To say the Pixel 9 Pro is Google’s best phone is too easy. The regular Pixel 9 includes two cameras, but the Pro variants offer brighter displays, additional RAM for performance, and three cameras. Importantly, none of the Pixel 9 Pro variants offer as much value as the original Pixel 9.
The standard Pixel 9 offers the same experience as the Pixel 9 Pro for $200 less, despite the Pros’ better panels and more RAM for AI. A dedicated 5x zoom camera costs $200 more. If you prioritize zoomed photos, the Pixel 9 Pro is a worthwhile purchase, listed as the “best camera” in this guide.
The standard Pixel 9 takes excellent images with its 50MP primary and 48MP ultrawide cameras, just like the Pro variants. Since it doesn’t have a zoom camera, the base Pixel 9’s digital zooming is quite good. As you zoom, images aren’t as sharp as on Pro versions, but I don’t think the improvements are worth $200.
The regular Pixel 9’s 10.5MP front camera may appear weak, but I saw no difference to the Pixel 9 Pro’s 42MP.
Both the regular Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro have the same Google Tensor G4 CPU, so apps open and function smoothly. All Pixel 9 phones use the default Gemini AI assistant. The Pixel 9 Pro variants have extra RAM to support Google’s Gemini Advanced AI, but I didn’t notice a difference in daily use except while testing the AI model.
Google’s Actua Display may reach 2700 nits on the Pixel 9. Even compared to the Pro versions’ 3000-nit Actua display, it’s bright in sunlight.
