The new Google Pixel 9 represents a little bit of a departure from its predecessor, providing not only a new look however various spec bumps that inch this cellphone nearer to a “Pro” gadget. Unfortunately, it isn’t fairly there, regardless of Google inflating the value by $100 to match another rivals, but it surely will get shut, providing loads of enjoyable AI options that customers are positive to like (or ignore).
So what’s new with the Pixel 9, how is it totally different from its Pro siblings, and is it value getting over the cheaper Pixel 8? That cellphone was priced nicely at simply $699, however has Google justified the value improve of its newest mannequin?
I’ve spent a few week with the Pixel 9 to this point, so I’ll try and shed some gentle on the matter for the reason that gadget hits retailer cabinets quickly after this evaluation will get revealed. These are simply my preliminary impressions primarily based on my considerably restricted time utilizing the gadget. However, you too can look ahead to a full evaluation after I’ve spent extra time with the cellphone.
Google Pixel 9: Price & availability
The Google Pixel 9 was introduced in early August 2024 throughout the Made by Google 2024 occasion and goes on sale on August 22. The cellphone begins at $799 for the 12GB/128GB variant, whereas the 256GB model is priced at $899. However, you’ll more than likely be capable to discover some compelling Pixel 9 offers for those who store round sufficient.
The cellphone is out there in 4 totally different colours: Peony (pink), Wintergreen (inexperienced), Obsidian (black), and Porcelain (silver/white).
Google will promote the Pixel 9 within the following international locations: U.S., Canada, U.Ok., Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan.
Unlike the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro Fold, which obtain a one-year free trial of Gemini Advanced, the Pixel 9 solely receives a one-month trial in areas the place the provide is out there.
Google Pixel 9: What I like to this point
The Pixel 9 appears to be like fairly totally different from its predecessor, however lots of the principal design cues are nonetheless there. Notably, the digicam visor is now not related to the gadget’s body; it is now a floating digicam bar with an all-aluminum aspect and a rounded cutout for the twin digicam system. In truth, the form of the digicam bar jogs my memory of the Pixel’s slightly massive and bubbly Quick Settings button, which brings an surprising stage of cohesion.
One factor I used to be involved about relating to the brand new Pixel 9 design was the brand new flat design, significantly the body. After utilizing telephones just like the Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy Z Flip 6, I’ve develop into a bit weary of sharp edges as they have an inclination to not play good with my poor finger when dealing with the telephones one-handed. Fortunately, that is not the case right here, because the satin metallic body is surprisingly smooth, and Google gave it a really slight curve the place the body meets the entrance and rear panels, which retains the cellphone from digging into your pinky finger.
I do agree with Android Central’s Phones editor, Nick Sutrich, who stated in his Pixel 9 hands-on the brand new design reminds him of the newest iPhones, at the very least for those who take a look at it from the entrance and the perimeters, however not everybody right here thinks so.
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The cellphone is surprisingly snug to carry. Beyond its smooth body and considerably slick glass panels, the cellphone continues to be pretty small regardless of being a few millimeters bigger than the Pixel 8. Given its dimension, I would not precisely put this among the many greatest small Android telephones, however the 6.3-inch OLED panel is dealt with nicely due to the minimal and uniform bezels. My solely criticism is that regardless of not having the smallest bezels I’ve handled, I discover my finger by chance activating Circle to Search fairly typically. It’s not an enormous annoyance, however one thing to level out for those who allow the characteristic.
The OLED show appears to be like nice, and whereas I usually depart telephones on Natural coloration mode, the Adaptive show mode does not overly saturate colours like I discover on different telephones. You should bear in mind to activate Smooth show to kick as much as the 120Hz refresh price, however when you do, it is easy crusing. The added brightness additionally implies that there needs to be no drawback viewing content material when outdoor. Just be sure to slap on a Pixel 9 display protector, as I’ve already seen some very gentle scratches.
I additionally don’t have any complaints to this point in regards to the new ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which feels quick and correct.
The cellphone has fairly respectable haptics and good audio, which does not shock me. The twin stereo audio system sound very full, with loads of depth and good bass response, whereas the haptics stay fairly delicate when navigating the cellphone or when receiving notifications.
The Tensor G4 chipset is not an enormous improve over its predecessor, however that issues little or no right here. Coupled with 12GB of RAM, the Pixel 9 performs fairly nicely when opening and juggling apps. I believe most individuals shopping for this cellphone shall be happy with its efficiency, particularly in relation to AI duties. I additionally have not seen the cellphone getting too heat when taking part in video games like Honkai: Star Rail or Fall Guys, which is an efficient signal to me, though contact enter does appear ever-so-slightly delayed at occasions.
| Category | Google Pixel 9 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch Actua show, 120Hz AMOLED (60-120Hz), 2400×1080, HDR, 2700 nits, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, 240Hz PWM dimming |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4, Titan M2 safety module |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB |
| Rear digicam 1 | 50MP f/1.68, 1/1.13″ sensor, Octa PDAF, 82-degree FoV, OIS, 4k/60 recording |
| Rear digicam 2 | 48MP f/1.7, 1/2.55″ sensor, 123-degree wide-angle, macro, autofocus, Quad-PD, 4k/60 recording |
| Rear LDAF sensor | Single-zone laser autofocus |
| Front digicam | 10.5MP f/2.2, 95-degree wide-angle, autofocus, 4k/60 recording |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Fifth Generation (mmWave and Sub-6), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, AptX HD, USB-C 3.2, Physical and eSIM, Satellite SOS |
| Ingress Protection | IP68 mud and water resistance |
| Security | In-screen ultrasonic fingerprint module, face unlock |
| Audio | Stereo sound, USB-C |
| Battery | 4700mAh, 27W wired charging, 20W wi-fi charging, 5W reverse wi-fi charging |
| Dimensions | 152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm, 198g |
| Colors | Obsidian, Porcelain, Winter |
| Software help | 7 years of Pixel and OS updates |
My preliminary impression of the Pixel cameras, primarily based on my restricted time with the cellphone to this point, is that they are rattling good. Images are detailed and crisp, and there is a substantial amount of dynamic vary, even in decrease lighting situations. I do discover that photos typically lack that additional punch of vibrancy or saturation that I like, and because of this, typically pictures can seem a bit uninteresting. I’ve additionally seen cases the place the sky would possibly get blown out, however this does not occur too typically. Otherwise, photos have good pure bokeh, and Macro Focus takes it to a different stage by letting you get actually shut.
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One characteristic I have not had a chance to check out an excessive amount of is Add Me, which lets the particular person taking a photograph add themselves to the picture after it has been taken. It’s a really neat characteristic, and I’ve seen some glorious examples that make it look fairly convincing that everybody was within the photograph.
My instance (under) is admittedly a bit totally different from what Google had in thoughts, and at first look, it appears to be like fantastic till you squint and understand one thing’s off. The outcome is not excellent, however with the ability to seize your self twice in the identical body is a really cool impact that I would not be capable to replicate simply utilizing photograph enhancing functions.
For a extra conventional use of Add Me, Sutrich has seen a outcome from the characteristic with him and his household, and you may test it out on his Pixel 9 Pro evaluation. It’s a significantly better instance, however even then, it takes a squint to appreciate one thing’s off and that somebody has primarily been added to the photograph. Still, it is a very cool characteristic that I am unable to wait to check out extra, and I’m simply glad this characteristic is not restricted to the Pro telephones.
Lastly, I’ve been fairly impressed with the battery life to this point. The cellphone simply lasts me till the tip of the day, and I get round seven or eight hours of display time, which is fairly good. Google claims 24+ battery life and even longer with Energy Saver (since that is sort of the way it works), and whereas I have not gotten greater than a day of battery life, I think about it is going to range primarily based in your use.
Google Pixel 9: New AI options
The Pixel 9 helps Gemini Nano with Multimodality, which means it may well deal with some fairly sophisticated stuff. I’ve performed round with just a few of the brand new AI options, and to this point, I’m fairly impressed. Among them, Pixel Studio might be my favourite new app. It’s a text-to-image generator powered by Google’s new Imagen 3 mannequin. It’s fairly simple to make use of, permitting you to enter current photos obtainable within the studio or to create your individual from scratch.
The outcomes are fairly rattling spectacular, and most of the time, they put a smile on my face. The app does fairly nicely in producing clear, high-quality photos, and the outcomes might be spot-on, together with how the app generates textual content like e book or film titles.
Magic Editor additionally has some attention-grabbing new options, like Reimagine, which helps you to change points of a photograph in your gallery by typing a immediate. You can just about utterly remodel a picture with surprisingly good element. The outcomes will not be utterly excellent, however the characteristic feels extra versatile and succesful than what I’ve seen with Samsung’s Sketch to Image characteristic.
Call Notes is a helpful method to document and transcribe calls, and it not solely permits you to replay the recording or search by means of the transcription, however the characteristic additionally summarizes the small print of the decision, in case you simply want to recollect what the gist of the dialog was.
Then there’s Pixel Weather, which is a fantastic app that gives AI-generated experiences of the remainder of your day and what you possibly can count on the next day, full with climate animations. It does a good job of masking the essential factors of the forecast with out overloading you with info, though I can see how some folks would need much more element. That stated, I’m undecided how helpful the AI-generated experiences are, as their principal function appears to be to summarize the data already introduced to you.
Speaking of usefulness, I’m additionally uncertain about how I really feel about Gemini Live and Pixel Screenshots. The former is an attention-grabbing conversational model of Gemini, permitting you to have fairly pure conversations with the chatbot to perhaps present some inspiration or help. It truly sounds surprisingly pure in its responses and seems to grasp my queries nicely, even when they’re multilayered or if I’m seemingly rambling a bit. I requested for some food regimen tricks to obtain my objective weight, and it supplied some sound recommendation. I then adopted up by asking for workout routines that might assist, and it gave equally sound recommendation.
Then, a day later, Gemini Live wasn’t capable of bear in mind the load objective. I gave it only a day prior, so I needed to remind it throughout follow-up queries. Basically, I can see this being a helpful characteristic often when you have got very particular and multi-layered questions, however I already do not use Google Assistant very a lot, so I’m undecided how a lot I’d use Gemini or Gemini Live regularly.
The draw back of Gemini Live is that it is tied to Gemini Advanced, which is locked behind a Google One AI Premium subscription. So, along with paying $100 extra for the cellphone, you now need to dish out an additional $20 a month for one of many extra attention-grabbing options. I am unable to think about many individuals would subscribe simply to make use of Gemini Live, however for those who’re already paying comparable quantities in your Google One subscription, it could be value switching to for the extra perks.
The Pixel Screenshots app feels even much less helpful to me, because it’s merely only a method to search screenshots and create AI summaries of them. My factor is that many of the screenshots I take are of humorous memes or pictures that I discover attention-grabbing, and it is hardly ever something that I ever have to recall. I’m positive some folks will discover it helpful, and I’ll find yourself altering my thoughts as I proceed testing the cellphone, however proper now, it simply feels a bit superfluous.
Google Pixel 9: What I do not care for therefore far
Unfortunately, there are different points of the battery that I’m much less impressed by. The 27W charging is nearly unbearably sluggish, which is one thing that has all the time aggravated me about Pixel telephones. Unlike the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which charged as much as 70% in simply half-hour, the Pixel 9 takes the identical period of time to simply attain 50%, though these figures are primarily based on a 45W Google charger.
I haven’t got a Google 45W charger, and my expertise has been fairly totally different, with the cellphone taking a bit longer to achieve 50% after which having to attend one other hour to get to full when utilizing a 100W charger from Anker. Fortunately, 50% nonetheless lasts you quantity of the day, however wired and wi-fi charging speeds fall behind many different flagship Android telephones with quick charging capabilities.
You additionally will not discover Qi2 wi-fi charging. This is not the tip of the world, and to some, that is truly factor. However, with the recognition of MagSafe circumstances for Android telephones, it is shocking to see Google skip out on the usual that folks clearly need when it has been obtainable for a while now.
Storage can be an issue for the Pixel 9. The base mannequin comes with simply 128GB, which simply appears small for a flagship cellphone in 2024. As such, after organising the Pixel and transferring apps and audio over from my every day driver, the Pixel informed me I had used 92GB, leaving me with about 36GB remaining. As identified by Android Central senior editor Harish Jonnalagadda, there are many mid-range telephones which have double this quantity of storage, so the truth that the three Pixel 9 collection telephones begin with 128GB is a bit ridiculous.
The Pixel 9 additionally lacks a 3rd rear digicam. This turns into significantly clear when in comparison with the Galaxy S24, which can be priced at $799 and sports activities a 3rd lens for 3x telephoto photos. Sure, the Pixel takes fairly good photos with as much as 8x Super Res Zoom, however the lack of a devoted telephoto digicam limits the zoom capabilities when in comparison with the Pixel 9 Pro.
But that is not the one means Google is limiting the Pixel 9 in comparison with the Pixel 9 Pro. Despite sporting the identical Tensor G4 chip and 12GB of RAM, sufficient to deal with on-device AI processing, Google has omitted sure digicam options from the bottom Pixel 9, together with Video Boost, Pro Controls, High-Res pictures, and extra.
It’s unclear why these options usually are not included, and when requested, Google wasn’t capable of present a transparent reply on why there’s such a characteristic disparity, making it appear as if it is simply gatekeeping options for its costlier telephones. It’s a bit unlucky since I do not assume Samsung does the identical factor with the bottom Galaxy S24, and that solely has 8GB of RAM.
Google Pixel 9: The competitors
As the bottom Pixel 9 mannequin, there are just a few different telephones you possibly can contemplate at or under this worth level from firms like Samsung and OnePlus.
The base Galaxy S24 is the closest competitor to the Pixel 9, providing a equally small, principally flat chassis and comparable specs. One main distinction is the presence of a telephoto digicam, one thing the Pixel 9 lacks. On the opposite hand, the Pixel 9 comes with 12GB of RAM, which ought to make it extra succesful in relation to on-device AI processing. It additionally has a bigger battery, which ought to theoretically assist it last more on a single cost. Otherwise, each provide comparable software program guarantees and nice digicam high quality for a similar worth.
The OnePlus 12 is one other equally priced possibility for anybody in search of a flagship. As far as specs go, the cellphone bests the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24 in lots of areas, sporting a bigger battery, a lot sooner charging, and as much as 16GB of RAM. The draw back to getting a OnePlus is that the software program is not for everybody, and help is not as strong. The cellphone additionally is not as waterproof, so you possibly can’t submerge it.
Google Pixel 9: Should you purchase it?
You can buy this if…
- You need a new Google flagship with out spending $1000.
- You need the newest AI options in your cellphone earlier than anybody else.
- You need a number of the greatest cameras available on the market.
You should not purchase this if…
- You personal a Pixel 8.
- You need a cellphone with quick charging capabilities.
- You need a cellphone with a telephoto digicam and Pro digicam controls.
As famous, I’ve solely used the Pixel 9 for a few week, and there is nonetheless a lot that I wish to check out extra totally. However, for the needs of this preliminary evaluation, I believe that the Pixel 9 is a superb cellphone that you need to contemplate buying in your subsequent improve, particularly for those who’re not making an attempt to drop $1000 on a Pixel 9 Pro.
Tensor G4 will not be probably the most highly effective chip available on the market, but it surely’s excellent for the needs of the Pixel and the way Google is positioning this cellphone, particularly when paired with 12GB of RAM. Performance is nice, battery life is nice, and you will not be dissatisfied by its cameras… that’s until you are hoping for a telephoto lens with sturdy zoom capabilities.
Yes, the Pixel 9 nonetheless does not get all of the options you will discover on the Pro telephones, and that is an issue. Plus, one of many extra attention-grabbing options is locked behind a subscription. If you assume you’ll need a few of these lacking options, then you need to spring for the Pro telephones. Otherwise, the Pixel 9 continues to be cellphone, even when it prices $100 greater than its predecessor.
The child Pixel, all grown up
With a brand new design and a brand new chip, the infant Pixel 9 is extra highly effective than ever, capable of simply deal with on-device AI duties equivalent to picture technology, transcription and summaries, and way more. You nonetheless get spectacular cameras and software program to match, letting you reimagine your pictures to take them to the subsequent stage.
