Google took a page out of Apple’s book this year, and that is, including a small “Pro” model in its lineup. Since the iPhone 11 series back in 2019, Apple has offered a Pro and a Pro Max model in its lineup. They are typically the same, minus the screen sizes. However, there have been a few years where the Pro Max model has gotten a camera upgrade, which the Pro model saw the following year. But most of the time, they are the same, except for the screen size and battery size.
Google decided to do the same thing this year. Many of us reviewers loving having these smaller devices. Smaller phones that actually fit in our hands, though we typically end up purchasing or daily driving larger models like the Pixel 8 Pro or Galaxy S24 Ultra, because of the “Pro” features. This generally comes down to the telephoto sensor, better battery life, more RAM and more storage. But with the Pixel 9 Pro, that’s not the case.
I’ve been using the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL over the past week or so (in fact my review just went live earlier today), and it actually turns out that the Pixel 9 Pro has better battery life. It’s marginally better, but still, in my experience, it has been better so far. While the Pixel 9 Pro XL is about 12% larger, the battery is only about 7% larger, so it does check out. On top of that, the Pixel 9 Pro has literally every other spec and feature of the Pro XL. The only difference is the screen resolution, and that’s due to the size. However, the number of pixels per inch is higher on the Pixel 9 Pro.
Ever since Google announced the Pixel 9 Pro, I knew that was going to be my daily driver. And so far, I’ve held true to that. My main SIM is in the Pixel 9 Pro, while my secondary SIM is in the Pixel 9 Pro XL (for now, it’ll move to the Pixel 9 very soon). And I love it. I love having this smaller size with excellent battery life, top-notch performance, and all three cameras available.
Google’s small phone should excel where Apple’s failed
You’re probably thinking, how can Google excel with a smaller phone, when Apple’s mini iPhone failed? Well, for one, the Pixel 9 Pro is still a fairly large phone at 6.3 inches. Secondly, it also sports flagship features across the board, whereas the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini did not.
Honestly, I don’t think we’ll ever see Google launch something as small as the iPhone 12/13 Mini, especially with Pro specs and features. But the 6.3-inch size here makes it perfect for fitting in your hand. Which is really what I want. I want to be able to use this phone comfortably with one hand, be able to type replies to people with one hand, and so forth. I can’t do that with a Pixel 9 Pro XL and its 6.8-inch display, unfortunately.
A lot of us tech reviewers and content creators have been praising the Pixel 9 Pro since it was announced back on August 13. And since it does have a lot of the pro features, I think it might quietly become Google’s best-selling Pixel phone this year. The real problem with the iPhone Mini was that it was a base iPhone in a smaller size. And it was also one of the first 5G phones, so naturally, battery life was garbage. That’s not the case with Pixel 9 Pro.
Will you be buying a Pixel 9 Pro?
The best thing about the Pixel 9 Pro series now is, you can choose if you want a big or a smaller phone. Without sacrificing anything, not even battery life. And that is amazing. So the real question is, would you buy the Pixel 9 Pro?
Sure, the larger screen of the Pixel 9 Pro XL is nice for watching content. But it doesn’t really fit well in most pockets, its also heavier, and doesn’t give you that much more performance gains compared to the Pixel 9 Pro. Even though it is about 12% larger. I think more people will go for the Pixel 9 Pro than you might think.
