When the Google Pixel 9 arrived on my desk for review, I quickly fell into a familiar pattern. After all, I’ve been using Pixels as a daily driver for years now. Solid photography? Check. A slick UI that’s easy to navigate? Check also. AI up to the eyeballs? You bet. Affordable? Well… (insert vinyl scratch noise)… not so much.
As polished as the Pixel experience feels in this latest iteration, I can’t help but return to this generation’s $100 price increase. In just two years, Google’s entry-level flagship has gone from a very approachable $599 to an iPhone and Galaxy rivaling $799. We all loved the Pixel series for undercutting the competition, but with that no longer the case, the Pixel 9 has to work that bit harder to stand toe-to-toe with its rivals.