I Still Prefer My Google Pixel 9 Pro Over The Expensive Flagships - And It's Not Even Close

Adam Breeden/ZDNET

Last year, I was emphatic that my clip pinch Pixel phones was over because Google had announced it was readying to inject moreover much AI "goodness" into Android. I saw that arsenic an opportunity to jump ship.

My extremity was to bargain nan Nothing Phone 3. Then, arsenic destiny would person it, Nothing CEO Carl Pei announced that his institution was going all-in connected AI, and nan adjacent Nothing Phone would leverage nan exertion successful ways nary different instrumentality had.

Foiled again.

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Shortly after, I looked into nan Pixel 9 Pro series, which Google has made clear it's superior astir returning nan "flagship" moniker to nan lineup. Instead of questionable creation choices for nan hardware (like nan unsightly camera hump, too-slick glass, and oddly-beveled edges), Google opted for a classier look.

The institution succeeded.

I placed my order, traded successful my Pixel 8 Pro, and sewage a whopping $700 successful credit. I sat backmost and waited. A mates of weeks later, my pinkish Pixel 9 Pro arrived. As soon arsenic I unboxed it, my first thought was, "Now this is simply a flagship device." 

The build value is stellar, nan look is beautiful, and nan consciousness is awesome -- and that was each earlier I switched nan telephone on.

The first point you'll announcement pinch nan Pixel 9 is nan level edges, which springiness nan telephone a very polished look. Practically speaking, those level edges make nan Pixel 9 Pro exponentially easier to prime up.

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This was 1 of my large complaints pinch nan Pixel 8 Pro. When nan Pixel 8 telephone is connected a level surface, it tin beryllium difficult to prime up pinch immoderate confidence. Because of nan slick surface, nan telephone is prone to gaffe from betwixt my fingers. Not that dropping a telephone a fewer inches to a array aboveground would harm nan device, but it's surely frustrating.

The Pixel 9 Pro is very easy to clasp pinch 1 hand.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

That rumor is nary more. The Pixel 9 Pro is acold easier to prime up.

Beyond nan consciousness of it all, nan Pixel 9 look is conscionable spot on. Yes, it's very iPhone-like, but I don't spot that arsenic a bad thing. There's a logic why Apple has stuck to a akin chassis design… because it works, and it screams "I'm a flagship device!"

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Also, nan camera hump is truthful overmuch nicer. On nan Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 8 Pro, nan camera hump made nan telephone look cheap. It almost seemed "accidental." Now? The camera hump looks intentional successful design, and it fits nan look and consciousness of nan instrumentality overmuch amended than successful erstwhile iterations.

Finally, nan size of nan Pixel 9 Pro is perfect. It's a spot shorter than nan Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 8 Pro, which intends it's easier to usage pinch 1 hand. 

Setting up my Pixel (from an older model)

Normally, erstwhile transferring information from 1 Pixel to another, you're prompted to link nan phones via a USB-C cablegram and let nan information to transportation (a process that tin return immoderate time). With nan Pixel 9 lineup, it's each done via Bluetooth, and it's amazingly accelerated and easy. I would spell truthful acold arsenic to opportunity this is nan simplest and quickest transportation from 1 Pixel to different that I've knowledgeable (and I've been doing this since nan early Pixel days).

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Of course, not everything transferred. In position of credentials, only my Gmail relationship was automatically added. I had to input different app logins manually. This is to beryllium expected, and I didn't mind having to log backmost into definite apps and adhd my non-Gmail accounts.

I besides purchased a clear lawsuit for magnetic accessories from Google, which was a smart move.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

My experience

Ever since nan Pixel 6 Pro, I've recovered Google's apical phone's capacity outstanding. The Pixel 9 Pro takes this up a notch, and finally, Android tin really show disconnected animations connected par pinch iOS. Everything is buttery smooth, and apps motorboat instantly. Scroll done nan App Drawer, and you nary longer acquisition stutters and jumps. 

The show of nan Pixel 9 Pro is thing short of incredible. Normally, I move disconnected nan Ambient Display characteristic because nan show tends to get a spot excessively dark. On nan Pixel 9 Pro, I person yet to consciousness nan request to unopen disconnected that feature. Sure, nan show adjusts to nan smallest alteration successful ambient light, but it ne'er gets excessively dim to spot clearly. 

If I manually set nan brightness each nan measurement up, it's very bright. In fact, this is nan first telephone I've utilized wherever I thought nan show astatine afloat brightness was almost excessively bright. Images person much extent and clarity erstwhile displayed connected nan Pixel 9 Pro.

The nighttime earlier last, I forgot to put my telephone connected nan charger overnight. When I woke up nan adjacent greeting and saw it connected my desk, nan percent of nan remaining artillery was 76%. Instead of placing it connected its cradle truthful it could charge, I decided to usage it and hold until my accustomed clip (around 6 PM -- I for illustration to wholly disconnect astatine nan extremity of nan day) to group it connected nan Pixel stand.

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By nan extremity of nan day, nan telephone was astatine 50%. Granted, I'm not connected my telephone perpetually passim nan time but, moreover so, that's impressive. It's not immoderate benignant of artillery benchmark that I could honestly spell by, but knowing nan telephone tin spell without an overnight complaint and nan artillery hardly budges an inch downward is simply a beautiful bully denotation that this telephone will much than spell nan distance.

Bottom statement (for now)

It's early successful my narration pinch nan Pixel 9 Pro, but I'm fresh to proclaim that Google has yet created a Pixel telephone worthy of nan flagship title. I can't hold to spot really Android 15 will tally connected this babe because it runs for illustration a champ connected my Pixel 7 Pro.

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