Pixel 9 Pro XL with GrapheneOS: Full Review
The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the largest, most powerful Pixel available. With GrapheneOS, is it the ultimate privacy phone? We test it thoroughly.
Pixel 9 Pro XL with GrapheneOS: The Ultimate Privacy Phone?
The Pixel 9 Pro XL represents the top of Google's hardware lineup — 6.8" Super Actua LTPO OLED display, Tensor G4 chip, 16GB RAM, and a triple camera system headlined by a 50MP main sensor. Paired with GrapheneOS, it's the most powerful privacy smartphone available.
Design and Build
The Pixel 9 Pro XL continues Google's polished aesthetic — matte glass back, polished aluminium frame, and the distinctive camera bar. It's a large phone at 6.8", but the slim bezels keep it manageable.
Build quality is excellent. The matte glass back resists fingerprints better than glossy alternatives, and the aluminium frame feels premium in hand.
Display
The 6.8" Super Actua LTPO OLED is genuinely exceptional. 1-120Hz variable refresh rate, 3000 nits peak brightness, and excellent colour accuracy make this one of the best displays on any smartphone. Outdoor visibility is outstanding.
Performance
The Tensor G4 with 16GB RAM handles everything. App switching is instant, multitasking is seamless, and gaming performance is strong. GrapheneOS's reduced background processing means more of the chip's capacity goes to your actual tasks.
We noticed no thermal throttling under sustained load — the cooling system handles the Tensor G4 well.
Camera System
The triple camera — 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 5× telephoto — produces excellent results in all conditions. Night photography is particularly impressive. The 5× optical zoom is genuinely useful for everyday photography.
On GrapheneOS, all camera functions work fully. Computational photography, Night Sight, and video recording all operate as expected.
Battery Life
The 5060mAh battery, combined with GrapheneOS's efficiency, delivers excellent stamina. We consistently achieved 7-9 hours of screen-on time under moderate use. Standby is exceptional — overnight drain of less than 2%.
37W wired charging takes the device from 0 to 100% in approximately 70 minutes. 23W wireless charging is more than adequate for overnight charging.
GrapheneOS Integration
This is where the Pixel 9 Pro XL earns its "ultimate privacy phone" claim. The Titan M2 chip provides hardware-backed key storage. Verified boot runs on every start. The hardened kernel protects against exploitation.
All hardware features work fully with GrapheneOS — fingerprint sensor, face unlock, NFC, and all connectivity options.
Verdict
The Pixel 9 Pro XL with GrapheneOS is the best privacy smartphone available at any price. The combination of flagship hardware, the strongest security architecture on any consumer device, and GrapheneOS's unmatched privacy guarantees creates something genuinely special.
At £849 from PrivacyPixel, it's a premium purchase — but for users for whom privacy is non-negotiable, it's worth every penny.
Rating: 9.8/10
GET A PRE-INSTALLED GRAPHENEOS PHONE
Skip the technical setup. Every device from PrivacyPixel comes with GrapheneOS installed, bootloader re-locked, and ready to use. Brand new, UK shipped.
Shop Devices →