Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 9: Why I'm considering the upgrade this year

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

Google's latest smartphone, the Pixel 11 , isn't an earth-shattering upgrade from the Pixel 10 -- or even the 9. The 6.3-inch physical form factor, 12GB of RAM, and overall build is the same. However, the Pixel 11 has double the base storage and two generations of processor improvements under its belt. With the addition of the Google Tensor G6, the Pixel 11 represents a considerable upgrade in processing efficiency and CPU performance.

Also: Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: I'm a fan of both foldables, but this one wins

If you're a Pixel 9 user who held off on the Pixel 10 last year, the new Google Pixel 11 may just be enough to convince you to upgrade, especially when you consider how the phones' specifications translate into real-world applications.

Let's address the elephant in the room: The Pixel 11 features a camera system redesign over a simple upgrade. Instead of the incremental camera upgrades we tend to see in phone launches, the Pixel 11 features a substantial resolution reduction: from 48MP in the Pixel 9 to 13MP on its ultrawide camera.

Also: Google Pixel 11 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S26: I compared the two Android flagships, here's my pick