent and the rest of the juice takes even longer. Google’s decision to not support fast charging through other adapters is an old-fashioned move that does not please us one bit. It is high time these premium phones offer a better charging ecosystem.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL finally shows the flagship mettle we have craved and that display adds further gloss to the package. The Tensor G4 is capable but still falls short compared to the rivals, which also becomes clear with the average-ish battery life. The cameras have got more purpose but some of the versatility gets overshadowed by the AI features which makes clicking photos moot.
The new XL phone in the market shows Google finally values the flagship standards.
But the price tag of Rs 1,24,999 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL in India is steep and there is no sidestepping that. So, until Google establishes a support network rivalling Samsung and Apple, it will face a challenge in getting people’s money in the country but at least the brand is now working in the right direction which gives us hope.