Google Pixel 9 Review: Growth Spurt or Just Another Hothead?

Google Pixel 9 Review: More AI, More Heat, More Choices

Google’s Pixel 9 lineup is bigger than ever, offering four distinct phones catering to varying needs. Whether you crave a compact experience or a larger screen, there’s a Pixel 9 for you. The base Pixel 9 boasts a refined design with a flat frame and a pill-shaped camera bar, reminiscent of the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S24. While the hardware feels mature, its performance isn’t quite there yet, especially concerning heat management. If you’re curious, dive into the full review to understand why.

Google Pixel 9 Design: Flagship Level

The Pixel 9 embraces the contemporary flat design trend seen in recent flagships. The phone flaunts an aluminum flat frame with rounded corners, a matte finish reminiscent of iPhones, and a camera bar reminiscent of the Google search bar. However, it retains its distinct Pixel identity.

• Dimensions: 152.8 height x 72.0 width x 8.5 depth
• Weight: 198g
• Colours: Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, Peony

The Pixel 9’s rear panel is crafted from Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with a polished finish, showcasing a centered Google logo. Buttons are strategically placed, with the right frame housing the power and volume controls, and the bottom boasting a USB Type-C port, speaker grille, SIM card tray, and microphone. The left side remains unadorned. This flat design adds a premium feel, but some might prefer the curvy back and camera visor look of the Pixel 8. It’s worth noting that the Pixel 9 is taller than its predecessor, mainly due to the larger display. Like its predecessor, the Pixel 9 retains an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and the camera bar can be used as a comfortable finger rest.

Google Pixel 9 Display: Brighter and Better

The Pixel 9 boasts a larger and brighter display than its predecessor, with slim bezels all around. Google seemingly adopted a display wrap inward at the bottom, eliminating the thicker chin of previous non-Pro Pixel models. The new 6.3-inch OLED display, aptly branded "Actua" by Google, delivers impressive features.

• Panel: 6.3-inch OLED, full HD+ resolution
• Refresh Rate: 60 to 120Hz
• Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2

The display offers a peak brightness of 2,700 nits, 24-bit color depth, and an adaptive refresh rate between 60Hz and 120Hz. While it’s not an LTPO panel, it significantly improves upon the older model. You’ll experience exceptional color output, vibrant contrast, and excellent HDR video support. The panel boasts HDR10 and HDR10+ support, along with Widevine L1 certification for high-quality streaming. Software options include Natural and Adaptive color modes. Overall, the improvements make the Pixel 9 even more readable and enjoyable outdoors compared to the Pixel 8.

The display also houses an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor – a welcome upgrade from the less accurate optical sensor in the Pixel 8. This new fingerprint reader finally puts the Pixel 9 on par with other flagship phones, offering fast and reliable performance, even with wet fingers.

Google Pixel 9 Software: More AI

Beyond its exceptional camera, the Pixel 9 excels with its AI-powered software features.

• OS: Android 14
• Software Support: 7 Years
• Latest Security Patch: September 5

Running Android 14 out of the box, the phone received the September security patch during this review period. While unusual for a new Pixel phone, this is likely due to the earlier Pixel release this year and the impending release of Android 15. However, Google remains steadfast in its promise of seven years of OS and security updates, ensuring the Pixel 9’s longevity.

The Pixel 9 features a new Weather app and extensive customization options throughout the system. However, the star of the show is the Gemini AI integration, accessible via the Google One 2TB plan with a free month of Gemini Advanced. This unlocks the Gemini 1.5 Pro model with a 1 million token context window, allowing users to tackle complex queries without limitations. The Gemini Live feature is highly impressive, creating natural and engaging conversations – akin to the ChatGPT Voice option on its app. Although occasional hallucinations can occur, this AI assistant delivers a truly conversational experience.

Additional AI features like "Help me create a list" in Google Keep and AI weather reports in the Weather app demonstrate Google’s pursuit of AI integration for improved usability. The Pixel 9 introduces the Pixel Studio and Pixel Screenshots apps. Pixel Screenshots aims to help users recall screenshots, but its effectiveness might be limited. Pixel Studio, on the other hand, lets you generate AI images, though it currently prohibits human subject creation.

Add Me, a new feature in the camera app, allows you to add yourself to group pictures where you were behind the camera. The AI-powered Auto frame and Reimagine tools in Magic Editor enhance storytelling by reframing photos or modifying their aesthetics – although results can sometimes be unpredictable. The Audio Magic Eraser feature has been improved, effectively removing unwanted noise from videos.

While the non-Pro Pixel lacks features like Video Boost, Night Sight Video, and Zoom Enhance, the abundance of AI tools significantly enhances the phone’s overall functionality and adds a fun element.

Google Pixel 9 Performance: Still Runs Hot

The new Tensor G4 chipset powers the Pixel 9. While it represents an upgrade, it still falls short in terms of performance and continues to struggle with excessive heat generation, even during basic tasks. Although lag and app freezes are absent, the phone warms up noticeably after only 30 minutes of Instagram usage. Games trigger even more heat, and even the camera app produces warmth within minutes.

• Chipset: Tensor G4
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: Up to 256GB

The Pixel 9’s heat issue highlights the need for a vapor-cooling chamber, commonly found in even mid-range phones. Google’s decision to exclude this feature is puzzling, especially when considering the Pro models’ inclusion.

The Pixel 9 delivers satisfactory performance for regular use. App launches are swift, and apps remain in memory for extended periods, demonstrating efficiency. However, demanding tasks reveal the processor’s limitations, causing the phone to feel sluggish.

Here’s a benchmark comparison:

It’s worth noting that many benchmark apps were inaccessible due to Google’s restrictions, requiring sideloading, potentially impacting the scores. Overall, the Pixel 9’s performance, while adequate for average usage, falls behind its competitors in benchmarks and suffers from overheating.

The Pixel 9 boasts a hybrid dual-speaker setup with a primary loudspeaker at the bottom and an earpiece acting as the second speaker. Audio separation is good, producing clear and loud audio without crackling, even at full volume. However, bass remains lacking. Call quality is impressive, and the use of a new modem improves connectivity compared to the Pixel 8.

Google Pixel 9 Cameras: Going Wider

The Pixel 9’s camera setup sees notable improvements compared to its predecessor. The main rear camera retains the same sensor, while the ultrawide camera gets an upgrade.

• Main Rear Camera: 50-megapixel, f/1.68, OIS, Octa PD
• Ultrawide Camera: 48-megapixel, f/1.7, Quad PD, 123 degree FoV
• Selfie Camera: 10.5-megapixel, f/2.2, autofocus, 95 degree FoV, Dual PD

The front camera finally gets autofocus, but the sensor remains the same. Unfortunately, a Pro mode is still absent from the camera app, which is a missed opportunity.

Daylight photos captured by the main camera consistently impress with its detail, clarity, dynamic range, accurate white balance, and natural look. There’s no noise or harsh saturation; colors are well-balanced, and skin tones are faithfully reproduced. The Pixel 9’s contrasty look, characterized by slightly darker shadows, sets it apart from rivals like the Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15. The 2x digital zoom maintains a decent quality, producing sharp images with good detail, especially in well-lit environments. In comparison to the iPhone 15, the Pixel 9 demonstrates superior performance at 2x zoom. However, portrait photos, while good, sometimes exhibit excessive blur that can be unflattering. Edge detection is generally effective, but hair details can pose a challenge for the software. Notably, skin tones remain accurate in Portrait photos.

The new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera delivers improved detail in image corners compared to the Pixel 8, but the center area remains similar in quality. It is worth noting that the color consistency between the main and ultrawide cameras is commendable. Macro photography is enabled by the ultrawide sensor and allows users to capture highly detailed images at a close distance of 15mm.

The low-light performance of the main camera is satisfactory, further improved with Night Sight mode. Unlike the Pixel 8, longer exposure times are no longer required, allowing for usable low-light photos within 3 seconds. Shadows might appear slightly darker, making images softer, but the overall quality remains strong. The Pixel 9 retains the Astrophotography mode, exceeding rival devices in capturing breathtaking night skies – though capturing these shots requires patience.

The selfie camera benefits from the addition of autofocus, allowing for closer and more detailed selfies. It produces images with ample detail, accurate skin tones, and pleasing color reproduction.

In terms of video recording, the Pixel 9 excels with 4k60fps on all three cameras, including 4k 24fps and 4k 30fps on the rear sensors, and 10-bit HDR recording. Stabilization is commendable and offered in Standard, Active, and Locked modes. Video footage presents warm tones, darker shadows, and higher contrast but retains well-saturated colors. Focus is reliable, though the software can sometimes exaggerate face brightness. Low-light video performance is satisfactory, but the lack of Video Boost and Night Sight Video is a missed opportunity. The camera comes with a Cinematic blur feature for video recordings, although its implementation is decent at best. Overall, the Pixel 9’s video recording surpasses the iPhone in quality.

Google Pixel 9 Battery: Can Run Longer Now

The Pixel 9’s battery life has room for improvement, though it does see enhancements over previous models. With typical usage, including calls, texting, browsing, light gaming, and camera use, the Pixel 9 consistently delivered a full day of battery life. However, it usually needed charging at night, often with less than 20% remaining.

• Capacity: 4,700mAh
• Fast Charge: Up to 45W
• Wireless Charge: Up to 15W

In an HD video loop test, the Pixel 9 achieved a remarkable 25 hours of battery life, a significant improvement over the Pixel 8. This increase can be attributed to the slightly larger battery. Charging speeds have also increased; the Pixel 9 now supports up to 45W fast charging, requiring a compatible adapter (sold separately). Using Google’s 30W adapter, the Pixel 9 reached 51 percent charge in 30 minutes, and a full charge from 1 percent took approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Google Pixel 9 Verdict

The Google Pixel 9 embodies maturity in its design and features. The phone offers a premium experience with its larger and brighter display, improved ultrawide camera, autofocus selfie camera, a wealth of new AI features, enhanced battery life, and an overall refined package. Unfortunately, the price has also gone up.

Is the Pixel 9 a worthy upgrade over the Pixel 8? Sadly, the answer is no. Until Google addresses the persistent heat issues, it’s difficult to recommend the Pixel 9 unreservedly.

Several alternatives are worth considering:

• Samsung Galaxy S24: Offers a compact design, comparable camera performance, excellent display, and solid battery life. However, the AI features aren’t on par with the Pixel 9, and the phone runs on an Exynos chip in India, known for its own heat issues.
• OnePlus 12: Boasts a larger display, powerful camera system, and longer battery life. It’s also a more affordable option.
• Xiaomi 14: A more well-rounded phone, offering a compelling combination of features and affordability.
• iPhone 15: Known for its exceptional speed, compact form factor, superior video performance, and comparable battery life. It’s worth noting that the newly launched iPhone 16 presents another option, but a review is required before making a definitive recommendation.

Overall, the Pixel 9 is a solid phone with many appealing features. However, its heat issues prevent it from being a truly exceptional device. If you’re seeking a phone with a premium design and exceptional AI features, the Pixel 9 offers plenty to admire. However, if performance and thermals are your priorities, consider exploring alternative options before making a purchase.

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