Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review – Best Pixel Ever?

The Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL, released on August 22, 2024, are the latest and greatest of the Google Pixel lineup, bringing several notable upgrades to software and hardware compared to the regular Pixel 9 (read our review here), and its predecessors the Pixel 8 (review available here) and 8 Pro (review here).

The Pixel 9 Pro XL features a larger and brighter display, a bigger battery with faster charging, increased RAM, and improved camera capabilities, such as a telephoto lens with extended zoom and a high-resolution selfie camera. It also introduces additional software and AI features, making it a comprehensive showcase of Google’s software experience.

However, these enhancements come with a hefty price tag to match, starting at $1,849 AUD for the 128GB version and reaching up to $2,549 AUD for the 1TB model. Despite this, I’ll dive into the details to uncover what sets the Pixel 9 Pro XL apart, and why this year’s Pro phones might just be the best Pixel to-date.

Specifications

Full specifications can be found on Google’s Pixel 9 Pro XL Store webpage

Body Specifications:

• Dimensions: 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm
• Weight: 221 g
• Build: Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back with a matte finish and polished metal frame
• SIM: Nano-SIM and eSIM
• IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes)

Screen:

• Size: 6.8 inches (171 mm²) Super Actua display (LTPO)
• Type: LTPO OLED (1344 x 2992 pixels at 486 PPI)
• Smooth Display: 1-120Hz refresh rate
• Brightness: 2000 nits (HDR) and peak brightness of 3000 nits
• Contrast Ratio: >2,000,000:1
• Colour Depth: Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colours

Memory:

• 16GB RAM with storage options of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
• No expandable storage

Processor:

• Google Tensor G4
• Titan M2 security coprocessor

Main Camera:

• 50 MP wide camera
  • ƒ/1.68 aperture
  • 82° field of view
  • 1/1.31″ image sensor size
• 48 MP ultrawide camera
  • ƒ/1.7 aperture
  • 123° field of view
  • Macro Focus
• 48 MP telephoto camera
  • ƒ/2.8 aperture
  • 22° field of view
  • 5x optical zoom
  • Super Res Zoom up to 30x
• Video Capabilities:
  • 8K video recording at 30 FPS (powered by Video Boost)
  • 4K video recording at 24/30/60 FPS
  • 1080p video recording at 24/30/60 FPS
  • Super Res Zoom Video up to 20x

Front Camera:

• 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera
  • ƒ/2.2 aperture
  • 103° ultrawide field of view
• Video Capabilities: 4K video recording at 30/60 FPS

Battery and Charging:

• Battery: Typical 5060 mAh (Minimum 4942 mAh)
• Fast charging: Up to 70% in about 30 minutes using Google 45W USB-C Charger (sold separately)
• Fast wireless charging: Up to 23W with Pixel Stand (2nd gen)
• Reverse wireless charging: (Battery Share)

Key Hardware Differences of the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL VS Pixel 9

1. Bigger, brighter screen with more dynamic refresh rate:
   – Pro XL: 6.8-inch Super Actua LTPO OLED, 1344 x 2992 pixels, 1-120Hz refresh rate, up to 3000 nits peak brightness
   – Pixel 9: 6.3-inch OLED, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 60-120Hz refresh rate, 2700 nits peak brightness
2. Better Camera System:
   – Pro XL: 48 MP telephoto lens (5x optical zoom, 10x optical equivalent), Super Res Zoom up to 30x, 42 MP selfie camera
   – Pixel 9: No telephoto lens, max zoom of 8x, 10.5 MP selfie camera
3. Bigger Battery and faster charging:
   – Pro XL: 5060 mAh, 37W wired charging
   – Pixel 9: 4700 mAh, 27W wired charging
4. RAM and Storage:
   – Pro XL: 16GB RAM, up to 1TB storage
   – Pixel 9: 12GB RAM, up to 256GB storage

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL

1. Screen size
   – Pixel 9 Pro: 6.3-inch Super Actua LTPO display
   – Pro XL: 6.8-inch display
2. Battery capacity
   – Pixel 9 Pro: 4700 mAh
   – Pro XL: 5060 mAh
3. Charging speed
   – Pixel 9 Pro: 55% charge in about 30 minutes
   – Pro XL: 70% charge in about 30 minutes

If you value a bigger screen and quicker charging, the Pro XL is the better choice. Still, I’m pleased to see that Google has introduced a smaller Pro model this year, offering an option for those who prefer a more compact phone that’s easier to handle and fits better in pockets. Apart from these differences, both models share the same software features, ensuring a consistent experience across the range.

GOOGLE PIXEL 9 PRO XL REVIEW – PACKAGING AND SET-UP

The Pixel 9 Pro XL package includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, a device manual, a warranty card, and a SIM ejector pin. As with last year’s model, setting up the phone is straightforward. You can sync accounts from any Android or iPhone by scanning a QR code and following the on-screen instructions.

GOOGLE PIXEL 9 PRO XL REVIEW – DESIGN AND BUILD

The Pixel 9 Pro XL immediately impressed me with its premium build quality and design. First of all, I love the matte finish on the back; not only does it resist fingerprints better than the glossy back of the Pixel 9, but it also gives off a clean, high-end feel. The front bezels are also thinner than before and uniform all around, which again, makes it feel more high-end. The camera bump received a nice minor redesign, with curved edges and polished metal finish.

All Pixel 9 models now also benefit from an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which is faster, works better with wet fingers, and avoids the bright light associated with the previous models’ optical fingerprint sensors.

Personally though, I find the size of the XL a bit unwieldy for one-handed use, and it can be a tight fit in pockets. If I had to choose, I’d opt for the Pixel 9 Pro instead. That said, I can’t deny that the large, high-resolution screen is fantastic for watching videos and scrolling through social media.

This year, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL are available in four colours: Obsidian (black), Porcelain (white), Hazel (light green) and Rose Quartz (pink). I received the Pixel 9 Pro XL in the Obsidian colourway and absolutely love the matte black finish.

GOOGLE PIXEL 9 PRO XL REVIEW – NOTABLE SOFTWARE FEATURES

The new Pixel Screenshots app is designed to keep your screenshots organised and easily accessible. It analyses your screenshots, creates a description of it, and organises them. So instead of scrolling through a cluttered gallery, you can simply search for the information you need, and the app will quickly find and display the relevant screenshot.

Pixel Studio is an app that lets you generate images directly on your phone, similar to AI programs like DALL-E. It combines on-device processing with Google’s cloud-based Imagen 3 model, making it easy to create visuals from just a text prompt. The interface is user-friendly, and you can experiment with different styles, turn images into stickers, and make adjustments in real-time. While the feature is undeniably cool and showcases some impressive technology, honestly the novelty can wear off after a while, and I don’t see a compelling reason to return to the app frequently or consider it a major selling point for the phone. Nonetheless, it’s a fun tool to explore and adds a creative touch to the overall experience.

Gemini returns as your AI-powered assistant, offering a multitude of capabilities, from finding information within your Google apps (such as Gmail) to creating lists and scheduling plans. One particularly impressive feature is the ability to interact with Gemini to get more information or take action on what’s on your screen.

For instance, you can hold the power button to launch Gemini, select “ask about this screen,” and it can access any webpage you are on, or even YouTube videos you’re watching to provide context and answer any of your questions. Additionally, you can take a photo and ask Gemini about it, whether it’s to find recipes based on the contents of your fridge or to discover brands with designs similar to what you’re viewing.

An advantage of getting the Pixel 9 Pro over the regular Pixel 9 is they come with a complimentary Google One AI Premium plan for eligible users. This plan includes 12 months of 2 TB cloud storage, access to advanced Google AI features including Gemini Advanced, and also integrates Gemini with Gmail and Docs, allowing you to use it for tasks like summarising unread messages and documents.

However, right now there’s a somewhat awkward coexistence with the regular Google Assistant, as Gemini still relies on it for tasks like scheduling calendar events and setting timers. From a marketing standpoint, it feels like Google is in a transitional phase between the Google Assistant and Gemini. The two assistants are not fully integrated, often running simultaneously or performing different tasks, which can lead to some confusion about which assistant is handling what, despite Google heavily promoting Gemini’s capabilities.

Overall, there’s a lot of potential here, but sometimes it’s a bit unclear what Gemini can and cannot do. It could be beneficial if Google provided a comprehensive list of Gemini’s capabilities or a detailed tutorial on how to use it upon launch.

Call Notes can automatically transcribe and summarise your phone calls, so you don’t have to worry about taking notes. It is done completely on-device, and these recordings and summaries are never sent to the cloud. Unfortunately, this might be a U.S.-only feature for now, as it seems to be unavailable for me at the moment.

And again, Google promises 7 years of OS and security updates, which is terrific.

GOOGLE PIXEL 9 PRO XL REVIEW – Camera

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL continues the Pixel’s tradition of exceptional camera performance, featuring a suite of improvements that make it likely the best camera experience on a Pixel to date. The rear triple-camera system (50 MP wide, 48 MP ultrawide, and 48 MP telephoto) delivers exceptional quality photos, with vibrant colours, excellent dynamic range, and sharp details, often requiring no further editing.

The ultrawide and telephoto lenses offer optical zoom at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x, and 10x, and digital zoom capabilities extending up to 30x. The Zoom Enhance feature exclusive to the Pro phones sharpens images and can even add pixels via AI, improving detail even at extreme zoom levels. The 42 MP front-facing selfie camera is also the highest resolution on a Pixel, capturing greater detail even in low light.

It also retains all the popular features from the Previous Pixel 8 Pro, such as Best Take, which merges multiple photos for perfect group shots; Unblur; and Magic Eraser, which uses AI to remove unwanted objects or people. Audio Magic Eraser also continues to be a valuable tool for clearing up specific noises in your videos.

This year, the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL introduce new features to Magic Editor with Autoframe, which not only suggests optimal crops but can also zoom out using generative fill, and Reimagine, which lets you completely alter subjects or backgrounds based on your descriptions.

Original (Left) vs Autoframe cropped out and filled the image using generative fill (Right)

Original picture (Left) vs “Reimagine as a library” (Right):

The Add Me feature is also another cool feature that allows you to be included in your group shots by merging an initial photo with one taken by someone else.

Panorama mode has also seen improvements, with a user-friendly interface that helps capture wide shots smoothly.

And of course, Pro controls are exclusive to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL for advanced photo and video adjustments (e.g. 50 MP photo resolution RAW photos, manual lens selection, 8k video recording capability).

GOOGLE PIXEL 9 PRO XL REVIEW – EXCLUSIVE FEATURES TO THE PIXEL 9 PRO AND PRO XL

Night Sight Video, Video Boost, and Super Res Zoom are also featured camera software upgrades exclusive to the Pro and Pro XL. The Pro models can also record 8k video.

Video Boost enhances video quality using Google’s Tensor chip and AI. When you record a video, the original footage is saved on your device and then sent to the cloud. There, Video Boost processes the video to reduce shakiness, graininess, and poor lighting. It stabilises movement and adjusts exposure to improve clarity and detail. The refined version is then sent back to your device.

Super Res Zoom allows you to capture high-quality video, even from a distance. It enables up to 20x zoom, combining advanced AI, hardware, and Google’s Video Boost technology to enhance video clarity, reduce shakiness, and maintain detail, even in low light. This makes it easy to record everything from concerts and sporting events to distant wildlife, providing clear, detailed footage as if you were closer to the action.

GOOGLE PIXEL 9 PRO XL REVIEW SUMMARY

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL stands out with its notable hardware upgrades over the Pixel 9. This includes a larger and brighter 6.8-inch display with 3000 nits peak brightness, variable refresh rate from 1-120 Hz, greater memory with 16GB of RAM, a bigger 5060 mAh battery with faster charging (70% in 30 minutes), and an enhanced camera system featuring a telephoto lens, a high-resolution selfie camera, further 30x zoom, and 8k video recording capability.

All Pixel 9 models are also fitted with ultrasonic fingerprint sensors, and bring new software features like Pixel Screenshots, Pixel Studio, and improved Gemini and Magic Editor tools, including Autoframe and Reimagine. Exclusive to the Pro phones are additional software features such as a complimentary year of Gemini Advanced, Zoom Enhance, Night Sight Video, Video Boost, and Super Res Zoom.

Price points for the Pixel 9 Pro XL are as follows:

• 128GB: $1,849 AUD
• 256GB: $1,999 AUD
• 512GB: $2,199 AUD
• 1TB: $2,549 AUD

While the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a premium experience with its advanced features and large screen, its size can be unwieldy, and I personally recommend the Pixel 9 Pro for those who favour a more compact phone (unless you want a better content consumption experience on the bigger screen). Although the Pro 9’s smaller size is a positive addition this year, the base storage of the Pro phones could ideally start at 256GB given their high price. Overall, whether the Pixel 9 Pro XL is worth the price depends on your budget and priorities, but the combination of hardware and software improvements makes it arguably the best Pixel so far.

Disclosure: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review sample was supplied for reviewing