Google Pixel 9 review

Competition

The Pixel 9, a sort-of-but-not-quite flagship from a premium brand, has a handful of similarly positioned competitors. Depending on how you look at it, you can also consider the previous generation, or maybe even one of the clamshell foldables.

The Galaxy S24 is probably rival number 1 - the highest-profile other Android in size small. It wins points precisely for compactness, now that the vanilla Pixel is both larger and heavier than last year's - the 30g difference is rather huge. The Pixel will get you better battery life, and possibly better photos in most conditions, while the Galaxy takes the victory for video and zoom. The Galaxy is also heavily discounted in many parts of the world and can save you a significant chunk of money.

The iPhone 15 is priced around the Pixel 9 in most places, give or take. The Pixel is generally a better idea for stills while the iPhone will likely get you better videos. Battery life is comparable and in a way so is charging speed. The Pixel's display is superior in a couple of ways - it's brighter (though it's probably not that important at this level), but it's also 120Hz, while the iPhone is stuck in the past with its 60Hz panel. Naturally, if you're on one side of the OS divide, you may want to remain there, but jumping ship is not unheard of.

If you'd like to stay on #teampixel, you could entertain spending a little extra and getting the 9 Pro for its zoom capabilities in essentially the same physical package. Then again, $200/€200 is maybe not quite 'a little' extra.

Alternatively, if you'd like a smaller package and some savings, you could go for the Pixel 8, though that seems like too many sacrifices (no AF for selfies, older ultrawide, less battery life) for $100 of savings. Then again, it might make sense for €200 left in your pocket.

And for the curveball - if your top priority is pocketability, perhaps you could look at the Motorola Razr 50 (same MSRP as the Pixel 9 in Europe) or, if you're in the US, the razr 2024 ($100 cheaper than the Pixel 9). The Moto won't be as good a cameraphone, but can do camera tricks with its cover display, and has superb speakers. Plus it's a foldable and foldables are cool.

Samsung Galaxy S24 • Apple iPhone 15 • Google Pixel 9 Pro • Google Pixel 8 • Motorola Razr 50

Verdict

With this year's Google Pixel lineup, the vanilla model may feel a little lost at first glance - it's no longer the compact Pixel and, well, there no longer is a compact Pixel in this generation. The fact that it's as large and heavy as the 9 Pro and the same weight as the Plus-size versions from Apple and Samsung is limiting its appeal to a significant chunk of what could have been its target audience.

But alongside the heft, there are improvements that just might help make its case. The increased battery life is one such argument for the Pixel 9, the nudge in battery capacity contributing a gram or two, but also an hour or two of active use. The camera upgrades, while not huge, actually do elevate the 9 a notch above the last generation. The AI developments and the whole Pixel software experience is essentially the same across the two generations, but it's still an advantage over the competition for the right crowd.

We'll be quick to admit that we don't necessarily see the vanilla Pixel for 2024 as great value at its list price. But for as long as you can get the free storage upgrade, or if Black Friday brings a nice discount a few months down the line, the Pixel 9 just might be the right thing for you, if don't care so much about having the ultimate camera system and you just want a Google Phone.

Pros

• Brightest display in the class.
• Competitive battery life.
• Android from the source, 7 years of updates.
• All the AI smarts you can think of.
• Generally great photo quality, superb selfies.

Cons

• Large and heavy.
• No 'Pro' controls for the camera.
• Video quality not up to scratch.