Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: New Name, New Design, Higher Price

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Greatest Costs At present: Google Pixel 9 Professional XL

If you happen to stay unconvinced that Google is critical about taking the smartphone struggle to Apple and Samsung, the Pixel 9 vary ought to go away you in little question. This expanded lineup has a purposeful (if somewhat acquainted) new look and an additional ‘Professional’ choice, each of which intently mirror Apple’s method.

Sitting atop this new vary is the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL. Whereas the title could be new, in follow this telephone is the direct successor to the Google Pixel 8 Professional, which we appreciated somewhat loads. The Pixel 9 Professional is the actual new telephone within the vary, offering the identical options because the XL in a a lot smaller package deal.

As soon as once more, you’re a big flagship telephone with a well-stocked triple-camera system, a giant and sharp 6.8-inch OLED show, a bagful of AI tips up its sleeve, and a prolonged software program replace promise.

Contemporary design and generational spec bump apart, none of that is inherently new. With an additional £100/$100 added to the value tag, enterprise as typical may not lower it.

Design & Construct

• New flat design is premium however by-product
• Shiny body and matte again
• Barely heavier than the Pixel 8 Professional

Google has issued its largest smartphone design overhaul because it successfully hit the reset button with the Pixel 6 and 6 Professional. I’ve some blended emotions concerning the outcomes.

Beginning with the positives, the Pixel 9 Professional XL is a superbly crafted, nicely put collectively flagship telephone. For all that we respect Google’s smartphone work, construct high quality hasn’t all the time appeared to be high of its precedence listing. Whereas it’s nonetheless early days, the Pixel 9 Professional XL looks like a high-end telephone, worthy of sitting on a desk alongside the Samsung Galaxy S24+ and the iPhone 15 Professional Max.

If you happen to’re making such direct comparisons, simply be sure to don’t sit them face-up, since you may find yourself going house with the unsuitable telephone. My largest downside with the Pixel 9 Professional XL is that it cribs so clearly from the Apple playbook, which additionally signifies that seems loads like Samsung’s personal tribute act.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

All the Pixel 9 vary has bought the sort of flat-edged, curvy-cornered look that can probably have Apple’s designers elevating an eyebrow, if not consulting their authorized group. At 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm, its width and thickness are inside fractions of a millimetre of the iPhone 15 Professional Max, whereas it weighs precisely the identical at 221g (which is 8g heavier than the 8 Professional).

That is particularly unlucky as a result of Google had managed to carve out its personal distinctive design language in earlier fashions. It could maybe be a stretch to name the Pixel look iconic – Google doesn’t promote sufficient telephones for that – however in a market stuffed with Apple clones and generic curved-edge Android telephones, the Pixel line stood out.

Fortunately, it hasn’t misplaced all semblance of originality. The signature Pixel digital camera visor may not be the flowing, edge-to-edge focal point that it was, however it nonetheless makes fairly an announcement. This time it’s a large pill-shaped module that stops simply wanting both edge.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

It’s purely subjective, however I favor it to Apple’s lopsided method and Samsung’s drab floating digital camera islands. It ain’t delicate, however it’s trendy and it signifies that the telephone is steady once you set it down on a flat floor.

The Pixel 9 Professional XL guarantees to be not less than as robust as its predecessor, with the identical Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to the entrance and rear, in addition to a steel body with a shiny end. I favor the Pixel 9’s matt body, however on the this yr’s Professional telephones do now get a nicer matt end to the rear.

My mannequin is available in Hazel, which comes throughout as a sort of putty gray. I additionally occur to have the smaller Pixel 9 Professional within the Rose Quartz shade, which makes fairly the assertion with its pale pink end and glitzy rose gold-like body. Obsidian and Porcelain have your black and white(ish) choices coated.

As you’d count on from a high-profile flagship telephone, the Pixel 9 Professional 9 XL is IP68 licensed, so it’ll stand as much as a drenching in addition to probably the most heinous of pocket lint assaults.

Display screen & Audio system

• Very good 6.8-inch, 120Hz OLED
• As much as 1344 x 2992 decision
• A lot brighter than earlier than
• Good stereo audio system

The Pixel 9 Professional XL’s Tremendous Actua show outshines its wonderful predecessor, which is saying one thing. It’s just a little bigger at 6.8 inches (up from 6.7 inches), with the identical 1344 x 2992 most decision.

I say ‘most’ as a result of Google annoyingly units the default decision to a decrease 1008 x 2244. You’ll want to slip into the Settings menu and activate the complete decision manually. This may betray a slight insecurity in its energy administration on Google’s half, however we’ll get to that later.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

There’s no insecurity with the remainder of the Pixel 9 Professional XL show’s output. It now hits as much as 2000 nits in HDR situations, with a peak brightness of 3000 nits. With auto brightness turned off, I measured a most brightness of 1198 nits, which is excellent for at-home testing.

Color accuracy can be impeccable. I used to be fairly blissful to stay with the default Adaptive color mode, which isn’t all the time the case even in flagship telephones. Nevertheless, should you do swap over to the Pure different, you’ll get fantastically balanced sRGB calibration with a 99.6% gamut protection and a median Delta E rating of 0.65. This factor is superbly calibrated, which is an efficient factor, since you don’t get the identical high-quality tuning choices that you just do on some rival telephones.

This pleasant display is flanked (in panorama orientation) by a pair of stereo audio system, they usually’re of a good high quality. They could lack the precision and steadiness of the iPhone 15 Professional, however they nonetheless carry out nicely. The haptics, too, have that flagship telephone pop and precision.

Specs & Efficiency

• New Tensor G4 not the quickest flagship chip in the marketplace
• Bumper 16GB of RAM, probably for AI
• 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage choices

Google has geared up the Pixel 9 Professional XL with its latest-generation Tensor G4 chip, and at this level we may just about copy and paste our broad strokes findings over from earlier Pixel telephone critiques.

As soon as once more, our typical CPU and GPU benchmark exams reveal a chip that falls nicely behind rival processors like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Apple’s A17 Professional. If you happen to’re after the very quickest flagship telephone, the Pixel 9 Professional XL received’t stand as much as a Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely or an iPhone 15 Professional Max.

Tensor G4 is greater than quick sufficient to execute the entire typical sensible duties with an identical sense of fluidity to rivals, nonetheless. Genshin Affect runs solidly, if not flawlessly, on maxed out settings.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

As earlier than, the Tensor G4’s focus isn’t on multitasking or pushing fancy lighting results round. Google’s focus is now firmly on AI, and to that finish it’s geared up the Pixel 9 Professional XL with an unlimited 16GB of RAM. Even the mighty Galaxy S24 Extremely ‘solely’ offers you 12GB.

Apart from the assorted on-device AI tips that we’ll get to in a second, this additional RAM ought to assist see the Pixel 9 Professional XL by its prolonged assist cycle. We don’t understand how nicely it’ll deal with the functions of 2031, however it could simply stand as much as the job higher than its contemporaries.

You get 4 storage choices right here, beginning at 128GB and topping out at 1TB. There’s no microSD enlargement potential, as anticipated.

Google Pixel 9 Professional XL benchmarks

Cameras

• Similar robust triple digital camera set-up as earlier than
• New 42MP selfie cam
• Add Me allows you to insert your self into group photographs
• Potential for upscaled 8K video

The Pixel 9 Professional XL packs a lot the identical rear digital camera system because the Pixel 8 Professional. That’s the identical 1/1.31in 50Mp f/1.7 huge sensor and the identical 48Mp 5x telephoto lens. The 48MP ultra-wide is just a little completely different, with a narrower 123-degree discipline of view and a bigger f/1.7 aperture.

Regardless of the minuscule {hardware} variations, Google is all concerning the picture processing, and the signature Pixel look continues to be very a lot intact. Photographs taken with the Pixel 9 Professional XL may lack the pure nuance of the iPhone 15 Professional Max, however they pack a giant contrasty punch with out making every thing look too bizarre or overblown.

Google’s processing-heavy method nonetheless signifies that evening photographs are usually disconcertingly shiny. Once more, not everybody will respect how Google eradicates any pure sense of shade or murk in such low mild snaps, however for sheer picture readability, the 9 Professional XL is true up there with the most effective.

Google balances out color and tone nicely from ultra-wide proper as much as 5x, and photographs even look fairly good at 10x. Extreme noise makes 30x a little bit of a no-no to my thoughts. They’re removed from a shame, however the Pixel 9 Professional XL received’t be dethroning the Galaxy S24 Extremely within the excessive zoom stakes.

Speaking of which, Google’s Zoom Improve is a neat new trick, albeit one which was promised on the launch of the Pixel 8 Professional, and which can be out there on that older telephone. It takes your zoomed in and low-res photographs and fills within the gaps between the pixels utilizing AI, making them seem sharper. It really works to a sure extent, in that contemporary element is undoubtedly provided to such blurry photos.

The impact might be considerably uncanny, nonetheless, producing weird-looking textures in pure parts like shrubbery and in areas the place there isn’t adequate visible information to extrapolate from. Within the under comparability picture, which is a 30x shot taken with the 9 Professional XL, the Zoom Improve shot is to proper. As a option to carry older snaps as much as some type of fashionable commonplace, there’s clear worth right here, however Zoom Improve is much from being the completed article.

The brand new 42Mp selfie digital camera is probably the most consequential {hardware} improve right here. Alongside auto-focus, it creates photographs with first charge depth and dynamic vary. You’ll be able to select between a traditional close-up 1x view or a wider 0.7x, which is healthier for group selfies.

Speaking of group photographs, Google’s most enjoyable new addition is Add Me, which helps you to add your self to group photographs. You are taking your snap, then get somebody to run over and take the telephone whilst you take your house.

They will information you into place utilizing a useful preview display, which elements in depth info. The impact is technically spectacular, and I used to be in a position to have enjoyable with the function by taking an image of two variations of me standing aspect by aspect.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

I do need to query the sense wherein that is actually capturing the second, nonetheless, in a lot the identical means as I query the worth of fixing a gray sky to a wonderful sunny day. Name me old skool (or simply previous).

Google has additionally lastly introduced 8K video to its smartphone vary – sort of. Video Increase will take a normal 4K video and upscale it within the background. In my expertise it notified me that the method was full about two hours after I took it. With no 8K display at hand, I can’t touch upon the standard of the ultimate footage, aside from to say that it appeared good on a contemporary MacBook Professional display.

Battery Life & Charging

• Day-long battery life with maxed out settings
• Helps Google’s 45W charger (not provided)
• Different chargers don’t appear to work so nicely

Google has geared up the Pixel 9 Professional XL with a barely larger-than-average 5,060mAh battery, however it doesn’t make for particularly spectacular stamina. Don’t get me unsuitable, the telephone will final the overwhelming majority of individuals by a full day, however there have been one or two events the place it made me nervous.

On one 15 hour day of particularly intensive utilization throughout a variety of community environments, with round 6 hours and 25 minutes of display on time (together with 2 hours 20 minutes of YouTube viewing and a bunch of digital camera photographs), I used to be left with simply 6% left within the tank.

Admittedly, that’s on the excessive finish of my utilization, and I believe most different individuals’s too. However I nonetheless would have appreciated just a little extra headroom from my super-sized flagship telephone.

It ought to be famous that this was with the show decision bumped proper as much as the utmost, so you’d undoubtedly get extra battery life by conserving it on the default. Samsung does the identical factor with the Galaxy S24 Extremely, however it manages to wring extra spectacular stamina out of its flagship telephone regardless.

As a curious aspect observe, the Pixel 9 Professional additionally has a decrease decision by default, although the common Pixel 9 doesn’t, suggesting a elementary distinction in show tech between the tiers.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Maybe I’m being harsh right here. In any case, the Pixel 9 Professional XL lasted 10 hours and 1 minute on our typical PC Mark World 3.0 battery take a look at – an enchancment of round half-hour over the Pixel 8 Professional. Then again, the Galaxy S24 Extremely lasted greater than two hours longer, and that needs to be the benchmark that premium Android telephones are aiming for in 2024.

Google has improved the charging provision for the Pixel 9 Professional XL, however it’s not a significant trigger for celebration. 45W is healthier than earlier than, however it’s nonetheless removed from best-in-class. What’s extra, you’ll must splash out on Google’s particular USB-C Energy Charger accent if you wish to attain the claimed speeds of 0 to 70% in half-hour.

I attempted charging the telephone with each a latest 120W Oppo charger and a 30W Asus charger, and bought the identical lesser results of 0 to 55% in half-hour. No matter methodology Google is utilizing to wring out the utmost charging pace right here, it positive is finicky.

23W wi-fi charging can be attainable, although once more you’ll must spend money on Google’s bespoke Pixel Stand accent. Alas, the newest Qi2 commonplace will not be supported.

Software program & Apps

• Android 14, with Android 15 to observe
• Seven years of updates
• Pixel Studio and Pixel Screenshots added

Google launched the Pixel 9 household means earlier in 2024 than it normally would, and consequently Android 15 isn’t prepared for the launch on the time of writing. Which means that the Pixel 9 Professional XL, like the remainder of the vary, ships with Android 14.

That’s just a little awkward for a significant flagship telephone. At launch, the expertise of really utilizing the Pixel 9 Professional XL daily is very similar to the expertise of utilizing the Pixel 8 Professional.

Nevertheless, this immediately locations it close to the highest of the smartphone league, forward of all of the cluttered customized UIs from Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo and co.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

The curious Thermometer app makes a return, tying in with the sensor discovered slightly below the digital camera flash on the Professional fashions. It will possibly take the temperature of your espresso or your hob, however it nonetheless hasn’t obtained the required regulatory approval for use on individuals, which renders it considerably lower than helpful.

Google is far more fascinated with AI than vanilla software program today, and the likes of generative AI wallpapers, voice observe summaries, and actual time translation make a return. The principle tweak with the 9 sequence is that Gemini AI is now the default assistant, somewhat than Google Assistant.

Gemini may be very (typically spookily) sensible with its understanding of conversational requests and has the power to reply in variety. Asking for an image of a pig wallowing in mud didn’t simply floor stated image – it additionally supplied a quick audible and textual abstract of why they achieve this.

Nevertheless, I nonetheless discover Gemini to be missing in relation to primary Google service integration. For instance, it doesn’t all the time play properly with the community of Google Nest and Chromecast Audio audio system dotted round my house, ceaselessly failing to grasp which system I’m referring to once I issued a request to play some music or set a timer.

It additionally doesn’t robotically hook into my YouTube Music account and play music from an artist once I ask it to. My Pixel 8 with Google Assistant handles this simply high-quality.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

There are a few new synthetic intelligence apps that make their debut with the Pixel 9 vary, too. Pixel Studio is the one you’ll in all probability use to point out off to your family and friends, earlier than forgetting all about it. It allows you to sort in any descriptive time period you want, then creates an acceptable piece of AI-generated paintings. If you happen to’ve ever questioned what “a duck-billed platypus having fun with a sundown sporting a sombrero” seems like, nicely, simply sort it into this app. After a number of seconds of AI processing, Google will present you.

Much less showy however doubtlessly much more helpful is Pixel Screenshots. If you happen to’re somebody who’s all the time urgent these energy and volume-down buttons to seize one thing necessary in your telephone’s display, that is the software for you. It collates all your screenshots, utilizing AI to provide sensible summaries of the knowledge contained inside, in addition to making them searchable. You’ll be able to add screenshots to collections, or add your personal contextual notes.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Jon Mundy / Foundry

As soon as once more, Google is providing seven years of Android variations and safety updates, making it the most effective within the enterprise alongside Samsung.

Value & Availability

As you may in all probability inform, the Pixel 9 Professional XL is a telephone of pretty modest upgrades – visible overhaul however – which makes it all of the extra problematic that it has obtained a substantial value hike. All 4 storage choices have obtained a £100/$100 bump over their Pixel 8 Professional equivalents.

The 128GB mannequin begins issues off from £1,099/$1,099, whereas the 256GB mannequin prices £1,199/$1,199, the 512GB unit prices £1,319/$1,319, and the range-topping 1TB mannequin will set you again £1,549/$1,549.

Outright, the telephone is offered from the likes of Google and Amazon within the UK and Google and Amazon within the US. See extra choices in our Pixel 9 offers article.

On contract, see the most effective choices within the widgets under.

The outright value locations the Pixel 9 Professional XL perilously near the mighty Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely (from £1,249/$1,299.99) and the iPhone 15 Professional Max (from £1,199/$1,199).

See extra alternate options in our information to the most effective telephones you should purchase.

Final yr’s mannequin itself represented a significant value hike over the Pixel 7 Professional, but it nonetheless provided a notably cheaper different to its premium rivals.

Why is that this yr’s mannequin immediately deemed a direct competitor worthy of the identical outlay? The one facet that’s actually going the additional mile right here is the bump up in RAM, which is hardly probably the most thrilling of high-end options.

Do you have to purchase the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL?

The Pixel 9 Professional XL is one other glorious flagship telephone from Google, holding a lot of the identical attraction because the Pixel 8 Professional. Nevertheless, I’m unsure it represents a significant development, not less than not for the additional cash that Google is charging.

Its new design is sort of a departure from the established Pixel blueprint, however I’m not satisfied that’s factor. In some respects, it makes the telephone look extra generic than earlier than, with a mode that screams ‘iPhone’.

There’s a brand new bigger and brighter show, which is an absolute magnificence. The battery life is improved, however nonetheless nearer to enough than good, and also you’ll additionally must make a further buy to learn from the quicker (however nonetheless not quick) charging speeds.

Google’s digital camera system is far the identical as earlier than, which signifies that the Pixel 9 Professional XL is able to taking glorious photographs in all lighting circumstances. The brand new selfie cam is nice, and Google is all the time enhancing its picture processing, however there’s been no main step up total.

Google’s software program and AI tips are, as all the time, forward of the chasing pack, whereas the seven yr replace promise continues to be among the best within the enterprise.

Once more, although, there’s nothing right here that you just wouldn’t have the ability to say for final yr’s Pixel 8 Professional, which is real discount if you could find a major low cost.

Specs

• 6.8-inch QHD+ 120Hz LTPO OLED
• Google Tensor G4 chipset
• 12/16GB RAM
• 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB non-expandable UFS 3.1 storage
• 5060mAh battery
• 45W wired charging
• 23W wi-fi charging
• 50Mp f/1.7 principal digital camera
• 48Mp f/1.7 ultrawide digital camera
• 48Mp f/2.8 telephoto digital camera
• 5x optical zoom
• 30x digital zoom
• 42Mp f/2.2 entrance digital camera
• 5G
• Wi-Fi 7
• Bluetooth 5.3
• IP68
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm
• 221g