Google Pixel Pro XL reviewed

The team were happy to receive the Pixel 9 Pro XL for review. At this stage they have been playing around with the Pixel series since the 3rd iteration. In many ways the Pixel has come a long way in a short time period. You can see more about the various new Pixels here.

Google Pixel Pro XL reviewed

This is the slightly bigger and better version of the Pixel Pro, which is a nice piece of gear. The battery seems to last for quite a long time too, purportedly longer than any of the other previous editions too. In terms of pricing this is at the top end for the Pixel range, and for phones in general. Thankfully it came with a bespoke cover too, for that amount of phone, you do want it to be safe from the moment you take it out of the box. According to the product specs it has been built to be more durable for both the screen and the device itself. This is great to hear, and you would want it to be, but it is also something that is harder to really test without bashing it around, which our testers did not want to do.

The macro option on the camera is impressive to see in action, and it does enable you to get some nice close up shots. Overall the camera does work well, and the larger screen does, bigger than the standard Pixel 9 Pro does give you that little bit more bang for your buck. Naturally you are paying around another 100 euros for this slight step up in quality, so that choice is how good do you want, or need your pictures to be? It is a tough question to answer, when both Pro options seemed to be pretty darn good for our reviewers. Size was still an issue for some of the team, as the ‘regular’ Pro option does fit in your pocket a little more easily.

The AI options are exciting too, but you will be paying for these after your first 12 months, so you will need to think about how badly you want to keep using them. We are also moving in an interesting, unpredictable time, when you can create any image using AI. This could become very problematic if you start making them include third parties, without their consent. Naturally the Pixels are only conduits to what is possible, but as always we face having to deal with the genie after it is out of the bottle. A great phone in many ways, but equally potentially problematic in the wrong hands. Meanwhile our testers did like many aspects of the phone, and did give it a solid thumbs up too.

More about the Pixel 9 Pro XL

Meet Pixel 9 Pro. It has a sophisticated, stunning new design, and it’s the most powerful Pixel yet. With the new Tensor G4 processor and 16 GB of RAM, it’s designed for the most advanced AI on Pixel. That means cutting-edge photos and videos, and smarter ways to help all day. And it comes with one year of the Google One AI Premium Plan, for even more powerful AI features. Pixel 9 Pro features Google’s best camera system yet, with a pro triple rear camera, a fully upgraded 42 MP front camera, and cutting-edge pro features.

With Pixel 9 Pro, Super Res Zoom comes to video, and you can enhance your videos to 8K with Video Boost. Thanks to the brightest, most immersive Super Actua display yet, you’ll see true-to-life colors, even in direct sunlight. And for the first time ever, it will be available in two sizes: 6.3″ and 6.8″ Super Actua displays. So you can get the ultimate Pro experience in the size that works best for you. It features an all-day battery, and Pixel 9 Pro XL offers Pixel’s fastest charging ever.

Pixel 9 Pro features Pixel’s best camera yet. The triple rear camera system delivers pro-level photos and videos, even in low light or from far away. Enjoy stunning detail across a wide zoom range, thanks to optical-quality performance at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x, and 10x – all with just three lenses.

15 Super Res Zoom lets you zoom in even further, and is available in video for the first time ever. In addition to improved Night Sight Video, Video Boost can now enhance videos up to 8K resolution for the best video quality on Pixel yet. Pixel 9 Pro gets a major upgrade to the front camera, with a new 42 MP lens – the highest resolution on a front-facing Pixel Camera – to help you take perfect selfies, even in low light. And it has the widest field of view ever for a front-facing
camera on a Pixel.

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