Pixel 9 Intro
So the question here is what will the Pixel 9 bring to the table to justify its higher price, and will the upgrades be enough for it to compete with the fierce competition? For now, the leaks are pointing at a potential “no” as an answer, with most of the changes amounting to what one might call a spec bump, but let’s see what the details tell us.
Table of Contents:
Pixel 9 Specs
Some exciting numbers
| Specs | Pixel 9 |
|---|---|
| Size and Weight | 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm, ~187 g |
| Display | 6.3-inch OLED Actua Display, 2000 nits peak brightness, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support |
| Processor | Tensor G4 (4nm) |
| Software | Android 15 |
| Cameras | 50MP main, f/1.7; 48MP ultra-wide-angle; 10.5MP front-facing camera, f/2.2 |
| Battery Size | 4,575 mAh |
| Charging Speeds | 30W wired charge 20W Qi2 wireless charging |
| Prices | 12/128GB for $799 |
Pixel 9 Design and Display
The same Pixel spirit but with a fresh look
The whole Pixel 9 lineup will come in a brand new look, losing the pebble-like shape of previous generations in place for a more blocky one. The front and back panels, as well as the frame itself will be flat, while the edges of the phone will be curved.
Initially, all we had to go on were renders, but more recently there have been some live images of what is allegedly the Pixel 9, check them out:
As you can see, it is a fresh new look for Pixel phones. In our opinion, Google has done a great job at preserving the overall unique Pixel look and what makes it stand out from the competition, which is saying something considering Samsung and Apple shape their phones rather similarly.
The flat frame appears to have a matte finish to it, while the back panel is glossy and reflective. That leads us to believe that, at least for the standard Pixel 9, Google will stick to aluminum and glass as the preferred materials. Whether it will be more durable Gorilla Glass than before remains to be seen, though.
Size-wize, the Pixel 9 has been reported to be close to that of its predecessor, albeit it a bit thinner. The rumored dimensions are 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm, which match the ones of the Pixel 9 Pro.
- Jade
- Obsidian
- Peony
- Porcelain
We have a wider variety of colors with the Pixel 9 compared to last year, with one additional hue. This year the colors are also more vibrant, especially if you look at the Peony and Jade (new) variants. What’s more, this year we have a beige (Porcelain) instead of a boring grey color.
As for the display, while earlier rumours pointed at a 6.1″ size, more recent ones say the Pixel 9 will come with a 6.3″ OLED Actua Display. Whether it will have higher brightness is still uncertain, although last year’s model already had great visibility already, so we don’t think there’s need for an upgrade here.
There has been reports claiming the Pixel 9 will have a feature dubbed “Adaptive Touch,” which helps the screen function in wet conditions. This should help when the display is covered by water or your fingers are wet.
More exciting than the Adaptive Touch feature—at least for us—is the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that’s said to adorn the Pixel 9 lineup. Google never really managed to make the optical fingerprint sensor on previous Pixels work very well, so we can’t wait to test this with the new generation.
Pixel 9 Camera
Big if true: new ultra-wide camera
Pixel 9 expected camera specs:
- Main—50MP, f/1.7
- Ultrawide—42MP (new)
- Selfie—10.5MP with autofocus enabled
Another camera upgrade rumored to come to the Pixel 9 is (finally) autofocus for the selfie camera. This is not the most game-changing update, but it might be useful for keeping yourself in focus as you move around in the frame.
Sadly, we don’t expect to see any video-related upgrades for the standard model. Our fingers are crossed and we hope Google at least brings the Video Boost feature that it introduced with its Pro model last year. For the uninitiated, Video Boost uses Google’s cloud infrastructure to process and enhance video and make it look much better.
Pixel 9 Performance & Benchmarks
Laying the groundwork for on-device AI
However, recently leaked benchmark Pixel 9 test results revealed that the chip consists of one Cortex-X4 core at 3.1GHz, three Cortex-A720 cores at 2.6GHz, and four Cortex-A520 cores at 1.95GHz. That’s one core less than the Tensor G3 in the Pixel 8 series, but they are clocked higher, so they should have better performance.
More interesting is the amount of base memory on the Pixel 9, which has jumped to 12GB from the 8GB on the predecessor. Presumably, this significant increase in memory is a requirement for all of the new AI functionality that’s coming this year, as well as those further into the future.
The storage options will probably remain the same, which means 128GB and 256GB variants.
Pixel 9 Software
Even more AI camera features
With Android 15, users will get lots of new features, many of which are rather niche. Some of the most notable ones include Emergency Satellite SOS that allows users to connect to emergency services even when there is no connectivity; and the ability to find the Pixel 9 even when it has been powered off.
Of course, it is only fitting that we also get some new AI features to boot. The new one this year is said to be “Add Me,” which will allow you to combine two group selfies into one, so that everyone can be in the image. This feels like an extension of last year’s “Best Take” feature, although even more impressive!
As for the software support situation with the Pixel 9, we fully expect Google to continue offering the 7 years of support it made headlines with last year. This would mean that your Pixel 9 will still get new Pixel features and security patches as far as Android 22 (presumably to come in 2031).
Pixel 9 Battery
Nothing noteworthy (yet)
For now, we expect the same 4,575 mAh battery from last year, or one that is very close to it in capacity. With the new chipset and other upgraded hardware, however, there’s a good chance the overall battery life will change. It remains to be seen by how much during our battery life tests.
Charging is shaping up to be a more interesting topic for the Pixel 9, as it might come with support for the new Qi2 wireless charging standard. Qi2 does not promise faster wireless charging, but rather the ability of the phone to attach magnetically when it chargers wirelessly (much like Apple’s MagSafe).
As for the charging speeds themselves, the Pixel 9 is said to come with 30W of wired charging. There is still no word on the wireless charging speeds, although they might reach 20W.
Should you wait for it?
Frankly, there is more to like about the Pixel 9 then we initially thought there would be. While it probably won’t have the best performance in its class (as usual), it will have a gorgeous new design that might tickle many people’s fancy out there.
If the new look of the Pixel 9 is not enough of a reason for you to wait for it, then the new alleged 42MP ultra-wide camera might be, although that would depend on how it actually performs.
Of course, there’s the fact that many sources claim Google’s phone lineup in 2025, will feature the company’s first fully self-designed Tensor chipset: the G5, made with TSMC’s 3nm process. This should mean Google will be able to optimize its phones much better, drawing significantly more power and energy efficiency from them.
Even if the new secondary camera of the Pixel 9 and its new design do seem tantalizing, we suspect the better choice would be to wait for the Pixel 10. But who knows, Google might have a surprise up its sleeve, so let’s wait and see what happens on August 13.
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