I went hands-on with every Google Pixel 9 phone, and here's my initial buying advice

The Google Pixel was always destined to be the iPhone for Android users. This year, that belief feels stronger than ever, with the new Pixel 9 series coming in standard, Pro, and Pro XL flavors and prices starting at $799, $999, and $1,099, respectively.

Also: I went hands-on with Google’s $1,799 Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and I’m ready to switch from Samsung

If the pricing model and configurations don’t hint at an Apple-esque playbook, wait until you see and feel the phones in person. I spent an intimate morning with the latest devices ahead of this week’s Made by Google event, and the new design language — which favors flattened edges, pastel colors, and ultra-thin bezels — often reminded me of the iPhone 15 Pro that was tucked in my pocket.

To be clear, that’s a good thing, and I’m not alone in thinking that Google should build a phone that’s more comfortable to hold, exudes premium, and looks less like Cyclops from X-Men. After testing the three Pixel 9 models, here’s my quick take on each as you consider whether they’re worth the upgrade.

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Google Pixel 9 will be a sleeper hit

The vanilla Pixel 9 is not as flashy as its Pro siblings, but at $799 ($100 more than last year’s Pixel 8), Google did give it significant upgrades across the board. Going down the list, the changes include a larger, brighter display that ramps up to 2,700 nits, a larger 4,700mAh battery, 12GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, an improved 48MP ultrawide sensor, and Google’s new Tensor G4 chip.

Also: The $799 Pixel 9 may be Google’s sleeper hit this year. Here’s why

Those are all flagship-grade features, ones you’d typically find on a phone that costs hundreds of dollars more, but I’d bet that many customers will consider the Pixel 9 for one other reason: color options. I commend Google for being a little more ambitious with its industrial design this year, coating the flattened form factor with pastel hues that can be best described as refreshing. This may be the first time I ever considered picking up a pink-colored phone to use daily — that’s how good “Peony” looks in person.

The Pixel 9 is also the same size as the Pixel 9 Pro, with a 6.3-inch display that makes it comfortable to hold and navigate one-handedly. It doesn’t have the same LTPO panel as the Pro, meaning the refresh rate won’t drop below 60Hz to reduce animation load and, therefore, reduce battery consumption, but the 4,700mAh capacity should keep the Pixel 9 running for a full day.

Also: I’m a diehard Pixel user, but I’m considering a change for two reasons (and I’m not alone)

Lastly, the 48MP ultrawide camera with autofocus feels like an upgrade that users won’t appreciate until they use it. A sharper and larger sensor means that you can now pull in more color and detail when capturing scenic views, and there’s also the benefit of better macro photos.

Google Pixel 9 Pro gets an XL size (and more confusing)

Since the very first Pixel, Google has always released its smartphones in pairs: one in a regular, market-appropriate size and another that’s a few point-inches larger. In fact, the original Pixel had an “XL” model, which the company later replaced with the “Pro” branding. That also meant that the smaller, non-Pro phone often missed out on flagship camera features, display upgrades, and other software benefits.

Also: Everything announced at Made by Google 2024

This year, Google is combining the best of both worlds, offering a Pixel 9 Pro XL model that meets the needs of big-screen buffs while also keeping a smaller Pro variant that fields the same camera configuration and feature set. The latter is a major win for users who want flagship features without the often uncomfortable size. This also means there are now five Pixel phone models to choose from, including the budget-oriented Pixel 8a and bleeding-edge Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Besides size options, paying up for the Pixel 9 Pro also gets you 16GB of RAM (instead of 12GB on the Pixel 9), up to 1TB of storage, a 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a more practical 42MP front-facing camera. From my demo, what impressed me the most with the front-facing camera wasn’t the resolution and detail but how much of my surroundings it could frame. With a 103-degree field-of-view, the Pixel 9 Pro may just be the easiest phone to take group selfies and scenic portraits with.

Also: Google’s new Pixel Screenshots may be the feature that finally converts me to use AI

Other camera upgrades include the ability to process Super Res Zoom in video, which means better detail when capturing distant subjects, and Video Boost, which upscales content to 8K — great for videographers or professionals who want to clip out high-res images.

Google is bundling a year’s worth of Google One AI Premium Plan with the Pixel 9 Pro models, which includes access to the latest Google AI features like Gemini Live and 2TB of cloud storage. Of course, how beneficial this is depends on how much you rely on Gemini to summarize, create, and interpret information. After demoing most, if not all, of the new software features coming to the Pixel, which include Add Me, Pixel Screenshots, Call Summary, and Gemini Live, there are certainly enough tools that make the Pixel 9 Pro worthy of your consideration for the AI alone.