This is the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, the successor to the Google Pixel 8 Pro, which was the largest member of the 8 series. There’s a smaller Pro this year, too, but that’s due out in September. So, let’s unbox it.
This year’s Pixels come in a recycled paper box with a sleeve. There’s a USB-C cable in the box and that’s it.
We also have the official Pixel 9 case for €40, which comes in six colours. It fits the phone perfectly, especially around the camera bar. It’s not too obtrusive from the front. It’s a soft silicone, but it doesn’t twist out of your pocket when you take the phone off, like some cheap ones do.
The Official Pixel 9 Pro XL Case
Google went with a flat theme for the Pixel 9 phones – a flat glass front and back, and flat sides. The frame is polished metal, which picks up fingerprints in no time but looks chic and premium.
We have the Porcelain Pixel 9 Pro XL, which has a light mud white color.
Here you can see the Pixel 9 Pro XL next to the regular Pixel 9. This is also the size difference between the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the new, smaller Pixel 9 Pro, as it has the exact same dimensions as the vanilla 9.
But despite how they look in photos, neither phone feels particularly small. And at just 2g shy of the Pixel 9’s 200g and the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s 221g, neither phone feels light. They both feel solid and well-made, but not feathery!
Google Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9 Pro XL
The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a faster Tensor G4 chipset and now comes with a whopping 16GB of RAM. It also has a slightly larger display (0.1”). Its camera system looks very similar to that of last year’s Pixel 8 Pro, but the ultra-wide camera has a noticeably brighter lens, and the selfie camera sounds like a big upgrade at 42MP.