Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro vs Google Pixel 4 XL: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Androids
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user in 2024, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro offers a more compelling package. Its faster 40W wired and 30W wireless charging, coupled with a similar Snapdragon 855+ processor, provides a better overall experience, especially considering the Pixel 4 XL’s aging battery endurance rating of 73h. The Pixel 4 XL remains a strong contender for camera enthusiasts, but the Mi 9 Pro’s value proposition is hard to ignore.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro | Google Pixel 4 XL |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 41 - China | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66, 71 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September. Released 2019, September | 2019, October 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, October 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame (7000 series) | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 157.2 x 74.6 x 8.5 mm (6.19 x 2.94 x 0.33 in) | 160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2 mm (6.31 x 2.96 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 193 g (6.81 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~537 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.39 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~85.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.3 inches, 98.0 cm2 (~81.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR10 | P-OLED, 90Hz, HDR |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Adreno 640 |
| OS | Android 10, MIUI 11 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom |
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 12 MP, f/2.2, 54mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm, PDAF | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/120/240fps, 1080p@960fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS) |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3", 0.9µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1.22µm, no AF TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired, QC4 30W wireless 10W reverse wireless | 18W wired, PD2.0 Wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 3700 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Dream White, Titanium Black | Clearly White, Just Black, Oh So Orange |
| Models | - | G020P, G020, GA01181-US, GA01182-US, GA01180-US |
| Price | About 500 EUR | About 180 EUR |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 364.52 |
| 64GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 274.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 149.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -93.9 / Crosstalk -94.1 |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 73h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 80dB / Noise 78dB / Ring 88dB |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 323305 (v7), 403267 (v8) GeekBench: 10171 (v4.4), 2267 (v5.1) GFXBench: 21fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro
- Significantly faster charging (40W wired, 30W wireless)
- Slightly more powerful Snapdragon 855+ processor
- Potential for better thermal management
- Camera performance likely trails the Pixel 4 XL
- Software experience may not be as refined as the Pixel 4 XL
Google Pixel 4 XL
- Exceptional camera quality and image processing
- Clean and bloatware-free Android experience
- Competitive price in 2024
- Slow charging speeds (18W wired)
- Older Snapdragon 855 processor
- Battery endurance rating is average
Display Comparison
While both phones utilize OLED panels, specific display details are missing. However, given Xiaomi’s history, the Mi 9 Pro likely features a higher peak brightness and potentially a higher refresh rate than the Pixel 4 XL. The Pixel 4 XL’s display is known for its color accuracy, but the Mi 9 Pro’s panel likely offers a more vibrant and modern viewing experience. Bezels are expected to be comparable, typical of flagship devices from this era.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 4 XL is renowned for its computational photography prowess, leveraging Google’s software to produce exceptional images, particularly in low-light conditions. While the Mi 9 Pro’s camera specs are not detailed, it’s reasonable to assume it features a multi-camera system. However, the Pixel 4 XL’s strength lies in its image processing, consistently delivering excellent dynamic range and accurate colors. The Pixel 4 XL’s video capabilities are also strong, offering excellent stabilization and detail. Without specific sensor details for the Mi 9 Pro, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison, but the Pixel 4 XL likely holds an edge in overall image quality.
Performance
Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 series, but the Mi 9 Pro boasts the Snapdragon 855+ while the Pixel 4 XL uses the standard 855. The 855+ features a slightly higher clock speed (2.96 GHz vs 2.84 GHz) and improved GPU performance. While the difference isn’t massive, it translates to marginally faster app loading times and smoother gaming. Both phones share 6GB of RAM, but the Mi 9 Pro’s superior thermal management, likely due to a larger chassis, could result in less throttling during sustained workloads. The CPU core configuration is nearly identical, with 1x Kryo 485 prime core, 3x performance cores, and 4x efficiency cores on both.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 73 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life. However, the Mi 9 Pro significantly outperforms the Pixel 4 XL in charging speed. The Mi 9 Pro supports 40W wired charging with QC4, allowing for a full charge in under an hour. It also features 30W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging. The Pixel 4 XL, limited to 18W wired charging with PD2.0 and slower wireless charging, takes considerably longer to replenish its battery. This difference in charging speed is a major advantage for the Mi 9 Pro, especially for users who frequently need to top up their devices.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro if you prioritize fast charging speeds, a potentially longer usable lifespan due to newer technology, and a more aggressive price point. You'll benefit from the convenience of 30W wireless charging and the ability to quickly top up your battery. Buy the Google Pixel 4 XL if you are a photography enthusiast who values Google’s image processing algorithms and a clean, bloatware-free Android experience, and are willing to accept slower charging and potentially shorter battery life.