Pixel 9 Pro users?

I currently use a Pixel 6. It’s 3 years old, which is around the time that I feel OK about “upgrading”. In fact, it’ll probably go to Mrs S to replace her Pixel 4A. I’m aware of the great deal on the Pixel 8 but the one big thing that attracts me to the 9 Pro is the 48MP 5X telephoto lens. A nice zoom is the one thing I miss about not carrying around my Lumix compact camera. I’m really after some feedback from folk that use the zoom lens on the 9 Pro but any other general feedback would be useful too.

I’ve just jumped from a pixel 4 to a pixel 8pro. It’s been a great upgrade. 80% of the phone’s operation is very similar but the cameras are way better. The wide angle and telephoto are good but Ive got my fingers in quite a few of the wide angle shots.

My original pixel 4 packed in at 1 year 360 days and was replaced under warranty, the replacement is still going strong. I got the replacement from voxi with PayPal 0% finance.

I’ve also just got a pixel 8 pro. I’m sure it has the same camera as the 9 by the looks of the specs.

Good deal on at John Lewis at the moment. £499 and you get an extra £100 added to your trade  so I got mine for£350. Bargain for last year’s flagship phone.

https://www.johnlewis.com/google-pixel-8-pro-smartphone-android-6-7-5g-sim-free-128gb/p111116145

Damn, that £499 is less than I paid. They wouldn’t trade in the 4.

It looks like another £30 gets you the 256gb model at JL, that’s tempting but I’m going to get another year out of my 6a and revisit this subject in about a year’s time.

Pixel 9 Pro here, upgraded from a Pixel 7.

Overall a very, very good phone and the camera is truly excellent, but the thing I’m most impressed with is Google’s implementation of AI. I never jumped on the ChatGPT wagon and have seen company after company shoehorn AI into their offerings whether it’s needed or not – I’m looking at you, Canva – but Google Gemini is exceptional.

But you asked about the camera. Here’s 2 shots of Içmeler, at x1 and x5

What are you using Gemini for may I ask? I don’t get it.

I’ve just upgraded my 6a to a 8 pro mainly for the camera. There didn’t seem much point in the 9 pro over the 8 pro IMO. Got mine direct from Google, £454 with the extra BF discount they gave to mailing list subscribers. Trade in is another £100 I think. So around £350 cost to me.

I changed to a Pixel 8 from an iPhone 14. The Pixel is better. Note that the 9 (and 9 Pro) are heavier and wider than the 8 series.

What are you using Gemini for may I ask?

Photo search is great when out with the kids – “what’s this plant?” “what’s that rock?”, “what kind of insect is this?”.

On my phone it’s often easier to talk to Gemini than open up google and type in searches and it‘s very conversational – I tried ChatGPT briefly but you needed to formulate your questions in a very specific way to get the answers you needed. If Gemini doesn’t give what you ask for you just tell it, “no, I was thinking more along the lines of….” and it’ll generally figure out what you mean.

It’s good at condensing long scientific articles into something that just hits the “headline” points, which when you’re working full-time and building a house almost entirely by yourself and studying for an Engineering masters all while trying to be a present husband and dad is a small but very much appreciated bonus.

“Give me some music similar to….” opens up YouTube Music with a list of stuff to listen to.

It doesn’t do much that you can’t do sat at a keyboard typing things in, but it makes those things a whole lot easier. Maybe I’m just easily pleased?

Not answering your question but I have a 7, my son the 7pro. The difference in the camera capability is huge.

I’ll get a pro version next time

How is the battery life on the 8 pro? I’m almost 2 full days on my pixel 6 and would hope the 8 was even longer, is it?

How is the battery? No idea really, well over a day, out of habit I still plug it in while driving to work etc.

My 4 was 3/4 of a day and stop up in the evening.

I like the photo search feature, not had a reason to translate. I wonder if it could reduce a singletrack thread to the salient points. Ive not really used Gemini as I’ve carried over using edge from work.

Not had mine long enough to work that out yet, that and I tend to charge every night.

Pixel 9 pro xl. Battery life is really good. Great phone, I’m really pleased with it!

Mrs C needs  new phone. I still rate might little Pixel 5 so I was drawn to the Pixel range. Camera quality is her number 1 priority…..but I’m struggling to see a 9 pro being THAT much better than the 8 Pro for what is a massive price difference.

I’ll admit to being drawn to the 9 Pro partly due to it being smaller, but I’m sure I can live with the few mm extra bulk for the cost saving, so I’ll be (online) shopping for the 8 Pro later.

Thanks for the feedback folks, I reckon you’ve saved me a few bob.

I was concerned about the size jump from a pixel 6a to the 8 pro but after a few days it’s was no big deal and have come to appreciate the larger screen.

Search for the one handed mode setting. It lets you drag the top of the screen down within reach of your thumb. Very handy. Saves stretching or moving your hand to reach the top of the screen.

Why did I open this thread?

Now I’m hankering after changing my trusty pixel 6 for a Pro model as well.

Search for the one handed mode setting

Sounds, um, very useful… probably.

but I have a 7, my son the 7pro. The difference in the camera capability is huge.

I’ll get a pro version next time

Hmmm interesting. I’ve got a Pixel 7 and the camera is utterly woeful. So much so that I take my old pixel 3a with me on rides so I can take half decent photos.

No idea which 7 I have but presumably not the Pro by the sounds of it.

The camera on the Pixel 6 is great, so perhaps you have unrealistic expectations?

Not answering your question but I have a 7, my son the 7pro. The difference in the camera capability is huge.

I’ve got a Pixel 7 and the camera is utterly woeful.

The (cheaper) 7a has a better camera than the 7.

Upgraded from 6 pro to 9 pro. Very happy, big improvement in battery life, huge improvement in modem/signal which were the main reasons for upgrade. Also liking it being a bit smaller and camera is great.

I’m likely to end up jumping into this. I’m hoping the trade in part can be done a couple of days after the new phone arrives and the transfer between the 6 and the 8 Pro is smooth and seamless.

Ive gone from S20 to pixel 7 and now pixel 9 pro.

Im a point and shoot hero. No time for messing with all of the settings.

S20 and pixel 7 have similar cameras imo The pixel 7 is a heavy phone.

The 9pro is better than the pixel 7. The software is the same basically but you can see the phone enhancing the image after its been taken. All in all im happy the biggest annoyance is the volume /zoom doesnt seem to work effectively and the zoom is not as good as the S24 ultras imo

would i buy it over the 8, yes. would i upgrade an 8, no

I’m hoping the trade in part can be done a couple of days after the new phone arrives

I did this with the 9 Pro. Google sent me the new phone then a couple of days after a box arrived to send the old one back.I just signed into my Google account on the new phone and everything transferred over automagically.

8 Pro has been ordered. Once it arrives I’ll have a couple of fun days getting everything transferred across (I’ll take the opportunity to cull a few apps) then wipe my Pixel 6, then transfer my wifes Pixel 4A to my Pixel 6, then I’ll have to send back the 4A for the £120 trade-in.

I was surprised how good the transfer process was. I used the option where you have the phones next to each other. It pretty much set up the new phone exactly like the old one. Barely had to do anything other than log into the apps again.

I’m going to have to replace my Galaxy S20 at some point and am pixel curious. However, the 8 pro is massive and the 9 pro is too expensive. Hopefully the S20 will live long enough until the 9 pro is in budget (at which point I’ll probably decide that I’m too scared to move away from Samsung and get a refurbed S24 instead!)

The transfer has been getting progressively better and better each generation. So little setup required this time. Mostly just logging into apps. With the two phones cablled together (instead of just using WiFi) it was also rapid.

I’ve stayed away from larger phones for a while now as thought I’d find them too big. So far this has not been the case. It’s usable one handed with the helpers (e.g. shrunk keyboard option which can be toggled).

So far this has not been the case. It’s usable one handed with the helpers (e.g. shrunk keyboard option which can be toggled).

I think it’s the 50g weight difference that would concern me, that’s loads (relatively)

Lol that’s the weight of an AA battery

Lol that’s the weight of an AA battery

Relative to what my current phone weighs, it is a big difference.

Edit : and a quick Google suggests that it’s just over 2 AA batteries anyway

I’m really tempted by a Pixel but as someone who currently uses iPhone/iPad/macbook I don’t think it’s easy getting an Android phone to play well with apple stuff, is it?

The Pixel 8 Pro arrived and I’ve transferred everything over. Just some of the annoying final setup /account confirmation stuff to go through as I use some of the Apps for the first time.

It’s not really noticeably bigger than the Pixel 6 I had. It fit’s in all the same pockets and bags.

I had to try out the 5x zoom of course and that seems great. I’ll head out to experiment with the 30x digital zoom soon.

Now I need to transfer all of my wifes stuff onto my Pixel 6 and then get the 4A sent back for the refund.

Thanks for the pointers and the 8 Pro suggestion.

Thread resurrection – have a Samsung S20 FE, 3 years old, that is slowing down and paid off, so thinking replacing. Is it worth paying more for a 9Pro over an 8 Pro? – 8 pro currently £499 direct from Google, with a ‘free’ Fitbit Charge 6, which would likely sell on.

I use an older Pixel for work and seems reasonable, not too wedded to Samsung so happy change and seems a good price.

How you finding it @Scotroutes ?

All good. I don’t regret going for the 8 Pro instead of the 9 Pro given the saving I made (via John Lewis). Camera is great and I’ve already leaned on the 5x zoom a few times.

Mrs S is now using my old Pixel 6 and I see that Google have just extended the “upgrade life” of that too – another win.