Pixel 9 Professional XL evaluation: A images powerhouse

Google’s Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL are images powerhouses with a superb, iPhone-like design that even essentially the most hardcore Android followers will seemingly admit seems to be and feels nice.

Did I count on to be this blown away by the pictures and video Google’s newest flagship can seize? No, undoubtedly not, particularly since there aren’t notable digital camera {hardware} upgrades over final 12 months’s Pixel 8 Pro. Via wonderful, surprisingly true-to-life post-processing, I discover I choose the look of the Pixel 9 Professional’s photographs over even these taken with Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional, which had been my earlier favourite digital camera array. Due to surprisingly useful AI photo and video features, Google’s Pixel 9 Professional options what I might confidently say is my favourite smartphone digital camera ever.

Add within the clearly Apple-inspired design with its clean matte rear, minimized bezels, and tasteful coloration choices, you might have a formidable all-around smartphone package deal. After all, you might argue that nobody wants a Pixel 9 Professional sequence smartphone this 12 months as a result of the bottom Pixel 9 is an excellent gadget that provides options sometimes reserved for higher-end smartphones, and I might wholeheartedly agree with this attitude — except you are actually into taking pictures pictures and movies along with your telephone. If that is you, then the Pixel 9 Pro’s extra price is price its dearer price ticket. Its cameras are actually that good.

Editor’s Alternative

Pixel 9 Professional

The Pixel 9 Professional brings a brand new squared-off design, the Tensor G4 chip, and new AI options like Pixel Screenshots to Google’s flagship smartphone line. It is obtainable beginning September 4th.

Execs

• Wonderful AI-powered images options
• Nice-looking design
• Easy software program that is straightforward to navigate

Cons

• Costly
• Some AI options are a bit terrifying
• Sides aren’t matte

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Value, availability, and specs

Google’s Pixel 9 Professional XL and Pixel 9 Professional can be found directly from Google and different retailers for $1,100 and $1,000, respectively, in porcelain, rose quartz, hazel, and obsidian (the latter featured on this evaluation). These costs are $300 and $200 greater than the $800 base Pixel 9.

The Pixel 9 Professional XL encompasses a 6.8-inch 1,344 x 2,992 LTPO OLED show, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional has a 6.3-inch 1290 x 2856 LTPO OLED display screen. Each shows embody a 1-120Hz variable refresh price and Gorilla Glass Victus 2, with brightness reaching 2,000 and three,000 nits of peak brightness, respectively. The Pixel 9 Professional XL’s battery capability is 4,700mAh, and the Pixel 9 Professional’s is 5,060mAh. Their weights are roughly 7.7oz (221g) and 7oz (199g), respectively.

Storage choices begin at 128GB and prolong as much as 1TB. This 12 months, RAM has been upgraded to 16GB from final 12 months’s 12GB. The smartphone additionally options Google’s Tensor G4 chip. Digital camera specs embody an f/1.68 50-megapixel most important vast shooter, a slightly upgraded f/1.7 48-megapixel ultra-wide digital camera, and an f/2.8 48-megapixel telephoto shooter able to as much as 5x optical zoom. The entrance digital camera has been upgraded to an f/2.2 42-megapixel shooter from final 12 months’s f/2.2 10.5-megapixel lens.

• 	Pixel 9 Professional	Pixel 9 Professional XL
  Model	Google	Google
  SoC	Tensor G4	Tensor G4
  Show	6.3-inch Tremendous Actua show	6.8-inch Tremendous Actua show, 1344 x 2992 LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz refresh price, as much as 3000 nits peak brightness
  RAM	16GB	16GB
  Storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
  Battery	4700mAh, 24+ hours of battery life	5,060 mAh, 24+ hours of battery life
  Ports	USB-C	USB-C
  Working System	Android 14	Android 14
  Entrance digital camera	42-megapixel f/2.2, 103-degree FOV selfie digital camera	42-megapixel f/2.2, 103-degree FOV selfie digital camera
  Rear digital camera	50-megapixel f/1.68 vast digital camera / 48-megapixel f/1.7, 123-degree FOV ultrawide digital camera / 48-megapixel, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom, as much as 30x Tremendous Res Zoom telephoto digital camera	50-megapixel f/1.68 vast digital camera / 48-megapixel f/1.7, 123-degree FOV ultrawide digital camera / 48-megapixel f/2.8, 5x optical zoom, as much as 30x Tremendous Res Zoom telephoto digital camera
  Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, Extremely-Wideband chip, GPS, 5G mmWave, Satellite tv for pc	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, Extremely-Wideband chip, GPS, Satellite tv for pc, 5G mmWave
  Dimensions	6 x 2.8 x 0.3-inches	6.4 x 3.0 x 0.3-inches
  Colours	Porcelain, Obsidian, Hazel, Rose Quartz	Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz
  Weight	199g / 7oz	221g / 7.8oz
  Cost velocity	As much as 55% in half-hour with 45W cost	As much as 70% in half-hour with 45W cost
  IP Ranking	IP68	IP68
  Value	$999	$1,099
  Safety	Fingerprint Unlock, Face Unlock, Titan M2 safety coprocessor	Titan M2 safety coprocessor, Fingerprint Unlock, Face Unlock
  Yr of launch	2024	2024

Pixel 9 Professional construct and design

An iPhone-inspired look even essentially the most hardcore Android followers will like

I lined it extensively in my Pixel 9 review, however I am a giant fan of the look of this 12 months’s Pixel 9 line. The Pixel 9 Professional adopts a glance paying homage to the iPhone, with its squared-off sides and barely rounded corners that make it general simpler to carry, particularly at awkward angles. The again is matte, not like the Pixel 9’s shiny rear, however sadly, its sides stay shiny, making them a smudge and dirt magnet. I might have most well-liked a extra premium all-matte-everything look that is consistent with the iPhone 15 Professional. This not solely feels higher whenever you run your fingers over it but in addition repels smudges and dirt higher.

Sadly, Google has ditched the visor for a sprawling digital camera bump that appears prefer it was dropped on the rear of the gadget. It isn’t a deal-breaker, particularly in the event you plan to place the gadget in a smartphone case, nevertheless it’s a step again from the identifiable rear digital camera visor featured in final 12 months’s Pixel 8 Professional.

General, the Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL are very solid-looking smartphones that provide a stage of refinement immediately noticeable from the second you choose it up. Pixel gadgets have at all times felt fairly good, however the Pixel 9 Professional sequence takes issues to a different stage.

It is price noting that that is the primary time Google has provided a bigger 6.8-inch model of its higher-end smartphone. A 6.8-inch display screen is an honest dimension, and in my time with the gadget, it hasn’t felt unwieldy. Folks like massive telephones, so it is sensible for Google to supply an even bigger possibility. However I choose the smaller 6.3-inch Pixel 9 Professional (it is simply simpler to make use of with one hand). After all, this may come right down to your private smartphone dimension desire.

Associated

The Pixel 9 is a nearly perfect Android phone that also terrifies me

The Pixel 9 delivers gorgeous efficiency and design, however its Reimagine AI device really scares me.

Pixel 9 Professional show

A shocking, high-end show that appears nice below almost all lighting circumstances

The Pixel 9 Professional’s show is gorgeous, surpassing the vibrancy of Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional display screen and, in some circumstances, even Samsung’s Galaxy S24 sequence, by a big margin. The Pixel 9’s display screen is greater than vivid sufficient at 1,800 nits with 2,700 nits of peak brightness, however the Pixel 9 Professional’s show takes issues to a blistering 2,000 nits with as much as 3,000 nits of peak brightness.

The show seems to be nice, however at occasions, I’ve truly discovered it too vivid, particularly when viewing content material below darkish circumstances, forcing me to show the brightness down. Then again, I recognize the added illumination when utilizing the gadget outdoors below direct daylight. You can too clearly see how a lot brighter the Pixel 9 Professional show is compared immediately with the Pixel 9’s display screen.

Each the Pixel 9 Professional and 9 Professional XL sport larger decision shows than the Pixel 9, at 1344 x 2992 and 1280 x 2856 pixel decision, respectively. Colours are vibrant, and pictures, movies, and video games look sharp, however not wildly higher than my expertise with Google’s base Pixel 9, regardless of its OLED building versus the Pixel 9 Professional XL and Pixel 9 Professional’s higher-end LTPO display screen know-how. To me, this simply speaks to how good all of the shows in Google’s Pixel 9 lineup are.

As a damaging aspect word, I managed to get a really nasty scratch towards the center of the Pixel 9 Professional XL’s show, regardless of its supposedly sturdy Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 building. I am fairly cautious with my gadgets, so I’ve no clue how this occurred, nevertheless it’s price mentioning. That stated, I do not suppose it is a widespread difficulty with the Pixel 9 Professional show and it is most likely simply unhealthy luck on my half.

Associated

The Pixel 9 Pro is great, but here are 5 reasons why I’m waiting for the Pixel 10 Pro

Google’s Pixel 9 Professional is a slam-dunk success, however I am nonetheless not satisfied it is time to take the Pixel plunge.

Pixel 9 Professional digital camera

This 12 months’s key promoting level is superb digital camera efficiency (and never solely due to AI)

The principle motive to buy the Pixel 9 Professional or Pixel 9 Professional XL over the Pixel 9 is for the additional digital camera options the higher-end telephones supply. First off, the Pixel 9 Professional XL encompasses a f/2.2 48-megapixel telephoto lens with as much as 5x optical zoom. These are the identical specs as final 12 months, and general, photos shot with this digital camera look stellar. I nonetheless choose a telephoto lens over an ultra-wide, and it could be nice if Google ditched the latter from its base Pixel 9 in favor of an actual optical zoom.

On the AI aspect of issues, “Tremendous Res Zoom Video” is again once more and a bit extra spectacular than final 12 months. The visible improve remains to be considerably minimal, however clips look noticeably clearer most often. The characteristic is irritating to activate because it requires you to activate “Video Increase” and change to 5x optical zoom earlier than zooming into no matter digital zoom you want, nevertheless it works properly and stays spectacular. As you may see above, the fish are barely clearer and extra vibrant within the Tremendous Res Zoom enhanced clip above, even with X’s dismal video transcoding.

On that very same word, Video Increase additionally stays spectacular, notably relating to smoothing out panning, which remains to be unusually uneven with the Pixel 9 Professional line, particularly when switching between lenses (the iPhone 15 Pro beats the Pixel 9 Professional concerning video). It will be nice if there was a strategy to activate Video Increase completely, although I perceive why there is not on condition that the characteristic requires each file to be uploaded to Google’s servers. Like final 12 months, movies can typically get caught changing to Video Increase and take upwards of half-hour to course of, particularly in the event you use the Pixel 9 Professional line’s new 8K upscaling (it is a welcome addition, however I haven’t got a lot use for 8K footage). This implies in the event you’re seeking to publish one thing shortly, Video Increase usually is not an possibility.

Sticking with getting nearer to topics, this 12 months “Zoom Improve” lets you enhance the standard of photos shot with digital zoom. Just like Tremendous Res Zoom Video, the adjustments are refined however nonetheless noticeable, giving zoomed pictures extra definition and an general barely clearer image that is usually extra vibrant. Sometimes, the farther you zoom in digitally, the extra spectacular the outcomes are when utilizing Zoom Improve. The enhancements are fairly minimal, however in the event you’re into images, you may discover them.

On the optical zoom aspect, photos are clear, crisp, and spectacular, notably at 5x, which I discovered very helpful on a latest crusing journey. Nevertheless, I’ve skilled camera tilt at 5x zoom that causes photos to be considerably off-kilter. I have been fixing this with a fast crop, however I am assured Google will resolve this difficulty within the coming weeks with a digital camera app replace. Together with the already talked about telephoto lens, the Pixel 9 Professional sequence options an f/1.7 50-megapixel vast digital camera that is the identical as final 12 months’s main digital camera.

It nonetheless snaps nice pictures that strike a stability between the over-processed really feel of Samsung’s Galaxy sequence and the more and more out-of-this-world tackle images Apple has been pushing for the previous few years (check out the sky in iPhone 15 Professional pictures, and you will see what I imply). Of all of the flagship smartphones presently obtainable, the Pixel 9 sequence gives essentially the most true-to-life photographs, which is slightly ironic given the tech large’s emphasis on AI this 12 months, bringing into query what {a photograph} even is anymore.

Pixel 9 digital camera options like “Add Me,” which lets you create a composite group shot with out asking a stranger to snap the photograph, are additionally a part of the Pixel 9 Professional sequence’ quiver of AI-powered performance. “Add Me” works simply as properly with the Pixel 9 Professional line and is the form of harmless AI characteristic I truly discover helpful.

One necessary factor to notice is that the Pixel 9 Professional’s AI digital camera options don’t work when you might have the principle shooter set to 48 megapixels as an alternative of 12 megapixels, which is a disappointing transfer on Google’s half. This seemingly has one thing to do with the present AI processing pipeline and the way Google makes use of the bigger sensor, however it could be nice to see compatibility with 48-megapixel photographs within the Pixel 10 Professional sequence nonetheless.

Talking of 48-megapixel photographs, I do not discover the necessity to snap them fairly often except I intend to crop the picture ultimately. The shutter can be nonetheless a bit slower when utilizing the total sensor, making it troublesome to quickly take pictures, which was a problem whereas snapping photos on the Toronto Worldwide Airshow, forcing me to principally keep on with 12-megapixel photos. It was nonetheless attainable to shortly snap the pictures I wished with the 48-megapixel sensor, however I wanted to be very intentional with my photographs.

There’s additionally the f/1.7 48-megapixel ultra-wide shooter that provides a minor improve over final 12 months’s ultra-wide. It snaps respectable pictures, however past the occasional macro shot, I do not discover myself utilizing the ultra-wide digital camera fairly often. And eventually, there’s the f/2.2 42-megapixel front-facing digital camera that snaps clearer photos than final 12 months’s selfie shooter. I am not a giant selfie particular person, however the pictures I shot are clear, with even publicity all through. I usually discover that selfie cameras blow out a picture’s highlights, and that is not the case with the Pixel 9 Professional sequence’ front-facing digital camera.

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The Pixel 9 Professional helps Tremendous Res Zoom in video for the primary time, and it is a good instance of AI-enabled options that make sense on Google’s telephone.

Pixel 9 Professional XL efficiency

The Tensor G4 benchmarks below the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, however who cares?

On the efficiency aspect, Google’s Tensor G4 runs nice within the Pixel 9 Professional XL. Even below a heavy load, I did not expertise the identical warmth points as I often encountered with the Pixel 8 Professional, seemingly due to the brand new inner cooling design and the telephone’s bigger dimension. Nevertheless, the Tensor G4 will not be that a lot of a leap over the Pixel 8 Professional when it comes to uncooked efficiency. For many who care about benchmarks, the Pixel 9 Professional XL scores 1,901 for single-core and 4,707 for multi-core, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional hits 1,966 for single-core and 4,723 for multi-core.

These marks are properly under these of gadgets powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Nonetheless, I did not encounter a single occasion of slowdown, whether or not I used to be looking the web, enjoying video games, doing minor photograph edits in Adobe’s Lightroom CC, or watching the occasional video on YouTube.

Except you are the definition of a smartphone energy person, you may discover only a few points with the Pixel 9 Professional’s efficiency even in the event you’re a giant multi-tasker, because of its ample 16GB of RAM. Smartphone chips have been overkill for years, and the Pixel 9 Professional XL isn’t any exception. Battery life lasts properly into the late night with reasonable use, just like my expertise with the Pixel 9. On condition that the Pixel 9 Professional XL encompasses a bigger 5,060 mAh cell versus the Pixel 9 Professional’s 4,700 mAh, the latter gadget gives barely higher battery life.

Associated

How I use my Pixel 9’s Screenshots app to remember everything

The Pixel 9 makes use of its on-device Gemini Nano mannequin to research and catalog each screenshot you are taking. Right here’s how you can use it finest.

Pixel 9 Professional softwareAI coupled with a throwback to an easier period of iOS

On the software program aspect, Google’s Pixel 9 Professional sequence helps all the identical considerably terrifying AI options because the Pixel 9, together with “Reimagine,” which lets you add almost something to a picture with prompts, and Pixel Studio, Google’s AI app that generates photos. There’s additionally Screenshots, a superb app that makes use of AI to floor related screenshots, and extra.

Reimagine’s guardrails are fairly free. With ingenious prompts, you may simply trick it into creating off-putting photos, and in some circumstances, these AI-edited pictures look very convincing. Do not get me improper, they’re usually ridiculous-looking and clearly pretend, however that is not at all times the case (take a look at that image under of a submarine in Lake Ontario). Then again, Pixel Studio is a foolish AI picture generator consistent with Meta AI or OpenAI’s DALL·E 3 that works fairly properly.

My key concern is that these photos could be posted as actuality with none apparent indication that they’re AI-generated. It is a slippery slope we have been sliding down for months, and it is solely a matter of time earlier than these options attain different Android gadgets, making AI-altered and generated photos much more frequent on social media.

For extra on the Pixel 9 sequence’ potential AI pitfalls and the intense implications Reimagine might have, check out my Pixel 9 review. It is price mentioning that even in its early state, Gemini and its extra conversational counterpart, Gemini Reside (which is free for a 12 months with the acquisition of a Pixel 9 gadget and $20/month after), work shockingly properly. Despite the fact that I’ve encountered the occasional glitch, I’ve by no means really been capable of have a dialog with an AI earlier than Gemini/Gemini Reside. Does speaking to an AI assistant match into my workflow, although? Not likely, and I am unsure it ever will.

Lastly, I am a giant fan of the Pixel’s Android pores and skin. It is easy, easy, and clear. In reality, I discover it simpler to navigate than iOS 18. Apple’s cell working system has grow to be more and more difficult over the previous few years, and Android 14 operating on the Pixel 9 sequence has made that much more obvious (the replace to Android 15 is coming quickly). It is also nice that Google has promised to supply seven years of software program updates to the Pixel 9 line.

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Do you have to purchase the Google Pixel 9 Professional?

It is certainly one of Google’s most full smartphone packages in years

Most individuals ought to go for the usual Pixel 9, however in the event you’re into images, the Pixel 9 Professional sequence has lots to supply. It captures my favourite smartphone pictures but, providing a extra true-to-life stability that sits firmly between Samsung’s intense saturation and Apple’s more and more inconsistent, out-there tackle photos and movies. That is in stark distinction to the varied photograph and video AI options provided by the Pixel 9 Professional sequence, together with Zoom Improve and Tremendous Res Zoom Video, which I discovered notably helpful.

That stated, I am nonetheless involved about Reimagine’s broader implications, given how straightforward it’s to make use of and the way convincing the outcomes will be typically. Moreover, I have not discovered a strategy to combine Gemini into my life, regardless of its spectacular capabilities. General, the Pixel 9 Professional line gives certainly one of Google’s most full smartphone packages in years, however in the event you’re not an avid photographer, it can save you just a few hundred {dollars} and follow the usual Pixel 9.

Editor’s Alternative

Pixel 9 Professional