Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 8: There's an unsurprising winner

Google's new Pixel 9 comes less than a year following into the footsteps of the Pixel 8, but it appears that Big G's latest affordable phone is more than a minor intergenerational release.

Turns out that the Pixel 9 is a very decent upgrade over its predecessor in most areas. Aside from the obvious design change, we've also got better performance, better battery life, slightly improved camera, and finally, a ton of new AI features that are dwelling in the uncanny valley between useful and creepy. 

However, are all those upgrades good enough to warrant upgrading from the Pixel 8? Should you stick with your Pixel 8? Moreover, should you even consider the Pixel 8 when the Pixel 9 is available? Let's try to answer all of those questions in this comparison review. 

Google Pixel 9: Get at Amazon

You can already buy the Pixel 9 with fancy new Gemini AI features at Amazon. The latest non-Pro model with a G4 chip arrives without discounts right now.

Buy at Amazon

Pre-order Pixel 9 Pro, buy Pixel 9 Pro XL at Amazon

The Pixel 9 Pro is up for pre-order, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is available for purchase. Both smartphones arrive without any discounts. Pre-orders for the Pixel 9 Pro will continue through September 4, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is already available for purchase.

Pre-order at Amazon

The Pixel 9 debuts a very new design language for Google, which follows the latest trends to the T. Just like all recent iPhones and Galaxy flagships, all Pixel 9 phones get that  (iPhones have been using that design for a few generations, and Samsung joined forces with the Galaxy S24 series). Both the front and back of the phone, as well as the frame on the sides, are completely flat. 

The Pixel 9 has a matte aluminum frame, while the glass at the rear employs a glossy look. This is thoroughly different in comparison with the slightly more premium Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL, which have glossy frames and matte back glass on deck. 

A notable design change can be seen on the back of the phone. The side-to-side camera strip at the rear has been completely redesigned and is no longer connected with the side frame. Instead, it sticks out of the back of the phone in a dedicated camera island, similarly to the Google Pixel Fold. It's fresh and new, and still unmistakably Pixel, so this change is welcome. 

Last year's Pixel 8, on the other hand, employs a slightly curved side frame and back glass, which surely boosted the ergonomics when holding the phone and made for a pleasant experience in the hand. The Pixel 8 also employs the good ol' camera strip at the back, which became a signature design element of the Pixel lineup with the Pixel 6 series a couple of years ago. 

Each design has its pros and cons: the Pixel 8 feels more compact due to the overall dimensions and shape of the frame, while the Pixel 9 has a more premium build, all things considered. 

The Pixel 9 has inherited the Pixel 8's IP68 water and dust resistance, which was expected. This means both devices allow for submersion in up to 1.5m of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, and complete protection against dust. That's the flagship standard these days, so we expected nothing less of Google. 

Colors-wise, the Pixel 9 is available in Porcelain, Peony, Wintergreen, and Obsidian colors, while you could have the Pixel 8 in Mint, Hazel, Obsidian, and Rose. 

Also read: Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro colors: all the rumored shades

The Pixel 9 scores a minor display size increase, growing back to the 6.3-inch display size of the Pixel 7. The Actua OLED display is back with a bang, now with a smooth 60-120Hz refresh rate (but the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL are smoother) and a very high brightness.

Last year, the Pixel 8 scored a 6.2-inch display with a very high 2,000-nit peak brightness, which was among the big selling points of both said Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro. However, the Pixel 9 seems like a sound upgrade on all fronts that matter: size and brightness. 

As per our display tests, the Pixel 9 definitely scores an improvement. You get a much brighter screen that reaches nearly 2,000 nits of brightness, as well as slightly better overall display properties, like better color accuracy thanks to a lower Delta E. The minimum brightness of just 1.8 nits is okay, but we've seen phones with lower than that. 

Display Measurements:

One major improvement that has come with the Pixel 9 series is the use of an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. That one is much faster and more accurate than the optical sensor embedded into the Pixel 8 display. That's a great change that we applaud, as previous Pixels were absolutely held back by the inferior fingerprint sensors that Google had put inside. 

The Pixel 9 series all employ the upcoming Google Tensor G4 chipset, which is based on a 4nm manufacturing node. It appears that Google will transition to 3nm with the Tensor G5 next year; it also looks like that chip will be fully custom as per Google's requirements.

As a refresher, Tensor chips are built with AI in mind, so the raw performance element is usually secondary in importance. We can't wait to test the new Pixels before we can say for certain.

In our benchmark tests, the Pixel 9 scores a small but notable performance bump. Both in the Geekbench 6 tests, the Tensor G4 outpaces its predecessor; the same applies to the graphics capabilities of the new Pixel, though the difference isn't that big. 

Aside from the synthetic benchmark results, the new Pixel feels super responsive and snappy in real life, but admittedly, so does the Pixel 8; you can't really perceive any significant difference.

The Pixel 9 also features more RAM than before, some 12GB to be exact. This increase was necessary due to AI's tasking requirements. The Pixel 8, on the other hand, gets 8GB of RAM, which isn't little, but is surely less impressive in comparison and hurts the future-proofness of the new Pixel 9.

Software-wise, the Pixel 8 currently runs Android 14, but will get Android 15 as soon as that one gets released. Interestingly, the same applies to the Pixel 9, which will come with Android 14 and get Android 15 down the line. 

Both devices will enjoy a lengthy seven-year software support, including major Android releases, security patches, and feature drops. The Pixel 8 will be supported until 2030, while the Pixel 9 until 2031. 

The Pixel 9 comes along with a new ultra-wide camera, which finally improves on the standard 12MP snapper that has been around in the past few Pixel generations. The new 48MP ultra-wide boasts an f/1.7 aperture, so it should have pretty decent low-light capabilities, as well as a rather wide 123-degree field of view. 

The main camera remains the same 50MP f/1.68 one with a 1/1.31" sensor that was also found on the Pixel 8, but the ultra-wide is a less impressive 12MP one with an f/2.2 aperture, so less light-sensitive. 

The majority of improvements surely are the courtesy of software enhancements. AI also has a lot to play in the camera app, giving users a ton of new features to play with, like Add Me, which will let you automatically add yourself to a group photo using AI. 

And just as we suspected, there are just minor quality differences between the new and the old Pixel. Let's explore these below.

During the day, it's nigh impossible to notice any significant difference between the main cameras of the Pixel 9 and the Pixel 8. We get similar sharpness, dynamics, and color reproduction, which is actually kind of expected. Both take lovely photos!

At night, however, it's the Pixel 9 that does a better job, mostly due to its superior dynamics. Squint your eyes, and you'll make out a tiny Ferris wheel in the Pixel 9 sample, while the Pixel 8 has produced a light smudge instead. That's a small, but important difference that can make or break a low-light photo!

During the day, the new ultrawide camera does a pretty good job, but the difference isn't that big. Sure, we get more detail in the trickier areas, like the foliage and the straws of the beach umbrella. However, the Pixel 8 doesn't lag behind, it's just as good at resolving detail. 

At night, the ultra-wide of the Pixel 9 also delivers better detail in comparison with the Pixel 8, just take a look at how sharp the stones are in the lower left. The dynamics also seem to be improved, with slightly more information captured in the seawater, for example. Other than that, both perform admirably. 

The selfie camera on the Pixel 9 is pretty similar to the Pixel 8 in terms of sharpness and overall detail, but it delivers lovelier and warmer colors, especially in the facial area. That's a slight move away from the overly realistic and dramatic style of the previous Pixel, which is definitely an acquired taste with its colder color palette. 

Also read: Pixel 9 camera: All you need to know

The Pixel 9 arrives with a solid 4,700mAh battery, which is marginally larger than the 4,575mAh one on the Pixel 8. We should also remember that the newer Tensor G4 chip should be more efficient. This should deliver much better battery life in comparison with the new phone, right?

We are pleased to report that, yes, this assumption checks out. According to the PhoneArena custom battery tests, the Pixel 9 decidedly beats its predecessor. 

In the PhoneArena web browsing test, which simulates a regular browsing experience, the Pixel 9 outlasts the Pixel 8 by a solid two hours. In our video streaming test, which aims to recreate a standard video playback session, the Pixel 9 achieves a top score of nearly 11 hours, while the Pixel 8 struggles past nine hours and a half.

Finally, the Pixel 9 is crowned champion in our 3D gaming test, in which it beats the 10-hour mark, a very impressive achievement! Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 lasts just six hours and a half in the same test, which is a massive difference in favor of the newer device!

In terms of charging, the situation with the Pixel 9 isn't any different in comparison with the Pixel 8––Google hasn't bestowed us with an upgrade. Both the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 9 support 27W wired charging. Wireless charging support is also a common feature of both phones. 

Surprisingly, the Pixel 9 charges slower than its predecessor, as it takes some 15 minutes extra to achieve a full charge. That's not a dealbreaker by any means, but we are ever-so-slightly disappointed anyway. Google probably dialed down on the charging speed to protect the battery's chemistry from any high thermals. Every little bit helps. 

Also read: Pixel 9 battery and charging: What we expect to see

Here's how the Pixel 9 vs Pixel 8 specs fare against one another. There are a few but noteworthy differences. 

Although the Pixel 9 mostly perfects the general formula behind the Pixel 8, the improvements are all pretty important. 

You get much better battery life, a better display, a slightly better camera setup with fine-tuned image quality, and better performance, as well as a much more future-proof device in the era of AI. 

That said, the Pixel 8 is still a mighty capable phone that doesn't feel outdated. After all, it's been less than a year since the Pixel 8 broke ground. 

If you've got one of those in your pocket, you'd probably gain little from upgrading, so your Pixel 8 will serve you just as good for many years to come.