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

There is a divergence in the Made by Google smartphone lineup. 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’ve seen the tape’s story, the $100 premium across the board is hard to swallow. The Pixel 10 is also all the rage, and people are saying they hope to see even bigger improvements with the SoC switch from Samsung Foundry to TSMC. If you’re one of those people, skip the Pixel 9 series.

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

Hardware

Although there are differences, the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro have exactly the same footprint. They are the same size, shape, width and height and weigh just 1g. Both come with 6.3-inch “Super Actua” OLED screens, use the same processor, have the same battery and very similar core internals.

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

While the internal components are nearly identical, the Pixel 9 might be a bit slower than the Pixel 9 Pro at certain memory-intensive tasks due to the additional RAM overhead. We haven’t noticed anything yet where the difference is clearly pronounced, but AI tasks will give the 9 Pro the edge now and in the future. The ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner is faster, simpler, and more reliable than the optical scanner on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8.

One area where the Pixel 9 has the edge is in the color variants available. The cheaper handset’s brighter hues aren’t on par, with the Peony offering a striking, vibrant colorway to stand out from the crowd. The Pixel 9 Pro range is more muted and subdued, but the matte glass finish could be more appealing – if you can stomach glossy side rails.

As mentioned above, the difference between the two models is only 1g, at 198g and 199g respectively. It also has an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, so submerging it in water should not pose any risk.

software

You get virtually identical software on the Google Pixel 9 and 9 Pro—apart from a few camera features, which we’ll talk about shortly. The Google AI suite is fully present on every Pixel 9 device this year. This includes Pixel Studio for creating and editing your favorite images with Imagen2. Pixel Screenshots intelligently analyzes all screenshots on the device to provide context and pull in important information when needed.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the entire Pixel 9 series is the lack of Android 15. These phones came with Android 14 pre-installed. Google has confirmed that 7 years of updates will be coming, but it’s not clear if Android 15 will be classified as a “free” operating system upgrade, but the official support pages state that the lineup will be “deprecated” in August 2031.

Even with last year’s update, the Pixel 9 series comes with a number of exclusive features like Pixel Screenshots for organizing your images on the device, Pixel Studio which lets you create images using AI prompts, or even Reimagine. This goes beyond the Magic Editor feature and offers prompts to help you make edits or add content to your images on the device. Unfortunately, the Satellite SOS feature is currently limited to the US. This lets you send SMS messages to emergency services when you’re away from power.

The everyday 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 have the same battery capacity at 4,700mAh. That’s a decent cell size for a 6.3-inch phone, and in our experience, you’ll have enough in reserve to get through a lot of day-to-day use.

The only difference is the charging speed. Google claims a charging speed of 45W, but in reality the charging speed is around 27W with wired devices. You can get up to 70% with the Pixel 9 Pro in just 30 minutes, or up to 55% with the Pixel 9 if you use a USB-C cable. The wireless charging speeds with the second-generation Pixel Stand are also slightly different and lower than the stated 30W.

camera

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

Aside from this lens, the quality of the rear camera is on par, as the Pixel 9 has been upgraded to a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The main lens also lets you zoom in 8x, which produces acceptable stills 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 with up to 20x magnification, and Zoom Enhance via the Google Photos application. Add Me is available on both phones and is excellent in practice.

The Pixel 9 also has a 10.5MP selfie camera with a much lower resolution than the 9 Pro’s 42MP selfie camera. You can see the difference in a side-by-side comparison, but if you don’t take selfies that often, it won’t matter. Face Unlock works as always – fast and reliable.

If you opt for the base model this year, you’ll have to forego Google’s cutting-edge camera functionality, so we’d advise you to make your choice wisely.

Pixel 9 vs. 9 Pro: Which should I choose?

Upgrade information: 9to5Google often gives specific product recommendations. Sometimes we recommend not Upgrades may be necessary for a variety of reasons, including: higher equipment costs, negligible performance gains, or environmental impact. Whether you upgrade is always up to you, but our goal is to help you make the most informed decision possible.

Google’s decision to make the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro exactly the same size and shape is both a blessing and a curse, because while the regular Pixel 9 is a great entry into this year’s lineup, spending a little more money gets you almost the full package. It has a great display and a solid dual-camera system. While it’s a little more expensive than its predecessors, it has some notable improvements.

There are countless reasons to choose the Pixel 9 Pro over the Pixel 9, but it boils down to the telephoto zoom lens and the expanded feature set it offers. If you want the best of the Pixel in a smaller package, this is the obvious choice. For $200 more, you don’t have to sacrifice any of the good stuff – the main selling point. It’s a no-brainer because for the first time, you can have the best of both worlds.