Google’s AI-Fueled Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL Are Official

Google has been betting heavily on its Gemini platform this year, stuffing it into every single app of its own that it can think of. Knowing this, it was easy to conclude that the Google Pixel 9 series’ launch was going to have some degree of focus on Gemini. Less than a minute into the launch event, it was all about Gemini.

Anyway, we’re here for the phones, not for the AI (as important as it might be). You’ll be glad to know about the new bar phones that Google has launched today: the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, along with the addition of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Each of these will come packed with Gemini and Google AI goodness, and 7 years of major OS updates.

The Google Pixel 9 Is The Vanilla Model, And It’s Pretty Nice

The new Google Pixel 9 has been leaked incessantly since the start of the year, and eventually, Google made the new design officially way ahead of the actual launch. However, everything else has mostly remained under wraps — at least officially.

The Design

So yep, that new design is far from a surprise and I’m a big fan of the slight redesign. The elephant in the room is the redesigned camera visor. It is no longer edge-to-edge and instead adopts an elongated oval shape. I like it but I know some folks might not.

The back panel is made of matte glass and is paired with a flat shiny aluminum frame. I’m actually a big fan of the look that both of these bring when paired. The glossy frame will probably be a fingerprint magnet, but it looks great. The Pixel 9 is available in Obsidian, Peony, Porcelain, and Wintergreen colorways. The device maintains its IP68 rating.

The Screen

The display is a 6.3-inch AMOLED panel, which has FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The brightness has gone up to 2,700 nits, bringing it a lot closer to the flagship standard these days. It’s one of the more compact flagship devices that you can get these days.

The Hardware

Inside, Google’s new Tensor G4 comes to the forefront for the first time, with a total of eight cores. This is paired with 12GB of RAM, which is much better than the 8GB in last year’s Pixel 8. That extra RAM is necessary for Gemini Nano to work as expected.

The phone is going to be running on a 4,700 mAh battery, which is quite nice for its relatively diminutive frame (and up from last year). Google isn’t explicit about its charging numbers, but it is slightly faster than last year and you should get 55% in 30 minutes.

There’s also an ultrasonic fingerprint reader under the screen now, instead of an optical one, which is why it is now 50% faster than last year.

The Cameras

Of course, upgrades in the camera department were expected. The 50MP primary sensor remains the same, though there’s a lot of AI processing magic that can’t be accurately translated to a spec on paper. The ultrawide gets pushed up to a 48MP unit (quadrupling the megapixel count). The 10.5MP selfie snapper remains the same but gets autofocus now, and that’s definitely going to make taking selfies easier.

The Pricing

The Google Pixel 9 is available for pre-order in the US and Europe right away, and to get the 128GB model, you’ll need to fork over $799. The 256GB version will set you back by $899. The devices will ship out on August 22nd, but if you pre-order before then, you can get the 256GB model for the price of the 128GB one.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro And Pixel 9 Pro XL Bring A Little More For The Power Users In The Crowd

Google’s Pixel “Pro” phone makes a return, but this time, with a close sibling in tow. We have a Pixel 9 Pro and a Pixel 9 Pro XL this year to cover those who like powerful phones with big screens and those who don’t.

The Designs

The Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL look just like the vanilla Pixel 9, with a redesigned visor, a matte glass back, and a shiny aluminum frame. You will be able to notice that the camera array actually contains an additional lens, which is part of the perks of being “Pro”.

Both devices come with IP68 protection and are available in Hazel, Obsidian, Porcelain, and Rose Quartz colorways.

The Screens

Needless to say, the screen department is one place where these devices differ. Both have “Super Actua” displays which are both AMOLED 120Hz LTPO units with brightness up to 3,000 nits. However, the size and resolution are where they differ. The Pixel 9 Pro has a 6.3-inch unit with a 1280 x 2856 resolution and the Pixel 9 Pro XL sizes up to a 6.8-inch 1344 x 2992 panel.

The Hardware

Inside is the Google Tensor G4, once again. Regardless of the Google device you get from the current lineup, you get the same general performance. However, these Pro models do come with more RAM, pushing things up to 16GB. They also come with a new vapor chamber.

The phone comes in four storage configurations, all with 16GB of RAM. You can get either 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or a massive 1TB model. It is nice to see Google finally embracing bigger storage sizes.

The Pixel 9 Pro has a 4,700 mAh — it’s got the same footprint as the regular Pixel 9 so it is no surprise the battery matches up. The Pixel 9 Pro XL manages to just break the threshold with a 5,060 mAh cell. The Pixel 9 Pro XL supports 45W charging and will hit 70% in 30 minutes.

The Cameras

Both phones have a 50MP primary camera paired with the same 48MP ultrawide in the vanilla model. However, they add a 48MP 5x telephoto lens (that Google says will zoom to 20x without much degradation thanks to software magic). The selfie camera is a high-resolution 42MP model, which is the best front snapper we’ve ever seen on a Pixel.

The Pricing

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is going to start at $999 while the Pixel 9 Pro XL takes that up to $1,099. You’ll be able to pre-order one right away, though the Pixel 9 Pro XL will only ship out starting August 22nd and the Pixel 9 Pro on September 4th.