The Google Pixel 9 is now available worldwide and will go on sale tomorrow, August 22, in India. Priced at Rs 79,990, the Pixel 9 has to meet certain expectations for users to pay that high. Here’s what we feel about the device after using it for 24 hours.
The Pixel 9 comes quite nicely packed within a box that’s as compact as the phone. It gets a set of manuals, a SIM ejector tool, and a USB-C to USB-C cable. Once you pick up the device, you are greeted with this glass slab with an aluminium frame that feels and looks premium from every angle. The back is protected with the Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The camera bump doesn’t melt into the frame like previous Pixel models and is a huge bump which many might not like. However, it does look unique and gorgeous, too, as this camera bar establishes an identity for the Pixel smartphones. Note that if you use your device without a case and place your phone on a table, the camera bar will be the first thing that’ll get scratched and too quite easily.
Due to its compact size, the device is easily usable with one hand. The flat sides aren’t sharp like those of the iPhone but have a minor curve, which accounts for a comfortable in-hand feel.
Out of all the Pixel smartphones I have tested so far, the Pixel 9 seems to be the most well-built and attractive Pixel in the whole family.
The Pixel 9’s Haptics are also strong and tight. They are some of the best haptics I have experienced since the OnePlus 12.
The punch-hole on the top of the display looks like it’s placed a little too low from the usual position. Speaking of the display, it’s a 6.3-inch panel with 1080 x 2424 pixels resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 422 ppi, and up to 1800 nits HDR brightness and 2700 nits peak brightness. Same as the back panel, it is protected with Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Initial impressions of the Pixel 9 display suggest it’s a panel you don’t need to worry about. It looks sharp, vivid, and quite smooth. However, the 120Hz Refresh Rate is disabled out of the box, so you’ll have to enable it manually via the display settings. The in-built fingerprint sensor is now an ultrasonic one, and it’s quite a notable and major upgrade in terms of real-world use compared to previous Pixel devices. It’s much more accurate and significantly faster as well.
The bezels around the display are thin and even on all sides, making it look similar to the Galaxy S24. This also makes the front of the device look more attractive while offering an immersive experience.
I did face an issue with my Airtel SIM card. The device prompted me that it’s not supported, and I’ll have to get a new one. That’s not a device issue but an issue with my SIM card because it is over 10 years old and doesn’t support the latest 5G technology. I could figure that out, as the Jio SIM I inserted in the Pixel 9 seemed to work without any glitches.
The phone is powered by Google’s Tensor G4 SoC and has 12GB of RAM. It can hold up to 128GB or 256GB of storage. It runs on Android 14 out of the box and receives 7 years of Android OS upgrades, security updates, and regular Feature Drops.
While we haven’t tested it to its limits, initial impressions of the Pixel 9 lead us to believe that the device can easily handle day-to-day tasks with ease, along with some heavier workflows too. The animations are fluid, and we haven’t faced a single stutter yet. It runs on Android 14, and it’s the first time Google has shipped a device that’s not running on the latest version of Android. But that hasn’t stopped Google from adding new features, as you now get new AI features such as Pixel screenshots and Pixel Studio.
We’ll share more about how the device performs in our detailed review.
The camera App has some new features too, such as timer light. Enabling it will flash the flashlight on the back in sync with the timer countdown you set before clicking a photo. The new Add Me feature is a neat one too, wherein you can add yourself to a group shot after clicking it. Again, AI is used to merge the shots and make you appear neatly in the shot as if it was originally clicked with you.
The device’s camera performance and battery life also need to be tested. So far, the Pixel 9 looks promising for those who want a compact flagship. Whether it’s worth its price tag or not, we’ll answer that question at the end of our detailed review of the Pixel 9, so stay tuned.
