Google Pixel 9/Pro Review: A Game Changer in Mobile Technology?

I’ve been really impressed with the new Pixel phones. They’ve got some fresh designs this year, not to mention new specs, features, and a few issues. And of course, the price tags have also gone up. So, let’s take a deep dive into what’s actually good about these devices.

For a while now, we’ve been hoping for a true flagship competitor from Google, and it kind of feels like we’ve finally got it—but also, kind of not?

Did anyone watch the Google event when these phones were announced? It’s funny how much you can learn about a company just from the way they present their products. Honestly, this event felt more like a software showcase with phones just thrown in as an afterthought.

Which makes sense given Google’s history with Nexus and Pixel, but it didn’t exactly give me much confidence in these phones. That said, after using them for two weeks, I feel like I can finally share what’s really good—and what’s not.

Hardware
When I say these phones feel like flagships, I’m mostly talking about the hardware. It would be easy to assume they’re just last year’s models with squared-off edges, but there’s a lot more going on. For example, the screens are noticeably brighter: the Pixel 9 hits 2,700 nits, while the 9 Pro goes up to 3,000 nits. Plus, the bezels are even all around, which took some extra engineering to wrap the OLED panels under the corners.

And then there’s the ultrasonic fingerprint reader on all the models. Finally! It’s faster and more reliable than the previous optical ones. One thing I do wish was different, though, is the ability to unlock the phone anytime, even when the display is off. Right now, you can only unlock it when the always-on display is active, or if you press the power button or get a notification. I’d love to see the fingerprint area always be a hotspot, like it is on Samsung devices, so I could unlock it even when the screen is completely blank.

The haptics feel great again this year, and the buttons are nice and clicky. But, of course, the real focus is the hardware inside, namely the new Tensor G4 chip and extra RAM.

The Tensor G4 chip isn’t a huge jump in performance from last year’s model. Honestly, you probably won’t notice much of a difference for the typical tasks you do on your phone. The real upgrade is the new, more powerful NPU that’s specifically built for AI tasks. And a lot of the extra RAM is dedicated to these AI functions—I’ve been told a large chunk of it is reserved just for that.

I’ll get into the AI features shortly, but in today’s smartphone world, where many flagship phones seem to offer only minor updates with a big focus on AI, it’s nice to see the Pixel still brings some meaningful hardware improvements.

Now, onto the design. You’ve got those squared-off sides that clearly want to compete with iPhones and Samsungs. I’ve said this before, but I really like the look and feel of it. The new camera “visor” is more like a shelf now rather than a full visor. It might look a little strange in some photos, but trust me, in person, it looks fantastic. Sure, it’ll probably collect dust in the corners like last year’s version, but it’s a nice touch.

Oh, and there’s a new size option this year. You can get the Pro model without having to go for the XL. I love the choice. I do worry that it might not sell as well as the larger and smaller versions, but I’m just happy it’s an option. Get it while you can before it’s gone.

Overall, everything sounds pretty good, but of course, I’ve got a few complaints—it’s a $1,000 phone, after all.

The battery sizes are pretty much the same as last year: 4,700 mAh for the smaller one and 5,000 mAh for the larger model. So far, my battery life with the XL has been solid—about an A-minus. I consistently get more than five hours of screen-on time, even with heavy use and high brightness.

The charging speeds still aren’t great. The Pixel XL is topping out around 37 watts, which is actually slower than some of the smaller phones out there. I’m not asking for insane speeds like Realme’s 320-watt charging that could literally set your phone on fire, but something like 50 or 60 watts would be a huge improvement. It’s not crazy, but it would make a noticeable difference when using the phone day to day.

Also, let’s talk about design. The Pixel 9 has matte sides with a glossy back, while the Pixel 9 Pro has glossy sides and a matte back. It’s not a totally new approach, but I personally prefer the matte sides—they just look and feel way better than the glossy ones. Honestly, I wish there was a matte-on-matte option, but that’s just my opinion.

Now, about the price. The base Pixel 9 starts at $799, but the Pro model begins at $1,000 with only 128GB of storage. Thanks, Apple, for setting that as the new standard. It’s 2024, and I honestly think 256GB should be the base storage option by now.

Cameras
The camera has always been a key feature of Google phones, and the Pixel 9 keeps that tradition going—though it’s a little different this time around. Both the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro have the same primary and ultra-wide cameras, but the Pro model adds a 5X telephoto lens. The primary camera is almost identical to last year’s, but the ultra-wide has been bumped up to 48 megapixels, which downscales to 12.

When you’re using the camera, it’s a pretty smooth experience. The app is fast, easy to navigate, and responsive, with plenty of useful modes. The focus is quick, and the photos come out sharp and clear with minimal processing time.

That said, I do notice that the photos look quite processed. It’s become the signature Pixel style—lots of HDR, contrast, dynamic range, and sharpening. It’s not as natural as some other phones, and while it works well for social media shots, some people might prefer a more balanced, neutral photo.

The new selfie camera on the Pixel 9 Pro is honestly the biggest improvement I’ve noticed, especially when it comes to detail and color, compared to the regular Pixel 9, which doesn’t have this feature. It’s definitely a nice selfie camera with tons of dynamic range.

If you’re curious about how the video looks, I filmed an entire video for the autofocus channel on the Pixel 9 Pro XL in 4K30, using no external gear—no mic, just the built-in microphones.

So, yeah, it’s just me holding the phone. If you don’t zoom in, the video looks really sharp. Of course, you can tell it’s processed—there’s a lot of emphasis on things like lighting on my face and adjusting colors. If you’re interested, I’ll drop a link below once the full eSprinter review goes live. Feel free to subscribe while you’re there for more car videos.

This is all part of the Pixel experience, though. Google is still fine-tuning the cameras, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they look even more natural in the future, even though this is technically the same generation. The Pixel’s whole appeal lies in its features—AI magic editor, smart tools, and the unique AI-driven stuff that sets it apart.

The Pixel Experience Google makes Android and their own phones, so you’d expect the Pixel to showcase the latest and greatest in Android, right? Android 15 was previewed back in February, and it’s set to release later this year. Yet, these phones are launching with Android 14, which is kind of funny when you think about it. The Pixel 9 is running the second latest version of Android right out of the box. But hey, they’ll get Android 15 first, plus seven years of software updates, so that’s still a win.

Every time I go back to using a Pixel, I’m reminded of all the features I miss when I use other phones. Like call screening—it’s just so good. I know Samsung has its own version with Bixby, but it’s not nearly as smooth. I’ve tried it, and it doesn’t work nearly as well. And the “Now Playing” feature that automatically tells you what song is playing in the background wherever you are? Love it.

There’s a lot of new features being added to the Pixel that might really attract people. One of the new ones is Call Notes, which is surprisingly useful. It records and summarizes your phone calls, so you can easily refer back to them later. The new Pixel Weather app is another addition I didn’t expect much from at first, but it’s actually turned out to be just as good as any other Android weather app I’ve tried. You can access it by tapping the weather widget on the home screen, and it has a really nice UI. You can even rearrange the tiles, moving the ones you care about most to the top. It doesn’t let you change the weather source, but honestly, that’s a small gripe—only weather geeks would probably care about that.

They’ve also updated the panorama UI in the camera, though I’m not sure how many people are really using that. And, the temperature sensor on the Pixel Pro now works on people too, giving live temperature readings as you move the phone around them. Not that you should take that as medical advice or anything.

I have to give credit where it’s due though—Google is sticking with this thermometer app, and I’m impressed. Google tends to get a lot of flak for killing off features, but I think it’s time to wrap up the thermometer project. I think they’ve nailed it.

However, the real standout feature for the Pixel, and the one that sets it apart, is the integration with Gemini, which was a big part of Google’s event. Gemini is Google’s latest assistant tech, and it’s deeply integrated into the phone. In fact, when you start up the Pixel, the Google logo fades into the Gemini logo before anything else loads, making it clear that these phones are all about Gemini.

Now, I’ll admit, Google’s tendency to rebrand things can get confusing, but it’s clear that Gemini is the focus here. And it’s living up to the hype. This little assistant is doing a great job, and it’s constantly improving. It’s conversational, remembers context, and usually gets things right. It’s definitely one of the best parts of the Pixel experience.

I really need to update my assistant comparison, since my last one was with Google Assistant, not Gemini. The weird part is, even though Google introduced Gemini as this big, new assistant, Google Assistant is still available alongside it on phones. So, it’s like you have two different assistants.

For a while, Google Assistant actually outperformed Gemini in a lot of everyday tasks. Gemini couldn’t do simple things like setting timers, getting directions, or controlling smart home devices. So, people just kept using Google Assistant for those basic things. It was kind of confusing.

Even now, on the Pixel 9, if you press the power button or swipe up from the corner, you get Gemini. But if you tap the microphone icon on the Pixel home screen, you’re still using the old Google Assistant.

But the interesting thing now is that Gemini has caught up. It can set timers and alarms, figure out what song is playing, and control things like my Nest thermostat and smart lights. But here’s the strange part: when it’s doing all this new stuff, it still shows the Google Assistant logo in the corner, as if to remind me, “Hey, this is still powered by the old Assistant.” Honestly, why not just do the thing without the extra notification?

What’s really cool, though, is the Gemini extensions in the settings. When you enable them, Gemini can access more of your life, like your Google Docs, Drive, and calendar. That’s where Gemini gets truly useful. I can ask it to find emails, give me traffic info for my next event, and things like that. It feels a lot like talking to a real person, which is super handy.

Gemini Live offers a conversational mode that’s sometimes a little awkward, but also surprisingly useful. You just open it up and go full screen, making it easier to interact in a natural way.

For example, if you have a wasp nest in your studio and you’re unsure how to handle it, you could ask, “What should I do?” and the assistant might respond:

[Assistant] “Wasps can be pretty aggressive, so your safety is the most important thing. Do you know what type of wasps are in the nest? It’ll help me figure out the best way to get rid of it.”

“I’m not sure, but they’re always really active.”

[Assistant] “Okay, no problem. To start, it would help to identify them. Are they yellow and black with a narrow waist? If so, they’re probably yellowjackets. Or if they’re more brown or gray with a wider waist, they might be paper wasps.”

“I don’t really want to get that close. Can you just find pest control near me?”

[Assistant] “Sure.”

This kind of back-and-forth works well because Gemini handles follow-up questions smoothly. It makes it feel less like you’re typing into Google and more like you’re having an actual conversation. When it works right, it can be super helpful, especially if you have a lot of questions.

At this point, I think Gemini is doing a great job. I plan to compare it to the new Siri, ChatGPT, and other assistants in an upcoming assistant showdown. If you’re interested, feel free to subscribe to catch that video when it’s out. But right now, I’m genuinely impressed with what Gemini can do.

What’s cool is that Gemini isn’t limited to Pixel phones. You can use it on any Android device. In fact, Google demoed it using a Galaxy S24 Ultra at their event, so it’s clear this isn’t exclusive to Pixel. But with all the extra NPU power in the Tensor G4 and additional RAM for AI tasks, it begs the question: what exactly is that extra power good for? Well, it helps with a variety of other AI features, and it’s clear there’s a lot more potential.

AI: Overrated or Underrated?

The Pixel 9 comes with a bunch of new AI features, and I’ve spent the past couple of weeks trying them out. Now, I want to break them down into three categories: useful, meh, and gimmicky, based on my experience. Some of these features really enhance the Pixel experience, while others feel a bit overrated.

Useful Features

First, Gemini—the assistant—really stands out. It’s quick, accurate, and does exactly what it’s supposed to do. I also want to mention Call Notes, Video Boost, and Add Me.

Video Boost actually makes a noticeable difference in video quality. It improves what you can capture with the Pixel, making it look sharper and more detailed. Then there’s Call Notes, which is super convenient. If you’re willing to turn it on during a phone call, it records everything, transcribes it, and summarizes it afterward. It’s genuinely useful.

As for Add Me, it’s a pretty cool feature. It lets you take group shots when there’s no one around to take the picture for you. It works by combining two photos—one with everyone except you, and another with just you in it. The result? Everyone’s in the shot. It’s easy to use and works pretty well, but I’m not sure if people will actually use it long term. They might try it once and then just go back to taking selfies. Even so, it’s a clever solution for group shots when you’re flying solo.

And yes, Add Me works if you’re by yourself, too. Though, if you look closely, you might notice some imperfections, like fuzzy edges, because the photos are being combined. But honestly, for a feature that essentially bends reality, it’s impressive. Google deserves credit for pushing the limits with this, but will people actually use it, or just stick with the classic selfie? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Meh Features

Now, there’s the meh category, like the new AI-generated weather summaries in the weather app. It gives you a quick text description of the day’s weather at the top of the app, so you don’t have to dig through all the numbers. Sometimes it’s helpful, but is it really AI? It’s probably just an LLM generating a sentence. It’s fine, but it didn’t warn me about the clouds rolling in and ruining my lighting!

So, Magic Editor recently introduced this “Reimagine” feature, where you can highlight any part of an image, type in some text, and it transforms that section into something totally different. You could turn your photo into a fantasy land or something that never happened, which is pretty cool. The thing is, it won’t do some of my more dramatic edits—like, it seems pretty hesitant about changing people in photos. But if you’re into completely changing the background or setting, it’s all for that. Honestly though, what even is a photo these days?

Then there’s the Screenshots app. Am I missing something? The concept is simple: you have screenshots on your phone with important info and you want to organize them. The app lets you sort them into collections, search through them, set reminders, and even links back to the original webpage. It’s useful, sure, but shouldn’t this be something Google Photos already does? Samsung’s Photos app already has this smart linking feature, where it automatically connects screenshots to the websites they were taken from.

Don’t get me wrong, the Screenshots app works well. It’s probably doing some extra processing of text and details that Google Photos doesn’t do, which is what makes all that indexing and linking possible. Maybe this feature will make its way into Photos eventually, or maybe not—but for now, it’s fine.

That said, it’s still not as frustrating as some of the gimmicks I’ve seen. Like, have you heard about “Zoom Enhance”? There’s this new feature in Photos where you zoom in on a photo, and it plays this animation that’s supposed to “reconstruct” the image and reveal hidden details. But honestly? All it really does is sharpen the image a little and maybe add some fake texture. Not really the big reveal I was hoping for.

And then there’s the Pixel Studio app. It’s this cool tool where you can generate images entirely on your device. It works really fast, and in just a few seconds, you can create whatever you want. But here’s the thing—I’m not really sure what the point is, beyond messing around. If you just want to make a meatball sub with legs or something random, this app will totally let you do that.

Conclusion

Go ahead, dive in.

Looking ahead to 2024, the smartphone scene is all about slight upgrades across the board, with some eye-catching AI features making their debut on the newest models—thanks to improved chips and neural cores. It’s that familiar pattern of innovation, where the newest tech gets all the attention.

The new Pixels fit right into this trend, but if you’re thinking about buying one, it’s really about the same thing as always with Pixel devices: it’s the smartest phone you can get. Now, it’s wrapped in better hardware that feels great to use. Plus, the AI features are there for you to experiment with—you can use them as much or as little as you want. It’s totally up to you.

I’m curious to hear what you think! Drop a comment below about which features you think will be game-changers, and which ones might not be worth the hype. Only time will tell how it all holds up, but so far, I think the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro might be among Google’s best work yet.