Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: What’s Different?
Aug. 14, 2024Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL: Specs at Glance
The Pixel 9 series has undergone another design refresh, going flat on all sides. Focusing solely on the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL, they have glossy metal frames with afrosted glass finishat the back. The camera bump is compact this time with more prominent rounded sides and retains the matte finish of the back.
I’m not a big fan of this flat design language, which started with the iPhone. And later carried on by the Galaxy S24 series this year. Despite both phones’ 8.5mm thickness, the flat edges will make it difficult to handle than the Pixel 8 Pro with 8.8mm thickness. That’s because it had curved sides.
The Pixel 9 Pro and the 9 Pro XL look identical, with the power and volume buttons on the right side, and the USB-C port, speaker, and SIM card tray at the bottom. The only difference between the two is size. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is thelarger of the two Pro models. But I guess the name might have given it away already.
For display, the Pixel 9 Pro has a6.3-inchscreen with1.5k resolution. The XL model gets a larger6.8-inchpanel with a higherQHD+ resolution. Besides the size and the resolution, everything else remains the same on the two devices.
Both have an LTPO OLED display with a120Hzrefresh rate, HDR 10+ support, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection. The display is surrounded by relatively thin, uniform bezels with a center pinhole for the selfie shooter.
With the new Pixels comes the new Tensor processor. This time it is theTensor G4based on 4-nanometer architecture. As you can see from the table, the cores are clocked higher and arranged in a more conventional 1+3+4 configuration. It also includes the new Samsung Exynos Modem 5400 modem, which allowssatellite connectivity.
The 9 Pro and the Pro XL models will be paired with 16 GB of RAM, but the Pro model will only have a single 256 GB variant with the Pro XL, you can pick between 256 or 512 GB of storage.
Powering this processor is a4,700 mAh battery on the 9 Pro and a bigger 5,060 mAh on the Pro XL.Given the more efficient chip, the two devices should last for 6–7 hours easily. Regarding charging the two devices, the Pixel 9 Pro models have45-wattquick charging support. They both also support 23-watt wireless charging.
In the camera department, Google is sticking with the same50 MPSamsung Isocell GN2 sensor they used in the 8 Pro. It has an aperture of f/1.68 and a 1/1.31″ sensor with an 82-degree field of view. This means that it can capture some stunning photos in practically most lighting situations.
Like the main lens, you’ll see a48 MP ultrawidelens with a 123-degree field of view and another48 MP telephotosensor with the same 5x zoom on both phones. All these cameras come with OIS and can shoot videos up to 8k 30 FPS with the option to pick between 4k 30/60 or 1080p 30/60/120 and 240 FPS if you wish to record some slow-motion footage.
The selfie shooter is a42 MPcamera. Both devices can record videos in 4K resolution at 30 and even 60 FPS, making this an attractive pair of phones for anyone who’s into vlogging.
Camera specs are just one piece of the puzzle. Most of the work will be done after the photo is clicked using Google’s computational photography algorithms. Oh, and did I mention that thethermal sensorfrom the Pixel 8 Pro has also made a return on both these Pro models?
The new Pro devices are definitely the most polished Pixels we have seen to date. They’re eye-catching and, dare I say, look premium while still capturing that Pixel look. Even though the new Tensor G4 isn’t a huge upgrade from last year’s G3, the camera on these devices has seen the biggest bump of all. Shows where Google’s focus is with their smartphones.
As a tech journalist, I dive into the ever-evolving tech landscape with a particular interest for smartphones, apps, and gaming. With a passion for sharing insights, my articles blend expertise with a friendly touch—think of me as your friendly neighborhood tech support.
