Maroc - THECEKODOK.COM - A La Une - 22/Aug 19:55

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review – The Pixel is Finally Local

Last January I said the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was the Google Pixel for the world because Google at the time only launched their phones in limited markets. After seven months have passed, the Google Pixel 9 series is now officially entering the Malaysian market for the first time. I can tell you that Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is a solid Pixel for local users but with some flaws that need to be fixed. Here's the full Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review.SpecificationsGoogle Pixel 9 Pro XL6.8″ LTPO OLED screen, 120HzActive Display, HDR10+Google Tensor G4 processor (4nm)1 X 3.1 GHz Cortex X4 chip3 X 2.6 GHz Cortex A7204 X 1.95 GHz Cortex A720Mali G-715 MC7 Graphics ChipRAM 16GB LPDDR5XInternal Storage 128/256/512/1000 GB UFS 3.1Primary Camera 50MP f/1.7, OIS (Primary)48MP f/1.7 (Ultra Wide)48MP f/2.8, OIS (Telephoto)42MP f/2.2 Selfie Camera5060 mAh battery37W wired chargingWireless charging 23W Pixel Stand23W Qi wireless chargingReverse chargingSIM/Telephony 1 Nano, 1 eSIM5G mmWave/Sub 6NFC YesNo Audio JackWaterproof IP68Scanning System Ultrasonic fingerprint scannerFace scanSelling Price RM 5699 (16/128GB)RM 6199 (16/256GB)RM 6799 (16/512GB)RM 7999 (16/1000GB)ScreenPixel 9 Pro XL is equipped with a 6.8″ LTPO OLED 120Hz screen from the Actua Display type that feels smooth when used. The screen resolution is improved compared to the Pixel 8 series and more importantly it supports HDR10+ display. Sorry Dolby Vision fans, but this feature is not included on the Pixel 9 device. I can confirm the screen is indeed of the LTPO type as the 1-120Hz refresh rate is detected when using different apps through the Developer Options settings.The screen is of a flat type so there is no issue of content overflowing to the side. Viewing angles are also good and every touch is detected well. Even under the scorching sun, content can be seen clearly, only the S24 Ultra's screen is better at reducing reflections because it has a special anti-glare coating.BiometricsThe biometric system is of the type of fingerprint scanner under the ultrasonic screen. The advantage is that the scan is faster, accurate and can be used even when the user's fingers are wet. The position of the scanner sensor is also high making it easy to unlock the device even if the device is held with one hand. It would be nice if all devices with under-screen fingerprint scanning systems put the sensor in a more ergonomic position like this. The face scan system can also be used with it being as fast as a fingerprint scan.DesignThe Pixel 9 Pro XL has a body that feels sturdy and premium in the hand. The shiny metal frame gives a finish that looks as luxurious as the iPhone 15 Pro Max frame. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that the quality of the finish and body of the Pixel 9 series is at the same level as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This is not a negative thing as Apple devices are known for their excellent build quality.The power button and audio adjustment are placed on the right side. It's just that the configuration is changed where the power button is on the top and the audio adjustment button is on the bottom unlike on other Android devices. As a result I often press the audio adjustment button by mistake when trying to lock the screen.Below is a USB-C charging port with an audio grille groove on the left and a SIM tray on the right. Moving up there's a microphone hole and an oval-shaped window for 5G mmWave networking. Never have I seen this window on other devices in Malaysia because 5G in Malaysia does not support mmWave.The flat side of the body makes the device look a little thick but I'm not the type of user who complains about the device being a little thick. It's not a big issue. Because it is thick and flat, the device can "stand" like the Nokia 3310. This thick body is due to the 5060 mAh battery capacity that comes with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. This makes the device feel heavy in the hand. The weight here does not come with a negative connotation but instead makes the device feel more luxurious. Previously the Pixel I used felt cheap because the plastic finish made it feel light in the hand.The back panel is made of non-glossy glass and does not trap dirt easily. It also enables the device to support wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. An oval-shaped camera bump dominates the rear design. It is quite large and thick so the device cannot be placed flat on the table.It houses a 50MP wide-angle lens, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 48MP telephoto lens that can do up to 5X optical zoom. It is easy to distinguish from other lenses because of its square shape. Perhaps over time this new oval hump design will become iconic like the iPhone and Samsung camera hump that was initially mocked.I'm not a fan of this design because the elongated camera bump on the Pixel 8 looks prettier in my opinion. But this is Google's choice and will be the identity of the Pixel for several years to come. Finally, the body of all three models passes IP68 waterproof and dustproof standards.Software – Most Original Google AndroidSoftware is the reason why many want to use the Pixel. It's the purest version of Android 14 without fat apps and unappealing third-party launchers. This software runs quite smoothly on all three models because it uses the latest Google Tensor G4 chip. The Pixel 9 Pro comes with 16GB of RAM without the virtual RAM feature now standard on other Android devices. The high amount of processing power matched with a large RAM size ensures that the issue of "Pixel not having enough memory" can be thrown away this year.In addition to the lightest software, it still comes with Pixel exclusive features. Any new features will be received first by the device via Pixel Drop. No more waiting for manufacturers to offer it months after it's launched. Then it received 7 Android version update support and 7 years of security patches. Only Samsung is able to offer support comparable to that offered by Google.Just because I'm calling Samsung's name, I have to confess to being a die-hard One UI user. Switching to the Pixel Launcher was a shock to the system as many of the features I'm used to on Samsung devices don't exist on the Pixel. For those who have never used Android without "additional software" the absence of these common features will be felt significantly.Another interesting feature is that Gemini Nano runs directly on the device for various AI tasks such as Reimagine and Pixel Studio features. Pixel Studio generates images using generative AI directly from the device without the need for internet. Therefore an image can be generated in less than 5 seconds.Pixel StudioReimagine, on the other hand, modifies photos by inserting proms into Google Photos. For example you might want to change a blue sky to a red sky like a sunset. Turn the road into a fast flowing river. Photos can also be re-composed with parts not generated by Gemini.There is also a new Screenshot feature that saves all screenshots in a special app. The AI ​​then reads all the information in the screenshot such as phone number, WiFi password, plane reservation number and event venue address. From within the application the user only needs to ask the question they want to know the answer to and Screenshot will provide it based on the information that has been collected.ScreenshotsLastly is the Add Me feature that adds a user's photo to a captured photo. The dilemma of people missing out on group photos because no one can take a photo is solved by Add Me with the help of AI. Of all the features above, this is the feature that I feel is the most innovative and unique.All previous Gemini Nano features such as writing messages, and email are still included as well as Circle to Search which I feel is the best creation of Google in the last 5 years and there is no product close to it. Buyers of the Pixel 9 Pro series also receive a one-year subscription to Gemini Pro with more powerful AI capabilities for free. The strength of the Pixel has always been in the software and this tradition continues with the Pixel 9 series.All of the AI ​​features above are interesting but there is one feature that I feel has a lot of weaknesses which is Gemini Voice. Gemini Voice is a new virtual assistant that provides a real human-like conversational experience. What is advertised is not as good as the reality, especially in Malaysia. When a question is asked, Gemini Voice will give an interesting answer but will be preceded by a 10 second idle chat.For example if I ask "where is a good food restaurant nearby?" , Gemini Voice will answer "hmm food is delicious and provides nourishment to your body, can you decide what kind of food you want? Is it Western, light or local food?”. While chatting, Gemini Voice cannot be interrupted. It was so long that it felt like my time was wasted.Gemini VoiceOn Google Assistant quick answers will be given without having to listen to Gemini Voice babble. Then when the recommendation is given, Gemini Voice cannot show the location of the restaurant on Google Maps because it is still not supported. It also can't tell what events I need to attend on certain days because it can't access Google Calendar.This can all be done by Assistant. Gemini Voice is like Elon Musk. Once heard it seems wise but when asked to give an answer it will talk convoluted and then cannot give the correct answer desired. Therefore I just turned off Gemini Voice and switched back to the more practical Assistant.THE BENCHMARKGoogle blocked the installation of all the benchmark apps I used for previous reviews. When Geekbench, and 3D Mark are searched in the Play Store, it says the app is not available. I tried to fix it by doing a side install of the APK but it was also blocked by the system.Therefore for the first time in our history, no score can be listed below. I'll leave it blank for now and will update that section when Google re-allows benchmarking apps to be installed on the Pixel 9 Pro XL.Antutu 3DGoogle Pixel 9 Pro XL – N/ASamsung Galaxy Z Fold6 – 1,610,669Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 – 1,597,608Oppo Find N3 – 1,405,149Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 1,361,432Xiaomi 14 Ultra – 2,000,434Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 1,768,765iQOO 12 – 2,075,821Geekbench 6Google Pixel 9 Pro XL – N/ASamsung Galaxy Z Fold6 – 1902/6943Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 – 1948/5373Oppo Find N3 – 1537/4561Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 2061/5760Xiaomi 14 Ultra – 2221/6632Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 2278/7016iQOO 12 – 2181/66313D Mark Wildlife ExtremeGoogle Pixel 9 Pro XL – N/ASamsung Galaxy Z Fold6 – 4752Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 – 2929Oppo Find N3 – 3654Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 4574Xiaomi 14 Ultra – 4717/Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 4657iQOO 12 – 5045Although there are no tests I can do myself, there are scores for Geekbench and Antutu on other sites. As expected, the Tensor G4 is a mid-range processor chip that is in the same class as the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 1. In terms of performance it is behind the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 1 and lags behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 used in flagship devices the best of Android this year. The reason given by Google is that the focus is on NPU for AI capabilities rather than processing capabilities for gaming.Despite that the experience of using the Pixel 9 Pro XL was smooth without any issues. Applications can be installed and launched quickly. Comparable to the experience of using other flagship Android devices. A large amount of RAM ensures that there are no issues with applications closing when launched in large numbers. The user experience of the majority of applications is not affected by the use of a mid-range processor,What is affected is when running programs that require high graphics. In COD Mobile this can initially run on high settings and framerates but will start to heat up a bit after a few online sessions. When launching COD Warzone Mobile the performance started to suffer with the frame rate not being very stable and the heating increased. Warzone Mobile has so far not been well optimized for use on current devices. Even on devices with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Apple A17 Pro though the above issue occurs.TELEPHONY And GPSThe device supports 5G mmWave and sub 6GHz networks. On the Celcom Digi network I use there is no issue accessing the 5G network almost every time. Voice calls are also clear especially if using VoLTE and VoWiFi. WiFi performance is also excellent as it supports WiFi 7. I will not have any cellular network issues during the duration of this review. I can say the same about the GPS performance which is also fast and accurate.CAMERASpeaking of the Pixel, the camera capabilities will be the main focus as it has already reached legendary levels. Year after year when blind testing is done, the majority of users will say the Pixel camera captures the best, natural looking and satisfying photos in the majority of situations.I can tell you that the Pixel 9 Pro XL's camera performance continues last year's success. Pictures taken are not only beautiful but display accurate colors. The HDR system captures bright images at times where I don't make dark areas lose detail. The camera's Portrait mode is the most accurate I've seen on a smartphone camera. The sample that I managed to take is as below.Selfies are sharp and skin tones are accurate. The bokeh effect in the back is also done brilliantly. Portrait mode is good although not 100% perfect. Sections of my son's hair are not well separated from the background of the picture.Here are some sample photos using the Night Sight night mode. The chaya source does not seem to break and there is no excessive glare or noise issue. See both PETRONAS towers below taken using 5X zoom. It still looks sharp and clear. Night Sight performance is very good in my opinion.Optical zoom mode is up to 5X with digital zoom options at 10X and 30X settings. When taking pictures outside, the quality of the 30X zoom is very good because there is enough light and the Pixel has an algorithm to improve the picture quality. But when in the dark, the quality of the digital zoom can only be said to be up to 10X. Below are zoom samples at 0.5X, 1X, 5X and 30X settings.BATTERYThe 5060 mAh battery can last all day. If unplugged from the charger at 6am, it still has 10% charge at 10pm before I go to bed. This is a typical use of a combination of 5G and WiFi in the office. In more intensive use, SOT is around 7 hours and battery life is around 12 hours which I feel is consistent with other flagship Android devices with 5G enabled.Only charging is slow because it is only 37W. The process of recharging the battery is around 90 minutes because Android 14 slows down the charging process after reaching 90%. Once the battery had 94% charge but to reach 100%, the Pixel 9 Pro XL told me it would take 45 minutes. The system used gives importance to the long-term health of the battery.My praise goes to Google for providing an estimate of when charging will be complete with a time display instead of how long it will be before it is complete. This is a more intuitive charging time display and I hope other Android manufacturers can provide the same option on their devices.The 37W charger is not included with Google simply providing a USB-C to USB-C cable with every purchase.AUDIOThe two stereo speakers used are satisfactory. In the majority of situations the audio is balanced and clear. There is no audio distortion except when playing music with a lively beat at the highest audio settings.IN THE BOXHere's what's included in the box.1x Google Pixel 9 Pro XL1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.1x Manual.1x SIM Pin.ConclusionGoogle Pixel 9 Pro XL in my opinion is one of the best Android devices throughout 2024 in terms of build quality, software smoothness, additional features, photography capabilities, device support and battery life. If you want the most Android device without unnecessary fat apps and receive the fastest updates, your only choice is the Google Pixel 9 series.But it should be emphasized that the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a flagship device with a premium mid-range processor. Its performance is closer to Realme GT 6 than Galaxy S24 Ultra. If you are looking for the most powerful device, the Pixel 9 series is not for you.Also I must say if you have been using One UI, Nothing OS, ColorOS, HyperOS, MagicOS and various other Android launchers for a long time, the shock of using Pixel Launcher without additional features will shock the system. I'm a die-hard Samsung user and the loss of many features that have been used for years makes my soul personally incompatible with the Pixel.At a selling price starting at RM5699 it is a device that is quite expensive. But there are more positives than negatives on the Pixel 9 Pro XL so I can recommend it to those who want the purest Android experience.ProPremium design is very comfortable in the hand.The most original Android software.Pixel camera capabilities are not gimmicks.Software support for 7 years.IP68 waterproof and dustproof.Interesting AI features are missing on other devices so far.ConsThe price is quite expensive.The Tensor G4 on paper is no match for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.Charging is only 37W which is slow for a modern device.Gemini Voice is disappointing. Assistant is more useful.Native Android isn't for everyone.