Top 5 Smartphone Alternatives to Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in Canada

“The Pixel 9 Pro XL sets new records for having the brightest screen around and has the longest battery life in a Pixel, but the minor camera and processing performance leaves more to be desired — especially when it's $100 more.”

“The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the biggest and best Android smartphone on the market today. It offers an amazing user experience and is capable of matching the best smartphone cameras in the world, in any environment.”

“Here’s the good news, though. The Pixel 9 Pro XL does it. Google went all-out for its ninth-generation flagship Pixel phone in ways I wasn’t expecting. Not everything is perfect, but the result is a phenomenal smartphone that’s well-made, powerful, and a joy to use.”

“The short answer is yes — absolutely — and here’s why.”

“For what it’s worth, though, Google’s Gemini-powered features are really good. Where many of them felt incomplete on the Pixel 8 Pro, like the artifact-laden Magic Editor, missing Zoom Enhance (which enjoyed a long-overdue launch on the same day as the Pixel 9 series), and...”

“The 8 Pro did have some AI skills, like object removal and Best Take, but it was just the beginning. If its predecessor was just Google dipping its toe in the AI water, the 9 Pro XL is Google doing a full triple somersault with a pike off the top diving board into the AI...”

“The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a finely crafted handset made with top-notch materials and thoughtful design. Its basic shape is similar to that of the iPhone and Galaxy phones, so it doesn't immediately stand out from the crowd.”

“What I do appreciate about its AI features are the smaller, thoughtful integrations throughout the device. I love how the on-device Gemini adds a cinematic effect to the wallpaper and how the new Weather app offers a concise summary, helping me quickly prepare for the day...”

“At various times during the three months, I relied on the 9 Pro XL as my primary entertainment device, using it to catch up on TV shows or watch YouTube. It didn’t let me down at all, offering about as immersive an experience as you can get on a smartphone.”

“Google blocking an AI-made zero-day exploit sounds like a glimpse into the future”

“Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The good the bad and the ugly. (self.pixel_phones)”

“For the Pixel 9 Pro, we talked in our review about the camera, size choice, battery life, display, design, and performance all being top notch. But again, you could argue for most phones that they are excellent in those categories too. So it does come down to the little things.”

“The camera bar on the pixel 9 pro xl is smooth and simple. The phone has a soft matte finish. This gives it a nice feel and look. Out of all the phones in the Pixel line, the pixel 9 pro xl might be the best-looking one. You can pick from different colors for the pro xl.”

“With its new shape and simplified software, there are fewer reasons to reject the Xperia 1 VI and enjoy its variable telephoto camera, bright screen and enhanced connectivity over rivals.”

“The Xperia 1 VI drops some AV features and feels a bit more generic than its predecessor, but we still find it to be thoroughly impressive as a portable movie and music player”

“The Sony Xperia 1 VI is a lovely phone, but you had better buy into its specific style for the outlay to be worthwhile.”

“The Xperia 1 VI is a technology showcase with its continuous zoom camera and macro performance. Sony has missed a trick by not readying pro video features for launch, but with an external monitor and recording functionality, an improved aspect ratio for photographs and 16:9...”

“The Sony Xperia 1 VI is a flagship phone built for creators, blending top-tier performance with a long-lasting battery, a pro camera, and rare features like a headphone jack and expandable storage.”

“However for these reasons it’s time for me to say goodbye to Xperia. For now at least. As much as I really enjoy using the Xperia 1 VI I can’t justify holding onto it if the camera features I want aren’t there. I will instead get a Mk.”

“The Sony Xperia 1 VI offers a compelling combination of sleek design, smooth performance, and user-centric features. Its UI provides a clean and intuitive experience, while its speed ensures efficiency in multitasking.”

“A feature which might be useful to those shooting with Sony Alpha cameras is that you can use the Xperia 1 VI as an external monitor – this could theoretically be enough to tip the purchasing decision in its favour if you’re toying between another smartphone and this if it’s...”

“And the lower screen resolution is undoubtedly one of the reasons the battery lasts so long. It keeps going well into a second day, so that if you forget to charge overnight, you won’t panic too much—though you’ll need to go easy on the second day until you get home to the...”

“Very bright screen (albeit only FHD)”

“In running Sony UI, the Xperia 1 VI's Android 14 hardly differs from stock Android but it offers a practical extra, namely a dashboard. The dashboard allows users to quickly access frequently used phone settings such as display brightness, picture and audio mode or notifications.”

“The new display's brightness is now 1.5x times brighter than the previous model, however, so it's not all bad news in this department, especially as the equally new Sunlight Vision feature makes it easier to use the device even in glaring environments.”