Google Pixel 9 series hot take

17 August 2024
Google made a bigger event that's also two months early!

Sort by:

  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • JH0
  • 18 Aug 2024

"Google made its premier flagship meaningfully better than the last one as well - it has a better camera system, thanks to the brighter ultrawide lens and a new, wider-angle selfie camera."

It's the opposite. I tested the Pixel 9 Pro XL in a store:

1. Periscope camera performs worse than the Pixel 7 Pro/8 Pro at 10x-30x because in contrast to 7 Pro/8 Pro, it always (!) uses pixel binning at 10x-30x and uses more artificial algorithms. You only get 2.4 megapixel dng files at 10x, unless you choose the 50 megapixel mode, but even then the dng file has slightly less detail than my 7 Pro. The periscope camera has a new lens (17.906mm focal length), but doesn't have macro capabilities. 4:3 Live photo video frames only use pixel binning, too at 10x-30x, in contrast to 7 Pro/8 Pro and even only have 1.35 megapixel instead of 1.55 megapixel.
2. There is no high resolution mode for the selfie camera. Maximum resolution of a dng file is 10.0 megapixel. And there isn't lossless selfie zoom either, zoom from 0.7x to 1.5x and then you will only get dng files with roughly 2.5 megapixel.
The effective diameter of the lens is 2.71mm/2.2=1.23mm and theoretically only gathers roughly 98% as much light per time from your face as the previous selfie camera.
3. The ultra wide angle camera has a lens with an effective diameter of 2.02mm/1.7=1.19mm and should theoretically only capture roughly 8% more light per exposure time from an object as the Pixel 8 Pro's ultra wide angle camera. 8% is not a significant improvement.
4. You only get 46.8 megapixel dng files from the main camera, if I remember correctly.
2x zoom with the main camera produces less natural results than the Pixel 7 Pro (worse colors, overexposed, more noise reduction/sharpening artifacts), but you get at least 12.5 megapixel dng files.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • Jvg
    • 18 Aug 2024

    Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024Google's lackluster processor makes the camera experie... moreGood luck finding another SoC with artificial intelligence, exclusive features like live translation, computational photography, Gemini Nano. Apple is falling behind in that department. The Pixels are quite recognizable and I have seen some people using them in hospitals or public events to record videos or take selfies. Its popularity is also due to word of mouth.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • Jvg
      • 18 Aug 2024

      Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024You are one of those that bash Motorola for 8sg3, but give ... moreMy opinions on Motorola are that it is like a walking dead in the industry and will eventually leave the smartphone market. Motorola has the worst cameras in the industry and offers zero years of software updates. Tensor G1 is on the same level as the Snapdragon 888+ 5G and that is offset by Google's exclusive technology in the SoC.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • vaS
        • 18 Aug 2024

        Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024Just because a person wants an expensive phone, dors not me... moreI think the argument for a 256gb base storage is for the starting price. Instead of only offering 128gb, it should've been 256gb for this exact same price so you wouldn't be paying more.

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • PZT
          • 18 Aug 2024

          Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024Rebranded versions of kirin 9000 are even worse, some here ... morePura 70 is one of the worst value phones for the price.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • 0p}
            • 18 Aug 2024

            Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024Google's lackluster processor makes the camera experie... moreRebranded versions of kirin 9000 are even worse, some here remain quiet about it.
            P70 Pro costs more than X100 Ultra. Nobody is buy crap p70 ultra

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • PZT
              • 18 Aug 2024

              Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024So? Are you going to play the next GTA 6 on the Pixel 9 Pro... moreGoogle's lackluster processor makes the camera experience laggy and overheats on shooting video, if you pay flagship money you should get a flagship level processor.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • 0p}
                • 18 Aug 2024

                Darth Caesium, 18 Aug 2024My hot takes: 1) The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro should'... moreJust because a person wants an expensive phone, dors not mean person needs 256 or 512GB.
                I am using 33/256GB. It is waste of money to pay for something you do not use.

                It is like having a Dell Precision just to use email, Microsoft office and browser.

                People here need to learn not everyone needs to have 50, 70, 80 or 100Gb taken by silly games nor leave photos/videos on the phone.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • 0p}
                  • 18 Aug 2024

                  Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024So? Are you going to play the next GTA 6 on the Pixel 9 Pro... moreYou are one of those that bash Motorola for 8sg3, but give free pass to google and its lame crappynos 2400 Lite.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • vaS
                    • 18 Aug 2024

                    Google pricing the 9 Pro this much and making it actually available really close to, if not after, the release of new iPhones next month is the proverbial shooting yourself in the foot. It has the same dimensions as the vanilla 9 and this article indicates that it's "only marginally more compact than the Ultras out there". So the Pro lineup is basically an XL and an L.

                      My hot takes:

                      1) The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro should've been ever so slightly smaller. 72mm is still a bit on the wide end, and I don't like how the Pixel 9 is quite a bit wider than its predecessor. Thus, sizewise, it's still a slight disappointment.

                      2) The hardware behind the Pixel 9 series is an absolute disappointment. Making the ultrawide use a smaller sensor [for the Pro phones]; for the Pro phones, cropping the selfie camera (and this uses the second largest sensor for a selfie camera ever!) so that it outputs 10.5MP selfies instead of 12.5MP, and for the regular phone, using a completely outdated sensor; and providing otherwise no real hardware upgrades aside from the boosts in RAM and a very slight efficiency boost with worse thermals — this is unacceptable.

                      3) The Pixel 9 Pro Fold not only has the world's worst name scheme, but the specs just aren't impressive or inspiring. Not only is the ultrawide's sensor smaller than before (but hey, at least it gets macro, as if that shouldn't have been on there already!); the telephoto is still ridiculously small; the main sensor is still only 1/2.0"-type; and the extremely chunky hinge and the thick bezels surrounding the screen means that you get a 77mm width but only a 6.36" display for it. This phone's display is literally on phones closer to 72mm in width, so either make the phone smaller or give it a 6.8" display.

                      4) The flat aesthetics are absolutely atrocious. The Google Pixel line, ever since the Pixel 2 series, has always had a curved design. It's been part of the Google Pixel design language since almost day one, and it's both ergonomically better and allows these phones to stand out. Swapping out the visor for the pill is a huge mistake, because not only does it look ugly, but it also is much less distinctive and makes the camera module more vulnerable and thus easier to break or scratch.

                      5) The storage capacity and speeds are absolutely unacceptable. 128GB for a $1,200 phone is ridiculous, even more so when this storage capacity at UFS 3.1 speeds is literally on $500 phones. Start at 256GB, but realistically, they should've started at 512GB for the Pro phones and 256GB for the vanilla phone. If you can't do UFS 3.1, at least you can offer more storage.

                        Most luke warm hot takes I've ever read.
                        But anyway, I think the reason the pixel 9 doesn't feel as compact is probably the flat shape. Things with rounded edges generally feel more compact (and comfortable, which is why i don't particularly like the trend of everyone copying apple's 90 degree edge)

                          • V
                          • Viv
                          • 4nH
                          • 18 Aug 2024

                          Based on polls I've seen on Android sites, more people want the 9 pro.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • Jvg
                            • 18 Aug 2024

                            Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024https://www.gizmochina.com/2024/08/17/google-tensor-g4-lose... moreSo? Are you going to play the next GTA 6 on the Pixel 9 Pro XL that you can't afford anyway? Do you realize that #TeamPixel is more popular than Sony Xperia in Japan itself? Buy an Xbox Series X for $449. Customers just want industry-leading cameras and the best Android Pixel.

                              I don't think they sell much! and even more so to let everyone know that the pixel 10 will leave the Samsung function and will have a possible new GPU and a Qualcom modem. let's hope

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • 0p}
                                • 18 Aug 2024

                                Xperia 1 mark 2, thanks for resurrect the flat frame design no one cared to use since iphone 5s.

                                  4 of 4