Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: Google’s AI-Powered Superphone to Rival the Best

Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: Google’s AI-Powered Superphone to Rival the Best

Top-class camera, massive screen, long battery life, Add Me photo feature, and advanced Gemini Live are all highly impressive.

Google’s latest flagship, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, sets the bar high with its battery life, camera, and smart features, leading a new line of Android devices capable of running Google’s Gemini AI system, which includes a next-gen conversational voice assistant, a significant leap forward in AI technology.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the largest standard phone Google has ever made, priced from £1,099 (€1,199/$1,099/A$1,849). For the first time, it’s joined by a smaller 9 Pro model, which shares the same specifications and camera capabilities, priced at £999 (€1,099/$999/A$1,699). The XL model is tailored for those who prefer a larger screen and extended battery life.

The design of the Pixel 9 Pro XL is more robust and visually intriguing than last year’s models. The camera bar on the back now prominently stands out, reminiscent of the design seen in Google’s Nest Doorbells. The aluminum body has flattened sides, similar to the aesthetic of Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The massive 6.8-inch super-bright display is on par with the best offerings from Samsung and other competitors, truly shining when watching videos or using the device outdoors in direct sunlight.

Under the hood, the Pixel 9 Pro XL houses Google’s latest Tensor G4 chip, which is up to 20% faster for browsing and 17% faster for launching apps, providing a noticeably snappier user experience than its predecessors. Although the XL handles games and apps efficiently, it doesn’t quite match up to Qualcomm and Apple rivals in raw processing performance based on benchmark tests. However, Google’s focus with the Tensor G4, developed in collaboration with its DeepMind subsidiary, was to optimize efficiency and AI processing power, allowing the device to run Google’s Gemini Nano system and other AI models significantly faster.

The result is a marked improvement in battery life compared to earlier models. The Pixel 9 Pro XL can last up to 52 hours with over seven hours of active screen time on a mix of 5G and Wi-Fi. That’s a solid two days between charges, putting it on par with some of the longest-lasting smartphones on the market.

Specifications:

• Screen: 6.8-inch 120Hz QHD+ OLED (486ppi)
• Processor: Google Tensor G4
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
• Operating System: Android 14
• Camera: 50MP main + 48MP ultrawide + 48MP 5x telephoto, 42MP selfie
• Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, Wi-Fi 7, UWB, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS
• Water Resistance: IP68 (1.5m for 30 minutes)
• Dimensions: 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm
• Weight: 221g

Next-Gen AI Features

The Pixel 9 Pro XL ships with Android 14, just like previous models, and offers seven years of software support, making it one of the longest-supported smartphones on the market.

The significant additions in this model are all AI-related. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is among the first devices to run Google’s latest Gemini Nano AI models, enabling a variety of new features that integrate AI into numerous aspects of the user experience, from the keyboard to the weather app.

One of the standout features is the new Screenshots app, which organizes your screenshots and makes them searchable. You can ask the app for specific information, such as a ticket reference for a concert, and it will provide a summary and direct you to the relevant screenshot. While the summaries aren’t always 100% accurate, they are usually close enough to guide you to the right screenshot at a glance.

The Pixel Studio app generates images in a range of styles based on text prompts, allowing you to edit them, insert objects, and turn portions of the image into stickers. It’s a fun tool but requires an internet connection to function. However, it currently doesn’t generate images of people or other restricted terms and struggles with text on images.

Google Photos’ Magic Editor has also received upgrades, including a feature that automatically reframes an image by cropping or expanding the canvas using generative AI. The “reimagine” feature takes it a step further, allowing you to completely recast a photo using a text prompt, such as making a cityscape appear as though it’s submerged underwater. While there are safeguards on what can be inserted into images, they can be bypassed. How far you take it is up to you.

Gemini Live

Image Credit: TheVerge

The most impressive AI feature is the new Gemini Live experience. Unlike previous text chats or voice assistants, Gemini Live offers a fully conversational experience with human-like responses, including a touch of personality and the right level of brevity.

You simply speak to Gemini as if it were a person, engaging in a fluid back-and-forth conversation. For example, one discussion I had with Gemini Live was about the fastest parkruns in southeast London, with the AI detailing the quickest courses for setting a personal best. It provided various facts about each park, including the running surfaces and travel time by car or public transport from my home. We then discussed the weather forecast and whether the expected number of participants could pose a challenge.

It’s not perfect all the time—it can go on a bit, but you can easily interrupt it by talking over it. In one conversation about boys’ names, it repeatedly suggested “Jasper,” almost comically obsessed with the name. However, despite these quirks, Gemini Live is light years ahead of Siri, Alexa, and other AI assistants and feels like a tool I could use daily.

While Gemini Live isn’t exclusive to the Pixel, it does require a £19-a-month Gemini Advanced subscription, with the first year free with any Pixel 9 Pro purchase.

Camera

The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s triple camera setup on the back is similar to last year’s Pixel 8 Pro, featuring a 48MP ultrawide, 50MP main, and a 48MP 5x telephoto camera, all of which deliver exceptional performance.

The camera captures highly detailed and crisp photos across the board, excelling in low light and preserving detail in high-contrast scenes. The Pixel’s camera offers a 2x zoom option on the main camera and a 5x telephoto lens, producing a 10x optical zoom equivalent, which allows you to get closer to your subject with impressive clarity. The additional digital zoom up to 30x is also very effective in bright light.

The new 42MP selfie camera on the front is noticeably brighter and sharper than previous iterations. However, Google’s new “Add Me” feature may be the best addition for group photos. This feature blends two photos taken back-to-back, allowing the photographer to be included in group shots by swapping camera duties with another person for the second photo. An augmented reality overlay guides the additional people on where to stand to fit into the combined shot. The feature works well but requires some practice to get right and occasionally struggles with certain objects, sometimes blending legs into the edges of tables.

The camera app includes many other fun and creative modes, but the Pixel remains the best at capturing high-quality photos in challenging conditions with no user expertise required.

Sustainability

Google doesn’t provide an expected lifespan for the battery, but it should last for more than 500 full-charge cycles while maintaining at least 80% of its original capacity. The phone is repairable by Google and third-party repair shops, with genuine replacement parts expected to be available from iFixit soon. Screen replacements will cost around £200.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is made with at least 18% recycled materials, including recycled aluminum, plastic, rare earth elements, and tin. Google provides a detailed environmental impact report for the phone, and the company offers free recycling for old devices.

Price

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is priced from £1,099 (€1,199/$1,099/A$1,849).

For comparison, the Pixel 8a costs £499, the Pixel 9 costs £799, the Pixel 9 Pro costs £999, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra costs £1,149, and the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max costs £1,199.

Verdict

With the Pixel 9 Pro XL, Google has delivered its first true superphone to rival Samsung’s S24 Ultra and Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max.

A massive and brilliant screen, extended battery life, standout design, and a top-tier camera make this one of the best smartphones available. However, its large size often requires two-handed use, so if that’s an issue, the smaller 9 Pro may be a better choice.

Google’s cutting-edge AI features continue to blend fun tricks with genuinely useful tools, particularly in the camera department, with features like Magic Editor and Add Me. Gemini Live is the most impressive new addition, significantly improving on existing AI assistants, though it remains to be seen whether it’s worth the monthly subscription after the free first year.

The increased price this year is a drawback, but the Pixel still undercuts rivals from Samsung and Apple and comes with seven years of software support, ensuring it will last for a long time.