Introduction:
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL means Google’s most advanced smartphone is now bold push to compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple in the premium smartphone space. From the mobile’s refined design, AI capabilities and polished hardware, it is clear that Google is taking its Pixel brand to new heights. Also, Google has increased the price of their Pixel 9 Series. The starting price of the new Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is about $1,100. This time, Google Pixel 9 Pro XL’s price is much closer to the iPhone Pro Max model, raising the stakes for potential buyers. Let’s get into the complete details of the new Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Camera:
The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s camera system is highly versatile, featuring a triple camera setup similar to its predecessor, the Pixel 8 Pro. It has a 50MP main camera, 48MP ultra-wide, and a 48MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. The telephoto lens offers up to 10x zoom through a combination of optical and digital zoom. There is 42MP front-facing selfie camera which gives brighter and sharper photos.
The new “Add Me” feature lets the photographer join group shots by blending two images, though it can be tricky to perfect. The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s camera excels at delivering quality images in challenging environments, making it one of the most reliable options for photography.
Display:
Among the larger edition, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, features a 6.8-inch Super Actua LTPO display with a 20:9 aspect ratio, while the iPhone Pro Max has a little smaller 6.7-inch display. The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s dynamic refresh rate, which ranges from 1Hz to 120Hz, enhances the overall viewing experience. The screen remains clearly visible even under direct sunlight because its peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Unlike the “dynamic island” design, the punch-hole camera is unobtrusive when watching content, and the display delivers rich, vibrant colors.
The thinner bezels maximize screen space, and the display is highly responsive, providing a smooth interaction. This time the phones’s improved haptics enable tapping on it feel more accurate and more satisfying. Further small bend along the edges to make the massive 6.8-inch AMOLED display more comfortable to handle, every aspect of the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s design appears to have been well considered. The frosted Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back offers a solid grip to help against unexpected drops.
Yet, the IP68 designation guarantees protection against dust and water in the event of an accident. A gleaming aluminum frame connecting the front and rear glass panels completes the phone’s upscale appearance. Although the frame’s sleek form could feel a touch strange on hands that are too small. Since the phone has a new flat design, it looks thicker even though it is 0.3 millimeters thinner than the Pixel 8 Pro. Google also sells a smaller Pixel 9 Pro if the size seems too much; but for greater safety, it’s recommended to get a case for either model.
The dimensions of Google Pixel 9 Pro XL closely resemble those of its predecessor, the new model slightly expands the screen size. This means slimmer, uniform bezels, which are so minimal that they’re hardly noticeable. At the same time, the flat edges prevent unintended touches on the screen.
The Google has increased the max brightness of the display from 2,400 nits compared to the previous model to 3,000 nits and In terms of bright light, it also increased from 1,600 to 2,000 nits. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s color palette has developed more refined and modest. Pastel colors like Bay and Mint have been replaced by softer tones like Rose Quartz and Hazel.
Battery:
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL’s battery life feels like a breath of fresh air in the ruling world. It stands out with its exceptional battery life, designed to keep pace with even the most demanding usage. It also handles a full day of heavy multitasking whether streaming, browsing, or running multiple apps without requiring frequent recharges. While it lacks the fastest Tensor G4 CPU in the mobile industry, but it has the most excellent power efficiency. The phone’s 5,060mAh battery offers consistently excellent performance and lasts longer into the day before requiring a recharge.
In battery benchmark test, it passed its predecessor, the Google Pixel 8 Pro, by a wide margin, lasting 14 hours and 37 minutes versus 10 hours and 3 minutes. Furthermore, the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers faster 37W wired charging, making it a popular choice for people looking for a strong and efficient smartphone.
Features:
One of the most creative smartphones in the Pixel family, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL combines the most advanced AI capabilities with the premium features. It offers a new AI-powered capabilities as Gemini Live, which enables users to converse with the assistant in a more natural way.
In fact, Gemini’s limitations in executing commands and remembering the previous conversations are visible compared to Google Assistant. Users can produce AI-generated photos using the Pixel Studio app; however accuracy issues cause strange visual glitches. The Reimagine feature in Google Photos has also sparked controversy for its ability to manipulate images.
The phones come with Android 14 and promise seven years of updates, positioning them as long-term investments. The AI-powered Screenshots app offers better organization by scanning and tagging images automatically. However, Gemini Live, which is part of a subscription model, places some premium features behind a paywall, and its value is debatable given its current limitations.
Performance:
In terms of processing performance, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL delivers a major improvement over its predecessors. Google’s new Tensor G4 chip powers the Pixel 9 lineup, addressing previous complaints about lagging behind competitors like Apple’s A17 Pro and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Even with their 8GB of RAM, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 previously had trouble handling resource-intensive applications, particularly when juggling many apps at once like Spotify and Pokémon Go. Thankfully, with the Google Pixel 9 pro XL, Google has increased the RAM to 16GB, allowing for a smoother experience, especially when running multiple apps simultaneously or experimenting with AI tools.
Although it behind competitors in performance, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL performs fairly in benchmarks. It received a score of 12,634 on the PCMark Work 3.0 benchmark, which is still significantly lower than the Pixel 8 Pro’s 18,200 but better than the Pixel 8 Pro’s 11,709 result. The Pixel 9 Pro XL managed 43 frames per second (fps) in the GFXBench Aztec Ruins GPU test, a solid result but short of the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 66fps and the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 50fps.
Despite the benchmark results, real-world performance tells a different story. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL delivered lag-free, flawless performance when the taxing game Genshin Impact was run at basic settings. Even at the highest settings, the phone maintained excellent performance without overheating, making it a reliable option for gaming.
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