Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB Unlocked (Porcelain) by Onestop Digital
Take pro-level photos and videos with the triple camera system and make expert edits. And it's engineered by Google, so it gets the best of Google's AI first. 1 Gemini mobile app is available for selected devices, languages and countries. Internet connection required. Check responses for accuracy.
Take pro-level photos and videos with the triple camera system and make expert edits. And it's engineered by Google, so it gets the best of Google's AI first. 1 Gemini mobile app is available for selected devices, languages and countries. Internet connection required. Check responses for accuracy.
Take pro-level photos and videos with the triple camera system and make expert edits. And it's engineered by Google, so it gets the best of Google's AI first. 1 Gemini mobile app is available for selected devices, languages and countries. Internet connection required. Check responses for accuracy.
Take pro-level photos and videos with the triple camera system and make expert edits. And it's engineered by Google, so it gets the best of Google's AI first. 1 Gemini mobile app is available for selected devices, languages and countries. Internet connection required. Check responses for accuracy.
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The lowest price for Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB Unlocked (Porcelain) by Onestop Digital right now is $779.00 at MightyApe.com.au, compared across 17 retailers.
The all-time low was $42.00 on 18 Feb 2026 — today's price is 1755% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 8 June 2026.
Last updated at 08/06/2026 17:44:06
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB White - Good Refurbished
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB Porcelain As New - Refurbished
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 5G 256GB (16GB RAM) Porcelain International Model
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB White [~Refurbished: Good]
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB White [~Refurbished: Excellent]
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Refurbished 256GB / White / Very Good - 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee
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originally posted on vzw.com
This phone is absolutely incredible. I have gone through multiple generations of Samsung and Pixel phones recently. This phone blows them all out of the water. The camera system is superb. It got the 2nd highest Camera score in the world by the reputable in-depth camera reviewer DXOMark. The videos are superb, but with Videoboost, it blows all other cameras out of the water. I tested this against a Samsung S24 Ultra and my mom's Iphone 15 Pro Max, and the video with videoboost, at night and day, is far superior. It gets rid of all graininess or jitter, even when going up to 20x zoom, with incredible sharpness. DXOMark also stated that the Pixel 9 Pro XL would have gotten their highest video score compared to any other phone if they scored it based on the videoboost ... MoreThis phone is absolutely incredible. I have gone through multiple generations of Samsung and Pixel phones recently. This phone blows them all out of the water. The camera system is superb. It got the 2nd highest Camera score in the world by the reputable in-depth camera reviewer DXOMark. The videos are superb, but with Videoboost, it blows all other cameras out of the water. I tested this against a Samsung S24 Ultra and my mom's Iphone 15 Pro Max, and the video with videoboost, at night and day, is far superior. It gets rid of all graininess or jitter, even when going up to 20x zoom, with incredible sharpness. DXOMark also stated that the Pixel 9 Pro XL would have gotten their highest video score compared to any other phone if they scored it based on the videoboost scores. Remarkable, considering Iphones have long been the king in this department.Outside of the cameras, this is the nicest feeling/designed phone i have ever felt. It's super attractive, and makes me happy just holding it.Screen is super bright (brighter than any other phone at 3000 nits). I also charged it from 0% to 66% with the Google 45W charger, so the charging is plenty fast. The first time I charged it, it was a bit slower, but it is super fast now (apparently other Reddit users noticed this as well).Super Res Zoom plus Zoom enhance after the photo is taken makes this take incredibly sharp photos at super high zoom levels. I found it to be significantly sharper than Samsung S24 Ultra at 30x + zoom levels.Selfie cam is fantastic, and I like that you can use it at a .7x wide angle too, that captures way more field of vision, with the sharper 42mp front camera.Also, the battery life lasts well over a day for me, and the cellular connection/modem is dramatically better. I have super fast 5g connection that is 3x faster than the other 5g phone i had previously. I tested this phone on some games, including Wuthering Waves at maximum graphics settings, and it played the game without issue, and without overheating. I know the benchmarks dont compare to snapdragon or Apple chips, but Google must have done some serious optimization and design magic to make this Tensor G4 chip perform favorably against those other chips. Overall, I couldn't be happier with this phone, and I am super excited with the direction Google is taking! If I were choosing between the S24 Ultra or 15 Pro Max, I would pick this phone every time.
originally posted on johnlewis.com
Having had this phone a couple of weeks I am really enjoying using it.Super simple set up enables you to mirror your old phone straight to this device by just sitting them side by side - set up and working in approx 2 minutes and ready to go!The device itself is sleek and stylish. It's been slimmed down from the older version of the fold and now feels so much more like an average phone with a larger sized screen than the old passport size and so much thinner.This newer version also feels a lot nicer and solider when folding and unfolding.Screen quality is amazing and noticeably so when you are outside in sunny conditions, however screen still gets those annoying fingerprints - although less so than the older version.As a phone this does everything you need and ... MoreHaving had this phone a couple of weeks I am really enjoying using it.Super simple set up enables you to mirror your old phone straight to this device by just sitting them side by side - set up and working in approx 2 minutes and ready to go!The device itself is sleek and stylish. It's been slimmed down from the older version of the fold and now feels so much more like an average phone with a larger sized screen than the old passport size and so much thinner.This newer version also feels a lot nicer and solider when folding and unfolding.Screen quality is amazing and noticeably so when you are outside in sunny conditions, however screen still gets those annoying fingerprints - although less so than the older version.As a phone this does everything you need and is really easy and enjoyable to use, fingerprint and face unlock making everything quicker and smoother.Unfolded this phone opens up a world of opportunities for people who need more of a tablet effect, from multi screen/tab functionality to streaming and watching movies the 8 inch screen makes everything easier to see.The camera is great and has some brilliant features which only google provide.My only downsize is the hefty price tag, if you have the skills to use this phone to its full potential then I would say it's 100% worth the money, if it's just the functionality of a phone with the novelty of the flip function then maybe the Google pixel 9 with the higher quality camera may be a more suitable option.
originally posted on bestbuy.com
... where to start?*TLDR*Summary: Be sure you want this device, but by no means trade in your S24 Ultra for it! I made that mistake and it cost me an additional $300 to get my beloved S24 Ultra back (albeit a NEW one at that) - Best Buy couldn't cancel my trade-in and thus I was stuck with the Pixel, the Pixel has its own niche and I respect that, but Google needs to step up their processor/chip game up and fast, it cannot hang with the big boys just yet... Cameras are amazing though or at least to me they areOverview:I was very excited to get my hands on this, more than anything because of the redesign and the re-introduction of the "XL" model. Excitement ended about half a day of owning this device...The "offers" trade-in promo credits, coupons used and ... More... where to start?*TLDR*Summary: Be sure you want this device, but by no means trade in your S24 Ultra for it! I made that mistake and it cost me an additional $300 to get my beloved S24 Ultra back (albeit a NEW one at that) - Best Buy couldn't cancel my trade-in and thus I was stuck with the Pixel, the Pixel has its own niche and I respect that, but Google needs to step up their processor/chip game up and fast, it cannot hang with the big boys just yet... Cameras are amazing though or at least to me they areOverview:I was very excited to get my hands on this, more than anything because of the redesign and the re-introduction of the "XL" model. Excitement ended about half a day of owning this device...The "offers" trade-in promo credits, coupons used and yes but gift card was very (I mean very) enticing, so as any irresponsible and impulsive buy(er) would suggest, I pulled the trigger on this - and man I was missing my S24 Ultra 4 hours in. Yes I know, that's what I get for not doing my research and due-diligence but it's a Pixel! and I was excitedIt's not a bad device, it's camera is superb, the smooth, fluid and snappy experience of stock Android is a treat, but the novelty dies down, and fast... it's processor does feel outdated and laggy with certain apps the Tensor G4 is an iterative update to the G3 and it's not necessarily an power user, monster chip to tackle multitasking and certain intensive demands - of course not everyone is a "power-user" and not everyone cares for a behemoth of a phone like the S24 Ultra and so this may not be of any help, or will it pertain to them but just an fyiI will give Google its flowers though, the design is nice, it smacks, it hits, it's the one for sure! The display boy! it looks vibrant, smooth, punchy, natural, and I don't know what other word to use lol, the hardware side of things seem on point for this years Pixel 9 Pro XL.I look forward to the Google's next Pixel Pro XL phone with a new, improved, and much more powerful processor at least that's what I hope for... until then I will go back to my twice bought S24 Ultra
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB White - Good Refurbished
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB White - Excellent Refurbished
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB Porcelain Excellent - Refurbished
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB White - As New Refurbished
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB Porcelain As New - Refurbished
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This phone is absolutely incredible. I have gone through multiple generations of Samsung and Pixel phones recently. This phone blows them all out of the water. The camera system is superb. It got the 2nd highest Camera score in the world by the reputable in-depth camera reviewer DXOMark. The videos are superb, but with Videoboost, it blows all other cameras out of the water. I tested this against a Samsung S24 Ultra and my mom's Iphone 15 Pro Max, and the video with videoboost, at night and day, is far superior. It gets rid of all graininess or jitter, even when going up to 20x zoom, with incredible sharpness. DXOMark also stated that the Pixel 9 Pro XL would have gotten their highest video score compared to any other phone if they scored it based on the videoboost ... MoreThis phone is absolutely incredible. I have gone through multiple generations of Samsung and Pixel phones recently. This phone blows them all out of the water. The camera system is superb. It got the 2nd highest Camera score in the world by the reputable in-depth camera reviewer DXOMark. The videos are superb, but with Videoboost, it blows all other cameras out of the water. I tested this against a Samsung S24 Ultra and my mom's Iphone 15 Pro Max, and the video with videoboost, at night and day, is far superior. It gets rid of all graininess or jitter, even when going up to 20x zoom, with incredible sharpness. DXOMark also stated that the Pixel 9 Pro XL would have gotten their highest video score compared to any other phone if they scored it based on the videoboost scores. Remarkable, considering Iphones have long been the king in this department.Outside of the cameras, this is the nicest feeling/designed phone i have ever felt. It's super attractive, and makes me happy just holding it.Screen is super bright (brighter than any other phone at 3000 nits). I also charged it from 0% to 66% with the Google 45W charger, so the charging is plenty fast. The first time I charged it, it was a bit slower, but it is super fast now (apparently other Reddit users noticed this as well).Super Res Zoom plus Zoom enhance after the photo is taken makes this take incredibly sharp photos at super high zoom levels. I found it to be significantly sharper than Samsung S24 Ultra at 30x + zoom levels.Selfie cam is fantastic, and I like that you can use it at a .7x wide angle too, that captures way more field of vision, with the sharper 42mp front camera.Also, the battery life lasts well over a day for me, and the cellular connection/modem is dramatically better. I have super fast 5g connection that is 3x faster than the other 5g phone i had previously. I tested this phone on some games, including Wuthering Waves at maximum graphics settings, and it played the game without issue, and without overheating. I know the benchmarks dont compare to snapdragon or Apple chips, but Google must have done some serious optimization and design magic to make this Tensor G4 chip perform favorably against those other chips. Overall, I couldn't be happier with this phone, and I am super excited with the direction Google is taking! If I were choosing between the S24 Ultra or 15 Pro Max, I would pick this phone every time.
Having had this phone a couple of weeks I am really enjoying using it.Super simple set up enables you to mirror your old phone straight to this device by just sitting them side by side - set up and working in approx 2 minutes and ready to go!The device itself is sleek and stylish. It's been slimmed down from the older version of the fold and now feels so much more like an average phone with a larger sized screen than the old passport size and so much thinner.This newer version also feels a lot nicer and solider when folding and unfolding.Screen quality is amazing and noticeably so when you are outside in sunny conditions, however screen still gets those annoying fingerprints - although less so than the older version.As a phone this does everything you need and ... MoreHaving had this phone a couple of weeks I am really enjoying using it.Super simple set up enables you to mirror your old phone straight to this device by just sitting them side by side - set up and working in approx 2 minutes and ready to go!The device itself is sleek and stylish. It's been slimmed down from the older version of the fold and now feels so much more like an average phone with a larger sized screen than the old passport size and so much thinner.This newer version also feels a lot nicer and solider when folding and unfolding.Screen quality is amazing and noticeably so when you are outside in sunny conditions, however screen still gets those annoying fingerprints - although less so than the older version.As a phone this does everything you need and is really easy and enjoyable to use, fingerprint and face unlock making everything quicker and smoother.Unfolded this phone opens up a world of opportunities for people who need more of a tablet effect, from multi screen/tab functionality to streaming and watching movies the 8 inch screen makes everything easier to see.The camera is great and has some brilliant features which only google provide.My only downsize is the hefty price tag, if you have the skills to use this phone to its full potential then I would say it's 100% worth the money, if it's just the functionality of a phone with the novelty of the flip function then maybe the Google pixel 9 with the higher quality camera may be a more suitable option.
... where to start?*TLDR*Summary: Be sure you want this device, but by no means trade in your S24 Ultra for it! I made that mistake and it cost me an additional $300 to get my beloved S24 Ultra back (albeit a NEW one at that) - Best Buy couldn't cancel my trade-in and thus I was stuck with the Pixel, the Pixel has its own niche and I respect that, but Google needs to step up their processor/chip game up and fast, it cannot hang with the big boys just yet... Cameras are amazing though or at least to me they areOverview:I was very excited to get my hands on this, more than anything because of the redesign and the re-introduction of the "XL" model. Excitement ended about half a day of owning this device...The "offers" trade-in promo credits, coupons used and ... More... where to start?*TLDR*Summary: Be sure you want this device, but by no means trade in your S24 Ultra for it! I made that mistake and it cost me an additional $300 to get my beloved S24 Ultra back (albeit a NEW one at that) - Best Buy couldn't cancel my trade-in and thus I was stuck with the Pixel, the Pixel has its own niche and I respect that, but Google needs to step up their processor/chip game up and fast, it cannot hang with the big boys just yet... Cameras are amazing though or at least to me they areOverview:I was very excited to get my hands on this, more than anything because of the redesign and the re-introduction of the "XL" model. Excitement ended about half a day of owning this device...The "offers" trade-in promo credits, coupons used and yes but gift card was very (I mean very) enticing, so as any irresponsible and impulsive buy(er) would suggest, I pulled the trigger on this - and man I was missing my S24 Ultra 4 hours in. Yes I know, that's what I get for not doing my research and due-diligence but it's a Pixel! and I was excitedIt's not a bad device, it's camera is superb, the smooth, fluid and snappy experience of stock Android is a treat, but the novelty dies down, and fast... it's processor does feel outdated and laggy with certain apps the Tensor G4 is an iterative update to the G3 and it's not necessarily an power user, monster chip to tackle multitasking and certain intensive demands - of course not everyone is a "power-user" and not everyone cares for a behemoth of a phone like the S24 Ultra and so this may not be of any help, or will it pertain to them but just an fyiI will give Google its flowers though, the design is nice, it smacks, it hits, it's the one for sure! The display boy! it looks vibrant, smooth, punchy, natural, and I don't know what other word to use lol, the hardware side of things seem on point for this years Pixel 9 Pro XL.I look forward to the Google's next Pixel Pro XL phone with a new, improved, and much more powerful processor at least that's what I hope for... until then I will go back to my twice bought S24 Ultra
First off, this Pixel XL Pro phone is quite big and a little on the heavy side - by far the biggest phone I have ever owned while still managing to be an attractive phone. The camera bulge is also quite large but not so obviously so once inside a case.Kudos to Google for making the setup process to copy from an old phone to the new one as simple, thorough, and complete as is even possible: every app and it's configuration along with every data file and document were copied and properly configured. Amazing!The screen displays everything clearly, sharply, and properly colored even in bright sunlight. The camera system takes gorgeous, detailed, colorful pictures - easily besting my wife's iPhone 14 picture of a red tailed hawk perched on the roof of a neighbor's ... MoreFirst off, this Pixel XL Pro phone is quite big and a little on the heavy side - by far the biggest phone I have ever owned while still managing to be an attractive phone. The camera bulge is also quite large but not so obviously so once inside a case.Kudos to Google for making the setup process to copy from an old phone to the new one as simple, thorough, and complete as is even possible: every app and it's configuration along with every data file and document were copied and properly configured. Amazing!The screen displays everything clearly, sharply, and properly colored even in bright sunlight. The camera system takes gorgeous, detailed, colorful pictures - easily besting my wife's iPhone 14 picture of a red tailed hawk perched on the roof of a neighbor's house. Although I don't plan on using the builtin speakers for listening to music very often, it did sound pretty good when I tested it - it also can get rather loud.This Pixel 9 XL Pro is plenty fast - much faster than the Pixel 6a it is replacing. Apps load and run quickly. Software updates also download and install quickly (more quickly using Wi-Fi, 😀). This phone has plenty of storage and memory. I wish I could rant and rave about the AI aspect of the phone but my use of it has been minimal as I am not a big fan of that technology.Phone calls sound clear. Cellular connections are very good except in areas where no one else gets a signal either.To sum it up, this is by far the best Pixel phone that I have owned as well as the best phone overall that I have ever owned. Highly recommended
This pixel nine Pro is quite responsive has an excellent modem, has a screen better than the iPhone and photography better than iPhone. The pixel is also less expensive and has more consistent updates. There are several additional features are unavailable on iPhone, which in my experience are quite superior. It has long lasting battery life as well. The form factor is excellent in the phone is significantly lighter than the larger iPhone. The screen is excellent and higher resolution. The photo processing features are superior. Android has incredible flexibility in user experience and several add-ons are now present. The Gemini is surprisingly useful in multiple applications and there are excellent guides to help you make these features useful. The privacy concerns ... MoreThis pixel nine Pro is quite responsive has an excellent modem, has a screen better than the iPhone and photography better than iPhone. The pixel is also less expensive and has more consistent updates. There are several additional features are unavailable on iPhone, which in my experience are quite superior. It has long lasting battery life as well. The form factor is excellent in the phone is significantly lighter than the larger iPhone. The screen is excellent and higher resolution. The photo processing features are superior. Android has incredible flexibility in user experience and several add-ons are now present. The Gemini is surprisingly useful in multiple applications and there are excellent guides to help you make these features useful. The privacy concerns when using Google environment have been mitigated. The privacy dashboard is quite specific and much more simple than was seen previously. You are not forced to use the keyboard, or Google Chrome. The AI features even improves things like the weather app, allows image creation in pixel studio, significantly improves, photo editing, and photocomposition and has an interesting summarize your call feature which automatically takes notes after announcing it presence. Other actual useful additions include screenshot application and several Google applications, which are now superior to their iPhone counterparts.
I was very excited to get the brand new Google Pixel 9 Pro XL but after a little while using it the excitement has definitely worn off.ACTIVATION:The beginning was very rocky! With my cellular carrier Verizon's assistance activation was smooth, quick and simple, and that is where "smooth & simple" ended.REMOTE DATA TRANSFER:The wireless porting over the eSim in order to transfer my pictures, documents, contacts, apps, and texts did not work more than 20%, basically just my contacts were able to be ported over from my old phone (Samsung) along with just a few texts and a couple of pictures. Verizon said it was the Pixel's fault and I would have to bring the two cell phones into one of their stores in order for them to do the transfer in person on their machine ... MoreI was very excited to get the brand new Google Pixel 9 Pro XL but after a little while using it the excitement has definitely worn off.ACTIVATION:The beginning was very rocky! With my cellular carrier Verizon's assistance activation was smooth, quick and simple, and that is where "smooth & simple" ended.REMOTE DATA TRANSFER:The wireless porting over the eSim in order to transfer my pictures, documents, contacts, apps, and texts did not work more than 20%, basically just my contacts were able to be ported over from my old phone (Samsung) along with just a few texts and a couple of pictures. Verizon said it was the Pixel's fault and I would have to bring the two cell phones into one of their stores in order for them to do the transfer in person on their machine designed for this purpose.IN-STORE DATA TRANSFER:So I went into a Verizon store the next day and still the transfer was only approximately 80%. The nice people at the store tried multiple times and consulted with other techs at other stores.So I did end up getting all of my contacts and apps.LOST DATA:But I lost a few pictures, and over 50% of my texts, some of those texts were extremely important for my job. Again Verizon blamed the Pixel. Obviously I would of never made the decision to switch cell phones had I known I would lose important information in the process. The people at the Verizon store felt so bad for me that they gave me a free screen protector (installed) and fee protective case for the Pixel 9 Pro XL phone even though I did not purchase the phone from them.PHONE SERVICES:As an actual cellular telephone the Pixel 9 Pro XL works great. The sound quality in what I hear on both the phone and on speaker is very good and everyone I've spoken to hears me just fine with good quality. Reception is as good as it has ever been, with being able to make and receive calls at home, at work, in steel & concrete buildings, in elevators, in remote outdoor settings, and in the car.AUTOMOBILE SYNCING:Syncing the Pixel 9 Pro XL to the car was super simply and quick. Once set up, there is no lag in the car whatsoever, and that i8ncludes texts as well.EMAIL SET UP:Email set up worked perfectly.MUSIC SOUND QUALITY:Music and video sound quality is excellent, although the volume is not loud enough sometimes.VIDEO VIEWING QUALITY:The picture quality while watching videos and movies is beyond excellent, it is literally perfect. Super realistic. Makes you think you're there. This included watching car racing, which my old phone always had a slight problem with but that this new Google Pixel 9 Pro XK phone handles great.VIDEO & AUDIO RECORDING QUALITY:Likewise the quality of recording video and sound is near perfect with the one exception of unexpected light crossing paths across the plane of view caused a brief white out for a half a second.BATTERY LIFE:When I first got it battery life the first couple of days was terrible, especially for such a physically big phone. Disappointing that approximately halfway through my day it required charging. Charing is quick on this phone. But then I set it on super battery saver mode and as well turned off the sound for a lot of the notifications and as well set a sleep mode between certain hours that turns off almost everything and then the battery life proved to being about half full at the end of the day when putting it on the charger at night before going to sleep.HORRIBLE PICTURE RETRIEVAL:Picture retrieval if difficult, frustrating and time consuming. Unlike other Android cell phones, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has NO PICTURE GALLERY. The photos and videos taken by you and received by you are not stored in the phone, but rather on Google's cloud some where that for the time being is free but of course as in all things, eventually they will try and charge you for. And the structure of that cloud storage is horrendous, separating pictures in unfamiliar ways rather than just in the order that you have taken them, hence trying t find one is a frustrating and time consuming chore. Imagine your Boss waiting while you scroll though a menagerie of pictures trying to find the correct and important time sensitive one he is waiting to see. How embarrassing!NEVER AGAIN.INFURIATINGLY NO BACK BUTTON:Unlike all of my other Android cell phones over the years, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has no back button, so to go back to something you have to close out that particular window, reopen it and then work your way back up to the point wherever you left off. This is a time wasting and just frustrating lack of proper feature of this phone and this problem in and of itself if the situation persists, would cause me to never get a Google Pixel cell phone ever again. In fact it is so infuriating that it perhaps will drive me to go get a different phone within a short period of time.TERRIBLE TEXTING:Again, Google has gone there own way in diverting from other Android cell phones and their texting format is so different than what users of other Android cell phone are used to that it creates a frustrating and time consuming atmosphere. Their format is 'animation like', child like; with the as aforementioned no back button, very different cult to utilize quickly.IN SUMMARY:Although a great phone as a phone and for taking pictures and videos and watching videos, for the no back button, agitating texting format, stressful and time consuming picture retrieval, and my experience at losing a large portion of important date in the old phone to new phone transfer, I would not recommend the Google 9 Pro XL to family of friends.
The 9 Pro XL is a quality-built product. Its frame is made from aluminum, and both the front and back sides are covered in Gorilla Glass Victus2. The look is elegant, with a matte finish on the back that contrasts nicely with the shiny frame. It is quite comfortable in the hand and feels good no matter how you hold it. In the normal position, the weight is distributed slightly towards the phone's bottom half.On the right edge of the phone are a volume rocker and a power button, which have a good feel. A down-firing speaker, one in the earpiece for media use, USB-C (v3.2) port, and a SIM card tray are located along the bottom edge. There is no Memory card slot.For security, there is an under-display fingerprint sensor. Located in the lower half of the screen it ... MoreThe 9 Pro XL is a quality-built product. Its frame is made from aluminum, and both the front and back sides are covered in Gorilla Glass Victus2. The look is elegant, with a matte finish on the back that contrasts nicely with the shiny frame. It is quite comfortable in the hand and feels good no matter how you hold it. In the normal position, the weight is distributed slightly towards the phone's bottom half.On the right edge of the phone are a volume rocker and a power button, which have a good feel. A down-firing speaker, one in the earpiece for media use, USB-C (v3.2) port, and a SIM card tray are located along the bottom edge. There is no Memory card slot.For security, there is an under-display fingerprint sensor. Located in the lower half of the screen it is highly responsive to fingerprint input. The Facial Unlock feature was quite impressive, consistently recognizing my face with and without glasses.The 9 Pro XL has Google's Tensor G4 processor and Titan M2 security chip (which is used to secure sensitive data like biometrics). Google says the Tensor G4 speeds up web browsing by 20% and app launches by 17%. The processor allows the 9 Pro XL to run Gemini Nano for tasks like transcribing and translating languages without an internet connection.Add me – this camera feature allows you to add yourself to a group photo. You take the first picture and then have someone in the photo take a picture of you where you stand next to everyone in the first picture, and then the phone combines the two images. This feature works well; the camera walks you through the process of taking the two photos and does a decent job combining them. We found out that you have to have people in the photo for this to work. I tried to use it on a group of stuffed animals, and it did not work at all.Auto frame in Editor – this feature works well, though you have to understand the logic of their icons to get started. The cropping tool is useful; it has 6 standard settings and one where you choose how to crop the image. You also have an auto crop/rotation option to let the phone AI decide the best cropping. There is also a rotation option where you can rotate the image as you crop it, which works by determining the degree of rotation. There is a skewing crop option, but it does not seem to add much to your photo editing.Reimagine – this feature has its plusses and minuses. Once you have the photo and you hit edit, it is not clear how you need to start adding AI portions to your photo. There is a button with no label on the bottom to the left you have to hit. This brings up your image with the instructions to circle, brush, or tap to select. This is how you define the area to create an AI effect. The sensitivity of the selection tool is broad, but you can refine it with an add/subtract option. You can then erase the area or reimagine it by typing in instructions of what you want to see. Some things it cannot generate (monkeys, pigs), but others it can. It does not always come up with the object you asked for (for example, I asked for a tank bumper, which gave me the back end of several SUVs, but I never got a tank in 15 tries). I have used other online AI-generating software that works better.Panorama—This feature works really well. You take a couple of photos, and the camera directs you to add images, which are then stitched together in one well-composed image.Zoom enhance—This is an excellent feature that the camera has—it will do up to 5x zoom, and the quality of the image at the max is excellent. This works on new and existing photos as long as the image has a high resolution. The only drawback is that it does not work in portrait mode when taking a new photo—you only have the option to increase by 2x. It also has a super-res Zoom video up to 20X.Regular camera features – there are several settings you can use to take photos. Under the photo option, you can use a long exposure, action pan, set the brightness level, shadow, white balance, manual focus, shutter speed, and iso. The camera has improved how it deals with shadows, darker skin tones, and night shots. It does not always portray colors accurately, sometimes over-filtering the yellows. These can be adjusted through postproduction by the camera filtering system. The images under these conditions look great. The blur correction worked well. Low-light photography remains excellent. In a nearly pitch-black room, the Pixel renders colors that aren't visible to the eye, though they are on the splotchy side.Other features of the phone:Gemini Live—here, you can either type or speak a question, and the phone searches the Internet for answers. I asked it to tell me how to make a painting, what an arteriovenous malformation is, and what restaurants are near me now. It came up with logical answers to my questions and gave me a list of nearby restaurants. But without a data connection, many Gemini features don’t work.You are given access to the Gemini One AI premium plan for a year which includes Gemini Live, but after that, it will cost you $19.99 per month, a high price for added storage, the Geeminy assistant, and the weak AI features. At this stage the AI is not as robust as say the AI on Windows 11 for Arm Processors.Keep Notes—This is a simple program to keep notes, though it is a little buggy. I tried to increase the font size, and it was not easy to find how to do this, and it would not remember to keep the font at a larger size. On the fun side, the program lets you add emojis, animated gifs, a library of stickers, and even emojis.Pixel Screenshots – this program organizes your screenshots so you can put them in categories and search for them easily. It works nicely and is relatively easy to use. They do not explain how to take a screenshot on your phone, and I had to look it up on the internet. To do this, you press the power button and the down volume button at the same time.Weather—By clicking on the temperature on the home screen, the phone opens a detailed page with the current weather, hourly forecast, 10-day forecast, wind, humidity, UV index, pressure, sunrise and sunset, and hourly details for rain, wind, and humidity.The phone is enjoyable to use. The apps download easily from the Play Store, but any apps I have from Amazon are clumsy since they don’t install directly on the phone but only through an Amazon Apps installer, meaning it takes several steps to start using them. I have an app that was purchased through Amazon 13 years ago that Amazon says is compatible with the phone, but it does not show up in the list of apps I see on the Amazon Apps installer on the phone. The Updated Play Store (on all Android phones Now) is organized differently as it does not open to a window with a search bar – you have to locate that button at the bottom of the screen. The way they give you notice of a new activity is very muted; there is a little peach-colored circle that appears at the upper right corner of the icon for the app. In the messaging program, this same circle is sometimes challenging to see when determining your new messages. One nice thing about the messaging app is that it shows who sent the last message to each of your contacts. It's easy to see if someone replied to your previous message. I like how the phone asks if the last call you received was spam and gives you the option to mark it that way in your database.Size and comfort—The phone is the same size as my last phone. It is quite comfortable in my hands and easy to use for texting and other typing activities (even with my wife's short, stumpy fingers). The weight is slightly heavier than my last phone, but this is not a detrimental quality. The layout of the apps works like all other Android phones, though I had to look up how to access all the icons for the apps since they varied from my last phone.The display is advertised as being 30% brighter than other phones. The Pixel’s bright screen proved helpful when I was framing shots on a sunny day; the display was evident and responsive. The phone's images are extremely clear, colorful, and sharp. I experienced smooth scrolling and responsive animations, and the display automatically adjusts to save battery life when high refresh rates aren't needed.The phone's screens use Gorilla Glass, which is wonderful. I have always added a screen protector to my phone to prevent scratches, and this will not be necessary with this phone. The screens are smooth, and fingertip mobility is quick on this surface.Charging and battery life: The battery life is about 30 hours per charge. Using the power brick charger made for the phone, a 45W USB-C, it takes less than an hour to charge the phone to 50%. This does not come with the phone but is an optional accessory.One interesting feature that I like is the SOS on Satellite (Satellite SOS program). You can message emergency services and share your location when you can’t connect to a mobile or WiFi Network. There is a Demo so you can try this out without really calling emergency services. It is easy to use, and the instructions on connecting to the satellite. During a real emergency, a message will be sent to Garmin Response, the service handling the Satellite SOS program. lt is too bad this is only free for two years. The exact cost after that has not yet been released.Overall, I like the Phone with its strong construction, good looks, beautiful screen, fast processor, and multiple camera features, despite several inadequacies: the paywall options with teaser pricing, the sketchy AI at this stage, No Micro SD Slot, no included 45W superfast charging brick, only the USB-C cord is included. Limited Storage, with the hope that you will buy more from the cloud like so many other devices, which are going to this type of plan.
Out of the box, the new design is very sleek and premium-looking. The obsidian color just looks so classy. The rectangular smooth shape makes it easy to hold and feels great in the hand, albeit a bit slippery. The power/multifunction and volume rocker buttons are in a good place and are clicky and responsive. The camera bump is huge, but it does not look bad at all and works well to stabilize the phone when holding it and minimizes wobble on the table. I appreciate the IP68 rating as I hike and camp quite often, so rain and dust will not be a problem.The display is quite reflective, so I am glad that the screen has up to 3000 nits brightness and that helps greatly in sunny conditions. The 120hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations buttery smooth. The bezels ... MoreOut of the box, the new design is very sleek and premium-looking. The obsidian color just looks so classy. The rectangular smooth shape makes it easy to hold and feels great in the hand, albeit a bit slippery. The power/multifunction and volume rocker buttons are in a good place and are clicky and responsive. The camera bump is huge, but it does not look bad at all and works well to stabilize the phone when holding it and minimizes wobble on the table. I appreciate the IP68 rating as I hike and camp quite often, so rain and dust will not be a problem.The display is quite reflective, so I am glad that the screen has up to 3000 nits brightness and that helps greatly in sunny conditions. The 120hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations buttery smooth. The bezels are noticeable, but do not distract from the beautiful “Super Actua“ 6.8in. 1344 x 2992, 486 PPI screen.For security access, there’s the usual PIN, a very capable face recognition option, and lighting fast ultrasonic fingerprint sign-in. The haptic feedback feels natural and responsive.Thankfully, the battery lasts for a whole day, at least 18 hours with regular use. The phone is quick-charge compatible using a 45-watt charger, which sadly is not included. It is also Qi wireless charger compatible as any other phone nowadays. Sadly, it does not support Qi2 wireless or mag safe.This phone features the new Tensor G4 chip, which is very capable. I have not noticed any hiccups in performance on any app, or when playing demanding games. It does not get too hot during heavy use. The 16GB memory should make the experience better, especially when using AI features. It is Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.3 compatible.Speaking of AI, today’s buzz tech, the Pixel 9 Pro is jam-packed full of features. Front and center, is the Gemini app. I’ve been using more and more AI and Gemini does well when asking questions, condensate and summarize text, design logos, get writing ideas, make lists, and general learning. The pixel Screenshots recalls any screenshot with just a few description words. The Call Notes app makes call transcripts, which is great when you want to remember what someone said. The Pixel Studio is quite fun when trying to make AI-generated pictures, or photoshop pictures you have taken. The circle-to-search works very well. If there is a nitpick, is that it takes some time to figure out the technology, and some features may seem gimmicky and not something I’d use every day.The Gemini Live, which is included for a year (paid Gemini Advanced subscription afterwards) is something to behold. It can keep up a conversation asking questions, making interruptions, asking for clarification, and even changing the subject. It is very fluid and a bit eerie. There are other AI related upgrades when getting Gemini Advanced, such as 2TB cloud storage.The camera has become a focus in phones, more so than call quality. In this department, the Pixel 9 Pro provides a great experience. On default settings, the 50MP pictures are crisp and bright. They are a bit on the cool side, but vibrant. The lenses do a great job in wide angle, panorama, and an amazing 30X zooming. The video is crisp at 4K 30fps, and the stabilizer does a better job than expected. The AI makes taking pictures even better and more fun. There’s the auto-framing, magic eraser, magic editor, zoom enhance (which is sci-fi movie-like), video boost (8K up-res in the cloud), and the Add Me feature, which allows for inserting someone into the frame by combining two pictures. It is great with some slight AI fragmentation and can be tricky to set up. Selfies are much better now with the 42MP front camera with autofocus. The Magic Editor helps enhance the pictures even further.There are other quality of life improvements such as a robust screen app/widget optimization, decent notifications, news, great weather app, and Satellite eSOS support when there is no cell signal for emergencies.In the end, I am quite impressed with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Typically, upgrading a phone feels simply like getting the next one, but this time around, it definitely feels like a noticeable upgrade. I will certainly recommend checking it out if you are in the market for a new phone.
Google has stepped up their game with the Pixel 9 XL Pro. The phone sports a 6.8" display that is very bright (3000 nits) which makes it easy to see even in bright sunlight. It's lighter than my previous phone, but still has a solid case and strong feel to it. The battery lasts me a little over 24 hours. Fast charging helps as I do have to charge this more often than my previous phone. Google stepped it up also with the cameras on the phone. There are 3 rear facing cameras (50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP telephoto) and one front facing camera (42MP). The photos from the cameras are very good and high resolution. The microphone array works very well. They pick up my voice when I hold the phone at arms length so with recorded video, I can hear my voice whether ... MoreGoogle has stepped up their game with the Pixel 9 XL Pro. The phone sports a 6.8" display that is very bright (3000 nits) which makes it easy to see even in bright sunlight. It's lighter than my previous phone, but still has a solid case and strong feel to it. The battery lasts me a little over 24 hours. Fast charging helps as I do have to charge this more often than my previous phone. Google stepped it up also with the cameras on the phone. There are 3 rear facing cameras (50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP telephoto) and one front facing camera (42MP). The photos from the cameras are very good and high resolution. The microphone array works very well. They pick up my voice when I hold the phone at arms length so with recorded video, I can hear my voice whether I'm holding the phone close to me or not. People I've talked to on phone calls are hearing me clearly when I'm holding the phone close to me and also when I have it on speaker phone with the phone in front of me sitting on a desk.BatteryI can run a little more than a day on a charge unless I'm using the phone more than I typically would. Typical use though is about a day. I changed to this phone from a different manufacturer's phone. My previous phone would hold a charge for a few days so the shorter battery life of the Pixel 9 is something that I'm having to get used to. The Pixel 9 supports fast charging and I don't have to have it plugged in for long to get the charge back up to 70% or higher. I think it will just be a little time of getting used to plugging it in each day for around half an hour to one hour.CamerasThe array of cameras on the Pixel 9 is crazy. Three cameras on the rear of the phone that range between 48MP to 50MP. I'm really liking the results from each of them. They produce high quality high resolution photos. Also the video produced from them is great. You can record video up to 60 frames per second in FHD and 4K. You also get the option for 8K30p. I did notice that when you record video in 4K or use the 8K option, the phone does heat up some, but I never had a problem where it heated up to the point that I felt it was too hot. Also with the 8K option it will require the Video Boost option. I recorded video using 8K30p option and noticed that right after the video ended, the resulting video was a little higher resolution than 4K DCI, but once it was boosted, the resolution was 8K. As far as photos go, they look amazing from each camera. Google has added many photo options to the Pixel 9. The Add Me feature is a brilliant idea. I'll be using the Auto Frame option even more in the future. The Magic Editor is fun to play with. I also like that I can blur out the background of a photo without it causing a problem with me being in the foreground. That helped me when I took some photos of myself downtown and didn't want faces of the people around me to be distracting. I was able to blur everything in the photo except me.ProcessorsThe Pixel 9 sports the Tensor G4. This processor is fast and can be seen while using the phone by just how responsive everything is. Apps launched fast for me and general use such as app switching was incredibly fast for me. It also has the Gemini Nano. It helps with local processing of language models as well as some of the processing involving video and photo features. Applying changes to photos was fast and given that I was applying changes to 50MP photos on a phone, I was impressed with the speed at which changes were applied. The Gemini Nano also helps with natural language processing. I was able to see the benefit of this when I was converting my speech to text. I have done this in the past with my Android tablet, but it is always slow and gets a lot of the conversions from speech to text wrong which causes me to have to manually edit the documents. I was able to convert my speech to text for a multi-page document and only had to make one correction compared to doing the same thing with my Android tablet which had me making so many corrections that it almost isn't worth the hassle doing it on my tablet.AIGoogle had AI in mind when making the Pixel 9. It has the processor, the Gemini Nano, that is needed to make altering of photos, converting speech to text, reading text to you, and much more fast and easy. A big plus is that you can use Gemini as your personal assistant. It's was able to better understand my voice and was much more accurate than the personal assistant that I used on my previous phone. It's much better for me and removes the headaches I had with my previous phone. Having the ability to use local language models is a big help to me as I hike in National Forests and I often find that I don't have cell phone service, but I can still use speech to text to take my notes and it works well.eSOSGoogle has added a feature called eSOS which will appeal to many that are active. It will use satellites to send information to emergency personnel if you are needing help. I like the peace of mind that I will have when out hiking in places where I don't have cell service. Google, at least at the launch of the Pixel 9, is offering 2 years of this service at no charge which will allow users to take advantage of the feature and decide later if they want to keep it or not. I think many will be like me and have some piece of mind knowing that it will get a message out to first responders if something happens.Final ThoughtsI really like the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It's incredibly fast and responsive, has so many photo and video features to count, and is more than capable when it comes to AI. The only things I would say are negatives would be the battery life and the placement of the volume and power buttons. I find that I, more often than not, press the volume up when I'm intending to press the power button. I'll get used to that in time, but hopefully Google will change the placement of the volume button to the opposite side of the phone in future models. Google has done an amazing job with the Pixel 9. I hope Google continues down this path going forward.
When Google released the Pixel 8a, they set a high bar for themselves as to future releases. With the Pixel 9 Pro XL (XL) , they easily jumped the bar and moved into a new era! The price took a jump also, but there is a lot more under the hood with the XL! You get what you pay for (in a good way), and it’s still price competitive with other prime brands.An overview of what makes the XL great includes:*Performance: The Google Tensor G4 chip provides 16GB of RAM.*Storage: A choice of 128GB or 256GB.*Battery Power: The battery affords over 24 hours of usage and fast recharging. From a low charge condition, the battery can be fully ready in roughly an hour.*Connectivity: This is the latest offerings of 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and 5.3 Bluetooth.* Build: The phone is built to ... MoreWhen Google released the Pixel 8a, they set a high bar for themselves as to future releases. With the Pixel 9 Pro XL (XL) , they easily jumped the bar and moved into a new era! The price took a jump also, but there is a lot more under the hood with the XL! You get what you pay for (in a good way), and it’s still price competitive with other prime brands.An overview of what makes the XL great includes:*Performance: The Google Tensor G4 chip provides 16GB of RAM.*Storage: A choice of 128GB or 256GB.*Battery Power: The battery affords over 24 hours of usage and fast recharging. From a low charge condition, the battery can be fully ready in roughly an hour.*Connectivity: This is the latest offerings of 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and 5.3 Bluetooth.* Build: The phone is built to survive scratches, splashed water, and drops. The glass on front and back is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. This is especially important, if you are a phone dropper, as I am. Being built to last, the XL also comes with 7 years of OS and security updates.*Enhanced security protection: Create a password protected safe place on the phone for personal documents, pictures, apps, etc. Whether you loan your phone to someone, or it gets stolen, your personal stuff is unavailable. Also, if the XL suspects unwanted activity, it will automatically shut down. In addition, you can lock the phone remotely, if it is lost or stolen.*An amazing camera: The camera in the Pixel 8a is great; however, the XL takes phone photography to a “knocked out of the park” level. The primary lens is 50 MP. While it is brag worthy, it is accompanied by a 48MP ultrawide lens for macro closeups. But wait, there’s more. If you are into selfies, autofocus will help with sharper pictures. Night Sight assists in making vivid photos and videos in low light and near dark situations. Magic Editor assists in cropping, expanding the image, moving objects around, reframing, and more. Plus, you can “reimagine” by adding things to the picture for an entirely new look.So, what is it that powers the “magic” operational and photographic enhancements of the XL? The short answer is “Gemini,” your built-in AI friend. Gemini’s participation with the camera is what creates and assists with those great photography options. Gemini can also assist in many other areas: writing, learning, helping with directions, and using other Google services. Press and hold the power button and Gemini will be ready to help you. The XL comes with one year of the One AI Premium plan for free. The Premium Plan includes Gemini Advanced and 2T of storage. Per Google, this free for a year benefit has a value of $239.88. If you continue the plan after the free year, the fee is currently $19.99/month.The Pixel 9 Pro XL is an excellent phone/camera! With all its AI and non-AI features, it’s a little more than just transferring your information from another phone and all set to go. For most folks, there is a learning curve. Navigation can be a bit of a challenge in the beginning. An example is when more than one screen is needed to be open to perform a task. Out of the box, the home screen lacks an easily available “go back” icon that helps the user move back and forth among the screens in use. Pressing in various areas on the lower corners, I was able to back up. That was a one off, because I had to search for the spot every time. Exacerbating the matter is a very prominent visible icon that essentially abuts the “hot” spot. This was very frustrating! So, I Googled it, where I found clear resolution information. Moments later, my XL had navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen, right where it is found on thousands of mobile phones. Why would such a fantastic phone that appears to be everything one might want in mobile communication (and camera) not have this as a default, with it not being there as the option? Following this tip will save you time and aggravation.The Google 8a merits a 5-star rating, because it is a great phone/camera! For the XL, I would award it at least 6 stars if the choice were there. It is great, and I would, without a doubt, recommend it to a friend.
