Ahead of our full review of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, here’s a quick look at the updated hardware and improved battery life of Google’s flagship.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL is not Google’s highest-end device, nor its most exciting in the 2024 lineup. But after a week using it, I’m convinced it might be the best Pixel of the Tensor era, and that’s just based on first impressions.
Much of the attention on the Pixel 9 lineup this year is on the smaller Pixel 9 Pro, the 6.3-inch device that’s got all of the same hardware as the larger “XL.” And I get the hype, but I’m also one who tends to stick with bigger phones on the whole (with the exception of foldables), so I was certainly curious to see Google’s improvements to the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
I felt those right out of the box.
Google’s hardware this year is rather stunning. While the boxy design strays away from the “Google-y” design that I loved on the Pixel 4 series and still felt like it lived on even through the Pixel 8 series, this new look is striking, even if it does look and feel like an iPhone. But, to that point, I still think Google’s hardware strikes a better balance between sharp corners and rounded edges compared to the iPhone 15 Pro’s titanium design, and also feels drastically nicer than the cold and industrial Galaxy S24 Ultra. One thing I do wish Google would get over already, though, is the polished frame.
Matte all the things!
I’m also a huge fan of the new camera design Google has settled on here. It feels like a perfect evolution of the Pixel’s most iconic design trait.
The improved hardware also extends up to the display, which is gorgeous.
Google’s updated panel is not leaps and bounds better than the one in the Pixel 8 Pro, but especially at higher brightness levels, it looks sharper and more “real” compared to the last generation.
