Google makes some of the best Android phones around, and with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, the company has managed to repeat history. With Made by Google 2023 now in the rearview mirror, we're looking at a pair of devices that improve on the tech giant's powerful — yet flawed — 2022 lineup in nearly every way. In fact, as our reviews found, this year's Pixel lineup is one of the best yet.
With some crucial design changes and an all-new Google Tensor G3 processor, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Google's new phones. If you're curious about what makes these phones tick, here's everything you need to know about the Pixel 8 series.
Summary
- The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were announced at the Made by Google event in New York City on October, 4, 2023.
- The phones went on sale on October 12, 2023, and are currently available at select retailers, carrier stores, and on the Google Store website.
- Both phones saw a modest design change over their respective predecessors, with curvier edges, a matte finish on the Pro, and flat screens. Both phones are powered by the Google Tensor 3 chip, which offers improved performance for daily tasks and used its improved machine learning capabilities to handle tasks on the phone.
- We saw big improvements to both the camera and Assistant, including Night Sight Video and Video Boost technology for improved HDR recordings. Google also announced Assistant with Bard, coming soon to select Pixel 8 users.
- All of these changes come with a price hike, though, as the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro start at $700 and $1,000, respectively.
Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro: Price and availability
Google made the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro official on October 4th, 2023, and it became available in stores and online on October 12. Unlike the Google Pixel Fold, the new Pixel 8 duo are available in many markets. You can buy the phones in the US, Canada, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Puerto RIco, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
That makes it one of the widest launches yet for Google's mobile division, but back in the US, it's also the most expensive. Both phones are seeing price hikes across the board, with the Pixel 8 now starting at $700 and the Pixel 8 Pro finally hitting that dreaded $1,000 mark. You'll have to refer to your local region for pricing, but devices in both the UK and EU saw similar increases.
At least anyone preordering a Pixel 8 Pro will get a Pixel Watch 2 on the house, while Pixel 8 buyers get a pair of Buds Pro for free. As we update this guide, there are only a few hours left to score this deal, so if you have these devices waiting in your cart, it's time to make it happen.
Oh, and if you were a previous Pixel Pass subscriber — the all-in-one Google Fi bundle announced alongside the Pixel 6 two years ago — you'll need to start paying for your services separately. It shut down effective August 29th, though current customers did get $100 in credit towards a new Pixel.
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- Source: Google
Google Pixel 8
Google's Pixel 8 shrinks down its budget flagship phone to a smaller size while still packing some impressive specs. From Tensor G3 and its AI-focused skills to an all-new camera sensor, the Pixel 8 looks to shine — albeit for a more expensive price than previous iterations. The price has been raised by $100 compared to the Pixel 7.
- Source: Google
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the company's latest flagship, boasting a new Tensor G3 chip, a brigher screen, and a new camera array capable of capturing even more light. As usual, the real power lies in Google's Tensor chip, which offers even more photo enhancement and image editing features.
Google Pixel 8: Design and hardware specifications
Although Google waited until October to officially announce the Pixel 8 series on stage — as opposed to the Pixel 7's early I/O unveil in 2022 — we didn't have to wait that long for official images. That means that, for nearly a month before the Pixel 8 became a reality, we knew exactly what this device looked like.
Google Pixel 8 Google Pixel 8 Pro SoC Google Tensor G3 Google Tensor G3 RAM 8GB LPDDR5X 12GB Storage 128GB, 256GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Battery 4,575mAh 5,050mAh Ports USB-C USB-C Operating System Android 14 Android 14 Front camera 10.5MP, 4K60, f/2.2 aperture, 95° FOV, face unlock 10.5 MP Dual PD sel fie camera Rear camera 50MP, f/1.7 aperture, Laser AF, OIS (primary), 13MP, f/2.2 aperture, 126° FOV (ultrawide) 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera, 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera Connectivity 4G, 5G mmWave, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC 4G, 5G mmWave, UWB, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC Dimensions 150.5 × 70.8 × 8.9mm 162.6 × 76.5 × 8.8mm Colors Rose, Hazel, Obsidian Black Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay Display type OLED, 60-120 hertz LTPO OLED, 1-120 hertz Weight 187 grams (6.6 oz) 213 grams (7.5 ounces) Charge speed 27 watts wired Up to 30 watts IP Rating IP68 IP68 Display dimensions 6.2 inches 6.7 inches Display resolution 1080 × 2400 pixels 1344 × 2992 Charge options Wired, Wireless Wired, Wireless SIM support Dual SIM (Nano SIM and eSIM) Dual SIM (Nano SIM and eSIM) Cellular connectivity 4G, 5G mmWave 4G, 5G mmWave, UWB Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 7 (Except certain markets) Wi-Fi 7 (Except certain markets) Bluetooth 5.3 5.3
Right off the bat, the corners of the phones' screens seem far more rounded, more in line with a Samsung Galaxy S23+ than the squared-off corners of the S23 Ultra. In terms of materials, we didn't see anything out of the ordinary. While Apple might be using titanium on its latest iPhones, Google is sticking with classic glass and aluminum. The Pixel 8 Pro has a matte finish (while retaining brushed aluminum for the camera bar and frame), while the Pixel 8 keeps its matte aluminum frame paired with glossy back glass. You win some, you lose some.
The camera bar, by the way, is slightly redesigned. The lenses, particularly on the Pixel 8 Pro, are now grouped much closer together. You'll also notice a new sensor on the Pro's visor — it's a thermometer capable of measuring the temperature of... surfaces. Yeah, we're as confused as you are. Google has submitted an application with the FDA to take body temperature readings, but it won't be there at launch.
The Pixel 8's 6.2-inch display is slightly smaller than last year, continuing Google's trend of shrinking down the cheaper phone's footprint. The Pixel 8 Pro, meanwhile, keeps its 6.7-inch display, though it's ditched the curved edges from previous generations. Both screens rock Google's new Actua branding (Super Actua, in the Pro's case), which should provide improved brightness levels on both phones: 1,400 and 1,600 nits respectively, while supporting 2,000 and 2,400 nits when outdoors.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Pixel 8 retains its 1080p resolution, but with an upgrade to 120Hz. The Pixel 8 Pro still uses a 1440p (or equivalent) LTPO OLED panel capable of ratcheting down to 1Hz, something not possible on the smaller, cheaper model.
The standard Pixel 8 comes in Obsidian, Hazel, and Rose, while the Pixel 8 Pro includes options for Obsidian, Porcelain, and Bay. If you haven't kept up with Google's color schemes, that's black, a greenish gray, and pink for the smaller model, and black, white, and blue for the larger one. Would it kill Google to follow Apple's lead on its color names here?
And, of course, no phone would be complete without some matching cases. Google's current lineup of protective shells might pale in comparison to its old-school fabric cases, but at least the Pixel 7 series was a noticeable step up from the models shipped in 2021. As usual, the Pixel 8 cases match up with the basic phone colors, alongside the addition of a Coral option for both phones. It's nothing crazy, but if you prefer a splash of color, it's great knowing you can mix and match.
As far as its specs go, both phones are using the new Tensor G3 chipset, which looks to improve efficiency, performance, and AI capabilities. This latest version of Tensor isn't perfect, but it does stay a hell of a lot cooler than previous generations.
It's paired with 8GB of RAM on the regular phone and 12GB on the Pro. Similarly, the smaller device comes with just 128GB or 256GB of storage, while the larger model offers both of those sizes as well, along with upgrades to 512GB or 1TB options. Unfortunately, both phones are still using UFS 3.1 storage, not the faster, newer UFS 4.0 storage seen on Samsung's higher end smartphones.
Google Pixel 8: Cameras
If you're discussing the Pixel series, you can't ignore the camera. Google built its successor to the Nexus program on its impressive photo capabilities, combining excellent hardware with cutting-edge software and AI-powered photo processing. In the past, we've seen Google stick with camera sensors for years at a time — it wasn't until the Google Pixel 6 that the company ditched the sensor it used in the Pixel 3. But with this year's lineup, that's changing.
All three sensors on the Pixel 8 Pro are new, while the Pixel 8 only gets a new main sensor. That 50MP lens is the same across both phones, rocking a new f/1.68 aperture that sounds mighty impressive. As expected, it's still using pixel binning, and is capable of cropping in to act as a 2x zoom. It's also the lens used on the smaller Pixel 8 for Super Res Zoom, which once again caps out at 8x on that device.
While the ultrawide is unchanged on the Pixel 8, it's a new sensor on the Pro. A 48MP f/1.95 lens sounds pretty impressive, with a 125.5-degree field-of-view. The periscope telephoto lens is also new, a 48MP sensor with an f/2.8 aperture. Once again, Super Res Zoom lets the Pro get up to a 30x digital crop.
The front-facing camera is similar across both models, a 10.5MP lens with an f/2.2 aperture, but only the Pro supports autofocus. Despite this, both are capable of supporting face unlock with authentication, a big upgrade over last year's phones. Software remains a big focus here. Magic Editor is finally coming, along with features like Best Take and Video Boost to improve your photos and videos. Night Sight is also supported when recording videos now, which could make the Pixel 8 one of the best Android phones for recording in the dark.
Google Pixel 8: Software and security updates
For years now, Google has dropped its latest Android upgrade between August and October. In 2021, Android 12 and its visual overhaul arrived in October, in time for the Pixel 6 to launch. Last year, Android 13, which was a smaller update, landed in the first week of August, providing plenty of time for some last-minute bugs to be ironed out.
Like clockwork, Google kicked off its Android 14 developer previews in February of this year, with a beta program having launched in mid-April. This year's timeline looks awfully familiar, with Beta 5 — the last drop before stable builds arrive, pending an iterative bug fix — arriving in August. Although we expected Android 14 to arrive in September, it actually showed up alongside the Pixel 8. Funny how that works.
If you're a current Pixel owner, look for the upgrade to roll out to your phone. However, if you're looking to buy the Pixel 8, you'll be happy to know your device will arrive with Google's latest OS out of the box — alongside some pretty impressive long-term support.
This year, Google stepped up its software game by promising seven years of full OS updates, a huge change from the previous policy of three major OS upgrades and five years of patches given to older Tensor-powered phones. That could best even Apple, a company historically excellent at supporting devices for over half a decade. The 2017 iPhone X is only finally reached its EoL date with iOS 17, six years after the fact. With seven years of full OS, security, and Feature Drop support, that puts Google at the front of the pack.
As always, the Pixel series is focused on software above all else, and that goes double this year. AI is the buzzword du jour, and Google is making the most of it. The big change here is Assistant with Bard, though it won't be available at launch for the vast majority of users — and even when it's ready, it'll still be in testing.
Whether you're looking at those camera features we detailed above, or an entire new suite of tools for Assistant, there's plenty on display here. Google's voice tools can now summarize and paraphrase on-screen text, speed up voice typing, and deliver additional info through At a Glance. And outside of AI, Pixel Call Assist continues to reduce background noise, filter spam, and so much more.
Google Pixel 8 & 8 Pro: A new generation of Pixel
It's been a long road to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, but with this new generation of smartphone, Google is looking to make up for the shortcomings of previous releases with some impressive stats, software tricks, and more. Considering the $100 price bump to both phones compared to last year, the bar to clear is higher than ever.
- Source: Google
Google Pixel 8
Google's Pixel 8 shrinks down its budget flagship phone to a smaller size while still packing some impressive specs. From Tensor G3 and its impressive AI-focused skills to an all-new camera sensor, the Pixel 8 looks to shine — albeit for a more expensive price.
- Source: Google
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the company's latest flagship, boasting a new Tensor G3 chip, a brigher screen, and a new camera array capable of capturing even more light. As usual, the real power lies in Google's Tensor chip, which offers even more photo enhancement and image editing features.