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With its increasingly varied phone lineup, Google has an option for everyone. The best Google Pixel phone for you will depend on whether you want a larger or smaller phone, a regular or foldable phone, or a dedicated zoom lens.
Regardless of price, you can count on all current Pixel phones to exhibit superb camera quality and dependable performance. Google still offers its older Pixel 8 generation and the budget Pixel 7a, but we're not including them here. Google is still charging full price for those older models, and it makes no sense to buy them when the new Pixel 9 series and this year's Pixel 8a offer better value across the board.
From our testing, the best Google Pixel phone for most people is the standard Pixel 9, an excellent choice for Android fans or iPhone users looking on the other side of the fence that presents the best overall value within the company's current lineup. Google's best budget option, the Pixel 8a, is essentially a premium phone at a more affordable price, with its excellent cameras and high-end display.
Our top picks for the best Google Pixel phone
Best overall: Pixel 9 - See at Amazon
Best budget: Pixel 8a - See at Amazon
Best camera: Pixel 9 Pro - See at Amazon
Best battery life: Pixel 9 Pro XL - See at Amazon
Best foldable: Pixel 9 Pro Fold - See at Amazon
Best overall
It would be too easy to say the Pixel 9 Pro phones are Google's best overall offering. After all, the Pro models have brighter displays, more RAM for extra performance, and three cameras, while the base Pixel 9 has two. However, none of the Pixel 9 Pro models offer as much value as the base Pixel 9, which is crucial.
The base Pixel 9 delivers essentially the same experience as the Pixel 9 Pro for $200 less, despite the high-end models' brighter displays and additional RAM for advanced AI features. If you boil it down to the essentials, you'd spend an extra $200 for a dedicated 5x zoom camera. If taking zoomed photos matters to you, then the upgrade is worth it, and it's why you'll see the Pixel 9 Pro under the "best camera" section in this guide.
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Indeed, the base Pixel 9 has the same 50MP main and 48MP ultrawide cameras as the Pro models, so they take identically superb photos. The base Pixel 9 relies on digital zooming for taking zoomed photos, as it lacks a zoom camera, but the base Pixel 9's digital zooming is surprisingly effective. Sure, photos aren't as sharp as the Pro models as you zoom further and further, but I struggle to say the benefits are worth an extra $200.
Additionally, the base Pixel 9's 10.5MP front camera may seem lackluster on paper, but I found no real difference compared to the Pixel 9 Pro's 42MP front camera.
The base Pixel 9 runs on the same Google Tensor G4 processor as the Pixel 9 Pro models, so both open and run apps at the same speed and fluidity. All phones in the Pixel 9 series run the default Gemini AI assistant. While it's true the Pixel 9 Pro models have more RAM, partly to accommodate Google's Gemini Advanced AI, I didn't see any tangible difference in day-to-day use, apart from when testing the advanced AI model.
The Pixel 9 also sports Google's high-end Actua Display, which can reach up to 2700 nits brightness. It's plenty bright in sunny conditions, even compared to the 3000-nit Actua display on the Pro models.
Read our full Google Pixel 9 review and see our guide to the best Google Pixel 9 cases to protect the phone.
Best budget
The Pixel 8a, with its $499 MSRP, falls more in the mid-range category than the budget class, but it's the least expensive Pixel phone you can buy, so it's the best budget Pixel phone by default.
Still, even if you weren't planning on spending nearly $500, we strongly feel the Pixel 8a is well worth it. It's our top pick for the best cheap phone and best budget Android phone, thanks to its performance, cameras, design, and overall value. Google's seven-year support window for Android upgrades and security updates also gives the phone a seven-year lifespan before you may need to buy a new phone, which could translate to spending less in the long term.
The Pixel 8a runs on the same Google Tensor G3 processor as the previous Pixel 8 generation, so it has the same high-end performance. It also comes with many of Google's popular AI features, like Circle To Search, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, Live Translate, Call Screen, Hold For Me, and several others.
Combine the Tensor G3 processor with the Pixel 8a's bright OLED 120Hz display and cameras that compete with phones twice as expensive, and the experience is nothing short of premium.
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Apart from the Pixel 8a's smaller 6.1-inch screen, the most noticeable difference between the Pixel 8a and Pixel 9 is the now-outdated design, with the former's rounder edges and plastic rather than glass back. It's the only real tell-tale characteristic that suggests you're using a more affordable phone.
Otherwise, most other compromises aren't so noticeable. Omitted features are rather trivial and niche, like Google's Battery Share feature that lets you wirelessly charge devices from the back of the phone, among other minor differences.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review and see our guide to the best Google Pixel 8a cases to protect the phone.
Best camera
The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro share the same main and ultrawide cameras and take identically excellent photos. Yet, the Pixel 9 Pro's dedicated 5x zoom lens makes it the most versatile Pixel model for taking photos or videos, simply because it lets you take sharper and better photos of objects and subjects further away.
The larger, more expensive Pixel 9 Pro XL has the exact same camera system as the standard Pixel 9 Pro, so you won't get better quality on the camera front by spending an extra $100 for the former.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
With its 5x 48-megapixel zoom lens, the Pixel 9 Pro can take impressively sharp and detailed photos, even at higher magnifications like 10x. Even photos taken at 30x are serviceable. If you often use your current phone's zoom lens or take zoomed pictures or video on a phone without a zoom lens, you'll deeply appreciate the Pixel 9 Pro's additional zoom lens.
The Pixel 9 Pro models also support Google's latest Video Boost feature, which slightly boosts color richness and makes videos more vibrant. Amazingly, videos don't look too "boosted" to the point where they look unnatural or overly processed.
Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro review and see our guide to the best Google Pixel 9 Pro cases to protect the phone.
Best battery life
The Pixel 9 Pro XL, with its 6.8-inch display, obtained the best score I've ever seen on a Pixel phone, with 70% remaining after our intensive battery test, and I've reviewed them all. In fact, it's not far from the top result I've seen overall, which was 74% on the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, the best iPhone for battery life.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL's result is stunning and a substantial improvement over the previous Pixel 8 Pro's score of 62%. It's also significantly better than the base Pixel 9's 60% result.
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It heavily depends on usage, but the Pixel 9 Pro XL has the highest potential to last two days between charges out of all Android phones, even compared with the 6.8-inch Galaxy S24 Ultra, which scored 66% in our test.
Read our Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review and see our guide to the best Google Pixel 9 Pro XL cases to protect the phone.
Best foldable
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold wins this category by default, as it's the only foldable Google currently offers. Still, it's the best foldable phone we've tested to date. It outclasses the competition from Samsung and OnePlus with its thin design, excellent cameras, and built-in support for Google's latest Gemini AI assistant. It's also a vast improvement over Google's first shot at the foldable phone market, 2023's Pixel Fold.
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What sets the Pixel 9 Pro Fold apart, especially against Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6, is its exterior display; it's identical to the 6.3-inch display on the Pixel 9 Pro in shape and size, thus offering a familiar, traditional phone experience when using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in the folded position. By contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 6's exterior display is oddly narrow and provides a somewhat unfamiliar and uncomfortable experience when using the phone in the folded position.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also has an 8-inch interior tablet display, which is noticeably larger than the tablet displays of its competitors and makes it an ideal hybrid device to watch videos or use apps more comfortably.
Read our Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold hands-on assessment and see our guide to the best Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold cases to protect the phone.
Best Google Pixel phones compared
| Specs | Pixel 9 | Pixel 8a | Pixel 9 Pro | Pixel 9 Pro XL | Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
| Starting price | $799 | $499 | $999 | $1,099 | $1,799 |
| Processor | Google Tensor G4 | Google Tensor G3 | Google Tensor G4 | Google Tensor G4 | Google Tensor G4 |
| Release date | August 2024 | May 2024 | September 2024 | August 2024 | September 2024 |
| Screen size | 6.3 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.3 inches | 6.8 inches | 6.3-inch exterior; 8-inch interior |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide | 64MP main, 13MP ultrawide | 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 5x zoom | 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 5x zoom | 48MP main, 10.5MP ultrawide, 10.8MP 5x zoom |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB |
How we test Google Pixel phones
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We test Google Pixel phones with controlled testing, but most importantly, we use each new model as if they were our main daily drivers. We've reviewed every Pixel phone since the very first model was released in 2016, so we have extensive experience with the line. As such, it can take as little as a few days for us to get the full picture and conclusions about each Pixel phone. It can take longer when major new features are introduced.
We test Pixel phone performance by running common and popular apps and games to ensure Google's Tensor processors are as snappy and smooth as most people would expect. To evaluate the potential longevity of Tensor processors, we keep older Pixel models updated with the latest version of Android and evaluate performance by running the same apps and games. We also consider battery health, which has a significant impact on the performance of older phones. The older Pixels we use to evaluate longevity have optimal battery health.
As with any of the best phones, we put Pixel phones through widely available benchmarks, such as Geekbench 6's CPU and GPU tests and 3D Mark's tests. We only use benchmark scores to give us an idea of year-over-year performance improvements.
We exhaustively test Google's growing list of AI features, which are an important part of the Pixel experience. Across compatible devices, we also evaluate and compare the accuracy and efficiency of the latest iterations of the Gemini and Gemini Advanced AI chatbots.
For camera quality, part of our testing involves taking photos of the same scenes across our phone reviews with each lens. Whenever a new Pixel is released, we bring its contemporary competitors to take photos at the same time of day and time of year for the best and most accurate comparison.
The hundreds of personal photos we take with Pixel phones have the greatest impact on our camera quality evaluation, as they best reflect the photos most people take with their phones and what it's like to use the camera app under day-to-day conditions. Personal photos also reveal a camera's strengths and weaknesses that a controlled test doesn't. Even though personal photos are often a deciding factor in our assessment, we don't include those that include friends and family to respect their privacy.
All phones undergo the same battery test, which is designed to simulate light and heavy usage with three hours of screen-on time at a consistent measured brightness. We run the Geekbench 6 CPU test five times, stream one hour of music while connected to a Bluetooth speaker, run the 3D Mark Wild Life Stress Test twice, and stream two hours of video. We note the remaining battery percentage as soon as the last step is finished.
FAQs
Which is the newest Google Pixel phone?
Google recently released its latest phones, the Pixel 9 series, on staggered dates. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL were released on August 22, 2024, while the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold were released on September 4, 2024.
The Pixel 8a, released on May 14, 2024, was the last phone launched before the Pixel 9 series.
How long are Google Pixel phones supported?
Until recently, Google surprisingly had some of the shortest support windows for its entries among the best Android phones, even though Google itself develops Android and produces Pixel phones.
However, with the Pixel 8 series, Google finally started offering a longer support window that competes with, and surpasses, most Android phones, with seven years of Android upgrades and security updates.
Previous Pixel models have shorter support windows for Android upgrades and security updates, and most also receive security updates longer than they get Android upgrades. Below is when Google says it will discontinue support for the Pixel phones we've included in this guide.
- Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold: August 2031 for Android and security updates.
- Pixel 8a: May 2031 for Android and security updates.
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Google's Pixel 8 wins the top spot as the best Google Pixel phone overall thanks to its balance of performance, camera quality, features, and design in relation to its relatively affordable price in the premium range. For a $699 starting price, the Pixel 8 offers excellent value for the proverbial "most people."
The Pixel 8 runs on the same Google Tensor G3 processor as the pricier Pixel 8 Pro, and it also takes equally excellent photos with the same primary camera. It has a different ultrawide camera that's 12MP instead of 48MP, but it somehow manages to take similarly good ultrawide photos. Just note the Pixel 8 doesn't include a dedicated zoom lens like the Pixel 8 Pro.
Oddly enough, according to our battery test, the smaller Pixel 8's battery life is about as good as the larger Pixel 8 Pro's. That's to say, the Pixel 8 has excellent battery life.
The Pixel 8's 6.2-inch display also runs at the same 120Hz refresh rate as the Pixel 8 Pro for that super-smooth premium experience. Starting at $999, the Pixel 8 Pro will only be a better option if you prefer a larger display or you want a dedicated zoom lens. That's a steep $300 premium for those two variables, but the Pixel 8 Pro is still priced similarly to other large high-end Android phones.
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The Pixel 7a is Google's mid-range option that runs on the previous flagship Pixel 7's generation's processor, the Tensor G2. We include the Pixel 7a as a budget option, as more often than not, you can find it for around $400, though its MSRP is $499.
With cameras that compete with phones twice as expensive, strong performance, and a smooth 90Hz refresh rate display, the Pixel 7a is a wonder for its price, especially if you find it in the $400 range.
Apart from a smaller 6.1-inch screen size, the most noticeable difference between the Pixel 7a and Pixel 8 is a thicker build and thicker black borders around the display. The Pixel 7a's back is made of plastic instead of glass, but the difference is remarkably slight. These design characteristics mean the Pixel 7a isn't quite as premium as the Pixel 8, but they won't make you regret buying the Pixel 7a for $200 to $300 less than the Pixel 8.
Otherwise, most other compromises aren't so noticeable. The Pixel 7a's display doesn't get quite as bright, although we'd argue it's bright enough for most people's needs, even under bright sunlight. You're also not getting Google's Battery Share feature that lets you wirelessly charge devices from the back of the phone, and the Pixel 7a is also "only" IP67 water-resistant rather than IP68.
If $500, or even $400, doesn't fit your definition of "budget," check out our alternative budget Pixel phone below, the Pixel 6a.
Read our full Google Pixel 7a review.
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The Pixel 6a ignores its price and performs like a much more expensive phone. It's the finest phone you can buy for under $400, Android or iPhone.
For $349, we have a hard time finding any faults with the Pixel 6a. It runs on Google's Tensor processor that ran the company's premium Pixel 6 lineup in 2022, so it's snappy and powerful, especially considering its price.
The Pixel 6a also comes with two of Google's finely tuned 12MP main and ultrawide cameras, which the company used in several generations of Pixels past, and they deliver stunning results that belie its $349 price tag.
The 6.1-inch display runs at a more traditional 60Hz refresh rate, which is becoming rarer these days, even among other budget Android phones. Still, a faster 90Hz or 120Hz display is a worthy tradeoff for the Pixel 6a's performance and camera quality in relation to its price.
The biggest consideration to make for the Pixel 6a is its shorter support window for security updates (July 2027) compared to the Pixel 7a (May 2028) and Pixel 8 (October 2030).
Read our full Google Pixel 6a review.
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The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro share the same main cameras, so they take identically excellent photos. Yet, the Pixel 8 Pro's dedicated 5x zoom lens makes it the most versatile Pixel model for taking photos, simply because it lets you take sharper and better photos of objects and subjects further away.
With its 5x 48-megapixel zoom lens, the Pixel 8 Pro can take some impressively sharp and detailed photos, even at higher magnifications like 10x. If you find you often use your current phone's zoom lens, or you often take zoomed photos on a phone without a zoom lens, you'll deeply appreciate the Pixel 8 Pro's additional zoom lens.
Google also addresses the degrading photo quality that most phone cameras suffer from when you zoom in between the 1x main camera and the 5x zoom lens, when inferior artificial "digital" zooming is used. The Pixel 8 Pro combines images from the ultrawide and main camera lenses to produce a sharper and clearer image, and it works amazingly well.
The Pixel Fold lets you take a selfie with the higher-quality main camera while using the exterior display as a viewfinder, which makes it worthy as an option for the best Pixel camera. However, we only add it as a secondary option, as foldables are still rather niche, and the Pixel Fold is rather expensive.
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If battery life is your top priority, the Pixel Fold should be on your shortlist. It ended our battery test with 69% in the folded position and 65% unfolded. Meanwhile, the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, and Pixel 8 Pro all achieved around 60%.
That's a stunning result for the Pixel Fold in the folded position, where its 5.8-inch display is in use. Most phones with similar display sizes end our test with around 60%.
It only makes sense that battery life is shorter in the unfolded position, where the Pixel Fold powers a huge (for a phone) 7.6-inch display. Still, the Pixel Fold in tablet mode beats out the Pixel 8 Pro and its 6.7-inch display.
The Pixel Fold is one of our favorite large foldable phones thanks to its exterior display that takes the form of a familiar phone display compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5's unusually narrow external display.
We realize that foldable phones aren't for everyone, not to mention the Pixel Fold is also the most expensive option here. If you're looking for a non-foldable Pixel with the best battery life, the Pixel 8 Pro is your best bet, as its 62% score in our battery test slightly edged out Google's other three current "flat" phones.
Read our full Google Pixel Fold review.
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This accolade could go to three different Pixels, including the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7a, and Pixel 8, as they're all similarly sized with similar screen sizes.
Since we're picking one model as "the best," we have to look at specifics. With that in mind, the Pixel 8 is generally the most compact Pixel you can buy. It has a 6.2-inch display compared to the Pixel 7a and Pixel 6a's 6.1-inch displays, but it's also ever-so-slightly shorter overall, thanks to its slimmer borders around the display. While the Pixel 7a and Pixel 6a have 6-inch heights, the Pixel 8 is 5.9 inches tall, making for a technically more compact experience.
If you're looking for less expensive compact Pixel options, the Pixel 7a and Pixel 6a are ready for your hands and pockets.
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