I vividly remember a conversation on WhatsApp where fellow tech journalists highlighted how it has become a struggle to review smartphones beyond the standard features. Truth be told, most phones, regardless of brand or price tier, have more or less the same performance, leaving less scope for reviewers to critique them. Industry insiders with whom I have had conversations agree that innovation in the smartphone segment isn’t what it used to be. I definitely see a need for reviewers like us to look beyond traditional smartphone features and put pressure on brands to explore what’s possible on the software side. I don’t know how long it will take, but the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (first look) seems to be a step in that direction, with its AI-led features serving as a foundation for a new type of smartphone. This suggests that there’s more to a smartphone than just its physical design and cameras, which is exactly what Google is emphasising with the Pixel 9 series.
I have been using the 9 Pro XL, the top-end mainstream Pixel smartphone, for well over a week. Here’s my take on the good and bad aspects of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, including whether those highly marketed AI features are as impressive as Google promises or if they lean towards the gimmicky side.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL price in India (as reviewed): Rs 1,24,999 onwards
As fresh as a runway look
The back of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
It seems that Google has finally achieved what Apple has consistently managed since the launch of the first iPhone: a design language that is original, reimagined, and refined while maintaining a distinct identity. The Pixel 9 Pro XL feels familiar, with nuances and intrinsic details that align with previous-generation Pixel flagships. Yet, the device also feels different, offering a sense of newness in its design. This time, the Pro version is bigger and taller, with flatter edges and a flatter display, similar to recent iPhone and Galaxy flagships. The aluminium sides have an extra shine, and the glass back has a matte finish that reduces fingerprints. I got the black version; it has a glossy finish but attracts dust around the camera lenses like anything. Get a case as soon as you buy the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The phone is more durable than last year’s Pixel devices, thanks to Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back, and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
When it comes to large display devices, the biggest issue is usually holding them. In the case of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, it’s tall but not particularly wide, and it’s surprisingly light given its size. Compared to my 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro (review), the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL feels quite substantial in your hand and the extra weight feels in the pocket. However, next to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Pixel 9 Pro XL feels comparatively lighter, though both phones are similar in size and weight.
I’d also like to mention the camera design on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. There’s a large, pill-shaped camera bump on the back that occupies the upper portion of the device. The prominence of this camera bump might divide opinions.
Gorgeous display but it’s overly sensitive to touch
The fingerprint sensor on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is ultrasonic rather than capacitive. Yes, it finally happened. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The 6.8-inch screen on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is larger than my iPhone 15 Pro, and you can see the size difference in the side-by-side comparison of the two phones above. Displays on flagship-grade phones have improved so much that it’s hard to be wowed anymore, and I felt the same about the Pixel 9 Pro XL as with every other high-end device I’ve reviewed recently. The bezels are thinner, and the OLED display is extremely colourful and features a 120Hz refresh rate.
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The Super Actua display on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is sharp and colourful. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
There is more room to display content, and I could read WhatsApp messages and go through an article on indianexpress.com even in direct sunlight. This is because the Pixel 9 Pro XL can reach up to 3000 nits of peak brightness. However, I must mention that the display is overly sensitive to touch. There were times when I accidentally clicked on menus just by scrolling. On the other hand, the haptics on the Pixel 9 Pro XL are really good. When you type on the keyboard, each key vibrates as you type, and the feel is better than Apple’s Taptic Engine. I wish other smartphones would adopt this feature from the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Reasonably good performance and software support
The iPhone 15 Pro (left) is next to the Pixel 9 Pro XL (right). Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Pixel 9 Pro XL, like other phones in the Pixel 9 series, features Google’s latest Tensor G4 processor, which is about 10 per cent faster than the G3 from last year. Google made no wild claims about this year’s chip and its capabilities, but to me, it really doesn’t matter. I didn’t notice the Tensor G4 lacking in the day-to-day tasks I use my phone for, such as running essential apps, editing Google Docs, or occasionally playing games. The 16GB of RAM makes the phone speedy, and the extra RAM helps run AI apps smoothly on the device. The software support is also impressive. As a Pixel device, the user interface is clean and free of bloatware often found on Chinese smartphones. The Pixel 9 Pro currently ships with Android 14 out of the box, and it will soon be updated to Android 15 in the coming weeks. Additionally, Google is promising seven years of upgrades for its entire series of phones, which means you can keep the phone for longer and still receive all the latest features via software updates.
Incredible cameras with useful AI tricks
The Pixel Studio app in action. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
I have been reviewing Pixel smartphones from the first-generation device, and all I can say about the cameras is their consistency. The cameras continue to impress, regardless of whether other aspects of the Pixel smartphone leave room for improvement. The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s camera system continues to impress, though it is shaping up to be quite different. The phone ships with a 50-megapixel main camera and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto lens that offers 5x optical zoom. This year, there’s an updated 48-megapixel ultrawide camera with a slightly narrower lens and a 42-megapixel front camera.
Here are some photos I took with no editing at all:
I really liked the zoom capability on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL camera sample. (Image resized for web)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL camera sample. (Image resized for web)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL camera sample. (Image resized for web)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL camera sample. (Image resized for web)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL camera sample. (Image resized for web)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL camera sample. (Image resized for web)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL camera sample. (Image resized for web)
For me, it is hard to choose the best camera among the new crop of smartphones. It all comes down to the colours, the camera interface, and how natural the subject in the frame appears. Pictures taken with the main camera look sharp and well-exposed, with very little noise. At times, I can see a bit of oversharpening, but that’s acceptable as long as the camera doesn’t miss capturing the subject. One change I’ve noticed with the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s camera is that the picture quality falls between that of the Apple iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy. Previously, the Pixel camera took pictures that were very close to the iPhone, but this time, the shots I took were flatter and had missing highlights. While the Pixel camera still stands on its own, the pictures don’t look as natural as I had imagined. Maybe it’s due to how the post-processing is handled; Google needs to figure it out.
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The zoom has noticeably improved. I rate the Pixel 9 Pro XL over the iPhone 15 Pro Max (review). The pictures I took didn’t lose much detail (see the camera samples for yourself). Super Res Zoom works well at 10x and 30x, even in moderately dim lighting. The Pixel 9 Pro XL also excels in night shots, and the front selfie camera performs impressively as well. Even the video quality on the rear cameras is on par with the iPhone.
The good thing about the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s camera is that it caters to both professional users who are into mobile photography and casual photographers. The camera user interface makes a difference, as does the flexibility that the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s cameras offer.
Perhaps what’s also different about the Pixel 9 Pro XL camera are the additional editing features that take advantage of artificial intelligence. On the Pixel 9 Pro, Magic Editor has been enhanced. One such feature is Auto Frame, which I use a lot. For instance, when the subject is too close, the AI feature will zoom out, and generative AI will fill in the blanks around the edges. I also used the Reimagine feature, which uses generative AI to change the background of your photo. It’s a fun way to tweak your pictures.
Then there’s Add Me. You can take a picture of a group of people at a party, then have someone take a picture of you in the same frame. The two pictures blend together so that everyone is in a single frame. It might seem gimmicky, but it’s actually a practical feature, and it works. The catch is that the person joining the shot needs to be physically separate from the other people for it to work. Lastly, there’s Video Boost, the AI tool that improves video on the Pixel 9 Pro XL compared to the feature I tested on the Pixel 8 Pro (review).
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The AI is cool but there’s too much AI to absorb
The user interface is clean and clutter-free. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Google has been rolling out generative AI features for a long time now, and the Pixel is a demonstration of how AI can be used. However, it’s a hit-and-miss situation— not every AI feature Google introduces is a game changer, with only one or two exceptions.
I’ll start with Gemini Live. It’s similar to Google Assistant, the voice-based assistant on Android smartphones for years, but more human-like. With Gemini Live, you can ask about topics you’re interested in, ask follow-up questions, and even interrupt the conversation. It works most of the time, but AI is known for making mistakes, and it’s hard to fully trust technology and make it your day-to-day companion. Notably, the Pro 9 XL comes with a free one-year trial of Gemini Advanced, so you don’t have to shell out separately to use Gemini Live.
Other AI features, like Circle to Search, aren’t as novel anymore, but Pixel Screenshots is an interesting one. It allows users to search for content within screenshots. Using Gemini, the Pixel 9 Pro XL analyses the contents of each screenshot and helps you locate the image you are looking for. For example, I often take screenshots of easy-to-cook meals I spot on the internet and then forget about them when it’s time to cook. It’s a smart feature, and I’d like to use it more than once a week, if not daily.
Pixel Studio is another exclusive feature on the Pixel 9 series. It works similarly to image generators— you simply add a text prompt, and it generates results that are mostly fun. Since I first tried it, Google has made changes to Pixel Studio. Not only does it prevent users from creating obscene images or any content with inappropriate material, but it also has guardrails to stop the generation of certain types of images. For example, I tried to create a funny take on a politician, but the app prevents the generation of images involving people.
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Notes, comments and observations:
- The battery provides a full day of juice but don’t expect it to last a day or two. I was expecting more from the 9 Pro XL’s 5,060mAh cell.
- The speakers sound clear and loud, although it’s not the loudest I’ve heard. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a better-sounding speaker.
- I love the dark, black matte finish on my review unit.
- The Pixel 9 Pro series starts at 128GB of storage. Now that’s something unacceptable in 2024.
- The temperature sensor is odd.
- Launches with Android 14, not Android 15.
Should you buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL?
The wider, pill-like camera bar looks and feels different. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
As much as I like the Pixel 9 Pro XL, I have certain qualms about Google’s flagship smartphone for 2024. Yes, I enjoyed the larger screen; the screen quality is great. Battery life is sufficient to comfortably last all day. The camera produces solid results when used in the right conditions, like any camera. The phone is speedy and fast. However, that doesn’t stop me from saying that there’s too much emphasis on artificial intelligence. On one hand, Google boasts about the camera quality, but on the other hand, it wants users to rely on AI, which can fix a bad image and tweak the original image into something else. If this is where creativity is headed in the AI age, it is problematic. Not to mention, Google is asking for Rs 124,999 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is on the higher side, so in reality, you are paying more to use the AI features.
Price: Rs 1,24,999
Rating: 4 stars
