The Google Pixel 9 comes with a new modem inside – here’s why it matters
Better connectivity all round
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Sometimes it takes a while for every single spec of a new phone to be identified and confirmed, and that’s the case with theGoogle Pixel 9phones thatGoogle unveiled on August 13– as we now know they have an important modem upgrade inside.
As spotted byAndroid Authoritythrough diagnostics tests, the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold all come with the Exynos Modem 5400 inside, which is a significant step up from previous models.
While very few of us will go shopping for a phone based on what modem it has, the upgraded hardware should mean more reliable cell service on the Pixel 9 handsets, as well as better power efficiency – which is good news in terms of battery life.
It also enables the newemergency satellite connectivityfeature announced byGoogleat its event earlier this week, and brings with it faster data transfer speeds too. All in all, a pretty significant upgrade for Google’s flagship smartphones.
No more signal drops?
As the Exynos name gives away, this modem is manufactured bySamsung, and can already be found working away inside theGalaxy S24series. Samsung describes the modem as “astonishingly fast and impressively stable”.
The speeds you’ll see will depend on your mobile or Wi-Fi signal as well of course, but the Exynos Modem 5400 can shift data at the rate of 14.79Gbps, which is up from 10Gbps on the earlier Exynos Modem 5300.
At the very least we should hopefully see the end ofthe connectivity problemsthat have affected older Pixel models, including theGoogle Pixel 7and theGoogle Pixel 8– but time will tell how the modem performs in the real world.
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We’ve already posted our hands-on first impressions of thePixel 9,Pixel 9 Pro,Pixel 9 Pro XLandPixel 9 Pro Fold, and our full reviews of these phones are in the pipeline. Next up is theiPhone 16range, which is expected to debut sometime in September.
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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