Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review – Fantastic phone, even better cameras

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Would we recommend the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL?

In short, yes! The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the perfect personality fit for people who appreciate smooth performance, good battery life, big screens, a brilliant design, and taking great photos without much effort.

The new AI tricks are cool and all but I don't see a need to use them daily just yet.

It might not be the best choice if you're using your phone for a lot of gaming or you're sensitive to performance differences, as the Tensor G4 chip still isn't quite as fast as what Samsung and Apple offer.

Now full disclosure, Pixel phones are generally new territory for me, which could explain my own fanfare around the device. I've reviewed the Pixel 8a, but otherwise, I've only appreciated them from quick fiddles and afar. But from all the reports I've seen, Google seems to have addressed the shortcomings of previous generations.

If you're coming from an older model and don't much care for AI tricks or the newer design, maybe you'll find it slightly lacking especially given the price bump.

It's not a cheap phone so I'd recommend snagging it on a deal.

Design and display - iPhone lookalike? Maybe. But I'm all in!

The front of the Pixel 9 Pro XL looks just like the iPhone, almost to a T.

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

And that's not a bad thing. The design of the Pixel is beautifully refined, and the curves around the edges make it comfortable to grip, despite its size. I have no qualms with Google adopting a design that millions adore.

It's when you flip the phone over that you really notice a difference.

The camera housing has a brand-new look, anchored by a modern sculpted camera bar - an iconic element of the Pixel brand.

To be blunt, I much prefer this over the older design. It's still iconically Pixel despite the changes.

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

The screen is flat with thinner bezels and it's significantly brighter - especially noticeable when you're strolling under the blazing Aussie sun.

The new ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is Google's best yet. It's reliable and so fast that I was genuinely impressed.

Performance and battery life - You'll need to dig deep to find flaws

I don't mind admitting that my phone use doesn't go that deep.

I'll play some games now and then, like Call of Duty. Otherwise, I'm mostly browsing the web, scrolling through social media, asking AI questions about dumb stuff and travel, using maps for navigation, and very importantly, taking pictures and creating video content for work and fun.

The Pixel's Tensor G4 chip definitely isn't on par with Samsung's Snapdragon or Apple's silicon. But I still thought based on how I've been using the phone, it's smooth, snappy and responsive.

The battery life is also quite promising. I never got a chance to test out older models but based on reports, the Pixel 9 Pro XL finally gets it right with a more efficient chipset.

For example, I watched an hour of YouTube in high definition and at 50% brightness. There was a 4% drop in charge.

Overall, you should comfortably get a full day's use with moderate usage. I still had about 23% charge left before calling it a night.

Camera - It's one of the main reasons I'd buy the Pixel 9 Pro XL

Google's kept with its theme of delivering an amazing camera experience yet again.

The photos are rich in details, the colours vibrant.

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Low-light and nighttime shots hold up really well, though the latter falls slightly short on the detail you get with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

The 5x zoom camera gets meaningfully close to objects and even when you pinch to 30x zoom you'll be eerily surprised how well you can still see some of the details.

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

My only annoyance is that pinching in and out of the zoom controls is a bit laggy. I tested it against the iPhone 16 Pro Max and there was a noticeable difference.

But it's an easy trade-off to make since I've generally been quite happy with the Pixel 9 Pro XL shots, even though some of you might disagree but that's okay. Photography is subjective after all.

New AI tricks

Google's new AI photo editing tools include 'Add Me,' which lets you appear in group photos without needing help, and Magic Editor, now with Auto Frame to recompose shots and Reimagine to change backgrounds or seasons with a simple prompt.

They're fun ones to have up your sleeve or fool around with but not something I'd use frequently.

Google's also gone hard in advertising its Gemini AI experience, including Gemini Advanced which allows you to have live conversations. You can access the advanced feature on the Pro models for free for a year before dishing out $32.99 which also gets you 2TB of storage.

It's kinda cool being able to pause Gemini in its tracks mid-conversation and pivot to something else entirely. However, it did give me a few inaccurate statements for some of my queries, much like ChatGPT has done a fair few times.

Think of it as an over-eager intern who's learning and gets a few things wrong now and then.

Final words

After being a long-time Samsung user, I switched to Apple last year to give it a fair shot and now I'm doing the same with the Pixel.

I've realised that switching phone brands isn't the gobsmackingly awful experience I was making it out to be.

Unless you're deeply embedded in an ecosystem that makes switching costly or inconvenient, all you need is a bit of patience.

All opinions expressed in this review are based on the author's own experience with the phone. Use this review for informational purposes only.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL colours and specs

Now that the main event has been covered, here's a quick rundown of the Pixel 9 Pro XL's specs.

We've included the Pixel 9 Pro in the mix as they're essentially the same phone just different sizes. The smaller model will be available late October 2024 if you want to hang on till then.

How to buy the Pixel 9 Pro XL on a plan

You can sign up for a 12-, 24-, or 36-month phone repayment plan with Optus, Telstra, or Vodafone.

How to buy the Pixel 9 Pro XL outright

Price

RRP: $1,849.00

Where to buy

Check availability at eBay

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