Google Pixel 9 Review: Sleek & Sophisticated, But Can It Handle the Heat?

The Google Pixel 9: A Maturing Flagship With A Heating Problem

Google’s latest Pixel 9 lineup is a departure from previous years, offering a total of four phones spanning different sizes and styles to cater to various preferences. From the compact Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro to the generously-sized Pixel 9 Pro XL, and even the productivity-focused Pixel 9 Pro Fold, there’s an option for everyone. This year, the design has also undergone a transformation, bringing a more premium and sleek aesthetic that leans heavily toward the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S24 aesthetic. While the new Pixels still retain that unmistakable Pixel essence, the smaller Pixel 9, in particular, resembles the Samsung Galaxy S24 from the front, showcasing a drastic shift in Google’s design direction. And as expected, the phone is packed with Google’s latest AI features, promising a seamless and intelligent user experience. However, while the Pixel 9 feels like a polished and mature piece of hardware, there’s one glaring issue that keeps it from being a perfect contender: the phone still struggles with overheating, even during simple tasks. To truly understand what I mean, delve into the full review below.

Google Pixel 9 Design: Flagship Level

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

This year, the Pixel 9 takes on a decidedly "flat" aesthetic, echoing the design trends seen in the iPhone 15 and the Samsung Galaxy S24. The phone boasts an aluminum flat frame with rounded corners and a matte finish, reminiscent of the iPhone’s design language. The Pixel 9 is no longer as compact as its predecessor, opting for a taller and wider form factor compared to both the iPhone 15 and the Galaxy S24. The signature camera visor has been replaced by a horizontal camera bar reminiscent of its predecessor but now adopts a pill-shaped design resembling the Google search bar, although, thankfully, the Pixel’s unique identity is still recognizable.

The rear panel is a smooth Gorilla Glass Victus 2 slab with a polished finish and a centrally positioned Google logo. The right frame houses the power and volume buttons, while the top features a microphone, a USB Type-C port, a speaker grille, a SIM card tray, and an additional microphone at the bottom. The left side is left empty. The new flat design contributes to a more premium and flagship feel, but personally, I prefer the curved back design and the camera visor aesthetic of the Pixel 8.

The Pixel 9 is now taller than its predecessor, largely due to the slightly larger display. It retains its IP68 rating, and the camera bar can still be used as a finger rest, providing a convenient handhold.

Google Pixel 9 Display: Brighter and Better

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

The Pixel 9 boasts a larger and brighter display than the Pixel 8, with uniform, slim bezels enveloping the entire screen. Google has finally addressed the thicker chin prevalent in previous non-pro Pixel phones by wrapping the display inwards at the bottom. The new 6.3-inch OLED display, dubbed "Actua" by Google, delivers 2,700 nits of peak brightness, 24-bit color depth, and an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 60 to 120Hz. While it’s not yet an LTPO panel, it’s undeniably a significant improvement over its predecessor.

The display offers exceptional color output, rich contrast, and does justice to HDR videos. Supporting both HDR10 and HDR10+ and boasting Widevine L1 certification, the display excels in enhancing multimedia experiences. The software provides "Natural" and "Adaptive" color mode options for user customization. While I had no issues using the Pixel 8 outdoors, the Pixel 9’s upgraded display makes everything even better, ensuring readability even in strong sunlight.

The Pixel 9’s display features a hole-punch cutout at the top and now incorporates an ultra-sonic in-display fingerprint sensor, a welcome upgrade from the slower and less accurate optical sensor found on the Pixel 8. This new fingerprint scanner puts it on par with other flagship phones, ensuring rapid and reliable authentication, even with wet fingers.

Google Pixel 9 Software: More AI

• OS – Android 14
• Software support – 7 Years
• Latest security patch – September 5

Pixel phones have long been recognized for their exceptional cameras, but now they’re increasingly known for their AI-powered software features, and the new Pixel 9 lineup is no exception. The Pixel 9 ships with Android 14 out of the box and received the September security patch during the review period. While this might seem unusual for a new Pixel, given that they typically launch with the newest Android version, it’s worth noting that the Pixels arrived early this year, coinciding with the release of Android 15 on AOSP.

Thankfully, Google remains dedicated to providing seven years of OS and security updates, ensuring a long lifespan for the Pixel 9, at least from a software perspective. There’s a new Weather app, and the phone offers a range of system-wide customization options.

The Pixel 9 introduces the power of Gemini Live, an AI assistant accessible with the Google One 2TB plan, which grants a free month of Gemini Advanced. This unlocks the Gemini 1.5 Pro model with a 1 million token context window, enabling users to tackle complex problems and engage in in-depth conversations with the AI without any limitations.

Gemini Live delivers a genuinely impressive and natural conversational experience, feeling like you’re talking to a human. While the occasional hallucination may occur, having a free-flowing conversation with an AI is truly remarkable.
It functions similar to the ChatGPT Voice option on the ChatGPT app, offering a fluid and engaging AI interaction.

The Pixel 9 also integrates a range of built-in AI features, including "Help me create a list" in the Google Keep notes app and an AI-powered weather report in the Weather app. While the list creation feature is a handy tool, the AI summary’s utility remains questionable.

This year marks the introduction of Pixel Studio and Pixel Screenshots. While the Pixel Screenshots organize and help you remember screenshots, I personally found it less useful. My memory isn’t the best, and I struggle to recall what screenshots I’ve taken, making this feature largely ineffective for me.

On the other hand, Pixel Studio was a fun experience as it allows AI-powered image creation. The app limits the generation of human subjects yet provides a platform for exploring creative imagery. Simply open the app, tap on "Create," and input your prompt. You can experiment with different styles, add stickers and text to the generated images, and even create stickers from existing photos on your phone.

Beyond the Gemini and AI features integrated throughout the UI, the Pixel 9 also introduces new Camera AI features like "Add Me" which allows users to seamlessly add themselves to group photos, even when they were the one taking the picture. This is a fun feature with potential applications for other creative endeavors.

Google has also enhanced the Magic Editor with "Auto Frame" and "Reimagine" tools. Auto Frame utilizes AI to reframe old photos for better storytelling and image expansion, while Reimagine allows for altering photo appearances. Auto Frame generally performs well, though some cropping decisions are questionable. On the other hand, Reimagine is incredibly effective, enabling users to transform photos in surprising ways. I was able to create convincingly realistic AI-generated images, like planting an elephant on a nearby road, even fooling friends into believing I had recently traveled to Paris. This functionality is impressive but also worrisome, given the potential for AI manipulation.

The Pixel 9 also improves the Audio Magic Eraser feature, allowing for more effective noise removal from videos, exceeding the capabilities of the Pixel 8.

Unfortunately, the non-pro Pixel 9 still lacks access to several Pro-exclusive features like Video Boost, Night Sight Video, Zoom Enhance, and more. However, the phone’s extensive suite of AI tools provides a wealth of functionality for streamlining tasks and adding fun to daily interactions. Perhaps you can even use the Reimagine tool to reimagine your entire life!

Google Pixel 9 Performance: Still Runs Hot

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

I firmly believe Google should sever ties with Samsung for Pixel processors and return to Qualcomm. The Tensor G4 chipset, while new, continues to struggle with performance and overheating, even during basic tasks. While you won’t experience lag or app freezes, the phone noticeably warms up after just thirty minutes of using Instagram. This issue appears to be application-specific; I didn’t encounter any heat issues while streaming videos on YouTube. However, gaming inevitably results in the phone heating up, and even using the camera for a few minutes leads to a warm rear panel and frame. Google should have included a vapor cooling chamber, a feature present in Pro models and even phones costing half the price, to address this persistent heating challenge.

Despite the heating struggles, the phone is still capable enough for gaming, but extended sessions aren’t enjoyable. For example, I achieved excellent frame rates in BGMI, but the overheating limited gameplay to around 35 minutes. In everyday use, performance is sufficient. App launches are fast, and apps remain in memory for extended periods. Overall, the phone doesn’t feel sluggish unless subjected to demanding tasks.

To compare the Pixel 9’s performance to similarly priced phones, I ran several benchmark tests. However, it’s worth noting that Google’s restrictions prevented me from installing most benchmark apps, so I had to sideload them. This could explain why some of the scores were lower than expected. Nevertheless, if your priority is performance, the Pixel 9 isn’t the optimal choice.

The Pixel 9 features a hybrid dual speaker setup with a primary loudspeaker at the bottom and an earpiece acting as the secondary speaker. Audio separation is good, and the speakers achieve impressive volume without distortion, even at full volume. However, bass is lacking. Call quality is satisfactory, and connectivity has improved over the Pixel 8, thanks to a newer modem.

Google Pixel 9 Cameras: Going Wider

• 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 Pixel 9 utilizes the same main rear camera sensor as its predecessor, but introduces a new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, mirroring the Pro models. Google has added autofocus to the front camera, although the sensor remains unchanged from last year. Another disappointment is the continued absence of a Pro mode in the camera app.

Let’s discuss camera performance. The main rear camera consistently delivers excellent daylight photos, characterized by stunning detail, exceptional dynamic range, accurate white balance, on-point exposure, and minimal noise. The images showcase the signature Pixel look, exhibiting a contrasty style with slightly darker shadows, producing a very natural aesthetic. Saturation isn’t boosted like on the Galaxy S24, and the Pixel 9’s images don’t lean towards warmer tones like the iPhone 15. Skin tones are accurately represented, capturing a natural realism.

The phone offers 2x digital zoom, and the quality remains largely unchanged from the Pixel 8. 2x zoomed images retain a significant amount of detail and sharpness, especially in well-lit conditions, surpassing the iPhone 15 in image quality. The portrait photo performance is solid but not exceptional. Most shots exhibit excessive blur, which isn’t flattering for portraits. Edge detection is generally good, but hair can pose a challenge for the software. Skin tones in Portrait shots are remarkably accurate.

The new ultrawide camera is an improvement, but it doesn’t immediately stand out from the Pixel 8. While corner detail is enhanced compared to the Pixel 8, the center area appears largely identical. I particularly appreciate the consistent color matching between the main and ultrawide cameras. The sensor also enables Macro photography, allowing for remarkably close-up shots at a minimum distance of 15mm, capturing incredible detail in intricate subjects.

In low-light conditions, the main camera performs commendably, and Night Sight further elevates image quality. A welcome improvement over the Pixel 8 is the reduced exposure time for Night Sight photos, now requiring only 3 seconds instead of 6 seconds. While the Pixel continues to produce darker shadows in low light, resulting in softer images, the astrophotography mode continues to outperform the competition. Despite requiring longer exposure times for optimal night shots, the results are well worth the wait.

The selfie camera delivers improved results compared to its predecessor, thanks to the addition of autofocus, enabling users to take closer selfies while maintaining sharpness and detail. Color reproduction is accurate, and skin tones are naturally represented.

Video recording is also more impressive on the Pixel 9, capable of shooting 4k60fps on all three cameras. The rear sensors additionally support 4k 24fps and 4k 30fps, and the phone boasts 10-bit HDR video recording. Video performance is quite good, and I especially appreciate the stabilization offered by the Pixel, which includes three modes: Standard, Active, and Locked. Videos have slightly warmer tones, darker shadows, higher contrast, and well-saturated colors. Focus is generally good, but the software does attempt to brighten faces. The Pixel 9 excels in low-light video recording, though I wish it offered the Pro features Video Boost and Night Sight Video. Cinematic blur is also present, though it’s not particularly exceptional. Overall, the video recording quality surpasses even the iPhone, defying expectations.

Google Pixel 9 Battery: Can Run Longer Now

• Capacity – 4,700mAh
• Fast charge – Up to 45W
• Wireless charging – Up to 15W

Battery performance on recent Pixel phones hasn’t been stellar, and the Pixel 9 largely follows suit. Most days, I achieved a full day of usage. However, I still had to plug in the phone at night, as I often ended with less than 20 percent charge. My daily phone use involved calls, texting, emails, social media browsing, gaming, YouTube streaming, camera use, and web browsing.

In our HD video loop test, the Google Pixel 9 lasted approximately 25 hours, a respectable result for a Pixel phone and an improvement over the Pixel 8, primarily due to the slightly larger battery. Charging is now even faster, with the Pixel 9 supporting up to 45W fast charging. Using Google’s 30W adapter, I achieved about 51 percent charge after 30 minutes of charging, and a full charge from 1 percent took approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Keep in mind that you’ll need to purchase the charger separately.

Google Pixel 9 Verdict

The Google Pixel 9 is a mature phone, a positive attribute. It finally feels as premium as its competition and boasts many notable upgrades. There’s a slightly larger and better display, a more capable ultrawide camera, selfie autofocus, a plethora of new AI features, improved battery life, and an overall more refined package. However, it’s also slightly more expensive than last year.

Should you upgrade from the Pixel 8? I wouldn’t recommend it. I’d wait for Google to address the persistent heating issue, as that’s my primary reservation regarding wholeheartedly recommending this phone to friends or anyone else considering a purchase.

If you’re seeking an alternative, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 (Review) is a compelling choice. It offers a more compact form factor, comparable camera performance, a fantastic display, and excellent battery life. However, you won’t have access to the same AI features, and the phone runs an Exynos chip in India, known for its warm operating temperature. Other alternatives include the OnePlus 12 (Review) and the Xiaomi 14 (Review), both offering good value for the price. The OnePlus 12 stands out with a larger display, a powerful camera setup, and longer battery life, while the Xiaomi 14 excels as a well-rounded device. Finally, from the Apple camp, the iPhone 15 (Review) presents itself as a strong competitor, offering a more compact form factor than the Pixel 9, faster speeds, superior video performance, and comparable battery life. The newly launched iPhone 16 is also worth considering, but we’ll need to review it before recommending it.

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