I went for a walk today and took both phones and simply snapped pics as I would normally during a walk (only I'd normally only use one phone LOL) and if I'm being honest there are some shots where I prefer the Note 9 shots over the Pixel. All shots from both were really good; Pixel colors are more accurate and true to life but, again if I am being honest, I think most folks would choose the Note 9 shots as they're more vibrant and punchy - especially if they were not familiar with the location where the shots were taken. I liked the Note 9 sky pics better than the Pixel. Selfies were no comparison, Pixel killed the Note 9 every single time. Portrait mode vs Live Focus was kinda a draw ... When they both got it right they looked really good but they both blew a few shots too.
Had I only taken outdoor shots I think I could live with the Note 9... But then I got home and shot these (both auto and flash didn't go off for either):
(Note 9 is the top photo)
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That picture from the Note 9 is just awful IMO and should not be the result of a $1000 device!