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Google announced four new Pixel 9 smartphones recently. Two out of those are regular, slab phones, while the last one is foldable. With that being said, we’ll compare two of the most affordable offerings in this article, the Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro. Do note that all of these devices belong to a flagship smartphone series, so not a single one of them is cheap per se.
With that being said, the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are actually rather similar devices. They have the exact same SoC, dimensions, main and ultrawide cameras, and more. There are also some differences worth noting, which will hopefully help you decide whether the Pixel 9 Pro is worth the extra $200. We will first list the specs of both smartphones and then we’ll compare them across a number of other categories. Do note that this comparison comes before our official review, we just started using the devices. For a more detailed look at each, our reviews are incoming.
Specs
Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro, respectively
– Screen size:
6.3-inch fullHD+ OLED (120Hz, HDR, 2,700 nits)
6.3-inch QHD+ OLED (120Hz, HDR, 3,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2424 x 1080
2856 x 1280
– SoC:
Google Tensor G4
– RAM:
12GB
16GB
– Storage:
128GB/256GB
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, OIS, EIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree FoV)
50MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, OIS, EIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree FoV), 48MP (periscope telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, OIS, EIS, 5x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
42MP (f/2.2 aperture)
– Battery:
4,700mAh
– Charging:
27W wired, 15W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
27W wired, 21W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
– Dimensions:
152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm
– Weight:
198 grams
199 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 14
– Price:
$799+
$999+
– Buy:
Google Pixel 9 (Best Buy, Google Store)
Google Pixel 9 Pro (Best Buy, Google Store)
Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro: Design
Design-wise, these two smartphones are almost the same. The only difference is visible on the back, as the Pixel 9 Pro has three cameras, not two. The camera island is the exact same size on both smartphones, so much so that even the case for one device fits on the other. Both phones are made out of metal and glass, and both have rounded corners. Their frame is flat on the sides, all around, though the edges are slightly rounded.
Both phones have a flat display with a centered camera hole at the top. The bezels are uniform on both devices, and they’re the same thickness on both. All the physical buttons sit on the right-hand side of both of these phones, with the power/lock key being placed above the volume up and down buttons. Google’s logo is visible on the back, and the cameras are horizontally aligned.
As mentioned earlier, these two smartphones have the exact same dimensions. The Pixel 9 Pro is 1 gram heavier, but you won’t notice that difference. Both phones sit below 200 grams, just barely, though. You’ll also be glad to know that they’re IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Both smartphones are quite slippery, though. We’re glad to see that Google used matte glass on the back this time around, but you’ll likely want to use a case due to how slippery the phones are. These two phones feel the same in the hand.
Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro: Display
The Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro have the same display size, but their displays are not identical. The Pixel 9 comes with a 6.3-inch fullHD+ (2424 x 1080) OLED display, which is flat, by the way. This panel has a refresh rate that goes from 60 to 120Hz and supports HDR content. Its peak brightness is 2,700 nits, and the display aspect ratio is 20:9. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this display.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro includes a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display with a resolution of 2856 x 1280. This panel has a refresh rate goes from 1 to 120Hz, and it supports HDR content. The peak brightness is 3,000 nits, in theory. The display aspect ratio is the same as on the Pixel 9, 20:9. Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this display too. So, as you can see, there are some differences.
Both of these displays are vivid, have great viewing angles, and good touch response. They also get bright enough, and even though the ‘Pro’ model has an edge in that regard, in theory, that’s not something you’ll notice easily. The Pixel 9 Pro’s panel does have the advantage of having an LTPO panel, though, and it’s also sharper, but the vast majority of people won’t really notice that difference. Both panels are quite good.
Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro: Performance
The Google Tensor G4 processor is included in both of these phones. This is Google’s latest chip, and it’s a 4nm processor. It’s technically not as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but it’s optimized for these devices and is responsible for a ton of AI features. The Pixel 9 includes 12GB of RAM, while the Pixel 9 Pro comes with 16GB of RAM. The Pixel 9 offers up to 256GB of storage, while the Pixel 9 Pro has up to 1TB.
We can only share our first impressions with you when it comes to performance. We haven’t yet tested these two devices to a full extent, you’ll have to wait for our reviews in order to find out more. Both devices do feel quite snappy during use, and identical too, in regards to responsiveness. The Pixel 9 Pro does have more RAM, but that’s not something you’ll really notice when using them side by side. At least we didn’t while getting some hands-on time with both.
They launch apps really fast, and multitasking is also not a problem. The same goes for web browsing, multimedia consumption, and so on. We even used some AI features and both phones were really fast at delivering the results. Pixel Studio is a prime example, actually, as both phones did a really good job. It remains to be seen how will they do in the gaming department, however, as neither phone is really made for gaming.
Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro: Battery
There is a 4,700mAh battery included in both of these smartphones. They have the same display sizes, but the Pixel 9 Pro has a sharper display. It does also have an LTPO display, so its refresh rate can go lower than on the Pixel 9. On paper, the battery life should balance itself out, but we won’t really know that until we fully test both smartphones. Our initial usage is not really enough to make such assumptions.
This battery capacity is slightly higher than what the Pixel 8 offered. On the other hand, so are these two displays, so… it remains to be seen. We are expecting solid battery life, it all depends on the level of optimization Google did. Pixel phones are rather weird when it comes to that. Some of them end up offering better battery life after a while after some optimizations take place. On some, it’s the other way around.
When it comes to charging, both of these phones support wired charging up to 27W. The Pixel 9 supports 15W wireless charging, while the Pixel 9 Pro’s wireless charging goes up to 21W. Do note that you’ll be able to reach such wireless charging speeds only with the Pixel Stand. With a regular Qi charger, it goes up to 12W. Another thing to note is that neither phone supports Qi 2 charging. 5W reverse wireless charging is on offer on both smartphones. Neither phone comes with a charger included in the box, though.
Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro: Cameras
These two smartphones have the same wide (main) and ultrawide cameras. The ‘Pro’ model also includes a third camera on the back, a periscope telephoto unit. The selfie camera is also different, by the way. Both smartphones have a 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.7 aperture, 1/1.31-inch sensor, OIS, EIS). They also include a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera (f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree FoV, 1/2.55-inch sensor).
The Pixel 9 Pro also has a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto unit (f/2.8 aperture, OIS, EIS, 5x optical zoom) on the back. The Pixel 9 includes a 10.5-megapixel unit on the front, while the Pixel 9 Pro has a 42-megapixel camera there. With that being said, from what we’ve seen at first glance, the images from the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro end up looking the same from both main and ultrawide cameras. That’s not surprising considering that both the hardware and the software is the same.
The Pixel 9 does have that issue of not having a periscope telephoto camera, though. It does have Google’s software magic for zooming (10x Super Res Zoom), but it’s not the same. Zoomed-in shots from the ‘Pro’ model do offer more details and are better overall. At first glance, the photos do have that well-known Pixel look. They’re contrasty and look very good, though we’ll have to dive in deeper during our review period.
Audio
You will find a set of stereo speakers on both of these smartphones. We’re not sure if Google used identical units in both phones, but they both sound good. We haven’t really had a lot of time with them thus far, more will be revealed soon.
What you will not find on either phone is an audio jack. You can always utilize their Type-C ports for wired headphone connections. Many of you will probably prefer wireless audio, though. Both of these phones offer Bluetooth 5.3 for that purpose.