Google Pixel 8 Pro review smartphone for 7 years

At the end of last year you could already read the preview of the Google Pixel 8 Pro and its smaller brother Google Pixel 8. We wrote, among other things, that Google has given the cameras a major upgrade and that these smartphones have been given many new functions. I have been using the Google Pixel 8 Pro for a few months now and you can read my findings in my review.

Design and housing Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro has a fresh design with rounded corners and a polished aluminum frame. The matte glass back is striking: it is the first Pixel Pro to have this. Almost all smartphones are quite smooth and this smartphone is no exception. If you want it to fit comfortably in your hand and to be better protected against falls and a bump, then get a case (cover). There are plenty of covers available and I chose the same color as my test model, namely beige (also called porcelain).
There is nothing on the left side, there is a microphone on the top, while on the right side there are the power button and the volume rocker. The two speakers and the USB-C connection are at the bottom.
At the back is the striking horizontal camera bar that is so characteristic of the Google Pixel smartphones. All cameras are now together, and on the right side are the flash and the new temperature sensor, more about which later. Without case it weighs 213 grams and measures 163 x 77 8.8 mm.

Google Pixel 8 Pro screen
While the ‘regular’ Google Pixel 8 has a 6.2-inch Actua display, the big brother has a 6.7-inch Super Actua screen. You will immediately notice that this is the brightest OLED screen of all Google smartphones, because it also produces beautifully bright (Ultra HDR) images and videos in bright lighting conditions such as direct sunlight. The refresh rate of 120 Hz is also nice; the number of pixels is a maximum of 1377 x 2992, but for battery saving it is set to 1008 x 2244 pixels by default. I am satisfied with this very clear and bright screen, well done!

Processor, memory and battery Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro has the Google Tensor G3 chip on board, which works with the Titan M2 security chip to protect personal information and make your Pixel more resistant to advanced attacks. So it is not a Snapdragon 8 (Gen 2) chip that you see in other (top) smartphones. In practice you won’t notice this much, unless you plan to edit videos, for example. Google says it’s specially designed with Google AI for advanced photo and video features and smarter ways to help you throughout your day. It just works nice and smoothly.
It has a nice 12 GB of RAM on board, while in terms of storage memory you can choose from 128, 256 or 512 GB.
The 5050mAh battery should last you a whole day and I can do that, although I have to charge it every evening because I use it intensively. But in fact, I have to charge every smartphone I test every evening.

Cameras
It features updated cameras for better photos and videos and new editing features powered by Google AI. Both the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro have the same wide-angle camera that captures 21% more light than their predecessors. The ultra-wide-angle camera on both phones even captures 105% more light. In addition, the Pixel 8 Pro has a telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, which captures 56% more light than the Pixel 7 Pro and takes 10x optical quality photos. Finally, the front camera now has autofocus for the best selfies on a Pixel phone.
When choosing a smartphone, the cameras and the quality of my photos and videos are of great importance, so I pay extra attention to this.
With the main camera you can really take beautiful photos that are also true to life. Because the lens lets in more light, it also takes better photos in the dark and I think that is important. When taking photos, keep in mind that the 8 Pro shoots at 12 MP as standard. However, you can take 50MP photos that much
be more detailed.
The new 48MP wide-angle lens also shoots in 12 megapixels, but here too you can choose up to 48 MP. The results of this are also excellent.
As described above, the 48MP telephoto lens captures more light. You can zoom in up to 5x, but with Super Res Zoom (optical and digital zoom together) you can zoom in up to 30x. In practice, the maximum zoom, just like with other smartphones, is not always great and results in poorer quality.
All in all, the cameras are fine and the updated interface of the camera app works well. In addition, this Pixel 8 Pro has Pro Controls: this gives you more control over the cameras with settings such as ISO, shutter speed, etc.

Temperature sensor
It goes too far to describe all the hardware and software (such as the new Magic Editor, Best Recording and Magic Eraser for Audio features). I did test the new temperature sensor that can quickly scan an object to get the temperature. This way you can check whether your pan is hot enough to start boiling or whether the milk in your baby’s bottle is at the right temperature. Google has also filed with the FDA to allow Pixel’s Thermometer App to take your temperature and store it in Fitbit. You will read more about that soon.
That sensor simply works for many things, but it is not intended to measure body temperature nor the internal temperature of items, including food.
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Software and Update Policy
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is equipped with Android 14 and what I really like is that there is no less than 7 years of support for Android and security updates and regular functions. The Google Pixel 8 (Pro) is no longer the only one in this regard, as Samsung recently announced this for their new Galaxy S24 series.
Let’s hope more manufacturers follow suit. This way you don’t have to buy a (new) smartphone as often and it is also sustainable.

Price and availability
The Pixel 8 Pro is available in (bay) blue, beige and black from 1,099 euros.

Conclusion
I really like the Google Pixel 8 Pro: the screen is nice and bright, the cameras work well and of course the 7 years of support for Android and security updates and regular functions is a huge plus. I do think the recommended retail price is on the (too) high side and I hope that next time there will be a better processor. If you are looking for a nice smartphone for a longer period of time, the Google Pixel 8 is a great choice.

+ clear bright screen
+ cameras fine
+ 7 years of updates

– high recommended retail price
– processor could be better