Google Pixel 9: Price, release date and where to buy

Google announced its full range of Pixel 9 phones at its latest Made by Google event, and boy, how full this list is. There are four – count them – four new Pixel phones (in three different sizes), all coming out about a month apart: Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Each of them features new processors, improved specs over the last-generation models, seven years of OS updates, and at least partially new camera setups—all with a ton of Google’s Gemini AI stuff.

Confused yet? Don’t worry. Let’s break down what you really need to know about Google’s new quartet of phones, including where you can pre-order them ahead of launch.

The new Pixel 9 is Google’s latest entry-level model into its flagship class of phones (the Pixel 8A covers the mid-range). It features a 6.3-inch 120Hz OLED display, Google’s new Tensor G4 processor, dual rear cameras (a 50MP standard wide-angle camera and a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera), 12GB of RAM, and comes in four colors – including a sleek and vibrant Rose Quartz. Unfortunately, it also has a higher starting price of $799 with 128GB of base storage, which is $100 more than the Pixel 8 cost at launch. If history isn’t deceiving, though, it’s possible the Pixel 9 will see its share of hefty discounts at some point. But for now, you can pre-order the Pixel 9 directly from Google to get it immediately when it launches on August 22.

Stepping up to the Pixel 9 Pro gets you the same processor as the standard Pixel 9, but with a number of improved specs. You get more RAM, a better screen with a refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz, a third rear camera (a 48MP telephoto lens), a higher resolution selfie camera, and 8K video recording. All of this comes with the same size, weight, and battery capacity (4,700mAh) as the regular Pixel 9. That’s right, for the first time the standard Pixel and the Pro model are nearly identical twins, meaning you don’t have to step up to a huge phone to get the best features.

The new Pixel 9 Pro starts at $999 with 128GB of storage and is available for pre-order from the Google Store ahead of its September 4 launch.

Google’s new two-pronged approach to sizing its Pro phones means there’s now that buzzword, the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The phone has a very large 6.8-inch OLED display and a big 5,060mAh battery. Otherwise, it’s mostly the same specs as its smaller Pro counterpart, from the cameras to the processors and RAM. Another added feature on the 9 Pro XL is faster wired charging, which Google says will let you charge up to 70 percent in around 30 minutes using a 45W USB-C charger (which isn’t included, of course).

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL launches on August 22nd and starts at $1,099 for 128GB of storage. It’s available for pre-order from the Google Store starting today.

Google’s second foldable model has a new naming convention and a bit more feature parity with the new Pixel phones it’s launching alongside it. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold carries over the Tensor G4 processor and 16GB of RAM from the Pixel 9 Pros, though all three cameras on the back have lower-resolution sensors and no option for 8K video (it maxes out at 4K). But the compromises are all made for the sake of the foldable screen, which opens up from its 6.3-inch cover screen to an 8-inch screen with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the most expensive device in the range, starting at $1,799 with 256GB of storage. You can pre-order it from Google to get it when it launches on September 4.