Google announced the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro at its annual Made by Google hardware event today, alongside the new Pixel Watch 2. These two phones have been unofficially making rounds on the internet for quite some time now, but we finally have all the official information. Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro bring a slew of improvements over the existing models to deliver a better experience overall, so let's take a quick at these phones to see what's changed this year.
Google Pixel 8 series: Price, availability, and specs
Both Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are now up for preorder, so you can reserve your unit to be among the first to receive one when they officially release. They both cost $100 more than their predecessors, meaning the Pixel 8 starts at $699 while the Pixel 8 Pro starts at $999. Google is currently offering a free pair of the new Pixel Buds Pro earbuds and a free Pixel Watch 2 to those who preorder the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro, respectively, so now is the time to grab them if you're thinking of buying either of these phones. The regular Pixel 8 comes in Hazel, Rose, and Obsidian colors, whereas the Pixel 8 Pro is available in Bay, Porcelain, and Obsidian.
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Google Pixel 8 Google Pixel 8 Pro SoC Google Tensor G3 Google Tensor G3 Display 6.2-inch OLED (1080x2400), 120Hz refresh rate, up to 2,000 nits peak brightness 6.7-inch LTPO OLED (1344x2992) LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz, up to 2,400 nits peak brightness RAM 8GB LPDDR5X 12GB LPDDR5X RAM Storage 128GB, 256GB UFS 3.1 storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB UFS 3.1 Battery 4,575mAh 5,050mAh, fast wired & wireless charging Ports USB Type-C 3.2 USB Type-C 3.2 Front camera 10.5MP, f/2.2, 95 degree FoV 10.5MP f/2.2 Dual PD Rear camera 50MP, f/1.68 Octa PD wide camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera with Autofocus, 125.8-degree FoV 50MP f/1.68 Octa PD wide camera, 48MP f/1.95 quad PD ultrawide with 125.5-degree FoV, 48MP f/2.8 quad PD telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom Dimensions 5.9 x 2.8 x 0.4 inches (150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm) 6.4x 3.0x0.35 inches (162.6x76.5x8.8mm) Weight 6.6 ounces (187g) 7.5 ounces (213g) IP Rating IP68 IP68
Display and hardware
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro look very similar to their predecessors overall, but the overall silhouettes of both phones have been slightly tweaked, with rounded corners and edges. They're also available in more fun colors. Both phones are made with recycled materials, but they're just as durable as their predecessors, thanks to the IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
The Pixel 8 has 8GB RAM and is available with either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, whereas the Pixel 8 Pro comes with 12GB RAM and can be purchased with up to 1TB of storage. While we're discussing internal hardware, it's also worth noting that the Pixel 8 packs a 4,575mAh battery while the Pixel 8 Pro comes with a 5,050mAh unit. They both support fast wired and wireless charging and wireless Battery Share.
The regular Pixel 8, which is the smaller of the two phones, has a satin metal frame and polished back glass, while the Pixel 8 Pro features a polished aluminum frame and matte back glass. Only the Pro model gets Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection for the display, though, while the regular one has a Gorilla Glass Victus panel. However, the display itself has improved on the regular Pixel 8 compared to its predecessor.
The Pixel 8 sports a 6.2-inch OLED display with a 1080x2400 resolution and support for up to 120Hz refresh rate. Not only is it smoother than the Pixel 7's 90Hz refresh rate panel, but it also has a higher peak brightness of 2,000 nits. The Pixel 8 Pro features a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED panel with support for 1344x2992 resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. This particular panel peaks at 2,400 nits brightness, meaning it's both sharper and brighter than the Pixel 8's panel. Also, keep in mind that the Pixel 8 Pro has an LTPO OLED that can drop to a 1Hz refresh rate, whereas the Pixel 8's display can only do 60Hz-120Hz.
Tensor G3
Both Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are powered by the new Tensor G3 chip, which the company says is its most powerful chip yet. According to Google, the biggest machine learning model on the Pixel 8 is 10X more complex compared to the Tensor G2 on the Pixel 6, and the new chip has been improved a lot to handle intense workloads and bring the latest in Google AI to the Pixel 8 phones. We haven't had a chance to see the new Tensor G3 yet, but stay tuned for our test results. The only thing you need to know for now is that it enables a ton of new AI features.
Cameras
Both Pixel 8 phones have upgraded cameras on the back, but the Pixel 8 Pro's cameras have gotten relatively bigger improvements. It now packs a 50MP f/1.68 Octa PD main wide camera, coupled with a 48MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with f/1.95 aperture. You'll also get up to a 125.5-degree field of view and a 48MP Quad PD telephoto camera with f/2.8 aperture and support for up to 5x optical zoom.
The regular Pixel 8, on the other hand, only has two camera sensors on the back, which include a similar 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide camera with f/2.2 aperture and up to a 125.8-degree field of view from last year. Both phones share the same selfie camera, which is a 10.5MP Dual PD camera with an f/2.2 aperture and 95-degree field of view. The Pixel 8 Pro also comes with Pro controls for the camera out of the box, while the regular one doesn't.
Software and updates
Another important thing to note is that Google has promised to keep both Pixel 8 phones updated with OS, security, and Feature Drop updates for up to seven years. That's a significant improvement from the current update promise of three Android OS and up to four years of security updates. This means that new Pixel 8 series phones that ship with Android 14 will continue to receive software updates until 2030.
Closing thoughts
The new Pixel 8 series phones may not look very different from their predecessors, but they pack in tons of internal changes that make better devices, at least on paper. We'll have more to talk about these phones once we've had a chance to test them, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, you can stop by our collection of the best Android phones to check out your other options. Alternatively, you can also check out our Pixel Fold or Pixel 7a, both of which are still relatively new to the market and are unique in their own ways.
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Google Pixel 8
- SoC
- Google Tensor G3
- Display
- 6.2-inch OLED (1080x2400), 120Hz refresh rate, up to 2,000 nits peak brightness
- RAM
- 8GB LPDDR5X
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
- Battery
- 4,575mAh
- Ports
- USB Type-C 3.2
The Google Pixel 8 boasts of the company's new Tensor G3 processor and features a refined glass and aluminum design. Compared to the Pixel 7, it has a brighter display, a larger battery with quicker charging, and upgraded cameras.
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Google Pixel 8 Pro
- SoC
- Google Tensor G3
- Display
- 6.7-inch LTPO OLED (1344x2992) LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz, up to 2,400 nits peak brightness
- RAM
- 12GB LPDDR5X RAM
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB UFS 3.1
- Battery
- 5,050mAh, fast wired & wireless charging
- Ports
- USB Type-C 3.2
The Pixel 8 Pro is the latest flagship from Google, and it packs the best the company has to offer in 2024. It features the newest Tensor G3 processor, like its regular Pixel 8 sibling, but it comes with a 6.7-inch OLED display, a brighter screen, a larger battery, and more storage options.
