My relationship with Google Pixel phones has been complicated over the years. At their core, these phones have always held a special place with their beautifully animated, friendly, and customizable software. They possess a level of intelligence that borders on magical. However, despite their brilliance, the Pixel series has consistently been marred by significant issues like build quality problems, overheating, signal inconsistencies, inconsistent camera performance, and a general lag behind the competition in terms of speed. These persistent issues have often overshadowed the delightful software experience.
Enter the Pixel 9 Pro and its larger counterpart, the Pixel 9 Pro XL. These new models have a lot to prove. If they succeed, they could very well become my favorite phones ever.
Unboxing and First Impressions:
The Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL come in a sleek, minimalist box. It’s a visually appealing package, but also a sparse one. Inside, you’ll find the phone, a cable, and a SIM ejector tool, nothing more. While this minimalism makes unboxing quick, it’s hard not to wish for a bit more.
But let’s get to the device itself. This is, without a doubt, the best-built Pixel phone to date. When you pick it up, it feels remarkably similar to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, with near-identical dimensions, flat sides with a slight curve, and even the same weight, down to the gram. This similarity is likely no coincidence. Conside. A classic downward spiral where technical shortcomings lead to poor sales, reduced investment, and eventual cancellation. Google’s reputation for axing projects only heightened this concern. However, the significant redesign of the Pixel 9 Pro feels like a reassurance that Google is still committed to its place in the smartphone wars. And the more you use this phone, the more evident it becomes why that commitment matters.
Design and Build Quality:
A quick word on cases: If you’re going to make a phone case, this is how it should be done. The case for the Pixel 9 Pro is addictively soft, resistant to fingerprints and light scratches, and offers a comfortable grip with a gentle swoop around the camera module. Inside, you’ll find a nice felt lining, a metal logo, and metal buttons that match the remaining visible parts of the phone. The fit is perfect, with every cutout exactly centered—a surprising rarity in phone cases.
Beyond aesthetics, the improvements aren’t just skin deep. The Pixel 9 Pro ditches the optical fingerprint scanner in favor of an ultrasonic scanner, which uses sound waves to map the ridges of your fingers. This three-dimensional understanding makes the scanner more reliable, and you can really feel the difference.
Performance and Connectivity:
Signal issues have plagued previous Pixels, but the new Pixel 9 Pro seems to have addressed this. During my regular 2.5-hour trip from Nottingham to London—a route known for its patchy signal—the Pixel consistently maintained a connection, flitting between 4G and 5G with only two brief drops in service. This suggests that the new modem inside the Pixel is doing its job well.
In terms of day-to-day use, the Pixel 9 Pro is flawless. Every single animation is accompanied by a corresponding haptic response, creating a tactile, immersive experience. Plus, I haven’t encountered a single bug, which, while a low bar, makes this the most stable Pixel launch in history.
The battery life, however, is less impressive. The smaller Pro model offers about 6.5 hours of screen-on time, while the XL pushes this to 7 hours. This is less than what Samsung’s top models offer, but it’s still enough for most users. On a positive note, Google seems to have finally solved the overheating problem by incorporating a vapor chamber, a feature competitors have had for ages. This change means the bright, delicious display doesn’t dim after a few minutes in the sun, the camera can record continuously without stuttering, and games don’t slow down dramatically with extended play.
I tested the phone using the 3D Mark Extreme Stress Test and found that while the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s performance dropped to 57% by the end of the test, the Pixel retained 71.7% of its initial performance. However, this isn’t the full story. Despite its better stability, the Pixel starts with a lower performance level, meaning it never actually surpasses the S24 Ultra during the test.
Performance has always been a weak spot for the Pixel, and while Google continues to address this by layering AI enhancements on top, the new Tensor G4 chip still lags behind the competition. Actions on the Pixel still take a fraction of a second longer, whether it’s loading a full-resolution image or launching apps. The phone’s storage speed also contributes to this, with tests revealing that the Pixel is significantly slower in terms of sequential read and write speeds compared to Samsung. This slower storage speed likely explains why the Pixel takes longer to load things.
That said, the Pixel 9 Pro performs better than I expected in some areas. Gaming, for example, was surprisingly smooth. I played Zen Zone Zero, one of the most demanding mobile games, for an hour at maxed-out settings without any issues apart from slightly warm side rails. The combination of the new chip and 16 GB of RAM also drastically speeds up AI tasks, making them about 50% faster than before—a much-needed improvement.
AI Features: Hits and Misses:
The AI features on the Pixel 9 Pro are a mixed bag. While some of the new AI tools feel half-baked, three stand out as genuinely impressive.
First, let’s talk about the much-hyped “Add Me” feature. This tool allows you to take separate shots of people and then merge them into one group photo. While technically impressive, I don’t see myself using it often. In most cases, it’s easier to ask someone else to take the photo, avoiding the fiddly process of taking separate shots and the risk of an AI-generated image not turning out as expected. Plus, there’s something to be said for capturing a real moment with all its imperfections.
The new Pixel Studio app, which generates images from scratch based on prompts, also falls short. It’s not particularly groundbreaking compared to existing tools and is hampered by the need for Wi-Fi, despite supposedly running on the device. When it comes to editing photos, the app is limited and frustrating to use, with a dysfunctional selection tool and features that feel outdated—like adding captions or stickers.
Then there’s the new assistant, Gemini. It’s smarter than the traditional Google Assistant but also has limitations in interacting with apps and performing basic tasks. This puts users in a clumsy middle ground where they have to switch between Gemini and the old Assistant depending on what they want to do, making the whole experience feel like a beta test.
However, there’s one AI feature that truly impressed me: the Magic Editor. This tool allows you to zoom out of a photo that’s already been taken, and the results are astounding. For example, I used it on a photo with a wooden beam at the top and an extra step below, and the editor not only extended the beam and added the step but also adjusted the thinning trees to reveal more of the sky. While the concept isn’t new, the execution is remarkably convincing, allowing you to reimagine photos in powerful ways. I even managed to change my cat into a dog with it—a jaw-dropping moment, to say the least. The only downside is that this feature doesn’t work on photos of people, which limits its usefulness.
The Pixel 9 Pro also introduces a new screenshots app, which, while not drastically different from what most phones already offer, is a welcome addition. It allows you to manage screenshots separately from your gallery and uses AI to understand the content of your screenshots, making them easier to find based on vague descriptions.
Gemini Live, however, is the standout AI feature. It’s a more free-flowing, conversational AI that you can talk to in a way that feels almost human. There are no trigger words or buttons; you simply speak, and the AI responds, adjusting its volume to listen when you’re talking. It’s a powerful tool that acts like a live sounding board. For example, I was debating between an Android phone and an iPhone, and after a brief conversation, the AI helped me plan a complete Pokémon-themed dinner, including a salad to represent grass types and a spicy curry for fire types.
Camera Performance:
The rear camera setup on the Pixel 9 Pro is nearly identical to last year’s model: a 50 MP main camera, a 48 MP ultra-wide, and a 48 MP five-times optical zoom. As a result, the base quality of photos hasn’t changed much. You can expect good color reproduction, strong handling of high dynamic range scenarios, and detail levels comparable to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, the night mode is still a bit softer than Samsung’s, and the portrait mode leaves something to be desired, with edge detection that falls behind the competition.
Unfortunately, some of last year’s frustrations persist. Zooming in and out is still laggy, making the camera feel unpolished. The camera preview can get grainy even if the final photos are not. The transition between lenses is jumpy, and there are strange
