I’ve been using the Google Pixel 8 Pro for some time now and thus far, it has performed flawlessly. Fortunately, the Pixel 8 Pro has been nothing but incredible. Although the Google Pixel 8 Pro isn’t flawless, it is the closest that Google has ever come to creating a perfect Android phone. Despite this, I’m still enamoured with the device.

I appreciate the design of the phone, and the screen is superb, the cameras are still top-notch. I love taking pictures with the Pixel 8 Pro so much that I increased my Google Photos subscription in order to switch my photo library from Apple Photos.

Though battery life and charging speeds remain problematic, I cannot help but still be smitten with the Pixel 8 Pro. It’s one of my favorite smartphones of 2023, and I look forward to continuing to use it in the coming weeks and months.

The Design of the Google Pixel 8 Pro

It has often been stated that Pixel phones are more focused on software than hardware, yet the Pixel 8 Pro appears to have disregarded this notion. Out of the smartphones I’ve used this year, the Google Pixel 8 Pro boasts some of the best hardware.

The Pixel 8 Pro’s design is much improved over its predecessor, the Google Pixel 7 Pro. Its back is made with a matte finish that is both pleasant to the touch and smooth in the hand. Rather than the dual-camera cutouts on the 7 Pro, the 8 Pro has a single, continuous cutout that runs along its camera bar. Its corners are more rounded, creating a comfortable grip for the user.

A comparison of the Google Pixel 8 Pro and Google Pixel 7 Pro can be seen with the two phones being side-by-side.

The differences between the Pixel 8 Pro and the Pixel 7 Pro may seem trivial when looking at them on paper; however, the moment you hold them side by side the progress made by Google’s hardware team in one calendar year is evident. The texture of the back glass, the buttons, and the overall comfort of the phone are all remarkable and I can’t find anything to fault.

I must give kudos to Google for the captivating Bay blue color that can be seen throughout this review. It has a beautiful baby blue shade that is tranquil and calming in a manner that is hard to articulate.

The combination of the silver camera bar and black camera lenses with the blue shade of the phone is spectacular. The hue of the blue is vivid no matter how the light reflects off of it, but not too strong. It would be nice if there were more options than just the Bay shade, Obsidian, and Porcelain (black and white), however the blue color will be remembered for a long time.

The Display of the Google Pixel 8 Pro

The Google Pixel 8 Pro features a screen that is sure to impress. Its remarkable visual quality is achieved by the use of advanced technologies to deliver an outstanding experience. The display of this device is vibrant and clear, providing users with a stunning viewing experience.

This year’s Google Pixel 8 Pro has a 6.7-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2992 x 1344 pixels. Though the display is quite similar to the Pixel 7 Pro, there are a few noteworthy improvements.

The 120Hz refresh rate is back and operates just as well as before, providing a seamless scrolling and animation experience. One major difference is that it now has the capability to scale down to 1Hz instead of 10Hz, meaning it has a much lower energy consumption for things such as the always-on display or web browsing on Google Chrome. Additionally, the Pixel 8 Pro has an impressive peak brightness rating of 2,400 nits, which is 400 more than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 2,000 nits. This high peak brightness was especially helpful when I was out-and-about, whether it was walking the High Line in New York City or enjoying some sun in Michigan, I never had any issues viewing the Pixel 8 Pro’s screen.

My iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 8 Pro are very similar, however, Google has gone the extra mile to make sure I never have to worry about it. One thing I really enjoy is how dim the display gets when the brightness is at its lowest setting. This is especially useful when I’m using my phone in a dark room late at night and don’t want to wake my partner.

The Pixel 8 Pro’s refresh rate and brightness are better than ever, and the display as a whole is outstanding. The sharpness, colors, and symmetry of the bezels are all flawless. Google hit a home run with the screen, just like they did with the design.

The Pixel 8 Pro’s Cameras

So, let’s discuss the Google Pixel 8 Pro’s cameras. It has the same triple-camera system as the Pixel 7 Pro, featuring a main, ultrawide, and telephoto lens. Each of these have been improved in meaningful ways.

The primary 50-megapixel camera offers an f/1.68 aperture, enhancing light sensitivity by 21%. It also offers 2x optical zoom. The new 48MP ultrawide camera has an f/1.95 aperture, resulting in a 105% improvement in light sensitivity, and allowing for macro shots as close as 2 centimeters away. The 48MP telephoto lens’s light sensitivity has been increased by 56%, with an f/2.8 aperture and 5x optical zoom. The 10.5MP front-facing shooter now has autofocus and an f/2.2 aperture.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is capable of taking remarkable pictures, and the numerical results verify this.

It’s not shocking that a Pixel 8 Pro by Google can take amazing pictures, considering it is equipped with a 50MP primary camera. Even in the year 2023, the Pixel 8 Pro will still be providing users with remarkable images.

Regardless of the lighting conditions, I’m confident that the Google Pixel 8 Pro will deliver a photo that I’m content with. What’s even better is the ease of use; simply point the camera at the subject, press the shutter button, and I can confidently expect a top-notch image.

The Pixel 8 Pro’s 5x telephoto lens gives a strong performance. It’s not the 10x optical zoom like on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, but its sensor is of top notch quality. Images taken at its 5x range are full of details and colors that match those taken with the main camera. Even when the zoom is cranked all the way up to 30x, the Pixel 8 Pro still provides pictures that are more than satisfactory.

I believe the improved light sensitivity more than compensates for not having a larger optical zoom range. The pictures taken from the telephoto camera are stunning, with excellent sharpness, captivating colors, and the capacity to get close to the subject without compromising the quality of the image.

My experience with both the ultrawide and selfie cameras has been very satisfactory. Just like the telephoto lens, the ultrawide lens captures the same colors as those taken with the main camera. You get a much bigger angle of view with only a little bit of edge distortion. It can be visible if you take a closer look, but the 125.5-degree field-of-view does a decent job.

The Pixel 8 Pro has an impressive 50MP primary camera. The selfie camera proves to be reliable. The autofocus feature added this year is a considerable improvement and functions well. Portrait mode may be occasionally fooled by some stray hairs, but there is not much to be disapproving of.

My smartphone camera experience is not usually enhanced by having a Pro/Manual mode, however, the Google Pixel 8 Pro has just added this function to its camera app, giving users control over their brightness, shadows, ISO, and other options.

AI-driven image editing comes to the Google Pixel 8 Pro

The Pixel 8 Pro is known for taking great photos with no need for editing, but if you’re looking to adjust your images, there are some interesting features available to explore.

With the Best Take feature, you can take a picture with your friends or family and not worry if not everyone is smiling or looking at the camera. You can take multiple shots and won’t have to worry about it not being perfect. If you have a Pixel 8 Pro, you can locate these pictures in Google Photos, tap the Edit button on any one of them, and then select Best Take.

The Pixel 8 Pro provides the ability to substitute someone’s face with a better shot from other similar photos without resorting to AI-based recreation. Although it may not always be flawless, and there may be a slight delay in the feature loading, the end result is quite remarkable.

The Pixel 8 Pro is bringing the Magic Editor to the table. When a photo is uploaded to Google Photos, this Editor offers the capability to erase and manoeuvre objects/people, change the sky, add and remove portrait effects, and more. In a way, it’s like having a powerful Photoshop-like AI program in the palm of your hand.

Regardless of any other feelings, one has to be impressed with the Pixel 8’s photo-editing functions. It is remarkable that no prior training is needed to produce such great edits. The Best Take and Magic Editor tools will absolutely amaze many individuals.

The Battery and Charging Capabilities of the Google Pixel 8 Pro

Performance, dependability, and heat control have all been improved with the Tensor G3 upgrade, yet the battery life doesn’t appear to have benefitted from these advancements.

The battery of the Google Pixel 8 Pro is nothing extraordinary compared to some of the other Android phones I have used in the past year. For instance, if I use my phone starting at 7:30 or 8 in the morning, by 10:30 at night it usually has anywhere from 15% to 5% of its charge left, with around 5 hours of screen-on time.

During my evaluation, I made an effort to utilize the Pixel 8 Pro as much as possible. Had I not used it so frequently, I suppose I could have gone part of a second day before charging it again. In comparison to smartphones from Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus, which can last two days with a comparable level of use, I had greater hopes for the 5,050mAh battery of the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is equipped with a USB-C port.

The charging speed of the Google Pixel 8 Pro is subpar compared to other Android phones. With its maximum wired charging speed of 30 watts, I experienced a 12% charge after 10 minutes and 29% after 25 minutes. To fully recharge the battery took almost 90 minutes. This is a slight improvement from the Pixel 7 Pro, but it could still be better.

It is apparent that there is space for improvement when it comes to charging speed with Google, as other firms have been sluggish too. However, phones such as the OnePlus 11 can reach full battery in only 25 minutes, highlighting the potential for Google to progress.

If you’re willing to accept slower charging speeds, the Pixel 8 Pro is also compatible with up to 12W Qi wireless charging (or 23W with the Google Pixel Stand). It also has reverse wireless charging capabilities, meaning other wireless devices can be powered up with the back of the Pixel 8 Pro. Although it has a decent battery and charging setup, I’m hoping that Google makes some advances in this area for the Pixel 9.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro stands out among the crowd of smartphones. Undoubtedly, the year 2023 has brought us an abundance of remarkable cell phones, some of which stand up against the Google Pixel 8 Pro. If you have $999 to invest and are searching for the ideal blend of excellent design, display quality, camera capabilities, AI abilities and reliable software, then this is the phone you should purchase.