I'm on a Pixel 8 Pro and I am sticking with that for now. I don't think the iterative upgrades the 9 series offers justifies the price. And naturally, a lot of places are putting the 8 series on sale, so it's an even better deal if you can find one. The 9 series internals are barely upgraded over the 8 series. And in typical Google fashion (if you end up sticking with the stock OS) many of the exclusive 9 series features will come to the 8 series eventually. The only real reason to get a 9 series phone is if you really like the hardware design. The increased ram on the 9 is mostly for the Gemini stuff they are pushing, and the rest of the general specs are almost the same as the 8. Yes of course it's a new generation so the processor is "better" and whatnot, but not to a degree where in real world use, would you notice the difference between the 8 and the 9. Again, most of the internal improvements are targeting the AI stuff that all companies are pushing for.

TLDR: Save your money and get an 8. It's mostly the same.

I have a pixel 8, and really don't have a desire to upgrade.

I went from a 7 to a 9 Pro and honestly the ultra sonic fp reader (thats new to the 9) is worth it alone imo.

The main difference between the two to me is that the 9 pro is no longer larger than the regular version. Instead there's now a 9 pro XL. Now you can have the better camera without trying to fit a mini tablet in your pocket. If you're staying with the non pro version, most of the recent pixel models are very similar.

If you don't mind using Meta services, you may have some luck with big discounts. I've seen BNIB Pixel 9's for as low as $475 on Facebook Marketplace, though most of them are $500-$550. I've purchased my last two Pixels through Marketplace and haven't encountered any issues.

That being said, I like my Pixel 8 Pro and the performance has been great, so I'm not sure the price difference for a brand new Pixel 9 direct from a retailer as opposed to a Pixel 8 is worth it unless you really like the squared off design of the 9.