I am a Pixel loyalist, and have been since day one. As my colleagues Michelle Ehrhardt and David Nield have confirmed, the Pixel 9 in all its iterations (the Pixel 9, The Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold) are all exceptional. I opted for the Pixel 9 Pro, which is down to $799 from $999 during Black Friday—if you are in the market for a new phone, I say this is the one to get. 

The Pixel 9 Pro is the first model in many years to be smaller than its predecessor, for which I am endlessly grateful. My thumb actually reaches comfortably across the Pixel 9 Pro, it fits comfortably in my hand, and it weighs only 7 ounces. I don’t know why phones kept getting bigger for a while, but I’m thrilled that we’re moving away from the trend. If you’re a masochist, you can pick up the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Pixel 9 Pro is also a very pretty phone, but let’s be honest—most of us swaddle our pricey smartphones in a protective case. I’m particularly loyal to the ones from RhinoShield, which are also on sale.

If you’re already a Pixel fan, the interface is a continuation of what you know, and the migration process from my previous Pixel to this one was smoother than it has ever been before. I didn’t have to set up any of my screen preferences again—even my screensaver transferred over. Using the Pixel means you’re seeing Android the way it was meant to be seen: operating system by Google on a phone by Google. Everything is smooth, with settings in the same place universally, and common swiping behavior. Most apps unlock with a fingerprint or face recognition. 

My main complaint about the Pixel has always been that the camera feels inferior to those on iPhones, but that’s not true in the Pixel 9 Pro—both cameras are awesome. The resolution, the image stability, the lighting— it’s all great.

Each time I upgrade my phone, I get anxious about whether this model will be the one I regret. I’m a few months in with the Pixel 9 Pro, and I feel great about it.