Pixel 9 Professional assessment: A images powerhouse

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

Did I count on to be this blown away by the photographs and video Google’s newest flagship can seize? No, undoubtedly not, particularly since there aren’t notable digicam {hardware} upgrades over final 12 months’s Pixel 8 Pro. By way of glorious, 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 digicam array. Because of surprisingly useful AI photo and video features, Google’s Pixel 9 Professional options what I would confidently say is my favourite smartphone digicam ever.

Add within the clearly Apple-inspired design with its easy matte rear, minimized bezels, and tasteful shade choices, you might have a formidable all-around smartphone package deal. In fact, you would argue that nobody wants a Pixel 9 Professional collection smartphone this 12 months as a result of the bottom Pixel 9 is an excellent system that provides options sometimes reserved for higher-end smartphones, and I would wholeheartedly agree with this attitude — except you are actually into taking pictures photographs and movies along with your cellphone. If that is you, then the Pixel 9 Pro’s further 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 accessible beginning September 4th.

Professionals

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

Cons

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

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Worth, 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 assessment). These costs are $300 and $200 greater than the $800 base Pixel 9.

The Pixel 9 Professional XL incorporates 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 fee 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 broad shooter, a slightly upgraded f/1.7 48-megapixel ultra-wide digicam, and an f/2.8 48-megapixel telephoto shooter able to as much as 5x optical zoom. The entrance digicam 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 fee, 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 digicam	42-megapixel f/2.2, 103-degree FOV selfie digicam	42-megapixel f/2.2, 103-degree FOV selfie digicam
  Rear digicam	50-megapixel f/1.68 broad digicam / 48-megapixel f/1.7, 123-degree FOV ultrawide digicam / 48-megapixel, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom, as much as 30x Tremendous Res Zoom telephoto digicam	50-megapixel f/1.68 broad digicam / 48-megapixel f/1.7, 123-degree FOV ultrawide digicam / 48-megapixel f/2.8, 5x optical zoom, as much as 30x Tremendous Res Zoom telephoto digicam
  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
  Worth	$999	$1,099
  Safety	Fingerprint Unlock, Face Unlock, Titan M2 safety coprocessor	Titan M2 safety coprocessor, Fingerprint Unlock, Face Unlock
  12 months of launch	2024	2024

Pixel 9 Professional construct and design

An iPhone-inspired look even probably 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 harking back 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, in contrast to the Pixel 9’s shiny rear, however sadly, its sides stay shiny, making them a smudge and mud magnet. I might have most popular a extra premium all-matte-everything look that is according to the iPhone 15 Professional. This not solely feels higher once you run your fingers over it but additionally repels smudges and mud higher.

Sadly, Google has ditched the visor for a sprawling digicam bump that appears prefer it was dropped on the rear of the system. It is not a deal-breaker, particularly if you happen to plan to place the system in a smartphone case, nevertheless it’s a step again from the identifiable rear digicam visor featured in final 12 months’s Pixel 8 Professional.

Total, 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 units have all the time felt fairly good, however the Pixel 9 Professional collection 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 measurement, and in my time with the system, it hasn’t felt unwieldy. Folks like massive telephones, so it is sensible for Google to supply a much bigger choice. However I choose the smaller 6.3-inch Pixel 9 Professional (it is simply simpler to make use of with one hand). In fact, this can come right down to your private smartphone measurement choice.

Associated

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

Pixel 9 Professional show

A surprising, high-end show that appears nice beneath almost all lighting situations

The Pixel 9 Professional’s show is gorgeous, surpassing the vibrancy of Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional display screen and, in some instances, even Samsung’s Galaxy S24 collection, by a big margin. The Pixel 9’s display screen is greater than vibrant 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 appears nice, however at instances, I’ve truly discovered it too vibrant, particularly when viewing content material beneath darkish situations, forcing me to show the brightness down. Alternatively, I recognize the added illumination when utilizing the system exterior beneath direct daylight. You may also clearly see how a lot brighter the Pixel 9 Professional show is compared instantly 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 photographs, 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 destructive aspect notice, 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 units, so I’ve no clue how this occurred, nevertheless it’s price mentioning. That mentioned, I do not assume it is a widespread situation with the Pixel 9 Professional show and it is in all probability 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 digicam

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

The primary cause to buy the Pixel 9 Professional or Pixel 9 Professional XL over the Pixel 9 is for the additional digicam options the higher-end telephones provide. First off, the Pixel 9 Professional XL incorporates 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, photographs shot with this digicam look stellar. I nonetheless choose a telephoto lens over an ultra-wide, and it might 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 usually. The characteristic is irritating to activate because it requires you to activate “Video Enhance” and swap to 5x optical zoom earlier than zooming into no matter digital zoom you want, nevertheless it works nicely and stays spectacular. As you’ll be able to 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 notice, Video Enhance additionally stays spectacular, notably on the subject of smoothing out panning, which remains to be surprisingly uneven with the Pixel 9 Professional line, particularly when switching between lenses (the iPhone 15 Pro beats the Pixel 9 Professional relating to video). It might be nice if there was a strategy to activate Video Enhance completely, although I perceive why there is not provided that the characteristic requires each file to be uploaded to Google’s servers. Like final 12 months, movies can generally get caught changing to Video Enhance and take upwards of half-hour to course of, particularly if you happen to 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 if you happen to’re seeking to publish one thing rapidly, Video Enhance usually is not an choice.

Sticking with getting nearer to topics, this 12 months “Zoom Improve” permits you to enhance the standard of photographs shot with digital zoom. Just like Tremendous Res Zoom Video, the adjustments are refined however nonetheless noticeable, giving zoomed photographs 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 if you happen to’re into images, you may discover them.

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

It nonetheless snaps nice photographs that strike a stability between the over-processed really feel of Samsung’s Galaxy collection and the more and more out-of-this-world tackle images Apple has been pushing for the previous couple of years (check out the sky in iPhone 15 Professional photographs, and you may see what I imply). Of all of the flagship smartphones at present accessible, the Pixel 9 collection affords probably the most true-to-life photographs, which is somewhat ironic given the tech big’s emphasis on AI this 12 months, bringing into query what {a photograph} even is anymore.

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

One necessary factor to notice is that the Pixel 9 Professional’s AI digicam options don’t work when you might have the primary 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 might be nice to see compatibility with 48-megapixel photographs within the Pixel 10 Professional collection nonetheless.

Talking of 48-megapixel photographs, I do not discover the necessity to snap them fairly often except I intend to crop the picture in a roundabout way. The shutter can be nonetheless a bit slower when utilizing the complete sensor, making it tough to quickly take photographs, which was a problem whereas snapping footage on the Toronto Worldwide Airshow, forcing me to largely follow 12-megapixel photographs. It was nonetheless doable to rapidly snap the photographs 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 photographs, however past the occasional macro shot, I do not discover myself utilizing the ultra-wide digicam fairly often. And eventually, there’s the f/2.2 42-megapixel front-facing digicam that snaps clearer footage than final 12 months’s selfie shooter. I am not a giant selfie individual, however the photographs 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 collection’ front-facing digicam.

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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 cellphone.

Pixel 9 Professional XL efficiency

The Tensor G4 benchmarks beneath 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 beneath a heavy load, I did not expertise the identical warmth points as I sometimes encountered with the Pixel 8 Professional, seemingly due to the brand new inner cooling design and the cellphone’s bigger measurement. Nevertheless, the Tensor G4 shouldn’t be that a lot of a soar over the Pixel 8 Professional when it comes to uncooked efficiency. For individuals 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 nicely beneath these of units 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 shopping the web, taking part in video games, doing minor picture edits in Adobe’s Lightroom CC, or watching the occasional video on YouTube.

Except you are the definition of a smartphone energy consumer, you may discover only a few points with the Pixel 9 Professional’s efficiency even if you happen to’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 nicely into the late night with average use, just like my expertise with the Pixel 9. Provided that the Pixel 9 Professional XL incorporates a bigger 5,060 mAh cell versus the Pixel 9 Professional’s 4,700 mAh, the latter system affords 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 investigate and catalog each screenshot you are taking. Right here’s the way to 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 collection 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 photographs. There’s additionally Screenshots, a superb app that makes use of AI to floor related screenshots, and extra.

Reimagine’s guardrails are fairly unfastened. With ingenious prompts, you’ll be able to simply trick it into creating off-putting photographs, and in some instances, these AI-edited photographs look very convincing. Do not get me mistaken, they’re usually ridiculous-looking and clearly pretend, however that is not all the time the case (try that image beneath of a submarine in Lake Ontario). Alternatively, Pixel Studio is a foolish AI picture generator according to Meta AI or OpenAI’s DALL·E 3 that works fairly nicely.

My key concern is that these photographs may 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 units, making AI-altered and generated photographs much more widespread on social media.

For extra on the Pixel 9 collection’ 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 Dwell (which is free for a 12 months with the acquisition of a Pixel 9 system and $20/month after), work shockingly nicely. Regardless that I’ve encountered the occasional glitch, I’ve by no means really been in a position to have a dialog with an AI earlier than Gemini/Gemini Dwell. Does speaking to an AI assistant match into my workflow, although? Not likely, and I am undecided it ever will.

Lastly, I am a giant fan of the Pixel’s Android pores and skin. It is easy, simple, and clear. In actual fact, I discover it simpler to navigate than iOS 18. Apple’s cellular working system has turn into more and more difficult over the previous couple of years, and Android 14 operating on the Pixel 9 collection has made that much more obvious (the replace to Android 15 is coming quickly). It is also nice that Google has promised to offer seven years of software program updates to the Pixel 9 line.

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Must you purchase the Google Pixel 9 Professional?

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

Most individuals ought to go for the usual Pixel 9, however if you happen to’re into images, the Pixel 9 Professional collection has rather a lot to supply. It captures my favourite smartphone photographs 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 photographs and movies. That is in stark distinction to the assorted picture and video AI options provided by the Pixel 9 Professional collection, together with Zoom Improve and Tremendous Res Zoom Video, which I discovered notably helpful.

That mentioned, I am nonetheless involved about Reimagine’s broader implications, given how simple it’s to make use of and the way convincing the outcomes could be generally. Moreover, I have not discovered a strategy to combine Gemini into my life, regardless of its spectacular capabilities. Total, the Pixel 9 Professional line affords one in every of Google’s most full smartphone packages in years, however if you happen to’re not an avid photographer, it can save you just a few hundred {dollars} and persist with the usual Pixel 9.

Editor’s Alternative

Pixel 9 Professional