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Standout newcomer
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL features an improved Tensor G4 chipset with 16GB of RAM. Google has also refined the design of its flagship Pixel series, giving the phone a sleek aesthetic. In addition, it still sports the camera system you’ve come to know and love about Pixel phones.
Pros- Fantastic display
- Premium build
- Great cameras
Cons- Doesn’t charge as fast as the OnePlus 12
- Lacking in raw power
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Powerful alternative
OnePlus 12
The OnePlus 12 builds on the momentum of the OnePlus 11; it offers a fantastic display, premium build quality, and flagship power with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Although you’re sacrificing software support, it’s less expensive than the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. And you do pick up fast charging, with 80W wired fast charging.
Pros- Excellent display
- Fast charging
- Great raw performance
Cons- Questionable software support
- Mediocre cameras
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and One Plus 12 are among the best smartphones you can buy, but they have distinct strengths. Pixel fans are used to feature drops and software extras like Now Playing. Google has added AI to its repertoire with impressive additions like Gemini Live — and we can never forget about the excellent Pixel camera. However, the Pixel 9 Pro XL has drawbacks; many still question whether the Tensor G4 has the raw horsepower to compete with other flagships.
Meanwhile, the OnePlus 12 offers fantastic performance, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It also features a premium build and a gorgeous display. Unfortunately, its camera system is lacking, and software support is a question mark, but it is often available for several hundred dollars less. Let’s look at both phones and highlight where each one excels to make your decision easier.
Price, availability, and specs
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is available through Google and Best Buy starting at $1,099. The base configuration has 128GB of RAM, but the company sells variants up to 1TB. All versions of the Pixel 9 Pro XL include 16GB of RAM. It’s available in four colors: Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Obsidian, and Hazel.
The OnePlus 12 starts at $800 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You can get a 16GB/512GB model for $100 more. It’s available in two colors: Silky Black and Flowy Emerald. If the modest starting price wasn’t enough, the OnePlus 12 is on sale frequently at this point in its life cycle — saving you even more.
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL OnePlus 12 SoC Google Tensor G4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Display type LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz LTPO AMOLED, 1-120Hz Display dimensions 6.8″ 6.82″, 19.8:9 Display resolution 2992 x 1344 3168 x 1440 RAM 16GB 12GB or 16GB Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB 256GB or 512GB Battery 5,060mAh 5,400mAh Charge speed 37W wired, 23W wireless 80W wired (100W international), 50W wireless Charge options USB-C wired, Qi wireless USB-C SuperVOOC wired, AirVOOC wireless, reverse charging Ports USB-C USB-C SIM support Nano SIM and eSIM Dual nano-SIM slot Operating System Android 14 Android 14 with OxygenOS 14 Front camera 42MP f/2.2 32MP, f/2.4 Rear camera 50MP, f/1.7, OIS main; 48MP, f/1.7 ultrawide; 48MP, f/2.8, 5x telephoto 50MP, f/1.6, OIS main; 48MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 64MP, f/2.6, OIS, 3x telephoto Cellular connectivity LTE, Sub-6 & mmWave 5G (market dependent) Sub-6 5G, LTE Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 7 Connectivity UWB, NFC, Satellite SOS IR blaster, NFC Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.4 Dimensions 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm 164.3 x 75.8 x 9.2mm Weight 221g 220g IP Rating IP68 IP65 Colors Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz Flowy Emerald, Silky Black Stylus No No Price From $1,099 From $800
Design
Premium all around
It’s difficult not to like both devices, as they have a premium feel in the hand. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is gorgeous and sleek, refining three years of previous Pixel designs. It sports Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back with a polished aluminum frame. Some fans will knock the Pixel for looking too much like an iPhone, but it’s a gorgeous design, and most will appreciate what Google has done. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.
You can rest assured the OnePlus 12 is no slouch, as it is also made from Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and aluminum. Unlike the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the OnePlus 12 features a curved display tapering down to its frame. If you loathe the current flat display trend, OnePlus has you covered. OnePlus is typically behind on IP certification, and the OnePlus 12 continues that trend; it earns an IP65 rating, which is good enough for splashes in the rain, but you can’t submerge it.
Display
Google makes good
Display quality had been substandard on Google Pixels for years before the Pixel 8 series. The company turned that around with the Super Actua display, proving it could ship a gorgeous, bright panel worthy of a flagship phone. The Pixel 9 Pro XL takes it further, offering an even brighter panel this year with a 6.8-inch 1344×2992 120Hz display maxing out at 3,000 nits. You’ll hardly ever use the full brightness of any smartphone, but it’s fantastic to know you can view your Pixel outdoors without an issue.
Meanwhile, OnePlus has had no such problems with its flagship devices, and the OnePlus 12 is no exception. It has a vivid 6.82-inch 1440 x 3168 display refreshing at 120Hz and a higher peak brightness of 4,500 nits, but those specs are misleading — both devices are viewable outdoors. Overall, the OnePlus 12 has a vibrant, fluid, responsive display that looks fantastic and is a major selling point of the device.
Software
To AI or not to AI
The Pixel 9 Pro XL ships with Android 14 out of the box, with an Android 15 upgrade expected shortly. Google has been busy beefing up its AI features with Gemini Nano. Gemini Live is interesting, allowing free-flowing conversations with your voice assistant, and it works well on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Pixel Studio creates AI-generated images based on your natural language prompts. Some AI features aren’t the most critical yet, but we like that Google is attempting to make AI more practical.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is your best bet if you prefer relatively stock Android. The company also promises seven years of uncompromised software support, meaning your Pixel 9 Pro XL will receive Android upgrades and security patches for a long time. Overall, the software experience on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is excellent — the UI runs smoothly, and we expect more of the same with Android 15.
Oxygen OS on the OnePlus 12 isn’t for everyone, but it’s been running well on Android 14. OnePlus promises four years of Android upgrades and five years of security patches for the OnePlus 12. The company promises some AI features in the future, but they’re not currently the device’s focus. Oxygen OS isn’t bad, but understand that it’s more heavily skinned than the Pixel’s software, meaning there might be a learning curve if you’re coming from another Android device.
Performance and battery life
Pixel has improved, but OnePlus is the champion
If you’ve been looking for a reason to buy the OnePlus 12, performance is where the device shines. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, giving it top-of-the-line flagship power — the OnePlus 12 blazes through even the most intense Android apps. You’ll really notice the difference in power while gaming; the OnePlus 12 routinely gets more frames at higher graphics settings on AAA mobile titles. If you use your phone to edit or record lots of 4K videos, the OnePlus 12 will perform better overall.
The OnePlus 12 is also power efficient, easily cracking over 8 hours of screen-on time per day from its 5,400mAh battery. When it’s time to recharge, few smartphones do it faster than the OnePlus 12, with 80W wired charging (100W overseas), 50W wireless charging, and even 10W reverse wireless charging. The company claims you can get a 100% charge in 30 minutes, which has held true in testing.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 Pro XL also saw increased charging speeds this year, with 45W wired charging. It’s a big step up for Google, alleviating one of the main complaints of earlier devices. The Pixel 9 Pro XL also features 25W wireless charging with the Pixel Stand, while other wireless chargers result in slower speeds.
We’ve seen fantastic battery life from the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s 5,060mAh cell. It often achieves over nine hours of screen time with little idle battery drain. This is a welcome change for Pixel devices and an important piece of the puzzle if Google will justify higher prices for its phones.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by a Tensor G4. While it lacks the raw power of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it can still run most apps smoothly. You won’t notice a difference during daily tasks, but if you’re a gamer, the Pixel 9 Pro XL will lag in performance and graphics compared to the OnePlus 12.
Camera
Still a Pixel camera
If you’re a big Pixel fan, you’re most likely interested in the cameras. Rest assured, the Pixel 9 Pro XL cameras are excellent again this year. Google fitted the Pixel 9 Pro XL with a 50MP primary shooter, 48MP 5x optical zoom, and 48MP ultrawide sensor, making for a versatile camera array. Night Sight produces fantastic, detailed low-light imagery, and Google’s various AI tools give you endless options for editing and adding post-processing effects. If you’re a shutterbug, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is your choice.
OnePlus has done a wonderful job rehabilitating its cameras over the last few years. The OnePlus 8 produced some lackluster images, with dim colors and soft details. However, the OnePlus 12 does an admirable job, especially in good lighting. It can’t compare to the Pixel 9 Pro XL in low-light photography, but it holds its own in most point-and-shoot situations. The device won’t have the same computational photography magic as the Google device, but it’s no longer the negative it used to be. The OnePlus 12 sports a 50MP primary shooter, a 64MP 3x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide sensor.
Which is right for you?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the more well-rounded device. It features great software support, a fantastic screen, and a premium build. If you’re a shutterbug or like Google’s software integration, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the phone you should choose.
Editor’s choice
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
The latest and greatest
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lacks the raw power of the OnePlus 12, but it makes up for it in several areas. Google has worked hard to improve its software and hardware with seven years of support, and Gemini Nano AI features. Plus, we can never forget the Google Pixel camera is still one of the highest quality systems on the market.
However, if you’re looking to save a few dollars and want the most raw power, the OnePlus 12 is an excellent option. Its software takes a little getting used to, and we never know which direction OnePlus is going, but you won’t regret picking up a OnePlus 12. It will give you better gaming performance and faster raw performance for apps.
Best for gamers
OnePlus 12
Still an excellent option
The OnePlus 12 is no slouch. Even though we prefer the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, there are still plenty of reasons to pick up the OnePlus. It features fantastic raw performance and is the better gaming choice. You’ll notice the extra power if you do a lot of video or photo editing on your phone. It also features faster charging.
