Pixel 9 vs Pixel 9 Pro: Smaller, smarter, similar (video)

There’s a divergence in the Made by Google smartphone series. We have two small phones that are identical in size and shape, but offer different power outputs. Here’s how the Pixel 9 compares to the Pixel 9 Pro.

Even before you see the tape’s story, the $100 increase across the board is hard to swallow. The Pixel 10 has also been making the rounds with people saying they hope to see even bigger improvements with the SoC moving from Samsung Foundry to TSMC. If you’re one of those people, avoid the Pixel 9 series altogether.

Despite that sentiment, Google’s smartphones have almost always been more than the sum of their parts; the Pixel 9 is no exception. If you have a passing interest, is the extra cost worth it? Here’s what you need to know.

Material

While there are differences, the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro have the exact same footprint. They are the same size, shape, width, and height, and weigh just 1g. They both feature a 6.3-inch “Super Actua” OLED display, use the same processor, have the same battery, and have very similar internals.

Dig a little deeper and you’ll see why one of them is labeled “Pro.” The Pixel 9 Pro has a brighter, higher-resolution display, an extra 4GB of RAM, and two more storage variants. The 9 Pro’s LTPO display can also drop the refresh rate down to 1Hz to help save battery life, but it even has smaller uniform bezels that are noticeable when viewed from the front. Google did a good job of making the bezels the same width on all sides for a uniform look.

While the internals are nearly identical, the RAM overhead means the Pixel 9 might be a bit slower than the Pixel 9 Pro for some memory-intensive tasks. We didn’t notice anything where the difference was pronounced, but AI tasks will have an edge over the 9 Pro now and in the future. The in-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is faster, simpler, and more reliable than the optical scanner in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8.

The Pixel 9 has the edge when it comes to available colour variants. There’s no parity in the brighter hues used on the cheaper phone, with the Peony offering a flashy, vibrant colourway to stand out from the crowd. The Pixel 9 Pro range is more muted and subdued, but the matte glass finish might be more appealing – if you can stomach the glossy side rails.

As noted above, just 1g separates the 198g and 199g duo, respectively. IP68 water and dust resistance ratings are also present, so taking a bath should be no risk.

Software

You get virtually identical software on the Google Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, with the exception of some camera features that we’ll talk about shortly. The Google AI suite is fully supported with any Pixel 9 device this year. This includes Pixel Studio for creating and editing your favorite images using Imagen2. Pixel Screenshots intelligently analyzes all screenshots on the device to help provide context and extract key information where necessary.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the entire Pixel 9 series is the lack of Android 15. These phones shipped with Android 14 pre-installed. Google has confirmed that 7 years of updates are coming, but it’s unclear whether Android 15 will be classified as a “free” OS upgrade, but the official support pages state that in August 2031, the lineup will be classified as “deprecated.”

Even with last year’s update, the Pixel 9 series comes with a number of exclusive features like Pixel Screenshots to organize your images on the device, Pixel Studio that lets you create images using AI prompts, or even Reimagine. This goes beyond the Magic Editor feature with prompts that let you make edits or add content to your images on the device. Unfortunately, the Satellite SOS feature is limited to the US at the moment. It lets you send text messages to emergency services when you’re not connected to the network.

The day-to-day experience is identical on this duo and, for what it’s worth, very similar to the Pixel 8 series.

Battery

As with many elements of this comparison, the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro share the same battery capacities at 4,700mAh. That’s a decent cell size for a 6.3-inch phone. In our experience, you’ll have enough capacity to handle a lot of things each day.

The only difference is the charging speed. Google advertises 45W charging, but in reality it’s limited to lower charging rates closer to 27W in wired mode. You can hit 70% in just 30 minutes with the Pixel 9 Pro or 55% on the Pixel 9 using a USB-C cable. Wireless charging speeds with the second-gen Pixel Stand are also slightly different and lower than the specified 30W.

Camera

The big difference between the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro’s cameras is the addition of a much-needed extra lens and a significant upgrade to the selfie camera. If you want up to 30x zoom, there’s only one device to choose.

Aside from that lens, the rear camera quality is on par, as the Pixel 9 sports a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens. You can also zoom up to 8x with the main lens, which produces acceptable photos and videos.

It’s not just the hardware differences. The Pixel 9 Pro has more camera features, including a dedicated Pro mode for photos, 8K 30fps video with the help of Video Boost, Super Res Zoom Video up to 20x, and Zoom Enhance via the Google Photos app. Add Me is available on both phones and, in practice, is excellent.

The Pixel 9 also has a 10.5MP selfie camera that’s a lot lower resolution than the 9 Pro’s 42MP. You can see the difference side-by-side, but if you’re not a big selfie taker, it won’t matter. Face Unlock works as usual: fast and reliable.

If you choose the base model this year, you’ll miss out on Google’s cutting-edge camera features, so we advise you to choose wisely.

Pixel 9 vs 9 Pro: Which One to Choose?

About the upgrade: 9to5Google often gives specific product recommendations. Sometimes we may suggest not to Upgrade, for various reasons including but not limited to: increased cost of the device, negligible performance gains, or environmental impact. The decision to upgrade is always yours, but our goal is to help you make as informed a decision as possible.

Google’s decision to make the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro the exact same size and shape is both a blessing and a curse, because while the regular Pixel 9 is a great entry into the lineup this year, you’re so close to getting the full package for a little extra cash. It has a gorgeous display and a solid dual-camera system, and while it’s a bit more expensive than its predecessors, it does have some notable improvements.

There are plenty of reasons to choose the Pixel 9 Pro over the Pixel 9, but it all comes down to the telephoto camera and the improved features it adds. If you want the best of the Pixel in a smaller package, this is the obvious choice. For $200 more, you don’t miss out on any of the good stuff, the main selling points. It’s a no-brainer because, for the first time, you can have your cake and eat it too.