Except for the launch of the unique Google Pixel telephone again in 2016, no different launch was as vital because the Google Pixel 6. It ushered in what grew to become the defacto Pixel design language, launched Google’s personal Tensor processor line, and proved that Google might make a very premium telephone with out the premium value.
It additionally marked the primary time that Google promised 5 years of software program updates, however that promise got here with a catch: it solely assured three years of Android OS updates. Whereas the telephone will nonetheless see safety updates for an additional two years, the discharge of Android 15 marks the ultimate Android improve the telephone will ever obtain.
Which leads me to the query at hand: is it time to improve your getting older Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Professional? As an entire, I do not assume so. You must look ahead to the Pixel 10, however there are a couple of situations the place upgrading to a Pixel 9 may make sense.
Why you need to improve out of your Pixel 6
The Google Pixel 9 collection simply got here out, and whereas the brand new, much more premium design actually could be tempting, the true motive to improve to a Pixel 9 this 12 months is the selection of dimension.
For the primary time ever, Google is providing a smaller Pixel 9 Professional with the identical {hardware} configuration because the Pixel 9 Professional XL. Meaning of us seeking to preserve the wonderful zoom element of their Pixel 6 Professional can improve to a Pixel 9 Professional collection and have a selection between sizes with out sacrificing top-of-the-line components of a high-end smartphone digital camera expertise.
For the reason that Pixel 6, Google has flattened its telephone shows and decreased the bezels, which means that massive, lovely show could be simply coated with a tempered glass Pixel 9 display screen protector. Whereas I like the feel and appear of curved glass, there isn’t any denying it is a lot tougher to guard than flat glass, particularly when it is obtained a tempered glass layer on high.
Google has additionally additional improved its software program replace promise for the reason that Pixel 6 and now presents seven years of promised working system and safety updates for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 collection. Meaning if you wish to maintain on to your Pixel 9 even longer than you probably did along with your Pixel 6, you may nonetheless get the most recent model of Android up till Android 21.
The Pixel 6’s fingerprint scanner was all the time fairly terrible, and whereas Google improved it with software program updates, there isn’t any denying it is one of many worst in-display fingerprint scanners for the reason that Galaxy S10. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 each provide considerably improved fingerprint scanners, however every does it with a distinct expertise.
For me, the Pixel 8 collection has the perfect in-display fingerprint scanners of any Pixel telephone in the marketplace. It makes use of optical scanning expertise, which suggests the show will get tremendous vivid beneath your finger so an optical sensor can learn your print. The primary criticism with such a scanner is, after all, that blindingly vivid gentle if you happen to by chance faucet it in a darkish room, however I discover its accuracy is greater than well worth the trade-off. Most in-display fingerprint sensors use such a expertise.
The Pixel 9 collection launched with an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor, which many individuals favor as a result of it would not use gentle in any respect to learn your fingerprint. As an alternative, an ultrasonic sensor makes use of high-frequency sound waves to learn your fingerprint. Nevertheless it would not work so properly for everybody, and other people like me discover them to be irritating to make use of as they recurrently fail to learn my fingerprints. To this point, solely a handful of corporations have chosen ultrasonic together with Samsung’s Galaxy S24 collection.
Get Professional options in a smaller dimension with the Google Pixel 9 Professional, the primary fully-featured Pixel telephone that is extra comfy to make use of with one hand. Plus, with seven years of software program updates, you will not must improve for a really very long time.
Here is why you need to wait to improve
It isn’t too exhausting to discover a handful of causes to improve, however I feel it is value holding on to that Pixel 6 for yet another 12 months for one enormous motive: Google Tensor G5. Earlier than the Pixel 9 was launched, Android Central contributor Brady Snyder wrote about this very subject, because the Tensor G4 contained in the Pixel 9 was rumored to be a fairly minimal improve over the Tensor G3 contained in the Pixel 8.
It turned out that not solely was he proper, however Tensor G4 really downgrades efficiency in some classes. As I famous in my Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL assessment, Tensor G4 is slower than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor contained in the Galaxy S22. Contemplating that Samsung will probably launch the Galaxy S25 in simply 4 months, the Pixel 9 might be at a considerable drawback.
Some individuals have famous that the Pixel 9’s every day efficiency feels simply superb and that extra energy is not essential. Others say that the Tensor G4 is designed particularly to make the telephone really feel as Google-like as attainable, which suggests the processor is designed particularly with Pixel-exclusive options in thoughts.
Whereas I do not disagree with that, I do fear about how the Pixel 9 will really feel in only a few years’ time. If it is already as sluggish as a telephone from 2021, how will it really feel when it receives the Android 18 replace in 2027, not to mention the Android 21 replace a couple of years after that?
I additionally need to query Google’s pricing construction this 12 months. It is uncommon that somebody can pay full value when upgrading to a brand new telephone, whether or not that is as a result of they obtained a nice Pixel 9 deal or they obtained tons of off by buying and selling of their new telephone. However Google raised the costs of its Pixel 9 line by one other $100 this 12 months, which stacks on high of the $100 value hike on 2023’s Pixel 8 collection.
Meaning you are now paying $200 extra for a telephone that also performs at 2021 telephone ranges, which is only some months after your Pixel 6 was launched. Day by day efficiency of the Tensor G4 over the Tensor G1 within the Pixel 6 is not significantly better both. Single core efficiency is just 13% quicker, whereas multicore efficiency is just 20% quicker.
I can not consider a single different processor that is solely seen a most of 20% efficiency enchancment over 4 generations—most processor upgrades obtain this metric every 12 months—and I feel that is probably the most embarassing half concerning the Pixel 9’s value hike.
The Pixel 10 is meant to repair this downside with the launch of Tensor G5, a brand new Tensor redesigned from the bottom up and absolutely designed in-house by Google. Tensor G1 to G4 have all been co-developed with Samsung and undergo from the identical points that Samsung’s Exynos line of processors does.
On to the remainder of the telephone, charging is quicker than ever, nevertheless it’s nonetheless nowhere close to the pace supplied by telephones just like the OnePlus 12, which absolutely expenses in round half-hour from zero p.c. At greatest, the Pixel 9 will do about half that in the identical time interval.
The Pixel 9 collection delivers the perfect battery life on any premium Pixel telephone up to now, however that does not assist a lot on these events while you might need forgotten to cost earlier than heading out for the day.
The show can also be as harsh as ever, as Google continues to chase specs like max brightness and pinpoint colour accuracy on the expense of eye well being. Anybody who’s PWM delicate, like me, will discover that the shows on the Pixel 9 collection are tremendous uncomfortable to make use of for a very long time. If you happen to’re already comfortably utilizing a Pixel, this most likely will not have an effect on you, nevertheless it’s the principle motive I not use a Pixel as my primary machine.
If you happen to love the spherical edges and cozy curves of your Pixel 6, chances are you’ll not like Google’s design for the Pixel 9. The aspect rails are utterly flat now, and matched with the flat back and front of the telephone, they make the telephone much less comfy to carry.
My colleague Harish disagrees with me on this half, although, and the greatest Pixel 9 instances might utterly resolve these points for you anyway. I do not assume this design will change a lot subsequent 12 months, however I can at the least hope.
If you happen to’re planning on retaining your subsequent Pixel for 3 years or extra, I would suggest ready till the Pixel 10 to improve. Android 15Â will nonetheless really feel recent till June 2025, when the Pixel 6 receives its final scheduled Pixel Characteristic Drop, and by then, we’ll be absolutely within the thick of Pixel 10 leak and rumor season, the place you’ll make the perfect resolution about upgrading. Plus, by then, Pixel 9 costs must be at an all-time low.
The Pixel 10 is anticipated to launch with Android 16 until one thing occurs prefer it did this 12 months. The Pixel 9 marks the primary time that Google hasn’t launched a brand new Pixel alongside a brand new model of Android, including extra arrows within the quiver of disappointment for Google’s newest Pixels.
If you happen to desperately must improve now due to some sort of {hardware} problem along with your Pixel 6, I would suggest getting the Pixel 8a as an alternative. Pixel 8a offers from corporations like AT&T will get you the telephone for beneath $6 a month, and you’ll all the time improve to the Pixel 10 when it comes out subsequent 12 months by utilizing the corporate’s trade-in promos.
The Pixel 8a is the perfect little Pixel the corporate has ever made. With two wonderful rear cameras, an upgraded selfie digital camera, and the identical Tensor G3 processor as its dearer cousins, the Pixel 8a is a winner and a half at a decreased value.
