Does 9 patch remove identical pixels to save space?

I'm trying to find out the best size for my drawable 9 patch image. When exporting a png for later use in draw9patch, does it matter if I just keep the middle of a drawable just 'big', or should I always remove parts that are going to be stretche开发者_运维知识库d out anyways?

I've always found that it's best to make 9-patches as small as possible. They can't be scaled down (effectively), so making the image as tiny as you can make it will ensure it gets stretched to a wider range of devices.

I also find it easier to design the layout this way as I can place the buttons where I want without worrying about putting them in places that will be stretched out or changed.