I checked every Pixel smartphone since the brand’s launch in 2016, and something about the Pixel 9 series makes me think of Google’s latest hardware as all adults. It’s impossible to point to a single new feature as the cause of this feeling. Rather, it’s a series of changes that have taken place over the past three years – ever since the company started packing its own Tensor processors into these phones to power its forward-looking software.
The combination of sophisticated hardware, beefy internals, and helpful software has produced a handset that rivals what you get from manufacturers like Samsung and Apple. All that elegance comes at a price, though. At $799 for the Pixel 9, $999 for the Pixel 9 Pro, and $1,099 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL, these are some of the most expensive Pixels yet. Here’s your regular reminder that you can get excellent smartphones for under $500 (including Google-made devices like the Pixel 8A).
But for anyone who doesn’t mind spending money on the most important tech device in their life, the Pixel 9 series offers some of the best mobile camera experiences money can buy. The Pixel 9 also serves as an exciting window into the AI-fication of our personal technology – whether you want it or not.
The telephone stuff
The sophisticated design adds to the Pixel 9’s polish. The iconic camera visor that’s been a staple since the Pixel 6 is still there, but in a sleeker pill-shaped design. Don’t worry, it still screams “Pixel.” It’s hard to mistake this phone for anything else, especially if you go for the lovely pink tones. (I appreciate that the fun color isn’t limited to the “non-Pro” model, like other brands and models of phones are.)
Photo: Julian Chokkattu
I don’t find the camera bulge excessive or ugly; the phones don’t wobble when laid flat on a table, and that’s a huge plus. I like the flat display and edges. The squared-off design feels better in the hand, and your grip doesn’t get in the way of the touchscreen like it does on smartphones with “waterfall” displays that curve toward the sides where your fingers cup the phone’s body. Just know that the Pro phones have glossy edges that attract fingerprints, so you’ll have to wipe them down frequently. (Just me?)
Speaking of fingerprints, Google has equipped these models with an ultrasonic in-display scanner that’s far more reliable than the optical fingerprint sensors it’s used on Pixels for years, finally reaching the quality of other Android phones. On the other hand, Pixels are still among the few Android phones with secure face scanning, so it’s great that you have both biometric options, although I would have liked to see improvements to make face unlock work better in the dark.
Choice is also a big indication of the maturity of a product line. For the first time, you get a choice of sizes for the Pixel 9 Pro – 6.3 inches or 6.8 inches for the XL – so you no longer have to feel like you’re sacrificing features just because you prefer smaller phones. Even though I have big paws, I prefer the size and feel of the Pixel 9 Pro. Nice and compact.
