Every new release in the quick-paced world of smartphones is met with excitement and anticipation. Thanks to its cutting-edge features and potent performance, Google’s Pixel series has been able to carve out a niche for itself among the multitude of options available. With the release of the Google Pixel 8 Pro, both smartphone enthusiasts and techies are excited to see what this newest product has to offer. In this article, we’ll delve into Google Pixel 8 Pro Reviews in detail.
Google Pixel 8 Pro Reviews Overview
| Price | $999 |
| Display | 6.7-inch Super Actua Display (OLED) |
| Display resolution | 1344 x 2992 |
| Refresh rate | 1 – 120Hz adaptive |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main + 48MP ultrawide + 48MP telephoto (5x zoom) |
| Front Camera | 10.5MP selfie |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G3 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB |
| Battery | 5,050 mAh |
| Charging | 12W (Qi wireless), 30W (wired), 23W (wireless with Pixel Stand), |
| Water/dust resistance | IP68 |
| Size | 6.4 x 3.0 x 0.3-inches |
| Weight | 7.5 ounces |
Price and Availability
It wasn’t meant to be that the Pixel 8 Pro would launch at the same $899 starting price as its predecessor. Although I regret that the Pixel 8 Pro now costs $999, it is still theoretically less expensive than the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max, which are both now $1,199. Google continues to undercut many flagships in the Pixel 8 Pro’s class, even with the $100 price increase over the Pixel 7 Pro.
The fact that the Pixel 8 Pro’s base storage option is still only 128GB irritates me a little. In contrast, Apple and Samsung increased the base storage capacity of their flagship devices, the Galaxy S23 Ulta and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, to a more manageable 256GB. The Pixel 8 Pro will also be offered with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities, priced at $1,099, $1,199, and $1,299, respectively, if you require more space.
Google Pixel 8 Pro Reviews Screen
It’s one of the best Android phone displays I’ve ever used, and it offers a few significant improvements over the Pixel 7 Pro. Because everything these days has to have a name, Google has dubbed the screen a Super Actua display. It alludes to the phone’s high brightness levels, which in some cases can reach up to 2000 nits. However, that brightness isn’t quite as high as the Honor Magic 6 Pro’s maximum brightness of 5000 nits.
Nevertheless, the increased brightness greatly improves visibility outdoors, making the screen comfortable to read in every situation I’ve tested it in. Thanks to HDR playback, the Super Actua display outperforms all other displays in my tests, matching or surpassing the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Now, the LTPO panel can lower the refresh rate to 1Hz, increasing to a maximum of 120Hz, to improve the fluidity of scrolling and some games. The smaller, less expensive Pixel 8 lacks this adaptive LTPO technology and instead determines whether to refresh at 60Hz or 120Hz through software.
Design and Colors
Although some of the Pixel 8 Pro’s minor design adjustments may go unnoticed at first, they improve the device’s usability greatly. Its metal trim and camera hump are clear examples of how much of its design DNA still comes from the Pixel.
Two design changes on the Pixel 8 Pro immediately catch my attention. The phone’s new matte finish, which increases its grip on the hand, is the first. I’m excited about this new development because there is a subtle contrast between the metal construction and the smoother feel of the glass found in the last few generations of Pixel phones. In addition, I adore the Bay color option because it has a paler blue tone than the standard black and white options.
The design decision made by Google to switch back to a single piece of glass for the triple camera arrangement is what has me doubting this whole thing. I was happy to see that Google was addressing the issue by including two distinct pieces of glass with the Pixel 7 Pro, as I had broken one quite similar on the Pixel 6 Pro. I’m hesitant to go back to just one piece of glass since it leaves the cameras exposed. I would advise making a camera cover case purchase.
Other than that, the Pixel 8 Pro’s design isn’t all that different. It has the same IP68 rating, feels sturdy in the hand, and has all the features I look for in a high-end flagship phone.
Google Pixel 8 Pro Reviews Cameras
This is the exciting part of the Pixel 8 Pro, which sets itself apart from the regular Pixel 8 even more. The Pro features three cameras on its back: a 48MP ultrawide, a 50MP primary, and a 48MP telephoto with a 5x optical zoom. The most notable modification is the ultrawide camera, which has 48 megapixels instead of the Pixel 7 Pro’s 12 MP sensor. That and its 5x zoom telephoto lens are the two primary ways that the Pixel 8 Pro’s cameras differ from those of the Pixel 8.
Naturally, the Pixel 8 Pro’s cameras are superior in every way. According to Google, they can capture better photos in low light, take sharper selfies, and have the best zoom yet. This view of Central Park’s Bethesda Terrace from the main camera demonstrates that. There are lots of details and the dynamic range between the tree shadows and the areas that are brighter where the light is shining is effectively managed. I also appreciate that the Pixel 8 Pro image has more contrast than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Although the Pixel 8 Pro’s 1.5x zoom results in a tighter frame than other flagships like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I still like how the Pixel 8 Pro handles portrait mode. Nevertheless, because of the peculiar greenish tone of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I believe the Pixel 8 Pro matches my skin tone more closely.
The Pixel 8 Pro’s 10.5MP front-facing camera produces high-quality selfies. Although the Pixel shot is slightly overexposed in some spots, the majority of the images have good quality. When enlarging the image, it becomes evident that the Pixel 8 Pro’s TrueDepth camera captures softer details than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s.
Camera Features
With its plethora of AI-assisted photography features, Google makes it obvious that the Pixel 8 Pro is intended for professional users. Having tested a number of them for my review, I can say with certainty that these tools all greatly simplify photo and video editing. As a videographer, I am aware of the difficulties in photo editing to get rid of unwanted subjects or in trying to get rid of distracting background noise from a video. The process is easy and painless thanks to Google; it’s like having a personal editor in my pocket.
Performance
When I first started using the phone, I was concerned about the performance after a week. Normally, I don’t pay much attention to benchmarks, but during the first few days, I was experiencing terrible lag everywhere, with even the most basic apps having trouble keeping up. A noticeable shift occurred after the first week, and everything became much more seamless. After another week with the Pixel 8 Pro, it feels quick to use daily.
Performance for gaming still lags behind phones with comparable prices. I’ve noticed that top-down games like Survivor.io are slowing down, and there are several dropped frames in intense games like Genshin Impact and COD Mobile. Everything is still playable, but not to the same extent as high-end devices like the Honor Magic 6 Pro, OnePlus 12, and Samsung Galaxy S24 series that are powered by the Qualcomm 8 Gen 3.
Battery Life
The Pixel 7 Pro’s lackluster battery life was another area in which I was not impressed. Tom’s Guide’s battery benchmark test, lasted 7 hours and 55 minutes, which is a long way short of the 10+ hours that its competitors can accomplish.
In Tom’s Guide battery benchmark tests, the Pixel 8 Pro’s battery receives a slight boost, increasing to 5,050 mAh from the Pixel 7 Pro’s 5,000 mAh, meaning longer battery life. In particular, the new Pixel achieves a decent time of 10 hours and 3 minutes, an improvement of 2 hours over the disappointing time of the Pixel 7 Pro. Nevertheless, it still lags far behind the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max results, which were both achieved after more than 13 hours of testing.
Conclusion
The Google Pixel 8 Pro Reviews, with its remarkable features and performance, has become a contender in the smartphone market. Its competitive advantage over flagship counterparts is apparent even with a price increase. Technological aficionados and everyday users alike find the Pixel 8 Pro appealing due to its significant enhancements in display, camera capabilities, and battery life.
