Google's latest flagship smartphone, the Pixel 9, has arrived with a focus on artificial intelligence and improved battery life, but also a higher price tag that may give some potential buyers pause.
The Pixel 9 sports a refined design with a new pill-shaped camera bar and flattened edges reminiscent of recent iPhones. Its 6.3-inch OLED display offers vibrant colors and a peak brightness of 2,700 nits, making it easily visible outdoors. Under the hood, Google's custom Tensor G4 chip powers the device, with a focus on AI capabilities rather than raw performance.
Key specifications and features:
- 6.3-inch 1080 x 2424 OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Tensor G4 chip with 12GB RAM
- 50MP main camera, 48MP ultrawide camera
- 4,700 mAh battery
- Android 14 with 7 years of software updates
- Starting price of $799
While benchmarks show the Tensor G4 lagging behind competitors like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Apple's A17 Pro, Google has prioritized AI performance. New features like Magic Editor, Add Me, and Gemini Assistant showcase the Pixel 9's AI chops, though some reviewers found inconsistencies in their functionality.
The camera system continues to be a strong point for the Pixel line. The main 50MP sensor captures detailed, vibrant images, while the new 48MP ultrawide lens offers improved low-light performance. However, the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens may disappoint some users, especially given the $799 starting price.
Perhaps the most significant improvement comes in battery life. The Pixel 9 lasted over 13 hours in standardized testing, a massive 4-hour increase over its predecessor. This addresses a long-standing weakness in the Pixel lineup.
The $100 price increase from last year's Pixel 8 is a potential sticking point. While the Pixel 9 offers more RAM, a brighter display, and new AI features, it faces stiff competition from devices like the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S24 at the same price point.
Ultimately, the Pixel 9 represents Google's vision for an AI-first smartphone. For users deeply invested in the Google ecosystem or those intrigued by cutting-edge AI features, it's a compelling option. However, those prioritizing raw performance or seeking the best value may want to consider alternatives.
The Google Pixel 9 is available now, starting at $799 for the 128GB model.
Update: Wednesday August 21 17:16
Google has also released a higher-end model, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which features a larger 6.8-inch OLED display with a peak brightness of 2,469 nits. This model includes a triple rear camera system with a 48MP telephoto lens, addressing the lack of a dedicated telephoto camera in the standard Pixel 9. The Pro XL model also supports 8K video recording and introduces enhanced video features like Video Boost and cinematic Pan and Blur effects. Priced at $1,099 for the 128GB model, the Pixel 9 Pro XL aims to compete directly with premium offerings from Apple and Samsung, showcasing Google's most refined hardware to date alongside its advanced AI capabilities.
Update: Thursday August 22 10:34
The Pixel 9 series introduces several notable features beyond what was mentioned in the main article. These include native USB-C display output support, allowing users to easily mirror their phone's screen to external displays. The Find My Device functionality has been enhanced to locate phones even when powered off, thanks to specialized hardware. Additionally, the Pixel Recorder app now supports transcription of recordings up to 41 minutes long, a significant improvement over the previous 15-minute limit. These features, along with the hardware improvements in the Tensor G4 chip, further solidify the Pixel 9's position as an AI-focused smartphone with practical enhancements for everyday use.
Update: Thursday August 22 11:17
While the Pixel 9 series offers impressive features like excellent cameras, beautiful displays, and long-term software support, some concerns have emerged. The charging speeds are relatively slow, with the base model limited to 27W and the Pro XL maxing out at 37W, lagging behind many competing Android flagships. Additionally, there are potential performance concerns, as Google appears to be restricting access to popular benchmarking apps on Pixel 9 devices. This has led to speculation about the capabilities of the new Tensor G4 chip compared to competitors. These limitations in charging and performance may give some potential buyers pause when considering the Pixel 9 series.
Update: Thursday August 22 12:00
To protect and power your Pixel 9, a range of accessories are available. For rugged protection, cases like the UAG Pathfinder, Poetic Revolution, dbrand Grip, and Spigen Rugged Armor offer varying levels of drop protection and features such as built-in kickstands and customizable skins. For charging, options include the compact Anker Nano II 30W, the multi-device Satechi Charging Station, the affordable Amazon Basics 36W Charger, the portable Baseus Power Bank, and the Anker Car Charger for on-the-go power. These accessories complement the Pixel 9's features, ensuring it stays protected and charged for various lifestyles and usage patterns.
Update: Thursday August 22 13:00
The Pixel 9 Pro introduces a more compact model alongside the larger version, addressing user demand for high-end features in a smaller form factor. The redesigned camera bar is smaller and more circular, contributing to a refined aesthetic. While camera hardware specs remain similar to the previous generation, improved autofocus and processing yield impressive results, particularly in low-light conditions. The selfie camera sees a significant upgrade to 42MP. However, the new AI features, including Add Me and Pixel Studio, show promise but feel unpolished. The Gemini Assistant, while more context-aware, struggles with some basic tasks. Performance-wise, the Tensor G4 chip lags behind competitors in benchmarks and demanding applications, potentially leading to hiccups or overheating issues.
Update: Thursday August 22 15:16
The Pixel 9 series continues to use UFS 3.1 storage across all models, even as competitors move to faster UFS 4.0 technology. While UFS 4.0 can achieve sequential read/write speeds up to 2-3 times faster than UFS 3.1, the real-world impact for everyday smartphone tasks is less significant. Random read speeds are only about 30% faster on UFS 4.0, and loading a typical 200MB app would be roughly 1 second quicker. UFS 3.1 is still capable of handling 8K video recording. However, UFS 4.0 is more power-efficient and may offer better long-term reliability. For most users, UFS 3.1 storage is unlikely to be a deal-breaker, but some may feel Google should match competitors at this price point. The entry-level 128GB storage capacity could be a more significant limitation for power users than the slight speed difference between UFS 3.1 and 4.0.
Update: Thursday August 22 17:15
The Pixel 9's AI-powered photo editing capabilities, particularly the Magic Editor tool, have sparked debate in the tech community. While these features allow for impressive and easy photo manipulation, concerns have been raised about their potential misuse and impact on the trustworthiness of digital images. Critics argue that the ease of creating convincing fake images could undermine the long-standing trust in photography as reliable evidence. Google claims to have implemented safeguards, but some experts believe these measures may be insufficient to prevent widespread misinformation. Additionally, the Pixel 9's design choices, including thicker bezels and increased weight (198g compared to iPhone 15 Pro's 187g and Galaxy S24's 167g), may impact its appeal to users seeking a more compact flagship device.
 |
|---|
| The Pixel 9 captures stunning images even in low light, showcasing its advanced camera capabilities |
Update: Thursday August 22 21:53
The Pixel 9's camera system has received top marks from DxOMark, ranking #1 in the premium smartphone segment ($600-$800 range) with a total score of 154. This outperforms last year's Pixel 8 and iPhone 15, despite lacking a dedicated telephoto lens. The device's camera performance closely aligns with its pricier sibling, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, thanks to shared main camera hardware. The Add Me function, powered by AI, allows users to seamlessly insert themselves into group photos after the fact, showcasing the potential for AI to enhance everyday photography. Additionally, the Pixel 9 comes with Gemini, Google's advanced chatbot, pre-installed, enabling users to engage in real-time conversations with Gemini Live (requires a Google One AI Premium plan, included free with Pixel 9 purchase).
