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- Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: price and release date
- Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: design and display
- Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: camera
- Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: performance
- Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: software
- Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: which is best?
Google has officially unveiled its flagship smartphones for 2024 — the Google Pixel 9, Google Pixel 9 Pro and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. These latest Pixel phones were launched alongside a few other gadgets including its second foldable handset, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the new Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 and the Pixel Watch 3.
If you're about to buy a new Android smartphone, Google's refreshed lineup looks very convincing with upgrades to its designs, displays, hardware and software. Plus, for the first time, there are two Pro models to choose from, one with a 6.3-inch screen and one with a bigger 6.8-inch screen.
So which one is right for you? Keep reading for a side-by-side comparison of all the Google Pixel 9 devices.
Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: price and release date
At launch, the Google Pixel 9 will start from £799, the Google Pixel 9 Pro will start from £999 and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL will start from £1,099.
All the new phones are available to pre-order now. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL will go on sale on August 22nd 2024, and the Pixel 9 Pro will go on sale a couple of weeks later, on September 4th.
Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: design and display
The new Pixel phones have had a design revamp for 2024, replacing the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro's glossy glass shell with a polished matte finish, and switching out the long camera bar for an island that sits in the centre of the phone instead.
The phones come in two sizes, the Google Pixel 9 and Google Pixel 9 Pro have a 6.3-inch screen and measure 15.28 x 7.2 x 0.85cm — a benefit of the 9 and 9 Pro being the same size is that they'll be able to use the same protective cases. The Google Pixel 9 XL, on the other hand, has a much bigger 6.8-inch screen and measures 16.28 x 7.66 x 0.85cm.
Each one comes in a few different colours. You can buy the Google Pixel 9 in obsidian black, porcelain white, wintergreen and peony pink. The Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL come in obsidian black, porcelain white, hazel green and rose quartz pink.
All the Pixel 9 smartphones have Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to protect them from scrapes and IP68 water and dust resistance. They also all use recycled aluminium in their build and come in plastic-free packaging.
Comparing the three handsets, there are some differences in the screen tech.
The Google Pixel 9's 6.3-inch OLED screen has a resolution of 1080 x 2424 pixels at 422 PPI with a variable refresh rate from 60Hz up to 120Hz. It can reach up to 2,700nits peak brightness.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro is the same size as its more affordable sibling, but it has a resolution of 1280 x 2856 pixels and is an LTPO OLED at 495 PPI. The variable refresh rate can drop to as little as 1Hz and go all the way up to 120Hz for super smooth scrolling, and it has a higher peak brightness of 3,000nits.
Taking things up another level, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a huge 6.8-inch LTPO OLED screen with 1344 x 2992 pixels at 486 PPI, with a 1Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate and 3,000 nits peak brightness.
Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: camera
The importance you place on smartphone photography will play a part in which of the Pixel 9 devices is best suited to you.
Let's quickly run through the camera specifications of each phone:
• The Google Pixel 9 has a dual rear camera system with a 50MP main lens and a 48MP ultrawide lens. There's a 10.5MP selfie camera on the front.
• The Google Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro XL improve on that with a triple-lens setup including a 50MP wide camera, a 48MP ultrawide lens with Macro Focus and a 48MP 5x telephoto lens, as well as a new 42MP front camera.
This is the first time Google has packed such an advanced camera system into a smaller-scale smartphone. If you care a lot about smartphone photography, you snap a lot of selfies or you'd like to be able to zoom into scenes without losing quality, the Pixel 9 Pro will be the top choice.
Some will prefer having a large screen to help compose the shot, in which case, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the better handset.
If you're not such an avid photographer but want a smartphone that will take nice snaps when you need them, you'll be satisfied by what the Pixel 9 has to offer.
Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: performance
All Pixel smartphones use the same processor under the hood, this time that's the latest Google Tensor G4. Alongside that, the Google Pixel 9 comes with 12GB of RAM and a choice of 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. The Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL increase that to 16GB of RAM and a choice of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage.
Getting you through each day, the Google Pixel 9 and 9 Pro have a 4,700mAh battery which can be charged to 55% in 30 minutes using a 45W charger, whereas the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a larger 5,060mAh cell that can be charged to 70% in 30 minutes using a 45W charger.
Despite the difference in battery size, all of the devices claim to last 24 hours of use, or 100 hours in the Extreme Battery Saver mode, and they all support wireless charging.
Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: software
Android 14, Google's own software, is the brain of the Pixel 9 series. Because of that, you'll get a lot of the same features no matter which version you buy. All Pixel 9 users will also get seven years of software updates and new feature drops.
Every year, Google adds lots of clever new tools to its devices, many of which are powered by AI.
Some of the new Pixel features for 2024 include Add Me on the camera which uses AI to include the photographer in the shot, so you take one picture with the group and then swap someone out to add the missing person in, and then it will merge the two. Another new camera feature is low-light panoramas, so you can take better shots of landscapes at all times of day and night.
Elsewhere, changes have been made to Call Assist and you'll be able to get a transcription of your phone calls when you hang up — gone are the days of scrambling for a pen and paper to jot down dates, times and prices.
Naturally, the Gemini assistant is built into Pixel 9 as well. Summarise web pages, plan out your calendar, take pictures and ask questions about its contents — the opportunities are almost endless with Google's evolving AI assistant.
There are some features which are limited to the Pro devices, like Super Res zoom on videos and 8K filming with Video Boost. Both Pro phones also come with one year of Google One AI Premium plan, giving you the most advanced Gemini AI features including Gemini for Docs and Gmail and 2TB of cloud storage.
Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: which is best?
Which of the three models you pick will depend largely on your budget. If you're looking for a more affordable smartphone, and you don't mind having a stripped-back camera and slightly more basic specs, we would recommend buying the Google Pixel 9.
For those who don't mind splashing out a little on top-tier specs, but who want something small and pocket-friendly, the Pixel 9 Pro is a game changer. We expect it to be super popular in the year ahead.
Finally, if you need a big screen and want the best money can buy, choose the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. It'll be great for remote working, streaming TV, gaming, photo editing and more.
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