Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra

In this article, we will compare two very different smartphones, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. These are the best phones Google and Xiaomi have to offer at the time of writing. The former was launched in August, while the latter arrived in August. Both are Android flagship products, but they are quite different. You can easily tell them apart just by looking at them, not to mention different specs and software.

Note that while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra arrived in a global variant, it is not available in the US, unlike the Pixel 9 Pro XL. As we usually do, we will first list its specifications and then move on to comparing them across other categories. We’ll look at their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras and audio output. Let’s do it, shall we?

Specifications

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra, respectively

– Screen size:
6.8-inch OLED QHD+ (120Hz, HDR, 3000 nits)
6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display (curved, 120Hz adaptive, 3000 nits peak brightness)
– Screen resolution:
2992 x 1344
3200 x 1440
– SoC:
Google Tensor G4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
– ram:
16 GB (LPDDR5X)
16 GB (LPDDR5X)
– storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
512 GB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, OIS, EIS), 48MP (ultra-wide, f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree FoV), 48MP (periscope telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, OIS, EIS, optical 5x zoom)
50MP (Wide, variable aperture f/1.6-f/4.0, OIS, multi-directional PDAF, 1.6um pixel size), 50MP (ultra-wide, f/1.8 aperture, 122-degree FoV, 0.7um pixel size, PDAF of dual pixel) , 50MP (telephoto, f/1.8 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3.2x optical zoom), 50MP (periscope telephoto lens, f/2.5 aperture, 0.7um pixel size , dual-pixel PDAF, OIS, optical 5x zoom)
– Front cameras:
42MP (f/2.2 aperture)
32MP (wide, f/2.0 aperture, 0.7um pixel size)
– battery:
5,060 mAh
5000 mAh
– loading:
37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
90W wired, 80W wireless, 10W wireless reverse (charger included)
– Dimensions:
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm
161.4 x 75.3 x 9.2 mm
– weight:
221 grams
219.8 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB type C, Bluetooth 5.3/5.4
– security:
In-display fingerprint scanner and ultrasonic facial scanning
In-display fingerprint scanner and face scan
– OS:
Android 14
Android 14 with HyperOS
– price:
$1,099 or more
€1,499
– Purchase:
Pixel 9 Pro XL (Best Buy, Google Store)
Xiaomi 14 Ultra (Amazon)

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Design

Both smartphones are made of aluminum and glass. Note that a titanium variant of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is also available, albeit only in China. The same goes for the variant with a vegan leather back. Both the smartphones also have a flat bezel all around. They also have a similar corner curvature and a screen camera hole centered on their displays. Both phones also have flat screens with slightly curved glass on top (at the edges).

Both smartphones have their physical buttons on the right side, but the configuration is different. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has its power/lock button above the volume up and down buttons. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has things set up backwards. These are the only buttons on both phones. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also has an IR blaster on the top, unlike the Pixel 9 Pro XL. They are also quite different in the back.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a flat back, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra curves down at the edges. This makes the hand feel very different. Google’s flagship also has a pill-shaped camera island on the back. It is oriented horizontally and placed at the top. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a large round camera island, which is also centered. Both protrude quite a bit from the back.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is slightly taller and slightly wider than the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which is understandable given that it has a slightly larger screen. However, it is thinner than the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. In terms of weight, they are very similar. The Pixel 9 Pro XL weighs 221 grams, while there are three different weight models of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The models weigh 219.8, 224.4 and 229.5 grams. Both the smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Display

The Pixel 9 Pro XL features a 6.8-inch 2992 x 1344 LTPO OLED display. This panel is flat and offers an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. HDR10+ content is also supported here, and in theory the brightness goes up to 3,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is around 88%, while the screen aspect ratio is 20:9. This screen is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

On the other hand, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra features a 6.73-inch 3200 x 1440 AMOLED LTPO display. This display is also flat and also offers an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The resolution is 3200 x 1440 pixels. This display supports Dolby Vision and supports HDR10+. The screen’s aspect ratio maxes out at 3,000 nits, in theory. The screen-to-body ratio is around 89%. The aspect ratio of the screen is 20:9. This panel is protected by Xiaomi Shield Glass.

The bottom line here is that both of these screens are excellent. Both are very bright, as bright as you need, basically. They are vivid and extremely sharp, not to mention they have great viewing angles. The touch response is also very good and both have good protection as well. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also offers high-frequency PWM dimming, unlike the Pixel 9 Pro XL, in case you care. The bottom line is that you can’t go wrong with either.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Performance

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by Google’s Tensor G4 processor. This is the company’s new 4nm chip. The phone also packs 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra, on the other hand, is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, a 4nm chip. This is Qualcomm’s most powerful chip right now. The phone also comes with 12GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. Neither phone offers storage expansion.

The SoC that Xiaomi opted for is definitely more powerful. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also has a more modern and faster flash storage. During daily use, however, you won’t really know the difference. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can launch an app a fraction of a second faster, but that’s about it. Both are extremely agile in daily use. By the way, the Tensor G4 is highly optimized for the AI ​​features offered by Google.

When it comes to performance, well, the difference between phones is easier to notice. When it comes to low-end and mid-range gaming, both the smartphones will perform very well. The thing is, really demanding games work much better with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra if you choose to go for the best possible graphics. You can certainly reduce the graphical demands of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Xioami 14 Ultra runs cooler with demanding games running, although both get warm.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Battery

There is a 5,060 mAh battery located inside the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra, meanwhile, has a 5,000 mAh battery. Well, the China model has a 5,300mAh unit inside. Everyone else gets the 5,000mAh unit. That said, both smartphones have great battery life. The Pixel 9 Pro XL managed to squeeze more juice out of the battery throughout the day, but the difference wasn’t that big. Well, at least in our case.

Both the smartphones were able to cross the 7-hour screen-on time mark without much trouble. You can even push them past 8 hours of screen time if you’re careful. Games weren’t part of our usage in those days, though, so keep that in mind. We were also connected to WiFi most of the day and had great cell reception. Things may change based on your conditions and usage, so… your mileage may vary, as usual with battery life.

When it comes to charging, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the clear winner. The Pixel 9 Pro supports 27W wired wireless charging, 21W wireless charging (with Pixel Stand), 15W Qi wireless charging and 12W reverse wireless charging. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra supports 90W wired, 50W wireless and 10W reverse wireless charging. Xiaomi’s phone charges considerably faster across the board and also comes with a charger in the box, unlike the Pixel 9 Pro XL .

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Cameras

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has three cameras on the back, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has four cameras on the back. They have considerably different configurations. Google’s phone features a 50-megapixel primary camera (1/1.31-inch sensor), along with a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera (123-degree FoV, 1/2.55-inch sensor) and a 48 megapixel (5x) periscope shooter. optical zoom, 1/2.55-inch sensor).

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a 50-megapixel main camera (variable aperture, 1-inch type sensor), along with a 50-megapixel ultra-wide unit (122-degree FoV, 1/2.51-inch sensor). Also included is a 50-megapixel telephoto camera (3.2x optical zoom, 1/2.51-inch sensor), as well as a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens unit (5x optical zoom, 1/2.51-inch sensor inches). Xiaomi also has Leica in its corner, the company’s lenses and other expertise.

The images provided by these two smartphones are considerably different. Both like to deliver contrasty photos, though the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s often look more processed and bright. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra likes to keep things closer to real life. It all depends on what you like, really, these two phones deliver considerably different results. The same goes for other cameras on the back. These cameras do a good job of maintaining a similar color profile to the main shooter. The differences in low light are visible.

audio

You will find stereo speakers in both these smartphones. Those on the Pixel 9 Pro XL are slightly louder, though you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference. Both sets of speakers deliver good sound output.

There is no audio jack on either of these two smartphones. However, you can use its Type-C ports for wired audio connections. If you prefer to go wireless, the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Xiaomi 14 Ultra offer Bluetooth 5.3 and Bluetooth 5.4 support, respectively.