Both Google and Sony released rather compelling flagship smartphones in 2024. We’re here to compare them. In this article, we’ll be comparing the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Sony Xperia 1 VI. We will first list their specifications, and will then move to compare the two phones across a number of other areas. We will check out their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output.
These two phones are both flagship-grade phones, and they’re also large devices, but they’re considerably different. That goes for both their designs and their specifications. Even their approach to photography is considerably different. With that being said, let’s see what these two phones have to offer, shall we?
Specs
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Sony Xperia 1 VI, respectively
– Screen size:
6.8-inch QHD+ OLED (flat, adaptive 120Hz, HDR, 3,000 nits)
6.5-inch LTPO OLED display (flat, adaptive 120Hz, HDR)
– Display resolution:
2992 x 1344
2340 x 1080
– SoC:
Google Tensor G4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
– RAM:
16GB (LPDDR5X)
12GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, OIS, EIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree FoV), 48MP (periscope telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, OIS, EIS, 5x optical zoom)
48MP (wide, f/1.9 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.12um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 123-degree FoV, 1.4um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF), 12MP (telephoto, f/3.5 aperture, 170mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-7.1x continuous optical zoom, OIS, 4cm macro)
– Front cameras:
42MP (f/2.2 aperture)
12MP (wide, f/2.0 aperture, 1.22um pixel size, 24mm lens)
– Battery:
5,060mAh
5,000mAh
– Charging:
37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
30W wired, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wireless (charger & cable not included)
– Dimensions:
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm
162 x 74 x 8.2 mm
– Weight:
221 grams
192 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3/5.4
– Security:
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner & facial scanning
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 14
– Price:
$1,099+
€1,399+
– Buy:
Pixel 9 Pro XL (Best Buy, Google Store)
Sony Xperia 1 VI (Amazon)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Sony Xperia 1 VI: Design
The moment you lay your eyes on these two handsets you’ll notice glaring differences between them. They are both made out of metal and glass, but they’re different regardless. The Pixel 9 Pro XL corners are more curved, and even though they both have flat sides, the implementation is different. Google’s handset has a centered display camera hole, while the Xperia 1 VI does not have a camera hole on the display at all. The camera is placed in the top bezel. Its top and bottom bezels are, because of that, thicker than what the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers.
Both phones have flat displays, and their backs are flat too, though the Xperia 1 VI’s has a drop-off towards the edges. It’s a different implementation. Buttons are located on the right-hand side of both phones. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a power/lock key that sits above the volume up and down buttons. It’s the other way around on the Xperia 1 VI. Sony’s handset also has a camera shutter key on the right side and includes an audio jack at the top.
If we flip them over, you’ll see three cameras on both phones, but their camera islands are vastly different. The Pixel 9 Pro XL includes a pill-shaped cutout which is placed horizontally in the upper portion of its back. The Sony Xperia 1 VI has a camera island in the top-left corner, with three vertically-aligned cameras. The camera island on the Pixel 9 Pro XL does protrude more, without a doubt.
The two phones are almost equally tall, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is wider and slightly thicker. It has a larger display, and a different aspect ratio too. Google’s handset is also noticeably heavier at 221 grams. The Xperia 1 VI weighs 192 grams. Both smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. They’re both quite slippery in the hand too.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Sony Xperia 1 VI: Display
Google’s handset features a 6.8-inch 2992 x 1344 LTPO OLED display. That panel is flat, and it offers an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. HDR10+ content is supported here, and the display’s peak brightness is at 3,000 nits. The display aspect ratio here is 20:9, while the screen-to-body ratio is at around 88%. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 by Corning is used to protect this panel.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI, on the flip side, has a 6.5-inch 2340 x 1080 LTPO OLED display. That panel is also flat, and it can project 1 billion colors. Its refresh rate is also adaptive, and it also goes up to 120Hz. HDR is supported, and the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 86.5%. This display is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 by Corning too, it has the same protection as the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Both of these displays are actually really, really good. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is sharper, but the vast majority of people won’t notice that nor will they care. The colors are vivid and the viewing angles are great on both panels. Both displays also offer those inky OLED blacks. The touch response on these two panels is great too. Neither phone has particulary high PWM dimming, though, in case you care about that. The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s panel also gets brighter during use. Not much brighter, but noticeably brighter, especially when you’re outdoors.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Sony Xperia 1 VI: Performance
Google’s flagship is fueled by the Google Tensor G4 processor. That is Google’s new 4nm processor, and it’s paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Google is also using UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Sony Xperia 1 VI, on the other hand, is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor from Qualcomm. That is a 3nm chip, and it’s paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Sony used UFS 4.0 flash storage inside of this phone.
Sony’s handset does have a more powerful SoC, and faster storage. The Tensor G4 caters to AI, and it’s very well-adapted to Google’s Pixels. In other words, you won’t really notice the difference in the speed of performance between the two phones, day-to-day. They’re both really fast to open apps, multitask, and do pretty much everything else. Sony’s software is also quite clean.
Gaming is a different story. The Xperia 1 VI does tend to throttle both CPU and GPU during gaming, probably to keep the heat down. The thing is, we did not notice any effect on the gameplay itself. In fact, the Xperia 1 VI was better at running the most demanding games out there, on the best graphical settings possible. Less demanding games run just as well on both devices. Neither phone is exactly the best for hardcore gaming, however.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Sony Xperia 1 VI: Battery
A 5,060mAh battery sits inside the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Xperia 1 VI, on the flip side, includes a 5,000mAh battery. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL offers really, really good battery life, enough for basically anyone. The thing is, Sony’s Xperia 1 VI flagship goes above and beyond that. If you need outstanding battery life in an Android flagship, the Xperia 1 VI is one of the best phones for that.
Despite the fact that the Pixel 9 Pro XL can reach 7 hours of screen-on-time, depending on your usage, the Xperia 1 VI can go up to 8 hours and beyond. Once again, your usage will definitely have a huge effect on that, so your mileage may vary. If you’re playing a lot of games or something like that, you’ll get noticeably lower battery results than you would otherwise. That’s just an example. The bottom line is, both offer great battery life, but the Xperia 1 VI easily wins.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL supports 37W wired, 23W wireless (with Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The Xperia 1 VI supports 30W wired, 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. Google does offer a bit faster wired and wireless charging, while neither phone ships with a charger in the retail box.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Sony Xperia 1 VI: Cameras
Both smartphones have three cameras on the back. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL features a 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.31-inch sensor), a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit (1/2.55-inch sensor, 123-degree FoV), and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (1/2.55-inch sensor, 5x optical zoom). The Xperia 1 VI, on the other hand, has a 48-megapixel main camera (1/1.35-inch sensor), along with a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.5-inch sensor, 123-degree FoV), and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera (1/3.5-inch sensor, 3.5x-7.1x continuous optical zoom, macro). Sony also collaborates with ZEISS; so you’re getting T* coating for glare on these lenses.
These two smartphones have an entirely different approach to photography. The Pixel 9 Pro XL utilizes a ton of image processing to make images look lifelike and appealing. It usually brightens up shots in low light quite a bit as par to fit, and it’s outstanding for macro photography. The Xperia 1 VI leans more towards realism, and it’s not afraid to keep things darker in low light. Its auto mode is a major improvement compared to its predecessors. Most people will likely prefer the auto mode of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, though. If you’re willing to use Sony’s smartphone more like a pro in terms of a camera, you can really do a lot with it.
Ultrawide and telephoto cameras do a good job of keeping the same color profile as the main shooters. Zoomed-in shots at 3x and 4x generally look a bit better on the Xperia 1 VI from what we’ve seen, but 5x and above is the Pixel 9 Pro XL territory. Sony does do a better job in terms of video, at least for us. In regards to AI camera features, Google reigns supreme.
Audio
Both smartphones feature stereo speakers. Both of those sets are really good, but we did prefer the ones from the Xperia 1 VI. They’re a bit louder, and the sound is kind of fuller with more bass, at least a little bit.
Also, if you need an audio jack, the Xperia 1 VI has it. You can always use the Type-C port on the Pixel 9 Pro XL for the same purpose, but you’ll need a dongle. The Pixel 9 Pro XL supports Bluetooth 5.3, while the Xperia 1 VI support Bluetooth 5.4.
