Google just officially revealed the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL smartphones at its latest Made by Google event. These offer some major improvements when compared to the standard Pixel 9, which was also announced today.
First of all, it’s important to note that the Pro and Pro XL are essentially the same phone. The XL has a bigger screen, at 6.8-inches, and can charge up a bit quicker, but that’s it. So which one you choose should depend entirely on whether or not you want that added screen real estate. I personally like gigantic screens, even if the phones tend to be a bit cumbersome.
The specs here are excellent, and should give Samsung’s latest high-end handsets a run for their money. The Pixel 9 Pro line features the brand-new Tensor G4 processor and an astounding 16GB of RAM. This RAM is pretty much required to simultaneously power all of the AI software that’s running underneath the hood. These phones are designed to handle a vast array of AI tasks, with Gemini baked into chats, photos, note-taking and more. To help seal the AI deal, the company’s packing in a one-year subscription to the Google One AI Premium Plan. This gives unlimited access to everything Gemini has to offer.
Another huge update is the camera system. Google phones are widely known for having some of the best cameras in the business, and the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL look to be keeping this tradition alive. The front camera has been upgraded to a 42 MP dual-pixel autofocus system. The triple rear camera system has also been enhanced, with a 50 MP main sensor, a 48 MP ultrawide sensor and 48 MP telephoto sensor.
The camera software has also gotten a boost to take advantage of the aforementioned specs. Video footage can be automatically enhanced to 8K, with the option for Super Res Zoom. There’s a macro focus tool and night sight capabilities. Users will also have access to all of the aforementioned AI bells and whistles, including stuff like Magic Eraser and Magic Editor.
Now onto the display. The standard Pixel 9 Pro includes a 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED with a 20:9 aspect ratio, 495 PPI, a variable refresh rate (up to 120Hz) and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. It’s also covered by ultra-durable Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, so it should be able to take a licking and keep on ticking. The Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts the exact same display specs, but with a 6.8-inch screen.
Both of these phones are available in four colors, including black, white, hazel and rose quartz. The Pixel 9 Pro starts at $1,000 and Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at $1,100, with pre-orders available now and open availability starting on August 22. Each model ships with 16GB of RAM, and that’s the only available option. Customers can add internal storage, however, with drives ranging from 128GB to 1TB.
