The Pixel 9 Pro XL has been making waves since its release, and after a week of hands-on experience, it’s clear that this flagship phone brings both excitement and frustration. Here’s a detailed look at what makes the Pixel 9 Pro XL stand out, and where it might fall short.
Key Takeaways
- Design and Build: The Pixel 9 Pro XL features a sleek design with a polished aluminum frame and an attractive camera module. It’s heavier but feels premium.
- Display: The 6.8-inch AMOLED screen is bright and vibrant, with excellent adaptive refresh rate technology, though some may find the punch hole design slightly off-center.
- Performance: The Tensor G4 chip performs well but lags behind competitors like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in benchmarks and heavy workloads.
- Battery Life: The battery is solid, providing 6-7 hours of screen time, but charging speeds could be improved.
- Software: Android 14 brings advanced AI features and a smooth user experience, though the AI capabilities may not be fully realized yet.
- Camera: The Pixel 9 Pro XL excels in many areas but has a few limitations compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, particularly in portrait and telephoto modes.
Design and Build Quality
The Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts a refined design that includes a polished aluminum frame and a soft pink color option called Peony, alongside other finishes like Hazel. The phone feels dense and premium, though it’s on the heavier side, comparable to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Unlike the iPhone’s titanium frame, the Pixel 9 Pro XL uses aluminum, which, while polished, doesn’t attract fingerprints as much as expected.
The rear of the phone features a redesigned camera module, moving away from the previous RoboCop visor look. This new design keeps the distinctive Pixel aesthetic while offering a more streamlined appearance. Although the camera module protrudes, its flat strip design ensures minimal wobble when placed on a surface.
Display
The 6.8-inch display on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a standout feature. It uses Google’s Super Actu AMOLED technology with a 120Hz refresh rate and LTPO technology, which dynamically adjusts the refresh rate based on the content being displayed. This helps in optimizing battery life while providing smooth scrolling and interactions. The screen can reach up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, making it exceptionally bright and visible even in direct sunlight. HDR content looks fantastic, with vibrant colors and deep contrasts.
However, the punch hole for the front camera is slightly larger than usual and isn’t perfectly centered, which might bother some users. Additionally, the screen uses PWM dimming at 240Hz, which could cause flicker issues for those sensitive to it, especially in low light conditions.
Performance
Under the hood, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by the Tensor G4 chip, built on Samsung’s 4nm process. While it handles everyday tasks smoothly, it falls short in benchmark tests compared to competitors like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The phone scored lower in benchmarks such as AnTuTu compared to rivals like the POCO F6 and Realme GT60. Additionally, the slower UFS 3.1 storage speeds contribute to a less responsive performance, especially in high-demand applications and gaming.
Despite this, the Pixel 9 Pro XL includes 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, which helps with smooth multitasking and AI features. The phone’s cooling system is effective, as it stays cooler than some competitors during intensive tasks.
Battery Life and Charging
The Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with a 5600mAh battery, offering a solid 6-7 hours of screen-on time. This is an improvement over previous Pixel models, but charging speeds could use some work. With a 37W wired charging capability, the phone takes about 1 hour 40 minutes to fully charge using various chargers. This slower charging speed might be a downside for users who prefer quick top-ups.
On the connectivity front, the Pixel 9 Pro XL shines with excellent network performance, including support for 5G and improved modem technology. Wi-Fi 6 is available, but there’s no support for Wi-Fi 7 in India, which might disappoint some users.
Software and Features
Running on Android 14, the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a clean and responsive software experience. Google promises 7 years of updates, making it a long-term investment for users who value longevity.
The standout feature this year is the integration of Google’s Gemini AI. With tools like Magic Editor, which allows for extensive photo editing and background changes, and improved Google Assistant capabilities, the Pixel 9 Pro XL provides a range of innovative and useful features. For example, Gemini can assist with daily tasks and help manage work documents with ease.
Camera Performance
The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s camera system is impressive but not without its flaws. The 50MP Samsung GN1 sensor captures excellent detail and performs well in HDR scenarios. The camera excels in low-light conditions, often outshining the iPhone 15 Pro Max in these situations.
However, there are some areas where the iPhone 15 Pro Max has the edge. The iPhone’s portrait mode offers better edge detection and more natural-looking skin tones. Additionally, while the Pixel’s ultra-wide camera is superior, the telephoto lens on the iPhone captures more detail in low light.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL also includes new video features like Video Boost, which enhances video quality, making it sharper and more detailed. However, the iPhone still leads in video recording quality, especially in low-light conditions and for telephoto and ultra-wide shots.
Conclusion
The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a strong contender in the flagship smartphone market with its sleek design, excellent display, and innovative software features. However, it falls short in performance compared to some of its competitors, and charging speeds could be faster. Despite these drawbacks, it remains one of the best Pixel experiences available today. If you’re considering purchasing the Pixel 9 Pro XL in India, it might be wise to wait for a sale to get the best value.
Ultimately, the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a compelling package with some notable strengths and a few areas for improvement. If you value cutting-edge software and a strong camera performance, this phone might be worth your attention.