Google Pixel 9

Google announced Pixel 9 on 13 August 2024 at $799, beside the $999 Pixel 9 Pro and the $1,099 Pixel 9 Pro XL, and it reached US stores on 22 August 2024. That was the first year Google sold its Pro in two sizes, 6.3 and 6.8 inches. Pixel 9 was the 6.3-inch phone without a telephoto, and that’s still the main thing to weigh.

Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro

Spec	Pixel 9	Pixel 9 Pro
Chip	Tensor G4	Tensor G4
RAM	12GB	16GB
Rear cameras	50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide	Adds a 5x telephoto
Super Res Zoom	Up to 8x	Up to 30x
Display	Actua, 2,700 nits peak	Super Actua, 3,000 nits peak
US launch price	$799	$999
In US stores	22 August 2024	4 September 2024

Both run Tensor G4, so the Pro’s extra money went on the telephoto, more memory and a brighter screen. If you wouldn’t use the telephoto, Pixel 9 gives you most of the Pro for less. Pixel 9 Pro has the full details.

What Google has changed since

Pixel 10 brought magnetic Pixelsnap Qi2 charging and Tensor G5, and its US models went eSIM only. Google’s current compact phone is Pixel 11. None of that stops a Pixel 9 from doing its job, but it’s why a secondhand one should cost well under its launch price.

Cameras

The 50MP main camera pairs an ƒ/1.68 lens and an 82° field of view with a 1/1.31-inch sensor. The 48MP ultrawide (ƒ/1.7, 123°) has autofocus, so it doubles as the macro camera. There’s no telephoto: Super Res Zoom stretches to 8x, and Google counts 0.5x, 1x and 2x as optical quality.

The 10.5MP selfie camera has autofocus and a 95° view. The rear camera records 4K or 1080p at 24, 30 or 60 fps with 10-bit HDR and up to 7x digital zoom, the front one records 4K at 30 or 60 fps, and slow motion goes up to 240 fps.

Screen

The 6.3-inch Actua OLED shows 1080 × 2424 pixels at 422 ppi and refreshes at 60 to 120 Hz. Google rates it at 1,800 nits for HDR and 2,700 nits at peak, with contrast above 2,000,000:1, under Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Pixel 9 Pro’s Super Actua panel reaches 3,000 nits, a gap you’d notice mostly in direct sun.

Battery and charging

Battery	Pixel 9
Capacity	4,700mAh typical, 4,558mAh minimum
Rated life	24+ hours; up to 100 hours with Extreme Battery Saver
Wired	Up to 55% in about 30 minutes with Google’s 45W USB-C charger
Wireless	Qi-certified fast wireless charging; Battery Share

Wireless charging works on any Qi-certified pad, though without magnets to hold the phone in place. Battery Share is built in too.

Updates: two years down, five to go

Pixel 9 launched with Android 14 and Google’s promise of 7 years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates. Counting from its August 2024 release, about five of those years are still ahead, so even a secondhand Pixel 9 has most of its supported life left.

Size, build and connections

At 152.8 × 72.0 × 8.5 mm and 198 grams (6.0 × 2.8 × 0.3 inches and 7.0 ounces), Pixel 9 has a satin metal frame, a polished Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back and IP68 dust and water resistance. The housing is 100% recycled aluminum, and the colors were Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen and Peony.

It has Wi-Fi 7 on 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz (models sold in India have Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC and USB-C 3.2, and it takes a nano-SIM plus an eSIM. You unlock it with your fingerprint or face.

Price

Pixel 9 started at $799 in the US, with 128 or 256GB of storage depending on region. Google no longer sells it as its current compact phone, so you’re buying used or refurbished, where condition and seller set the price. Weigh any offer against a used Pixel 9 Pro and a new Pixel 11 before you buy.