Google Pixel 9 : A Closer Look at Google's Smartphone

The Google Pixel 9 introduces a series of notable upgrades, positioning itself as a strong contender in the smartphone market while bearing a striking resemblance in features to its Pro counterparts. This review delves into the enhancements, design changes, and overall performance of the new device.

Key Upgrades and Design

The Pixel 9 boasts a new chipset, a larger and brighter 6.3-inch display, an enhanced battery, and a new ultra wide camera. The design has been refreshed with a flat back and an aluminium frame, giving it a premium feel. While it's bigger and heavier than its predecessor, the Pixel 8, it maintains an IP68 dust and water resistance rating.

Display and Audio

The device features a 1080p OLED display protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, offering a 120Hz refresh rate. Unlike the Pro models, it lacks LTPO technology, meaning the refresh rate toggles between 120Hz and 60Hz. A significant improvement is its peak brightness, reaching an impressive 2200 nits in auto mode. For audio, it comes with stereo speakers that are noted for their "very good" loudness.

Some Important Technical Specifications Of Pixel 9

Colour: 

Peony Wintergreen Porcelain Obsidian

Display: 

6.3-inch (160 mm) Actua display

20:9 aspect ratio

1080 x 2424 OLED at 422 PPI

Smooth Display (60–120 Hz)

Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 cover glass

Up to 1,800 nits (HDR) and up to 2,700 nits (peak brightness)

Memory and Storage:

12 GB RAM +256 GB

Processor:

Google Tensor G4

Titan M2 security coprocessor

Rear Camera:

Advanced dual rear camera system

50 MP wide

48 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus

Super Res Zoom up to 8x and optical quality at 0.5x, 1x and 2x

Front Camera:

10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera with auto-focus

ƒ/2.2 aperture

95° ultrawide field of view

Battery and Charging:

24+ hour battery life

Up to 100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver

Typical 4700 mAh (minimum 4558 mAh)

Fast charging – up to 55% in about 30 minutes – using Google 45 W USB-C® charger, sold separately

Fast wireless charging (Qi-certified)

Battery Share

Materials & Durability:

Scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 cover glass

Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 polished back with satin finish metal frame

IP68 dust and water resistance

Fingerprint-resistant coating

The aluminium in the housing is 100% recycled content

Security, Storage, and Software

Security is enhanced with an upgraded ultrasonic under-display fingerprint reader, offering reliable performance. The Pixel 9 is available with 256GB of non-expandable storage. Running on Android 14, it integrates various AI-powered features such as call, text, and email summarization, the Gemini AI assistant, AI image generation with Pixel Studio, and Magic Editor in Google Photos. The camera app also introduces an "add me" feature for photo manipulation.

Connectivity and Support

The Pixel 9 series supports satellite SOS (currently limited to the US) and comes with a promise of 7 years of software updates and spare parts availability.

Performance and Battery Life

Powered by the Tensor G4 chipset, the Pixel 9 delivers smooth performance for general usage, apps, and games. The 4700 mAh battery offers a substantial improvement in battery life, achieving an active use score of 13 hours and 5 minutes. Charging remains capped at 27W, taking about an hour and 25 minutes for a full charge. Wireless and reverse wireless charging are also supported.

Camera Capabilities

The rear camera system comprises a 50MP main camera and a 48MP ultra wide camera, both with autofocus. It lacks the telephoto lens found in Pro models and features a single-zone laser assist for autofocus. Daytime photos from the main camera are excellent, with good detail and natural colours. The ultra wide camera also performs well, offering autofocus for close-ups and a dedicated macro mode. Selfies are highly praised for their detail and pleasant skin tones, benefiting from the new autofocus.

Video Recording

All cameras support 4K video recording at 60 FPS. While video quality exhibits good contrast and colour saturation, the detail is more impressive when compared to competitors. Low-light video from the main camera shows decent detail, good dynamic range, and accurate colours, complemented by excellent electronic stabilization.

Conclusion

The Pixel 9 emerges as a robust smartphone, offering many features akin to the Pro models, along with significant improvements in its display, battery, and ultra wide camera. However, its increased size compared to previous models and more impressive video recording capabilities are points to consider. It represents a compelling option, especially as its price becomes more attractive.