I upgraded from a Google Pixel 5 to a 9 Pro, and the difference was immense

Summary

I’d been using the Pixel 5 since its release in 2020, but I recently decided to retire it in favor of a new Pixel 9 Pro.
The Pixel 5 preludes Google’s major Pixel reboot and Tensor chip series debut in 2021.
Here’s my experience with switching to a new Pixel phone that’s a whole 4 generations newer than my previous model.

The Pixel 5 has always been considered the odd duck of Google’s modern smartphone endeavors. Unlike its predecessors or its successors, the 5 lacked such things as a flagship-tier processor or a larger-screened variant, and it was seemingly devoid of any ‘it’ factor that would otherwise provide it with its own strong identity as a handset.

The phone was released in the fall of 2020, at a time when the world was still in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic — supply chain uncertainty, chip shortages, and more were taking hold, and Google was still very much in the process of finding its footing within the broader consumer hardware market.

Upgrading to a Pixel that’s 4 generations newer has been an interesting experience.

With all these factors at play, the Pixel 5 never received the fanfare or love that it probably deserved. For my part, I purchased a unit and have spent the better part of the past 4 years using it on a regular basis. I love the Pixel 5, quirks and all, which is why it took me until recently to finally upgrade to a newer-generation Pixel model.

For the past couple of months, I’ve been rocking a shiny new Pixel 9 Pro. It was with mixed emotions that I retired my trusty Pixel 5, but I wanted to experience the much-hyped delights of a more modern Google handset. Upgrading to a Pixel that’s 4 generations newer has been an interesting experience for me — here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of my cross-Pixel journey.

Pixel 5

The Pixel 5 serves as Google’s flagship smartphone model for 2020, releasing just before the major Pixel reboot and the in-house Tensor chip series.
Pixel 9 Pro

The Pixel 9 Pro brings a new squared-off design, the Tensor G4 chip, and new AI features like Pixel Screenshots to Google’s flagship smartphone line.

The Pixel 9 Pro shows how far Google has come in the past couple years

My transition from a Google Pixel 5 to a Pixel 9 Pro came with tons of benefits, but also a couple of downsides

Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 9 Pro beauty shot

When I first unboxed my new Pixel 9 Pro, I had several immediate impressions. Externally, I’m amazed at just how physically refined the phone looks and feels in comparison to my existing Pixel 5. The combination of matte rear glass, tight tolerances, and a weighted-in-hand feel make the 9 Pro an undeniably premium object.

By contrast, my Pixel 5’s bio-resin (read: plastic) chassis material and lightweightness are perfectly fine attributes, but they certainly don’t come together to form a luxurious or substantial-feeling fit and finish.

The Pixel 5 also lacks a major design language to call its own, which the Pixel 9 Pro has in spades. The latter’s signature rear camera bar and large central Google ‘G’ emblem make for a confident and distinct aesthetic — my Pixel 5’s nondescript square-shaped camera module feels uninspired by comparison.

The Pixel 5 also lacks a major design language to call its own.

When I booted up my Pixel 9 Pro, I was amazed at how much progress Google has made on the display front. The 9 Pro’s adaptive 120Hz OLED panel is far brighter and snappier than the 90Hz panel of my Pixel 5, and I found myself appreciating the switch from 2.5D curved screen glass over to a flat panel.

I was less enthused by the physical size difference between the two Pixel devices. I sprang for the non-XL Pixel 9 Pro, which offers a 6.3-inch display, as it’s the closest equivalent to my Pixel 5’s 6-inch size class. I prefer phones with smaller footprints overall, and the Pixel 9 Pro is just a bit too big for my liking, despite it being the smallest of Google’s current flagship offerings.

Google's Pixel 9 Pro XL sitting on a table

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It also took me some time to acclimate to the wholly different biometric setup employed on the Pixel 9 Pro. I’ve been a big fan of the rear-mounted Pixel Imprint sensor ever since its debut on both the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P.

…I find myself working against my own muscle memory.

The placement is ideal, with my index finger naturally resting on the sensor when pulling the phone out of my pocket, and its capacitive nature and recessed design make for a tactile experience. The 9 Pro’s ultrasonic sensor is quick and accurate, but I find myself working against my own muscle memory.

I should note that I’m not a huge mobile gamer, photographer, or videographer. So, while it’s evident that the Pixel 9 Pro is far more capable on all these fronts than my Pixel 5 could ever dream of being, I’ve yet to push the newer handset to its limits.

Finally, on the software front, Google’s excellent Android support across its entire Pixel portfolio means that my upgrade experience wasn’t exactly night and day. My Pixel 5 only recently stopped receiving feature updates, and the Pixel 9 Pro’s suite of AI tools — which I never had access to on the 5 — haven’t blown my socks off in any meaningful way.

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Google’s Pixel 9 Pro is a slam-dunk success, but I’m still not convinced it’s time to take the Pixel plunge.

Single or even 2-year upgrade cycles no longer make sense

Phone innovation has plateaued, and people are holding onto their gadgets for longer than ever before

It’s no secret that innovation has plateaued within the smartphone space, both in terms of hardware and software advancements. That’s not a bad thing, per se, as it indicated a mature and well-refined handset market segment. The bad news — at least for hardware makers — is that there’s less incentive than ever for consumers to upgrade on an annual or even bi-annual basis.

In my experience, jumping from the Google Pixel 5 directly to the Pixel 9 Pro has proven to be a fairly substantial upgrade in terms of both hardware and user experience. I’m happy to have decided to hold off for 4 generations before upgrading to a new Pixel — small year-over-year upgrades are minor on their own, but they add up over the course of several product generations.

I’m loving every second of using my 9 Pro, and I don’t intend on upgrading to a new Pixel for at least another 4 years.

Had I upgraded from the Pixel 5 to the Pixel 6 or 7 in the interim, then I wouldn’t have experienced the delights that come with multi-year device improvements all in a single, potent package. I’m loving every second of using my 9 Pro, and I don’t intend on upgrading to a new Pixel for at least another 4 years. Somewhere in the future, there’s a Pixel 13 with my name on it — I can’t wait for that fateful day to arrive.