Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: The biggest and most powerful phone in Google’s Pixel 9 lineup, the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with a rather stiff price tag. But it is THE phone to get if you want to experience Google’s photography and AI muscle in all their glory.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: Quick Pointers
What we love:
- Terrific cameras
- A wide variety of AI features
- Smooth performance
- Good battery life
- Clean interface
- Assured updates
What we don’t:
- The price
- A bit bulky to handle
- Not the greatest for gaming
- Slow charging speed
The Serious-Looking Pixel
Since the Pixel 6, Google has always released two versions of its Pixel flagship phone – a relatively compact variant and a larger ‘Pro’ version. This year, the Search giant launched a new compact variant, gave it the ‘Pro’ tag, and made the larger Pixel a Pixel Pro XL. So while the Pixel 9 Pro XL might come with an ‘XL’ in its name, it steps into the shoes of the Pixel 7 Pro, and just like that one, it is the biggest device in the non-folding Pixel 9 range. At 162.8 mm, this is a tall phone, and while it is a respectable 8.8 mm thin, it is definitely on the heavier side at 221 grams.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with Google’s new design for the Pixel range, with straight sides and flat backs as compared to the slightly curved ones in the past. The famous Pixel camera bar on the back has been replaced by a large horizontal capsule-like unit which protrudes very prominently from the back.
The new design gives the Pixel 9 Pro XL a very iPhone-like look, which some loyalists might not like, but is nevertheless very smart. Unlike the Pixel 9 which gets more funky colours like Peony and Wintergreen, the Pixel 9 Pro XL walks a slightly more sober path with a mainly white Porcelain, a pinkish (not as bright as Peony on the Pixel 9) Rose Quartz, a greenish-grey Hazel and a dark Obsidian.
We got the Obsidian variant and it had a serious sober look about it, and a matte metal finish, which makes it easier to hold than the slightly glossy and slippery Pixel 9. Its build is rock solid with Gorilla Glass Victus on front and back, and an armour aluminium frame. It also comes with IP68 dust and water resistance so can easily survive a fall in the water.
If the Pixel 9 is the brat in the Pixel pack, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the sober serious one. It is more Batman than Spiderman. The camera unit on the back shows its identity, but the size and colour of the phone stress that it is more for function than fun.
A Seriously-Specced Pixel
The Pixel 9 Pro XL also packs significantly superior hardware to its Pro-less sibling. Its display is a massive 6.8-inch AMOLED one (what Google calls a Super Actua Display) with a resolution of 2992 x 1344 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Unlike the Pixel 9 whose display’s refresh rate only switched between 60 Hz and 120 Hz, the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s display goes all the way from 1 Hz to 120 Hz.
And while the Pixel 9 Pro XL has the same Tensor G4 chip from Google that powers the Pixel 9, it is accompanied by a hefty 16GB of RAM and storage options of 256 GB and 512 GB. The most significant difference, however, is in the camera department. The Pixel 9 Pro XL packs in three cameras on the back – a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto sensor with OIS and 5x optical zoom and a 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor with autofocus.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL also boasts the most powerful selfie camera seen on the Pixel range yet- a 42-megapixel one with autofocus. Also on board are stereo speakers and a new fingerprint scanner. Finally, it comes with a large 5060 mAh battery with support for 37W wired and 12W wireless charging, which goes up to 23W if you use a Pixel Stand for wireless charging.
It also comes with a truckload of AI functions and features, as well as clean, uncluttered Android 14, with an assurance of seven years of updates. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is pretty much a premium Android flagship.
The BIG Display Does Help
Just as in the case of the Pixel 9, the most striking feature of the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the truckload of AI features in it. What’s more, perhaps because of the extra RAM on board, AI features seemed to work more smoothly with fewer lags on the larger Pixel as compared to the Pixel 9 (which comes with 12 GB RAM). Gemini Live is the default assistant here, doing everything from setting alarms to answering queries to writing emails and messages for you to generating images based on your instructions.
There are times when it seems to pause, some of its answers are a little odd and slightly inaccurate, and it might seem a little overwhelming for those of us used to the more minimalist (in comparison) Google Assistant, but once you get the hang of it, it is very addictive. What’s more, you also get the option of using one year of Gemini Advanced free of cost with every new Pixel.
The larger and higher resolution display really makes a big difference when one is using AI features that revolve around images, whether it is using Pixel Studio to generate images, adding and removing objects from a photograph or even changing the time at which it was taken in Magic Studio. Screenshot addicts will love the Screenshot app which groups screenshots and lets you search for information on them easily. Y
You can type in a query for a receipt number or a password and the app will dig it out for you. Super cool. Google’s Keep app now creates lists effortlessly (just say “create a list of things I need for an overnight trip” and see Keep do its magic), and the new Weather app looks glorious on the larger display.
We will be covering the AI features on the new Pixels in detail in a forthcoming story (they deserve the space and time), but we think that if your main reason for getting a Pixel is to experience Google’s AI at its best, then the Pixel 9 Pro XL is your best option, thanks to the larger display and smoother experience.
Photography Champ (Duh!)
The Pixel Pro series has always been known for its photography and the Pixel 9 Pro XL carries this tradition ahead. All three cameras take very good pictures in terms of colour and detail, and while the main sensor is the star (especially in low light shots, which have some flare but are generally very good), the other two are not too far behind.
The telephoto camera delivers some stunning zoom shots even beyond its 5x optical and 10x lossless zoom points – in good light conditions, we were able to capture a monkey on a tree across the road at 25x zoom, without a massive loss of detail.
We would say that this is one of the best telephoto sensors we have seen on a phone this year. The ultrawide is excellent too, with autofocus adding to its versatility. We must confess we felt a little underwhelmed by the 42-megapixel selfie sensor, given the hype around it. It does not give the Vivo V40 Pro a run for its selfie money but delivers very good selfie shots.
Portrait snaps are very good, although the bokeh can seem a little exaggerated at times (you can tweak it, though).
There is plenty of AI and computational photography on offer too. The Add Me feature lets you add yourself to a group shot by taking a shot of the group and then handing the phone over to someone else to take a picture of you. The process is a little complicated but the phone walks you through it and the results are generally decent.
You also get Auto Frame for better-framed snaps and a new Panorama mode, which are handy. The Pro series also gets Zoom Enhance and Video Boost features which let you zoom extra into snaps and videos, with some AI sorcery ensuring you do not lose too much detail. Editing and image processing seem smoother and faster than on the Pixel 9 (which handled them well enough anyway).
We would rate the Pixel 9 Pro XL right alongside the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Vivo X100 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max as the best phones for photography, although the iPhone retains its video edge in terms of stability and clarity.
While AI and photography are its forte, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a proper premium flagship in most other regards.
The magnificent big display and stereo speakers (significantly better than the one on the Pixel 9) make this a superb device for viewing content, be it shows, live telecasts or films. You can even do some high-end gaming on the phone – Call of Duty and Genshin Impact ran very well on it, although the experience is well short of what you get on a Galaxy S24 Ultra or an iPhone 15 Pro. The phone’s clean interface works smoothly and is a joy to use, and it sails through everyday tasks with no problems at all, although its size means you will have to generally use it with two hands.
Battery life is about a day with normal to heavy usage, which is par for the course, and although there is no charger in the box, a 45W charger will get 70 per cent of the phone charged in about half an hour, which is better than what you get from the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro. Interestingly, unlike the Pixel 9, the 9 Pro XL shows no signs of getting too warm.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: Final Verdict
The Pixel 9 Pro XL feels like a flagship and its price tag feels the same way too. It starts at a super premium price of Rs 1,24,999 for the 16GB + 256GB variant, with the 16GB + 512GB variant priced at Rs 1,39,999.
At that price, the Pixel 9 Pro XL goes up against some of the finest phones in the market, including the likes of the iPhone 15 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and some might even consider investing in a OnePlus Open at that price point.
While the Pixel 9 Pro XL does not out-spec or significantly outperform its competitors, what it does bring to the table is perhaps the best Google AI and camera experience on a non-foldable phone.
And given that it comes from Google, both are likely to get better in the coming days too. The Pixel 9 was a fun Pixel, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the serious one – the one that does not merely showcase features but implements them brilliantly.
All of which make it the phone to get for those who want the complete Pixel experience, with minimum compromises. And there are takers for that.