Summary of overseas reviews of 'Pixel 9', 'Pixel 9 Pro', and 'Pixel 9 Pro XL', with comments that heat generation has been improved, the fingerprint sensor has been made faster, but the AI function has issues
The Pixel 9 , Pixel 9 Pro , and Pixel 9 Pro XL, released by Google on August 22, 2024, are Google flagship smartphones equipped with displays up to 6.8 inches, the Google Tensor G4 chipset with refined AI processing, and a revamped camera bar. Overseas reviews of the Pixel 9 series have been released, so we've picked out the main ones.
◆ AI-based image correction function
Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL review: AI all over the place - The Verge
According to the IT news site The Verge, the Pixel 9 series looks like an iPhone when viewed from the front, with flat sides and uniform bezels around the screen. On the other hand, even though the design has been revamped, the camera bar that has become a symbol of Google smartphones since the Pixel 6 is still intact, so the overall look is instantly recognizable as a Pixel.
Of particular note is the improvement in heat generation, with the chip changing from the previous model's Tensor G3 to the Tensor G4, and thanks to the vapor chamber cooling mechanism installed in the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 XL, the smartphone no longer gets so hot that it could catch fire even when used as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Also, the fingerprint sensor has been changed from optical to ultrasonic, making it faster.
For these reasons, The Verge evaluated the Pixel 9 series as 'Google can call it mission accomplished.'
On the other hand, the AI features, which are the main attraction, are not as complete as they could be. For example, the 'Add Me' feature integrated into the camera allows you to composite your image into a photo, and the 'Reimagine' feature, one of the 'Magic Editor' features that uses generative AI, allows you to edit images using prompts, which worked quite well.
The photo (left) shows The Verge writer Allison Johnson being added to the left of the man in the center with Add Me, and the original photo (right). The man's shoulder looks unnatural, but at first glance it looks well-combined.
However, the accuracy of 'Pixel Screenshots,' which automatically analyzes what is shown in the screenshot, was quite disappointing. For these reasons, The Verge rated the Pixel 9's AI function as 'inconsistent.'
◆ Heat generation and battery related issues
Pixel 9 Pro's New Fingerprint Reader, Modem Impress Us
According to Droid Life, a news site specializing in Android-related information, in previous Pixel series, the compatibility between the Tensor chip and the Samsung modem could cause problems such as unstable mobile connection, overheating, and excessive battery consumption.
On the other hand, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL that Droid Life reviewed never lost mobile connection during the one-week review period, and the temperature remained within normal operating range, even after playing Pokemon Go for two hours with the screen on and only a mobile connection, which Droid Life highly praised.
Droid Life also said the fingerprint sensor was fast and accurate, with the number of reading errors counted on one hand.
Pixel 9 Pro XL impressions: great hardware, better battery life
IT news site 9to5Google cited the battery life as one of the most impressive features of the device after a week of review.
Battery life has been a problem with all previous Tensor-equipped devices, so 9to5Google assumed that the Pixel 9 series would be no exception. However, despite using the Pixel 9 Pro XL for 13 to 15 hours continuously, including 5 hours with the screen turned on, the Pixel's power-saving feature, Battery Saver, did not activate.
Based on this, 9to5Google commented that 'this may be the best battery life of any Pixel ever, let alone a Tensor-equipped model.'
In addition, the software has become faster, and once a certain temperature was reached, the heat generation did not increase any more. Some have pointed out throttling, but as far as 9to5Google has been using it, it seems that throttling was not noticeable during normal use or while playing games.
Google Pixel 9 review: A fun AI phone for everyone | Android Central
While the battery life has been well received, there have been complaints about the charging speed, especially on the Pixel 9, which is on the slow side. According to Android Central, the Pixel 9 Pro XL could be charged from 0 to 70% in 30 minutes, while the Pixel 9 could only be charged to 50%.
Fortunately, 50% should be enough to last a day, but Android Central commented that 'wired and wireless charging speeds lag behind many other flagship Android smartphones with fast charging capabilities.'
◆Transcription summary function
Pixel Recorder's summaries are actually useful on the Google Pixel 9 - Android Authority
https://www.androidauthority.com/pixel-recorder-google-pixel-9-3473920/
Google's smartphones have been equipped with the generative AI 'Gemini Nano' since the Pixel 8 series, but the Gemini Nano in the Pixel 9 series is an improvement over its predecessor in that it has multimodal capabilities.
The transcription feature in the Pixel Recorder app has also been improved. In tests conducted by Android Authority, the Pixel 8 Pro couldn't even process a 20-minute recording, while the Pixel 9 had no trouble generating a transcript for a 41-minute recording.
However, since it could not handle an hour of recording, Android-related news site Android Authority commented, 'It may not be enough for students trying to summarize lectures or journalists trying to summarize long meetings. We hope that future versions of Gemini Nano will be able to handle even more text and the Pixel Recorder app will no longer complain that the transcript is too long.'
◆ 'Find my device' function
Find My Device works on the Pixel 9 series hours after it's switched off
Google
News site Android Headlines conducted a test and confirmed that the Find My Device feature works on the Pixel 9 and can pinpoint its location even after the phone has been turned off for several hours.
Below is an explanation of the Find My Device feature that appears the first time the battery gets low after you start using it: 'If your phone runs out of battery or is turned off, the Find My Device network can locate it for several hours.'
◆ Screen output function is finally supported
The Google Pixel 9 supports display output out of the box, but it isn't very useful
The Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold all support a screen output feature called 'DisplayPort Alternate Mode,' which allows them to output a DisplayPort signal via USB Type-C.
This allows you to mirror the screen of the Pixel 9 series to an external display, but since the UI is not optimized for landscape screens, the screen will appear unnaturally squashed unless a video is being played.
Samsung's Galaxy series solves this problem with a feature called 'Samsung DeX,' but the Pixel series does not yet have an equivalent to Samsung DeX, so Android Police, who tried the screen output, said, 'People who wanted to turn the Pixel 9 into a portable PC will be disappointed.'
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