After many years, I’ve finally purchased a new smartphone! I found a great deal on the Pixel 9 Pro through Google Fi. Let me share my thoughts on it so far.
I got a notification about a sale on the Google Fi store. Occasionally deals pop up as promotions that I swipe away, but this time I was actually in the market!
I acquired phone and immediately recorded the video above. The on-boarding process was honestly pretty smooth. Logging back into everything was a drag but it’s a one-time thing.
Specs
Since I’m upgrading from an older flagship smartphone, let’s make a table with both devices!
| Feature | Galaxy S20 Ultra 2020 | Pixel 9 Pro 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | 6.3″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels ~511 pp | 1280 x 2856 pixels ~495 ppi |
| Main Camera | 108MP wide | 50MP wide |
| Ultra-wide | 12MP | 48MP |
| Telephoto | 48MP, 4x optical zoom | 48MP, 5x optical zoom |
| Front Camera | 40MP | 42MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh | 4700mAh |
| Charging | 45W wired, 15W wireless | 27W wired, 12W wireless |
| Processor | Snapdragon 865 | Tensor G4 |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB |
| OS | Android 13 with One UI | Android 15 with Pixel UI |
With better camera specs and slightly better display, it’s impressive that the Galaxy S20 Ultra holds up against the Pixel 9 Pro five years after it’s release!
Review
I’m a fairly casual smartphone user so my requirements and expectations are pretty low. The main thing I’m looking for is a good value, both in price and features.
The design of the phone isn’t really a “feature” but I like having a nice phone. It fits in my palm nicely and I don’t feel like I’m about to drop it all the time. Overall it very snazzy.
The display is great. It’s bright and it’s never difficult to see even in sunlight.
Battery life and performance have been great, though it’s brand new so they’d better be.
I haven’t seen much of the Gemini AI stuff yet. Seems like it works exactly like it did on the Galaxy, which is a bit underwhelming. I’m eager to see what the new fangled AI features are.
Camera Test
I took the photos for comparison on the highest quality shooting modes for each device.
To be completely honest, I actually prefer the color and overall quality of the Galaxy. They feel warmer and more vibrant. The Pixel’s photos feel cooler but truer to the actual color.
The Pixel’s camera software is so good. The assists and options the it has are killer. And it takes pictures instantly, whereas the Galaxy takes a full second.
Verdict
I’m very happy with the Pixel 9 Pro so far. The form factor, performance, and general quality of the phone is just terrific.
I think the value is pretty good for a new flagship phone. MSRP is a cool $1000, which is how much the laptop I’m writing this on cost when I got it. I think that’s a fair price. You can find deals on Amazon or like I did with Google Fi.
However, that’s the value of a brand new current-generation smartphone. If you wanted a nice phone with good features, you are probably better off looking at renewed devices.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, the one that took better photos than the brand new Pixel (in my opinion), is less than $300 on Amazon!
Support
I’ve been enjoying making content lately. The new microphone & camera set up I have made it easy to record the video for this post.
If you’d like to support me, use the affiliate links I embed in the posts!
Or, if you’d like to give Google Fi a try, use my referral code 8293XK for a $60 credit on your bill. When you use my code, I also get a $60 credit—a nice win-win that helps support my work!