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Google’s Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are here, and in a lesson learned from Apple, Google is finally making the Pro in different sizes. There’s also a new chip that, like on past Pixels, is shared across all versions of the Pixel 9, plus better cameras and some spiffy new AI features to take advantage of its extra power.
Pixel 9 Pro or Pro XL?
Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt
By far, the most exciting change to the Pixel 9 hardware is that there’s finally a smaller Pro model. Unlike the Pixel 8, where the base model was 6.2-inches and the Pro was 6.7-inches, the Pixel 9 line gives you options. The base Pixel 9 is a slightly larger 6.3-inches, true, but the Pro model now comes in either standard or XL.
That means that people chasing premium performance won’t have to settle for something that’s gonna jut out of their pockets—past Pro models just gave you something XL-sized by default. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is 6.8-inches, a slight size up from the Pixel 8 Pro, but if that sounds like too much to handle, you can opt for the regular Pixel 9 Pro, which is the same size as the base Pixel 9.
Really, comparing it to past models, it’s more like a Pixel 9 Pro and a Pixel 9 Pro Mini, since the Pro XL is closer to what Pixel loyalists might expect, while the Pixel 9 Pro is smaller than any past Pro models. I usually opt for smaller models, so this change is long overdue in my book. Anyone worried about performance hits on the smaller model should be able to rest easy, too. Google says the only differences should be to screen and battery size.
A new chip
Inside, all Pixel 9 phones boast the new Google Tensor G4 chip. It’s always felt a bit generous of Google to give its base phones the same chip as pro models, whereas base iPhone 15 users are so far behind pro users that they won’t even be getting Apple Intelligence at launch. That said, detailed performance metrics will have to wait for reviews.
Google’s Tensor chips have had a bit of a mixed response since their introduction in 2021, since they tend to excel at first-party experiences and Google AI, but don’t hold up as well in benchmarks or third-party apps like games. Whether the Tensor G4 will move the needle is up in the air—leaked benchmarks seen by Android Authority seem to hint that it won’t—so keep that in mind if you intend to game or use a lot of non-Google prosumer apps.
At the very least, though, the Tensor G4 should still be an improvement over past models, with Google promising 20% faster web browsing and 17% faster app launching. If you were happy with the Pixel 8, you should be happy here, too. Google’s also promising great power efficiency, with “24+ hour battery life” and fast charging up to 70% in a half hour. There’s also a new vapor chamber for better cooling, which should help with both performance and comfort, and all models are getting 4GB more memory than before.
Better Autofocus
As implied by its name, the Google Pixel places a lot of emphasis on cameras. That’s true again this year, although changes are a bit more subtle.
The biggest improvement on paper is actually to the base Pixel 9, which is seeing its rear ultrawide camera go up from 12 MP to 48 MP, bringing it almost on par with the Pro models if not for the lack of a telephoto lens. Sadly, its front camera is still 10.5 MP as opposed to 42 MP like on the pro, but that actually brings us to the next biggest change.
Autofocus is getting better across all Pixel models. Google is adding extra LDAF (laser detect autofocus) sensors across the board, and while improvements to the Pro models are largely incremental, the base Pixel 9 is finally getting autofocus on its 10.5 MP selfie cam for the first time ever. While this isn’t the first time Google’s had autofocus on a selfie cam, it is a big upgrade to the base model’s modern lens.
Aside from improved autofocus, the Pro models aren’t too different from last year. That’s not too much of a bummer, given how good the Pixel 8 Pro was, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you’re considering an upgrade.
Better looking
Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt
All models of the Pixel 9 have four color options, although one of my favorites—Bay blue—is gone. Instead, you’ll be able to pick from black, white, green, and pink, although the specific shades of green and pink are slightly different on the base model and the Pro, with the Pro’s green looking almost more gray. The Pro also has a more matte finish, so expect the base Pixel 9 to look shinier (but also a bit more prone to capturing fingerprints).
Still, all the options look distinct, and the smaller Pixel 9 Pro can actually use the same cases as the Pixel 9, so you’ve got plenty of customizability to play with.
As for the phone itself, Google is promising 15% thinner bezels and 35% more brightness on the base model. Having seen these in person, I can say that they pop and feel premium, although I haven’t been able to give them a side-by-side with the Pixel 8 or 8 Pro yet.
Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt
New AI
Smartphone launches are no longer just about hardware, but also about the AI and software experiences that come with them. This is especially true for the Pixel, which fans colloquially call “the smartest smartphone.” That’s thanks to Google’s array of features like Magic Editor and Best Take, but with Apple Intelligence on the horizon, the battlefield is looking more intense than ever.
Google’s not promising a new AI overhaul with the Pixel 9 line like Apple will be launching later this fall, but rather an improvement to the existing Gemini Nano model.
That means new features like “Add me,” which can blend two images together so the photo taker can be in the shot, too. There’s also a new screenshots app that uses AI to add descriptions to your screenshots so they can be more intelligently searched and categorized. Both of these features work entirely on device, for privacy, using the Tensor G4’s ability to generate what Google claims is 45 tokens per second.
There are some cloud features here, too, including Pixel Studio, which is essentially a full-blown AI image generator using a combination of Gemini Nano and Google’s cloud-based Imagen 3 model. There’s still some room for it to grow—it can’t make emojis like Apple Intelligence, or extrapolate from sketches like Samsung sketch-to-image—but its inclusion is yet another sign at how much AI is getting baked into our daily lives.
Whether audiences will treat these as useful tools or more like novelties is uncertain, especially as AI finally seems to be facing an economic downturn. But expect to see features like these getting headline focus for at least a few more phone generations.
Even if the flashy new apps aren’t doing it for you, Google is also promising smaller improvements to older apps like Magic Editor, using AI to help you frame photos, as well as a new Pixel Weather app that will use AI to summarize the day’s weather for you. These humbler, more intentional choices do leave the company somewhere to go if its bigger AI gambles don’t pay off. Plus, Google is branching out by mimicking the competition, too—a new Call Notes feature will use AI to create transcripts and summaries of your calls, just like iPhones will do later this fall.
How to Buy the Pixel 9
Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt
All models of the Pixel 9 are available for pre-order now, with the base model costing $799, the smaller Pixel 9 Pro costing $999, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL hitting a respectable $1,099. There’s also a new foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which despite its name, is more a continuation of last year’s Pixel Fold. Read all about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold here. The Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro also got upgrades, which you can read about here.
