Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review – the best Android experience

• The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the latest flagship offering from Google.
• The device is priced starting at ₹1,24,999 and is available in two variants.
• Here’s my review of the Pixel 9 Pro XL that will help you decide if you should buy the device.

Google launched the Pixel 9 series, consisting of the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the company’s flagship smartphones a few months ago. This time around, Google launched three devices unlike last year Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the successor of the Pixel 8 Pro, offering a similar size and features. This year’s Pixel 9 Pro offers flagship hardware while offering a smaller display and battery. With the three devices, Google is offering a similar line-up to Samsung and Apple.

I have been using the Pixel 9 Pro XL for a few weeks now, and here’s my detailed review of the latest smartphone from Google.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL price and availability

The Pixel 8 Pro has been priced at ₹1,06,999 for the 128GB variant and ₹1,13,999 for the 256GB variant. It comes in Blue, Beige and Obsidian colour options and is available from Flipkart.

In the box

• Pixel 9 Pro XL smartphone
• USB Type-C cable
• SIM ejector tool
• Documentation

Pixel 9 Pro XL specifications

Pixel 9 Pro XL pros and cons

Pros

• Software and performance
  
• Camera
  

Cons

• Price
  

Design and display

Google has overhauled the design of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, making major changes to the design when compared to the Pixel 8 Pro. The search giant has opted for a flat display, flat sides and a revamped camera module.

The device comes in Hazel, Porcelain, Rose Quartz, and Obsidian colour options. I tested the Rose Quartz colour variant of the device.

The device comes with flat sides, with rounded corners for its aluminium frame, that give it a premium feel while holding. At first look, you may get an iPhone-like look, with people even mistaking it for an iPhone during my usage, but this clears up immediately after looking at the pill-shaped camera module.

The aluminium frame comes with a glossy finish and is slightly slippery. The aluminium frame also attracts dust fingerprint smudges easily. For these reasons, it might be a good idea to use the device with a case.

It comes with a large pill-shaped camera module that houses the triple camera setup, a temperature sensor and the LED flash. Apart from the camera module, the device comes with Google’s logo at the back.

The power button and the volume rockers are placed on the right side. Unlike a lot of other devices, the Pixel 9 Pro XL continues to place the power button on top and the volume rockers below it.

At the bottom, you get the speaker grille, a USB Type-C port, a microphone and the SIM tray.

At the top, you get the mmWave antenna cover and a microphone.

On the left, apart from antenna lines, the device comes with “Made in China” written for some reason.

Coming to the display, the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes equipped with a large 6.8-inch Quad HD+ LTPO OLED display with a 1-120Hz refresh rate, up to 3,000 nits brightness and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.

The device sports a good display, which offers accurate colours and offers good visibility, even in direct sunlight. The display is excellent, with the high refresh rate offering a good experience while gaming and watching content.

Software and performance

The Pixel 9 Pro XL runs on Android 14 out of the box and is promised to get seven years of Android updates and security patches. The software is the highlight of the Pixel lineup and the Pixel 9 Pro XL is no different. The device offers an Android experience as imagined by Google, the operating system maker.

As expected, the device comes loaded with AI features in the form of Gemini. To enable users to make the most out of the AI features, Google is offering a one-year premium subscription to Pixel 9 Pro XL users, giving them access to Gemini Advanced, 2TB of Google Drive storage and more.

The device comes pre-installed with Pixel Studio, a new GenAI image generation app from Google, allowing users to generate images easily on the go.

You also get access to Gemini Live, a live-chat version of Gemini, which allows for voice-enabled interactions.

In what might excite most photography enthusiasts like myself, the device also comes with a more powerful Magic Editor, giving access to a ton of new tools.

Talking about AI and photography, the new Add Me feature is excellent, especially for those who often end up being the ones to take group pictures and regret not being in them. The new Add Me feature allows you to take a group picture and then hand your phone to your friend and then join the group for another picture, then using AI to blend them into one image to make the perfect group picture.

I used this feature during one of my trips and found it to be quite useful. Once you get the hang of it and remember to stand in the correct place, it works quite well.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by the Google Tensor G4 chipset built on Samsung’s 4nm process. It comes with 16GB of RAM and offers up to 512GB of internal storage.

If you are hoping for a drastic performance improvement compared to the predecessor, you might be disappointed. It offers an incremental improvement in performance but can easily handle everything that you throw at it.

One area the chipset and the device has improved a lot over the Pixel 8 Pro is thermal management and proper connectivity. These were some of my biggest issues with the last-gen devices and Google has made a significant improvement in this aspect.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by a 5,060mAh battery with 37W wired and 23W wireless charging support. The device offers a day’s battery life with normal usage.

Camera

The camera is the strongest selling point of Pixel smartphones, and unsurprisingly, the Pixel 9 Pro XL excels in this regard.

Coming to the camera department, the Pixel 9 Pro XL features a triple camera setup at the back, consisting of a 50MP primary camera with Samsung GN2 sensor with OIS, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera with Sony IMX858 sensor and a 48MP 5X telephoto camera with Sony IMX858 sensor with up to 30x digital zoom.

The smartphone supports zero shutter lag, which means it captures photos at the same moment you tap on the shutter button. This is very handy when trying to capture moving subjects, especially kids and pets.

The smartphone’s daylight camera performance was excellent, with accurate colour reproduction, dynamic range, and well-defined details. The portrait mode is excellent in both daylight and indoor conditions.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL also performs excellently in low-light and night conditions, capturing well-detailed, colour-accurate photos despite the challenging lighting conditions. The images turned out to be sharp and clear, with adequate details and minimal noise.

On the front, the Pixel 9 Pro XL features a 42MP selfie camera. The front camera can easily capture good selfies in normal lighting and low light conditions.

Verdict

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the best device in the current Pixel lineup and one of the best Android smartphones out there. The device offers an excellent user experience, a premium design and good cameras. It offers good performance and ample storage, ticking off a lot of the boxes.

At the same time, the Pixel 9 Pro XL commands a premium price and while enthusiasts may like the stock Android experience, the lack of customisation may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you are looking for a stock Android experience with powerful hardware and are willing to pay a premium, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is an excellent option.

Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a purchasing guide or recommendation. We advise readers to do additional research, including hands-on usage of the device at a retail outlet, before making a decision.

SEE ALSO:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review – the complete package

OnePlus 12 review: A feature-packed device with promising battery back-up

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 gaming laptop review – With a big AI boost