The Pixel lineup has always been about the camera. You don’t buy one for cutting-edge hardware, but for the superb camera experience and Google’s unique software features. But with the new Pixel 9, that narrative might change—or maybe not.
Google provided the full Pixel 9 lineup, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Among these, the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro stood out the most due to their convenient form factors. They are just easy to carry around, and coming from an iPhone 16 Pro, they felt surprisingly familiar. This review focuses on the Pixel 9 since I’ve been using it for the past five months. I believe it offers about 95% of what the 9 Pro does but for 20% less. Plus, as of now, Google has already slashed the prices by $150.
So, I’m approaching this review with a few key questions:
- Has Google addressed the app stability issues or glitches from the Pixel 8?
- Is Tensor G4 finally competitive with other flagship processors?
- How good is Gemini AI—is it just a rebranded Google Assistant?
Design and Display
There’s no monumental leap in hardware over the Pixel 8. Sure, the screen gets a nice boost in peak brightness, which is great for outdoor use, and the new chip comes with 4GB of extra RAM—mainly for AI features. But beyond that, there’s not much else.
The refreshed design, however, might be Google’s best yet. The flatter edges, soft-touch matte rails, and well-rounded camera bump make it a joy to hold. The camera bump also acts as a subtle support for my index finger—it feels natural, and I really like that.
Google seems to have taken heavy inspiration from the iPhone for the entire Pixel lineup. One thing they could improve is consistency. The frosted texture on the Pixel 9 Pro feels more premium than the glossy finish on the Pixel 9, which attracts fingerprints. Thankfully, the porcelain color I have hides most smudges well. But let’s be real—95% of people will slap a case on it anyway.
Setup and User Experience
If you’re switching from an iPhone, be prepared for a bit of a headache. My Pixel 9 took forever to complete the setup, sometimes refusing to respond to inputs. After a few hours, multiple attempts, and a lot of patience, I finally got it running.
In the first few weeks, a few things stood out. The switch to an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor makes unlocking much faster and more accurate. Plus, it doesn’t blind you at night like the Pixel 8’s optical reader did. Face unlock is available as a backup, but it doesn’t work well with sunglasses.
The Pixel 9 has a non-LTPO OLED panel with a fixed 120Hz refresh rate, meaning it can’t scale down to 1Hz to save battery. Still, it’s a visually impressive screen for daily use. However, the ambient sensor struggles outdoors—the screen dims when it should be bright. I ended up disabling this feature and manually adjusting brightness instead.
App Performance and Stability
With the Pixel 8, third-party apps didn’t always feel smooth. Developers in the comments of my previous review mentioned that poor coding practices often cause these issues. The good news? The Pixel 9 has improved app performance, thanks to updates and Android 15. Apps like Reddit, WhatsApp, and Microsoft Teams now run smoothly.
That said, not everything is perfect. Some banking apps lag horribly. YouTube Studio remains sluggish. Google Maps feels stuttery while navigating. The camera app is still slow to capture photos, with long processing times. And Instagram? That’s a whole other story—black bars, misaligned profile icons, and links that refuse to open. These issues aren’t limited to the Pixel 9—I’ve seen them on the 9 Pro too.
Performance and Battery Life
The Pixel 9 tends to heat up, especially when using Android Auto on hot days. Even in Canada’s colder weather, it still gets warm under heavy use. And in summer? It’s not going to hold up well.
Tensor G4’s performance is similar to Tensor G3, and it can’t compete with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite in something like the OnePlus 13. That’s a problem when Google is charging $800–$1,000 for the Pro models. The experience simply doesn’t justify the price.
Battery life, however, is surprisingly good. With a 3% increase in battery capacity over the Pixel 8, I can get almost two full days on light workdays. Charging speeds are still slow—27W wired, 12W wireless (or 15W with a Pixel Stand). The Pro models got faster charging, but the standard Pixel 9 did not.
Camera Performance
The Pixel lineup has always been about the camera, and the Pixel 9 proves that again. It has the same primary sensors as the Pixel 8, except for the ultra-wide sensor, which now has a 48MP resolution. But software bins images down to 12MP for storage savings, and the results don’t look drastically different.
Dynamic range is solid, and when paired with OIS and Google’s AI processing, images are detailed and well-exposed. The 50MP primary sensor consistently delivers great shots, and you can shoot in RAW, which is a nice feature for a non-Pro phone.
The major difference from the Pro model? No periscope telephoto lens. The Pixel 9 maxes out at 8x zoom, while the Pro goes up to 30x.
The selfie camera is fantastic, with a wider field of view for group shots and accurate skin tones. Video recording is also excellent, with 10-bit HDR and strong stabilization. Active mode is limited to 1080p but works well for action shots. Low-light video still has noise, but overall, it’s solid for social media and content creation.
AI Features and Gemini
Google’s AI features are everywhere on the Pixel 9. Audio Magic Eraser can reduce wind noise and other distractions. Add Me, a new camera feature, lets you take group photos by swapping places and combining images—though sometimes it awkwardly edits body parts. Magic Editor is also included for AI-powered photo adjustments.
Gemini AI is Google’s big focus this year, but it’s not impressive. Despite having both Google Assistant and Gemini, the AI struggles with basic tasks. For example, when asked to find a recent YouTube video, Gemini gave outdated results.
Gemini Advanced is available only on the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL. It gives access to more powerful AI models and 2TB of cloud storage for a year—but after that, it’s $20/month.
Other AI features, like Pixel Studio and the new weather app, feel underwhelming. The Screenshot Search feature is meant to recall information from screenshots, but it didn’t work well in my experience.
Final Verdict
The Pixel 9 is one of Google’s most premium phones, with solid hardware and great cameras. However, app performance still needs improvement. The biggest letdown is the Tensor G4, which struggles to deliver a smooth 120Hz experience. Google seems to be ignoring user feedback, just like they did with the Pixel 8.
Gemini and Google’s AI push feel more like a gimmick than a revolution. If you already have a Pixel 8, there’s no reason to upgrade. The Pixel 9 is a good phone—if you can find it at a discount. But at full price? It’s a hard pass.
