Buy a Pixel 9 on Prime Day or wait for the Pixel 10? Here’s my advice

If you love Google’s Pixel phones and, more importantly, love getting a great deal, this year’s Amazon Prime Day is a good one. Every single Google Pixel 9 model is currently on sale, with some discounts exceeding 30% off. In other words, there’s never been a better time to buy Google’s latest Pixel phones.

But if you follow the Pixel lineup closely, you probably know that we’re expecting the Pixel 10 series to arrive sometime in August. With a new generation of Pixels expected in just about a month, does it still make sense to buy a Pixel 9?

Having looked through all of the Pixel 9 Prime Day deals, and based on what we know about the Pixel 10 lineup, here’s my advice.

First things first, let’s run through all the Pixel 9 Prime Day deals. There are a lot of them, and they’re all pretty great:

• Google Pixel 9 on sale for $549 (normally $799)
• Google Pixel 9 Pro on sale for $749 (normally $999)
• Google Pixel 9 Pro XL on sale for $749 (normally $1,099)
• Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold on sale for $1,399 (normally $1,799)

Every single one of these is a great deal. At $549, the base model Pixel 9 starts looking like a viable alternative to the cheaper Pixel 9a (which is also on sale). With more RAM, higher-quality cameras, more advanced photo/video recording features, and additional AI capabilities, there’s a strong argument to be made for buying the $549 Pixel 9 over the $449 Pixel 9a.

I also love the discounts for the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. $749 is a fantastic price for either one, and it means that fans of a larger Pro phone don’t have to spend more just because they want a bigger screen and battery.

Additionally, if you’ve been itching to buy a folding phone, saving $400 on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is pretty amazing. $1,399 is still a significant amount of money, but with rumors suggesting the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will receive a substantial price increase, this could be one of the best value foldable phone deals of the year.

Here’s where things get complicated. Those are undeniably great deals, but if the Pixel 10 series is all but confirmed to be on store shelves next month, are you better off just waiting for Google’s newest phones? That depends on what you’re looking for and how much you trust the current Pixel 10 rumors.

Right now, the biggest upgrade we expect for all of the Pixel 10 phones is a new chipset. Where all of the Pixel 9 handsets have a Samsung-made Tensor G4 chip, every Pixel 10 model should have a TSMC-made Tensor G5. TSMC has a much better reputation and track record than Samsung’s chipmaking business. With Google making that foundry switch, combined with the G5 likely using a smaller 3nm design compared to the G4’s 4nm architecture, this year’s Tensor chipset should see significant efficiency upgrades — meaning longer battery life and better thermal management.

Google’s Tensor G5 has the potential to be amazing, and it could mark a grand new chapter for Google’s smartphone chips. And that’s a good thing, because everything else we’re expecting from the Pixel 10 lineup is a lot less interesting.

Looking at the base model Pixel 10, the phone is reported to have a brighter display and a slightly larger battery. Interestingly, though, the primary and ultrawide cameras will reportedly be worse sensors than the cameras on the Pixel 9, though the upside is that the Pixel 10 should have a dedicated telephoto camera (something the Pixel 9 lacks entirely).

As for the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, we’re expecting identical display, camera, and RAM specs compared to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Google should offer new PWM technology, a larger vapor chamber, and a slight increase in battery capacity for both Pixel 10 Pro phones, but that’s essentially it in terms of year-over-year upgrades.

Meanwhile, details on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold remain mostly unknown. Word on the street is that the design will be largely unchanged from the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and if the other Pixel 10 leaks are anything to go by, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s specs should be pretty familiar, too.

OK, so where does that leave us? Should you jump on these Prime Day Pixel 9 deals, or should you wait for the Pixel 10 to come out?

If you’ve had bad luck with previous Pixel phones and aren’t happy with Google’s current Tensor chips, waiting a little longer for the Pixel 10 isn’t a bad idea. There’s no guarantee that the Tensor G5 will magically resolve every Tensor complaint you’ve ever had, but it stands to be the largest YoY chipset upgrade we’ve ever seen from Google, and that potential is exciting.

However, unless you absolutely need the latest and greatest chipset technology (which you probably don’t), I’d argue most folks are better off buying a Pixel 9 during these Prime Day sales.

Beyond the Tensor G5, not much is changing between the Pixel 9 phones and their Pixel 10 successors. That could make the Pixel 10 lineup a bit boring, but it’s great news for you if you’re in the market for a new phone right now. Every Pixel 9 model remains well worth it in 2025, and at these Prime Day prices, they’re all deserving of your dollars — even with the Pixel 10 series on the horizon.