Our Verdict
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is full of AI gimmicks, but that doesn’t make it any less of an impressive handset. Boasting a wonderful display, brilliant cameras, and decent battery life, the Pixel 9 Pro XL only disappoints in minor ways.
- Great display
- Brilliant cameras
- Some useful AI features
- UFS 3.1
- Tensor G4 isn’t as good as other chips
- Higher price than last year
I won’t lie and say I’ve always loved Google Pixel. It’s quite the opposite, as my experience with the company’s handsets has been mostly negative, with issues on my wife’s Pixel 3, for example. However, after using the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL for the past few weeks, I’m tempted to call myself a Pixel convert now, despite my go-to usually being Samsung or Apple.
Don’t get me wrong, the Pixel 9 Pro XL isn’t perfect, despite deserving a place on the best Google Pixel phones and best Android phones lists. However, the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s design, hardware, and software make it remarkably close to some of the heavy hitters in the market right now, and despite issues, it is one of my favorite smartphones to date.
Why you can trust our advice ✔ At Pocket Tactics, our experts spend days testing games, phones, tech, and services. We always share honest opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.
Price and Availability
While Google Pixel smartphones have typically been the more affordable option in the market than Apple and Samsung, that’s no longer the case. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at a resounding $1,099 / £1,099 for just 128GB of storage and goes up to a massive $1,549 / £1,549 for 1TB. It’s a shame that 256GB of space isn’t the minimum at that price point, but the cynic in me believes that’s to upsell you on Google Cloud storage.
You get a year’s Google One AI Premium subscription with 2TB of cloud storage as a bonus when you buy the handset. Fortunately, it’s easy to pick one up, with major US and UK networks offering the device on contract, while storefronts like Best Buy and Target in the US or Currys and John Lewis in the UK. Alternatively, Google sells the Pixel 9 series on its website, too.
When it comes to options, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL comes in four colorways: Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, and Obsidian, and you can choose four storage options, those being 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. I’m a big fan of my Porcelain model, which looks very premium and sleek, and 256GB of storage is enough for me.
Specs
Features and software
Unsurprisingly, Google has focused on AI for the Pixel 9 series, with Gemini technically replacing Assistant as your go-to chatbot and a range of other features that put artificial intelligence in the spotlight. Some are great, some are a lot of fun, and some aren’t that good. At least, not yet.
Firstly, let’s start with the great. The Pixel Screenshots app is an excellent feature I didn’t know I needed, removing screenshots from spamming your Google Photos library by storing them in a new app. The app captures text on screenshots to make them easy to read while offering the option to quickly search through your expansive list of screenshots. If you saved that takeout menu on your phone, it’s simple to find.
Gemini is still fairly young, but as far as AI chatbots go, it isn’t the best on the market. However, when combined with the old Assistant, it does a great job of delivering a conversational way of handling tasks. For example, I asked it to save my doctor’s appointment in my calendar, and when I asked when my appointment was later on, it delivered. Unsurprisingly, Google Circle to Search is also awesome and makes searching even easier.
Admittedly, Pixel Studio isn’t the best. Google’s AI image generator can’t do a lot right now. No people, first and foremost, and it typically doesn’t listen well to my prompts. On the photos front, the new reimagine feature (which can change selected parts of images using prompts) is cool when it works. But, that’s not very often.
That said, Google’s heavy emphasis on AI for the Pixel 9 series is probably the best use of artificial intelligence to date. It leans heavily on the AI, and while it’s still very gimmicky in places, most of the features are actually usable. And, with only a few AI features being decent on Samsung smartphones in 2024, it’s fairly impressive that Google managed to land a few of these AI tools in the ‘great’ category rather than the ‘meh’ one.
The major point of contention is that Google Pixel 9 is still running Android 14, despite the impending release of Android 15. The promise of seven years of software updates continues with Google’s latest flagship. However, considering the company usually times the release of new handsets with a new Android version, it’s surprising that it released the smartphones a little earlier.
Design
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL’s design isn’t hiding its inspirations. While the visor is gone in favor of a pill-shaped camera array at the back of the device, the rest of the design is remarkably similar to the iPhone. If you glanced at it a few times, you’d probably think it’s a weird rendition of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
While the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL shares similarities with Apple’s flagship, it also keeps the premium quality. The rounded corners, metal rails, and soft matte finish on the back ooze a luxury finish, and it’s easily one of the best-looking smartphones on the market. I’d say that of the pill design devices, it’s the best looking.
It’s even the same weight as the iPhone 15 Pro Max at 221g. However, it’s remarkably comfortable to wield, with an aluminum frame that feels excellent. I wish Google went with titanium like its rivals, though, I’m still seriously impressed with the overall quality of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. I’m also happy it comes with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back, as well as IP68 protection to fight off water damage.
I have no real complaints when it comes to design. It’s the best phone I’ve held since my beloved Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ back in 2019, and while I loved the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I think Google really nails it here.
Display
It’s easy to see displays on smartphones as all the same, but the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is another example of how the company has nailed parts of the design for the latest flagships. Most importantly, the new ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is super fast and fluid, and paired with a lovely unlock animation, it feels like an experience every time you use your device.
The symmetrical bezels proudly show off the 6.8-inch Super Actua LTPO OLED, and with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, this device is incredible to behold in person. I’ve long been a person who turns off the Always On Display for battery saving, but thanks to the LTPO screen (something that many competitors also offer), I’ve kept it on with the Pixel. It helps that the AOD looks impressive, too.
It’s safe to say that playing the best mobile games on this device will certainly look fantastic, and thankfully, Google sticks with the smooth 120Hz that most people have come to love on their smartphones. It’s a truly beautiful display.
Cameras
The giant pill-shaped array on the back of the phone isn’t just for design. It hides a powerful set of cameras that are, unsurprisingly, very impressive. Google Pixel has become well-known for delivering some of the industry’s best smartphone cameras. On paper, there’s very little difference between the 9 Pro XL cameras and the ones on last year’s flagship, but the changes aren’t in the hardware.
Google’s latest smartphone has plenty of AI features within the camera app, delivering a range of options to assist you in your photography skills. The major addition is Add Me, enabling you to take a photo of a group and add yourself in after. It works fine and is an impressive tool, but it’s not one I’ll often find myself using.
The reimagine tool is one of the most interesting. As I mentioned in the features section, it allows you to select certain parts of an image and make a prompt, and then Gemini will attempt to give your image a completely new look. The results aren’t typically good and are nowhere near as impressive as the Sketch to Image AI in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. I’m sure it will improve over time, but it’s not currently a selling point.
Considering it uses practically the same hardware as the Pixel 8 Pro, the standard camera experience is really incredible. It reproduces colors excellently, and the HDR is amazing. Unfortunately, the portrait mode falls flat, as the edges are especially rough, giving an all-too-visible separation between the subject and the blur effect.
However, two of the better features are almost worth upgrading from last year’s model alone. Firstly, the new Boost Mode option allows you to use the cloud to create 8K videos, and the night video is certainly better with Boost Mode. Secondly, the front camera has had a major upgrade to 42MP, up from 8 Pro’s 10.5 MP, allowing you to have wider shots and more detail than before. If you love taking selfies, this is a great phone for capturing those moments.
Performance
After pre-ordering the Pixel 9 Pro XL, my biggest concern was the Tensor G4 chipset when playing my variety of games. I was expecting my daily dose of Marvel Snap to function fine, but I was slightly worried about more demanding games like Zenless Zone Zero. While the G4 falls behind the impressive Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in most of 2024’s flagship Android smartphones, it’s still fairly solid.
Playing ZZZ for over an hour caused the handset to get pretty warm, but I had that issue on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Z Fold 6, so that wasn’t surprising. I imagine after numerous hours of playing, the S24 Ultra would outperform the Tensor G4 within the Pixel 9 Pro XL, but in reality, I’m very impressed with the performance.
As a bonus, Google also upped this year’s flagship to 16GB of RAM over the 8 Pro’s 12GB. Unless you’re a heavy “performance over anything” tech lover, I’m certain you’ll be happy with the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s performance. And, with the new modem, this is actually one of the best phones I’ve used.
Admittedly, the biggest problem is that the Pixel 9 series uses UFS 3.1 storage compared to the S24 Ultra’s UFS 4.0. That means loading apps, installing content, or downloading updates will take slightly longer with the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is disappointing for a flagship device. I hope this is something that Google fixes with next year’s models.
Battery
Google Pixel’s have never been too impressive with battery life, and despite the generous 5,060mAh capacity found within the Pixel 9 Pro XL, that’s still the case. However, it’s still more than enough, and 37W maximum charging speeds make it fairly easy to get back up to scratch when your device is low.
With all the bells and whistles on, including AOD, and frequent usage, I can power through for around twelve hours before putting my phone on charge again. I’ve had about four to five hours of screen time before hitting the 50% mark, which is pretty good for a Pixel device. I could lengthen it by turning off the fun stuff, but I like it too much.
Should you buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is one of the best handsets Google has released since it started making mobile phones with the Nexus line. It delivers one of the best quality designs, rivaling that of Apple, while the OS offers a smooth experience and should feel comfortable to those moving away from their iPhones.
With some of the best cameras I’ve ever had the joy of using, some AI features that feel useful instead of gimmicky, and an impressive display that looks as beautiful as I’ve seen on a smartphone, it’s hard to fault the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Admittedly, some of the AI isn’t great, and I wish Google would use Qualcomm chips over the Tensor, but this handset has blown me out of the water.
Alternatives
If our review of the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL hasn’t sold you on the almost pixel-perfect handset, here are some alternatives:
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Featuring the amazing Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is an impressive flagship from the company with plenty of AI features, a premium build quality, and great battery life. If you’re hoping to stick with Android, but want the best of the best right now, you can’t go wrong with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. If you want the full lowdown, check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.
iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Pro Max delivers an exceptional flagship experience for Apple fans to enjoy. Unsurprisingly, Apple makes things as accessible as possible with their smartphones, allowing you to enjoy the experience rather than fiddle around with settings. With impressive cameras, a great battery life, and a worthwhile ecosystem, the iPhone 15 Pro Max remains a solid flagship. For more details, see our iPhone 15 Pro Max review.