I Used The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL And Pixel 9a; Here’s Why You Don’t Need To Spend More

I’m impressed by the Google Pixel 9a. It’s Google’s most well-rounded A-series phone to date, and it provides enough of the Pixel experience customers like for only $500. It’s not perfect and carries many of the limitations of other midrange devices, but it’s one of the most complete smartphones I’ve used for under $500. It’s the best example of why you don’t need to spend over $1,000 to get a fantastic phone.

Still, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is an excellent device. Google corrected many of the issues that plagued previous Pixels, and the phone has proven to be a winner for the company. It was one of my favorite smartphones last year, proving Google could provide a quality hardware and software experience. Flagships have a purpose in the market, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL is objectively better than the Pixel 9a, but if you don’t care about the extras, there might be plenty of reasons to save money by buying the less expensive Pixel sibling.

Read our review

What I like about the Google Pixel 9a

Snappy performance and excellent battery life

Everything starts with the display, and the Pixel 9a has an excellent one. Sure, you’ll notice differences between the Super Actua panel on the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Actua screen on the Pixel 9a, but nothing would turn you off to the cheaper Pixel. It’s still a gorgeous 6.3-inch OLED display, with vibrant colors and 2,700 nits max brightness. It’s personal preference, but I like that Google made the display slightly larger for the Pixel 9a. Initially, I was worried a larger panel would ruin the compact phone feel I loved on the Pixel 8a, but my fears were unfounded. The Pixel 9a still feels like a small phone in the hand, and if you’re tired of carrying around behemoth flagships, the Pixel 9a is a welcome change of pace.

Performance is another strong suit of the Pixel 9a. It’s powered by a Tensor G4, which has to be viewed more favorably at a lower price. We can reasonably discuss whether a Tensor G4 is worth it when I’m paying over $1,000 for a device, but it’s hard to argue it’s not a capable chipset when I’m only shelling out $500. I’ll be the first to say that gaming performance with the Tensor G4 isn’t where it should be, and rumors suggest that Google is improving the GPU for the Tensor G5. Still, while that can easily be used as a negative against the Pixel 9 Pro XL, I’m not counting it as a strike against the Pixel 9a. The Pixel 9a performs well, and I don’t notice any slowdowns or lag with most tasks, which is precisely what I expect from a midrange phone.

The Pixel 9a’s battery life is particularly impressive. It features a 5,100mAh cell, which is sizable considering the phone’s petite frame. A large battery paired with a smaller 1080p display and power-efficient Tensor G4 makes for a formidable combination. I routinely get two full days of mixed use on a single charge, and while recharge speeds on the Pixel 9a are anemic at only 23W, the battery package is overall impressive.

If you’re considering a Pixel phone, you’re most likely interested in Google’s software. Pixel extras like Now Playing are fantastic and add value to a midrange phone. The company also promises 7 years of software support for the Pixel 9a, with Android version upgrades and feature drops. With only 8GB of RAM, the Pixel 9a isn’t as future-proofed as the Pixel 9 Pro XL, but we’ll still get a solid experience for years.

Another advantage of Google smartphones is the camera. While other Android manufacturers may have caught up at the flagship level, Google is still unmatched in midrange photography. I love the results from the Pixel 9a’s 48MP primary sensor, and images from the 13MP ultrawide lens don’t suffer from the same dramatic falloff you typically see at this price range. Night Sight is a significant advantage for the Pixel 9a, as I love the crisp low-light images I get. All told, the Pixel 9a is a complete experience, and you could do a lot worse for $500.

What I love about the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Smooth performance and fantastic cameras

The more I used the Pixel 9a, the harder it became to justify spending the extra money on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Sure, the more expensive Pixel has an expansive 6.8-inch Super Actua display with a higher resolution and peak brightness. It’s also made from better materials, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protecting its front and back. Unfortunately, a premium construction weighs more, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL tips the scales 40g heavier than the Pixel 9a. If you need the extra screen real estate or crave the excellent feel of a flagship, the Pixel 9 Pro XL might be worth the additional investment, but I’m satisfied with what I get on the Pixel 9a.

If there’s a legitimate reason to spend more on a flagship Pixel, it’s the cameras. If you’re a hardcore shutterbug and your phone is your primary camera, the added versatility of the Pixel 9 Pro XL would be worth it. It adds a 48MP 5x optical zoom lens for capturing more detail from a distance. I didn’t think I’d appreciate the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s telephone lens, but I use it more than I thought. Close-up images are clean, and I love capturing shots of birds outside my window. I’m not saying the telephoto lens is worth an extra $500 for the larger Pixel, but it’s a significant part of the conversation.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL will get the same 7 years of support as the Pixel 9a, but you can expect better performance for longer on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. With 16GB of RAM, the Pixel 9 Pro XL will get more Google Gemini features, as the extra RAM will allow it to process more AI functions on the device. More RAM will also maintain smooth daily performance, as the flagship Pixel will age more gracefully in the later stages of software support. If you plan on keeping your device for the full 7 years, the extra cost might be worth it.

You’ll also find more minor differences between the two devices. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has slightly faster charging speeds and supports reverse wireless charging, which I’ve never used for more than a gimmick to show friends I could.

Overall, Google’s in a tough spot. It doesn’t rely on raw performance to sell smartphones. Instead, it sells us on an experience. Unfortunately for Google, that can be had on much less expensive hardware. I feel I get 80-90% of the Google Pixel core experience on my Pixel 9a, and I don’t think the remaining percentage is worth the premium it would cost to buy the flagship Pixel 9 Pro XL.

It’s better, but by how much?

Everything is relative, and there are plenty of ways to score discounts on a Pixel 9 Pro XL, bringing its price down to that of a midrange phone. Still, I’m hard-pressed to find convincing reasons you’d want to pay up when the Pixel 9a is so good. I’m hoping that doesn’t dissuade Google from making excellent midrange phones in the future. However, still, enough people require a larger display and more cameras in their smartphones. For those interested in the Pixel 9 Pro XL, it is a fantastic choice, but for me, and plenty like me, I’m OK with saving money and picking up a Pixel 9a.

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  Google Pixel 9a

  Google’s Pixel 9a takes everything that was great about the Pixel 8a and looks to modernize it. With an all-new Pixel 9-inspired look and no camera bump, this might be the best $500 smartphone we’ve seen yet.

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  Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

  The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a new name, but it fills the same slot as 2023’s Pixel 8 Pro, having similar specs with roughly the same footprint. The non-XL Pixel 9 Pro is new to the lineup as a smaller premium flagship offering. With the 9 Pro XL, however, you get Google’s fastest charging, a bigger screen and battery, and all of the camera and Gemini AI smarts you’d get in the smaller 9 Pro.