Google has eventually permit the world in on its not - so - well - kept undercover : the Google Pixel 9 series is here , and all four new phones have something to extend . TheGoogle Pixel 9is the entree point to Google ’s latest devices , while theGoogle Pixel 9 Pro Foldis Google ’s second - coevals foldable .

And if you buy theGoogle Pixel 8 Prolast class , you may wonder if theGoogle Pixel 9 Prois deserving the upgrade . Should you get the smaller Pixel 9 Pro or the largerPixel 9 Pro XL ? Is there a difference between all these devices besides the sizing and a new processor ? Finally , if you ’re coming from an older phone or buying into the Pixel ecosystem for the first clock time , is it worth buying the Pixel 9 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro XL , or is last yr ’s Pixel 8 Pro beneficial enough ?

Here ’s how the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL compare to the Pixel 8 Pro .

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. Pixel 8 Pro: specs

Up to 1,600 nit ( HDR ) , 2,400 nits ( peak )

Up to 2,000 nits ( HDR ) , 3,000 nits ( blossom )

50 - megapixel primary feather ,

48MP ultrawide

48MP telephoto with 5x visual zoom

Front : 10.5MP

50MP primary

Front : 42MP

Front : Up to 4 K at 60 fps

30W wire charging

Wireless Charging ( 23W )

45W telegraph charging

Wireless Charging ( 21W )

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. Pixel 8 Pro: design and display

The Pixel 9 Pro XL can well be considered the substitution for the Pixel 8 Pro , but for the first time this year , it has a smaller blood brother designed for those who want a Pro experience in a humble form factor . Designed to bid pick without needing to sacrifice the Congress of Racial Equality spectacles , the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL both have the same specs aside from display sizing and battery capacities . As Christine Romero - Chan put it in ourPixel 9 Pro review , it ’s the Goldilocks of the Pixel 9 slabs .

The former has a 6.3 - inch Super Actua display , while the Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 6.8 - column inch Super Actua exhibit . If you ’re weigh promote from the Pixel 8 professional , you ’ll in all likelihood find the XL most comfortable , but if you ’ve held off on buying the 8 Pro because the 6.7 - inch showing was too large , you ’ll want to consider the Pixel 9 professional .

The young Super Actua display are the brightest on a Pixel yet , with up to 2,000 nits HDR and 3,000 nit peak light . This makes them 25 % brighter than the Pixel 8 Pro and some of the brightest display on any phone to escort .

One of our pet things about Pixel phones is the array of colour selection . Google knows how to make phone in attractive colors , especially in a way that is n’t garish or gaudy . The Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL both come in four stylish colour : Obsidian ( aka White ) , Porcelain ( aka Black ) , Hazel , and Rose Quartz . There ’s no follow - up to the incredible blue Pixel 8 Pro , but the Rose Quartz color is a great choice this twelvemonth .

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. Pixel 8 Pro: performance and battery

A new phone think of a new central processing unit , but there ’s no big switch in computer architecture or supplier . The Pixel 8 Pro was power by the Tensor G3 , and the Tensor G4 mightiness the Pixel 9 Pro serial . Recognizing the motivation for additional computer memory , especially with the AI - first experience , the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL both also add up with 16 GB of RAM ( versus 12 GB in the Pixel 8 Pro ) .

The Tensor G4 is designed to convey betterment in twenty-four hour period - to - day tasks while also ensuring that all Pixel 9 devices can run Google ’s most innovative AI modals efficiently . Google order the Tensor G4 is the first processor to run Gemini Nano with multimodality . This stand for you ’ll get the best AI performance — 45 tokens per bit , to be precise — with any of the unexampled Pixel 9 serial publication , and all of them can recognize textbook , image , audio , and language inputs .

Google is n’t the first to launch AI features , and it wo n’t be the last , but if you buy the Pixel 9 Pro or Pro XL , you ’ll get a year of Gemini Advanced for free ( it normally cost $ 20 per calendar month ) . Gemini is also the default assistant on all Pixel 9 phones , although you’re able to shift it back to Google Assistant if you favor .

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL technically has a declamatory battery ( 5,060 mAh ) than the Pixel 8 Pro ( 5,050 mAh ) , but at just 10mAh bigger , it might as well be superposable . The battery animation on the Pixel 8 Pro left many people with worry , and in our reviews , we encounter that both phones live up to Google ’s promise of 24 - hr electric battery life story . If you are n’t a heavy user , this can be extended by half a 24-hour interval .

This year , Google is slightly improving the charging of its Pro phone . The headline is that Google now offers a 45W turn on brick , but none of its phones support the full speed . The Pixel 9 Pro is limited to 27W , while the Pixel 9 Pro XL maxes out at 37W. Both phones achieve around 50 % battery in 30 minutes , and then take between 60 and 90 minutes to charge to full .

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. Pixel 8 Pro: cameras

The tv camera on the Pixel 9 Pro are mostly the same as those on the Pixel 8 Pro , albeit with a few small tweaks . That means you get the same treble camera system , admit the 50 - megapixel wide camera , 48MP ultrawide camera with Macro Focus , and the 48MP telephotograph lens that offer 5x optical soar .

Google is known for making legerdemain by couple AI with excellent camera hardware , and the Pixel 9 Pro offers great photos at various zoom length ( including 0.5x , 1x , 2x , 5x , and 10x ) all without extra hardware . Super Res Zoom — which lets you zoom up to 30x — is now also available in video for the first metre .

The front - facing tv camera is a welcome cost increase from last class . The Pixel 8 Pro sports a 10.5MP ultrawide selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture , but the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL have the best of any Pixel to date . The Modern 42MP selfie camera offer 4x the detail and presumably can habituate pixel bin to let in much more light at the 10.5MP range . Expect much well selfies on the Pixel 9 Pro versus the Pixel 8 Pro .

Google is nothing if not reproducible in its cameras , and the Pixel 9 serial bring improvements in all the right orbit . In ourPixel 9 ProandPixel 9 Pro XL revue , it ’s clear Google has pushed the television camera capableness of the newer phones to the limit , with the Pro on a regular basis outshine theiPhone 15 professional . Of particular acknowledgment is the force of the Pixel ’s “ point - and - shoot ” ability , where it ’ll take systematically great - look shot without the need for post - capture edits . The Pixel has always been a gravid “ shoot - and - forget ” camera , but the young phones labor that to an even high level .

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. Pixel 8 Pro: software and updates

If you ’re a Google Pixel fan , you may have detect that this year ’s launch is early — much before than ever before .

former launching take place in October , so the Pixel series was the first to ply the latest Android OS , but this year ’s launch is too early for that . Android 15 is still in beta , and the Pixel 9 series wo n’t found with Android 15 out of the box . Instead , there ’s Android 14 out of the loge , with a future update to Android 15 sic to arrive when it ’s uncommitted .

It ’s unclear whether this promote to Android 15 will matter as one of the seven insure version updates . Nonetheless , Google is promising 7/7/7 as its update docket : seven years of updates , seven age of security update , and seven old age of Pixel feature fall . This means it should be supported until August 2031 , while the Pixel 8 Pro will be supported until October 2030 . With this year ’s launching timing , however , both phones should technically end with the same Android version .

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. Pixel 8 Pro: AI features

As you might expect , the new Pixel 9 series debuts many AI feature . Some of these may come to the Pixel 8 Pro in future Drops , but it ’s unclear which ones and whether some may require the Tensor G4 . Google understands how to make legerdemain with software , and some of these features could be just as transformative as Magic Eraser was three years ago .

Add Me will belike be the most used of these new features as it solves one of the biggest job : how to take a photo with your friend that is n’t a selfie . Sure , you’re able to take a random stranger , or you’re able to just rely on Google . Add Me work by pick out two photos — one with you and one with your friend — and then sew together them together . It ’s an elegant resolution to a very substantial problem and one that ’s potential to revel many people .

Magic Eraser is also getting a small update in the pattern of Auto Frame . Magic Eraser can now recompose a picture to improve the makeup of a photo , and you’re able to also typecast a prompt to mother novel items and total them to the picture . There are also AI - power enhancements to Video Boost , which can apply HDR+ at any rapid growth level and can also upscale to 8 M , although the latter is limited to just the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL .

One Modern addition that is particularly utile is the Pixel Screenshots app . We ’ve all taken screenshots of of import information — such as flat code or Wi - Fi password — only to never be capable to find those screenshots later . Now , screenshots go into the dedicated app , and you could just ask Gemini to help you incur them by supply details .

For example , ask Gemini for your apartment codes , and it ’ll pass your postulation on to the Pixel Screenshots app . The app will surface the codes and show you the equate screenshots . It ’s surprisingly neat and should be quite helpful for just about anyone .

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. Pixel 8 Pro: price and availability

The Pixel 8 Pro started at $ 999 and come with 12 GB of RAM alongside 128 GB , 256 GB , 512 GB , or 1 TB of depot . The Pixel 9 Pro starts at the same price with the same storage option , while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is $ 100 more . Both of the Pixel 9 serial earpiece come with 16 GB of RAM .

basically , this intend the Pixel 9 Pro XL — which is the most similar in size to the Pixel 8 Pro — is slightly more expensive this yr . Much like the price increase for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 , it ’s concentrated to truly justify this , although at least the Pixel 9 Pro is more of an upgrade than Samsung ’s latest foldable .

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is now available wide at retailers , with many of thebest Pixel dealsstill available . The Pixel 9 Pro launches on September 4 , with many pre - order deals still usable .

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. Pixel 8 Pro: verdict

Should you advance from the Pixel 8 Pro to the Pixel 9 Pro or the Pixel 9 Pro XL , or should you buy the Pixel 8 Pro or else of either of the new devices ? The reply depend on what you are looking for . There ’s a unattackable hazard that you could snag a greatPixel 8 Pro deal , which is still an splendid purchase .

For most multitude , the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL are the phone to buy . The improvements are all in the right field , and a yr of Gemini Advanced ( worth $ 240 ) make either a compelling leverage over the Pixel 8 professional . The Tensor G4 is execute well so far , the increase in RAM makes all the difference , and the result is two sound with universal praise .

If you want a smaller phone that does n’t compromise on the Pro features , get the Google Pixel 9 Pro . If you require the splendid Pro experience , but with a larger screen that ’s nearly identical in size to the Pixel 8 Pro , get the Pixel 9 Pro XL .

If you ’re presently holding on to a Pixel 8 Pro , your decision is a fleck dissimilar . If your Pixel 8 Pro is still ladder well and you do n’t have any issues with it , the Pixel 9 Pro ( or the 9 Pro XL ) is unbelievable to be a revolutionary rise for you . The upgraded specs are certainly nice , but they also are n’t life - deepen . If you wish your Pixel 8 Pro just fine , go onwards and hold on to it . But if you have extra Johnny Cash to burn and like having the newest and lustrous telephone set , the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL wo n’t leave you disappointed .