Google Pixel 9 vs Pixel 8: What are the Differences? Checkout Our Full Specs Comparison

Google has officially unveiled the Pixel 9 series in India and globally. The line-up includes the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. However, our focus is on the vanilla Pixel 9.

Despite some minor upgrades, the Pixel 9 debuts at the same price (Rs 79,999) as the Pixel 8 last year. However, the vanilla Pixel 8 has since got a few price cuts and now starts at 58,999 for the base 8GB/128GB variant and Rs 68,999 for the 8GB/256GB model. Now, let's dive into the differences between the two phones.

Pixel 9 vs Pixel 8: Full Specs Compared

Google Pixel 9 vs Pixel 8: What's the Difference?

While the Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 opt for a flat design, the latter has more rounded edges, which made it extremely comfortable to grip. However, we are yet to test out the Pixel 9, although the flat design here is more obvious and looks better. The Pixel 9 features Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the front and back as opposed to Gorilla Glass Victus on the Pixel 8, although the metal frame is common on both phones.

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 also sport identical displays. However, the display on the Pixel 9 is slightly larger and significantly brighter than the screen on the Pixel 8. The Pixel 9 also has a larger battery capacity and offers faster charging with the 45W USB-C PD adapter, although the difference here is minuscule.

Performance is the first major area of improvement thanks to a new Tensor G4 chip on the Pixel 9. While Tensor G4 is only expected to offer marginal performance gains over the Tensor G3, the focus will be on improved AI capabilities of the new chip.

Moreover, the 12GB of RAM will also help with on-board AI workloads using Gemini Nano. The Google Pixel 9 also gets the same seven years of software support, which means software support until 2031, one year more than the Pixel 8.

Not much has changed on the camera front too. Both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 feature a 50MP Samsung GNK primary sensor with OIS and a 10.5MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture. However, the Pixel 9 does get an upgraded 48MP ultrawide lens, which is a major upgrade over the 12MP shooter on the Pixel 8.

However, it remains to be seen if the new AI features will trickle down to the Pixel 8. Additionally, the new Tensor G4 chip will also offer a boost to image processing and could be the big difference between the camera setups on the two phones. The Pixel 9 also has a faster and more responsive ultrasonic fingerprint reader.

Google Pixel 9 vs Pixel 8: Which One Should You Get?

Despite the price difference of over Rs 20,000, we'd recommend getting the Pixel 9 over the Pixel 8. The inclusion of the new Tensor G4 chip, brighter display, bigger battery, and upgraded ultrawide camera may not be worth the extra 20K you'd pay.

But the Pixel 9 comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage by default, which not only offers double the storage but also ensures smoother AI performance. However, if you cannot shell out the extra 20K, then the Pixel 8 retains a lot of the best aspects of the Pixel 9 with very few downsides.