Design and Build

Premium design is the first thing that can be said of the Google Pixel 8 Pro and its aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back, and the matte glass finish show that. The measurements go as far as 6.4 x 3.0 x 0.35 inches (162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm), and the weight is 7.5 ounces (213g), The slightly heavier Pixel 8 is already ergonomic. Among the color options of Obsidian, Porcelain, and Bay, we cannot neglect the role an under-display fingerprint sensor, face unlock, and a temperature sensor play. It is equipped with a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, and it is capable of supporting eSIM or nano-SIM. The certification IP68 guarantees both water and dust resistance to the device, while the glossy frame is very easily smudged..

• Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• IP68 rating (water and dust resistance up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes)
• Under-display fingerprint sensor, face unlock
• Temperature sensor
• USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM

Pixel 8 Pro Display

The Pixel 8 Pro features a Super Actua LTPO OLED screen of 6.7 inches with a 1344 x 2992 resolution (489 PPI), HDR10+ support, and an adaptive refresh rate of 1–120Hz. The display goes up to 2400 nits of peak brightness, so excellent outdoor visibility is guaranteed. One of the advantages of a flat screen is better usability over a curved Pixel 7 Pro, but some customers have noticed minor color calibration issues. Gorilla Glass Victus 2 demands a lot in relation to scratch resistance, but it does not promise to be scratch-free either.

• 6.7-inch LTPO OLED (Super Actua)
• 1344 x 2992 resolution, 489 PPI
• HDR10+ support
• 2400 nits (peak)
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection
• 1–120Hz adaptive refresh rate

Performance and Software

Not to mention, the Pixel 8 Pro comes with a first-ever Google-made Tensor G3 chipset, a revolutionary 4nm SoC having a 9-core CPU, Immortalis-G715 GPU, and Titan M2 security chip. It beats most of the competition in AI tasks due to Magic Editor and Gemini Nano. The phone offers 12GB LPDDR5X RAM with storage options of 128GB ($999), 256GB ($1059), 512GB ($1179), or 1TB ($1279), non-expandable. It is also an Android 14 (14 upgradable to 15) device that gives you 7 years of updates until 2030. The Tensor G3 has bettered the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the CPU sector but has fallen behind in the GPU unit, so it has a lower impact on gaming performance.

• Google Tensor G3 chip with 9-core CPU, Immortalis-G715 GPU, Titan M2
• 12GB LPDDR5X RAM
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
• Android 14 (7 years of updates)
• Optimized for AI, photography, and security

The Tensor G3 delivers smooth daily performance and AI capabilities, but its gaming performance trails competitors. Users praise the software's polish and long update promise, though some report overheating during intensive tasks.

Camera System

Product highlights of the Pixel 8 Pro consist of a triple camera setup: 50MP primary (f/1.68, 25mm, OIS), 48MP ultra-wide (f/1.95, 125° FOV), and 48MP telephoto (f/2.8, 5x zoom). The 10.5MP front camera (f/2.2) is AF functional. The implementation of AI in Google’s Best Take and Magic Editor features makes photos look good, but video performance is slightly worse than that of the iPhone 15 Pro. The sensor is narrow in scope, still, it works fine.

• Rear: 50MP Main (25mm, f/1.68, OIS), 48MP Ultra-wide (f/1.95), 48MP Telephoto (f/2.8, 5x)
• Front: 10.5MP (f/2.2, autofocus)
• Video: 4K 60 fps
• Modes: Night Sight, Best Take, Magic Editor, Video Boost
• LED flash, temperature sensor

Battery and Charging

Rated at 5050mAh, the Pixel 8 Pro battery life can be expected to give you approximately 13 hours watching videos or 10–12 hours of real-world use. The phone also supports 30W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes) and 23W wireless charging via Pixel Stand 2 (12W Qi). A charger is not included. The battery showed decent performance, however, not as good as Samsung's 45W and the charging speed falls behind the competition.

• 5050mAh battery
• Up to 13 hours video playback, ~10–12 hours real-world
• 30W wired charging (50% in 30 min)
• 23W wireless charging (Pixel Stand 2), 12W Qi
• No charger included (USB-C cable only)

Connectivity

The Pixel 8 Pro is compatible with 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.3, and UWB for precise location tracking. A nano-SIM and eSIM are the key features of the phone's connectivity, although it is unable to be connected via satellite. The GPS is excellent with GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS. According to the users, it is not uncommon to encounter weak signals from the modems based on Exynos.

• 5G modem (sub-6GHz, mmWave)
• Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
• Bluetooth 5.3
• UWB chip
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM
• No satellite connectivity
• GPS: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS

Pricing and Availability

Debuted at the price of $999 for 128GB, the Pixel 8 Pro is also coming with a capacity of 256GB ($1059), 512GB ($1179), and 1TB ($1279). The phones were available for pre-order from October 4, 2023, and will be in stores on October 12, 2023, through Google Store, carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile), and retailers like Amazon. Frequently, discounts of $600–$700 are offered, from time to time, for the 128GB item, essentially making a purchase inevitable. Sure, the increase in price (by $100) of the Pixel 8 Pro over the Pixel 7 Pro was a matter of criticism, but AI-powered functionality and enhancements were good enough reasons for many people to excuse this.