The Google Pixel 9 has arrived, but its debut has been somewhat overshadowed by the buzz surrounding the upcoming Pixel 9 Pro—a dedicated compact flagship. This has left many potential buyers wondering if the Pixel 9 is worth considering or if they should hold out for the Pixel 9 Pro. In this review, we’ll dive into the features, performance, and overall value of the Pixel 9 to help you make an informed decision.
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Design and Build Quality
The Pixel 9 continues the tradition of the vanilla Pixel series, known for its clean design, robust build quality, and a pure Google software experience. However, this year’s model brings some significant changes, especially in terms of size and design. The Pixel 9 is notably larger and heavier than its predecessor, the Pixel 8. The increase in size might be a downside for those who loved the compact form factor of previous models, but it also means a bigger display and a larger battery, which we’ll discuss in detail later.
One of the most noticeable design changes is the shift to a flat back and a flat aluminum frame, which gives the Pixel 9 a tangible iPhone-like vibe. The back is made of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, providing durability and a glossy finish, though it is a fingerprint magnet. The camera bump has also been redesigned; it’s still horizontal but no longer extends across the width of the phone. Instead, it adopts a more refined oval shape, giving the Pixel 9 a sleeker look.
Despite the changes, the Pixel 9 retains the IP68 certification for dust and water resistance, ensuring it can withstand everyday mishaps without issue. Overall, the Pixel 9 offers a premium design and build quality, albeit with a shift towards a larger, more robust form factor.
Display: Brighter and Better
The Pixel 9 features a 6.3-inch OLED display, slightly larger than the Pixel 8’s 6.1-inch screen. This increase in size comes with a 1080p resolution and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, ensuring durability and clarity. The display also supports a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes for smooth scrolling and fluid animations. However, it lacks the LTPO technology found in the Pro models, which means the refresh rate can only toggle between 120Hz and 60Hz, rather than dynamically adjusting based on content.
One of the standout features of the Pixel 9’s display is its brightness. We measured a peak brightness of 1,200 nits under manual adjustment, and an incredible 2,200 nits with auto-brightness enabled. This makes the Pixel 9 one of the brightest smartphones on the market, making it easy to use even in direct sunlight. The display is also sharp, with a pixel density of 422 PPI, and supports HDR10+ for enhanced video playback. Additionally, the Pixel 9 can display Ultra HDR-compliant images, offering boosted highlights and richer colors.
Audio: Solid Stereo Speakers
The Pixel 9 is equipped with a stereo speaker setup that delivers a very good level of loudness. While the overall sound quality is decent, with clear vocals and highs, the low end is a bit lacking. This is a common issue with many smartphones, and while the Pixel 9’s speakers are good enough for most uses, audiophiles might find them a bit underwhelming.
Performance:
Under the hood, the Pixel 9 is powered by Google’s in-house Tensor G4 chipset. This chipset brings a new CPU design and a slightly higher clock speed for the GPU compared to its predecessor, the Tensor G3. However, the TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) for AI tasks remains unchanged from last year. While we weren’t able to run performance benchmarks at the time of this review, based on the specs and past experience with Tensor chips, we expect the Pixel 9 to offer solid performance, though it may fall short of other flagship smartphones that use the top-tier Snapdragon chipsets.
In day-to-day use, the Pixel 9 performs well. The interface is smooth, and apps and games run without hiccups. However, it’s worth noting that while the Tensor G4 is a capable chipset, it doesn’t quite match the raw power of the latest Snapdragon processors. This may be a consideration for power users or gamers looking for the absolute best performance.
Software:
The Pixel 9 runs on Android 14, offering Google’s vision of the Android software experience. Unlike previous Pixel releases, which typically debuted with a new version of Android, the Pixel 9 sticks with Android 14 as Android 15 hasn’t been released yet. That said, Google has packed the Pixel 9 with plenty of AI features that enhance the overall user experience.
One of the key AI-driven features is Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, which can understand and respond to natural language questions in over 100 languages. While it’s good at understanding context, the accuracy of its answers can vary, much like other AI tools currently available. Another useful feature is the Pixel Studio, which allows users to create AI-generated images and designs, providing creative flexibility right from your smartphone.
Google has also introduced a new feature called Magic Editor within Google Photos. This tool offers various editing options, including the ability to replace faces or objects with better versions taken from other shots. Another interesting addition is the “Add Me” feature in the camera app, which lets you combine people from separate shots into a single group photo or even clone yourself if desired.
Furthermore, the Pixel 9 comes with satellite SOS support, though this feature is currently limited to users in the United States. Google also promises 7 years of software support for the Pixel 9, ensuring it will receive updates and security patches for a long time. Plus, you can rely on spare parts during that time should anything happen to your Pixel 9.
Battery Life and Charging:
The Pixel 9 is equipped with a 4,700 mAh battery, a slight increase from the 4,575 mAh battery in the Pixel 8. This improvement translates to a significant boost in battery life. In our tests, the Pixel 9 achieved an active use score of 13 hours and 5 minutes, outperforming its predecessor. This means you can easily get through a full day of heavy use without needing to reach for a charger.
However, charging speeds remain a weak point for the Pixel 9. It supports up to 27W charging, but there’s no charger included in the box, which has become the norm for many flagship smartphones. With a compatible adapter, we were able to charge the phone from 0% to 55% in 30 minutes, and a full charge took 1 hour and 25 minutes. While this is in line with what the Pixel 8 offered, it’s far from impressive, especially when compared to some of the faster-charging options available on the market.
The Pixel 9 also supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, adding some convenience for those who prefer cable-free charging.
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Camera:
Google’s Pixel phones are renowned for their camera prowess, and the Pixel 9 is no exception. It features a 50MP main camera and a 48MP ultra-wide camera, both with autofocus. This setup is similar to what you get on the Pro models, minus the telephoto lens. However, the Pixel 9 does lack some of the more advanced features found in the Pro models, such as multi-zone autofocus and a Pro mode in the camera interface.
In terms of photo quality, the Pixel 9’s main camera delivers excellent results. Daytime shots are detailed and sharp, with well-judged sharpening and minimal pixelation. The images exhibit the high contrast and highlight preservation that Pixel cameras are known for, and the colors are vibrant and true to life. Shots of people look particularly good, with natural skin tones and pleasant rendering.
Without a dedicated telephoto lens, the Pixel 9 relies on digital zoom from the main camera for close-up shots. While this results in a bit less detail, the overall quality remains acceptable, especially for casual photography. In low light, the main camera continues to impress, capturing detailed images with good exposure and color saturation. However, shadows can be a bit soft, and the dynamic range isn’t as wide as some competitors.
The new 48MP ultra-wide camera also performs well, delivering sharp images with good dynamic range and color reproduction. Thanks to its autofocus capability, the ultra-wide camera can double as a macro shooter, capturing extreme close-ups with impressive detail. In low light, the ultra-wide camera holds up well, producing bright images with decent sharpness and accurate colors.
Selfies on the Pixel 9 are equally impressive. The addition of autofocus allows for more flexibility in framing and capturing different perspectives. The 13MP front-facing camera produces detailed and well-exposed selfies with lively colors and accurate skin tones, making it a great choice for social media enthusiasts.
When it comes to video recording, the Pixel 9 can shoot in up to 4K at 60fps with all of its cameras. However, it lacks 8K recording, which is available on the Pro models. The video quality is solid, with plenty of contrast and vibrant colors, but the detail falls short of what we’d expect from a flagship device. Low-light videos are decent, with good dynamic range and accurate colors, but the footage can be a bit soft.
On the bright side, the electronic video stabilization on the Pixel 9 is excellent, smoothing out walking shake and panning movements for more professional-looking footage.
Pros:
- Excellent Build Quality: The Pixel 9 features a robust, premium design with IP68 certification, ensuring durability against dust and water.
- Brilliant Display: The 6.3-inch OLED display with a peak brightness of 2,200 nits is one of the brightest and most vibrant on the market, making it a joy to use in all lighting conditions.
- Long Battery Life: With a 4,700 mAh battery, the Pixel 9 offers improved endurance, easily lasting a full day of heavy usage.
- Impressive Cameras: The main and ultra-wide cameras deliver high-quality photos with vibrant colors, good detail, and accurate exposure, continuing the Pixel’s reputation for excellent photography.
- Google’s AI Features: The Pixel 9 comes loaded with useful AI features, including Gemini, Magic Editor, and Pixel Studio, enhancing both everyday usability and creative potential.
- Software Longevity: A promise of 7 years of software updates makes the Pixel 9 a future-proof choice for those who value long-term support.
Cons:
- Heavier and Larger: The increase in size and weight may deter fans of the compact form factor seen in earlier Pixel models.
- Slow Charging: Despite improvements, the charging speeds are still slower compared to other smartphones in its class, with a full charge taking over an hour.
- Lack of Telephoto Lens: The absence of a dedicated telephoto lens limits zoom capabilities, making it less versatile than the Pixel 9 Pro for photography enthusiasts.
- Limited Performance: While the Tensor G4 chipset offers good day-to-day performance, it doesn’t quite match the raw power of the latest Snapdragon or Apple A-series chips, which might be a consideration for power users and gamers.
- No 8K Video Recording: The lack of 8K video recording might disappoint content creators looking for the highest video resolution available.
Final Thoughts
The Google Pixel 9 is a strong contender in the smartphone market, especially for those who appreciate the seamless integration of hardware and software that Google offers. Its excellent display, long-lasting battery, and top-tier camera capabilities make it a great choice for most users. However, the Pixel 9 does have some limitations that might push certain buyers towards the more feature-rich Pixel 9 Pro or other flagship models.
Ultimately, the Pixel 9 is an ideal smartphone for those who value a high-quality camera experience, a clean Android interface, and Google’s unique AI enhancements, all wrapped up in a solidly built device. For users who can live without the latest in raw processing power or ultra-fast charging, the Pixel 9 represents a balanced and capable choice, worthy of consideration in the competitive landscape of 2024 smartphones.
