Google Pixel 9 vs. Google Pixel 9 Professional

Google has a fairly expansive lineup of telephones this yr, with a complete of 4 Pixel 9 telephones up to now. And this yr you’ve gotten a selection between two compact choices – the 9 and the 9 Professional.

There may be an nearly 300 bucks price of a value distinction between the 128GB/12GB Pixel 9 and the 128GB/16GB Pixel 9 Professional with out contemplating any vacation offers or service rebates.

So in case you are questioning whether or not the Pixel 9 Professional is definitely worth the value premium over the vanilla Pixel 9, we’re right here to assist as we will likely be placing them head-to-head on this comparability based mostly on our intensive evaluation findings.

Desk of Contents:

For starters, you possibly can evaluate the entire specs sheets or instantly proceed with our editor’s evaluation within the following textual content.

Dimension comparability

The Google Pixel 9 and 9 Professional are virtually an identical size-wise. That is sort of the purpose. Each telephones are literally thought-about fairly compact by fashionable requirements, measuring simply 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm and tipping the size at 198 grams and 199 grams, respectively.

That latter bit is kind of spectacular, and we aren’t fairly positive how Google managed to incorporate an entire further telephoto digicam with out decreasing the battery capability or growing the burden. Then once more, the vanilla mannequin is sort of on the heavier facet to start with.

The 2 telephones are constructed precisely the identical, with an aluminum body and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on each the entrance and the again. Each telephones have IP68 ingress safety.

The 2 telephones have the identical connectivity choices as effectively. This contains Sub-6 5G and even mmWave in sure telephone variants. Each the vanilla and Professional have a single Nano-SIM slot and eSIM help. There may be dual-band GPS for positioning, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3 with LE, aptX HD, and tri-band Wi-Fi 7. Each telephones have a USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, which suggests a theoretical max switch price of 5Gbps. Whereas this isn’t effectively documented, each telephones truly help DP video output over Sort-C.

The one actual connectivity distinction between the 2 is Extremely Wideband (UWB) help, which is barely obtainable on the Pixel 9 Professional.

Show comparability

The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Professional have identically sized 6.3-inch shows. Each even have a 120Hz refresh price and HDR10+ help. There isn’t any Dolby Imaginative and prescient video help on both one.

The Pixel 9 Professional panel is superior for just a few causes. It has a better decision at 1280 x 2856 pixels, in comparison with 1080 x 2424 pixels on Pixel 9.

The Professional can be utilizing LTPO tech for extra dynamic refresh price switching and higher energy effectivity within the course of.

And eventually, the Pixel 9 Professional show is somewhat bit brighter than that of the Pixel 9. Each attain over 2,200 nits in our testing, which is loads to be comfy open air, however the Pixel 9 Professional goes an additional 100nits greater for what that is price.

Battery life

Each telephones have a 4,700 mAh battery and use the identical chipset. Therefore, it is just cheap that their battery life can be an identical. Nicely, there’s a small distinction in shows and the LTPO tech, balanced out with the additional show decision of the Professional mannequin. It leads to a barely higher Energetic Use Rating for the Professional. In sensible phrases, the 2 telephones supply the identical endurance.

Charging velocity

Each telephones help 27W wired charging over Energy Supply 3.0 with PPS. Since their battery capability is identical, it solely is sensible that they might cost on the identical price, and certainly they do.

The one distinction in charging is that the Professional mannequin can attain 21W of wi-fi charging with an official Pixel stand, whereas the vanilla can solely go as much as 15W. Apart from that, each telephones help as much as 12W of wi-fi charging with third-party Qi chargers.

Additionally each telephones help reverse wi-fi charging.

Speaker take a look at

Each telephones have an identical hybrid stereo speaker setups. Meaning a full-fledged speaker on the underside and an amplified front-firing earpiece because the second channel. The telephone will assign the channels dynamically relying on its orientation in area. As Google usually goes about this, every speaker may also output the opposite channel’s monitor at a decrease quantity.

Each telephones have a Very Good loudness rating, as per our testing. The distinction in peak quantity could be very small and in favor of the Pixel 9 Professional.

Moreover, each telephones are tuned virtually identically, with very clear and crisp mids however not a lot bass.

Efficiency

Each telephones are based mostly on the identical Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) chipset. The efficiency between the 2 telephones is usually an identical.

We solely say “principally” for the reason that Pixel 9 comes with 12GB of RAM, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional has 16GB in all of its configurations. Whereas we aren’t positive this may make a lot of a distinction for many typical duties, we do know that working bigger native AI fashions takes extra RAM, so we will solely presume that with Google’s present give attention to AI, there could possibly be a slight edge in AI efficiency for the Pixel 9 Professional.

As for storage, you will get the Pixel 9 with 128GB or 256GB. The Pixel 9 Professional has 512GB and 1TB choices as effectively. Google makes use of UFS 3.1 chips throughout the board, which aren’t the quickest round nowadays, however they’re nonetheless fairly good.

In additional sensible phrases, each telephones carry out nice and are very snappy and responsive, chewing by way of each job we throw at them, together with heavy gaming. You won’t be getting the identical efficiency degree as a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, however the Pixels are undoubtedly not strapped for energy both.

Digicam comparability

One of many key variations between the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Professional is the digicam setup. And even then, the 2 telephones nonetheless have rather a lot in widespread. So far as we will inform from the official data, the pair has the very same 50MP, PDAF, and OIS-enabled primary digicam. The ultrawide can be the identical 48MP unit with PDAF for macro images.

The foremost distinction is that the Pixel 9 Professional has a devoted telephoto digicam. It’s a 48MP unit with PDAF and OIS that provides a 5x optical zoom.

The selfie cameras on the 2 telephones are totally different as effectively. Whereas each have autofocus, the Pixel 9 Professional will get a a lot higher-resolution 42MP Quad-Bayer sensor in comparison with the 10MP one on the vanilla Pixel 9.

Different comparatively smaller digicam variations embrace multi-zone laser autofocus on the Pixel 9 Professional and single-zone on the Pixel 9. Moreover, solely the Pixel 9 Professional can seize 8K@30fps video.

Picture high quality

Let’s begin with the primary digicam. It hardly comes as a shock that the 2 telephones seize virtually an identical pictures. These are wonderful general, with loads of element and nice sharpness.

In typical Pixel style, there appears to be a choice for prime distinction, which might sometimes depart a number of the shadows trying a bit darkish. Even so, the dynamic vary is superb. Colour rendition is extra on the restrained facet of issues.

Google Pixel 9: ultrawide • primary • 2x digital zoom

Google Pixel 9 Professional: ultrawide • primary • 5x optical zoom

The ultrawide digicam can be shared between the 2 telephones; therefore, we get an identical pictures from them. The digicam would not disappoint and captures excellent pictures. It resolves a ton of element and processes it organically. World parameters are additionally in tune with the established Pixel look.

Lastly, we get to maneuver on to some variations and the devoted telephoto digicam that solely the Pixel 9 Professional has. Whereas we would not name the 5x telephoto a category chief, it undoubtedly captures strong all-around pictures.

The principle digicam on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Professional captures very spectacular low-light pictures. These are very clear and sharp, and a whole lot of masterful processing was carried out to convey out particulars within the shadows and normalize mild sources. There may be virtually no noise. Saturation is on level. There may be some shot-to-shot variance in publicity at instances, however nothing too extreme.

Google Pixel 9: ultrawide • primary • zoom

Google Pixel 9 Professional: ultrawide • primary • telephoto

General, the ultrawide doesn’t disappoint in low mild. It delivers brilliant exposures with pleasing tonal growth. Dynamic vary is sweet with properly boosted shadows and well-contained highlights and light-weight sources.

With regards to low-light zooms, the digital crops from the Pixel 9’s primary digicam are admirable, however they cannot maintain a candle to the devoted telephoto on the Pixel 9 Professional. That stated, the telephoto is sweet however not excellent in low-light circumstances.

Transferring on to the selfies, we frankly do not see a significant benefit of both telephone. The upper-resolution sensor on the Pixel 9 Professional’s selfie digicam has a greater rendition of finer element. Nonetheless, each telephones seize nice element with excellent pores and skin tones.

Pixel 9 selfies

Pixel 9 Professional selfies

Video high quality

As anticipated, we’re having bother differentiating between the movies from the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Professional. 8K on a cell phone is kind of a gimmick at the moment, so we’re solely evaluating 4K footage. That stated, each the primary digicam and ultrawide footage look nice, with loads of element and good dynamic vary.

Digital 2x zoomed movies from the primary digicam of the Pixel 9 maintain up surprisingly effectively, however once more, the clips from the devoted 5x telephoto on the Pixel 9 Professional are on a unique degree.

Under now we have just a few framegrabs from the movies taken by the 2 telephones at every focal size so it is simpler to check to at least one one other.

Google Pixel 9: ultrawide • primary • zoom • low-light

Google Pixel 9 Professional: ultrawide • primary • telephoto • low-light

Verdict

There isn’t any level beating in regards to the bush right here. The Google Pixel 9 Professional is certainly the higher gadget of the 2. It preserves completely each facet of the common Pixel 9 and builds upon it. Granted, a few of its upgrades are minor, just like the area of interest UWB help, or the marginally sooner wi-fi charging with the official Pixel stand. Even the show LTPO tech for extra adaptive refresh price adjustment, whereas cool, would not precisely supply earth-shattering advantages to battery life. Nor does the upper show brightness push the telephone into new usability heights.

The way in which we see it, the one actual motive anybody would possibly take into account the Professional over the vanilla Pixel 9 is the devoted digicam .

We’re actually glad that Google did not compromise on the vanilla Pixel 9 expertise an excessive amount of. Certain, the Professional is a greater telephone, however the core expertise is identical throughout each fashions. You get virtually the identical efficiency and battery life, the identical wonderful primary and ultrawide cameras, the identical charging and the identical wonderful Google help for as much as seven main OS upgrades.

Backside line right here is that you’re getting a wonderful telephone both manner. In the event you worth the telephoto and/or need extra storage, go for the Professional. In any other case, save a couple of bucks and seize the vanilla Pixel 9. You will not remorse it.