Google launched the Pixel 9 series smartphones globally and in India last week. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a new XL model that is also the top-end model, since the Pixel 9 Pro has a smaller screen. This has a new Tensor G4 SoC, upgraded cameras and a brighter screen. Here we have the first impressions of the phone.
Box Contents
- Pixel 9 Pro XL in Hazel colour
- USB-C to USB-C Cable
- Quick Start Guide
- SIM Ejector Tool
This time, Google has switched to plastic free packing, and the new packaging is now made with a new paper that is three times stronger and approximately 70 percent more stretchable than our previous paper, said the company. Inside the box, it uses new molded fiber pulp formula. However, this doesn’t come with a Quick Switch Adaptor any more.
The phone has a 6.7-inch Quad HD+ OLED LTPO screen with 1-120Hz variable refresh rate, and has up to 3000 nits brightness, making it 25% brighter than the predecessor. The screen is bright, and the viewing angles are good. It has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.
There is a centre punch-hole display that houses a new 42MP camera with 4K 60 fps video recording. Since this is small, it doesn’t disturb when watching videos. The earpiece on the top doubles up as the secondary speaker. The front camera also works for face unlock.
You can also see the tiny bottom bezel, which is symmetrical. It runs Android 14 instead of Android 15. The company has promised 7 years of OS updates, feature drop and security updates for the phone which was introduced with the Pixel 8 series.
The phone has an in-display fingerprint scanner, which now uses an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner for the first time. It has the Google Tensor G4 SoC along with Titan M2 security chip. As usual, it heats up quickly on intensive use such as gaming. This also gets 16GB of RAM for the first time.
The phone has a satin polished finish metal frame on the side, so it attracts fingerprints easily. You can see the antenna bands around the phone. The power button and volume rockers are present on the right side. The SIM slot has been moved from the left side to the bottom, and there is eSIM support. The USB Type-C port, microphone and speaker grill are present on the bottom. The secondary microphone is present on the top.
The phone has a smaller metal camera bar with a matte finish, but it doesn’t extend to the sides. You can also see the temperature sensor below the flash.
This has a new 50MP main camera with f/1.68 aperture and OIS. There is also an upgraded secondary 48MP 125° Ultra-wide camera with f/1.7 aperture with macro option and a new 48MP telephoto camera with 5x zoom and up to 30x digital zoom.
It has up to 4K 60 fps video recording for the front and rear cameras. There is also 8K video option for the first time, but via video boost. There are several new camera features, including Add Me. Check out some camera samples.
The phone has a silky matte glass back that also has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. It also comes in Obsidian, Porcelain and Rose Quartz, in addition to Hazel. The phone also has IP68 ratings for water resistance. The phone packs a slightly bigger, 5060mAh battery, compared to 5,050mAh battery in the Pixel 8 Pro. It has up to 37W wired fast charging and also has 23W wireless charging.
It is already available for pre-order from Flipkart, and over 150 Croma and Reliance Retail outlets in 15 cities across the country starting at Rs. 1,24,999. The phone will go on sale from tomorrow, August 22nd.