Got a favourite Pixel 9 colour? Good luck trying to buy it

Google’s Pixel 9 series is here, and if you’re thinking of buying one, chances are you’ve got your eye on a specific colourway. 

Whether it’s the vibrant Wintergreen or more muted Rose Quartz, there are lots of interesting finishes to choose from. 

Or so it might appear. Disappointingly, the availability of colours varies hugely depending on the model you choose. In fact, Porcelain (off-white) and Obsidian (black) are the only ones offered with all four phones.  

You’re limited to those two with the 9 Pro Fold, while the 9 Pro and Pro XL add Rose Quartz (light pink) and Hazel (grey) to the list. The regular Pixel 9 also gets two additional colours, but they’re different: Peony (a darker pink) and Wintergreen (light green). 

So far, so frustrating. If you wanted that Rose Quartz finish but don’t want a huge phone, you’re out of luck. You can find a case of a similar colour, but it’s not the same. 

If you’ve decided on the Pixel 9 or 9 Pro Fold, that’s where the annoyances end. Both storage options (128- or 256GB for Pixel 9, 256- or 512GB for 9 Pro Fold) on those phones are available in all colours. 

However, things get even more complicated if you want one of the other handsets. Want the Porcelain or Rose Quartz versions of the Pixel 9 Pro? You’ll have to be satisfied with either 128- or 256GB of storage in the UK, or only 256GB in the US. The 512GB version is exclusive to Hazel or Obsidian finishes. 

But it’s the Pixel 9 Pro XL that wins the unfortunate award of most complicated purchase process.

The Rose Quartz model is bizarrely limited to just the 256GB model, despite Porcelain and Hazel finishes also being offered with 128- or 512GB of storage. 

Then, if you want 1TB of storage, you’ll have to get an Obsidian model. It’s only available on the 9 Pro XL in the UK, but also on the 9 Pro in the US. 

Why offer such interesting colours if they’re only going to be available on a select few configurations? We’ve reached out to Google for clarification on this, and will update this article if we receive a response. 

But assuming nothing changes, you could be in for a nasty surprise when you go to buy your Pixel 9 phone.  

The situation is explained in our best Pixel 9 deals guide, which includes various outright and contract options in the UK and US. 

You may also want to know the truth about the Pixel 9 charging speeds.