Companies love to talk big numbers about their new phones, just to prove they’re hitting a certain mark. In the phone world, nothing gets me more worked up than hearing an outrageous claim about a phone’s display brightness. Google is no stranger to this phenomenon, as evidenced by its latest Made by Google event, where it claimed the Pixel 9 Pro XL hits a peak brightness of 3,000 nits.
I've heard other exaggerated claims before, like the one that the OnePlus 12 can hit 4,500 nits, but I never gave them much credence because in reality, our tests never came close to reaching that level of brightness. That doesn't mean phone displays can't reach these peaks, but they likely occur under specific conditions. Still, Tom's Guide's display benchmark tests always give the objective results that can definitively tell which display is the brightest.
Testing the new flagship for my Pixel 9 Pro XL review, I was most surprised by how Google's phone broke Tom's Guide's record for the brightest phone display ever tested, hitting a blinding 2,469 nits of peak output. Knowing that, I think the Pixel 9 Pro XL puts the iPhone 16 Pro Max on notice by raising the bar for what we expect from a phone display.
How we test screens
Technically, that 2,469 nits value was only maintained for a brief period during our controlled tests, which simulate a phone being used outdoors on a sunny day. To do so, we used a light meter pointed at the Pixel 9 Pro XL's display with Adaptive Brightness enabled, while pointing a high-powered LED flashlight at the phone's light sensor. After maintaining its maximum brightness of 2,469 nits for a few seconds, the display eventually stabilized at around 1,922 nits on average.
With the iPhone 15 Pro Max hitting 1,550 nits of brightness in our testing, the pressure is on for the iPhone 16 Pro Max to beat its predecessor and Google’s latest flagship. So far, rumors have suggested that Samsung will be providing advanced OLED panels for Apple’s upcoming Pro phones that could boost brightness by 20 percent. If true, that would translate to 1,860 nits for the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s display based on testing data we collected with the 15 Pro Max.
| Line 0 – Cell 0 | Maximum brightness |
| Pixel 9 Pro XL | 2,469 nits |
| Pixel 8 Pro | 1,526 nits |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | 1,550 nits |
| Galaxy S24 Ultra | 1,363 nits |
| OnePlus 12 | 865 nits |
| Razr Plus 2024 | 2,158 nits |
That still wouldn't be enough to beat the Pixel 9 Pro XL's record, so it'll take a lot more to get there. The reason this matters is that a brighter screen simply makes it easier to see in sunny conditions, rather than trying to shield the screen from the sun with your hand. Plus, a brighter screen gives off a better glow when watching movies and videos, just like the best TVs.
Why the Pixel 9 Pro XL excels
Interestingly, I think the Pixel 9 Pro XL makes a bolder claim by proving that it's much more efficient. I'm referring to the power efficiency of its Super Actua display and Tensor G4 chip, which translates into a substantial improvement in battery life.
In our battery tests, the Pixel 9 Pro XL lasted 14 hours and 37 minutes. That’s an obscene improvement considering the Pixel 8 Pro clocked in at 10 hours and 3 minutes. This is important to remember because even though the Pixel 9 Pro XL has the brightest display we’ve ever tested, that display isn’t a huge drain on the battery.
Compared to its peers, like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is still in a league of its own, with no other coming close. In fact, the only other recent phone to surpass 2,000 nits is the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 with 2,158 nits. All of this means the iPhone 16 Pro Max can’t afford to fall short.