5 causes the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL is definitely worth the cash in the event you’re purchasing for a brand new cellphone

Should you’re like me, the

Galaxy S25 Extremely
left you nonplussed. It lacked the innovation I’ve come to count on from Samsung, and I don’t blame anybody in search of alternate options, particularly on the S25 Extremely’s excessive value.

Fortunately, the Pixel 9 Professional XL is superb and was considered one of our favourite flagship telephones of final yr. Though its preliminary value was solely $200 lower than the Galaxy S25 Extremely, gross sales made it a fair higher worth. At $900, the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL turns into a convincing purchase. Google mounted most of the issues I had with earlier Pixels, and with the Galaxy S25 Extremely leaving an empty feeling in my coronary heart, the Pixel 9 Professional XL fills the void with flagship capabilities at a cheaper price. Listed below are 5 causes I’d decide up a Pixel 9 Professional XL in 2025.

1

Google mounted a significant shortcoming

Tremendous Actua shows are attractive

Utilizing a brand new Pixel gadget after switching from the most recent Samsung or OnePlus providing was at all times irritating as a result of the shows have been a noticeable downgrade. I don’t know the place Google was sourcing its panels, however the screens have been uninteresting and dim, and I at all times needed to crank the brightness as much as 100% to see the telephones open air. That modified with the Pixel 8 Professional, as Google launched its Tremendous Actua show know-how. The

Pixel 8 Professional
had a stunning display, turning what was a weak point of Google’s telephones right into a energy.

The corporate took it additional with the Pixel 9 Professional XL, making the show brighter and a contact bigger, becoming a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED to its latest gadget. It’s a superb viewing expertise, and I really like watching motion pictures and enjoying video games on the cellphone. It’s a flagship-quality panel, one thing I couldn’t say in earlier years.

2

Smooth, refined design with premium supplies

The Pixel’s refresh feels good within the hand

It took me a bit to heat as much as the Pixel 9 Professional XL redesign. Whereas Google misplaced among the Pixel’s quirky appeal, it gained broader enchantment and a greater really feel within the hand. It’s a well-built cellphone, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back and front and an aluminum body. Earlier Pixels weren’t poorly designed and used premium supplies, however there was an absence of refinement. The Pixel 7 Professional was a advantageous cellphone, nevertheless it felt unfinished. Whereas the Pixel 8 Professional was a step ahead, the Pixel 9 Professional XL presents a extra full imaginative and prescient.

It additionally represents a shift in Google’s philosophy. The corporate goals to compete on provider retailer cabinets subsequent to Apple iPhones, which implies adopting a extra pleasant design. It’s a worthy trade-off that’s paid dividends for Google, as the corporate has seen higher gross sales figures with the Pixel 9 Professional XL. Should you’re on the fence in regards to the redesign, you need to give the Pixel 9 Professional XL an opportunity; I believe it’ll develop on you.

3

Efficiency is improved however not good

A lot better modem than earlier years

Google solved a lot of its overheating issues with the Tensor G3, however the

fourth-generation Tensor
affords even higher thermal efficiency. I’ve by no means had important slowdowns or lag, and for the second yr, my Pixel offered an Android expertise on par with its dearer Samsung counterpart. The Tensor G4 doesn’t benchmark as strongly because the Snapdragon 8 Elite and even final yr’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, nevertheless it doesn’t should.

Google optimizes its Tensor chipsets to offer a superb person expertise with a watch towards AI options and capabilities. Google Gemini runs nicely on the Pixel 9 Professional XL, and whereas AI continues to be in its starting phases, Google’s technique seems extra coherent than Samsung’s with Galaxy AI. The corporate additionally future-proofed the Pixel 9 Professional XL by stocking it with 16GB of RAM, sufficient for AI purposes to run effectively.

As well as, the Exynos 5400 modem used within the Pixel 9 Professional XL is considerably higher than in earlier years. I’ve had no points with mobile connectivity or Wi-Fi. Should you’ve ever been annoyed by a Pixel modem earlier than, the 9 Professional XL is an enormous step in the proper route.

4

It’s nonetheless a Pixel digicam

Sharp photographs from a flexible system

Pixel cameras aren’t as dominant as in years previous, however Google smartphones nonetheless produce among the greatest pictures on the Android platform. Whereas we’d like to see photographic kinds on Pixels, the Pixel 9 Professional XL produces sharp and detailed photographs. You might have to tweak the picture to your liking, however Google’s computational fashions and AI modifying instruments assist make your photographs superb for social media.

It’s additionally a flexible digicam system with a 50MP major sensor, a 48MP periscope telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide lens. I benefit from the 5x telephoto on the Pixel 9 Professional XL greater than different smartphones, and Google does a greater job producing detailed pictures from additional away. I additionally love Night time Sight, and in the event you’re a shutterbug, Pixel gadgets supply incredible low-light pictures efficiency.

5

All-day battery life

One other merchandise Google circled

I can’t calculate what number of years Google has taken off my life with frustration due to how unhealthy Pixel batteries was. My Google Pixel Fold battery life was abysmal on launch, and I struggled to get 5 hours of display on time. The Pixel 7a was even worse, as I barely obtained 4.5 hours of show time earlier than my cellphone wanted a cost. The Tensor G3 within the Pixel 8 Professional cleaned up Google’s battery effectivity, and the Pixel 9 Professional XL is even higher.

A chipset that controls its thermal efficiency improves battery life, and the Tensor G4 does a incredible job. I went from getting barely 5 hours of display on time on earlier Pixels to over 8 hours on my Pixel 9 Professional XL. It’s an all-day battery after which some, and whereas I want Pixel gadgets had quicker charging speeds, I’ll depend the battery on the 9 Professional XL as a win.

A wonderful different at a reduction

I respect that Google listened to buyer complaints when constructing the Pixel 9 Professional XL. It appears like a whole design with a incredible software program expertise to match. Nonetheless, the Galaxy S25 Extremely continues to be your greatest guess in the event you want extra uncooked horsepower. Nevertheless, the Pixel 9 Professional XL turns into an excellent different if you would like a easy Android expertise with respectable AI options for nearly $400 lower than the Galaxy S25 Extremely.