Pixel 8 Professional Evaluate: Not the Google Telephone I Hoped It Would Be

I had a rocky begin with Google’s new flagship Pixel 8 Professional. My early testing discovered odd points with the digicam, particularly in high-contrast conditions, which we noticed replicated throughout a number of handsets. It was sufficient for me to postpone giving my remaining verdict on the telephone till we carried out extra exams and spoke with Google in regards to the extent of those issues. 

I’ve now spent many hours with the Pixel 8 Professional, as has my colleague Stephen Shankland in the US. Google pushed out a digicam replace that addresses some (although not all) of the problems we encountered. And after exhaustive testing of the telephone’s processor, battery, show and digicam setup, I am lastly prepared to present my conclusion. 

The Pixel 8 Professional is — drumroll, please — respectable. 

If that appears anticlimactic, it is slightly becoming, because it matches my very own impressions of the Pixel 8 Professional. The Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro have been very good telephones, providing strong all-round efficiency and nice cameras. I awarded each handsets a coveted CNET Editors’ Alternative award. 

Because of this, I used to be excited for the Pixel 8 Professional and had excessive hopes for Google’s next-generation handset. However having spent a very long time with it, I am left feeling underwhelmed. It isn’t that there is something manifestly flawed with the telephone (excluding among the digicam points I discovered, which I will clarify later), it is that it does not particularly stand out in any main means. Its battery life is common, the processor efficiency is simply OK, and I want the design of the earlier mannequin. 

A few of its main new options, together with AI instruments for creating wallpapers and enhancing pictures, together with a brand new temperature scanner on the again of the telephone, work properly sufficient. However they do not carry sufficient to the desk to face out as killer new options. 

One of many main factors it has in its favor is Google’s promise of seven years of software program updates. That is an enormous increase over Google’s earlier providing, and it is for much longer than what most different Android producers provide. It means the Pixel 8 Professional ought to nonetheless be going robust in 2030, and that longer life span may end in fewer telephones ending up in landfill.

And after numerous hours of hands-on testing, I am assured Google’s new flagship telephone gives a strong all-round expertise that covers most individuals’s day-to-day wants. It will deal with your each day social media addictions with ease and take nice pictures of your youngsters within the park. And if yow will discover a correct use for that temperature sensor, then good on you for persevering greater than I did. 

Is it price its $999 asking worth? General, I might say it nearly justifies it, due to the lengthy software program assist. Although it does not have the straight-line processor efficiency of its rivals, the Pixel 8 Professional continues to be a terrific telephone that I loved utilizing.

Early digicam issues

In our early testing, we discovered unusual points with the digicam, which exhibited odd artifacts, particularly in high-contrast conditions. A number of of our preliminary take a look at photos confirmed bizarre-looking picture noise and artifacts within the shadowy areas, together with extraordinarily aggressive software program smoothing on areas that ought to keep element. 

CNET reporter Stephen Shankland unpacked many of the Pixel 8 Pro’s issues and elaborated on what is perhaps inflicting them. It basically boils all the way down to how the software program tries to mix a number of picture exposures collectively (and does not do a very neat job of it). Google pushed out an replace to assist with the difficulty, which has actually helped however hasn’t completely resolved the issue. 

As this indoor picture exhibits, the Pixel 8 Professional has created a dramatic quantity of picture noise within the shadowy areas of the scene. 

And although this broad shot of an ice cream truck seems high-quality…

…cropping in shut exhibits the muddiness attributable to the telephone’s digicam software program within the shadowy space contained in the van. It is unimaginable to learn the menu on the Pixel’s shot, whereas it is clearly seen within the iPhone 15 Professional Max’s picture.

That is disappointing to see, however it’s vital to notice that I’ve encountered this subject in solely a small variety of the numerous take a look at photos I’ve taken with the telephone. 

And we have additionally seen quite a few examples during which the Pixel 8 Professional carried out extraordinarily properly, and I will dive deeper into these within the digicam part under. We examined it in daylight, at evening, and in opposition to rivals together with the iPhone 15 Pro and the older Pixel 7 Pro. 

Different early points, akin to uncooked DNG picture recordsdata that regarded washed out when considered in Adobe Lightroom, can be resolved with higher assist from Adobe. However our gripe with the 1 to 2 second delay when taking 50-megapixel photos stays, as that is merely because of the processing required to create such massive recordsdata.

Have our preliminary issues been addressed? Principally, sure. Although they don’t seem to be completely resolved, larger issues have been minimized to the purpose of being negligible. We’re now pleased to maneuver on with the telephone as we’d with some other. 

Design and show

Bodily, the Pixel 8 Professional resembles its predecessors, with a giant digicam bar throughout the again. The rear glass panel is now frosted, although, slightly than shiny. It isn’t a big design departure from final yr’s mannequin, however it does give the telephone a softer really feel if you’re holding it, whereas making it rather less liable to choosing up fingerprints. I do not suppose the telephone seems fairly as premium or elegant as a sage-and-gold Pixel 7 Professional — no less than not the plain black variant I have been testing, which, like most plain black telephones, seems uninteresting and forgettable. The blue model has extra character, with a shiny and cheerful frosted-glass again and bluey-silver digicam bar. 

The digicam bar stands proud a good distance from the again — round 4 millimeters actually, which is greater than on the 7 Professional. The 8 Professional is snug to carry, however I discover that it catches after I’m attempting to slip it into my denims pocket. I am nitpicking right here, however it’s a kind of issues that might change into extra annoying over time. A case reduces the peak distinction between the physique and the bar and the issue goes away. 

The body is made partly from recycled aluminum (identical to in older Pixel telephones), and the telephone is IP68 rated for water-resistance, which’ll preserve it secure from rain or spilled drinks. There is a fingerprint scanner hidden throughout the show, which I discovered to be hit or miss. However the face unlock has been improved over that of the 7 Professional. It is extra correct, which implies now you can use it to authenticate Google Pay funds.

The 6.7-inch show, the identical measurement as on the Pixel 7 Professional, is superb. It is punchy and vibrant and simply does justice to no matter colourful YouTube or Netflix video you wish to watch on the bus. It helps HDR content material, is shiny sufficient to see outside and has a most 120Hz refresh fee for {smooth} scrolling and gaming. 

Temperature sensor

One tweak on the again is a small circle subsequent to the digicam flash that homes a brand-new characteristic: a temperature sensor. It permits the telephone to measure the temperature of objects or surfaces. It is simple sufficient to make use of; simply hearth up the Temperature app and maintain the telephone about 5 centimeters out of your object, as if you are taking a close-up picture. Faucet the display, and it will present a readout of how scorching that object is.

The concept is that you should utilize it to check the temperature of drinks earlier than you’re taking a giant gulp, or to ensure that piece of peach pie is not hotter than the solar earlier than you shovel it into your face and burn your mouth to cinders. It labored properly in my testing, pretty precisely displaying the rise in temperature on my kettle as I boiled water for a cup of tea. 

Although I can think about it typically being useful — dad and mom may use it to verify the temperature of a child’s bottle, for instance — I feel its real-world utility is proscribed. It seems like a characteristic that is been shoehorned in to behave as a differentiator from the competitors. Heck, it could actually’t even take your physique temperature, although Google is working with the US Meals and Drug Administration so it could actually ultimately be used for that goal. 

And positive, the Pixel 8 Professional now has a characteristic that the iPhone 15 does not, however is it actually a characteristic you care about? I am undecided I do. After having confirmed that it really works because it ought to, I principally forgot it was there and I have never continued to utilize it.

Tensor G3 processor 

The Pixel 8 Professional comes with Google’s newest home made processor, the Tensor G3, which I discovered to be underwhelming. It did not impress on benchmarking apps, placing it nearer in efficiency to what’s present in cheaper midrange telephones than in in the present day’s flagship rivals. And although benchmarks do not inform the entire story, there are areas the place I really feel that lack of energy is noticeable. 

The 1 to 2 second delay when taking a 50-megapixel uncooked picture stems from the quantity of processing required to avoid wasting such massive recordsdata. A stronger chip would probably require no such delay. For comparability, there is no noticeable delay when taking pictures 48-megapixel uncooked photos on Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional. 

I additionally discovered gradual processing instances utilizing the AI image-editing instruments. These instruments allow you to selectively edit the sky in a panorama picture or regulate the scale of objects (or take away them utterly). I discovered that it took between 13 and 18 seconds for the telephone to make every edit, which is a frustratingly very long time to attend and put me off eager to mess around additional. Google says that these edits occur within the cloud, not on the machine, so this is not essentially a criticism of the Tensor chip, however it nonetheless means an annoying wait time for you if you use these instruments. Google additionally instructed me that it is dependent in your web connection — I used to be testing it at house on a gigabit fiber connection, so your outcomes might fluctuate. 

Normally use, nevertheless, the Pixel 8 Professional feels swift and responsive. Navigation across the Android 14 interface is nippy and lag-free, apps open immediately and multitasking between open apps is a breeze. Graphically demanding video games like Genshin Affect, PUBG and Actual Racing 3 all play with buttery-smooth body charges at most graphics settings. 

Android 14 and AI options

Google dedicated to offering seven years of software and security updates for the Pixel 8 collection (together with the cheaper $699 Pixel 8), which is a giant enchancment over the three years of Android OS upgrades the tech large beforehand provided. By comparability, Samsung gives 4 years of software program updates and 5 of safety updates. Longer security-support instances are an enormous means of decreasing the environmental influence of telephones, as a result of the {hardware} on older fashions is commonly nonetheless working high-quality however it simply isn’t safe to maintain utilizing units with outdated software program. 

Google’s software commitment means the Pixel 8 Professional ought to nonetheless be going robust in 2030, which is the longest of any main Android producer and solely actually rivaled by Fairphone, which gives eight years of safety updates for its newest, the Fairphone 5. It is good to see Google extending its assist interval, and I hope it encourages extra producers to do the identical.

The Pixel 8 Professional launches with Android 14, which is not that totally different from Android 13. Each working methods look practically an identical and provide varied methods to customise components of the interface. Google has sprinkled some further AI options all through, nevertheless, together with a brand new generative AI wallpaper creator. 

The instrument lets you choose from a wide range of prompts, together with object phrases akin to “bicycle” or “lighthouse,” texture phrases like “wooden” or “bamboo,” and varied coloration and artwork type phrases to create a novel backdrop. It is enjoyable to play with, and I loved experimenting with totally different immediate mixtures to search out photos I preferred. I did not all the time love the outcomes; typically the AI merely does not do a terrific job. And with the ability to select solely from a set of predefined prompts means the instrument is not open to the form of wild infinite customization you may count on from generative AI. 

Google has woven AI options into the telephone elsewhere, together with name screening, the power to summarize articles in internet pages (each of that are unique to the US at launch) and higher speech-to-text and translation instruments. However synthetic intelligence can also be used for picture enhancing, with AI instruments letting you selectively edit the sky in a panorama picture and make objects or individuals larger or smaller within the body (or take away them utterly). The outcomes do not all the time look nice — no less than to not my eye as an expert photographer — however it may be a enjoyable method to tweak informal snaps. If in case you have the persistence to attend for them to course of, that’s.

There’s additionally a brand new instrument referred to as Finest Take, which is supposed to create pictures during which make everybody seems their finest. It captures a burst of photos and blends them into one shot by robotically choosing the perfect facial features from a gaggle of topics. I have never discovered this handy in my time with the telephone, however my colleague Patrick Holland loved placing the characteristic to make use of in his overview of the smaller Pixel 8. Patrick discovered it labored properly in his pictures, with a largely seamless alternative of individuals’s faces within the remaining picture. 

I additionally discovered an odd quirk when deciding on a most well-liked body from a movement picture: A “ghost” of a determine was seen whereas I used to be enhancing, however it did not present up within the remaining exported body. It is minor, however once more, it highlights that some options do not feel fairly as polished as I might count on. 

Pixel 8 Professional cameras

General, the Pixel 8 Professional’s digicam is strong, and I am glad I spent the additional time testing it following Google’s software program replace. It is able to taking stunning photos with all its lenses, and its evening mode is a giant step up over that of its predecessor. The heavy-handed picture processing continues to be seen although, and it is probably that passionate photographers can be higher served by the iPhone 15 Professional Max.

Taken with the Pixel 8 Professional’s foremost digicam, these pictures are shiny, vibrant and pin sharp. I like the colours and spot-on publicity.

And switching to the wide-angle lens, I am once more impressed by the publicity and colours the telephone has been capable of obtain. 

The Pixel 8 Professional maintains the 5x optical zoom lens seen on each the Pixel 6 Professional and Pixel 7 Professional. And in good daytime circumstances, it could actually take some nice pictures which might be filled with element.

Normally daytime scenes, the Pixel 8 Professional is actually capable of seize engaging photos. And for probably the most half, it holds its personal in opposition to the iPhone 15 Professional Max. Although I’ve seen variations with coloration steadiness between the 2 telephones (the Pixel tends to lean extra towards a magenta coloration solid), there are few variations between them when it comes to publicity and distinction. 

The Pixel takes respectable evening pictures too, however the iPhone 15 Professional Max pulls forward on this space. It usually captures higher picture particulars, more-accurate colours and fewer picture noise with each the primary and ultrawide lenses. 

Nevertheless it’s particularly obvious when utilizing the 5x zooms, with the iPhone delivering sharper, extra detailed photos with higher distinction and colours. 

In opposition to the older Pixel 7 Professional, the 8 Professional’s daytime pictures aren’t an enormous step up. However at evening, the brand new telephone gives a dramatic enchancment over its predecessor, notably when utilizing the ultrawide lens and with the 5x zoom too. 

The Pixel 8 Professional has different new digicam options, together with guide controls for adjusting shutter pace or white steadiness, together with a 50-megapixel mode for taking high-resolution pictures. The additional decision over the 12-megapixels the digicam often makes use of is actually noticeable when zooming in to take a look at the high-quality particulars. However most photographers will not profit from it — particularly for the reason that delay in taking every picture slows down taking pictures to the purpose that this mode is appropriate just for static scenes like landscapes.

The Pixel 8 Professional’s front-facing digicam takes respectable selfies in shiny circumstances, and I want its common tone over the iPhone 15 Professional Max’s pictures. However I discovered the iPhone’s photos to be sharper and extra detailed. 

Battery 

Stuffed contained in the Pixel 8 Professional is a 5,050-mAh battery, which put in an honest efficiency on our varied battery drain exams. After one hour of streaming a YouTube video at max brightness, the telephone had dropped from full to 97% remaining, which is sweet. After the third hour, it had dropped to 84%, which is under what we have seen from the iPhone 15 collection, however consistent with the Galaxy S23. 

It is a demanding take a look at, and in on a regular basis use you should not battle to get by way of a complete day of blended use. Simply know that spending hours streaming video or enjoying demanding video games will depart little or no juice to name a cab house after your evening in town. As with most telephones, although, you will nearly actually wish to give it a full cost if you go to mattress every evening. 

Do you have to purchase the Pixel 8 Professional?

Collectively, we spent many hours testing the Pixel 8 Professional, placing all its options by way of their paces and taking tons of of take a look at photos in all circumstances. Regardless of my earlier issues, I am assured that the Pixel 8 Professional is a strong telephone to think about, particularly in case you’re into nighttime picture taking. 

General it does not really feel like an enormous step up over the Pixel 7 Professional, which Google nonetheless formally sells for $100 much less. That is not a lot of a worth distinction, however it’s price holding in thoughts if you would like a terrific all-rounder for a little bit of a reduction. If you have already got a Pixel 7 Professional, it actually is not price upgrading to the brand new mannequin.

However these of you on older Pixels, or different Android handsets quite a lot of years previous, will completely profit from the nice cameras and fancy new AI options discovered on the Pixel 8 Professional. 

Google Pixel 8 Professional specs vs. Google Pixel 7 Professional, Apple iPhone 15 Professional Max, Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely

	Google Pixel 8 Professional	Google Pixel 7 Professional	Apple iPhone 15 Professional Max	Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely
Show measurement, tech, decision, refresh fee, brightness	6.7-inch OLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh fee	6.7-inch OLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh fee	6.7-inch OLED; 2,796×1,290 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh fee	6.8-inch AMOLED; 3,088×1,440 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh fee
Pixel density	489 ppi	512 ppi	460 ppi	500 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	6.4x3x0.3 inches	6.4x3x0.3 inches	6.29×3.02×0.32 inches	6.43×3.07×0.35 inches
Dimensions (millimeters)	162.6×76.5×8.8mm	162.9×76.6×8.9mm	159.9×76.7×8.25mm	163.3x78x8.9mm
Weight (grams, ounces)	213 grams (7.5 ounces)	212 grams (7.5 ounces)	221 grams (7.81 ounces)	234 grams (8.25 ounces)
Cell software program	Android 14	Android 13	iOS 17	Android 13
Digicam	50 megapixel (broad), 48 megapixel (ultrawide), 48 megapixel (telephoto)	50 megapixel (broad), 12 megapixel (ultrawide), 48 megapixel (telephoto)	48 megapixel (broad), 12 megapixel (ultrawide), 12 megapixel (5x telephoto)	200 megapixel (broad), 12 megapixel (ultrawide) 10 megapixel (3x telephoto) 10 megapixel (10x telephoto)
Entrance-facing digicam	10.5 megapixel	10.8 megapixel	12 megapixel	12 megapixel
Video seize	4K	4K	4K	8K
Processor	Google Tensor G3	Google Tensor G2	A17 Professional	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Storage and RAM	12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB	12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB	256GB, 512GB, 1TB (RAM undisclosed)	8GB + 256GB; 12GB + 256GB; 12GB + 512GB; 12GB + 1TB
Expandable storage	None	None	None	None
Battery	5,050 mAh	5,000 mAh	Undisclosed; Apple says as much as 29 hours of video playback (25 hours streamed)	5,000 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Below show	Below show	None (Face ID)	Below show
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None	None	None
Particular options	5G (Sub 6 and mmWave); VPN by Google One; 7 years of OS, safety and Function Drop updates; front-facing digicam has autofocus; 13W Qi wi-fi charging; 30W wired charging; USB-3.2 speeds through USB-C; IP68 mud and water resistance; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on back and front	5G, Magic Eraser, Picture Unblur, Actual Tone, Face Unblur, lengthy publicity mode, Motion Pan; Maintain for Me, Wait Occasions, Direct My Name, Stay Translate	5G (Sub6, mmWave); Motion Button, always-on show, IP68 waterproof, MagSafe, Dynamic Island, 5x optical zoom (120mm equal), satellite tv for pc connectivity, eSIM, thread networking expertise	5G (Sub6, mmWave); IP68 waterproof; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different units; built-in S Pen; 100x House Zoom; 10x optical zoom; UWB for locating different units; 45W wired charging
US worth off-contract	$999 (128GB)	$899 (128GB)	$1,199 (256GB)	$1,200 (256GB)
UK worth	Converts to £825 (128GB)	£849 (128GB)	£1,199 (256GB)	£1,249 (256GB)
Australia worth	Converts to AU$1,575 (128GB)	AU$1,299 (128GB)	AU$2,199 (256GB)	AU$1,949 (256GB)

How we take a look at telephones

Every phone tested by CNET’s reviews team was truly utilized in the true world. We take a look at a telephone’s options, play video games, and take pictures. We look at the show to see if it is shiny, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and construct to see how it’s to carry and whether or not it has an IP-rating for water-resistance. We push the processor’s efficiency to the extremes utilizing each standardized benchmark instruments like GeekBench and 3DMark, together with our personal anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution movies and enjoying graphically intense video games at excessive refresh charges.

All of the cameras are examined in a wide range of circumstances from shiny daylight to darkish indoor scenes. We check out particular options like evening mode and portrait mode and evaluate our findings in opposition to equally priced competing telephones. We additionally take a look at the battery life by utilizing the telephone each day in addition to working a collection of battery drain exams.

We take note of further options, like assist for 5G; satellite tv for pc connectivity; fingerprint and face sensors; stylus assist; quick charging speeds; and foldable shows, amongst others that may be helpful. And we steadiness all this in opposition to the worth to provide the verdict on whether or not that telephone, no matter worth it’s, truly represents good worth. Although these exams might not all the time be mirrored in CNET’s preliminary overview, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.