Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Should you upgrade to Google's latest flagship?

Google’s smartphone lineup has undergone a bit of a transformation this year, thanks to a larger Pixel 9 Pro XL and a foldable joining the mainline series for the very first time. Even ignoring the latter, upgrading from an older Google phone like the Pixel 7 Pro is a bit complicated as you now have two Pro models to choose from. Not to mention, the usual hardware and software upgrades you’d expect going from one generation to the next. So in this article, let’s dig into how the Pixel 9 Pro differs vs the Pixel 7 Pro and whether you should consider upgrading this generation.

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Specs

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Design, size comparison, and colors

Google’s design philosophy has not undergone a dramatic change over the past two years, but there are still plenty of subtle differences. Hold both phones in your hand and you’ll immediately notice that Google has moved from the curved sides of the Pixel 7 Pro to a nearly flat side profile all around on the Pixel 9 Pro. The newer phone also boasts a significantly smaller form factor, with its display measuring just 6.3-inches. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is dimensionally closer to the Pixel 7 Pro’s 6-7-inch screen, with only a 0.1-inch difference between the two.

The Pixel 9 Pro continues the company’s signature trend of a horizontal camera bar on the rear. However, unlike the Pixel 7 Pro, where the camera bar extended into the frame, the Pixel 9 Pro’s camera bump resembles a floating island perched atop the rear of the phone. We saw a similar island-style camera bump on the Pixel Fold last year. The Pixel 9 Pro also packs a temperature sensor within that camera bump, which wasn’t present on the Pixel 7 Pro two generations ago.

While both phones are equally water resistant, the Pixel 9 Pro packs slightly better Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection vs the Pixel 7 Pro’s first-gen Gorilla Glass Victus. This upgrade applies to both the front and rear glass panels. Another subtle difference is the move from a glossy finish on the back of the Pixel 7 Pro to a matte finish on Google’s newer smartphones. This change means the Pixel 9 Pro will feel far less slippery in the hand — a meaningful change if you plan to use it without a case.

In terms of colors, the Pixel 9 Pro introduces a fun new pink option that adds a bit of flair to the lineup. However, the other colors are not a dramatic departure from what we’ve seen in the past, with familiar shades that align with Google’s established neutral palette.

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Features

While a two-year gap isn’t much in today’s mature smartphone landscape, the Pixel 9 Pro has fixed almost all of the minor annoyances that plagued Google’s older smartphones.

For instance, the Pixel 7 Pro didn’t pack the best display in its price class at launch, with middling brightness levels and rather high power consumption. Thankfully, Google has fixed both of those deficiencies in recent years. With their 3,000 nits of peak brightness, the Pixel 9 Pro’s display is the brightest on the market. Last year’s Pixel 8 series’ displays already delivered big brightness and power efficiency gains, so you will notice a big difference when upgrading from the Pixel 7 Pro.

Likewise, the Pixel 9 Pro’s battery won’t take an eternity to top up now that Google has finally embraced higher power levels for charging. While the Pixel 7 Pro topped out at a measly 23W, the similarly-sized Pixel 9 Pro XL can draw as much as 37W from the wall. The smaller Pixel 9 Pro charges at 27W, but that’s still an improvement over prior generations. This will yield a 70% charge within 30 minutes, provided you use a USB PD PPS adapter.

The hardware improvements separating the Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro are much more straightforward. The new Tensor G4 is faster and more power efficient than the Tensor G2, for instance, but it’s not a difference you will necessarily notice. Thanks to the increased processing power, the Pixel 9 Pro includes newer features like 8K video recording, a revamped Panorama mode with Google’s HDR Plus processing, Night Sight Video, and Video Boost. The selfie camera has been upgraded to a 42MP sensor with a 103-degree field of view, a big improvement over the Pixel 7 Pro’s aging 10.8 MP shooter.

Hardware changes aside, the industry has changed considerably since the Pixel 7 Pro’s release in 2022. While Google was already developing its Tensor SoCs with AI in mind back then, competition in the industry has come to a head in 2024. It’s now forced to compete with the likes of Apple Intelligence and Galaxy AI.

Consequently, the Pixel 9 Pro boasts a long list of new features, including Add Me, Pixel Screenshots, the Pixel Studio app, and AI-generated call summaries. A good chunk of these take advantage of the new Tensor G4 SoC and run on-device. The Pixel 9 Pro’s video recording capabilities have also improved considerably, thanks to the AI-powered Video Boost feature.

On the subject of software, the Pixel 7 Pro was one of the final few phones to get Google’s older three-year update commitment, which will end in October 2025. It will still receive security updates for a couple of years beyond that, but that pales in comparison to Google’s latest seven-year update policy. The Pixel 9 series will receive Android updates and security patches until August 2031.

Going from the Pixel 7 Pro to the Pixel 9 Pro, you also get a brand new Satellite SOS feature and a temperature sensor. The latter was first introduced with the Pixel 8 Pro and eventually gained the ability to read body temperature, at least in the US. Satellite SOS is arguably more exciting as Google is the first smartphone manufacturer other than Apple to offer it as standard. However, the feature is only available in the US for now and will only remain free for the first two years.

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Price and availability

Google doesn’t continue selling its flagship smartphones for longer than a year. This means that the Pixel 7 Pro has been discontinued ever since the Pixel 8 series’ release in October 2023 and the only way to acquire one is on the second-hand market. You can find a used Pixel 7 Pro for well below its $899 launch price in most regions where it was sold.

The Pixel 9 Pro, meanwhile, is available to pre-order right now and will hit store shelves in the coming weeks. The price has gone up between generations, though — you’ll have to pay $999 for the smaller model and a whopping $1,099 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Still, you get a year’s worth of Google One AI Premium with every purchase to soften the blow. The subscription, valued at $240, grants you Gemini Advanced as well as 2TB of Google Drive storage.

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Should you upgrade?

The Pixel 9 Pro offers a bit more than incremental upgrades, especially in comparison to the Pixel 7 Pro from 2022. The upgraded display, Tensor SoC, new AI features, and general quality of life improvements like faster charging combine to create one of the most well-rounded smartphone experiences available today. And that’s before we talk about more minor improvements like the addition of Satellite SOS, Google’s seven-year update policy, and the more durable flat display.

Having said that, the Pixel 7 Pro is still a very capable smartphone with more than enough power on tap for everyday tasks. If the above aspects don’t bother you too much, you might want to save your money and upgrade next year as the phone’s update commitment comes to an end. It also does not help that the Pixel 9 Pro XL is significantly more expensive than the Pixel 7 Pro and even the smaller Pixel 9 Pro will set you back an additional $100 compared to two years ago.