Google Pixel 9 Pro Review - Redemption Time!?

Summary

The video script offers a detailed review of the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL, highlighting the phone's impressive build quality, software, and camera capabilities while addressing past issues like overheating and performance lag. The reviewer praises the new ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, improved AI features, and battery life, yet notes the phone's slower performance compared to competitors and the starting storage of only 128 GB as drawbacks. The script also features an introduction to the Anchor Prime charging station, setting a new standard for multi-device charging solutions.

Takeaways

• 📱 The Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL aim to address previous issues and prove their worth as potential favorite phones.
• 🎁 The packaging is minimalistic, with the phone, a cable, and a SIM ejector tool included.
• 📲 The new Pixel models feature the best build quality in the series, with a design and weight reminiscent of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
• 🔄 Google's redesign signals a continued commitment to the smartphone market, despite past concerns about project cancellations.
• 🔍 The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner offers a more reliable and three-dimensional recognition of fingerprints.
• 📶 The new modem in the Pixel 9 Pro XL shows promise in improving signal reception, especially during long trips.
• 🔋 Battery life is adequate but not exceptional, with the smaller Pro model offering 6.5 hours and the XL offering 7 hours of screen-on time.
• 🌡️ The phone appears to have overcome previous overheating issues, thanks to the inclusion of a vapor chamber.
• 🏎️ Despite improvements, the Pixel 9 Pro still lags behind competitors in terms of raw performance, with a slower chip and storage speed.
• 📸 The camera system, while improved, still has some limitations, such as laggy zooming and grainy camera previews, but introduces impressive AI features like 'Magic Eraser' and 'Video Boost'.

Q & A

What are some of the issues the reviewer had with previous Google Pixel phones?

The reviewer had several issues with previous Google Pixel phones, including build quality problems, overheating, signal issues, inconsistent camera performance, and slower performance compared to the competition.

How does the build quality of the Pixel 9 Pro compare to previous Pixel models?

The Pixel 9 Pro is described as the best-built Pixel phone ever. It feels solid, does not flex, has similar dimensions to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and features flat sides with a slight curve. The construction is more refined and robust compared to previous models.

What are some design improvements noted in the Pixel 9 Pro?

The Pixel 9 Pro features grippier sides, thinner and evenly sized screen bezels, and a more solid construction. The design looks and feels classier than previous Pixel models.

What are the benefits of the new ultrasonic fingerprint scanner in the Pixel 9 Pro?

The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner in the Pixel 9 Pro uses sound waves instead of light to map out the ridges of the user's fingers, providing a more reliable and secure fingerprint recognition compared to the optical scanners used in previous models.

How does the Pixel 9 Pro handle signal reception during travel?

During a 2.5-hour trip from Nottingham to London, the Pixel 9 Pro managed to maintain a stable connection, switching between 4G and 5G with only two brief periods of no signal, indicating improved modem performance.

What is the performance of the Pixel 9 Pro’s battery life?

The battery life of the Pixel 9 Pro is adequate, offering around 6.5 hours of screen-on time for the smaller model and 7 hours for the XL model. While it is less than some competitors like Samsung, it is sufficient for most users.

How does the Pixel 9 Pro perform in gaming compared to other phones?

Despite not being the fastest phone, the Pixel 9 Pro performs well in gaming. It handled demanding games like Zen Zone Zero at max settings for extended periods without major issues, apart from slightly warm side rails.

What AI features does the Pixel 9 Pro offer?

The Pixel 9 Pro offers several AI features, including the Gemini live assistant for natural conversation, the Magic Editor for photo adjustments, and video boost for enhancing video quality post-capture using cloud processing.

What are the camera specifications and improvements in the Pixel 9 Pro?

The Pixel 9 Pro retains similar camera hardware to the previous model with a 50 MP main sensor, 48 MP ultra-wide, and 48 MP telephoto lens. Improvements include better video quality, a new front camera with a 42 MP sensor for wider shots, and enhanced AI features for photo editing.

What are the main drawbacks of the Pixel 9 Pro according to the reviewer?

The main drawbacks of the Pixel 9 Pro include its slower performance compared to competitors, especially at a higher price point of $1,100, and some limitations in AI features and camera functions.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Pixel 9 Pro XL: A Promising Contender

The script discusses the complex relationship between the reviewer and Google Pixel phones, highlighting the phones' special yet problematic nature. The reviewer has experienced various issues with previous models, such as build quality, overheating, and performance problems. The new Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL are presented as having a lot to prove, but if they succeed, could become the reviewer's favorite phones. The packaging is minimalistic, but the phone itself is praised for its build quality and resemblance to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, suggesting a strategic move by Google to attract Apple users. The phone's design is considered classy and solid, with the best construction Google has ever achieved for a Pixel phone.

05:01

🔒 Improved Pixel Features and AI Capabilities

The reviewer notes the significant redesign and improved features of the Pixel 9 Pro, including an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner for better reliability and signal strength that seems to have resolved previous connectivity issues. The phone's performance is described as flawless, with smooth animations and no bugs, marking the most stable Pixel launch in history. The battery life is deemed sufficient, and the overheating issues appear to be under control with the inclusion of a vapor chamber. The phone's AI capabilities have been enhanced with the new Tensor G4 chip and 16 GB of RAM, resulting in faster AI tasks, although the phone's overall performance still lags behind competitors. The script also mentions the new AI features, such as 'ad me' for group shots, Pixel Studio for image generation, and the phone's assistant, Gemini, which is more AI-powered but has limitations.

10:03

📸 Camera and AI Enhancements in Pixel 9 Pro

The Pixel 9 Pro's camera setup is discussed, with the rear cameras having similar hardware to the previous model, resulting in good color reproduction and dynamic range but with some lingering issues from past models, such as laggy zooming and grainy camera previews. The new 42 MP front camera is praised for its wide-angle capabilities and video quality improvements. The AI feature 'video boost' is introduced, which uses Google's cloud processing to enhance video quality, although it requires significant cloud storage and data caution when using Wi-Fi hotspots. The script also talks about the 'Zoom enhance AI' feature that significantly improves long-range zoom shots, creating a debate on the authenticity of the details it invents.

15:03

🛒 Pixel 9 Pro: A Solid Choice with Caveats

The reviewer concludes that the Pixel 9 Pro is a good phone, addressing many of the past issues with improved cameras, performance, and AI capabilities, along with the benefits of Google's software and commitment to updates. The phone comes with desirable extras like a redesigned case. However, the downsides include the high price for the XL model with only 128 GB of storage and the phone's performance not being on par with competitors. The script ends with a mention of the new Anchor Prime charging station, which is praised for its versatility and power output, setting a new standard for charging solutions.

Keywords

💡Google Pixel 9 Pro

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is a flagship smartphone from Google, highlighted in the video for its improved design and features. It represents Google's attempt to compete with other high-end smartphones by addressing past issues and enhancing user experience. The video discusses its build quality, performance, and new features, positioning it as a potential favorite among tech enthusiasts.

💡Customizable Software

Customizable software refers to the ability of a device's operating system and applications to be tailored to the user's preferences. In the context of the video, the Google Pixel 9 Pro's software is praised for its animated, friendly, and customizable interface, which contributes to a personalized and enhanced user experience.

💡Build Quality Issues

Build quality issues pertain to problems with the physical construction and materials of a device. The video script mentions past Google Pixel phones having build quality issues, which the Pixel 9 Pro aims to resolve by offering a more solid construction, drawing comparisons to the robustness of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

💡Overheating

Overheating is a common issue in smartphones where the device becomes excessively hot, potentially leading to performance degradation or shutdowns. The video discusses how the Pixel 9 Pro addresses this by incorporating a vapor chamber, a technology used to dissipate heat more effectively, thus improving the device's thermal management.

💡Signal Issues

Signal issues refer to problems with a phone's ability to connect to cellular networks, which can affect call quality, data speeds, and overall connectivity. The video script suggests that the Pixel 9 Pro may have improved signal reception, although the reviewer notes that conclusive assessments are challenging due to the many variables involved.

💡Camera Issues

Camera issues encompass a range of problems that can affect the quality and functionality of a smartphone's camera. The video mentions inconsistent camera performance in past Pixel models, but the Pixel 9 Pro is said to have a more consistent and improved camera experience, with features like 'Video Boost' enhancing video quality.

💡Ultrasonic Scanner

An ultrasonic scanner uses sound waves to map out the ridges of a user's fingers for authentication, offering a more secure and reliable method than traditional optical scanners. The video highlights the Pixel 9 Pro's adoption of an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, which provides a more accurate and responsive unlocking mechanism.

💡AI Band-Aid

The term 'AI Band-Aid' is used metaphorically in the video to describe Google's approach to弥补其硬件性能不足通过强化人工智能算法来提升用户体验. It implies that while the phone's hardware may not be the fastest, the integration of AI helps to enhance performance and user experience.

💡Tensor G4 Chip

The Tensor G4 Chip is Google's custom processor for the Pixel 9 Pro, designed to power the device's AI and machine learning tasks. The video discusses how this chip, combined with 16 GB of RAM, speeds up AI tasks and improves the phone's overall performance, despite not being as fast as competitors' chips.

💡AI Photo Editing

AI photo editing utilizes artificial intelligence to automatically enhance and edit photos. The video mentions that the Pixel 9 Pro's AI capabilities have been improved, making photo editing tasks faster and more efficient. However, it also notes that some AI features, like 'Magic Eraser,' are still being refined.

💡Gemini AI

Gemini AI refers to the advanced AI-powered assistant featured in the Pixel 9 Pro. The video describes Gemini as being more interactive and responsive than previous versions, allowing for more natural and fluid conversations with the AI, simulating a more human-like interaction.

Highlights

The Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL have a beautifully animated, friendly, and customizable software that is intelligent and almost magical.

Past Pixel phones have had issues with build quality, overheating, signal, camera inconsistencies, and slower performance compared to competitors.

The new Pixel 9 Pro is presented in a premium package with high-quality materials and construction, similar to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Google's redesign of the Pixel 9 Pro suggests a commitment to staying in the smartphone market and improving their product.

The Pixel 9 Pro's case is praised for its soft touch, fingerprint resistance, and perfect fit with the phone's design.

The phone features an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner for more reliable and three-dimensional print mapping.

The Pixel 9 Pro shows improvements in signal reception, especially during long trips with fluctuating network conditions.

The phone's stability and lack of bugs make it the most stable Pixel launch in history.

Battery life on the Pixel 9 Pro is adequate, with 6.5 hours for the smaller Pro and 7 hours for the XL, though less than Samsung's offerings.

The Pixel 9 Pro includes a vapor chamber to address overheating issues, improving overall performance and user experience.

The Tensor G4 chip in the Pixel 9 Pro is still slower than competitors, affecting tasks like loading high-resolution images and storage speeds.

AI tasks on the Pixel 9 Pro are significantly faster due to the new chip and 16 GB of RAM, improving photo editing and other features.

New AI features like 'Ad Me' for group photos and Pixel Studio for image generation show potential but feel half-baked in execution.

The phone's assistant, Gemini, is more AI-powered and smarter but has limitations in app interaction and basic functionalities.

The Magic Editor's new feature allows users to zoom out of photos post-capture, reimagining scenes with impressive results.

The Pixel 9 Pro introduces a new Pixel Screenshot app that uses AI to search and understand content within screenshots.

Gemini Live offers a more natural conversational AI experience, allowing for a back-and-forth without trigger words or buttons.

The rear camera setup is similar to last year, with improvements in video quality and the introduction of Video Boost for enhanced footage.

The front camera is a new 42 MP sensor with an ultra-wide option, and the ability to shoot 4K video.

The Zoom enhance AI feature significantly improves the Pixel 9 Pro's long-range zoom capabilities, competing with top-tier phones.

The panorama mode on the Pixel 9 Pro is highly praised for its ease of use, detail, and seamless stitching.

The Pixel 9 Pro addresses many past issues, offering improvements in camera, performance, and AI, along with Google's standard software perks.

The main cons of the Pixel 9 Pro are the high price for the XL model, the base 128 GB storage, and performance that still lags behind competitors.

The Pixel 9 Pro's battery performance is positively influenced by the new Anchor Prime charging station, setting a new standard for charging solutions.

Transcripts

I have had a complicated relationship

with the Google pixel phones over the

years I've always said that at their

very core these phones are special they

have this beautifully animated friendly

customizable software that's always

capable of doing a few things so

intelligent that they're practically

indistinguishable from Magic but at the

same time these phones make me rage

because so far there's always been a

blocker significant enough issues that

distract you from being able to focus on

that delightful software I've had build

quality issues I've had overheating

issues I've had signal issues

inconsistent camera issues and just

generally the phone's being quite a bit

slower than the competition issues so

that puts this new pixel 9 Pro and the 9

Pro XL which is the one I've been mainly

using in a very interesting position

they have a lot to prove but if they can

prove it then I mean these could

basically become my favorite phones ever

so this is how the pixel 9 Pro and the

pro XL come presented it's a pretty box

but sadly it's also a pretty empty box

you get the phone you get a cable and

there's a Sim ejector somewhere in here

well at least it makes my job quicker

here's the thing though this is the best

built pixel ever it feels almost exactly

like an iPhone 15 Pro Max when you pick

it up very similar Dimensions very

similar flat sides with a slight curve

and it's the same weight down to the

gram I remember reading a post saying

that way more of the people who buy

pixels are actually X iPhone users as

opposed to X Samsung so I'd be very

surprised if this similarity wasn't

intentional to even further entice Apple

Fans who are still on the fence but

either way I mean this as a compliment

to the pixel the sides are grippier than

their pass phones it looks and feels

just really classy especially with these

thinner completely even screen bezels

and this is also easily the most solidly

constructed phone Google has ever made

it doesn't Flex one bit and if you

haven't already seen it I'd say it very

much passed the Jerry rig durability

test I've kind of been getting the

feeling over the last few years that the

pixel would end up as yet another one of

those canned Google projects you know

the classic downward spiral where things

aren't quite there with a tech product

so then it doesn't sell well so then it

makes less money so then it gets less

investment and never improves because of

that besides Google is specifically

famous for cancelling projects but

getting a significant redesign like this

feels like a reassurance that Google is

still very much kicking around Google is

still determined to keep trying to

become a definitive part of this

Smartphone War and the more that you use

this phone the more you realize why

that's so important to them but I'll get

there oh also I don't normally talk

about cases but if you're going to make

one this is how it's done this thing is

addictively soft it shows up no

fingerprints no light scratches it

gently swoops around the camera module

giving you this soft lip to rest your

fingers against there's nice felt on the

inside a metal logo and metal buttons

which actually match the remaining

visible part of the phone and the

sprinkle on top is that the fit is

perfect every single cutout is exactly

centralized which well youd be surprised

how often that doesn't happen and you

know what design is not the only thing

that's on the up here the optical

fingerprint scanner that we used to have

that was one of my major gripes this new

pixel switches that out for an

ultrasonic scanner it's basically firing

out sound waves instead of light to map

out The Ridges of your fingers but the

upside of that is that it gives the

phone basically a three-dimensional

understanding of your prints so it's

more reliable and you really feel that I

haven't had any signal issues and while

it's hard to say anything conclusive

about signal because there's just so

many factors I do a pretty regular 2 and

1/2 hour trip from Nottingham my

hometown to London on the motorway and

the signal is famously patchy on this

though I was actually flitting between

4G and 5G almost the entire time with

only two 5minute bursts of nothing so

it's looking likely that the new modem

on the inside of this pixel is doing its

job the general feel of using the phone

is it's Flawless it's the best honestly

every single animation has an

accompanying feeling generated by the

vibration motor even things like a

gentle hum as you slide up and down your

brightness plus I've not had a single

bug which low bar I realized but that

automatically makes this the most stable

pixel launch in history the battery

is actually the battery is not charged

so it's on 8% right now let's just plug

it into our shiny new anchor Prime power

station but yeah the battery life on

these Pros is enough I wouldn't call it

sparkling I'm talking 6 and 1/2 hours of

screen on time on the smaller Pro and 7

on the XL Which is less than my Samsung

but enough for almost anyone and it

feels like Google's gained control of

their overheating problem I mean the

solution wasn't rocket science they just

finally caught up and put a vapor

chamber in the phone like their

competitors have been doing for ages

that has a lot of KnockOn effects it

means that the screen which is bright

and pretty Delicious By the way doesn't

dim minutes after I take it out on a hot

day the camera seems to record

continuously without stuttering and

games don't dramatically slow down with

persistent play in fact I did whip out

the good old 3D Mark extreme stress test

to put some numbers to this feeling and

found that while Galaxy s24 Ultra had

57% stability meaning that by the end of

this 30 minute or so stress test it was

only running at 57% of the performance

it started with the pixel retained

71.7 now that's not the full story cuz

while the pixel's stability score is

higher its performance to start with is

so much lower that even with more

stability there isn't a single point in

this test where it's better than the s24

ultra every year performance has been a

classic pixel weakness that every year

Google seems to to keep addressing by

just slapping that AI Band-Aid on top

and this new phone isn't completely free

of that curse either the new tensor G4

chip that you find inside of the pixel9

pros it is still noticeably less fast

than the chip inside the best from

Samsung Apple OnePlus all of those

companies top end phones make basically

every action instant whereas the pixel

still feels like it enjoys its thinking

time you know little things like it

taking just a split second for the full

resolution image to load when you zoom

into it and the phone's storage speed

might have something to do with that too

I ran multiple tests and the pixel comes

out as significantly slower in terms of

sequential read and write speeds than

Samsung which would explain why it takes

longer to load things and I'm just going

to be brutally honest this disparity

felt like an acceptable compromise when

Google was charging $900 for a pro pixel

but now we're at

$1,100 it needs to get on that level

that said in a way it's actually better

than I thought it would be I was

expecting gaming for example to be a

flop but this is Zen Zone zero this is

as difficult as mobile games get to run

and I've played this for an hour at a

time on absolutely maxed out settings

with no issues apart from some slightly

toasty side rails and also this chip

combined with now 16 GB of RAM by

default seems to drastically speed up AI

tasks I'm talking like 50% faster than

they used to be which was much needed

one of the key things that got to me

with last year's pixel 8s was how St the

difference was between how easy and

instant Google made AI photo editing

look at their launch events versus the

fiddly reality of it on the phones made

many times worse by the 5 to 10c loading

time in between every single action and

so the fact that this stuff is so much

faster here it already starts to

alleviate my blood pressure as for all

the new AI stuff they announced I'd say

most of it feels a little half-baked

which is a phrase I think I've used to

describe every single AI phone this year

but there are three things three things

I absolutely love the thing that they

spent most of the time talking about was

this one called ad me where if you want

to take a group shot but you don't want

to ask someone to take the photo you can

separately take each person's shot and

Google software can merge them together

into one and while I would say that is

very impressive from a technical

perspective I just don't think I'd ever

use it I've never really had a situation

where I've wanted to take a group shot

and I haven't been able to find someone

to take that shot and if you can find

someone then that still feels like the

better option to me cuz that way you

don't have to do this little fiddle you

don't have to take two separate shots

you don't have the risk that it doesn't

quite turn out the way you expected

which as we all know there is a very

decent chance of with any AI feature and

also you know it's just that your end

result then is a photo of a real moment

which maybe I'm oldfashioned but I still

think that counts for something there's

a whole new app now for image generation

called pixel Studio but to be honest

while it can generate some pretty quick

Nic looking images from scratch based on

a prompt it's nothing new or better than

what's out there it needs wi-fi even

though it's supposedly running on device

and when you want to use it to mess with

photos you've already taken it's

extremely limited and fiddly with the

selection tool being practically

dysfunctional and like what in Earth is

this why are the two key options for

your next Generation AI photo editing

app to add a caption or add a sticker

this would have been cool if we were

still living in the year 2000 the

phone's assistant is in a slightly weird

place basically this phone's default

assistant is Gemini Gemini is more

heavily AI powered it's way smarter but

it also seems to have a lot of

limitations with how it can interact

with your apps and also doesn't do some

of the more basic things that Google

Assistant used to do so it feels like

we're at this pretty clumsy middle phase

where you get both and you can switch

between them depending on the feature

set you want which makes me feel very

much like a beta tester oh but the magic

editor is starting to get pretty

interesting though I was playing around

yesterday with the feature that allows

you to zoom out of a photo that's

already been taken and I couldn't

believe it like look at this shot I

click the autof framing button and Bam

it's understood that this wooden beam

along the top has got to continue it's

understood that there's an extra step

here and it's estimated what it's likely

to look like it's understood that the

trees are thinning around here so when

it zooms out it's making sure that you

can see more of the sky there the idea

of this feature isn't new the execution

of it very much is and you can now

reimagine photos which can actually be

very powerful and very convincing I

remember my jaw practically hitting a

floor when I managed to change my cat

into a dog I mean what the Google the

only thing I would say is it's a real

hit to the features usefulness that you

can't use it on shots of people there's

a new pixel screenshots app which also

falls into the category of pretty good I

actually think it's great that there's a

separate app to manage screenshots cuz

the reasons that I want to find

screenshots are always very different to

the reasons that I might want to browse

my gallery and while what the app does

is not distinctly different to what most

phones can already do by allowing you to

search for things within your

screenshots it is one layer more

intelligent because your phone can not

just look at the specific info in the

screenshots but also use AI to take one

step back and understand what the

screenshot is meaning you're way more

likely to be able to find it based on a

Vaga description the first thing that I

absolutely love though is Gemini live

it's it's basically the AI that you're

used to but in a much more free flowing

way than I think we've ever experienced

you talk you listen you can talk over

the AI there are no trigger buttons or

trigger words it allows you to have

something that very closely resembles a

real human conversation let's do a

little live demo I'm debating between

going for an Android phone or an iPhone

I'm a simple person what would you

recommend okay choosing between Android

and iPhone can be tough iPhones are

known for being really userfriendly and

straightforward they're a good choice if

you want a phone that's easy to set up

and just works all right then Google

thank you U but what I also like about

it is that when you wanted to stop

talking you don't need to say anything

or do anything you just say what you

want to say and it will slowly reduce

its own volume and listen and I actually

think that makes it a really powerful

tool because it becomes like a a live

bouncing board like I was chatting to it

last night I said I'm going to have some

people over what could I do for dinner

that's a bit different it said why don't

you theme it I was like great idea we

chatted for another 3 to 4 minutes and

by the end of it I had a complete menu

plan for my Pokémon themed dinner

including the salad I would use to

represent grass types and the spicy

curry I'd use to repres present fire

types now as for the other two AI

features that I think are amazing

they're both within the camera so let's

talk cameras the rear set of cameras

have almost identical Hardware to last

year's phone so that's a 50 map main 48

map Ultra wide and then a 48 map five

times optical zoom and so it's probably

not shocking news to learn that the base

quality of photos feels not that

different from last year so that means

good color reproduction a very strong

ability to handle High dynamic range

scenarios and control those bright spots

very comparable levels of detail to

Samsung's highest end Galaxy s24 Ultra

but then a night mode that's good but

just a little softer than Samsung's and

a portrait mode that I think it's fair

to say falls behind like look at the

edge detection here versus the Galaxy it

really gives itself away as a phone

photo and upsettingly many of the

frustrations I had with last year's

phone are also still present here

zooming in and out is still very laggy

it makes it feel unpolished the camera

preview can still get grainy even if the

end photos are not the transition

between lenses feels jumpy there's weird

limitations like you can't use your five

time zoom lens to take portraits nor can

you use it for slowo with instead the

phone opting for some very poor quality

digital zoom and this really cool

cinematic blur mode is 1080p only but

the front camera is new this is now a 42

map sensor that's the reason for the

Fairly large cutout and I'll take it it

lets you go super wide if you want to

get those group shots I don't think I've

ever seen a phone go wider than this but

also I was pleasantly surprised by the

detail and you can also shoot some

pretty solid 4K video because yes Google

has put some work in to bring up the

video quality on the pixels 2 and that

leads me on to the AI feature video

boost it's kind of strange but when

you're taking video on this phone this

only works on your rear cameras by the

way you have the option to boost that

video If you select the option then your

phone will keep the footage largely

unprocessed so that the next time you're

on Wi-Fi it can upload it to the cloud

and get Google's superpowered data

centers to process it even better than

your phone itself could it improves the

colors the dynamic range the

stabilization it can completely rescue

grainy footage taken in low light which

was one of the biggest weaknesses of

past pixel phones it can even upgrade

the resolution to 8K and it's one of

those features that you feel like it

shouldn't work it almost sounds like

some kind of elaborate scam but but it

does I guess you could say there is a

hidden cost associated with it though

cuz like if you want 8K video boosted

content you're going to need a heck of a

lot of cloud storage specifically Google

Cloud Storage you'll need about 800 mb

per minute of it and also you need to be

very careful with this phone about

joining other people's data hotspots cuz

your phone will pick them up as Wi-Fi

networks and before you know it you

could have burnt through 10 gab of their

data obliviously boosting your videos in

the background without you even

realizing I know this from personal

experience doesn't make you popular but

it's this kind of stuff that reminds you

why Google never stops trying with the

pixels cuz I mean like if this phone

succeeds so do all of their services and

not just Google photos but also their

Gemini AI because this phone is the best

possible portal through which to funnel

people to them it's also very clear that

this is why Google is like the only

Company still shipping a top-of-the-line

Pro phone starting with just 128 GB of

onboard storage which to be honest

combined with it costing a whole $100

extra just to get to

256 feels lowkey diabolical to me ah but

then here is the other thing about this

camera the zoom Zoom see the big tin

super res Zoom feature that pixels have

is already good like when you zoom in 30

times and you take the shot a surprising

amount of improvement is made after that

capture to the point where I would say

the pixel's long-range Zoom shots are

already 95% as good as those on

Samsung's s24 Ultra and that's one of

that phone's key selling points but then

add in the new Zoom enhance AI feature

on top of that and Samsung gets

absolutely murdered now this obviously

does open a can of worms cuz what Google

is doing here is inventing detail it's

not completely consistent and it's

perfectly possible that this texture

it's creating isn't completely real so

is it actually the better zoom camera I

guess that's up to you but which image

would I rather have that's pretty clear

it's the Google the final thing I would

add about cameras is the very underrated

panorama mode this is the best phone for

taking panoramas it makes them really

easy to take they're super detailed and

each photo is stitched together

extremely seamlessly okay so is this

phone good yes it is the pixel 9 Pro

either improves upon or completely fixes

about 70% of my issues with past pixels

everything from cameras to Performance

to AI it does that with classic Google

perks like this joyous software and 7

years of Android updates with then

extras that I didn't even know I wanted

like this big redesign or well actually

forget the redesign look at this case I

really like this thing the key cons are

just well you're basically paying $1,200

for the XL model cuz no one wants a

flagship phone with just 128 GB of

storage and it's still not as fast as

the competition okay it's been an hour

and the phone is on

67% while I've been using it the whole

time and you want to know why it's

because of the new anchor Prime charging

station the company has sponsoring this

video but that doesn't change the fact

that this is the new gold standard for a

setup it's got a total output of 250

wats so 1 cable into here and this thing

can happily charge your laptop three

phones and two other gadgets all at full

speed plus it's got a 2.26 in LCD

interactive charging display which gives

you immediate updates on charging status

and speed but there is more there's a

new fusion power bank which is so cool

because this is basically a full-on wall

charger and then as soon as you want to

go somewhere you automatically have a

fully charged 9,600 mAh battery pad not

to mention the docking station which is

this absolutely ridiculous 14 in1

charging and data transfer solution you

can turn a desk like this into a desk

like this with one of these this stuff

right here is no exaggeration currently

the top contenders for what we're going

to be kitting out are next gen studio

with so check out the full anchor Prime

lineup in the link below