Design: The Pinnacle of Pixel

The Pixel 9 Pro is a new model in the Pixel family. Last year's options included the smaller, lower-cost, and less-capable Pixel 8 along with the larger, pricier, full-featured Pixel 8 Pro, which was effectively the Pixel 8 Pro XL. The Pixel 9 Pro slots between the $799 Pixel 9 and the $1,099 Pixel 9 Pro XL. Google says it wanted to offer a version of the Pixel that has all the power of the top model but in a smaller form factor.

The simplicity of Google's design philosophy has given way to an increase in elegance. The Pixel 9 Pro is as finely crafted as the other Pixel 9 models, with great attention to detail. Google has simplified the camera module from a long bar to a shorter pill shape, modernizing the lineup to better compete with the design of other top-tier phones. These are the best phones Google has designed, and it shows. Available in Hazel (gray/green), Obsidian (black), Porcelain (white), or Rose Quartz, the phone looks attractive no matter what shade you choose. The 9 Pro is comfortable to hold and use thanks to the frame's rounded edges and seamless transition between materials.

The 9 Pro measures 6.0 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 7.0 ounces, which are the same dimensions and weight as the Pixel 9, but smaller than the 6.4 by 3.0 by 0.3 inches and 7.8 ounces of the Pro XL. Comparatively, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro ($999) is smaller at 5.8 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches and 6.6 ounces, while the Samsung Galaxy S24+ ($999) is taller and wider at 6.2 by 3.0 by 0.3 inches, but barely lighter at 6.95 ounces.

The frame is made of polished aluminum, while the back panel is matte for contrast. Google applies the same look to the camera module, with reflective edges and a matte finish surrounding the triple camera array. A power button and volume rocker are located on the right side of the phone; these buttons are clicky, with a comfortable amount of travel. The bottom edge contains a down-firing speaker, a USB-C (v3.2) port, and a SIM tray that houses one physical SIM. The phone also supports one eSIM. Otherwise, the remainder of the frame is bare save for antenna lines and mic holes.

As for durability, the Pixel 9 Pro is rated IP68, meaning it is protected against dust and fresh water. This rating matches those of the iPhone 15 Pro and the Galaxy S24+ (and the other Pixel 9s).

Uniform bezels frame the display, and the front-facing camera is visible between the screen and the aluminum frame. Google has upgraded its Face Unlock feature, which uses the front camera, and it is now secure enough to be used with banking and finance apps. An ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is located under the display. Both of these biometric options worked reliably in testing.

The Pixel 9 Pro shares every design detail with the 9 Pro XL except size and weight. If the smaller build of the 9 Pro isn't quite enough phone for you, you may enjoy the larger footprint of the 9 Pro XL. While the Pixel 9 shares the same size as the 9 Pro, it is available in a slightly different selection of colors and drops several features to reach its lower price. The 9 Pro just might be the Goldilocks option for many.

Display: Bright and Clear

The 9 Pro features a radiant 6.3-inch OLED display with 2,856 by 1,280 pixels and a density of 495ppi. Everything on the screen is crisp and sharp. The brightness is quite good at 2,000 nits (typ) and 3,000 nits (peak). This means the screen is visible even in harsh lighting conditions like outdoor sunlight. It has a variable refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz to balance power efficiency and performance.

The 9 Pro XL's display is larger at 6.8 inches and has a resolution of 2,992 by 1,344 pixels. Otherwise, the larger phone shares the same display specs and performance. The Pixel 9 also has a 6.3-inch screen, but it has a resolution of 2,424 by 1,080 pixels at a density of 422ppi and a refresh rate that ranges from 60Hz to 120Hz.

The iPhone 15 Pro has a smaller screen at 6.1 inches at a resolution of 2,556 by 1,179 pixels at 460ppi, while the Galaxy S24+ has a somewhat larger 6.7-inch panel with 3,120 by 1,440 pixels at 513ppi.

Performance: A Reliable Workhorse

Google's Tensor G4 processor and Titan M2 coprocessor power the Pixel 9 Pro, the same as the other two Pixel 9 devices. The model we tested came with 16GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Stepped-up models with more storage include 256GB for $1,099, 512GB for $1,219, and 1TB for $1,449. While the base iPhone 15 Pro and Galaxy S24+ also feature 128GB of storage, we think this simply isn't enough internal storage at these price points.

The Tensor family of processors has historically not fared well on artificial benchmarks; it is tuned more for machine learning and AI applications. Google says the G4 makes app launches 17% faster and web browsing up to 20% quicker than last year's Pixels. Overall, the 9 Pro easily handled everything we threw at it. Apps launched quickly, response times were speed, and multitasking was seamless.

The Pixel 9 Pro would not run some of our standard benchmarks, like Geekbench 6, though we were able to sideload PCMark and GFXBench.

On the PCMark Work 3.0 test, the Pixel 9 Pro scored 13,049, which is a little better than the Pixel 9 Pro XL (12,634) and noticeably better than the Pixel 9 (10,468). The Galaxy S24+ and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy is on another level, reaching 18,776 on the same test.

To gauge graphics performance, we ran the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test at 1440p, and the 9 Pro reached 43 frames per second (fps), which is the same as the 9 Pro XL and a notch higher than the Pixel 9 (41fps). Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24+ fared better than the rest at 58fps.

Benchmarks are not the full story. The resource-intensive game Genshin Impact played smoothly at the highest graphics settings, with fluid animations and no slowdown. The back of the device became lukewarm but remained comfortable. The Pixel line has long lagged competitors in benchmarks while delivering solid everyday performance, so benchmark numbers shouldn't be a major deterrent.

Battery Life: The Longest-Lasting Pixel

The Pixel 9 Pro packs a 4,700mAh battery, the same as the Pixel 9. In our battery test, in which we stream HD video over Wi-Fi while the screen is set to full brightness, the Pixel 9 Pro lasted an outstanding 17 hours and 25 minutes. For comparison, the Pixel 9 reached 11 hours and 45 minutes, while the 9 Pro XL and its 5,060mAh cell lasted 12 hours and 25 minutes. The iPhone 15, with its 3,274mAh battery, managed 16 hours and 45 minutes, while the 4,900mAh Samsung S24+ lasted 14 hours and 10 minutes. No matter what you compare it with, the Pixel 9 Pro's battery life is impressive.

Wired charging tops out at 27W, but there's no charger in the box. Wireless charging reaches 12W using a standard Qi charger or 21W using the optional second-generation Pixel Stand. The Pixel 9 Pro also features reverse wireless charging. For comparison, the iPhone 15 charges at 20W wired, and the S24+ peaks at 45W wired.

Using a fast charger, charging the 9 Pro from 0% to 100% took approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. A 15-minute charge session brought the phone up to 27%, while 30 minutes yielded a 55% charge.

Connectivity: Fast 5G and Wi-Fi

All Pixel 9 phones support 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. These are on par with other flagship phones sold in the US, and the phone should work well on all three major carriers.

On T-Mobile's 5G UC network in New York City, the Pixel 9 Pro achieved a download speed of 686Mbps and an upload speed of 96.1Mbps. In comparison, a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 managed 596Mbps down and 32.7Mbps up when tested on T-Mobile in the same spot.

When connected to a Wi-Fi 6 router at close range, the Pixel 9 Pro reached 449Mbps down and 16.0Mbps up. The Z Fold 6 performed similarly, with a download speed of 456Mbps and an upload speed of 13.6Mbps. When I took both phones to the edge of the Wi-Fi network's range, the Pixel 9 Pro remained fast, with a download speed of 321Mbps and an upload speed of 11.7Mbps. The Z Fold 6 registered slightly slower speeds at 306Mbps down and 9.80Mbps up. Overall, the 9 Pro's wireless performance is superb.

Call quality is good. In a voicemail test, my voice sounded clear and understandable. When I played loud background music, the noise was entirely absent in the recording, and my voice remained consistent. For calls, the earpiece speaker reached a maximum of 69.9dB while the speakerphone was a drop quieter at 69.7dB. I find volumes around or above 70dB to be easily audible in noisy areas, so the Pixel is right on the edge.

Audio for media is played through two speakers: the earpiece and the down-firing speaker. When I played Metallica's "Enter Sandman," the Pixel 9 Pro reached 98.1dB, which can easily fill a small room. Low bass notes like those in The Knife's "Silent Shout" aren't easy to discern, however, so I suggest getting a pair of Bluetooth headphones to experience fuller audio.

Cameras: Moving Pixel Photography Forward

The Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL feature the same camera setup. Both have a 50MP main shooter with an aperture of f/1.6 and an 82-degree field of view, a 48MP f/1.7 ultra-wide camera with a 123-degree field of view, and a 48MP telephoto camera at f/2.8 and a 22-degree field of view. The telephoto camera supports 5x optical zoom and 30x Super Res Zoom. The main and ultra-wide cameras also have optical image stabilization (OIS). The Pixel 9 includes the same main and ultra-wide cameras, though it drops the telephoto camera.

Overall, the Pixel 9 Pro delivers exceptional photos with natural colors, just like the 9 Pro XL. Details are crisp, and image quality is maintained across all of its cameras.

By default, the 50MP main camera produces 12.5MP images. You can change this by going into the Pro settings, which also provide you with manual control over parameters like focus and shutter speed. 12.5MP images feature slightly richer colors, while 50MP shots preserve more detail. However, it's a small trade-off as images look nearly identical, and you have to examine closely to really see the differences.

The 48MP ultra-wide camera delivers the same quality images as the main shooter. By default, it produces 12.5MP images. Interestingly, full-resolution images are upscaled to 50MP. Google says this is to mirror the main camera. Distortion correction is applied to final images; it is good at straightening out inanimate objects, but barrel distortion is noticeable when the subject is a person or a pet.

The 48MP telephoto camera follows the ultra-wide's lead with 12.5MP images by default and upscaled 50MP pictures. Colors are excellent, with well-preserved details. Focusing on distant objects is a snap thanks to the long reach of both the optical and hybrid zoom.

Google has significantly upgraded the front-facing camera to a 42MP f/f.2 shooter with a 103-degree field of view. Images show realistic color, with shadows appearing slightly darker than in reality. The portrait effect typically produces a natural-looking bokeh, though it sometimes blurs out the wrong areas, like glasses.

Low-light photography remains a strong point for the Pixel series. In a nearly pitch-black room, the Pixel 9 Pro captured colors that the eye could not see, though those colors were on the splotchy side.

Video capture reaches 4K60 for both the rear and front cameras. All the footage I shot had accurate color with sharp details. Rear camera footage appeared smooth, removing any shakiness and reaching gimbal-like stability thanks to OIS. Selfie camera footage showed more hand movement, but video stability was solid. The Pro and Pro XL both support a cloud-based tool called Video Boost, wherein Google will upscale your 4K60 footage to 8K30. The Pixel 9 doesn't support this feature.

Both Pixel Pro phones share the same suite of AI photography tools. For an in-depth look at each feature, see my Pixel 9 Pro XL review. Here, I'll provide a general overview.

Add Me is a new feature in the camera app that allows the photographer to join the group photo. When activated, the app provides detailed instructions on how to take the photos. Add Me then places you into the picture after taking two separate shots. The resulting images are impressive, creating a realistic-looking group shot without any visible inconsistencies in the background.

Magic Editor includes some new features. As the name implies, Auto Frame can automatically reframe an existing image. Sometimes, it zooms in, and other times, it zooms out and then relies on AI to fill in unphotographed areas. As with a lot of generative AI images, some weirdness can appear.

Reimagine is another new feature within Magic Editor. It lets you select an area within a photo and then change or add to it by writing a prompt. In the example below, I put myself in a mountainous landscape. It is impressive how Magic Editor preserves fine details like hair while generating and merging the background behind it.

All of these features are available on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL as well.

Software: Hello, Gemini

Every Pixel 9 device runs Android 14, and Google promises seven years of OS updates, security patches, and feature drops. Samsung also offers a seven-year support window for its premium devices like the Galaxy S24 series. Usually, Google ships the Pixel with the latest version of Android; with Android 15 ready to launch, the choice to ship with Android 14 instead is a bit confusing.

Gemini is at the heart of the Pixel 9 Pro experience. This AI assistant can handle long, complex conversations and keeps a memory of each individual session. The conversations are transcribed and organized within the Gemini app. Thanks to extensions, Gemini can hook into Google Assistant to execute smart home commands.

Unfortunately, Gemini doesn't have a persistent memory from one session to another. There is no ability to search through conversations in the Gemini app, either, which seems like a missed opportunity. Further, Gemini requires an internet connection to operate. Google Assistant, also on board the Pixel 9 Pro, does not need to be online to work. The fact that these two assistants have different feature sets can be frustrating at times.

Google preinstalls two apps on the Pixel 9 Pro: Pixel Studio and Pixel Screenshots. Pixel Studio generates images through a prompt. Below is an example of a dynamic labrador dressed as a superhero flying over a city. The image on the left is in a Video Game style, and the one on the right is in a Cinematic style.

Pixel Screenshots is a new organizational tool that takes your screenshots, analyzes them, and annotates the images to better identify the contents. Its search function is impressive, and it often finds things that Google Lens misses. Screenshots are also still available in Google Photos.

Gemini Live allows you to hold an ongoing voice conversation with Gemini. Conversations feel natural, and Gemini Live handles interruptions well. Unfortunately, it cannot access extensions, so smart home commands will not work here.

Gemini Live is a part of Gemini Advanced, which is behind a paywall that costs $19.99 per month. Gemini Advanced cannot be added to any other existing plan. On the plus side, Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL buyers receive one year of Gemini Advanced for free, but Pixel 9 buyers do not.