Google Pixel 8 vs Pixel 8 Pro: Which Phone is for You? pixel 8 pro is the best for you:
Google just revealed the $699 Pixel 8 and $999 Pixel 8 Pro, the latest versions of its flagship Android phones. Both handsets pack a ton of AI-powered tricks and upgraded cameras, and deliver the purest version of the Android experience.
And while both will run Android 14, feature Google’s new Tensor G3 processor and pack always-on displays, they differ in important ways. Some are obvious, while others you’ll need to read further to discover, as many of Google’s best features are software-based.
Thinking about upgrading? Here’s everything you need to consider when choosing between the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
Google Pixel 8 vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro at a glance
Google Pixel 8 vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro at a glance
- (google pixel 8 )Rated for all-day battery life and the new Google Tensor G3 chip, the Google Pixel 8 also boasts new Actua display tech.
2.(google pixel 8 pro)The 6.7-inch Pixel 8 Pro upgrades you to a triple rear camera system with a 5x telephoto camera, and also has a built-in thermometer.
specification comparison
Google Pixel 8 Pixel 8 Pro
Display
6.2-inch, 2400 x 1800 always-on Actua
Display
6.27inch, 2992 x 1344 always-on Super Actua display (1-120 Hz)
Processor
Google Tensor G3 with Titan M2
Google Tensor G3 with Titan M2
Storage
128 GB / 256 GB
128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1TB
Memory
8GB
12GB
Rear cameras
50-megapixel Octa PD wide camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide camera
50-megapixel Octa PD wide camera, 12-megapixel Quad PD ultrawide camera, 48-megapixel Quad PD telephoto camera
Front camera
10.5-megapixel Dual PD selfie camera
10.5-megapixel Dual PD selfie camera
Colors
Hazel, Obsidian, Rose
Bay, Obsidian, Porcelain
Size and weight
5.9 x 2.8 x 0.4 inches, 6.6 ounces
6.4 x 3.0 x 0.3 inches, 7.5 ounces
Price
From $699
From $999
You should get the Google Pixel 8 if…
You want the lowest priced Pixel 8.
When the Pixel 8 starts at $699 and the Pixel 8 Pro starts at $999, it’s a pretty easy decision for some. $300 is no small hurdle for buyers to jump through, so we won’t knock anyone who wants the Pixel experience without (basically) spending a fortune. Especially when you’re going to add a case and other accessories.
You want a brighter, better screen.
Out and about, I find myself constantly fiddling with screen brightness, one of the few phone features that could always stand to be improved. Enter Google’s new 6.2-inch Activa Display, with a peak brightness of 2000 nits, 42% higher than the Pixel 7.
This panel is designed to render more accurate colors and hues, so you can hopefully see the world as it is … eliminating the oversaturated colors offered by other phones. Oh, and if you’re worried that your ultra-bright display is killing you in battery life, know that you can refuel up to 50% in half an hour with fast charging (requires a 30W USB-C charger (sold separately) and that Google estimates 24 hours of battery life for the Pixel 8.
You’re tired of bad comments in group photos.
Best Take is a new image editing feature that helps group photo takers stop praying that everyone’s facial expressions will be perfect in the same shot. The Pixel 8 will get multiple options for each person’s face, giving you the option to swap out bleary-eyed and sour-piss expressions for smiles and grins.
You want better videos.
If you use your phone to record video as much as I do, I bet you’ve spent time getting annoyed that things just don’t look right. The new Pixel 8 offers improved video for skin tone accuracy, video fidelity in mixed lighting and faster auto focus in low-light conditions.
Oh, and Google also thought of the bane of my existence when it comes to video: excessive noise. Of course, I love New York City, but even I know the city that never sleeps is never silent. That’s why I’m excited that the Pixel 8’s Audio Magic Eraser tools will help you change speech, crowd, loudness, wind, and music volume levels in videos.
You should get the Google Pixel 8 Pro if…
You want a bigger phone.
Google has once again limited its new phones in terms of size, as the 6.7-inch Google Pixel 8 Pro is larger than the 6.1-inch Pixel 8. Surprisingly, the Pro’s 0.3-inch thick body is thinner than the 0.4-inch Pixel 8. Packs a bigger battery than the Pixel 8, to help ensure its larger display stays bright for just as long.
You want the best cameras – and you know how to tinker.
In the world of smartphones, “pro” often means better photos, and that’s the case here. The Pixel 8 Pro’s trio of rear cameras beat the Pixel 8’s dual-camera setup, with improved light sensitivity across all three sensors. Oh, and like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it packs a 5x telephoto lens for extra crisp zoom shots — something that’s not available on its smaller version.
Google has also loaded the Pixel 8 Pro with Pro Control settings that include ISO, shutter speed, lens selection and focus controls the Pixel 8 won’t get. So, all you shutterbugs out there know you might want to level up. You don’t need to be a photo expert to use the Pixel 8 Pro’s front camera, as it has auto focus that the Pixel 8 lacks.
You need the best video.
At the Pixel 8 launch event, Google tried to steal Apple’s current spotlight by showing how the Pixel 8 Pro beats the iPhone 15 Pro Max on video. New Video Boost processing technology (arriving this December) enabled a stronger dynamic range of color, including both a bright blue sky and lush green mountains in the background as a traveler passes the camera.
The Pixel 8 Pro’s Video Boost also improves low-light conditions, for what Google calls night-sight videos. These clips should be more detailed, with more colors and a wider dynamic range. We can’t wait to test it out in NYC.
Google’s most advanced technology, things that can blow your mind, cost extra. For example, the Google Pixel 8 Pro has a built-in thermometer sensor. This “Wow!” Somewhere in between. and “Why?”, and have some very interesting use cases. You can check a surface or a tea cup to make sure it’s not too hot to touch or use, and Google is trying to get it FDA-certified so you can see if you You or a loved one has a fever. Sure, regular thermometers are out there, but it can be easy to be away from home and feel a little cranky.
This may be controversial to some, but improved generative AI is one of the main features of the Pixel 8 Pro. Google announced that the phone was designed with generative AI (and all the tricks it can enable) in mind. For example, expect high-quality results when using the Magic Eraser tool to move and delete people and objects in photos.
It will also enable two other tricks in future updates. Zooming in will help photos look sharper when you zoom in, and the Recorder app gains the ability to provide summaries of the audio you’ve captured.
You want a blue phone that’s really bold.
I speak from experience, because I bought a titanium blue iPhone 15 Pro Max which is not bold enough. Especially when Google rolls in with the Bay Blue Pixel Pro 8, which is so bright and playful. The phone is also sold in Obsidian Black and an off-white dubbed Porcelain.
The Google Pixel 8 is sold in Hazel Green, Rose Pink and Obsidian Black, which look good up close but don’t have the smooth matte finish of the Pro models.