It’s been quite an exciting year for smartphones, especially with the introduction of this series. Google Pixel 9. Google has given its flagship phone a refreshed design, more power and performance, and fun new colors.
If you are considering Pixel 9 Pro This is a great option this year! We like the Pixel 9 Pro, but there are other options at the same price or even cheaper. Before you buy the Pixel 9 Pro, here are five other phones you might want to buy instead.
Recommended Videos
Google Pixel 9
Google introduced three Pixel 9 models this year, two of which are the same size: the base Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9 Pro, both 6.3 inches. If the main reason you want the Pixel 9 Pro is size, you might also want to look at the standard Pixel 9.
Even though the Pixel 9 is the base model of the Pixel 9 family, it’s still impressive. Google has given it some pretty colors this year, including a fantastic pink peony, and the 6.3-inch phone is very light and easy to use. Even though the display is a 6.3-inch Actua OLED, it still has a variable refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz and a maximum brightness of 2,700 nits.
This entry-level Pixel 9 has a dual rear camera setup with a 50MP primary camera and a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens. With this camera system, it’s hard not to take a good photo on the Pixel 9. This setup is fine if you don’t necessarily need a telephoto lens. And with Google’s AI camera, any photo you take can be edited to perfection.
Like its Pro sibling, the Pixel 9 is powered by the Tensor G4 chip. It also comes with 12GB of RAM. That’s a little less than the Pro variants, but still enough to run Android 14 and Google Gemini’s AI features without issue. It also has the same 4,700mAh battery as the Pixel 9 Pro and can last all day without needing to be plugged in, which is impressive.
With the Pixel 9, you get most of the same features as the Pixel 9 Pro, but in better colors and for less money. What don’t you like?
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
If you insist on using the Pixel 9 Pro for features like cameras and more RAM and storage, you may also want to consider the Pixel 9 Pro XL if you don’t mind the larger size.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL is similar to the Pixel 9 Pro, but with a larger 6.8-inch Super Actu display instead of the Pixel 9 Pro’s 6.3-inch display. It also has a larger 5,060mAh battery and faster wired charging speeds. it can reach a 70% charge in 30 minutes (45W), while the smaller Pro only reaches a 55% charge in 30 minutes (30W).
Otherwise, the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro have the same features: a triple camera setup with a 50MP primary camera, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 48MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, and a 42MP selfie camera. Inside is the same Tensor G4 chip and 16GB of RAM, storage options from 128GB to 1TB, and all the power of Google Gemini AI with Android 14.
If you don’t mind a bigger screen, longer battery life, and a little more money, then the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the one for you.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
If you don’t mind spending a little more, you can get Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Not only is it slightly larger than the Pixel 9 Pro, but it also has a ton of powerful features and still remains very good phone, despite the fact that it is almost a year old.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features a huge 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, the same size as the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The screen is comparable to the Pixel 9 Pro, although the brightness reaches only 2,500 nits instead of 3,000 nits. It also has a dynamic refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz.
If you want an impressive camera system, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has it. It offers an impressive camera setup with a 200MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. These are definitely great numbers, and the photos you can take with them are just as impressive.
Samsung uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip for the Galaxy, which performs better than the Tensor G4. It also has 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. The Galaxy S24 Ultra also comes with a built-in S Pen, giving it a productivity edge.
Even though the Galaxy S24 Ultra is almost a year away from release, it’s still an incredible phone. And while it has a high starting price of $1,300, it shouldn’t be too hard to find good deals right now.
OnePlus 12
If you want a flagship smartphone without a flagship price, check out this excellent OnePlus 12. Again, this is another larger Android phone, so you’ll have to adjust the size if you’re going for a smaller phone.
OnePlus 12 has a unique design that sets it apart from other smartphones. OnePlus often uses colors and designs not found on other phones, and that includes its signature Flowy Emerald color for the OnePlus 12, although you can also get it in black or white.
You will get a 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display with curved edges, 120Hz refresh rate and 4,500 nits peak brightness. If you want a phone with the brightest screen you’ve ever seen, the OnePlus 12 is the one for you. However, be careful: the curved edges of the screen may lead to unintentional touches if you are not used to this type of screen. The OnePlus 12 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and depending on the storage option you choose (from 256GB to 512GB), you can have 12GB or 16GB of RAM.
Another advantage of the OnePlus 12 is the cameras. It has a 50MP main camera, a 64MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 32MP selfie camera. They all benefit from OnePlus’ partnership with Hasselblad, so you can adjust and enhance the colors of your photos and videos.
OnePlus also impresses with its incredible battery life and charging capabilities. Its massive 5400mAh battery will definitely last you more than a day. When you need to charge it, you can get 80W wired charging in the US and 100W charging worldwide. This means you can go from 0 to 100% in 30 minutes. There’s even support for up to 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging.
All of these features are impressive, but the price is even more incredible. The OnePlus 12 starts at just $800, and OnePlus has great trade-ins and special offers that can bring that cost down even further. Don’t sleep on it.
iPhone 16 pro
If you don’t mind trying out iOS, you might also consider the recently released iPhone 16 pro.
While the iPhone 16 received a pretty nice design update, the iPhone 16 Pro remains the same as its latest predecessors. However, this year Apple added a new camera control button in the bottom right corner of the frame, which is convenient.
On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro comes with Apple’s new A18 Pro processor and 8GB of RAM. Storage options range from 128GB to 1TB and are available in four neutral colors. Thanks to these internal components, the iPhone 16 Pro will have no problems with iOS 18 And Apple Intelligence.
The triple lens camera system is also quite good. You get a 48MP Fusion main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. We recently pitted the iPhone 16 Pro against the Pixel 9 Pro in a camera comparison, and the iPhone 16 Pro performed much better overall. So if you want a great camera, the iPhone 16 Pro is the best option.
The iPhone 16 Pro is priced the same as the Pixel 9 Pro, but it really just depends on whether you can use iOS or prefer to use Android. However, camera control is quite good and battery life has improved compared to last year. If you’ve been wanting to try an iPhone, there’s a lot to like about the iPhone 16 Pro.
Source: Digital Trends
