Pixel 9 Professional evaluation: A pictures powerhouse

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

Did I anticipate to be this blown away by the pictures 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. Due to surprisingly useful AI photo and video features, Google’s Pixel 9 Professional options what I might confidently say is my favourite smartphone digicam ever.

Add within the clearly Apple-inspired design with its easy matte rear, minimized bezels, and tasteful colour choices, you have got a powerful all-around smartphone bundle. After all, you may argue that nobody wants a Pixel 9 Professional sequence smartphone this 12 months as a result of the bottom Pixel 9 is an outstanding machine that provides options usually reserved for higher-end smartphones, and I might wholeheartedly agree with this attitude — until you are actually into taking pictures pictures and movies along with your cellphone. If that is you, then the Pixel 9 Pro’s extra 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 obtainable beginning September 4th.

Professionals

• Wonderful AI-powered pictures options
• Nice-looking design
• Easy software program that is straightforward to navigate

Cons

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

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

The Pixel 9 Professional XL includes 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 charge 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 lengthen 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 principal vast shooter, a touch 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 charge, 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 vast 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 vast 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 pace	As much as 55% in half-hour with 45W cost	As much as 70% in half-hour with 45W cost
  IP Ranking	IP68	IP68
  Value	$999	$1,099
  Safety	Fingerprint Unlock, Face Unlock, Titan M2 safety coprocessor	Titan M2 safety coprocessor, Fingerprint Unlock, Face Unlock
  Yr of launch	2024	2024

Pixel 9 Professional construct and design

An iPhone-inspired look even essentially 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 total simpler to carry, particularly at awkward angles. The again is matte, not like 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 consistent with the iPhone 15 Professional. This not solely feels higher once you run your fingers over it but in addition 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 machine. It is not a deal-breaker, particularly for those who plan to place the machine in a smartphone case, but it surely’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 degree of refinement immediately noticeable from the second you choose it up. Pixel units have at all times felt fairly good, however the Pixel 9 Professional sequence takes issues to a different degree.

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 a good measurement, and in my time with the machine, it hasn’t felt unwieldy. Individuals like massive telephones, so it is smart for Google to supply an even bigger choice. However I choose the smaller 6.3-inch Pixel 9 Professional (it is simply simpler to make use of with one hand). After all, this may come all the way down to your private smartphone measurement desire.

Associated

The Pixel 9 is a nearly perfect Android phone that also terrifies me

The Pixel 9 delivers beautiful efficiency and design, however its Reimagine AI instrument actually scares me.

Pixel 9 Professional show

A surprising, high-end show that appears nice underneath practically all lighting situations

The Pixel 9 Professional’s show is beautiful, surpassing the vibrancy of Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional display screen and, in some circumstances, even Samsung’s Galaxy S24 sequence, 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 occasions, I’ve truly discovered it too vibrant, particularly when viewing content material underneath darkish situations, forcing me to show the brightness down. Alternatively, I recognize the added illumination when utilizing the machine outdoors underneath direct daylight. You may also clearly see how a lot brighter the Pixel 9 Professional show is compared immediately with the Pixel 9’s display screen.

Each the Pixel 9 Professional and 9 Professional XL sport greater decision shows than the Pixel 9, at 1344 x 2992 and 1280 x 2856 pixel decision, respectively. Colours are vibrant, and pictures, 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 expertise. To me, this simply speaks to how good all of the shows in Google’s Pixel 9 lineup are.

As a detrimental facet observe, 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, but it surely’s price mentioning. That mentioned, I do not assume it is a widespread subject 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 great 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 supply. First off, the Pixel 9 Professional XL includes 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 total, pictures shot with this digicam look stellar. I nonetheless choose a telephoto lens over an ultra-wide, and it will be nice if Google ditched the latter from its base Pixel 9 in favor of an actual optical zoom.

On the AI facet of issues, “Tremendous Res Zoom Video” is again once more and a bit extra spectacular than final 12 months. The visible improve continues to be considerably minimal, however clips look noticeably clearer generally. The characteristic is irritating to activate because it requires you to activate “Video Increase” and change to 5x optical zoom earlier than zooming into no matter digital zoom you want, but it surely works effectively and stays spectacular. As you possibly can 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 observe, Video Increase additionally stays spectacular, notably on the subject of smoothing out panning, which continues to be unusually 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 will be nice if there was a technique to activate Video Increase 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 Increase and take upwards of half-hour to course of, particularly for those who 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 for those who’re trying to publish one thing shortly, Video Increase typically is not an choice.

Sticking with getting nearer to topics, this 12 months “Zoom Improve” lets you enhance the standard of pictures shot with digital zoom. Just like Tremendous Res Zoom Video, the adjustments are delicate however nonetheless noticeable, giving zoomed pictures extra definition and an total barely clearer image that is typically extra vibrant. Usually, the farther you zoom in digitally, the extra spectacular the outcomes are when utilizing Zoom Improve. The enhancements are fairly minimal, however for those who’re into pictures, you will discover them.

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

It nonetheless snaps nice pictures that strike a steadiness between the over-processed really feel of Samsung’s Galaxy sequence and the more and more out-of-this-world tackle pictures Apple has been pushing for the previous couple of years (check out the sky in iPhone 15 Professional pictures, and you will see what I imply). Of all of the flagship smartphones presently obtainable, the Pixel 9 sequence presents essentially the most true-to-life photographs, which is a bit of ironic given the tech large’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 photograph, are additionally a part of the Pixel 9 Professional sequence’ quiver of AI-powered performance. “Add Me” works simply as effectively with the Pixel 9 Professional line and is the sort 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 have got the primary shooter set to 48 megapixels as an alternative of 12 megapixels, which is a disappointing transfer on Google’s half. This possible has one thing to do with the present AI processing pipeline and the way Google makes use of the bigger sensor, however it will be nice to see compatibility with 48-megapixel photographs within the Pixel 10 Professional sequence nonetheless.

Talking of 48-megapixel photographs, I do not discover the necessity to snap them fairly often until I intend to crop the picture not directly. The shutter can also be nonetheless a bit slower when utilizing the complete sensor, making it troublesome to quickly take pictures, which was a problem whereas snapping footage on the Toronto Worldwide Airshow, forcing me to principally follow 12-megapixel pictures. It was nonetheless attainable to shortly snap the pictures 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 pictures, however past the occasional macro shot, I do not discover myself utilizing the ultra-wide digicam fairly often. And at last, 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 pictures I shot are clear, with even publicity all through. I typically discover that selfie cameras blow out a picture’s highlights, and that is not the case with the Pixel 9 Professional sequence’ 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 underneath the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, however who cares?

On the efficiency facet, Google’s Tensor G4 runs nice within the Pixel 9 Professional XL. Even underneath a heavy load, I did not expertise the identical warmth points as I often encountered with the Pixel 8 Professional, possible due to the brand new inside cooling design and the cellphone’s bigger measurement. Nonetheless, the Tensor G4 just isn’t that a lot of a soar over the Pixel 8 Professional when it comes to uncooked efficiency. For many 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 effectively 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, enjoying video games, doing minor photograph edits in Adobe’s Lightroom CC, or watching the occasional video on YouTube.

Until you are the definition of a smartphone energy person, you will discover only a few points with the Pixel 9 Professional’s efficiency even for those who’re a giant multi-tasker, due to its ample 16GB of RAM. Smartphone chips have been overkill for years, and the Pixel 9 Professional XL is not any exception. Battery life lasts effectively into the late night with average use, much like my expertise with the Pixel 9. Provided that the Pixel 9 Professional XL includes a bigger 5,060 mAh cell versus the Pixel 9 Professional’s 4,700 mAh, the latter machine presents 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 research and catalog each screenshot you’re 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 facet, Google’s Pixel 9 Professional sequence helps all the identical considerably terrifying AI options because the Pixel 9, together with “Reimagine,” which lets you add practically something to a picture with prompts, and Pixel Studio, Google’s AI app that generates pictures. There’s additionally Screenshots, a superb app that makes use of AI to floor related screenshots, and extra.

Reimagine’s guardrails are fairly free. With ingenious prompts, you possibly can simply trick it into creating off-putting pictures, and in some circumstances, these AI-edited pictures look very convincing. Do not get me unsuitable, they’re typically ridiculous-looking and clearly faux, however that is not at all times the case (try that image beneath of a submarine in Lake Ontario). Alternatively, Pixel Studio is a foolish AI picture generator consistent with Meta AI or OpenAI’s DALL·E 3 that works moderately effectively.

My key concern is that these pictures 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 pictures much more frequent on social media.

For extra on the Pixel 9 sequence’ potential AI pitfalls and the intense implications Reimagine may have, check out my Pixel 9 review. It is price mentioning that even in its early state, Gemini and its extra conversational counterpart, Gemini Stay (which is free for a 12 months with the acquisition of a Pixel 9 machine and $20/month after), work shockingly effectively. Regardless that I’ve encountered the occasional glitch, I’ve by no means actually been in a position to have a dialog with an AI earlier than Gemini/Gemini Stay. Does speaking to an AI assistant match into my workflow, although? Probably not, and I am undecided it ever will.

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

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Do you have to purchase the Google Pixel 9 Professional?

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

Most individuals ought to go for the usual Pixel 9, however for those who’re into pictures, the Pixel 9 Professional sequence has rather a lot to supply. It captures my favourite smartphone pictures but, providing a extra true-to-life steadiness that sits firmly between Samsung’s intense saturation and Apple’s more and more inconsistent, out-there tackle pictures and movies. That is in stark distinction to the assorted photograph and video AI options provided by the Pixel 9 Professional sequence, 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 straightforward it’s to make use of and the way convincing the outcomes may be generally. Moreover, I have never discovered a technique to combine Gemini into my life, regardless of its spectacular capabilities. Total, the Pixel 9 Professional line presents one among Google’s most full smartphone packages in years, however for those who’re not an avid photographer, it can save you just a few hundred {dollars} and keep on with the usual Pixel 9.

Editor’s Alternative

Pixel 9 Professional