Released last summer, the Google Pixel 9 Pro made many people happy. After a complete analysis of the device, we identified great qualities, but also notable defects.
Google’s latest smartphone, the Pixel 9 Pro presents itself as a phone high end. If the brand offers a very high-quality smartphone with many advantages, other more disappointing aspects contrast our test. The latest Google product indeed leads us to write a fairly positive review, although marred by a few black points which could put more than one person back from purchasing.
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An elegant but sometimes impractical design
Let’s be honest: the design of the Google Pixel 9 Pro is really sleek. With its flat edges with rounded corners, handling is simple and pleasant. Note that without a protective shell, the phone may slip slightly from your fingers, but nothing serious on the horizon.
The matte back of the phone is pleasant to the touch and barely retains fingerprints. The opposite observation, however, applies to metal edges, which get dirty quite quickly.
We can note a slight difference with the Pixel 8 Pro regarding the rear lenses. Previously spread across the entire width of the phone, the cameras now form a rectangle with rounded edges. A strategy which gives character to the Google Pixel 9 Pro, but which results in a less than ergonomic result: it is often difficult to extract the device from a jeans pocket, for example.
No problem, however, when it comes to placing the phone on a flat surface. The prominence of the rear camera does not present any imbalance when tapping on the screen, which is a real good point.
The screen, the good point of the Pixel 9 Pro
The Google Pixel 9 Pro screen presents itself as a real asset. Measuring 6.3 inches, it has a definition of 495 PPI (Pixel Per Inch) which is very pleasant for the eyes.
In terms of brightness, Google hits hard with an announced capacity of 2000 nits in SDR and 2500 nits in HDR. Therefore, using the Pixel 9 Pro in bright sunlight does not pose a problem in terms of readability. On the other hand, it is more unpleasant to look at it in the middle of the night, as the brightness can appear too strong in the early morning.
Small new feature of the Google Pixel 9 Pro: the addition of an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the phone’s panel, which allows the user to unlock the device very quickly. Being able to unlock your phone in less than a few seconds is very useful when you want to take a photo of a moment of life, for example.
The Pixel 9 Pro features a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, useful for those who enjoy smooth and enjoyable mobile gaming. Headlines like Genshin Impact run well, even if some freezes may appear when loading the game.
The “Always on Display” functionality (which keeps the screen on even when the phone is asleep) is also very convincing. Complete, it allows the user to know the time, date, weather and notifications without having to turn on their phone. The option also displays the battery and the recharge time required before 100%.
We also like that the phone can automatically recognize and display the title of music playing around us. A simple but yet very valuable feature.
Correct and sufficient performance
The Google Pixel 9 Pro has a Tensor G4 chip and 16 GB of RAM. The performance of the device is very appreciable in everyday life, especially when browsing social networks or internet pages. Fluidity is there, including when it comes to video games.
Big headlines like Genshin Impact or even Honkai: Star Rail run correctly, without display or refresh difficulty. But the Google Pixel 9 Pro is definitely not a gaming phone: the device heats up very quickly and handling quickly becomes painful. The metal edges are hot and demonstrate a notable lack of performance.
Despite this major flaw, which does not allow long gaming sessions, the Google Pixel 9 Pro can easily run games at up to 60 FPS (Image Per Second).
An AI-boosted camera
If the Google Pixel 9 Pro is full of good points, it especially stands out for its camera. Nothing to complain about the beauty and fidelity of the photos taken on this smartphone. The colors are harmonious, the contours clear and the atmosphere perfectly transcribed.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro’s camera has three rear sensors: a 50MP wide-angle, as well as an ultra-wide-angle and a 48MP telephoto lens. The difference between the main sensor and the ultra wide-angle is almost invisible. The quality of photography is similar between the two and provides beautiful shots even when the light is not good. This is the case for the photo below, taken in fairly intense darkness. The Pixel 9 Pro manages to overcome the night and offer very high quality photographs.
When it comes to digital zoom, the Google Pixel 9 Pro remains a very good student. Being able to reach x30, it is possible to capture distant elements without losing too much quality. Obviously, the contours are less clear, but the whole is really convincing.
If the Google Pixel 9 Pro device provides exemplary quality, its multiple editing options further embellish the photographs that may have been captured. The phone user can just as easily bother correcting their photos manually with various options such as “Background blur”, “Anti-blur”, Magic eraser” or even “Sky” (which we will detail later ), or let artificial intelligence do its thing.
The retouching tools work well, although the “Magic Eraser” sometimes struggles to correctly replace unwanted elements. If these are too close or too numerous, a strange blur appears on the image, distorting the surrounding environment. It is therefore difficult to clean busy sidewalks or cluttered squares.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro stands out mainly for its new “Add Me” feature. Thanks to this, it is now possible to include all the members of a group in a photo, even the photographer, who is all too often sidelined. To do this, simply take a first photo of the group in question, then capture a second, this time changing photographer. The two images will then be merged using AI.
Autonomy, the big black spot
Very good in many areas, the Google Pixel 9 Pro nevertheless hides a major flaw: autonomy. With a 4700 mAh battery, the phone loses power very quickly, even when not using it. The percentages plummet during the day without intensive use, which quickly becomes unpleasant.
As you can see on Tuesday, the Pixel 9 Pro lost more than 50% of battery between 11:35 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., for a usage time of only 44 minutes. The phone’s settings show us that applications left in the background consume a lot of energy, whether small games like Pokémon TCGP or social networks like Instagram.
The Pixel 9 Pro has a USB-C port for wired charging, which only reaches 27W. While it is at 35%, our test phone expects a full charge in 1h30, a really long time. The Google Pixel 9 Pro also offers wireless charging, which does not exceed 23W. In both cases, fully recharging requires solid patience.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro’s heating management does not work in its favor either. When fully charging, it is not uncommon for the phone to heat up.
Optimized and pleasant calls
The Google Pixel 9 Pro is a very good device when it comes to calls. The phone enables clear communications, thanks in part to the “sound clarity” feature, which cleans out harmful noises and isolates our voice.
The Pixel 9 Pro is unsurprisingly compatible with the 5GWi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3. No problems were seen with recognition and association with connected objects, such as wireless headphones.
Our conclusion of the Google Pixel 9 Pro
Ultimately, despite its very pronounced flaws, the Google Pixel 9 Pro is a very good phone. Its pleasant handling is reinforced by a refined and original design. The prominence of the camera gives character to this smartphone with many advantages.
Among these assets, photo quality. With its three rear sensors of up to 50 Mpx, any moment of life can be faithfully saved in the gallery. Whether in the middle of the night or under a bright sun, you will get magnificent shots with charming colors.
The addition of artificial intelligence within the photo application introduces promising and useful features. Fast and efficient, the touch-ups may seem unnoticed at first glance.
Only big downside: the battery. Unable to last over time, the Pixel 9 Pro can be very frustrating on a daily basis. Between a rather long recharging time and a rather fast discharging time, it is not uncommon to be surprised to see your phone only has 10% left.
We therefore recommend the Google Pixel 9 Pro to profiles particularly attracted to photography. Customers more focused on video games are clearly not targeted by the high-end smartphone.