Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: Should You Buy in 10 Points

Shimul Sood

The Pixel 9 series’ new design language is a real showstopper. I got my hands on the Obsidian colourway, and the back panel has this interesting finish, not quite matte, not quite glossy, but undeniably premium.

Design

It’s excellent for video watching, but it doesn’t support Dolby Vision. On the bright side, it does offer Widevine L1 and HDR10 support, which is definitely a plus. 

Display

Daily usage was smooth sailing—I didn’t run into any issues, and everything worked as expected with no lags. During gaming, this phone reached 120fps on Medium and Ultra settings in Call of Duty: Mobile.

Performance

The user interface is impressively clean, devoid of bloatware and pesky spam notifications. Apart from that its all about the AI, and features like Add Me, Pixel Screenshots, Pixel Studio, and others, function exceptionally well.

UI

Google is famous for its top-tier camera quality, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL doesn’t fall short. I’m impressed by how wide the field of view is, and it manages to keep the edges free of noise. Colours, contrast, dynamic range—it’s all on point.

Camera

With light to moderate usage, I could easily get through a full day before reaching for the charger. And yes, switching on the Battery Saver Mode stretched that time even further.

Battery

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is more like a new sibling in the Pixel 9 family. It’s got the premium look down—sleek design, a slick camera module, and the selfie performance is nothing short of impressive.

Verdict

- Attractive design - Useful AI features - Clean UI, 7 years of Android support - Extraordinary selfie camera - Reliable battery life - Good for everyday functionality

What is Good?

- Gets toasty under heavy load - No dolby vision and dolby atmos support - Pricey - Better options for performance-based smartphones

What is Bad?

- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra - Vivo X100 Pro - Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Alternatives