Testing the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL: AI-Powered Efficiency at Its Finest – Uplaza

Costs & Availability

The Google Pixel 9 Professional XL has been accessible since August 21, 2024. It is available in 4 reminiscence configurations:

• 1 TB — $1,549
• 512 GB — $1,319
• 256 GB — $1,199
• 128 GB — $1,099

By way of technical specs, it is equivalent to the Google Pixel 9 Professional. It is merely the display screen dimension that is greater, at 6.8-inch as an alternative of 6.3-inch. You could find out extra by taking a look at our comparability of all Google Pixel 9 Collection.

Design & Show

The Google Pixel 9 Professional XL appears to be like rather a lot like an iPhone, however in a great way. The end may be very clear and the grip very nice. The 120 Hz Oled display screen is vibrant and colorimetrically calibrated.

Execs:

• Glorious end.
• IP68 licensed, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on display screen and again.
• Nice grip.
• Vibrant display screen.
• Picture module does not make the smartphone wobbly when set down.

Cons:

• Huge kind issue, not appreciated by all.
• Selfie digicam takes up an excessive amount of display screen house.

The Google Pixel 9 Professional XL is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the entrance and rear. The body is steel, with straight edges and rounded corners. The smartphone is IP68-certified for water and dirt resistance. It weighs 221 g.

Briefly, the smartphone is resolutely premium. Visually, I discover it similar to the iPhone 15 Professional Max (overview). Its important distinguishing characteristic is its massive, dragonfly-shaped photograph module. The latter has the benefit of not making the smartphone wobbly when laid flat. I actually just like the matte glass again. The graceful steel edges are very smooth. The Pixel 9 Professional XL feels nice within the hand, regardless of its weight and imposing format.

The display screen of the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL is a 6.8-inch OLED panel with a decision of 1344 × 2992 pixels. The display screen is flat and has a variable refresh charge between 1 and 120 Hz (LTPO). Most brightness is 3000 nits at peak and 2800 nits in HBM (excessive brightness) mode.

I discovered the Pixel 9 Professional XL’s display screen to be very vibrant, with no visibility points throughout my photograph take a look at in full daylight. Nonetheless, I nonetheless discover the good thing about a variable refresh charge restricted by way of fluidity, because it usually stays at 30 FPS anyway. The colours have been well-saturated with out being overdone within the ‘adaptive’ shade mode. On the draw back, the selfie digicam punch-hole is, for my part, too massive and intrusive.

Interface & OS

Google is launching its Pixel 9 Professional XL, not with the brand new model of Android, however with Android 14. The smartphone will obtain seven years of updates. And it additionally inaugurates a variety of AI options in addition to Gemini Dwell, its conversational chatbot.

Execs:

• 7 Android updates + 7 safety updates.
• Gemini Dwell conversations are extra pure.
• Gemini Nano extra highly effective with extensions.

Cons:

• Gemini Dwell’s enchantment restricted for my part.

We’re nonetheless on Android 14, so there aren’t any main visible adjustments to the interface. And several other new AI options are blocked in Europe at launch. These are Pixel Studio and Pixel Screenshots. It is a disgrace. Google may have made them accessible in English solely, earlier than updating them later. So I will not point out them on this overview.

However let’s discuss Gemini Dwell, the conversational AI, and the few AI capabilities which are really accessible. A few of them are very good.

Gemini Dwell

Gemini Dwell is a conversational chatbot. Within the Gemini app, you may press a button to launch a “natural” dialogue with the AI assistant. As a substitute of merely giving it textual content or voice prompts, the concept is to speak to Gemini like a standard individual. You may even interrupt Gemini to redirect the dialogue, change the topic or make clear your query on the fly.

I believe it really works fairly properly. But it surely’s a disgrace that Gemini Dwell cannot work together with any of your apps. Except for brainstorming concepts, the curiosity is proscribed for the second, for my part. However I will be devoting a devoted article to Gemini Dwell very quickly to inform you extra.

Extensions for Gemini Nano

Lastly, Gemini Nano (of which Gemini Dwell is part) can work together with a few of your apps. You may create reminders and to-do lists instantly through the Gemini software. You may create prompts from an electronic mail in Gmail. For the second, these extensions are restricted to Google purposes.

Gemini can even analyze the content material in your display screen. For instance, I took a photograph of things in my fridge and requested Gemini to counsel a recipe. Whereas watching a YouTube video concerning the 10 greatest locations to go to in Berlin, I requested Gemini to summarize it and counsel an itinerary for visiting all of the spots in two days.

Briefly, that is the entire level of those AI assistants for me. And it is cool that Google is the primary to take a concrete step on this course.

Add me and Magic Editor photograph capabilities

Add me

Add me is a Pixel 9 digicam perform. It makes it simpler to incorporate you in a bunch photograph. You and your pals wish to take a photograph collectively. You are taking a photograph of them with out being within the body. Likewise, you then cross the smartphone to one among your pals and place your self someplace within the body.

The smartphone will then mix the 2 images and generate a bunch photograph by which everyone seems to be coherently built-in. And it really works very well. Useful when you do not have a tripod, and also you’re too lazy to make use of a self-timer.

Magic Editor

That is an modifying perform within the Google Photographs software. You may change or add components of a photograph in your gallery. Merely choose the realm to be modified and sort a immediate. The smartphone will then “reimagine” the photograph, making an attempt to retain a sure naturalness.

This perform is just not very superior. The modifications made by the prompts are fairly generic. Nonetheless, if you wish to make the grass in a photograph look prettier by including extra flowers, you may. Google explains that it is primarily designed to vary the feel or materials of a scene aspect. You may as well use it so as to add components from scratch, like an animal that wasn’t within the authentic shot. It is enjoyable for a couple of minutes, however not far more.

Efficiency & SoC

The Google Pixel 9 Professional XL options the “new” Tensor G4 SoC with its Titan M2 chip.

Execs:

• Secure efficiency.
• No overheating was felt.
• Gaming at 60 FPS or extra doable.

Cons:

• Considerably much less highly effective than the competitors (benchmarks).

The Google Tensor G4 is a 4 nm octa-core SoC with the next structure: one Cortex X4 clocked at 3.1 GHz, three Cortex A720 clocked at 2.6 GHz and 4 Cortex A520 clocked at 1.92 GHz. The variety of cores has been decreased from 9 to eight, in contrast with the Tensor G3. And the modem has additionally been upgraded, from the problematic Exynos 5300 to the Exynos 5400. All these adjustments are presupposed to make the Pixel 9 Professional XL extra environment friendly, much less power-hungry, however no extra highly effective.

And it exhibits within the graphics benchmarks. The Pixel 9 Professional XL is overtaken in nearly each respect by its Android rivals, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely (overview) and the Xiaomi 14 Extremely (overview). However what it sacrifices in uncooked efficiency, the Pixel 9 Professional XL makes up for in wonderful stability.

In precise use, I did not endure from any lack of energy. I ran Breakout Enviornment with the graphics set to most, in addition to the fps charge. And I used to be working at between 115 and 120 FPS fairly constantly. Nor did the smartphone overheat throughout my 30-minute take a look at session, and the identical goes for multitasking and AI capabilities, particularly with Gemini Dwell. I discovered that the Pixel 9 Professional XL dealt with every part easily and responsively.

Picture & Video High quality

The Pixel 9 Professional XL encompasses a triple digicam module on the again, with a devoted telephoto lens. The sensors are roughly the identical as on final yr’s Pixel 8 Professional. The 42 MP selfie digicam is a pleasant novelty. All in all, the Pixel 9 Professional XL’s photograph high quality satisfied me. And this photograph module proved to be fairly versatile.

Execs:

• Stunning zoom high quality.
• Glorious stage of element total.
• Superb dynamic vary basically.
• Efficient portrait mode.

Cons:

• Disappointing night time images (my fault?).

Important lens high quality and ultra-wide angle

Decision and sensor dimension are unchanged from the Pixel 8 Professional (take a look at). Logically, photograph high quality is nearly as good as ever on the Pixel 9 Professional XL. The extent of element is all the time there, and images by no means lack sharpness. Dynamic vary administration may be very efficient, even with complicated exposures when, like me, a layman takes images towards the sunshine.

Colorimetry is much less pure than with an iPhone, however extra so than with a Samsung. Above all, the ultra-wide-angle lens has a wider aperture on the Pixel 9 Professional XL. It subsequently captures extra mild and extra element. This limits shade and dynamic vary inconsistencies in comparison with the principle lens.

Zoom high quality

The Pixel 9 Professional XL’s telephoto lens is able to a x5 optical zoom. There are additionally two digital zoom ranges: x10 and x30. I used to be pleasantly shocked by the standard of the zoom. Even at x10 and x30, I discovered the lack of element acceptable. All my zoomed pictures appeared usable.

High quality of selfies and portrait mode

The selfie digicam is new. It presents the next decision of 42 MP, in contrast with 10.5 MP on the Pixel 8 Professional. It does not easy out the pores and skin an excessive amount of, as is usually the case with opponents. The extent of element is excellent, and the nighttime high quality additionally satisfied me. I appreciated the portrait mode, even when I discovered the cropping a little bit too messy at occasions. The 103° discipline of view makes group selfies a lot simpler, as all my imaginary mates match within the body.

Night time high quality

That is the half that disillusioned me essentially the most. I am not a photographer. I do not know find out how to compose a photograph. So it might be that the outcomes are as a consequence of my photographic nullity. However my pictures all suffered from artifacts. Lighting mirrored within the sky, excessive digital noise, lense-flare results that cracked the picture. I left every part on computerized, and did not pressure NightSight night time mode.

As for video, the Pixel 9 Professional XL can document in 8K at 30 FPS with the principle lens, in 4K at 60 FPS with the ultra-wide-angle lens, in 1080p at 60 FPS with the telephoto lens and in 4K at 60 FPS with the selfie lens.

Battery & Recharging

The Google Pixel 9 Professional XL encompasses a 5060 mAh battery. The smartphone accepts each 37W wired and wi-fi charging. The battery lifetime of the Pixel 9 Professional XL proved to be very stable.

Execs:

• Superb battery life
• Accepted wi-fi charging

Cons:

• Recharging nonetheless too sluggish
• No charger included

In our battery life benchmark, the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL lasted 15h39 earlier than dropping beneath 20% battery. It is a excellent rating, in step with the excessive common of the flagships examined by nextpit.

In sensible use, you may simply final a day and a half with out having to plug the smartphone into the mains. That is fairly spectacular, given the very vibrant display screen and the host of AI capabilities working on the smartphone.

As for recharging, Google does certainly promote a 45W charger for the Pixel 9 Professional XL. However the smartphone solely accepts a most of 37 W. In response to Google, and with the official charger, you may go from 0 to 70% battery in half-hour. As this charger is just not provided, I used my Ugreen Nexode 140 W. It took me 1h20 to go from 0 to 100%. And in half-hour, I used to be all the way down to 57% battery.

The smartphone additionally accepts wi-fi charging in 12 W with a Qi charger and in 23 W with the official Google charger, additionally bought individually.

Technical information

Conclusion