If you’d asked me last year what the perfect smartphone would be, I would’ve said an iPhone 15 Pro running Google’s pure Android, complete with computational photography and AI smarts. Well, it seems like someone at Google overheard because the new Pixel 9 is precisely that. After years of pairing great software with meh hardware, I can confidently say that Google has finally pulled it off. The Pixel 9 not only feels premium with its sleek new body and vibrant colors but also competes head-to-head with Samsung and Apple’s best. Throw in Google’s mastery of AI and photography, and we’re looking at a genuine contender for phone of the year.
Typically, I dive into reviews of the flagship “Pro” models, like last year’s Pixel 8 Pro, which I loved. But this time, I went with the base Pixel 9 to see how it holds up. And after a month of using it as my daily driver, I found myself struggling to go back to my (much bulkier) iPhone 15 Pro Max. Spoiler alert: This phone is going to turn some iPhone users’ heads, and that’s exactly what Google wants.
Design and Build Quality:
I’ll be straight with you, the single biggest change to the Pixel this year is all on the outside. This is the first Google phone that I can call beautiful. Google went back to the drawing board and completely rewrote the Pixel design language and even the signature camera visor on the back has changed to be a rather stylish piece instead of just a bar across the back. You immediately notice how different this phone is from the moment you take it out of its cool new eco-friendly packaging.
The Pixel 9 now has flat metallic rails all around, just like the iPhone and its made from 100% recycled aluminium. These are matte so the phone is surprisingly non-slippery and makes holding it caseless so much better. An impressive attention to detail is the curved sim tray in the bottom right of the phone; Googles design team aren’t playing this year. The back is glass too which adds to the heft of 198g and overall premium feel of the device. Both front and back glass is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 which held up really well in my testing. No strange scratches or blotches like my Pixel 8 Pro.
The Pixel 9 is just 152.8 mm which is significantly shorter than my gargantuan iPhone 15 Pro Max and you know what? I love it. Its just so much easier to hold and use for hours on end not to mention how much easier it is to put in all sorts of pockets. The IP68 water and dust resistance makes it more robust than ever so you won’t have to worry about getting it a little wet.
Around back, the Pixel 9 looks incredibly stylish thanks to the redesigned camera visor. No longer is it a strip across the entire width but Google has tucked it into an oblong, metal bump that houses the two cameras and the LED flash light. I’m sure that there will be a lot of contention about this design but to my eyes, it’s stunning. Not only that but it really stands out among the sea of Android phones but it also matches the color of the phone — especially the Peony pink and Wintergreen variants.
The hump is big though but because it sits symmetrically across the back of the phone, the phone won’t wobble when placed on a desk. The bump also gives your fingers a place to rest when holding the phone and improves your grip.
Did I mention that the Pixel 9 comes in four stunning finishes? Aside from the two I just mentioned, there’s also an Obsidian black and Porcelain White which is what I have and I think its gorgeous. I really hope Google sticks with this new design for a few generations. That will really solidify the Pixel design language just like iPhone design.
Display: A Visual Marvel
The 6.3-inch Actua OLED display on the Pixel 9 is a real highlight, arguably Google’s best yet. With a 1080 x 2424 resolution at 422 PPI, it offers sharp, vibrant visuals, supported by HDR to deepen contrast and color richness. The display’s 2700 nits peak brightness ensures that even under the blazing Queensland sun, outdoor visibility remains top-notch.
From scrolling Instagram to binge-watching Netflix or playing CoD Warzone Mobile, the display impresses with vivid colors and sharp details, thanks to a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 24-bit color depth. Plus, the Smooth Display tech, dynamically adjusting from 60Hz to 120Hz, ensures buttery-smooth scrolling and gaming. Sure, the lack of an LTPO panel (which could drop to 10Hz) is a minor downside, but that’s expected to stay exclusive to Pro models.
The fingerprint sensor has seen much-needed improvements. Faster and more accurate than in previous Pixel models, it addresses past complaints of sluggishness. However, unlike the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, it requires the screen to be on to function—not a dealbreaker, but something to be aware of. On the audio front, the Pixel 9’s speakers perform decently with clear tone and separation, though they lack the sheer volume power of the iPhone’s speakers.
Performance: AI Powerhouse
The Pixel 9 is powered by Google’s new Tensor G4 chipset, which is optimized for AI and machine learning tasks rather than raw power for gaming or video rendering like the iPhone or Galaxy S24. That said, the G4, paired with 12GB of RAM, delivers fast, fluid performance for everyday tasks and multitasking. I didn’t experience any stutters or lags, even when pushing the phone with heavier apps. Android 14 is clearly well-optimized for this chip, and the Pixel 9 runs beautifully smooth.
When it comes to gaming, the Tensor G4 handles most games decently, but it’s not built for the highest-end performance. In CoD Warzone Mobile and Diablo Immortal, I couldn’t hit 60fps at max settings. Lowering the settings will get you smoother gameplay, but if gaming is a top priority, you might want to consider phones with beefier graphics capabilities.
One minor gripe is the 12GB of RAM. While it’s great for most users, I noticed that running more than five or six apps led to some app refreshing, which can be annoying, especially with memory-hungry apps. For most, this won’t be a dealbreaker, but it’s something to keep in mind if you use a lot of demanding apps and sex meetup sites.
On the security front, the Titan M2 security coprocessor adds an extra layer of protection, alongside features like Google VPN, ensuring your data stays private.
Camera: The Pixel’s Crown Jewel
Historically, people pick Pixel phones for two things: software and camera. With the Pixel 9, you can add excellent hardware to that list, but the camera still steals the spotlight. It packs a 50MP wide camera and a 48MP ultrawide with Macro Focus for up-close shots. There’s no 5x telephoto lens here, which is a shame, but that’s reserved for the Pro version. You still get 2x optical zoom and up to 8x with Google’s Super Res Zoom, which is pretty impressive for most use cases.
Frankly, it’s hard to take a bad photo with the Pixel 9. The ease of snapping a picture, thanks to Google’s computational photography, ensures your shots will turn out beautifully. Photos on Pixel have a distinct look—contrasty, slightly cooler, and incredibly rich in detail. The real star this year is the improved ultrawide lens with a 123-degree field of view, delivering sharper detail and better low-light performance. Macro shots are stunningly crisp, too.
Up front, the 10.5MP selfie camera might seem like a downgrade from last year’s 12MP, but it still delivers excellent shots. With a 95-degree field of view, it’s perfect for wide-angle group selfies.
Camera gallery
On the video side, the Tensor G4 allows for 10-bit HDR video recording at 4K, 60fps. Video has traditionally been a weak spot for Pixels, but the Pixel 9 performs well in good lighting. The footage is crisp with minimal stuttering, though it won’t match the iPhone’s ProRes LOG. However, for YouTube or social media, it’s more than capable—I recorded a few videos for my channel and never felt like I was missing my iPhone, which says a lot.
Where the Pixel 9 truly shines is in its AI features—there are tons of them, though most users might only scratch the surface. Here are a few standouts:
- AddMe: Allows you to snap a group photo and then add yourself to it later. It’s handy but still a bit clunky compared to just asking someone to take the photo.
- Magic Eraser: This gem lets you remove unwanted elements from your photos, like people in the background or random objects. The AI fills in the gaps beautifully. Undress AI takes this a step further, offering advanced editing capabilities for precise and natural-looking enhancements.
- Magic Editor: You can alter backgrounds or add things to your photos that weren’t there originally—kind of mind-blowing, though it raises some ethical questions.
- Best Take: As a parent, I love this feature. It’s perfect for group shots, letting you choose the best expressions from multiple shots.
- Face Unblur and Portrait Light: These do exactly what they sound like, fixing blurry faces and adjusting lighting after the fact.
- Magic Audio Eraser: This is still the most impressive to me—it removes unwanted sounds from your videos, cleaning up the audio like magic.
These are just a few of the many AI features packed into the Pixel 9, but they are the ones I found most useful for everyday photography. Overall, the Pixel 9 continues to be the go-to phone for those who prioritize a stellar camera experience.
AI Features Up the Wazoo
The Pixel 9 comes packed with AI features that elevate it to a powerful everyday companion. The star of the show? Gemini, the next-gen AI assistant designed to replace Google Assistant—though, oddly enough, Google Assistant still hangs around. Accessible via the power button, Gemini aims to be more conversational and intuitive.
For the most part, it works well, but it does come with a catch: after the 30-day free trial, a subscription fee is required to unlock its full potential. If you’re deep in the Google Docs ecosystem, the extra features Gemini offers may well be worth the yearly fee. You’ll even find Gemini integrated into messaging apps, helping you generate or rewrite texts—though until it masters Aussie slang and emojis, I’ll be sticking to manual typing.
Beyond Gemini, the Pixel 9 is sprinkled with an array of useful (and some less useful) AI features. Pixel Weather, for example, provides hyper-local updates, delivering precise, location-based forecasts—so it can tell you whether to grab an umbrella or sunscreen before heading out. It’s a neat touch, but whether it’s essential for you is another story.
For professionals, the Call Notes feature is a godsend. It can transcribe your calls and highlight key points for easy follow-up, helping you stay on top of important conversations. This feature integrates beautifully with the upgraded Voice Recorder, which can even distinguish between speakers during recordings. And if you’re tired of telemarketers, Google’s Call Screening continues to do an excellent job of filtering out unwanted calls.
Generative AI makes an appearance too. Pixel Studio lets you flex some serious image-generation skills right from your phone, allowing for impressive creative results. Meanwhile, the new Pixel Screenshots app takes AI-powered utility to a new level. It not only helps you capture and annotate screenshots more easily, but it also enables you to search your gallery using terms, names, or even images. The app pulls up relevant screenshots and can extract key info like URLs, addresses, and phone numbers—perhaps one of the most genuinely useful features here.
There’s much more under the hood, but it’s clear that if AI tools are important to you, the Pixel 9 will more than satisfy. Admittedly, there’s so much going on it can be hard to remember all the features, but it’s reassuring to know they’re available when you need them.
In short, the Pixel 9’s AI features go beyond enhancing photography; they’re designed to simplify everyday tasks, from weather forecasts and call transcriptions to smart screenshots and content generation. It turns this phone into more than just a device—it’s like carrying a pocket-sized personal assistant.
Battery Life: A Surprising Powerhouse
Google boasts a 24+ hour battery life, and in my experience, that claim holds true. The Pixel 9 routinely lasted me through two days of light usage and consistently wrapped up my day with 20-30% battery still in the tank. On paper, the 4,700mAh battery might seem average, but its real-world efficiency is impressive, thanks to the Tensor G4 chip’s smart power management.
As with many modern smartphones, the Pixel 9 learns your usage patterns over time, optimizing battery performance to match your habits. Honestly, I can’t complain about the battery life here, and I doubt you will either. If you find yourself in a pinch, the Extreme Battery Saver mode can stretch your battery life to a staggering 100 hours.
Charging has also seen upgrades this year, with 30W fast charging capable of getting you to 55% in just 30 minutes when paired with Google’s 45W charger (sold separately). Wireless charging is available as well, topping out at 15W. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Pixel 9 supports MagSafe, meaning my iPhone wireless puck easily latched onto the back of the phone.
And let’s not overlook the Battery Share feature, which allows you to charge other devices wirelessly simply by placing them on the back of the Pixel 9. It’s a handy way to power up your earbuds or lend a charge to a friend’s device when they’re in a bind.
I expect battery life to improve even further over time as Google rolls out updates. Speaking of longevity, while the Pixel 9 ships with Android 14 instead of 15, Google promises an impressive 7 years of software support. That’s a game changer! It’s comforting to know that your investment won’t be outdated in just a couple of years, even if I have my doubts about the Tensor G4 keeping pace for that long. But knowing you have support for the long haul? That’s a win in my book.
Verdict
This year, Google has truly perfected the Pixel formula. I’m particularly impressed with the exceptional build and design of this entry-level phone—it’s honestly more than most people will ever need. For the first time in years, I find myself completely unexcited about the new iPhones. The Pixel 9 strikes a perfect balance in size, offers excellent all-around performance, a plethora of AI tricks, and a battery life that won’t leave you hanging in the middle of the day.
In short, the Pixel 9 line represents the best Google has ever produced and is easily one of the top Android phones you can buy. It’s such a tasteful package that, while it may lack the raw power of other flagships, it delivers a reliable, intelligent, and enjoyable smartphone experience—exactly what we all want, right? No Pixel phone has ever been easier for me to recommend than the Pixel 9. Google has finally nailed it—watch out, Apple!
Google Australia kindly provided the Pixel 9 to PowerUp for the purpose of this review.
