Pixel 9 pre-sales began last week. They have now ended for the regular Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL models and are now available for purchase. The free storage upgrade offer is still available on Google’s online store and Amazon. The little Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are still up for pre-sale, with a release date of early next month.
Here are the two models available this week: Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL.
This week, we wanted to focus on what you can get instead of the Pixel 9. First up is the Samsung Galaxy S24. These three models will get 7 years of software support, just like the Pixels, and they have a ton of AI features that are often handled by Google itself. That said, One UI does offer some advantages (e.g. DeX, Good Lock) and you can get more memory for less money. That said, the Galaxy S24 phones do have less RAM compared to their Pixel counterparts, but that shouldn’t be a problem for the AI.
Now is a terrible time to buy a new iPhone—the iPhone 16 series is just weeks away, and when it does arrive, prices on current models will drop. We’ll revisit the Pixel vs. iPhone debate in a month or so.
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 entry-level Pixel 9, but it uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 that clearly beats the Tensor G4. And there’s a version with 16GB of RAM, unlike Samsung’s (they have 8 Gen 3 “Galaxy” chips that run at higher clock speeds).
If you think about it, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the OnePlus 12R is still pretty powerful. It doesn’t have a telephoto camera, but it does have an LTPO display, unlike the entry-level Pixel 9. That one is significantly larger than the Pixel 9, though, with a 6.78-inch display. It also has shorter software support — 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 a step 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 is quite capable. With a 4,500 mAh battery, it has almost the same endurance as the Pixel 9 Pro XL with its 5,060 mAh battery. And it charges much faster – 125W wired and 50W wirelessly. The 10MP 3x telephoto camera doesn’t quite match the XL’s 48MP 5x periscope, but it’s better than what the regular Pixel 9 has (it doesn’t have a telephoto camera at all), and this phone is significantly cheaper. Consider this when we say that the software support situation isn’t all that great – Motorola promises 3 OS updates, but even those won’t come as quickly 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 best chipset this year, but it’s fast enough to beat the Tensor – and has a more competitive 64MP 3x telephoto camera to go with the 50MP main (1/1.3”) and 50MP ultra-wide. And don’t forget the 50MP selfie camera that’s used in both the Moto Edge 50 Pro and Ultra. The Ultra is also set up for three major OS updates, as long as you’re patient.
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