Last week, pre-orders for the Pixel 9 went live. Pre-orders have now closed for the standard Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL, and they're available for purchase. The free storage upgrade offer is still available on Google's online store and Amazon, however. The smaller Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are still up for pre-order, with their launch scheduled for early next month.
Here are the two models available this week, the Google Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
This week, we wanted to focus on what you can get instead of a Pixel 9. Starting off, a Samsung Galaxy S24 model. All three of these models will get 7 years of software support, just like the Pixels, and they have a slew of AI features that are often powered by Google itself. Still, One UI does offer some perks (e.g. DeX, Good Lock), and you can get more storage for less money. That said, the Galaxy S24 phones do lack RAM compared to their Pixel counterparts, but that shouldn’t be a problem for AI.
It’s a tough time to buy a new iPhone — the iPhone 16 series is just weeks away from release, and once it arrives, prices for current models will drop. We’ll revisit the Pixel vs. iPhone question in about a month.
OnePlus is about to refresh its lineup, but the brand isn't as allergic to discounts as Apple. The OnePlus 12 costs the same as the base Pixel 9, but uses an 8th Gen 3 Snapdragon, which easily beats the Tensor G4. And there's a version with 16GB of RAM, unlike Samsung (they have 8th Gen 3 “Galaxy” chips, which run at higher clock speeds).
Come to think of it, the OnePlus 12R's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is still pretty punchy. There's no telephoto camera on this one, but it does have an LTPO display, unlike the base Pixel 9. This one is much larger than the Pixel 9, though, with a 6.78-inch display. Plus, software support will be shorter – 3 OS updates and 4 years of patches for the 12R and 4 OS updates and 5 years of patches for the flagship 12. That said, the OnePlus 12 and 12R started with Android 14, just like the Pixels, so at least they're not behind.
We also want to highlight two Motorolas. The Moto Edge 50 Pro is based on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, which is a bit slower than the Tensor G4, but it's quite efficient. With the 4,500mAh battery, it gets almost the same endurance as the Pixel 9 Pro XL with its 5,060mAh battery. And this one charges much faster – 125W wired and 50W wireless. The 10MP 3x telephoto camera doesn't match the XL's 48MP 5x periscope, but it's better than the regular Pixel 9 (no TV at all) and this phone is considerably cheaper. Keep that in mind when we tell you that the software support situation isn't as good – Motorola promises 3 OS updates, but even those won't be as quick to arrive as Google's.
For a little less than the regular Pixel 9, you can get the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra. This one uses the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 – not the most powerful chipset of the year, but fast enough to beat the Tensor – and it has a more competitive 64MP 3x telephoto camera, which joins the main 50MP (1/1.3”) and 50MP ultra-wide. And don’t forget the 50MP selfie camera, which is used on both the Moto Edge 50 Pro and the Ultra. The Ultra is also due for 3 major OS updates, so long as you’re patient.
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