Google Pixel 9 Series: Which is the One for You?

Google’s Pixel portfolio is much, much larger now, with four phone models rather than the usual two devices. And that’s without counting a potential Pixel 9A release sometime next year. As such, choosing which Pixel device to upgrade to can be a bit more of an effort especially with some of them being quite similar.

In that case, we’ll take a look at these four different devices, both in terms of their similarities and their differences, based on what’s been revealed at the latest Made by Google event!

Pixel 9 Series: The Broad Strokes

Let’s start with the similarities. All Pixel phones come with Google’s latest Tensor G4 chipset, with Google promising battery and thermal efficiency improvements across the board. That’s pretty much where most of the similarities end however, at least when it comes to the Pro and non-Pro Pixels.

In terms of their display, the base Pixel 9 gets a standard Actua OLED display while the Pro models get the improved “Super Actua” OLED displays, which are capable of boosting their brightness much higher without the hit in color quality. In actual practice though, at least based on our time with the base Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, both displays should be powerful enough for all your use cases.

Oh, and regardless of how you feel about its further AI integration via Google Gemini, it does mean we’re seeing a bump up in RAM across all models, with the base Pixel 9 starting with 12GB of RAM, and the Pro models starting with 16GB.

Likewise, Google has also promised a full 7 years of OS and security updates for the line. Only the Pro models get a free year of Gemini Advanced however. For some odd reason, the whole Pixel 9 lineup is launching with Android 14 out of the box.

Choosing Plain Vanilla: Google Pixel 9

So with all these basic differences out of the way, is it still worth going for the base Pixel 9? Well, it’s the most affordable of the entire lineup with its $799 (Approx. 45K PHP) so if you’re just interested in trying out a Pixel phone then this is by far the most accessible option. (Unless you try out a discounted older model like the Pixel 7 here.)

In terms of cameras, you do have a good pair of sensors to play around with. There’s a 50MP main camera with OIS and a 48MP ultrawide for those sweeping cityscapes. Selfie camera is almost the same 10.5MP as the Pixel 8 but this time, it gets autofocus.

When it comes to their predecessors, the most popular reason for people to choose the Pixel 8 was due to its compact size compared to its Pro sibling. And while the Pixel 9 retains the same compact design while only being a little heavier, you don’t necessarily have to settle for this anymore if you have the cash to spare and the need for better photography hardware.

Google Pixel 9 Pro: The Best of Both Worlds

This time, Google has decided to release the Pixel 9 Pro in the same size as the base Pixel 9. So in a way, it’s the best of both worlds for those who want the more convenient, compact size while also getting the better camera tech of the Pro models.

While the main camera and ultrawide are exactly the same as the base model, you do get a third camera when going Pro. In this case, it’s a 48MP periscope telephoto capable of 5x optical zoom. The front camera has also been upgraded. You now get a 42MP lens for your selfies, with autofocus of course.

And while the phones use similar chipsets, the Pixel 9 Pro phones have been built with a new vapor chamber which should manage heat much better than the base model, which could result in better sustained performance depending on the app.

The Pixel 9 Pro is a bit pricey though, starting at $999 (Approx. 57K PHP). So you’ll have to really think about whether you need that telephoto lens and those fancy Gemini Advanced features, at least for one year.

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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: It’s Bigger

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the same Pixel 9 Pro but bigger. No joke, that’s really it and Google has even made a point about it during their keynote presentation. Now that we’re thinking about it, this would have been the usual Pro model if they only released two phones as per the previous line.

If you do prefer the larger size of the original Pro model though, then you do get a slight bump to its display resolution as well as a bigger 5060mAh battery compared to the 4,700mAh battery in the Pixel 9 Pro and the base Pixel 9.

It is a bit more expensive than the regular Pixel 9 Pro though, starting at $1,099 (Approx. 63K PHP). So you might want to think if you really want that larger display and slightly more battery life since they do come with a bit of a premium.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: An Upgraded Folding Experience

By far the most interesting member of the lineup would be the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Aimed at improving the original model while seamlessly integrating with the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup, this one has received a total overhaul compared to its predecessor.

For starters, it’s a lot thinner than the original Pixel Fold while shifting the rest of its proportions around. The cover screen has grown to around 6.3 inches, making the experience similar to the base Pixel 9 when using it closed. Almost similar to the approach Samsung did to the latest Galaxy Z Fold6 but much more refined.

Open it up though and you get an 8-inch LTPO OLED inner display with an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1 to 120Hz. In short, it’s very good. The brightness easily boosts up to 2,700 nits and the contrast ratio has been doubled, leading to a much nicer experience when reading text or multitasking on both screens.

In terms of cameras though…yeah, no. Despite the Pro moniker, it’s not nearly as good as its slab-based counterparts. You get a 48MP main camera with OIS but both the telephoto lens and ultrawide have been downgraded to just 10.8MP and 10.5MP respectively. Now, it’s still decent but just a little unfortunate. The selfie camera and cover camera are the same 10MP wide lenses with autofocus.

It’s at least better than its predecessor though.

As the most premium option though, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799 (Approx. 100K PHP). In exchange you do get a very good foldable phone with great screens both inside and out as well as a very slim device you can easily slide in your pockets!

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