Review: Google’s Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL set the standard for flagship Android phones

Thinking of upgrading your phone and considering the latest Google Pixel models? The first thing I’d say is while these handsets are all going to make great options for anyone using an older device, there’s a good chance the lineup’s affordable model will be the ideal phone for you (you can read our Google Pixel 9 review to find out more about it).

But, if your current phone is a Google Pixel 6 Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S21, I’d understand not wanting to lose out on the usefulness of a telephoto camera that you get with the “Pro” Pixels. There’s also more power and improved cameras in the Pro range, as well as bigger and better displays.

Given that most phone upgraders are coming from handsets that are a few years old (in general, smartphones now last a lot longer than you might think!), I think it’s worth saying that you’re likely to find noticeable improvements to the screen, speed, design, durability, camera capabilities, built-in artificial intelligence (AI), thermal management and much more. These are fantastic devices and while they come with a bit of a price increase, I can both see and feel that they’re worth the extra cost.

I’ve been juggling both the new Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro XL for over a week for this comprehensive review.

Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL: At a glance

Google Pixel 9 Pro

£1,099 at Amazon

Pros

• Tremendous cameras
• Premium design
• Speedy and efficient
• Simple and powerful operating system
• Smaller size is much easier to use
• Handy AI features

Cons

• More expensive than before
• Not all of the AI is useful

Key specifications

Screen size	6.3 inches
Screen resolution	1,280 x 2,856 pixels
Operating system	Android
Processor	Google Tensor G4
Battery life	4,700mAh, over one day of normal use
Cameras	50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 48MP 5x telephoto, 42MP front-facing
Storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Weight	199g

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Now 27% Off

£799 at Amazon

Pros

• Sleek look
• Excellent camera system
• Long-lasting battery
• Streamlined interface
• Some useful AI additions

Cons

• Quite expensive
• Large size is harder to use for many people
• Some of the AI isn't useful yet

Key specifications

Screen size	6.8 inches
Screen resolution	1,344 x 2,992 pixels
Operating system	Android
Processor	Google Tensor G4
Battery life	5,060mAh​​, multiple days of normal/light use
Cameras	50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 48MP 5x telephoto, 42MP front-facing
Storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Weight	221g

The thing I appreciate the most about the design of the Google Pixel 9 is the presence of a more compact model in the lineup. Previously, “Pro” meant “very large” for Pixels, but now there’s a separate 9 Pro XL model for a 6.8-inch screen and a more pocketable 6.3-inch model that’ll appeal to most of us. It’s still bigger if your last phone was from a few years ago, but it’s manageable. I can’t quite say the same for the 9 Pro XL – it’s quite unwieldy unless you’ve got large hands!

Compared to the Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8a and Pixel 8 Pro, I love the new look of the glossy flat-sided edges, which appear to be fingerprint-resistant, and the matte back of the phone looks sophisticated. The camera housing on the back is quite pronounced, but it’s perfect when the phone is placed into a protective case, allowing it to lie flat on a tabletop without rocking back and forth as many rivals do.

Apart from this camera bar change, these designs aren’t a massive departure from previous Pixels but a gradual evolution of the look of these phones. Like on the Pixel 9, the displays here are fantastic, using the same tough “Gorilla Glass Victus 2”. We’ve got more peak brightness, more resolution and a faster refresh rate on the Pro models – overall, they’re gorgeous displays with accurate colours, crisp detail and super-smooth animations.

It’s not a big surprise that the Google Pixel 9 Pro camera system is fantastic. Photographic prowess has been the main selling point of this smartphone range ever since at least the Google Pixel 4 or 5. In many ways, the capabilities of the Pixel 9 Pro feel like the overall culmination of the development of these capabilities.

No matter which camera you choose – whether front-facing or on the back of the handset – you’re getting a high-resolution snapper enhanced by Google’s software for excellent results. As is often the case, these photos are ready to share right after shooting too, with rich and warm tones, sharp detail and realistic colours. I still find Apple’s iPhones overall better for video performance, but they’re close and you might only notice the differences in a direct side-by-side comparison.

Leaving aside the extra AI editing features, for now, I’d say that the flagship Pixel cameras remain some of the best options for social media fans and amateur mobile photographers. The cameras are easy to use, and they’re customisable with “pro” controls.

My shots in low-light conditions have come out clear, the zoom packs in tonnes of detail, the close-up “macro” shots feel well-rendered without over-sharpening, selfies are wide and consistently focus on faces, skin tones feel accurate and shadows are realistically retained in most snaps. In short, you’ll have a lot of difficulty getting a “bad” photo out of the Google Pixel 9 Pro or 9 Pro XL.

Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL camera sample photos

Open Gallery

I tend to hesitate when declaring any handset especially capable when it comes to battery life during a short test period for reviews. I’ve had the Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL in my pockets for a couple of weeks, and I’ve been using both frequently, so I don’t have an accurate picture of what daily use looks like when you’re using one of these as your main phone.

What I can say, though, is that they both seem like they live up to the claimed battery specifications: the 9 Pro will last around a day (or just slightly more) in normal use, while the big battery of the 9 Pro XL should be capable of lasting even longer, potentially going for two days with its 5,060mAh capacity. It’s getting less likely that you’d need to keep a power bank on you with these phones. Both phones manage their temperature very well – I’ve noticed they don’t get as hot as the iPhone 15 Pro.

The Tensor G4 chip that’s powering the whole operation isn’t a big overhaul of last year’s Tensor G3. And while there’s extra RAM on the Pro models, I must say that I struggle to see a big difference between the regular Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9 Pros. These phones are all fast, quick to open apps, efficient when multitasking and smooth to use. Whichever one you pick, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

For some time, Apple’s iOS has been the most user-friendly operating system for a smartphone. But I’d now say that the clean version of Android used on Google Pixel phones is just as simple and straightforward for new users to understand. It’s refined yet easy to customise, with logical swipes for navigation, quick access to settings and notification management. If you’re worried about it being more complex than the iPhones that you’re used to, I don’t think that’s as much of an issue as it used to be.

The whole of the new Google Pixel 9 series might be the most AI-packed any phone has ever been. Of course, it’s possible to use these handsets without ever touching the built-in artificial intelligence, but it’s such a central focus of the marketing that I need to dwell on some of the headline additions.

The new Gemini voice assistant is more capable when it comes to not only conversational skills but also understanding context across multiple Google apps. If you need to take a list of dates and add them to your calendar, it should be able to do this in one go. It can help you write emails, plan holidays and analyse your images. It can also quickly find information within your Gmail or Google Drive. It’s worth knowing that “generative AI” often makes mistakes, so it’s worth double-checking the facts that Gemini tells you.

I’ve already talked about the image generation AI features of the Google Pixel 9 in the review of that model, and of course, I have some of the same concerns about this flagship handset. I don’t think there’s a great deal of use for the Pixel Studio app, although it might be useful for creating some custom event invites, amusing images or illustrative icons. However, the “Reimagine” feature within Google’s “Magic Editor” is more concerning, and I’m unconvinced you need to create photorealistic additions to photos. It’s a bit gimmicky but potentially quite risky too – I hope Google adds more protections here.

I like the new Screenshots app, which is designed to help you organise and find information in your screenshots. It promises to help gather screenshots together and will link them to website links, and maps for directions or events you should add to your calendar. I also like the redesigned Weather app, and the AI-generated weather report is a good example of a simple and functional AI feature. It can help you understand the conditions at a glance.

One of the more significant differences between the go-to Google Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9 Pro is the amount of storage you can get on the devices.

I don’t think most people will need a lot more than the 128GB or 256GB of space that you can pick on the regular Pixel 9, but it’s worth knowing that there are many more storage options with the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL, which start at the same 128GB but are also available with 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of space (only for the 9 Pro XL).

You’ll only need a lot of space if you know you like to keep loads of photos, videos, big apps like games and large files on the device, or if you’re using it to take videos that you’re upscaling to 8K quality with Google’s Video Boost.

Both of these handsets aren’t cheap phones. The Google Pixel 9 Pro starts at £999 for 128GB of storage space, while the 9 Pro XL goes for £1,099 for the same capacity.

Sticking with the smaller Pixel 9 Pro? It’s £1,099 for the 256GB version and £1,219 for the 512GB one.

And for the big 9 Pro XL, it’s £1,119 for 256GB, £1,319 for 512GB and a whopping £1,549 for the 1TB variant.

Unless you’re a gamer in need of a far more powerful processor, there aren’t many reasons that I can think of to not recommend the Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL.

The most notable downside of the Pro-level Pixel models has been that they’re too large and unwieldy, and that’s been solved by the addition of the smaller 9 Pro.

These phones offer a bloatware-free and simple-to-use Android experience that makes them just as user-friendly as Apple’s iPhones, the displays are detailed and bright, and the camera performance is some of the best you can find in any smartphone. The new design is robust and distinctive, matching seamlessly with protective cases.

Yes, there are a lot of AI features but the interface makes it easy for you to pick the ones you find useful and ignore the rest. The increase in price over the Pixel 8 Pro feels worth it, and those coming from older handsets will notice all the improvements. Overall, the Pixel 9 Pro models make for the most capable and most well-rounded flagship Android phones available right now.

Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL: Other rivals to consider

If you’re on a budget, it’s worth considering that the Google Pixel 9 is not that different when compared to the 9 Pro or 9 Pro XL, and the only feature I think you might miss is the addition of the telephoto camera. They’re quite similar otherwise, whether we’re talking about the results from the rest of the photography setup, the displays, battery life or performance.

That’s also true for last year’s Google Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro, although it’s worth remembering that you’ll only be able to get the 8 Pro in a larger screen size and that it lacks the refreshed design of the new models. It’s quite similar when used as a travel camera and delivers comparable performance, display capabilities, battery life and software experience.

Simon Cocks

Technology Editor

Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.

Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.

A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.

He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.

He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.

You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.