Compared to Pixel 9 Pro and XL with Gemini AI

The Google Pixel 9 is one of three Pixel smartphones set to be released in late summer 2024. The Pixel 9 replaces the Pixel 8 in the lineup with a set of simple improvements and a price tag that’s $100 higher than its 2023 launch price. The Pixel 9 Pro is nearly identical in size to the 9, but its starting price is $100 higher than the 9, and it also has a sharper, brighter display and a better set of cameras.

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Google provided me with a Pixel 9 (as well as a 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL) to test out for this review. While you’ll learn about the Pixel 9’s use and feel, I’ve also covered the differences between the Pro and non-Pro versions of this generation of devices. In short, unless you’re holding them right next to each other, it’s very easy to mistake one for the other.

The Pixel 9 is an improvement over its predecessor for a number of reasons, but for the average user, one of the most important may be the significant change in industrial design. This generation brings back flat edges. They feel different. When you use a device like this more than any other item in your daily life, that kind of change matters. In every other way I tested the device, the 9 is as smooth an improvement over the Pixel 8 as you could ask for.

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If you put the Pixel 9 next to the Pixel 9 Pro (not the XL), you’ll wonder why one costs more than the other. The devices look very, very similar. Both devices have the same processing power, battery size, and built-in security features. The Pro has a sharper, brighter display with more options, and a much better camera setup.

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The Pixel 9 has an OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2424 pixels. The 9 Pro has an LPTO OLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 2856 pixels — both are 6.3 inches wide.

The Pixel 9 Pro also has an Ultra-Wideband chip, which will be largely useless to you if you didn’t know what that was before reading this article. The 9 Pro also has a temperature sensor — just like the Pixel 8 Pro. In fact, the Pixel 9 is the spiritual successor to the Pixel 8, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the successor to the Pixel 8 Pro. The Pixel 9 Pro (not the XL) gives consumers a Pro version of the smaller of the two devices, whereas in the past, the smaller device had fewer features than the larger one.

It’s also worth noting: every feature on the Pixel 9 Pro is also present on the Pixel 9 Pro XL — the only differences are the battery size and display. So whenever I say “Pro,” I might as well mean both.

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If you don’t care about the resolution and brightness of your phone’s display or cutting-edge cameras, there’s no reason to pay more for the “Pro” version of the Pixel 9.

The Google Pixel 9 is just as capable of running Gemini AI as the Pixel 9 Pro. Just hold down the power button or say “Hey Google,” and you’ve got a whole new way to interact with your phone. The Pixel 9 is starting the likely inevitable process of Google Assistant being replaced by Google Gemini — but for now, they’re still separate entities. For now, the best way to explain the difference is to pretend that both are people: Google Assistant is meant to work for you, like a personal assistant, while Google Gemini is meant to work with you, like a companion.

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Google Assistant is still around on the Google Pixel 9 for a few reasons — not the least of which is that the Gemini needs the already established Google Assistant capabilities to get certain tasks done. The Google Pixel 9 is packed with options you can play around with that allow or disallow one or both systems to handle tasks and/or access your data.

To complicate matters further, a year of Gemini Advanced is included with your Pixel 9 purchase. You can use Gemini for free, or you can sign up for Gemini Advanced, a system that can think a little harder about more complicated problems (if you’re willing to send it queries that require intensive troubleshooting) — and Advanced will get first dibs on new features as they come.

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You can also disable Gemini by opening Settings and going to Google, Google app settings, “Search, Assistant & Voice” (also known as Settings), Gemini settings, Google digital assistants, and tap Google Assistant. This will disable Gemini (as an assistant). On that same page, you can also tap the link that says “You can disable your Google digital assistant at any time” and tap “Disable.”

The camera system on the Google Pixel 9 is slightly better than the Pixel 8. The front-facing camera is almost identical, save for the addition of PDAF — also known as autofocus — which could make a big difference to you if you use the device for selfies and video calls.

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Chris Burns/SlashGear

The rear camera array is remarkably similar to its predecessor — at least when it comes to the main camera sensor. However, the addition of a much-improved ultra-wide-angle sensor seems to make all the difference, especially since it works with dual-pixel PDAF instead of simple autofocus.

Chris Burns/SlashGear

Above and below you’ll see a collection of photos taken with the Google Pixel 9’s rear camera.

Chris Burns/SlashGear

The photos shown above and below were taken in different environments and lighting settings, from up close and far away. Lots of detail, accurate color, and “it just looks beautiful” results.

Chris Burns/SlashGear

The Pixel 9’s battery life is very decent — as is typical for most smartphones in the first few weeks of use. If this device ends up aging similarly to the Pixel 8 — which we’ve been testing for a little less than a year — the average battery life (from 100% to almost nothing) will be around 8 hours with typical daily use. That includes browsing and scrolling social media for a few hours, taking a few photos, and setting alarms for the night. Our tests yielded battery life results that are roughly the same as the Pixel 8.

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Just like we saw with the Pixel 8, the Pixel 9 is capable of delivering extremely long battery life when all the battery-saving features are turned on. Lower the brightness, use the battery-saving features, turn off mobile data, avoid streaming content, and avoid recording videos with the camera — and you’ll see your battery life extend well beyond a day.

The Google Pixel 9 is worth the money you’re likely to pay to own it. This device is exactly the step up from the Pixel 8 you want it to be, especially if you’re just looking for a slightly better set of cameras and a hardware redesign that really makes a difference for the average user. The edges have been round for years — now they’re flat.

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You also get the latest version of Android and Google’s guarantee that you’ll get 7 years of updates to both the operating system and security software. A few years ago, such a promise would have been shocking – now it’s simply a very welcome “must have”.

I would recommend that you buy one of Google’s cases for your device at the same time you buy your smartphone, as Google’s cases work well and match the tone of the phone’s design. If you’re someone who drops their phone on concrete fairly regularly, you should buy a more hardcore protective case.

You can buy the Google Pixel 9 from the Google Store online for $799 in a choice of colors: Wintergreen (as reviewed), Peony, Porcelain, or Obsidian. You can get the 128GB version for $799 or the 256GB version for $899. Or, do your wallet a favor and go for the cheapest entry point into the world of Pixel phones, the Google Pixel 8a for a relatively low $499.

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Or you can go in a completely different direction — top of the line, top specs — and check out the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, which have base prices of $999 and $1,099, respectively.