Pixel 9 Professional XL hands-on: I zoomed in on strangers 5,280 ft away and noticed the colour of their garments

I acquired an opportunity to mess around with the Pixel 9 Professional XL, and man, it appears like we now have to utterly overhaul our understanding of the brand new Pixel household. Initially, Google now not has a dual-phone technique. It is a triple-phone deal now — nicely, 4 should you embody the brand new Pixel 9 Professional Fold, too.

You’ve got acquired the Pixel 9 Professional XL on the prime, the Pixel 9 as your entry-level choice, and the Pixel 9 Professional smack-dab within the center.

It is as if Google is saying, “Hey, we want to be in the big leagues now with Samsung and Apple,” which, by the way in which, even have at the very least three telephones of their flagship strains. The Pixel 9 collection additionally acquired a value hike. The beginning value is now $799, up from $699, one other sign that Google desires to compete with the large canine.

With the last-generation Pixel 8 collection, based mostly on optics, a typical shopper will see that there is only a small telephone and a giant telephone — they usually’ll select accordingly.

Now, with the brand new Pixel 9 collection, the typical Joe will doubtless suppose, “Hm, I see two smaller phones and a giant third option.”

Admittedly, it is a sensible technique from Google, as this visible lineup will goad many shoppers to go for most placing, salient telephone: the Pixel 9 Professional XL. (And up to date market developments, like Apple dropping the mini variant from the iPhone line, point out that patrons gravitate towards bigger telephones.)

Now that you just perceive the brand new lay of the land for Google Pixel telephones, let’s dive into my first impressions of the Pixel 9 Professional XL, and by extension, the Pixel 9 Professional since their function set is wildly comparable (save for his or her shows and battery capacities).

Pixel 9 Professional XL hands-on evaluate

Can we discuss in regards to the unbelievable new Tremendous Res Zoom? Featured on the Pixel 9 Professional XL, it could actually zero in on topics as much as 30x, up from 20x on the Pixel 8 Professional. I examined it inside a constructing in Decrease Manhattan that’s a couple of mile, or 5,280 ft away, from The Edge (the tallest statement deck in all the Western Hemisphere).

From a window inside a constructing close to Pier 57, I might see The Edge from a distance. I used the Pixel 9 Professional XL to zoom in on The Edge, and all of the sudden, tiny figures got here into view on the viewfinder.

This is The Edge at 5x zoom (that is the max the Pixel 9 Professional XL can attain on the telephoto’s optical zoom earlier than digital zoom kicks in):

The Edge at 10x zoom:

And at last, The Edge at 30x zoom:

I zoomed in so shut, I might make out the colour of some guests’ lighter-colored shirts. Hell, I might even rely how many individuals have been standing on the deck if I had sufficient endurance.

That is the telephone you buy should you attend a whole lot of concert events and also you wish to see your favourite artist from the nosebleed seats. I used to be blown away.

However wait ’til you hear this. Not solely has Tremendous Res Zoom gotten an enchancment on digicam, however it’s additionally coming to video, too. Plus, you possibly can improve your movies as much as 8K with a brand new function known as Video Enhance. Google additionally says the Evening Sight Video function is best than ever, so you possibly can take higher captures in low mild.

Mashable Mild Velocity

Each the Pixel 9 Professional XL and the Pixel 9 Professional have the identical digicam system:

In comparison with the Pixel 8 Professional, the Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL’s selfie digicam jumped to 42MP from 10.5MP. I took selfies with each the Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL, however we weren’t capable of safe them to point out our readers.

However I will say, in comparison with the iPhone 15 Professional Max, I do not appear to be an ogre resulting from post-processing tweaks ( you, Apple.) Plus, the selfie digicam digicam now has autofocus.

New design that tweaks the digicam bar

The Google Pixel collection is thought for its signature edge-to-edge digicam bar. (I’ve at all times joked that the Google Pixel collection appears like Star Trek’s Geordi La Forge — or Roger Federer with a sweatband).

Now, Google reworked the function from a bar to an island.

Additionally, not like the Pixel 8 collection, the brand new Google Pixel 9 collection’ digicam bar is shade matched with the chassis. Though the Pixel 9 Professional XL is designed to be the most important of the trio, it did not really feel unwieldy in my hand. But it surely undoubtedly will not slot in your pockets in the event that they’re of the smaller, tighter selection. Plus, I used to be impressed with the telephone’s silky matte glass end, which did not gather any grease nor fingerprints.

The Pixel 9 Professional XL, in addition to the Pixel 9 Professional, is available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, and Rose Quartz. I most well-liked all the colours however Porcelain just because, all resulting from my very own fault, I by accident smudged a little bit of my very own make-up on it after touching my face. As such, I simply know I might desire a shade that hides stains higher. Nevertheless, the Pixel 9 Professional XL is very simple to scrub, regardless of which shade you get.

Beautiful show

This is the place the Pixel 9 Professional XL differs from the Pixel 9 Professional. It packs a 6.8-inch, 1344 x 2992 show whereas the Pixel 9 Professional has a 6.3-inch, 1280 x 2856 panel. Curiously, the Pixel 9 Professional is smaller than the Pixel 8 Professional, which is 6.7 inches.

It nonetheless has that enticing hole-punch design, and regardless of standing in a brightly lit room with daylight pouring in, the display was nonetheless punchy, clear, and well-illuminated. It is because the Pixel 9 Professional XL (and Pixel 9 Professional) has a peak brightness of as much as 3,000 nits in comparison with the Pixel 8 Professional’s 2,400 nits.

Battery life

The rule of thumb is {that a} bigger battery capability ought to result in extra battery life. If the Pixel 9 Professional XL follows that rule, it ought to outpace the Pixel 9 Professional with its 5,060 mAh battery capability in comparison with its smaller Professional sibling’s 4,700 mAh battery.

Each telephones are rated for over 24 hours of battery life and as much as 100 hours of battery life with Excessive Battery Saver.

Thoughts-blowing AI

Due to the brand new Google tensor G4 chip, the Pixel 9 Professional XL, in addition to the opposite Pixel 9 telephones, have arguably the perfect set of AI options I’ve ever seen on a telephone.

For instance, with the brand new Add Me function, you possibly can take an image of a bunch of associates, have somebody take an image of your self, and AI will merge that photograph collectively as should you have been within the unique photograph:

There’s additionally a brand new AI function known as Reimagine, which lets you choose an object in a photograph, and with a immediate, you possibly can rework it into something you need.

For extra AI options coming to the Google Pixel 9 collection, take a look at our checklist on the cool new perks coming to the lineup.

Ultimate ideas

As I hinted on the outset, the brand new Pixel 9 Professional XL is designed to get folks to seize the priciest choice since shoppers are inclined to gravitate in direction of both probably the most premium choice or the entry-level mannequin. Now, the Pixel 9 Professional is the center little one, making it much less enticing to shoppers.

Final 12 months, the Pixel 8 Professional, the perfect Pixel telephone you can get, set you again $1,000. Now, the perfect Pixel telephone you will get, the Pixel 9 Professional XL, units you again $1,100.

Once more, it is a sensible technique on Google’s half. Personally, I might gravitate towards the Pixel 9 Professional XL myself as a result of I at all times need the best-of-the-best. Plus, lengthy battery runtime is necessary to me, so I might go for the system with the best capability.

General, this 12 months’s Pixel 9 collection proves that Google is critical about competing towards the foremost gamers within the cellular trade — and this daring transfer will problem Samsung and Apple’s dominance like by no means earlier than.