Review of the Google Pixel 8

The Google Pixel 8 seems to be a link between the company's previous and next smartphone models. It has all of the traditional characteristics that have come to characterize earlier Pixels, like a suite of excellent cameras and top-notch software, but it also has a ton of AI intelligence. Even users of the Pixel 7 may find the Pixel 8 to be a desirable purchase despite the hardware being mostly unchanged.

For those who don't want to feel compelled to buy every three years, the Pixel 8 provides potentially amazing value despite having a higher starting price at launch. All of this, however, hinges on Google's capacity to fulfill its commitments on the top Google Pixel phones.and how well the recently released Tensor G3 processor can meet the dynamic needs of the smartphone industry.

Drawbacks

• Google Tensor G3 lags behind competition in gaming
• Camera array is almost identical to Pixel 7
• Oddly lacks support for some features found on the Pixel 8 Pro

Pros

• Actua Display is bright, responsive, and punchy
• Seven years of security and software updates
• Fantastic cameras and software features

Cost and accessibility

The Pixel 8 is priced at $699 / £699 for 128GB of storage, while an extra $60 / £60 is required for 256GB, for a total price of $759 / £759. With this RRP, it is $100 / £100 more costly than the Pixel 7 and 6 were when they were first released, putting it squarely in the competitive market with companies like Apple.The Pixel 8 doesn't feature as many improvements as the Pixel 8 Pro to set it apart from its predecessor. The Pixel 7's camera array is mostly unaltered, despite the new display being a pleasant enhancement. Because of this, the Pixel 8 is forced to rely mostly on its software to support its higher MSRP.Fortunately, this is plenty to sustain the Pixel 8 on its own. The Pixel 8 shares several features with its more costly brother, including Magic Editor, which makes the Pixel 8 Pro such a potent tool for smartphone photographers. Both devices use the same Google Tensor G3 Chipset. Its software bundle has some strange exclusions, which we discuss later, but what is offered is really impressive.The promise of seven years of software and security upgrades adds to its long-term worth. Though it's understandable to be a bit dubious considering Google's history of abruptly ending initiatives. However, the idea of a $700 smartphone lasting you seven years is alluring. That works out to $100 a year instead of $200 if we use the same measure for the Pixel 7 and 6.

Specs

Examining the Pixel 8's internal components, we find that it has all of the standard specification enhancements that have marked the previous two generations of Pixel smartphones. In particular, it boasts 8GB of RAM and the newest Google processor, Tensor G3. The Pixel 8 does, however, have some tiny bragging rights since it comes with LPDDR5X, the fastest memory type ever included in a Pixel device.The battery and RAM capacity are the sole variations between the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro's internal components. Although the latter is a benefit of the Pixel 8 Pro in theory, it seldom, if ever, results in any appreciable gain in actual use. Because of this, the Pixel 8 is much less costly and almost as powerful.In addition to offering the Pixel 8 the same efficiency gains as its larger sibling, the Google Tensor G3 processor has deep learning capabilities that are said to enhance video capture in a number of ways, including more detail preservation, improved color accuracy, and more.

Attributes

Google is expanding the possibilities of what can be done with smartphone picture and video editing apps with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. With the use of features like "Best Take," you and your pals may appear your best in group photos by substituting your faces with comparable emotions from other images. In addition to producing the perfect photograph, this technique really catches a moment that never happened in the first place.Even while Best Take is fantastic, Magic Editor definitely takes center stage. The Tensor G3 excels most in this capability, using Google servers to provide an AI-enhanced picture editing suite unmatched by anything seen on other smartphones. It allows you to remove people and objects from photos, reposition them, adjust their size, and even style them. Although the quality is often startlingly good, Photoshop and other programs like it won't be replaced for some time.As is the nature of machine learning, Magic Editor and its toolkit should inevitably become better with time, but certain things need to be adjusted right now. For instance, each edit takes an almost unbearably long time to get through Google's servers, so you wind up waiting a lot longer for the results of your editing than you did to make them.We're not entirely sure why, but the Pixel 8 won't support Night Sight Video or Video Boost. As it can support the functions exactly as well as the Pixel 8 Pro can, at least theoretically, the rationale has nothing to do with the smartphone itself. These features should be more limited-time than permanent.Ultimately, the Pixel 8 retains the same optical fingerprint sensor used in earlier Pixel models, with the same passable results. No new hardware features have been included into the Pixel 8. Google's smartphones are virtually begging for the ultrasonic alternatives seen on Samsung and other rivals' devices after three generations with this technique.

Photography

With a few minor enhancements, images and movies captured with the Pixel 8 cameras closely mimic those captured with the Pixel 7. The two phones have almost similar lenses; however, the Pixel 8's 50MP primary sensor now has a slightly wider ƒ/1.68 aperture, and its 12MP ultrawide sensor now supports autofocus.When comparing similar photographs produced with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8, the latter smartphone's images have less noise artifacts and maintain better detail overall. The Google Tensor G3 processor is clearly responsible for this boost, and photographers with sharp eyes will notice the quality gain (especially in difficult circumstances).Even though it has hardware that is just as good as the Pixel 8 Pro's, the Pixel 8 Pro's primary sensor is unable to switch between 12MP and 50MP resolution. Similar to Night Sight Video and Video Boost, Google's software lock is a bothersome and somewhat repulsive decision that it can and ought to fix in a later release.The Pixel 8 is much better at shooting close-ups of tiny things than the Pixel 7, thanks to Google's inclusion of macro focus in lieu of a telephoto lens. Super Res Zoom also reappears, offering a superior 2x magnification.Unfortunately, the Pixel 8 is likewise plagued by the same issues and annoyances that afflict the Pixel 8 Pro's viewport. For example, switching between the primary and ultrawide lens is so uncomfortable, especially when shooting videos, that you're likely to put it off completely. Moreover, you are unable to take photos at 1.0x, the floor is limited to 1.5x, and you are compelled to zoom arbitrarily in Portrait Mode.Despite these problems, the Pixel 8 is unquestionably excellent at taking pictures and recording video. Simply said, it isn't all that superior than the Pixel 7, and the selfie camera seems respectable but a little boring.

Design

Google has once again trimmed the dimensions of its flagship Pixel smartphone: the Pixel 8 is around 5 mm shorter, 2 mm wider, and 0.2 mm thicker than the Pixel 7. These may seem like little adjustments, but together they have a bigger impact, making the Pixel 8's form factor noticeably more semi-compact.This has a matte glass back, rounded corners, and is certainly one of the best-feeling smartphones to hold. Even better, it can be used with just one hand, which is a benefit that has gained some novelty in recent years as phones have generally become bigger.In terms of style, the Pixel 8 may be superior when compared to the Pixel 8 Pro. The matte metal finish of the Pixel 8 over the glossy appearance of the Pixel 8 Pro is primarily responsible for this victory, albeit its diminutive features are equally appealing in contrast.Three colors of the Pixel 8 are available: Hazel, Obsidian, and Rose. Hazel and Obsidian were both previously seen on the Pixel 7 Pro, although Rose's tone was brighter and less saturated than the others'.Display

The Pixel 8's display, which Google has named "Actua," is among the most notable and spectacular generational upgrades from the Pixel 7. It's almost better in every aspect, but brightness is the most noticeable, with peak brightness striking at 2,000 nits and full-screen brightness coming in at 1,400 nits in HDR.The Pixel 8 is the first time that the refresh rate has increased from 90Hz to 120Hz, significantly separating the Pixel series from its iPhone rivals, who are still limited to 60Hz on all versions save the Pro. Unfortunately, the Pixel 8 can only dynamically shift in the 60-120Hz range since it does not have the LTPO OLED display that the Pixel 8 Pro does. Although this is a regrettable choice, it makes sense and will definitely help Google save expenses.Although the 6.1-inch screen size is less than the 6.2-inch display on the Pixel 7, there are certain advantages to this smaller size. Pixels per inch go up from 416 to 428, providing the Pixel 8 a slightly finer quality, even if resolution stays at 1080p. Though just by 0.6%, its screen-to-body ratio is also superior.Disregarding technical details, overall, you'll have a difficult time finding a better display than the Pixel 8's for less than $700. SDR and HDR material is very vibrant in both bright and dark settings, providing an entirely enjoyable visual experience for pictures, movies, and everyday usage.

Power Source

With an extra 220mAh, the Pixel 8 battery has a greater capacity than the Pixel 7, totaling 4,575mAh. This increase helps the Pixel 8 survive longer between charges than its predecessor, along with efficiency advancements from the Tensor G3 processor.With 20–30% of battery life remaining, the Pixel 8 may easily survive the whole day on a single charge in most cases. Of course, your mileage may vary based on your normal use case, but most people ought to be content with what's provided here.The Pixel 8 and Pixel 7 both have the same 27W wired charging rate, and when using a 30W charger, the phone can still charge to 50% capacity in around half an hour. Interestingly, however, the rate of wireless charging has dropped to 18W; nevertheless, this is only a significant issue if you're using the Google Pixel Stand (2nd Gen). Unfortunately, the Pixel 8 lacks support for Qi2, so you'll have to use third-party chargers to get far slower wireless charging speeds.

Achievement

Even though the Pixel 8 has the more recent, powerful, and efficient Tensor G3 processor than the Pixel 7, there isn't much of a boost in gaming performance. Even so, it's reliable enough to run games like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile at their highest settings at a 60 frames per second.Fortunately, the Pixel 8's thermal performance is better than the Pixel 7's, with the chassis only becoming moderately warm under stress rather than substantially hot. At least it doesn't feel like you could boil an egg on it, however we would still want it to be a bit colder.From a value standpoint, the Pixel 8 is more desirable since it offers the same gaming experience as the Pixel 8 Pro. Nevertheless, the Tensor chipset seems to be unable to match the power provided by Qualcomm Snapdragon and Apple A series CPUs even in its third edition. If you place a high value on gaming performance, you may want to seek elsewhere.

Is the Google Pixel 8 a good purchase?

• Yes: If AI features like Magic Editor are of use to you.
• Yes: If you want the best smartphone screen for under $700.
• Yes: If long-term software and security updates matter to you.
• No: If you need top-tier gaming specs and performance.
• No: If you prefer bigger phones.

Though it hasn't gotten as much love and attention as the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel 8 is nonetheless competitive with its more costly sibling in all the most important categories. With its primary and ultrawide lenses offering an amazing palette for you to paint with your AI canvas, it's the most affordable way to get your hands on products like Best Take and the Magic Editor suite.Even while the Pixel 8 obviously inherits many design elements from the Pixel 7, improvements like the Acuta display and improved styling help set the device apart from the Pixel 7. It's simply a shame that Tensor G3, which powers the phone's feature set, isn't as good at gaming as it is.When considered as a whole, the Pixel 8 is an unquestionably excellent smartphone that just misses perfection. Finding a smartphone that gives the same value for less than $700 / £700 is almost hard, assuming Google keeps its promise to maintain it for seven years.

Substitutes

Here are a few recommendations for substitute smartphones in case you ultimately determine that the Pixel 8 isn't the right one for you.

Apple iPhone 14Since its replacement is already available, the iPhone 14 often retails for around $699 / £699, which is the same price as the Pixel 8. It might be a little shocking to go from Android and USB Type-C to iOS with Thunderbolt, but other than that, the two phones are rather similar.

Google Pixel 7Even at its regular £599 / $599 asking price, the Pixel 7 is still a great choice. Both the Pixel 8 and its predecessor have the same fantastic dual back camera configuration; the primary distinctions between them are in software features and support duration.