The $999 Google Pixel 8 Professional banks on a modestly refreshed design, a trio of succesful cameras, and upgraded AI instruments to face out from its flagship friends. Its revised {hardware} is extra nice to make use of, Google’s computational images is as artistic as ever, and Tensor G3-powered machine-learning smarts permit it to carry out photograph edits that no different telephone can. Add in a crowd-pleasing inventory model of Android and a long-term assist dedication from Google, and you have got a compelling smartphone that competes with the most effective available on the market. Pretty much as good as it’s, although, the $1,199 Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely holds onto our Editors’ Alternative award for flagship Android telephones due to its breathtaking display, equally good cameras, productiveness software program, and S Pen stylus.
A Acquainted, Understated Design
Google’s {hardware} design is superb thanks principally to its simplicity. The Pixel 8 Professional’s massive digicam bar that crosses the rear panel stays essentially the most distinguishing characteristic. In any other case, the shiny aluminum body contrasts properly with the matte coloration palette of the glass. Google despatched us the Bay mannequin for testing, which is a light-weight blue; the telephone additionally is available in Obsidian (black) or Porcelain (white). The Bay coloration stops effectively in need of being daring, which appears on-trend for telephones nowadays.
The Pixel 8 Professional measures 6.4 by 3.0 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 7.5 ounces. It’s barely thinner (0.05 inches) however marginally heavier (0.02 ounces) than final 12 months’s Pixel 7 Professional. Regardless of these dimensions, the soft-touch end on the again of the Pixel 8 Professional makes gripping it simpler, which helps contemplating its width. The smaller $699 Pixel 8 is available in at 5.9 by 2.8 by 0.4 inches and 6.8 ounces, whereas the Galaxy S23 Extremely is 6.43 by 3.07 by 0.35 inches and eight.25 ounces, and the iPhone 15 Professional Max is 6.29 by 3.02 by 0.32 inches and 6.81 ounces.
One of many greater design adjustments 12 months over 12 months is the 8 Professional’s transfer to a flat display from a curved one. For those who discovered navigating the rounded edges of the 7 Professional’s show to be bothersome, this variation needs to be a welcome one. (The common Pixel 8 carries over its flat display from the Pixel 7.) The telephone additionally options extra rounded high and backside corners, which makes it extra snug to carry, carry round, and use. It carries an IP68 ranking, which implies it is principally dustproof and waterproof. The newest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the rear of the telephone, which ought to assist stop scratching and injury from falls.
The suitable facet contains a energy button and quantity rocker whereas the left facet holds the SIM card tray. The underside options two horizontal slits and a USB-C port for information and charging. The rear digicam bar will get a minor redesign; all the sensors are tucked into one pill-shaped part versus the separated parts of the 7 Professional.
Google carries over the location of the under-display fingerprint sensor (which labored reliably in testing). The front-facing digicam, which is hiding in a small gap on the high of the show, is now capable of present safe face unlocking due to Google’s Tensor G3. Google says the Pixel 8 Professional’s face unlock device is safe sufficient to authenticate funds and won’t be fooled by easy issues similar to photographs.
Considerably surprisingly, Google integrates a thermometer into the digicam bar beneath the flash. It is unobtrusive and straightforward to disregard from a design standpoint. You need to use it to learn the temperature of close by issues like your morning espresso or lunchtime soup. You help the characteristic by choosing the kind of object you might be measuring (liquid, stable, and many others.) earlier than holding the sensor inside an inch or so to take a studying. I didn’t discover a compelling use for the thermometer in testing, however Google says it has submitted an software with the FDA in order that hopefully sooner or later it is possible for you to to make use of it to take your personal temperature.
A Brighter Pixel
Google calls the 6.7-inch OLED display on the Pixel 8 Professional a Tremendous Actua show, which is extra advertising and marketing than anything. It contains a decision of two,992 by 1,344 pixels with a density of 489ppi and a refresh price that may vary dynamically from 1Hz to 120Hz. This display truly has a decrease decision and pixel density than the Pixel 7 Professional’s 6.7-inch display, which has 3,120 by 1,440 pixels at 512ppi. Virtually talking, this isn’t one thing most individuals will discover as a result of it is so sharp and clean. By default, the show is about to a decision of two,244 by 1,008 pixels. To get the total decision, head to Settings > Show > Display Decision > Full Decision. This offers you all of the pixels, however the telephone warns that you will get much less battery life in consequence.
The larger and extra important distinction is the telephone’s brightness. The Pixel 8 Professional has a mean brightness of 1,600 nits and a peak brightness of two,400 nits. The Pixel 7 Professional’s most brightness was 1,500 nits, making the 8 Professional a lot brighter as compared. The Pixel 8’s display is not fairly as brilliant—it maxes out at 2,000 nits—however each have a distinction ratio of 1,000,000:1.
The 8 Professional’s show is plainly seen in direct daylight, though you continue to need to compete with some glare. Colours are intense when the display is at most brightness indoors, and you probably have a light-colored theme, be ready for a strong glow.
By the use of comparability, the Pixel 8 has a 6.2-inch display with 2,400 by 1,080 pixels (424ppi), the iPhone 15 Professional Max has a 6.7-inch display with 2,796 by 1,290 pixels (460ppi), and the S23 Extremely has a 6.8-inch display with 3,088 by 1,440 pixels (501ppi).
Pixel Pictures: The Proper Sensors for the Job
The principle shooter on the Pixel 8 Professional is a 50MP sensor at f/1.68 that Google says allows as much as 21% extra mild than final 12 months’s mannequin. The 48MP ultra-wide digicam has an aperture of f/1.95 and is claimed to be 105% extra delicate to mild than the outgoing mannequin. It depends on a multi-zone laser detect autofocus (LDAF) system meaning fast focus no matter the place the topic is in your shot. A 48MP telephoto at f/2.8 that allows 56% extra mild than the 7 Professional rounds out the trio of rear cameras and consists of 5x optical zoom. (The Pixel 8 does not have a telephoto digicam.)
The front-facing 10.5MP digicam now has an expanded 95-degree discipline of view, which is a few levels wider than final 12 months’s selfie cam. Let’s not neglect Google’s computational images algorithms, which play an enormous position within the closing outcomes.
Typically, we discovered that each sensor on the Pixel 8 Professional takes good-to-great pictures with a constant coloration palette, although generally these colours are a bit oversaturated. Particulars are effectively preserved whether or not a topic is partially or absolutely in shadow. On-screen controls to vary the focus had been extremely responsive and labored effectively every time. The Professional controls added to the digicam app are helpful if you wish to rapidly change specifics like white stability or verify in case your topic is in focus with focus peaking.
Photographs taken with the 50MP and 48MP sensors are quad-binned to provide 12.5MP and 12MP pictures, respectively, however you possibly can shoot full-resolution pictures if you want. A bit of lens distortion is seen when utilizing the ultra-wide digicam, however that is anticipated.
Low-light images is sweet, although it seems as if Google is processing these pictures to protect extra of the darkness than earlier than. Some Evening Sight photographs up to now have seemed as if all the things was brightly lit; with the Pixel 8 Professional, we observed that shadows inside a darkly lit topic had been nonetheless there quite than flushed out, which is an efficient factor.
Tremendous Res Zoom at 30x works effectively so long as you have received a tripod or a really regular hand, however topics shot on the 5x optical vary are surprisingly sharp.
With regards to selfies, Google captures a superb quantity of element in each picture, with wonderful hairs or wrinkles showing sharp. Portrait mode appears to be like extremely pure with its default settings. Areas round messy hair are processed, however present a very good distinction between topic and foreground.
Video seize is sweet throughout all of the cameras. When taking pictures in HDR mode, whether or not at 4K30 or 1080p30, coloration copy is superb and extra true-to-life than nonetheless pictures and non-HDR video. The non-HDR video has colours which are extra in keeping with the oversaturated look of the nonetheless photographs. When scrubbing by video, nearly each nonetheless body is sharp and in focus no matter whether or not it was shot in HDR or not. Particulars are effectively preserved in shadows and brilliant environments. Digital zoom at 20x is on the market when recording, however you lose element and any digicam motion is very amplified. A video characteristic referred to as Video Increase in on deck for a December Pixel characteristic drop, so we did not get an opportunity to check it.
Past the {Hardware}: Google’s Killer Digital camera Software program
Google does not simply excel at common images and video. The 8 Professional would not be a Pixel telephone if it did not provide new and enjoyable methods to work together together with your photographs earlier than and after you’re taking them. Observe that Finest Take, Audio Magic Eraser, and Magic Editor are additionally accessible on the usual Pixel 8, however Magic Eraser is not.
Finest Take Targets Teams
Finest Take is a Pixel-exclusive characteristic that makes an attempt to unravel a real-world drawback: How do you get a bunch image of individuals the place everybody appears to be like their greatest?
Google’s resolution is to investigate related pictures after which give you the choice to interchange faces. The corporate does not restrict this characteristic to photographs taken by Pixels solely; we discovered that Google Images presents Finest Take even with older pictures captured by non-Pixel gadgets.
To make use of Finest Take, it’s a must to discover a group of pictures of the identical topic or topics taken across the similar time. Decide one picture, then faucet Edit > Instruments > Finest Take; if Finest Take shouldn’t be offered as an possibility it isn’t accessible for the faces in your photograph.
Tapping Finest Take initiates a message saying the telephone is discovering related photographs. The app then presents the faces it will probably substitute in circles beneath the unique photograph. Faucet on a face and you may see alternative faces that may be utilized. Even when a head is in a barely completely different place, Google Images and the Pixel 8 Professional can determine how issues like hair and a neck ought to look to make the picture seem pure. It does not all the time look excellent; the adjusted picture generally reveals indicators of enhancing, like a necklace that takes an unusually angular route. Nevertheless, the benefit of use is to be applauded. Sure, face alternative can already be finished on different gadgets with some photo-editing expertise, however Google makes it easy to perform with out ability in only a few seconds.
Magic Erasers Delete Actuality
Magic Eraser returns on the Pixel and it continues to work effectively on smaller objects, however Google has expanded its skills to erase bigger objects. We discovered it to be hit and miss in testing, however when it really works effectively, it’s fairly a deal with.
The brand new Audio Magic Eraser makes its debut on the Pixel 8 collection. Google says the Tensor G3 makes it attainable for the Pixel to differentiate between a variety of completely different background sounds, together with crowd noise, music, nature, and speech, after which cut back their presence within the audio combine. Audio Magic Eraser works on clips starting from one second to underneath two minutes. After it analyzes the video, you possibly can regulate the degrees of the varied sorts of background noises utilizing sliders.
We examined it a number of occasions and located that it was certainly capable of decrease the quantity of music taking part in within the background, however it did not get rid of it altogether. We additionally tried to take away speech with the same outcome.
Working the identical video by Audio Magic Eraser twice did take away extra noise, however not fully. Furthermore, voices can sound unusual when they’re overprocessed, however it’s attainable to search out the right combination in the event you play with the degrees. Both manner, no different telephone can do that.
Magic Editor Lets You Change Actuality
There’s additionally Magic Editor, which lets you choose gadgets in your photographs and transfer them round. The Pixel then makes use of generative AI to fill within the gaps. The device is discovered within the backside left nook of the Google Images app; it is not labeled, however it adjustments coloration and is considerably noticeable.
When activated, Magic Editor asks you to faucet, circle, or brush an merchandise in your photograph. You may then erase the merchandise or alter its measurement and site. Tapping and holding a topic helps you to transfer it, whereas resizing requires a pinch-to-zoom gesture. As soon as you have positioned your topic the place you need it, faucet an arrow and the Pixel 8 Professional generates 4 preliminary outcomes, with the choice to generate extra if desired. As soon as you might be glad, you possibly can faucet the checkmark after which save the picture as a replica.
Choose a number of gadgets by tapping the plus icon, or, faucet the minus icon if you wish to undo a range. Like Magic Eraser, it is hit and miss when the Pixel 8 Professional must generate a background that was obscured by one other merchandise. Generally it appears to be like like an professional took care of the enhancing and different occasions it appears to be like like a lackluster Photoshop clone.
These generative AI options are spectacular contemplating all of the processing is being finished on-device. None of those processes are instantaneous; it takes just a few seconds for the Pixel 8 Professional to distinguish between audio varieties or save new variations of the edited photographs. The again of the telephone does get a bit heat whenever you’ve been utilizing Magic Editor or Audio Magic Eraser, however it does not get sizzling sufficient to be uncomfortable.
Google’s Sensible Assistant Will get Smarter
The Pixel 8 Professional will get some Google Assistant options not accessible elsewhere. One is known as Summarize, whereby you load an internet web page in Chrome after which invoke Assistant. After just a few seconds, you are offered with a bullet level abstract of the article or the data on that web page. We discovered this did not work on each web page; generally Summarize would simply give us the title of the article once more, or say that there wasn’t sufficient data to summarize.
The Learn Aloud characteristic, which can learn web sites to you, works the identical manner as Summarize and we skilled the identical inconsistent outcomes. Learn Aloud works on non-Chrome browsers, however Summarize requires Chrome.
Assistant now helps a number of languages whenever you use voice typing. I attempted it out by talking in a mixture of Spanish and English; Gboard simply switched from one language to the opposite with none interference from me. It simply routinely acknowledged the language after which wrote what I stated in both Spanish or English.
Voice transcription is ridiculously good. As you communicate, your telephone goes again and provides punctuation to transcribed components. There may be hardly a have to say “interval” or “query mark” to get the Assistant to grasp the top of a sentence. It may inform that you simply’re asking a query by your voice inflection and it does the work so as to add a query mark for you. This results in a way more pure manner of dictating versus the outdated days of chatting with your telephone like a robotic.
Quick-Sufficient Efficiency
The bottom mannequin Pixel 8 Professional comes with 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, however you possibly can enhance that to 256GB ($1,059), 512GB ($1,179), or 1TB ($1,399). It consists of the Google-designed Tensor G3, which can also be discovered within the Pixel 8. Talking of which, the usual Pixel is on the market with solely 8GB of RAM and both 128GB or 256GB of storage.
We use benchmarks as a technique to get an goal concept of how completely different gadgets carry out. The Pixel 8 Professional would not set up Geekbench 6 (which charges CPU efficiency) or different benchmark apps through the Google Play Retailer, however we had been capable of sideload just a few for testing functions.
On Geekbench 5, the Pixel 8 Professional scored 1,268 on the single-core check and three,271 on the multi-core check. The common Pixel 8 pulled in related scores of 1,229 and three,140. For comparability, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely working on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 scored 1,545 and 5,078 on the only and multi-core exams, respectively.
We ran the PCMark Net 3.0 benchmark, which covers the efficiency of web-based actions. The Pixel 8 Professional pulled in 11,709, which places it in the identical neighborhood because the Pixel 7 Professional (11,369), however decrease than the Galaxy S23 Extremely (15,841).
Subsequent, we ran the 1440p Aztec Ruins GFXBench check, which covers graphics. The Pixel 8 Professional ran at 39fps, which implies it falls effectively behind the Galaxy S23 Extremely (62fps) and the iPhone 15 Professional Max (60fps).
Final, we ran Basemark Net 3.0. The Pixel 8 Professional pulled in a rating of 761, which was higher than the Galaxy S23+’s 641, however effectively beneath the Galaxy S23 Extremely’s 925.
In real-world utilization, taking part in Genshin Affect on medium settings labored effectively with nearly no body drops or lag. Pushed to larger settings with a body price of 60fps yielded a warning, however the efficiency was glorious for a number of minutes. After about ten minutes, nevertheless, there have been some dropped frames in addition to uneven audio. The again of the Pixel 8 Professional grew to become heat throughout gameplay. Much less intensive video games like Alto’s Odyssey labored with none points.
The Tensor G3 prioritizes machine studying and synthetic intelligence. For those who flip off entry to cell networks and Wi-Fi, the Pixel 8 Professional can nonetheless deal with issues like transcription, translation (offered you have downloaded languages to translate), and enhancing photographs and movies (offered the media is already on the system). These offline skills make the Pixel 8 Professional stand out as a result of connection issues will get in your manner. This may be extremely helpful in situations like abroad journey.
The Pixel 8 Professional’s 5,050mAh battery helps 30W fast wired charging, 12W wi-fi Qi charging, and as much as 18W wi-fi charging with the elective second-generation Google Pixel Stand.
In our battery exams, by which we stream HD video over Wi-Fi with the display brightness set to the utmost, the Pixel 8 Professional lasted roughly 9 hours and 5 minutes. That falls effectively in need of the Pixel 7 Professional’s 10 hours and 50 minutes and the Pixel 8’s 10 hours and 20 minutes. This could possibly be as a result of the utmost brightness of the Pixel 8 Professional show is way higher than the Pixel 7 Professional. For reference, the iPhone 15 Professional Max ran for 19 hours and 10 minutes and the Galaxy S23 Extremely lasted 13 hours and 11 minutes.
There is no charging brick included with the Pixel 8 Professional, however you probably have a strong charger the system can go from 0 to 100% in 1 hour and 25 minutes. A fast 15-minute cost introduced the telephone as much as 26% in testing. For comparability, the S23 Extremely wanted solely 71 minutes to cost absolutely, whereas the $899 OnePlus 11 5G required 27 minutes.
Fashionable Radios
The Pixel 8 Professional helps the most recent radios, which embody C-band, sub-6GHz, and mmWave 5G, in addition to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3. You may have one bodily nano SIM within the telephone and one eSIM in the event you select to have two energetic strains directly.
The Pixel 8 Professional does effectively towards competing gadgets relating to obtain speeds on a cell community, however uploads could possibly be higher. On T-Cell’s 5G UC community in New York Metropolis, the Pixel 8 Professional reached speeds of 768Mbps down and 67.6Mbps up. The Samsung S23 Extremely reached a pace of 649Mbps down with 112Mbps up.
When related to a Wi-Fi 6 entry level, peak obtain speeds on the Pixel 8 Professional had been slower at 169Mbps, with uploads topping out at 14.4Mbps (that gradual add pace is extra a operate of the ISP than the telephone). For comparability, the S23 Extremely hit 467Mbps down and 19Mbps up when examined in the identical spot. Taking the Pixel 8 Professional as far-off as attainable from the entry level in my condominium, speeds dropped to 9.23Mbps down and 0.51Mbps up, whereas the S23 Extremely reached 79.4Mbps down and 12.4Mbps up. The 8 Professional didn’t carry out in addition to it ought to have on my gear, however when a colleague examined his evaluation unit, it reached 711Mbps down and 213Mbps up subsequent to the router and 9Mbps down and 7Mbps up far-off from it, which is in keeping with different gadgets.
The telephone’s audio system can get loads loud and attain a most quantity of 90.2dB, which is somewhat quieter than the Pixel 7 Professional’s 92.7dB. Once we listened to the audio system with our check monitor “Silent Shout” by The Knife, deep bass was audible, however not fairly as punchy as we might like. Even with the quantity maxed out, there was no distortion. After all, you possibly can join a pair of Bluetooth headphones if you’d like higher audio.
Name high quality is sweet. The earpiece speaker tops out at 69.6dB, so it is easy to listen to callers even with some noise within the room. The downward-facing speakerphone’s most output is 71.7dB and isn’t any drawback to listen to.
Android 14 and the 7-Yr Promise
The Pixel 8 Professional runs Android 14, which is a satisfying refinement of the platform. You may learn our full evaluation of Android 14 right here.
The Google Pixel launcher is fairly easy, with massive icons, broad widget assist, and a sensible dock on the backside of the display to counsel apps whenever you want them. Top-of-the-line components about Android is that in the event you do not just like the launcher, you possibly can simply change it.
New with the Pixel 8 collection is Google’s promise to assist the system for seven years with OS upgrades, safety updates, and have drops. Spare components for repairs will even be accessible for that whole time interval. This stage of assist is comparatively unparalleled with cell gadgets. For comparability, Apple helps its merchandise for years however doesn’t truly specify a time period (it is usually 5). Samsung’s high Android gadgets get 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of safety upgrades. Seven years is a really very long time.
Usually, we might cheer for such a dedication. Nevertheless, this promise is from Google, and the corporate famously kills services and products—and reneges on guarantees—fairly frequently. For instance, in 2021 it debuted the Pixel Move subscription service that will assist you to get a brand new Pixel handset each two years, however then discontinued it earlier than the service reached its second birthday.
We hope that Google lives as much as its seven-year promise, which can certainly give the Pixel line a leg up on the competitors.
AI Runs the Pixel Present
The Google Pixel 8 Professional is a refreshing entry into the Android area due to its AI-powered software program tips. What different telephone helps you to simply erase stuff from photographs, transfer your self over just a few ft in an image, or be certain that everybody in a bunch shot is wanting on the digicam? It additionally comes with the most effective software program replace coverage within the biz, making it probably the most engaging Android telephones for anybody who likes to go the space with their system. That stated, the Pixel 8 Professional falls behind some rivals relating to uncooked horsepower and, extra importantly, battery life. That is why the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely finally stays our Editors’ Alternative for high Android flagships. For those who’re seeking to spend much less, in the meantime, the usual Pixel 8 presents lots of the similar options because the Professional (to not point out higher battery life) for $300 {dollars} much less, which earns it our Editors’ Alternative award for midrange telephones.
