I really like the Pixel 9 Professional, however I’ve 5 explanation why I will be ready for subsequent yr’s mannequin

To this point, I have been pleasantly shocked by Google’s Pixel 9 series of smartphones. The Pixel 9 Pro models are notably compelling this yr, with a splendidly premium construct high quality, a beneficiant serving to of RAM, and tons of AI-enhanced digicam options.

I am additionally an enormous fan of Google’s resolution to supply the complete Professional expertise in a extra compact bundle this time round, and I hope to see this stay the case within the years to come back.

Not every part is sunshine and rainbows, nonetheless. There are just a few lacking components which have me wanting to carry off till subsequent yr’s Pixel 10 Professional, in hopes that they’re going to make it into Google’s next-generation {hardware}. Listed below are 5 issues in particular which might be stopping me from taking the Pixel 9 Professional plunge.

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1 There is not any Qi2 wi-fi charging on deck

Why hasn’t this proven up on Android smartphones but?

Qi2 is the most recent inductive wi-fi charging commonplace, and it was finalized in late 2023 by the Wi-fi Energy Consortium. Sure, that very same consortium that Google occurs to be an active member of.

Inexplicably, the Pixel 9 collection is absent the useful ring of magnets that work to align compliant telephones onto charging pads, stands, and equipment. I can solely hope that by subsequent yr, Google will lastly get round to implementing Qi2 into its Pixel 10 lineup. Personally, I discover it troublesome to revert again to non-magnetic wi-fi chargers after getting a style of Qi2 on the iPhone.

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2 Gorilla Glass Armor is absent

The glass on the Pixel 9 Professional is Gorilla Glass Armorless

When Samsung launched the Galaxy S24 Ultra again in January, it introduced with it an sudden new {hardware} addition — Corning’s new Gorilla Glass Armor. This new era of tempered glass improves resistance to scratches, however its headlining characteristic is the discount of on-screen reflections.

The Google Pixel 9 Professional is outfitted with the more-than-capable Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cowl glass on each the entrance and the again, however after experiencing the anti-reflective properties of Corning’s next-gen product, I by no means need to return.

There is a good likelihood that Samsung scored an exclusivity cope with Corning to be used of its Gorilla Glass Armor. I simply hope the settlement is not multi-year, and that the Pixel 10 Professional is outfitted with the identical show glass that the S24 Extremely advantages from as we speak.

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3 UFS 4.0 flash storage is lacking from the equation

Contemplating the value of the telephone, I would anticipate the perfect in storage know-how

Samsung

With regards to flash storage, the sooner the efficiency, the higher. Sadly, the most recent high-end commonplace — UFS 4.0 — is absent from the Pixel 9 Professional. UFS 4.0 “delivers double the pace of the earlier era and 45% higher effectivity — eradicating bottlenecks for sooner smartphones,” according to Samsung.

The Pixel 9 Professional ships with UFS 3.1 storage, which continues to be fairly snappy, all issues thought of. That being stated, I really feel that the high-end price ticket of Google’s Professional handset warrants the perfect storage answer at present obtainable in the marketplace.

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4 Quick charging is not all that quick

The telephone costs quickly — simply not quickly sufficient

The Pixel 9 Professional is able to 27W charging, and Google quotes that it will web you “as much as 55% in about half-hour.” In a vacuum, it is a respectable sufficient charging fee, however the fact is that rivals are far forward with regard to quick charging.

I am hoping that for subsequent yr’s Pixel 10 Professional, we get a bump up in functionality to someplace between 45W and 65W. For the sake of battery well being, I am not advocating for one thing like Redmi’s 300W feat of engineering. I would argue that 65W strikes an excellent stability between charging quickly and preserving the integrity of the ability pack.

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5 The selfie digicam punch gap is type of unpleasant

The cutout is bigger than what you will discover on top-end Samsung telephones

The Pixel 9 Professional follows the development set by Samsung in that it opts for a front-facing gap punch for housing the selfie digicam. In contrast to prime Samsung fashions, nonetheless, the Pixel’s cutout is bodily bigger and decrease on the display.

In actual fact, the Pixel 9 Professional’s selfie cutout is decrease on the display than even final yr’s Pixel 8 Professional. When it comes to consumer expertise, this creates unbalanced visuals throughout the interface, as there is a noticeable lack of symmetry between the digicam gap and the standing bar icons.

Admittedly, I really like the truth that the Pixel 9 Professional has an improved selfie shooter in comparison with final yr’s mannequin — the broader area of view and far larger decision are welcome enhancements. I hope that with one other yr of analysis and improvement, Google engineers will be capable to squeeze a extra compact and symmetrical selfie shooter into the Pixel 10 Professional.

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