Google Pixel 9 Pro

And even as a small-phone enthusiast, the 9 Pro feels like a reasonable size to me. It’s not small, but it’s not gargantuan, either, and I deeply appreciate not having to sacrifice camera features by choosing it over the big one.

Some of the biggest AI upgrades have yet to come—Google will soon let Gemini tap into your calendar and tasks, as well as keep notes. Much like the forthcoming Apple Intelligence, we'll be able to see how effective large language models are when they become better personal assistants. The Pixel 9 series feels primed and ready for this challenge.

With a refined design, much-improved telephoto camera and great battery-life, the Pixel 9 Pro cements its status as the smartphone with the best camera.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is a more compact flagship phone that delivers clever AI features, a super bright display and the longest battery life yet from a Pixel phone. However, the performance from the Tensor G4 chip could be better, and some of the AI features are a work in progress.

For the first time ever, Google is offering a Pixel Pro model in two sizes without compromise. That includes an incredible rear triple-camera system with 5x optical zoom telephoto camera, a bag of impressive new AI camera tricks, handy new Pixel-exclusive apps that rely on the power of Gemini, and a bold new design that some will love to hate. Unfortunately, a slower-than-ever Tensor processor and $100 price increase make this harder to recommend than I'd like, and a flaky new fingerprint sensor means finding the right screen protector is harder than it should be.

I started out this review by saying that I’ve been reviewing and using Google’s own phones for many, many years. I’ve used just about every Pixel and Nexus device minus the Nexus One, Nexus S and OG Pixel. And nearly a week after picking up these phones from Made by Google, it’s still hard to put them down.