Google Pixel Pro phones · Smartphones
Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: Worth the Upgrade?
Skip This Upgrade
The Google Pixel 9 Pro does not justify the cost of upgrading from the Google Pixel 8 Pro. The improvements are marginal, and the Google Pixel 8 Pro remains a strong performer.
0
Upgrade Score
$787
Price Difference
0
Rating Change
8
New Features
9
Features Removed
How the Scores Compare
Google Pixel 8 Pro→Google Pixel 9 Pro
Display-6
90
→
84
Value-6
88
→
82
Performance-4
82
→
78
Battery-4
84
→
80
Higher is better. Category-specific 0-100 scale. Lighter bar = Google Pixel 8 Pro, highlighted bar = Google Pixel 9 Pro.
What Changed
Added in the New Generation
- +Tensor G4 SoC
- +6.3-inch LTPO OLED 120Hz
- +Gemini Nano on-device AI
- +Pixel 9 Pro with Gemini is the most powerful Pixel yet, and now comes in two sizes; it has a pro-level camera and it’s engineered by Google, so it gets the best of Google AI first
- +Unlocked Android phone gives you the flexibility to change carriers and choose your own data plan[1]; it works with Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major carriers
- +Google Pixel 9 Pro’s triple rear camera is the most powerful Pixel Camera yet; get high-quality video up to 20x with Super Res Zoom Video[2]; enhance your videos up to 8K with Video Boost; and take sharp videos in low light with Night Sight Video
- +Make your photos better than you can imagine with Google’s AI; take a picture and be in it too with Add Me[4]; Best Take helps everyone look their best[2]; and with Magic Editor, you can reframe photos, reimagine the scenery, and more[4]
- +Get more info quickly with Gemini, your built-in AI assistant[3]; instead of typing, use Gemini Live; it follows along even if you change the topic or switch the question[31]; and Pixel Screenshots helps you save things you’ll want to remember later
Removed from Previous Generation
- −Google Tensor G3
- −6.7-inch LTPO OLED 120Hz
- −7 years of OS and security updates
- −AI-powered photo editing tools
- −6.7" LTPO OLED 489PPI, 1344x2992px, 120Hz, HDR10+, Bluetooth 5.3, 5050mAh Battery, Android 14
- −128GB 12GB RAM, Octa-core, Google Tensor G3 (4nm), Nona-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510), Mali-G710 MP7
- −Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.7 (wide) + 48MP, f/2.8 (telephoto) + 48MP, f/2.0 (ultrawide), Front Camera: 10.5MP, f/2.2
- −2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, CDMA 800/1700/1900, 3G: HSDPA 800/850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/46/48/66/71, 5G: 1/2/3/5/7/8/12/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/66/70/71/77/78/257/258/260/261 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Nano-SIM and eSIM
- −Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Straight Talk., Etc.
Specs at a Glance
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Google Tensor G4 | Google Tensor G3 |
| Storage | 256GB | 128GB |
| Display Size | 6.3-inch | — |
| Display Resolution | 2880x1800 typical OLED | — |
| Display Type | OLED | — |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | — |
| Battery Capacity | All-day typical | — |
| Charging Speed | Check listing | — |
| Wireless Charging | Check listing | — |
| Ultrawide Camera | 50MP main + 48MP ultrawide + 48MP 5x telephoto | — |