Intro
A visible redesign, very first rate specs improve, and all of the AI you possibly can abdomen is what makes the Pixel 9 Professional Fold thrilling, however it’s additionally fairly expensive. Is it the very best new Pixel round?
Nicely, the brand new Pixel 9 Professional XL would have a phrase. That one can also be pairing Google’s top-end software program with some fairly first rate {hardware}, and is objectively the best-spec’d new Pixel round. It is also considerably cheaper, so it is clear the place it is all heading to…
Which do you have to get, the usual high flagship or the fashionable foldable cellphone?
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs Pixel 9 Professional XL variations and similarities:
| Pixel 9 Professional Fold | Pixel 9 Professional XL |
|---|---|
| Google’s second foldable with a brand new hinge, extra squarish design | Aluminum physique with flat design |
| 8-inch interior and 6.3-inch outer display screen with 20:9 facet ratio | 6.8-inch QHD+ OLED display screen with 120Hz refresh fee |
| Google Tensor G4 on deck with 16GB RAM | Google Tensor G4 (4nm) and 16GB of RAM |
| Triple digicam with redesigned digicam island | 50MP + 48MP ultra-wide +48MP 5x telephoto cameras |
| Simply two storage variations: 256GB, 512GB | 4 storage tiers: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB |
| Android 14, Gemini AI, and 7 years of software program assist | Android 14 out of the field, AI options, seven years of software program assist |
| Smaller 4,650mAh dual-cell battery | Bigger 5,060mAh battery on deck |
Desk of Contents:
Design and Show High quality
Google’s new design language is spectacular
You get twice the display screen actual property with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold (Picture by PhoneArena
The brand new Google foldable can also be considerably lighter and simpler to deal with, leading to a cellphone that is a lot nicer to make use of.
One other necessary change is the digicam island on the rear. Gone is the older digicam strip on the rear that spanned side-to-side, as Google treats us to an enormous digicam island. This variation positively distances the brand new foldable from the older Pixel Fold, serving to the Pixel 9 collection set up a coherent design language between so many different-sized telephones.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold is not that a lot thicker (Picture by PhoneArena)
The Pixel 9 Professional XL, alternatively, is a standard sweet bar cellphone with a matte rear again panel and shiny flat facet body, which inherits the final design language of older Pixel flagships, however with some influential modifications. The 3D Visor of older Pixels can also be gone right here, substituted for a barely completely different digicam island on the rear.
Colours-wise, the foldable Pixel 9 Professional Fold is out there in Obsidian and Porcelain colours, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional XL is available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Rose Quartz, and Hazel.
By way of show specifics, the Pixel 9 Professional XL boasts a 6.8-inch Tremendous Actua display screen with 1-120Hz dynamic refresh fee. It is an OLED one and might hit 3,000 nits of peak brightness, constructing upon the two,400 nits that the Pixel 8 Professional might obtain.
In the meantime, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold has two screens, an 8-inch inner and 6.3-inch cowl display screen. The outer display screen is a 20:9 one with 60-120Hz clean refresh fee and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on high; in the meantime, the interior display screen has a 20:18 practically sq. 8-inch show, with smoother 1-120Hz refresh fee and with Extremely Skinny Glass on high.
And sure, there is a show crease right here, not as distinguished because the one on the primary Pixel Fold, however nonetheless extant right here.
Though it has two screens, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is well outshined by the common flagship by way of display screen properties (Picture by PhoneArena)
As per our show checks, the Pixel 9 Professional XL has a greater display screen than the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. The foldable achieves a barely decrease peak brightness, however nonetheless will get very shiny below the right lighting circumstances. The colour temperature can also be barely higher and nearer to the perfect measurement on the Pixel 9 Professional XL.
The identical applies to the distinction and gamma. If you’d like the very best show, it is the Pixel 9 Professional XL that it’s best to go for; in case you can abdomen an OLED display screen that is not as spectacular, however folds, then the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is an efficient guess.
The Pixel 9 Professional XL has an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner embedded proper into the show, and it really works fairly correct and fast, in contrast to older Pixel telephones. The Pixel 9 Professional Fold, alternatively, has a capacitive fingerprint scanner embedded into the facility button, which works simply as fast and is simply as correct because the one on the opposite system.
Efficiency and Software program
Tensor G4, reporting for obligation
Each the Pixel 9 Professional Fold and the Pixel 9 Professional XL include the identical Google’s Tensor G4 chipset.
Constructed on a 4nm manufacturing node, the Tensor G4 is Google’s AI-centric chipset that energy the entire Pixel 9 collection. What separates the Tensor line of chips from most different cellular chipsets like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, Apple’s Bionic, and Samsung’s Exynos is that Google’s chips should not specializing in uncooked efficiency, however are tightly specialised in AI and machine-learning processing.
And certainly, all Pixel 9 units arrive with Gemini Nano with multi-modality, which is solely run on the Tensor G4. Google says this one is essentially the most succesful on-device AI mannequin, which is able to not solely understanding textual content and speech, but in addition photos and audio.
In our artificial checks, each telephones carry out equally, attaining first rate single- and multi-core leads to the Geekbench 6 checks. Graphics-wise, the efficiency can also be comparable, aside from the Pixel 9 Professional XL‘s 3DMark Excessive checks, which throttles barely extra and achieves a decrease end result. The bigger dimension of the foldable probably helps it dissipate warmth barely higher.
Each telephones include 16GB of RAM, which is a vital {hardware} requirement for on-device AI. The Pixel 9 Professional Fold is out there with both 256GB or 512GB of storage, however you may get the Pixel 9 Professional XL with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage.
Each telephones will obtain main Android updates, Characteristic Drops, and safety patches for seven years, or till summer season 2030.
Digicam
The Pixel digicam expertise
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold has the same digicam setup as its predecessor. The brand new Pixel 9 Professional Fold arrives with a 48MP important digicam with an f/1.7 aperture and common 1/2″ sensor. The ten.8MP telephoto presents a 5X optical zoom, whereas the ultra-wide is a ten.5MP one with a 1/3.4″ sensor. There are twin selfie cameras on the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, each weighing in at 10MP. You should use both to unlock your cellphone.
As a refresher, final 12 months’s Pixel Fold got here with a really acquainted 48MP important digicam, a ten.8MP ultra-wide, a ten.8MP telephoto digicam with 5X optical zoom, and two selfie cameras, a 9.5MP exterior and an 8MP inner one.
That is a whole lot of cameras (Picture by PhoneArena)
The Pixel 9 Professional XL has a greater digicam setup, all issues thought-about. We get a 50MP important digicam with an f/1.68 aperture and huge 1/1.31″ sensor. The ultra-wide and 5X telephoto are each 48MP cameras, with pretty giant apertures of f/2.8 and f/1.7, respectively. Due to sensor-cropping and hybrid zoom, the Pixel 9 Professional XL presents optical-quality zoom at each 2X and 10X regardless of missing devoted cameras for these particular zooms, which positively boosts the flexibility of the digicam bundle.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold can obtain a most of 20X Tremendous-Res Zoom, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional XL goes additional to 30X. This hybrid zoom mode delivers very first rate lengthy throw regardless of both cellphone missing a devoted periscope.
The corporate has proven time and time once more that it may well squeeze out far more “picture high quality” out of the identical {hardware} setup with software program and algorithm intergenerational upgrades, so we now have excessive hopes for both system.
AI may also play a fairly large half in both digicam. Each will include the next options: Professional controls, Add Me, Macro Focus, Night time Sight, Astrophotography, Portrait Mode, Face Unblur, Lengthy Publicity, Motion Pan, Actual Tone, Panorama, High Shot, and Frequent Faces. Each units additionally assist the AI-powered Magic Editor, Magic Eraser, Finest Take, Photograph Unblur, Zoom Improve, and Portrait Gentle.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold additionally will get Tabletop mode that permits you to take hands-free photographs, Twin Display Preview, and Rear Digicam Selfie (which ought to ship higher outcomes than both of the 10MP selfie cameras).
By way of video, the Pixel 9 Professional XL permits 8K video seize at as much as 30fps because of Google’s cloud-based Video Increase service, which has reportedly been improved significantly. Natively, the cellphone nonetheless maxes out at a local 4K@60fps video seize.
Foremost Digicam
For normal conditions, each telephones will produce pretty photographs that can stand out with the signature Pixel digicam type, now finely tuned and advanced in the fitting route. Nonetheless, it is the Pixel 9 Professional XL that is decidedly the extra succesful digicam cellphone. It resolves particulars significantly better with out affected by over-sharpening, which the Pixel 9 Professional Fold does.
At evening, the distinction principally stems to the way in which every cellphone renders coloration. The Pixel 9 Professional XL creates a way more vibrant scene, with saturated clouds and higher dynamics, resolving particulars within the shadows significantly better.
Zoom High quality
Zoom-wise, each units do a fairly first rate job on the brief vary, however we might have at hand it out to the Pixel 9 Professional XL right here––it delivers higher particulars. Thankfully, the foldable cellphone is not too far-off, which is nice information.
At 5X, which is the native zoom stage for both cellphone, each units ship principally comparable picture high quality, with plenty of element and dynamics.
At 10X, the state of affairs is comparable on each telephones.
Extremely-wide Digicam
Though the ultra-wide cameras have completely different {hardware} specs, a really constant picture high quality has been achieved between the 2 units. The small print, dynamics, and colours are all extraordinarily comparable.
The identical applies to low-light photos taken with the ultra-wide digicam, however the Pixel 9 Professional XL as soon as once more outputs extra vibrant photographs. The Pixel 9 Professional XL ship barely extra lifelike and moody photographs, which is objectively nice.
Selfies
Selfies are nice on both new Pixel cellphone, there are little to no variations, and the 2 pattern photos are each objectively nice.
Battery Life and Charging
Sorry, foldable
The usual flagship boasts a lot sooner charging (Picture by PhoneArena)
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold boasts a 4,650mAh battery, which is unfortunately noticeably smaller than the 4,821mAh battery inside the unique Pixel Fold. The Pixel 9 Professional XL, alternatively, ups the ante to five,060mAh.
How do the 2 telephones fare in our customized battery checks?
Unsurprisingly, the Pixel 9 Professional XL simply beats its foldable peer. Within the PhoneArena net looking take a look at, which simulates a daily looking expertise with the screens set at 200 nits, the Pixel 9 Professional XL ekes out practically 19 hours of battery life, a noticeable improve over the foldable Pixel’s 16 hours and 25 minutes.
A fair starker distinction is seen within the video streaming take a look at, wherein the Pixel 9 Professional XL lasts for greater than 9 hours, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional Fold solely lasts for barely under 6 hours.
In our gaming take a look at, carried out at 60Hz, each telephones carried out equally.
PhoneArena Battery Take a look at Outcomes:
What about charging?
As soon as once more, the Pixel 9 Professional XL has the clear higher hand: it is geared up with 37W wired and 23W wi-fi charging assist, a fairly severe improve over the foldable cellphone‘s assist of a measly 21W wired charging and the inexcusable in 2024 7W wi-fi charging. Unsurprisingly, the Pixel 9 Professional XL fees a lot sooner, though it has a bigger battery on board.
PhoneArena Charging Take a look at Outcomes:
Specs Comparability
| Specs | Pixel 9 Professional Fold | Pixel 9 Professional XL |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.1mm Folded: 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.5mm |
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm |
| Weight | 257gr | 221gr |
| Display | 8″ important display screen, OLED HDR 1-120Hz, 2700-nit peak brightness 6.3″ cowl display screen, OLED, 20:9 facet ratio 60-120Hz, 2700-nit peak brightness |
6.8″ OLED HDR 1-120Hz 20:9 facet ratio 2700-nit peak brightness |
| Processor | Google Tensor G4 (4nm) | Google Tensor G4 |
| RAM, Storage and Value | 16GB/256GB – $1,799 16GB/512GB – $1,919 |
16GB/128GB – $1,099 16GB/256GB – $1,199 16GB/512GB – $1,319 16GB/1TB – $1,549 |
| Cameras | Foremost: 48MP, f/1.7, 1/2″ sensor, OIS, EIS Extremely-wide: 10.5MP, f/2.2, 1/3.4″ sensor dimension, OIS, EIS Telephoto: 10.8MP, f/3.1, 1/3.2″ sensor dimension, 5X optical zoom, OIS, EIS Inner selfie digicam: 10MP, f/2.2 |
Foremost: 50MP, f/1.68 Extremely-wide: 48MP, f/1.7 Telephoto: 48MP, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom Selfie digicam: 42MP, f/2.2, AF |
| Battery Dimension | 4,650mAh | 5,060mAh |
| Charging Speeds | USB-C 21W wired charging 7W wi-fi charging |
USB-C 37W wired charging 23W wi-fi charging |
Which one do you have to purchase?
Simply be wise and get the common Pixel 9 Professional XL (Picture by PhoneArena)
Let’s summarize––the Pixel 9 Professional XL has a greater show, higher digicam, significantly better battery life, and far sooner charging. On high of all of it, it is far more reasonably priced than the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, which carries a hefty price ticket.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold absolutely elevates Google’s foldable cellphone sport, however it’s the Pixel 9 Professional XL that is arguably the very best new Google system. It presents the very best options and is essentially the most superior among the many Pixel 9 bunch.
So, there’s actually no room for comparability right here: it is the Pixel 9 Professional XL that’s the superior Pixel system to get this 12 months.