Google Pixel 9 Pro

Manuel Masiero highlights the Google Pixel 9 Pro as one of the best compact flagship smartphones available, praising its bright LTPO OLED display, excellent camera system—including a versatile 5x optical zoom telephoto lens—and very long battery life that surpasses its predecessor despite a slightly smaller capacity. The phone’s high-quality build, extensive connectivity options, and an impressive seven-year update policy further enhance its appeal. Masiero also notes the device’s strong AI features and sustainability efforts, such as recycled materials and plastic-free packaging. However, the review tempers enthusiasm with critiques of the Pixel 9 Pro’s middling performance due to the Google Tensor G4 chip, relatively slow UFS 3.1 storage, and notably slow charging speed capped at 27 watts. The base model’s 128 GB storage is also seen as outdated for 2024. Overall, the review conveys a balanced but positive tone, emphasizing the Pixel 9 Pro’s strengths in design, camera quality, and longevity while acknowledging compromises in raw performance and charging.

Philip Berne from TechRadar highlights the Google Pixel 9 Pro as a beautifully redesigned flagship with premium materials and a polished feel that surpasses many competitors. The phone’s standout feature is its deep integration of AI, offering creative and fun tools like Gemini Live conversational AI and advanced photo editing that push the boundaries of smartphone capabilities. The Pixel 9 Pro’s cameras are excellent, especially its night panorama mode and realistic color rendering, making it a top contender for photography enthusiasts. However, Berne tempers enthusiasm with notable criticisms: the Tensor G4 chipset delivers sluggish performance and struggles with multitasking, and the phone exhibits overheating issues even in mild conditions. While the AI features are innovative, some feel gimmicky or imperfect, and the high price point may not justify these trade-offs compared to rivals like the iPhone 15 Pro. Overall, the Pixel 9 Pro is exciting and forward-looking but imperfect, best suited for users who value design and AI creativity over raw speed.

Nicholas Sutrich and Andrew Myrick from Android Central highlight the Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL as thoughtfully designed phones that deliver a refined Pixel experience with notable improvements, especially in battery life and camera quality. They praise Google’s clever AI features, Pixel-exclusive apps, and the ability to choose between two sizes without sacrificing key capabilities. However, the review strikes a measured tone, pointing out persistent issues such as the underwhelming Tensor G4 processor performance compared to competitors, problematic in-screen fingerprint sensors, and a display that uses a low 240Hz PWM dimming rate causing discomfort for sensitive users. Charging speeds remain modest, and the polished aluminum frame attracts fingerprints and feels slippery. While the Pixel 9 Pro excels in photography and software polish, the authors caution that gamers or those seeking cutting-edge specs might want to consider alternatives. Overall, the review conveys a balanced enthusiasm, recommending the Pixel 9 Pro for users who value Google’s unique features and long-term software support over raw power or ultra-fast charging.

Philip Michaels from Tom’s Guide highlights the Google Pixel 9 Pro as a notably more compact flagship that shifts Google’s focus toward AI-powered features while maintaining its reputation as a top-tier camera phone. He praises the phone’s exceptionally bright Super Actua display, improved battery life surpassing many rivals, and the innovative AI tools like Pixel Screenshots and the Gemini assistant, which show promise despite some early quirks. The camera system continues to impress with accurate colors and versatile zoom capabilities, though some shots reveal minor exposure trade-offs compared to competitors. Performance-wise, the Tensor G4 chip lags behind flagship rivals, but efficient power management helps extend battery life. Michaels views the Pixel 9 Pro as a polished device that feels like a work in progress, betting on Google’s ongoing software updates to refine its AI features. Overall, the review conveys a cautiously optimistic tone, appreciating the phone’s strengths while acknowledging areas needing improvement.

Iyaz Akhtar from PCMag highlights the Google Pixel 9 Pro as a well-balanced, compact flagship that blends solid performance, excellent cameras, and long battery life into an elegant design. Praising its refined build quality, bright 6.3-inch OLED display, and reliable wireless connectivity, Akhtar emphasizes the phone’s standout battery endurance of over 17 hours in video streaming tests. The Pixel 9 Pro’s Tensor G4 chip delivers smooth everyday performance despite middling synthetic benchmark scores, while its versatile triple-camera system captures sharp, natural photos with useful AI-powered editing tools. The review notes that Google’s Gemini AI features are entertaining but somewhat underdeveloped at launch, with some limitations in memory and offline use. Akhtar positions the Pixel 9 Pro as the “Goldilocks” choice between the smaller Pixel 9 and larger Pro XL, offering flagship capabilities in a manageable size for $999. While the standard Pixel 9 remains the Editors’ Choice for most users due to its value, the Pixel 9 Pro stands out as the best compact powerhouse with leading AI features.

Dan Seifert from WIRED highlights the Google Pixel 9 Pro as a mature, polished flagship that blends refined hardware, powerful internals, and innovative AI-driven software. Praising its smart design, excellent camera system, and standout features like the 5X telephoto lens and improved selfie camera, Seifert emphasizes the phone’s competitive edge against rivals like the iPhone 15 Pro. The review also applauds the new ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and the vapor chamber cooling system, which benefits gamers by preventing overheating. However, the Pixel 9 Pro’s high price and modest battery life temper enthusiasm, alongside minor drawbacks such as the lack of Qi2 wireless charging and occasional AI photo-editing quirks. Unique insights include the evolving AI features like Gemini Live chatbot and advanced image manipulation tools, which blur the line between reality and digital enhancement. Overall, the Pixel 9 Pro is positioned as a compelling choice for users who value camera innovation and AI integration, though some trade-offs remain for more budget-conscious buyers.

Lewis Painter from Trusted Reviews highlights the Google Pixel 9 Pro as a compelling option for users seeking a more compact flagship without major compromises. Praising its redesigned, modern aesthetic and improved ergonomics, Painter emphasizes the phone’s excellent camera system, which delivers natural, true-to-life colors and strong low-light performance, supported by advanced AI-powered photography and editing tools. The Pixel 9 Pro’s 6.3-inch OLED display impresses with vibrant colors and smooth 120Hz refresh rates, while the Tensor G4 chipset excels in AI tasks, enabling unique features like on-device image analysis and conversational AI via Gemini. However, Painter notes the chipset’s relative weakness in raw CPU/GPU power compared to competitors, causing the device to run warm during extended gaming sessions. Battery life is solid for most users, though charging speeds lag behind some rivals. Overall, the Pixel 9 Pro offers a balanced, feature-rich experience with a focus on AI and usability, making it an attractive choice for those wanting flagship capabilities in a smaller form factor.

Joe Maring from Android Authority revisits the Google Pixel 9 Pro six months after its release, offering a nuanced and emotionally mixed perspective. He praises the phone’s standout software experience, highlighting seamless face unlock integration, clever screenshot shortcuts, and best-in-class apps like Pixel Recorder and Now Playing. The hardware craftsmanship also impresses, with a premium build and refined details. However, Maring’s enthusiasm is tempered by growing frustrations: the Pixel’s camera, while technically excellent, produces images that feel dull and lack vibrancy compared to competitors like the OnePlus 13. Performance-wise, the Tensor G4 chip’s tendency to heat up during light use and only average battery life fall short against newer rivals. Display brightness quirks and the phone’s unexpectedly heavy, bulky feel further detract from daily comfort. Ultimately, Maring finds the Pixel 9 Pro’s strengths compelling but overshadowed by these accumulating issues, leaving him conflicted and reluctant to fully embrace the device again.

Andrew Lanxon from CNET praises the Google Pixel 9 Pro as a well-rounded and enjoyable smartphone, particularly impressed by its camera performance after extensive testing against top competitors like the iPhone 16 Pro and Xiaomi 14 Ultra. He highlights the phone’s vibrant outdoor shots, strong low-light capabilities, and effective 5x optical zoom, though he notes that heavy software processing and weaker raw image quality may disappoint professional photographers. The recent Android 15 update adds useful security features like Private Space and Theft Detection, but these enhancements feel subtle and somewhat cumbersome. Lanxon expresses mild enthusiasm for the Pixel’s AI tools, such as Pixel Studio and Gemini, but finds them largely forgettable and not essential to his daily use, reflecting a broader uncertainty about AI’s current role in smartphones. Overall, he regards the Pixel 9 Pro as a solid, pleasant device with excellent cameras and smooth performance, though its AI features remain underwhelming and unlikely to sway users strongly either way.

Samuel Gibbs from The Guardian highlights the Google Pixel 9 Pro as a standout small phone that packs flagship-level hardware into a more manageable 6.3-inch form factor. Praising its bright, crisp screen, excellent camera system with impressive 5x and 10x optical zoom capabilities, and long battery life, Gibbs emphasizes the phone’s balance of power and portability. The review also lauds the Pixel’s cutting-edge AI features, including the Gemini Live conversational assistant and generative AI tools, bundled with a year’s subscription. While the Pixel 9 Pro delivers solid performance and seven years of software updates, it falls short of the raw speed of some Qualcomm-powered rivals and carries a premium price tag comparable to the iPhone 15 Pro. Minor drawbacks include a less secure face unlock system and a temperature sensor seen as gimmicky outside the US. Overall, Gibbs presents the Pixel 9 Pro as one of the best small phones available, blending innovation, sustainability, and usability in a premium package.

Antonio Villas-Boas from Business Insider highlights the Google Pixel 9 Pro as the Android phone with the best camera system, praising its superb image quality, natural colors, and excellent balance of brightness and contrast. The Pixel 9 Pro’s 5x zoom lens and advanced AI-powered photography features, including post-production enhancements, set it apart from competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which offers more zoom options but less consistent image quality. While some AI features are still evolving, the Pixel 9 Pro impresses with a bright display, powerful performance, and versatile cameras that excel even in challenging lighting. Villas-Boas also notes the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s outstanding battery life, which outperforms most Android rivals, making it a strong choice for users valuing endurance. Overall, the review conveys a positive, confident tone about the Pixel 9 Pro’s strengths in photography and battery, balanced with measured acknowledgment of minor AI feature imperfections.