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Credit: Illustration by Ian Moore and product image courtesy of Amazon.
The Pixel 9 came out in the fall of 2024 along with the 9 Pro and Pro XL, while the budget Pixel 9a came out last year. Pixel phones are some of the best phones I’ve ever owned and truly stand the test of time—so even though these aren’t the newest models, they’re still a great choice in 2026. If you’re looking for a big discount on a middle-of-the-pack Pixel, the 128 GB unlocked Pixel 9 is just $449 (originally $799) after a $350 discount. That’s the lowest price it has been since its release, according to price-tracking tools.
The Pixel 9 comes with 12GB of RAM, starts with 128GB of memory storage, a maximum 120 HZ refresh rate, and the Android 14 operating system. The Pixel 9 is so good that you likely won’t miss the features of the Pro model anyway. The AI features still have hiccups, but will likely keep improving over time; the most important thing to get right is the hardware, and this is among the best smartphones Google has made so far.
The battery life can last almost 12 hours, according to PCMag’s “excellent” review. The main camera has a 50MP shooter, a 48MP ultra-wide camera with a 123-degree field of view (same as the Pro models) but it has a single-zone laser detect autofocus (LDAF) sensor, whereas the pro has multi-zone LDAF.
What do you think so far?
If you have the Pixel 8, you might not notice a huge upgrade with this model. However, if you’re upgrading from an older version or doing a switch from a non-Pixel phone, the 9 has a lot to offer. One of my favorite things about Pixel phones is the ongoing support for many years. My Pixel 6A got all of the updates and tons of AI features that made the phone feel fresh many years later, with the latest ones dropping in March. With the Pixel 9, you’ll be getting a quality phone with software updates for quite a while—as long as seven years.
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