Google Pixel 9 Series: A Game-Changer in the Smartphone Market

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: So much better than first one, but is that enough?

Sideloading apps on the Google Play Games Emulator is easy - here's how it's done The very first piece I wrote for XDA was a review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 back in 2020. That device represented a significant leap forward in hardware over the first edition. So much, in fact, that the Fold 2 immediately made the first one look like a cheap toy. Google's own second attempt at a foldable, the awkwardly named Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, has made a similar leap. The big difference, however, is that Samsung's first Fold, however rough it was in hindsight, was a pioneering device with no peers. So Samsung's second generation improvements were new innovations. That's not the case with Google, whose first foldable had noticeably inferior hardware to rival devices, and as such, this new second-gen Pixel 9 Pro Fold's improvements are mostly just Google playing catch up to the best foldables on the market. Don't get me wrong, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold looks great and feels great in the hand, but the hardware isn't heads and shoulders better than Samsung's Z Fold 6, and it definitely falls behind the latest batch of foldables from brands like Xiaomi, Honor and Vivo. The good news is that Pixel fans tend to prefer Pixels not because of hardware, but software. And the Pixel 9 Pro Fold mostly delivers here. Overall, it's still a very Pixel-like experience, and that alone has a lot of appeal. About this review: This review was written after using a self-purchased Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold for a week. Google had no input in the article. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Google's much improved new foldable 7.5/ 10 With all-new screens, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is automatically a huge upgrade over the original Pixel Fold. It also comes with a more powerful Google Tensor G4 chip and new features that make use of the dual screens. ProsOverall pretty good hardware (much better than first Fold)Thinner than Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6Pixel UI has some exclusive AI features ConsThe outer display is not "Pro" at all: low PWM, not LTPO panel, etcCompared to Chinese foldables, it's still heavier, thicker, with smaller battery, and older camera sensorsZoom lens quite bad for video in low light $1799 at Best Buy$1799 at Amazon$1800 at T-Mobile$1799 at Google Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Pricing and Availability The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is officially on sale in 19 countries (full list after this paragraph). In the US, the phone starts with 256GB of storage, priced at $1,799. Double the storage, and the price bumps to $1,919. These prices are mostly similar across the other markets after conversion. In the US, the phone is available via Google's online store, as well as all major carriers and Best Buy. The list of markets the Pixel 9 Pro Fold officially sells in: US, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, the UK, Australia, India, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. Specifications SoC Google Tensor G4 Display Cover display: 6.3-inch Actua display, OLED, 2424x1080, 120Hz, up to 1800 nits (HDR) and 2700 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2; Inner display 8-inch Super Actua Flex display, 2076x2152, 1-120Hz, up to 1600 nits (HDR) and 2700 nits peak brightness, Ultra Thin Glass RAM 16GB Storage Up to 512GB Micro SD card support No Rear camera 48MP main camera, Quad PD, f/1.7, 82-degree FOV + 10.5MP ultrawide, Dual PD, f/2.2, 127-degree FOV + 10.8MP telephoto, f/3.1 aperture, 5x optical zoom Front camera Cover screen: 10MP Dual PD, f/2.2, 87-degree FOV; Inner screen: 10MP Dual PD, f/2.2, 87-degree FOV Battery 4,650mAh Charge speed 45W wired, wireless charging Ports USB-C 3.2 Connectivity Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G (mmWave + sub-6GHz) Dimensions Folded: 6.1x3.0x0.4 inches (155.2x77.1x10.5mm); Unfolded: 6.1x5.9x0.2 inches (155.2x150.2x5.1mm) Weight 9.1 ounces (257 grams) IP Rating IPX8 Colors Obsidian, Porcelain Operating System Android 14 Price $1,799 Expand Hardware overview I had a love/hate relationship with the first Pixel Fold. As mentioned, the hardware was quite behind the competition, with a very reflective and flimsy looking main display wrapped by uneven bezels, and it tipped the scales at about 20-30g heavier than everyone else. But I liked its shorter and wider form factor, which resembles the rough shape of a passport or Moleskine notebook, and different from what all other foldables were doing. I enjoyed holding its wider form when reading, feeling like I'm holding a notebook. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold screens look great to every casual user, but there are areas where they're inferior to competition All of those aforementioned hardware traits are gone. The new Pixel Fold now have larger screens that saw most of the increase go vertically, so that when folded, the device has a conventional smartphone aspect ratio of 20:9. In fact, the outside cover screen use the exact same panel as the standard Pixel 9 series. And since the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is relatively thin at 10.5mm in folded form, the device essentially takes the shape of a normal slab phone when closed. This approach still differs from Samsung's elongated TV remote shape, so it's still quite fresh in North America, but it's the same form factor used by almost all Chinese foldable phones since 2020. So for a chunk of people outside North America (or someone like me who tests all the phones), the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's new form isn't breaking new ground. In fact, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold reminds me of the OnePlus Open (which did in fact launch in the US). Open the device up, and you're greeted with an 8-inch 2076x2152 OLED display. This is an LTPO panel, with a refresh rate up to 120hz, and a maximum brightness of 2700 nits. This screen is a gigantic upgrade from the first Pixel Fold's display, which was too dim and had a very reflective coating that looked terrible outside. This screen looks great and mostly holds up against the best foldable displays. I had to italicize "mostly" in the last sentence because there is a potential glaring flaw to the display, though it's one that doesn't affect most people (me included). You see the image above, with the gray streaks that run across the screen? That's caused by display flickering, the result of a low PWM (pulse-width modulation). To be fair, I cannot see those gray bars with my eyes, and neither can most reviewers given the overall great reviews this phone has garnered. But there are a small percentage of humans who are sensitive to display flickers and get headaches staring at screens with low PWM. And the Pixel 9 Pro Fold screens (both main and cover display) have the lowest PWM among all recently released smartphones at 240Hz. By contrast, the Honor Magic V3 has a 4,320Hz PWM frequency. Again, my naked eye cannot see the difference between the two displays, but I know PWM-sensitive people, including Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich, who say the Pixel screens give him headaches. I don't know how big a deal I should make about this, because the low PWM does not seem to affect me at all, but Google using the industry's lowest PWM while rivals are using much higher ones is probably worth noting in a review. The outside display also has the same low PWM, and it's not an LTPO panel, meaning refresh rate cannot dip as low as 1Hz to conserve battery. While it gets plenty bright, it's just technically inferior to the outside cover screens used by the OnePlus Open, Galaxy Z Fold 6, or recent foldables I tested like the Honor Magic V3. I don't want to sound too negative here: the Pixel 9 Pro Fold screens will look great to every casual user (and many casual reviewers too). It's just that I have access to every foldable phone ever made, and there are still areas where the Pixel 9 Pro Fold displays are inferior to the competition. Inside the phone, we have a Google Tensor G4 silicon, paired with 16GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. These are all great. I am glad to see the base storage is 256GB and not the insulting 128GB of the Pixel 9 series. Tensor G4 is not a big leap over the G3 in terms of raw power, but it does have noticeably better thermals. Considering the fact the first Pixel Fold ran on the Tensor G2, this means this new Fold has two-generation silicon jump, and it's noticeable. The first Pixel Fold got hot all the time; that's not the case with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The 4,650 mAh battery here is another one of those things where, if I narrow my view and just focus on devices selling in North America, then it's fine -- it's a larger battery than what Samsung uses in the Z Fold 6, for example. But 4,650 mAh is still smaller than the batteries in all other Chinese foldables in recent years, including the OnePlus Open. What's not fine is the annoyingly slow 21W wired charging and 7.5W wireless charging. It takes an hour and half to top up the phone from zero to full with a USB-C cable and charger, and that's just slow in 2024. Galaxy Z Fold 6 review: Other Folds are thinner with better cameras, but Samsung's Fold is most polished Cameras The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold brings back the exact same camera hardware as the first Pixel Fold, relying entirely on the new ISP and software processing to bring improved camera performance. For the most part, the new Pixel foldable does snap slightly better photos than the first Pixel fold, with better HDR, and zoom photos have more (artificially added) details. I think most people will be perfectly happy with camera performance here. Especially if you have good lighting, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold can capture some very fine images. Close Looking at the above samples, you can see colors and exposure are consistent across all three lenses, the HDR is on point as always, and I must give special shoutout to the Pixel's selfie algorithm. In my Pixel 9 Pro XL review, I praised its selfie camera, which gained a new sensor. But even with this relatively weak (and old) 10MP front-facing camera sensor in the foldable, selfies still look great, with accurate skin tone and exposure. Most people would be happy with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold camera performance Like I said, most people would be happy with camera performance here, but I am not most people. Not only do I have access to every foldable phone, I am also a mobile photography enthuasiast, so here comes nitpick time: the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's camera sensors are tiny, even by foldable phone standards, so images are always soft on details if you were to blow up the images to view on a larger screen like a laptop. In every side-by-side sample against the Honor Magic V3 (whose cameras have larger and newer sensors), if I zoom in, the difference in details are noticeable. The smaller sensor size also means the Pixel 9 Pro Fold cameras have to rely on night mode very liberally anytime lighting isn't sufficient. In every night shot in the city, I have to hold still longer than I usually do for Pixel's 1-2 second night mode to finish. And if I forget to hold still, I get blurry images like below. Close And here's a side-by-side between the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Honor Magic V3, at 5X zoom. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's measly sensor really struggled while Honor's larger and newer Periscope zoom lens captured a superior shot. Close Video recording is also disappointing if you shoot with anything other than the main camera. The ultra-wide camera is practically useless for low light videos, and the periscope zoom has very poor stabilization if you try to walk and film. I need to reiterate I'm being picky here: most people probably aren't shooting telephoto video clips while walking at night, or inside a moving car. But I do, and I can get much better results when shooting with a Vivo X Fold 3 Pro. Related Vivo X Fold 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: Foldable showdown Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the most prominent large screen foldable right now, but the best foldable hardware is from a brand named Vivo right now. Software and overall performance The Pixel 9 Pro Fold ships with Android 14, but it should be first in line for Android 15 update in a few weeks. The current UI honestly does not change much from what's running in the first Pixel Fold, and all the software pros and cons I had last year apply here. I like the Pixel UI is optimized for the larger screen, like a notification panel that divides into two panes in open form (but single pane in folded form). The notification panel splits into two panes when shown in unfolded form to take advantage for wider screen I like the whimsical animations, and excellent split keyboard that separates further than others (for even easier two-hand typing). But I also dislike how Pixel UI is not as customizable as other Android skins. For example: there are two widgets on the homescreen that cannot be removed (the Google search bar and "At a Glance"). They must sit in their designated spots, taking up space on the homescreen whether you like it or not. Close In terms of multi-tasking, the phone also only offers split-screen solution, in which two apps run at the same time in a grid, separated by a digital border. You can adjust the size ratios a bit to give one app over the other, but that's it. You cannot open an app in a completely resizable floating window, which all other foldable phone makers from Samsung to OnePlus to Honor offer. I mostly used the phone for productivity tasks, like sending emails, texting, and reading word documents, and the phone gave me no issue Being able to open apps in freeform window I can shove anywhere on the screen, make larger or smaller depending on need, greatly improves multi-tasking, and I find it frustrating that with such a large screen, Google still doesn't allow us to do this on Pixel devices. Close Elsewhere, there are the new Pixel AI features that have been covered to death, such as "Reimagine," which uses generative AI to drastically change a real-life photo; or Pixel Studio, which allows the user to create original artwork or graphics with text prompts. These features work well, and I enjoyed them, but they're not for everyone. Quite a lot of my peers find them pointless or problematic. Overall performance as a portable computer has been fine. Battery life is solid, able to last a solid 11-12 hours outside, and thermals are in much better shape this time, without the constant throttling issue of the first Pixel Fold. I mostly used the phone for productivity tasks, like sending emails, texting, and reading word documents, and the phone gave me no issue (other than the fact I cannot multitask as fast here as I could on rival foldables). Should you buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold? You should buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold if: You enjoy the Pixel phone experience and want it on a larger, more versatile screen You like Samsung's Z Fold series but wish the outside screen was wider and not as cramped You want a foldable phone with the latest Google software features You should not buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold if: You want the best foldable phone cameras. The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro has a significantly better camera, and even the OnePlus Open, which sells stateside, is better in low light conditions You value multi-tasking and doing heavy productivity tasks -- the Z Fold 6 is still better with Samsung DeX, resizable windows, and S Pen support You like the Pixel experience but don't really need the larger screen -- get the Pixel 9 Pro instead in that case The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an excellent glow up from the original flawed Pixel Fold, and those who enjoy Pixel devices overall should really like this device too. But the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is still the more polished all-rounder, with superior multi-tasking capabilities and stylus support. So if getting work done is your top priority, the Z Fold 6 is still better. Likewise, if you live somewhere in which foldables from Xiaomi, Vivo, and Honor sells, you may want to consider those devices because the hardware is a bit ahead of what Google and Samsung are putting out. Thinner, lighter, higher-res screens, larger batteries with faster charging. Even within North America, the OnePlus Open still holds up very well today against the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and it can likely be had for much cheaper. But in a vacuum, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is very good, and I think Pixel fans, like iPhone fans, have already decided they will stick with Pixel regardless. I think this phone will sell quite well compared to the first one thanks to wider availability and much better first impressions in the hand. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold 7.5/ 10 With all-new screens, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is automatically a huge upgrade over the original Pixel Fold. It also comes with a more powerful Google Tensor G4 chip and new features that make use of the dual screens. $1799 at Best Buy$1799 at Amazon$1800 at T-Mobile$1799 at Google

How the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold compares to Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open

Google expanded its lineup with the Pixel 9 series launch to include a new foldable: the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Although it falls under the Pixel 9 branding, this smartphone is the successor to 2023's Google Pixel Fold. Nonetheless, we finally have Google's second-generation foldable, which seems to be an improvement over the first gen. But how does the Pixel 9 Pro Fold stack up against the tried-and-true Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open? Let's find out. Related Google 9 Pro Fold: Hardware, camera, features, pricing, and more Google's next foldable is officially part of the Pixel 9 family What the Pixel 9 Pro Fold gets right Despite being the second iteration, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold competes with the best foldables The original Pixel Fold was unique with its wider, shorter design, making it almost like an Android tablet when unfolded. However, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold moved on from that design language. While it features a book-style form factor, the foldable now looks more like other foldables on the market. It has an outer display similar to a traditional slab smartphone and a square shape when unfolded. Not only has the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's design improved, but it is the slimmest foldable of the bunch at 10.5mm thick. In terms of the build materials, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold goes toe-to-toe with the OnePlus Open and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back and an aluminum frame. Durability is another area where the Pixel 9 Pro Fold shines. Although it doesn't offer dust protection like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, it matches Samsung with an IPX8 water resistance rating. Close One of the standout features of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is its display. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has the largest inner foldable screen among its competitors at 8 inches. On the outside, it features a 6.3-inch cover display, which is the same as the OnePlus Open and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, it shares the same aspect ratio as the Pixel 9, giving it a more traditional smartphone feel than the other foldables. Another key area Google improved is the inner bezels. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has slimmer bezels on the inside than the original Pixel Fold, which puts it on par with other foldables on the market. Another area where the Pixel 9 Pro Fold beats the OnePlus Open and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the AI features. As expected from a Google smartphone, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is loaded with features that aren't available on other foldables. These features include: Add Me: Take group photos without needing a passerby. Pixel Screenshots: Save important info with a screenshot. Other AI tools like Super Res Zoom, Audio Magic Eraser, and Magic Editor in Google Photos. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 offers a desktop-like experience with Samsung DeX. The OnePlus Open excels in multitasking with its Canvas feature. Still, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the top choice for those seeking the latest AI features in a foldable. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also offers the best software support, with Google promising up to seven years of OS updates. However, you'll be disappointed if you expect it to ship with Android 15. It comes with Android 14, missing out on one expected major update. Camera performance is another strong point for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It features a 48MP f/1.7 main lens with PDAF and OIS, a 10.5MP ultra-wide lens, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. While the camera setup hasn't drastically changed from the previous generation, it's expected to deliver the consistent and solid output that the Google Pixel series is known for. Related The OnePlus Open schools Samsung and Google in foldable multitasking OnePlus has found the best way to make the most of that big display so far Where the Pixel 9 Pro Fold falls short After all, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn't the perfect foldable While the Pixel 9 Pro Fold gets a lot right, there are some areas where it falls short compared to its competitors. For example, one noticeable downside is its weight. At 257 grams, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the heaviest of the three foldables. Another area where the Pixel 9 Pro Fold lags is in stylus support. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which supports S Pen input, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn't offer stylus functionality. This makes Samsung's foldable the better choice if you want to take notes or draw on your device. Similarly, in terms of raw processing power, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's Tensor G4 is outclassed by the Galaxy Z Fold 6's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The Z Fold 6's chipset offers superior performance and sustains high clock speeds for longer. This is an area where the Tensor G4 falls short. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Open, despite using the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, offers better performance than the Tensor G4. Charging speed is another area where the Pixel 9 Pro Fold lags. Google's new foldable charges at 21W, the slowest of the bunch. The OnePlus Open leads with 67W charging. Even Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 offers faster 25W charging. Similarly, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold offers the slowest wireless charging speeds of 7.5W, half of what the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 promises. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a major upgrade over the previous generation Despite the drawbacks, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a significant upgrade over its predecessor. Compared to where Google was with the previous generation, it has quickly closed the gap with foldables from brands like Samsung and OnePlus. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold also has some great features. While it remains to be seen how the Pixel 9 Pro Fold performs in real life, things look promising. Stay tuned for our full review soon, but if you can't wait until then, you might want to place an order now, with some excellent deals available on all foldables right now. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a new design with a larger 8-inch Super Actua inner display and a 6.3-inch outer display. It's powered by the Tensor G4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and includes a Titan M2 security co-processor. It comes with many new AI features and promises faster performance. $1799 at Google Store$1799 at Best Buy$1799 at Amazon Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Samsung's latest foldable takes some cues from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, with a boxier design and an all-matte finish. It features a slightly wider cover display for a more comfortable typing experience, as well as new Galaxy AI features and an upgraded ultra-wide camera. $1900 at Amazon$1900 at Best Buy$1900 at Samsung OnePlus Open OnePlus' first foldable packs an impressive specs sheet and boasts some equally remarkable features. The lightweight design, the super-bright cover and folding screens, the high-end internals, and the triple-camera setup make the OnePlus Open a great alternative to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold lineup. $1680 at Amazon$1700 at Best Buy$1700 at OnePlus

Google Pixel 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24: More similar than ever

All-in-one device Google Pixel 9 The Pixel 9 is Google's latest and most affordable flagship in the series, featuring a compact form factor, an upgraded 48MP ultrawide camera, and a more than capable 50MP primary. It has a great battery life, an extremely bright display, and all the new Gemini AI features you need. ProsPremium look and feelGreat camera improvementsExcellent performance ConsCosts $100 more than its predecessorSlow charging $799 at Google Store More customization Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung's new Galaxy S24 is a great upgrade over its predecessor. It offers a beautiful display, a great rear shooter, a full day's worth of battery life, and top-notch performance that lets you easily multitask and play any demanding game. The S24 also packs new Galaxy AI features, and it's one of the most customizable OS experiences. ProsGorgeous displaySuperb performanceLong battery life ConsLess impressive camerasSlow charging $800 at Samsung The Google Pixel 9 is one of the best Android smartphones available to date. And Samsung's Galaxy S24, announced at the beginning of the year, is still a contender six months after its launch. Both phones offer flagship-level performance, beautiful displays, new and exclusive AI features, and a long battery life. They're also notorious for their slow charging speeds, but at least they have new features that make them stand out. And let's not forget, they'll both continue to receive software and security updates for seven years. But which one fares out better? Price, availability, and specs The Google Pixel 9 is available at most retailers and carriers, as well as directly through Google. The base model comes with 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and it retails for $799, a $100 increase over the previous generation. The new Pixel comes in four colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, and Peony. The Samsung Galaxy S24 is available at all the usual places, including Best Buy, Amazon, and most carriers, like previous Galaxy flagships. It retails for $800, which gets you 128GB of storage. The 256GB model costs $60 more, retailing for $860. Nowadays, you can get it much cheaper during sales events, often as cheap as $500 to $600, and let's not forget that trade-ins can further reduce the price. Google Pixel 9Samsung Galaxy S24SoCGoogle Tensor G4Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Display typeOLED, 120HzAMOLED, 120HzDisplay dimensions6.3"6.2"Display resolution1080 x 24242340 × 1080RAM12GB8GBStorage128GB or 256GB128GB, 256GBBattery4,700mAh4,000mAhCharge speed27W wired, 15W wireless25WCharge optionsWired, wireless, reverse wirelessUSB-C wired, Qi wirelessPortsUSB-CUSB-CSIM supportNano-SIM and eSIMDual SIM (Nano SIM and eSIM)Operating SystemAndroid 14Android 14 and One UI 6.1Front camera10.5MP, f/2.212MP, f/2.2Rear camera50MP, f/1.7, OIS main; 48MP, f/1.7 ultrawide50MP, f/1.8, OIS main; 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 10MP, f/2.4 zoom (3x)Cellular connectivity5G, LTE4G, 5G (incl. mmWave)Wi-Fi connectivityWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 6EConnectivityNFCBluetooth5.3Bluetooth 5.3Dimensions152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm147.1 x 70.6 x 7.6mm Weight198g168gIP RatingIP68IP68ColorsObsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, PeonyOnyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, and Sandstone OrangePriceFrom $799From $800 Read our review Review: The Google Pixel 9 makes me question if I need to go Pro The Pixel 9 has everything most people want from a phone 7 Read our review Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Small but super Bright screen, flat sides, can't lose Design Slightly refined to feel more premium Close The Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24 have a lot of similarities. They're compact and easily some of the easiest phones to use with one hand. The devices are built from premium materials, including an aluminum frame and a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back. They even have the same buttons and cutouts. The main difference is the color and the layout of the cameras and other sensors on the rear. These phones feel and look premium, and thanks to the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panel, they're more rugged and should survive a fall or two without any cracks - depending on the height and other factors. As always, we recommend you pick up a case, to avoid accidental damage. Close The Pixel 9 measures 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm, while the Galaxy S24 is 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm. In terms of numbers, the Galaxy S24 is slightly shorter, narrower, and slimmer. It also weighs considerably less at 167 grams than the Pixel 9's 198 grams. It's easier to use with one hand, although the Pixel 9 is still comfortable. Even the front-facing selfie camera is placed at the same location on both phones: the top center in a punch-hole cutout. Of course, the sensor is different, but we'll get to that in the camera section. In terms of design, the two phones have a lot in common and are very close in dimensions, although the Galaxy S24 has a slight edge in weight and size. At least both phones have an IP68 water and dust-resistant certificate, meaning they can survive water exposure and dusty environments. Display Bright and colorful displays The Pixel 9 has a slightly larger display than the Galaxy, but not by much. It has a 6.3-inch OLED panel with 2,700 nits of peak brightness, whereas the Galaxy S24 has a 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel. Both screens support 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+. In terms of brightness, the Pixel 9 wins this round as it has 100 nits more than Samsung, although it's worth mentioning that this can only be seen when playing back supported HDR content. Both devices handle sunlight well and are more than bright enough to be used in direct sunlight. Colors are equally good on both devices. They're enjoyable for watching movies and TV shows, and social media and gaming are flawless without any jitter or ghosting effects. The high refresh rate makes the two phones stand out with their excellent calibrations and high response levels. Software and performance Lot of OS and security support across the board Google was always known for its unique stock Android experience, but the Pixel lineup required a few changes. The Pixel user interface looks nothing like stock Android, and it comes with Google's own take and design language. Samsung is in a similar boat, using its own One UI interface to set itself apart from other smartphone makers. One UI is far more customizable than Google's interface, giving users more control and personalization options to make their devices truly unique. Downloading Good Lock can result in even more features, enabling customization of the phone's appearance and how it handles various tasks. However, at the root, both manufacturers provide excellent support for their latest devices. Samsung and Google offer seven years of software and security updates for their new flagship series, making them some of the best companies to provide more than adequate support for premium smartphones. And finally, let's not forget that both phones come with a plethora of new Galaxy AI, and Gemini AI features under the hood. While most Galaxy AI features are exclusive to the latest Samsung Galaxy Smartphones, some Gemini AI features are actually present on some Samsung Galaxy devices, thanks to the close partnerships between the two companies. Still, many Gemini AI features are limited to the latest Pixel phones, including the option to take a photo without being present in the original capture - called Add me. Battery life Slow charging and long battery life The Pixel 9 boasts a 4,700 mAh battery, while the Galaxy S24 packs a more conservative 4,000 mAh battery cell. We found that both phones can last a full day on a single charge -- depending on your usage. Still, the larger battery in the Pixel 9 means it can outlast the S24. The extra 700 mAh is great to see, even if the phone is slightly thicker. But the charging department is just as disappointing as ever. The Pixel 9 supports 27W wired charging that can go from 0% to 55% in 30 minutes, while a full charge takes over an hour. Luckily, it supports 15W wireless charging with the Pixel Stand or 12W wireless with a Qi charger. Samsung is behind, too, only providing the aging 25W wired charging technology that reaches 0% to 50% in 30 minutes; a full charge requires over an hour. There's support for 15W wireless charging, and the phones support reverse wireless charging. Camera Competitive cameras access the board During our review, we found that the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24 take excellent photos in all lighting conditions. The Pixel has a dual camera setup, consisting of a 50MP f/1.7 primary, a 48MP f/1.7 ultrawide camera, and a 10.5MP f/2.2 front-facing shooter. The Galaxy S24 is slightly more versatile, equipped with a 50MP f/1.8 primary, a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide, and a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto with 3x optical zoom. In terms of features and options, the Galaxy S24 has a slight edge over the Pixel, as the telephoto could come in handy when taking photos from a bit further away. But the Pixel has its own magic that can zoom in and take close-up photos from about the same distance away - which is then scaled up using AI. Both are competitive, but the Galaxy will win extra marks for that. When it comes to photos using primary and ultrawide, the devices capture enough detail in most lighting conditions. They're not as powerful as their more premium counterparts, but still, they'll get the job done and provide excellent overall results to capture your important moments. Which is right for you? Google's latest Pixel 9 is one of the best smartphones to date, and it excels in nearly every department. While it costs $100 more than its predecessor, there are some notable improvements, aside from AI, that make it a great buy. The Samsung Galaxy S24 might be a bit older, but it's aging well, and it's a more versatile, compact smartphone. It has a great battery life, a true flagship performance, a great triple camera setup, and long support. While both phones will serve you well, we'd recommend the Pixel 9 for those who are looking for a great out-of-package experience that requires little to no tweaking. It'll continue receiving software and security updates for 7 years, and it'll be first in line to get these patches. The device will also benefit from future feature upgrades that constantly improve the Pixel experience. Google will likely continue to roll out new Google-exclusive features to the platform, which makes it even more appealing. Editor's pick Google Pixel 9 The latest and greatest Buy the Pixel 9 if you're seeking a true open-and-use experience that requires little to no tweaking, with all the Google apps and services ready to use. The Pixel 9 has a bright and gorgeous display, a great battery life, and one of the best camera experiences. It's ideal for gaming and multitasking and will receive seven years of OS and security updates. $799 at Amazon$799 at Best Buy$799 at Google Store Samsung is still an excellent choice for many of the same reasons as the Pixel 9. However, Samsung bundles even more features and options in OneUI, making it far more customizable for those who want to take advantage of a more personalized smartphone. It has most of the same features as the Pixel, and some more thanks to Galaxy AI. The camera is comparable and even more versatile thanks to the added telephoto, and it can last a full day on a single charge. Runner-up Samsung Galaxy S24 A customizer's dream The Samsung Galaxy S24 will also receive the same level of support as the Pixel 9. Still, it's more versatile and customizable, making it great for tinkerers and those who want a more approachable experience with a beautiful display, great camera setup, and long-lasting battery. $800 at Amazon$800 at Best Buy$800 at Samsung

Google Pixel 9 vs. OnePlus 12: Far from cut and dry

Most affordable Google flagship Google Pixel 9 The Pixel 9 is Google's 2024 budget flagship. It packs the Tensor G4 chip, a 4,700mAh battery, and a beautiful OLED display. ProsImpressive camerasSeven years of software updatesRelatively compact ConsNo telephoto shooterSlower charging speeds $799 at Amazon The OnePlus flagship OnePlus 12 The OnePlus 12 leads the company's smartphone lineup and has impressive internals, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, an LTPO OLED screen, and a sizeable 5,400mAh battery. ProsImpressive performanceLTPO OLED enables a 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rateExcellent battery life and superfast charging ConsNo availability through carriers $800 at Amazon Google's new Pixel 9 lineup is making quite a buzz, and for good reason. The Pixel 9, the company's new value flagship, has much to like, from a refined design to an improved Tensor chip. Like other recent Pixels, it will also get Android updates for seven years. But how does it stack up against OnePlus's similarly-priced OnePlus 12, which packs a bigger battery with faster charging, a fantastic display, and a trusted Qualcomm Snapdragon chip? Let's find out. Read our ranking Best Android phones in 2024 Premium smartphones with unique features Price, availability, and specs The Pixel 9 is $100 more expensive than its predecessor, so it starts at $799 for the base 128GB model and $899 for the 256GB model. The OnePlus 12 has the same starting price of $800 for its 256GB model and $900 for the 512GB model. Both smartphones are widely available, and you can purchase them from Amazon and Best Buy. However, unlike the OnePlus 12, you can get the Pixel 9 through all three major carriers. Here's a look at the raw specifications of the Pixel 9 and the OnePlus 12. Google Pixel 9OnePlus 12SoCGoogle Tensor G4Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Display typeOLED, 120HzLTPO AMOLED, 1-120HzDisplay dimensions6.3"6.82", 19.8:9Display resolution1080 x 24243168 x 1440RAM12GB12GB or 16GBStorage128GB or 256GB256GB or 512GBBattery4,700mAh5,400mAhCharge speed27W wired, 15W wireless80W wired (100W international), 50W wirelessCharge optionsWired, wireless, reverse wirelessUSB-C SuperVOOC wired, AirVOOC wireless, reverse chargingPortsUSB-CUSB-CSIM supportNano-SIM and eSIMDual nano-SIM slotOperating SystemAndroid 14Android 14 with OxygenOS 14Front camera10.5MP, f/2.232MP, f/2.4Rear camera50MP, f/1.7, OIS main; 48MP, f/1.7 ultrawide50MP, f/1.6, OIS main; 48MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 64MP, f/2.6, OIS, 3x telephoto Cellular connectivity5G, LTESub-6 5G, LTEWi-Fi connectivityWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Bluetooth5.3Bluetooth 5.4Dimensions152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm164.3 x 75.8 x 9.2mmWeight198g220gIP RatingIP68IP65ColorsObsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, PeonyFlowy Emerald, Silky BlackPriceFrom $799From $800 Read our review Review: The Google Pixel 9 makes me question if I need to go Pro The Pixel 9 has everything most people want from a phone 7 Read our review OnePlus 12 review: All flagship, no AI This phone leaves nothing on the table, making for a truly complete package Design and display Glass sandwiches, but different The Pixel 9 sports a refreshed design, and it's one of the better-looking phones by Google. You still get a large, horizontal camera bump, but it doesn't go edge-to-edge. Like other modern flagships, it's a glass sandwich, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 present on the front and the back. Plus, you get flat sides and rounded corners. While the OnePlus 12 is also a glass sandwich, it has curved sides. The rear camera module's appearance is another big difference between the phones' designs. OnePlus has kept the same design as the OnePlus 11 with a circular camera module that spills over to one edge of the phone. One durability advantage the Pixel 9 has over the OnePlus 12 is the higher IP certification , IP68, compared to IP65. So, essentially, the Pixel has better water resistance. As far as the display go, Google has packed a 6.3-inch 1080p OLED panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate and 2,700 nits peak brightness. On the other hand, the OnePlus 12 has a larger 6.82-inch 1440p LTPO OLED panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate and 4,500 nits peak brightness. Since it's an LTPO panel, the OnePlus offering's display can go from 1Hz to 120Hz, whereas the Pixel 9 display is limited from 60Hz to 120Hz. So, the OnePlus 12 certainly has an edge over the Pixel on the display front. And since the OnePlus 12 has a larger display, the OnePlus 12 is bigger and heavier than the Pixel 9. Software How many updates do you want? Unlike previous Pixel phones , the Pixel 9 doesn't have a brand-new Android version. It runs on Android 14 , which was released last year. This may seem disappointing, but it isn't a big deal, as it'll be among the first phones to get Android 15 . Google has packed a lot of exclusive AI features in the phone to differentiate it from older Pixels. These AI-infused features and apps include the new Pixel Screenshots app , Pixel Weather app , and Call Notes. You'll also get Android 14 in the OnePlus 14 but in the form of OxygenOS 14 . As you can expect, OxygenOS has its quirks that require a bit of getting used to, but nothing is particularly troublesome. However, the phone will only get four major Android updates and five years of security updates, which, although decent, falls short of what Google is promising. Performance and battery life It's Tensor vs. Snapdragon As flagship smartphones, the Pixel 9 and the OnePlus 12 pack powerful processors and plenty of RAM to deliver excellent performance. While you get the new Tensor G4 chip with 12GB RAM on the Pixel, the OnePlus phone packs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with up to 16GB RAM. Both phones are responsive and snappy; you won't notice any lag or slowdowns in day-to-day usage. That said, the Tensor G4 has some heating issues, but far less than the chip's predecessors, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is a much better processor for gaming than the Tensor. The OnePlus offering also includes a new Dual Cryo-velocity Cooling System. It provides impressive cooling power to keep the device from overheating or even feeling warm when being pushed. The OnePlus 12 also has an advantage in battery and charging as the phone has a bigger 5,400mAh battery and faster charging than the Pixel 9. However, the Pixel 9 does well on the battery front with its relatively smaller 4,700mAh battery. While you are almost certain to get through a day on a single charge with the OnePlus offering, even with heavy usage, the same can't be said for the Pixel 9. The Google phone does get through the day without trouble with medium usage. The Pixel is also limited to 27W fast wired and 15W wireless charging, whereas you get 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging on the OnePlus phone. The smartphones also offer Wi-Fi 7 , dual-frequency GPS, and a USB 3.2 Type-C port. Camera Top-notch camera performance or a telephoto shooter? This is one category in which Pixel phones are hard to fault, and the Pixel 9 is no exception. It packs a dual rear camera setup, with a 50MP primary shooter and a 48MP ultrawide camera. The phone captures some great shots, even without any kind of tinkering. If you're someone who prefers point-and-shoot, you'll be pretty happy with the Pixel 9. You'll get good exposure, plenty of detail, and lovely colors in good lighting conditions. The low-light shots are also pretty good, but you may notice some loss of detail in very low lighting. There's also a 10.5MP front shooter, which produces clear and detailed photos with pleasing skin tones. Autofocus support is a welcome addition, providing more freedom in framing your selfies. OnePlus has stepped up its camera game in the OnePlus 12. It has a triple rear camera setup that features a 50MP primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide shooter, and a 64MP telephoto shooter. The presence of the telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom is a clear advantage over the Pixel 9. But even the other cameras offer pretty good results. As mentioned in our review, we were impressed by the depth of field and light balance. The 32MP selfie shooter also takes good shots in regular and portrait modes. One thing to note is that the image preview doesn't always match the final results, but that doesn't mean you get bad photos. One big difference between the Google and OnePlus camera apps is the presence of many AI-backed features in the Pixel 9. For example, you get features like Magic Editor , Best Take , and Add Me on the Pixel. OnePlus keeps things simple and doesn't push these often gimmicky features. Which should you buy? Choosing between the OnePlus 12 and the Pixel 9 is not easy. Both smartphones do many things right but are outdone by the other in some departments. So, you'll have to consider your priorities carefully and choose the phone that best meets them. For example, if camera performance, software experience, and physical compactness are vital to your phone usage, the Pixel 9 is a better choice. In typical Pixel fashion, the Pixel 9 has excellent cameras that do well with little to no tweaks. You also get a relatively clean Android version with tons of AI tweaks that may or may not come in handy for everyone. But most importantly, it will get updates for seven years, which is more than enough for any smartphone. And while it's not particularly small, it's smaller than the OnePlus 12. Let's not forget that the Pixel 9 is no slouch in other departments. It delivers solid performance, has a beautiful display, and a respectable battery. Moreover, you can buy it directly from all major carriers. Editor's pick Google Pixel 9 All-around excellent performer The Pixel 9 is an all-rounder with excellent performance, impressive camera chops, and a fantastic software update policy. $799 at Amazon$799 at Best Buy$799 at Google Store However, if you want a big, beautiful LTPO OLED screen with a trusted Snapdragon processor and superfast charging, the OnePlus 12 is an equally impressive alternative. It's powered by Qualcomm's cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor that delivers top-notch performance, and you'll be hard-pressed to make it sweat. Unlike Tensor chips, it has no heating issues and is perfect for mobile gaming. Battery life is also a plus point; you get considerably faster wired and wireless charging than the Pixel 9. Plus, you get a telephoto shooter, a feature missing from the Pixel, and the phone is a capable performer in other departments. Runner-up OnePlus 12 An equally impressive alternative The OnePlus 12 is perfect if you want a value flagship with a large screen, a trusted processor, and solid battery life. $800 at Amazon$800 at Best Buy$800 at OnePlus

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Battle of the Flagship Smartphones

Only one can win in a battle of premium flagship smartphones. Will it be the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL or the iPhone 15 Pro Max? Ah, I love a good face-off, and we’ve got a doozy for you this time. In one corner, you’ve got the iPhone 15 Pro Max. A proven prizefighter, the 15 Pro Max sits atop many a best smartphone list while we await the arrival of its successor, the iPhone 16. Armed with Apple’s A17 Pro chip, the phone is agile and powerful enough to run console-quality graphics, which is no small feat. The Titanium chassis turns what would usually be a heavy brick into a lightweight wonder. Plus, you get all-day battery life and the cameras, which at this point have been touted as some of the best on the market. And we can’t forget that this marks the first time the iPhone ditched Lightning in favor of USB-C charging. The biggest complaints the phone has received are about the price. But we are firmly rooted in the era of over-$1,000 phones, and there is no sign of stopping. The Action Button is polarizing as many have reported not using the nascent button much. Finally, the screen, where Apple crowed about the new Ceramic Shield, definitely shows wear and tear after months of use. And then you have the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. Although it’s the underdog in this fight, you’d be foolish to count it out â€"â€" especially since Google is leaning heavily into its AI bag to level the playing field. Google Gemini is a marvel, particularly on the photo front, where it effortlessly performs Photoshop-esque edits in mere seconds. And Google’s Pixel line has become renowned for its excellent camera. However, the more Google embraces artificial intelligence, the more it asks consumers to trust it with sensitive information, which is a big ask. Beyond AI and photography, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is receiving overwhelming praise for its new design, which has the look and feel of a flagship smartphone. The display is also bigger and more vivid than its predecessor. And you get a whopping seven years of OS upgrades. The phone also supports fast charging through a 45W charger, which it doesn’t include. It feels like a rip-off that Google can’t spare a charger after you’ve plopped down over $1,000 for their smartphone. Like its Apple counterpart, the biggest complaint is pricing. Then, there is the ever-present specter of nefarious AI and the need to pay for the pleasure down the line. So there you have it. This is shaping into an exciting match, but who will emerge on top in this battle of premium smartphones? Let’s just rip the band-aid off here. I feel your pain as someone who’s purchased their fair share of $1,000+ smartphones. The base model of the iPhone costs $1,199 sans any trade-ins or carrier specials. That gets you 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. The 512GB model costs $1,399, while the 1TB version will set you back $1,599. Onto the Google side of things. The Pixel 9 XL Pro’s base model comes in at $1,099. However, that model only gives you 128GB of onboard storage. However, every Pixel model comes with a wild 16GB of RAM. The 256GB model quickly comes to parity at $1,199, while the 512GB unit is slightly cheaper than its iPhone counterpart at $1,319. Finally, the 1TB model of the Pixel 9 Pro XL costs $1,549, which is $50 more affordable than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Overall, dollar-to-dollar, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the better option. Not only does it give you four model options, except for the 512GB model, the Pixel is cheaper than the iPhone. Yes, as many reviewers noted, including our own Florence Ion, the Pixel 9 Pro XL looks like the iPhone 15 Pro Max. If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, Google likes Apple a lot. You could easily mistake one for the other, from the rounded corners on the glossy metal siding to the matte glass finish on the rear panels with the glossy logo in the center. I mean, even the matte lines along the sides are similar. There are some clear differences, however. Namely, the Pixel lacks an Action button on the side that holds the power and volume buttons, which, according to some reviewers, is something they, too, can do without. There are also the rear modules that house the phone’s respective camera sensors. The iPhone’s module is a rounded square in the upper left corner of the rear panel. Meanwhile, the Pixel’s sensor is ovular and runs across the majority of the top of the rear panel. If you look at the Pixel’s bottom, you’ll see a USB-C port, a nano-SIM slot, and a speaker, which, at a glance, looks frustratingly like a microSD slot. I felt sheer disappointment at the realization. Aside from its USB-C port at the bottom, the Pro Max has a pair of speakers at the bottom with nothing on the top. When it comes to color schemes, Google is the clear winner here. The company isn’t afraid to play with color, offering hues of Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, and Obsidian. Apple has taken a more business casual approach with Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, and Natural Titanium. Geez, Apple, we get it. You incorporated titanium into the design; you don’t have to beat us over the head with it. Or not. Because titanium is a big deal, it allows Apple to shave some weight off the Pro while adding durability. At 7.81 ounces, the 6.3 x 3 x 0.32-inch slab feels almost insubstantial compared to its 8.47-ounce predecessor. But not so fast! Not to be outdone, the Pro XL is a scooch lighter at 7.8 ounces and thinner (6.4 x 3 x 0.3 inches). Beauty, and design, by proxy, is in the eye of the beholder. And it might be controversial, but I’m going to give this round to Google. It’s thinner and lighter, and hey, I like pink. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the most powerful smartphone on the market until the iPhone 16 Pro Max launches in a few weeks. Then, all bets are off. But for now, the iPhone 15 is dusting all challengers thanks to that A17 Pro chip, which is an absolute beast. Honestly, it makes me yearn for the days of lap docks where you could plug a phone into a laptop shell and have a functioning laptop, using the phone as the trackpad. But I digress. It’s hard to put a dent in the iPhone’s performance, and I couldn’t institute any real chugging despite opening an inordinate number of apps and web browser tabs. I even started playing through Resident Evil 4 Remake, which, if you told me I’d be typing that sentence even a year ago, I’d counter with an offer for a gently used bridge for sale in Brooklyn. But outside of a few dropped frames, here and there ran without any issues, and the phone didn’t turn into a blazing slab of metal. The Pixel 9 Pro XL and its Google Tensor G4 processor performed just as with the multiple apps and web browsers. I even did light photo editing in Adobe Photoshop Express and Google Photos with no ill effects. Unfortunately, Resident Evil 4 Remake isn’t on Android, so I resorted to getting my thrills with Alien Isolation. And despite being brutally murdered by the Xenomorph several times, the game played pretty smoothly and didn’t get uncomfortably hot. We ran Geekbench 6 on both devices and as expected, the iPhone 15 Pro Max blew it out of the frame with scores of 2,975 and 7,438 on the single and multithread tests, compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s scores of 1,932 and 4,631. But keep in mind that the iPhone has beaten every smartphone debuted this year by a large margin. Still, regarding performance, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is king. While Microsoft, Samsung, and other OEMs have been beating us about the head with their fancy AI buzzwords, Google is actually giving us something different than chatbots, noise canceling, and background blurring. The name of the game here is generative AI. Reimagine is one of the breakout stars in Google’s photo-editing arsenal. A feature in Google’s retooled Magic Editor, Reimagine uses AI to modify your picture as you see fit. Just type what you want and let Reimagine do its thing. It took a photo of my boyfriend’s adorable daughter in front of our front gate and replaced it with a photorealistic ocean setting. It was wild to see in real time. Then you’ve got features like Add Me that literally lets you add yourself to a group shot after the initial photo’s been taken. Zoom Enhance is that feature you always see in crime shows on your smartphone. Instead of losing image quality when you zoom in, the magic of generative AI will fill in the missing pixels for sharp images. Best of all, the feature can be used before or after taking the shot. Google also has some AI sauce for video, bringing the ability to upscale to 8K and reducing or enhancing audio as you see fit. And that’s before we get to Gemini proper, or should I say, Gemini Advanced. You’ll get your usual AI summary tools and “Herâ€-inspired digital assistance, complete with a soothing voice. Gemini can also organize and summarize your screenshots with Pixel Screenshots. Speaking of organization, Google Keep can now make lists for you. The Call Notes feature allows Gemini to record your call, summarize, and create a conversation transcript. Just be sure to inform the other party on the call. Seriously. Recording someone without their knowledge is illegal in a lot of places. Don’t get caught out there. This brings us to a major point of contention for a lot of potential Gemini users. Do you trust Google to record your calls and live conversations with Gemini? While you ponder that, let’s move on to Apple Intelligence. Currently, in Preview, there’s not much I can say about it outside of the features revealed on Apple Newsroom. Like Gemini, you’ll be getting a heaping helping of generative AI that will be there to write and summarize text, create AI-generated images via Image Playground, and even create Genmojis â€" generative AI emojis. Get it? Genmojis! Moving on, Siri will also become more conversationalist and will be able to chat realistically. You’ll also see your notifications summarized into easily scannable bites. Emails will be floated to the top of your inbox by priority, while longer ones will go through the summary machine. The new Focus mode will do something similar, prioritizing important notifications and saving the rest for later. Like Gemini, Apple Intelligence can record calls, create transcripts, and summarize everything. Rough sketches can be transformed into something more professional-looking with Image Wand. You can create custom memory movies from your stills and videos. Apple Intelligence will even find appropriate music. And speaking of photos, Apple Intelligence will help you sort through your ever-growing collection of images by simply typing what you’re looking for. I can’t wait to see how vague or precise you must be with that one. And finally, you’ll be able to remove unwanted photo elements similar to Magic Erase with the new Clean Up feature. Apple, like Google, wants you to trust them with your calls, notes, and searches, stressing a rigorous privacy policy. Again, we’ll have to wait and see once this goes live. Both AI solutions are currently free. And while Apple has yet to announce plans to charge consumers, Google wants folks to pay $20/month for the privilege. For now, Google takes this round. But stay tuned for when Apple Intelligence fully launches. Now, this is a battle for the ages. What Google lacks in blistering CPU performance, it’s historically made up for in its photo capabilities, particularly in low-light settings. And this is before all the AI razzmatazz. But Apple has no slouch in this department either, convincing some that they may not need to invest in an expensive DSLR. Apple comes out box swinging, equipping the Pro Max with a 48-megapixel main sensor with a Æ'/1.78 aperture. Both the ultrawide and telephoto have 12-MP sensors. The former has a Æ'/2.2 aperture while the latter has a Æ'/2.8. As for the telephoto, you’ve got a 5x digital zoom and a 25x digital zoom. The Pro XL slightly improved the camera, starting with the 50-MP wide sensor, which has been enlarged ever so slightly to capture more light. The primary camera lens has an f/1.68, which comes in handy for night mode and depth effects. The ultrawide camera sensor got the biggest bump, jumping up to a full 48-MP sensor compared to its predecessor's 12-MP. The telephoto camera is untouched at 48-MP, with last year’s 5x optical zoom and 30x Super Res Zoom. I took both phones with me to walk my dogs and took some shots around the neighborhood. Looking at the results, it immediately became clear that the iPhone is juicing its photos as the colors produced in my test shots were much more vibrant than the actual subject. For instance, in a shot of a brownstone with a facade covered in vines, the actual building looked more brown, while the vines looked lifeless. However, in the Pixel photo, the vines looked alive and well. I accidentally hit a filter, but this was the final result after retaking it several times on the iPhone. I had better results when on a flower shot. While the iPhone’s image had deeper color (which I prefer), the Pixel was once again the more accurate of the two. Looking at the leaves in both shots, the iPhone gave a better look at the delicate veins running through the leaves and stems. I also had a clear view of the flower’s stamen on the Pro Max. In a shot of some particularly fluffy clouds taken at 0.5 magnification, the Pixel Pro gave me a wider shot than the iPhone. The Pro Max’s image had a blue tint that accentuates the detail in the clouds and just makes for a more melancholy shot. However, it also washes out the color of the building in the shot while the Pixel displays its true color. The red graffiti running down the side also pops more on the Pro XL. And zooming in on the construction in the background, the Pixel had sharper detail. The Pixel continued its wins on the color accuracy and sharpness fronts. While the iPhone continued serving up delicious color. A view of the Manhattan skyline at 7.5x yielded a lovely shot on both phones. However, you can see the raindrops dripping from the metal railings on the building next door clear as day on the Pixel, whereas you have to zoom in to see it on the iPhone. The Pro XL also showed off more windows. The building on the far left looked very muddy on the iPhone. In terms of scope, the iPhone won this second shootout as it simply captured more subject area than the Pixel. The darker shadows make the sign stand out more than on the Pro XL. However, as much as I love the iPhone’s vividness, it looks like I took the pictures at different times of the day, which is far from the case. While the iPhone produced the more artistic photo, it’s nowhere near as accurate. For the low light test, I arranged a row of tchotchkes on my entertainment center on the second floor of my apartment as my test subjects. I dimmed the lights as low as they would go in the first shot and took several shots. The Pro XL came through with superior color and minutia. You read the lettering on the pink tin. And looking at my Michonne Funko Pop, Hulk, and Sully figurines, they had better color on the Pixel. There were more shadows in the iPhone test image, which led to muted colors and obfuscated features in the figure. For instance, you can barely see Hulk’s teeth. I turned the lights off during the next test, leaving the television on and a nearby gaming desktop with some gentle RGB lighting pulsating. Looking at the Pro Mox photo, you can clearly see the golden dragon at the bottom of the entertainment console. However, the Michonne Funko is almost completely submerged in shadow. You can barely see any detail on the game ornament next to Hulk. While the Pixel offered richer color, as evidenced by Sully's bright blue hide, Hulk’s form was almost completely hidden in the shadow. And now for some true parity. The iPhone’s 12MP front sensor with its f/1.9-aperture lens gave as good as it got against the Pixel’s 42MP front shooter and its f/2.2-aperture lens. In a shot taken at the dog park, both phones captured the exact yellow of my dress, the pink of my boyfriend’s shirt, and the cavalcade of color in my locs. Taking a closer look at both images, I had to give it to the Pixel as it’s easier to see the individual grays in my boyfriend’s beard. One thing the iPhone is going to do is give you some nice bokeh. In this rooftop selfie, the buildings in the background are almost perfectly blurred, allowing you to focus on the folks in the shot. My hoodie looks more orange in the Pro Max image, and our skin tones look darker. That is fine, but that bokeh is a little aggressive, blurring some of my locs out. However, the phone also showed my boyfriend’s beard best. This goes to the Pixel simply because the phone can capture a 360-degree panoramic photo. I really like how the camera gives you guide points to meet as you slowly turn to capture the photo. The result was a full shot of the area around my rooftop. That’s not to say the iPhone takes shabby images; it doesn’t. The guidelines aren’t as accurate on the iPhone; you can only capture 180 degrees. This is simply no contest. Although the iPhone’s 25x digital zoom is great in most circumstances, it’s no match for the Pixel’s 30 Super Res Zoom or digital zoom. In my first set of shots, I captured the top of a Manhattan skyscraper miles away from my rooftop. The iPhone did an admirable job for the distance, but it’s somewhat blurry. And while you can see some windows, even the lighted ones look like shapeless blobs. The Pixel’s photo is smoother and has more detail, allowing you to see the most windows out of both shots, lighted or not. I wanted something more colorful for my second shot, so I looked down into my yard and focused on the massive pile of dog toys on the table. Once again, the iPhone’s digital zoom produces an image with seriously fuzzy detail. The table’s cross-hatching is barely visible, and you can’t see the ridges on the stuffed pumpkin or the individual fur on the duck. It’s the opposite of the Pixel, with crispy details and more precise color. Overall, I’m giving this round to the Pixel; whether it’s low-light, panoramic, wide, or ultrawide shots or even a selfie, the Pixel 9 Pro XL consistently delivers color-accurate shots with clean, clear lines. Nothing is worse than a smartphone whose battery dies in the middle of the day. You won’t have that problem with the Pro XL or the Pro Max. With its 4,441mAh battery, the iPhone 15 lasted 25 hours on our battery test (playing through a 24-hour YouTube video with the brightness set to 200 nits. The Pixel’s 5,060mAh battery tapped out 22:58, which isn’t bad, but I expected more with the larger battery. Both smartphones have fast charging capabilities. The Pixel can be charged 70% in 30 minutes, and the iPhone 15 can be charged 50% in 30 minutes. Both devices support wireless charging. With a longer two-hour runtime, this round goes to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. We’ve gone through six grueling rounds with the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Each smartphone has displayed its strengths and weaknesses to great effect, and when the smoke is cleared, it could go either way. Regarding performance and endurance, no one does it better than the iPhone. Honestly, at this point, the only thing that can beat an iPhone is another iPhone (I’m looking at you, 16 Pro Max). But those are just some things that make a flagship phone great. So, let’s talk about the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It copied Apple’s homework on the design piece. However, it managed to do it a little better with a slightly thinner, lighter frame. And a pop of pastel never hurt anyone. Until we see what Apple Intelligence offers, Google will be the king of mobile AI. Hell, it’s the AI to beat when it comes to consumer-grade artificial intelligence. Finally, there’s the camera. Google continues to create some of the best smartphone cameras in the business, and coupled with its AI features, it will be hard to knock the Pixel off its pedestal. For those reasons, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the undisputed winner of this face-off.