Solidifying the Future of Smartphones: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Long-Term Review
The Pixel 9 Pro XL: A Solid, Yet Unremarkable, Flagship Android Phone
For those eagerly anticipating the latest and greatest in smartphone technology, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is already a few months into its release cycle. But has it improved over time, or do we need to see more fundamental changes as the OS evolves for the AI age? Let’s take a closer look at Google’s top-of-the-line smartphone.
An Easier-to-Recommend Flagship
In recent years, we’ve finally had Pixel phones that are easy to recommend to everyone. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is not a cheap phone, but it’s a great experience wrapped in a familiar design that’s sure to please. If converting iPhone users to Android is still the playbook, it’s hard to deny that the Apple-inspired changes will turn heads. The one-two punch of Gemini and the ubiquity of AI services could be seen as both positive and negative. Let’s see how the Pixel 9 Pro XL has evolved in just a few short months…
Hardware and Design
My biggest gripe with the Pixel 9 Pro XL is its somewhat annoying glossy sides. Despite taking great care of my phone, I’ve accumulated some minor scratches and dings. While it looks nice from afar, the sheer volume of smears and smudges means I’m frequently taking the phone out of its case to clean it. Anecdotally, I love the Hazel colorway, but I think the Porcelain option is the way to go. It looks superb.
Little Things to Fix
There are little things that need attention, in my opinion. Portrait mode, for instance, has taken noticeable steps backward and is far behind top-tier iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones. Edge detection is often broken, and I wouldn’t recommend using this feature over punching in with the telephoto lens.
Video Boost: A Head-Scratcher
Video Boost is another puzzling feature. The final video output is excellent, and I appreciate that it’s a way to bypass the Tensor processor’s limitations. The 8K video, processed as 4K, is impressive considering it’s not even shot at the same resolution. If you have the storage capacity, I’d 100% use this to future-proof precious family moments. The 8K video is the best I’ve seen from a phone, even if it’s not technically shot at the same resolution.
The Kicker? You Can’t Record for Longer Than 10 Minutes
For 99.9% of people, this won’t be an issue, but I’m in that camp. My gripe is that the best modes aren’t obvious, and the long processing time will deter many from even seeing the difference Video Boost makes to their footage. It’s a good workaround, but also a cop-out. I’m just hoping for on-device processing in future Pixel phones.
Final Thoughts
I’ve complained and nitpicked the Pixel series quite a bit this year, and maybe it’s part and parcel of using the Made by Google lineup for so long. I want more from the phone series. Period. The fact is that the Pixel 9 Pro XL is just a good, solid Google phone. This is something we’ve craved for years leading up to the Pixel 7 series. Blasting the design and shape has made for an exponentially better-feeling slab. While I would have loved a little more power inside, it’s yet another example of refinement over redefinition. You might have known that by now, as it’s nothing new and an intrinsic part of Google’s Pixel playbook. For nine generations, this has been the sentiment, and it applies here once again.
The Verdict
As good as this phone is, my default device has switched to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but that doesn’t detract from just how solid the Pixel 9 Pro XL is. If you take away the bluster of the competition, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is right up there with the best from Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, Honor, and more. How that changes as the year progresses remains to be seen, but for now, it’s doing just as much with technically less. Just avoid paying the full price, and you’ll get an even better deal.
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