Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review: 3 ways it beats the iPhone 15 Pro Max

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The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the newest addition to the Pixel family. Before the reveal of the Google Pixel 9 series, the lineup only had two phones: a base model (e.g., last year’s Google Pixel 8) and a Pro variant (e.g., 2023’s Google Pixel 8 Pro).

Now, Google has changed things up with a triple-device lineup: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Interestingly, despite its name, the Pixel 9 Pro XL isn’t that much larger from last year’s biggest model (i.e., Google Pixel 8 Pro). The new Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 6.8-inch display while the Google Pixel 8 Pro has a 6.7-inch panel.

What really makes the Pixel 9 Pro XL comparatively larger to the Pixel 9 Pro is that Google actually shrunk the Pro model to 6.3 inches, down from 6.7 inches. So yes, the Pixel 9 Pro is smaller than the Pixel 8 Pro. Weird, I know, given that phones typically become larger than their predecessors, not smaller.

Now that you’ve got a good understanding of the Pixel 9 Pro XL (and its new family), let’s dive into my experience with it.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL price and specs

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a starting price of $1,099 via the Google Store. It comes with the following specs:

If you want, you can get more storage by upgrading to the 256GB model, which will set you back $1,119. If you want a 512GB model or a 1TB variant, you’ll have to shell out $1,319 and $1,549, respectively. (I highly suggest getting the 256GB model. In my personal experience, 128GB of storage lasts about a little over a year before your storage gets full.)

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL design

The Pixel 9 Pro XL, unlike its lesser successors (e.g., Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro), actually looks and feels premium — thanks to the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 matte back. With a shiny polished metal frame that wraps around the Pixel 9 Pro XL, it could really compete with the likes of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is also highly resistant to fingerprints, so feel free to get handsy with it without any guilt.

The particular unit I tested for this review sports the Hazel chassis. There are three other colors you can choose from, including Obsidian (black), Rose Quartz (pink), and Porcelain (off-white).

I’ve seen them all in person. The Obsidian may be the most popular of the four colorways. You can never go wrong with a rich, onyx device that looks like it’d be on Batman’s desk. The Rose Quartz delivers a pink-ish hue to the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Emphasis on the word ish because it’s more of a pastel, barely there, “baby shower pink,” if you will. If you want a pink that’s actually not afraid to be pink, check out the “Peony” color on the Pixel 9.

Although Google made a subtle gen-over-gen change with the camera bar, it elevates the visual appeal of the Pixel 9 series. The funky Geordi La Forge-esque visor no longer goes from edge to edge. It now has an island-style design with a body that color matches the chassis.

On the right side of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, you’ll find the volume and power buttons. On the bottom, you’ll discover the USB-C port and a SIM card slot (the Pixel 9 Pro XL also supports eSIM).

Compared to the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is just a smidge larger (6.41 inches long versus 6.40). However, it’s slightly thinner (0.33 inches vs. 0.35 inches). The Pixel 9 Pro XL feels quite nice in the hands; the curved edges are forgiving as my fingers wrap around them. As someone who never liked the Pixel series’ design, I’m finally warming up to it.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL display

The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 6.8-inch, 1344 x 2992-pixel resolution display. It has a screen-to-body ratio of about 88%, a slight jump from the Pixel 8 Pro’s 87% screen-to-body ratio. This means that the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a better immersive viewing experience with thinner bezels, allowing more of the display to be dedicated to your content.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

I fired up a few videos on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, including platforms like YouTube and Netflix. One thing I noticed is that the Pixel 9 Pro XL was a highly saturated panel, particularly compared to my iPhone 15 Pro Max. For example, while watching Love is Blind UK, the electric green top on one contestant appeared to be more vibrant — as if it was popping out of the screen — compared to its Apple counterpart.

However, my daily driver, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, is even more vivid than the Pixel 9 Pro XL — perhaps too vivid. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is “just right.”

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL cameras

The megapixel count of the Pixel 9 Pro XL hasn’t changed from the Pixel 8 family. It still has a 50MP wide camera, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP telephoto sensor.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, this time around, the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s ultrawide camera got a slight update, an improved aperture, that means that you should get better ultrawide photos in low-light conditions.

In other words, your vacation photos where you grab ultrawide shots of stunning landscapes should have improved detail on the Pixel 9 Pro XL.

I tested the Pixel 9 Pro XL against my beloved iPhone 15 Pro Max, and to my surprise, the former bested it. And I have proof.

Wide camera

I captured a picture of some antique cars inside a museum and was taken aback by the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s capture:

^This is the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s pic.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Here is the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s capture of the scene:

^This is the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s pic
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The first thing that caught my eye is that the Pixel 9 Pro XL deals better with challenging lighting, delivering a shot with little to no lens flare (unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max). The Apple device offered a more true-to-life interpretation of the two antique cars while its Google rival captured a richer, more saturated shot.

Ultrawide camera

I also took some pictures of Northport Harbor in Long Island, New York. Flanked by verdant trees, here is an ultrawide shot taken by the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL:

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL’s photo of the Northport Harbor.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Here is the same scenery taken with the iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 15 Pro Max’s photo of the Northport Harbor.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s interpretation of the scene appears to be more vibrant and colorful. The grass emanates greener hues, and most conspicuously, the sky and harbor look bluer. The ripples and waves in the water appear more detailed, too.

Telephoto

Both the Pixel 9 Pro XL and iPhone 15 Pro Max’s telephoto sensor maxes out at 5X optical zoom before the digital zoom (i.e., software) kicks in. I snapped a photo of a neighbor’s yellow flowers, and here’s how it turned out (at 5X zoom).

Look at the shot taken by the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and you’ll notice a more robust and detailed capture of the eye-catching flower compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max:

^This is the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s pic.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

^This is the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s pic
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The Pixel 9 Pro XL may have an edge over the iPhone 15 Pro Max when it comes to cameras, but as you’ll find out, the Google phone is weaker when it comes to performance.

If you’re curious about how far the Pixel 9 Pro XL can zoom with its Super Res Zoom perk, check out my hands-on that featured me zooming in 5,280 feet and getting incredible detail.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL performance

We ran Geekbench 6 on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which sports the new Google Tensor G4 chip, and it delivered a multi-core score of 4,569.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

This is quite low compared to the scores we’ve recorded for other phones we’ve reviewed:

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL – 4,569

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 – 6,069

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 – 6,300

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 7,078

iPhone 15 Pro Max – 7,359

I know the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 7,359 score may look astronomical — and that’s because it is. It’s way too overpowered for a smartphone. The Pixel 9 Pro XL doesn’t need to match this score to be considered as beastly as the priciest iPhone, but its Geekbench 6 score is surprisingly low. And when you consider that the Pixel 8 Pro actually delivered a higher score (e.g., 4,639), the G4 chip feels even more underpowered.

Even so, I didn’t experience any slowdowns whatsoever while juggling multiple apps simultaneously. It is worth nothing, however, that the Pixel 9 Pro XL got a little too hot at times, particularly while using the cameras during a warm day. This phone may be a nightmare to use on the beach.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL AI features

Apple Intelligence is in trouble! Google packed a cornucopia of AI features into the Pixel 9 family. Check out our hands-on experiences with a good chunk of them:

I also recommend that you check out the new Gemini Live, the big update to Google’s ChatGPT rival.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL battery life

In-freakin’-credible! The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL drained at a rate of just five percent hour on our test.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

We ran a TikTok rundown on the Pixel 9 Pro XL at 50% brightness. Now, imagine our surprise when we saw it lasted a whopping 18 hours and 41 minutes on a single charge. This beats the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which lasted 14 hours and 53 minutes on the same test.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Is it worth it?

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is totally worth it based on the battery life alone. You can comfortably leave the house with the Pixel 9 Pro XL and not suffer from battery drainage anxiety. You can get away with being lazy for a bit and not charging the phone for a night or two.

Plus, when it comes to its shooters, it can compete with arguably the best smartphone on the market: the iPhone 15 Pro Max. That being said, the Pixel 9 Pro XL beats the iPhone 15 Pro Max in at least three categories: camera, display, and battery life.

On top of that, the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s Google AI features are a blast to use (though they have their quirks), making the Pixel 9 Pro XL one of the best phones of 2024.