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Google’s recent hardware and software launches haven’t been too shy about the fact that they’re built to work with the company’s Gemini AI model. In fact, the marketing for the Pixel 9 series phones revolved heavily around AI-centric features, including the likes of the Gemini app and Magic Editor, to name a couple.
After using the Pixel 9 for two months after its release, I have to say though that the device’s charm – and ultimately its strengths – aren’t with LLMs or AI in general. Yes these features are undoubtedly useful, but it’s the small upgrades and overall familiarity that make the Pixel 9 a joy to use. So how has it fared so far? Let’s take a look.
The Best Bits
As a long-time Pixel user, one of the Pixel 9’s biggest highlights is its camera. Google has made some much-welcome upgrades this year, with the inclusion of a higher-resolution ultra-wide sensor, autofocus capabilities on the front camera, as well as tweaks to computational photography. While it’s not perfect (especially when it comes to video), it delivers a lot on what fans have come to expect from the Pixel’s camera, with rich colours (without going overboard on the saturation), impressive low-light performance, and great-looking portrait photos.
Performance has more or less remained the same. Compared to the Tensor G3 from last year, the Tensor G4 (at least on paper) doesn’t out-perform it by that much. Nevertheless, the 12GB of RAM on the Pixel 9 is another welcome upgrade, and my general usage has been consistent – no freezes or serious stutters, and my games have mostly ran smooth. Additionally, the Tensor G4’s biggest advantage is with better thermal management and battery longevity thanks to the new modem inside, at least based on my experience.
…the Tensor G4’s biggest advantage is with better thermal management and battery longevity
The new design is also something that I’ve come to appreciate. Like many others on the internet, I was torn about Google’s new approach to the Pixel 9 series’ design, which had a more iPhone-like look to it courtesy of the completely flat sides all over. It does look and feel much nicer in-hand though, and I’ve had zero problems with ill-fitting cases and screen protectors, unlike on the Pixel 8.
The Android 15 update has likewise been smooth so far. It hasn’t dramatically increased my battery life, and at the time of writing it’s still a bit too early to tell. What I can say so far though is that UI animations feel a bit slicker with Android 15, and I haven’t experienced drastic battery drain (unlike with the Android 13 on my Pixel 7 a couple years back).
READ: Google Pixel 9: 10 Useful Tips and Tricks for You!
Small Imperfections
With all that being said, it’s important to keep in mind that the Pixel 9 is by no means a perfect smartphone. Performance limitations aside, the phone likewise lacks the fast-charging capabilities of rival devices from Chinese brands such as OnePlus and Xiaomi, most of which feature 80W charging speeds, out-pacing the Pixel 9’s measly 27W wired charging. I usually have to plan out my charging intervals in case I have to step out a bit and want a fully-charged battery with me.
While there have been improvements to fingerprint biometrics on the Pixel 9, the newer ultrasonic sensor on the Pixel 9 still seems slow at times. It’s a lot more accurate than the older sensors on past Pixel phones, but still nowhere the same speeds as what you’ll experience on Samsung phones, for example. A minor gripe for sure, but one worth noting nonetheless.
AI Features
As for AI, I’ve allowed the phone to switch to Gemini as the default assistant, mostly out of curiosity. The experience has been so-so – it has difficulty when I ask it to set reminders (something which the OG Assistant did seamlessly), and it gave me conflicting information when asking about the current time in a different country when I was planning to do a video call with my family abroad. For simple Q&A trivia sessions it is pretty useful, but examples such as the ones I highlighted show that still has a ways to go before being a full-on Google Assistant replacement.
Perhaps the AI feature that I’ve gotten the most use out of is Magic Editor. It’s nice to be able to finally get rid of unwanted background objects and touch-up photos from years ago, in a more seamless manner than Magic Eraser, I may add. Auto-frame has worked nicely as well, although I wish I could say the same for Add me, which often had trouble properly inserting me into photos after the initial group shot.
Final Thoughts
I suppose if I could sum up the Pixel 9 with one word, it would be “consistent”. It delivers on the camera front as expected, provides the same software experience that I’ve come to love on earlier Pixel devices, and even packs some upgrades in terms of efficiency. There are of course drawbacks such as the ones mentioned, and its AI features aren’t enough to act as a major selling point, at least at this point in time.
If you’re coming from a much older Pixel handset then the Pixel 9 is a great upgrade, although we’d recommend hunting around for carrier deals and promos online. It’s not a perfect Android phone – it’s not even the most powerful out there – but its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses.
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