Google Pixel 8 Pro 5G 512GB Unlocked (Obsidian) by Onestop Digital

So I will start off by saying that I have been an Android User for as long as I can remember. I've had several different brands and most recently the Samsung brand. What I've noticed with the Google pixel phone are several things that have changed based on my research and hands-on experience. This is my first experience with a Google pixel phone and I've definitely noticed the design changes they've made. You first notice it on the pro model with the weight of the phone. You also notice the rounded Corners feel much better in the hand compared to other brands with sharp edges ie Samsung Note series or s23 Ultra. I much preferred the finish on the previous model of pixel however this matte black finish is pretty cool, however the phone is still very slippery ... MoreSo I will start off by saying that I have been an Android User for as long as I can remember. I've had several different brands and most recently the Samsung brand. What I've noticed with the Google pixel phone are several things that have changed based on my research and hands-on experience. This is my first experience with a Google pixel phone and I've definitely noticed the design changes they've made. You first notice it on the pro model with the weight of the phone. You also notice the rounded Corners feel much better in the hand compared to other brands with sharp edges ie Samsung Note series or s23 Ultra. I much preferred the finish on the previous model of pixel however this matte black finish is pretty cool, however the phone is still very slippery especially if you have a little bit of sweat on the fingertips. The display is one of the brightest I've seen in recent years. The refresh rate is definitely noticeable when the settings are changed it comes standard on high resolution but can be changed to full resolution however this takes a toll on the battery. Speaking of battery the optimization of battery usage in pixel phones is evident here as it does a good job with battery management. The speakers are also really good and you have special audio when using wired headphones and adaptive audio that you can toggle on and off. Cameras are some of the best coupled with the features of AI that allow you to "fix it in post" after you've taken the picture. Pictures are vibrant and crisp looking and video is equally as impressive. Also appreciate the camera bump being leveled and even so that when you have it on a table in your texting or using it it doesn't wobble. Sadly no headphone jack here as they've opted for the USB C option as most phones have as of late and there is also no expandable memory on these which for me is a deal breaker. This phone also supports esim which a lot of older phones do not that allow you to have an electronic SIM card versus a physical SIM card. The downside to this is if you opt to activate the E Sim it invalidates your physical SIM card that you may have had from your previous phone, however you don't need to use this option and it does have a SIM tray that you can use to install a physical SIM card. All in all this is a great option for someone who is either looking for an excellent flagship phone at a lesser price point than some of the other flagships out there but it does come with its drawbacks as most phones do. Definitely recommend testing it out in store before you decide to fully commit as it feels different than most other Android phones and thankfully does not come with bloatware. Solid choice in the market for competing smartphone flagships. I was fairly impressed with how easy it was to port over my information it was fairly seamless.

A True Flagship Phone

The Pixel Pro 8 is not only a worthwhile upgrade from the 6 or 7, but also a worthy flagship phone for Google. It makes the decision between an iPhone and a Pixel come down to which platform you want to invest in instead of one of features and power. The big move from outsourcing their phones to other manufacturers to building their own silicon has put Google in the realm of Apple. Being able to develop the software and the chipsets allows for the kind of features that truly excite. And the cameras’ abilities have made me no longer envious of other phones (or for that matter some digital cameras).I have to make mention of the experience of moving from my old Pixel Pro 6 to the Pro 8; while every Android migration gets better each time, this was the most seamless ... MoreThe Pixel Pro 8 is not only a worthwhile upgrade from the 6 or 7, but also a worthy flagship phone for Google. It makes the decision between an iPhone and a Pixel come down to which platform you want to invest in instead of one of features and power. The big move from outsourcing their phones to other manufacturers to building their own silicon has put Google in the realm of Apple. Being able to develop the software and the chipsets allows for the kind of features that truly excite. And the cameras’ abilities have made me no longer envious of other phones (or for that matter some digital cameras).I have to make mention of the experience of moving from my old Pixel Pro 6 to the Pro 8; while every Android migration gets better each time, this was the most seamless experience I’ve ever had. (And I’ve been using android since the 2011 Honeycomb days!) After setting up Wi-Fi and my GoogleFi service, I simply placed the phones next to each other and waited for a few minutes while everything was transferred over. Every program with all their settings was installed for me and even my home screen and all widgets were in place when I was done. No permissions issues or anything. Even my notifications were preserved and started coming immediately. I *did* have some issues with my Pixel Watch 1, but I’ll get into that later as I’m not sure if it was the phone or the watch.Call quality was amazing as to be expected. The AI call screening continues to amaze me and like so many other AI features in the Pixel series, it just keeps getting better. I think Google has the edge here in their AI implementations as they were early adopters and Apple is investing a lot to catch up. Google’s Tensor 3 chip can run so many processes locally that things like translations and web page summaries (underrated feature by the way) execute instantly.The cameras - and there are four of them – rival the current Apple offering in both their resolution and low light abilities and offer incredible zoom and macro capabilities. While I haven’t had a chance to check out the astrophotography features, I was amazed at a shot I got of some stars in regular night mode, simply by holding the camera up to the sky. So, I’m really looking forward to testing that mode out. The colors captured are rich and textured with a vividness that dazzles the eye. And I love the dramatic look that the Night Mode offers for even simple pics of the outdoors.What’s truly amazing about images on the Pixel Pro is what you can do with them after the fact though! Beyond the average filters and editing tools, the software allows you to do Photoshop level editing IN THE CAMERA. Magic Eraser has gotten even better with the new Tensor chip and allows you to easily select an object by touching it or drawing a circle around it and it’s gone. Like it was never there with all the background restored. You can get even crazier with Magic Editor and resize an object or move it around n the screen and place it wherever you want. For someone who used to spend hours on a PC, carefully and delicately selecting an object with the pen tool and then trying to find something to fill a deleted area with, this really IS magic to me! And it only gets better with Pixel Feature drops. I can’t wait to test out the new video enhancements. Fortunately, I was able to play with one that’s available now, which is the background noise eraser. It’s truly impressive, categorizing the sounds in audio track and sorting them out into separate ‘tracks’ that you can turn up or down.All of this comes wrapped in a solidly built package that both delights the eye and feels great in the hand. I’ve never been a member of #Team No Case, but I actually considered it for a few days. The curved sides and matte finished back feel really good in your hand. While I kind of liked the curved bezels on my Pixel Pro 6, I like the new flat screen design better. Not to mention the screen itself, which is sharp and clear as well as being the brightest screen I’ve ever used. I have no problems seeing it bright daylight, something that was an occasional issue on my previous Pixel.I did experience one issue worth mentioning though and that was moving my Pixel Watch (PW1) from my old phone to the Pro 8. I tried updating my phone, removing the watch from the Pro 6, and even factory resetting the watch multiple times. It would see the watch and begin the pairing process, but at some point, would die on the phone and the watch would go into reset mode again. After about 8 attempts I gave up for a while and did something else. When I went back to it, I went through the same procedures another 2-3 times until finally it connected. For another day or so afterwards I had varying degrees of success in connecting with the watch until on the third day everything worked fine. I’m still not sure what caused this, but I did read of some others having similar issues. I found it strange because when I first got the watch, the Pixel Pro 6 started pairing with it the minute I turned the watch on. I wouldn’t fault the Pro 8 on this though as the process of connecting Pixel Watches has become much easier now with WearOS 4. Ironically, I received the 4 update the day after the watch started behaving normally.I loved my Pixel Pro 6. It was the closest thing I’d ever had to a ‘flagship’ phone. But after using the Pro 8 for a few days, I can’t ever imagine buying anything other than a Pixel phone in the future. Fortunately, thanks to their new support policy, I technically won’t have to even think about that for the next 7 years. And I can only imagine what Google will have to offer then.

A significant improvement from the Pixel 6 Pro

I recently upgraded to the Pixel 8 Pro from the Pixel 6 Pro. While the Pixel 6 Pro was a remarkable device, its performance was hampered by a subpar fingerprint reader and the absence of facial recognition technology. The Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, boasts a vastly superior fingerprint reader which I've found to be exceptionally precise, complemented by an outstanding facial unlock feature. This significant improvement was a key factor in my decision to switch to this model.In terms of processing power, there has been some criticism regarding the new chipset not matching up to Qualcomm standards. However, in my experience, the difference is negligible in everyday usage, even when compared to several Qualcomm-equipped phones I've tested.Photography is a ... MoreI recently upgraded to the Pixel 8 Pro from the Pixel 6 Pro. While the Pixel 6 Pro was a remarkable device, its performance was hampered by a subpar fingerprint reader and the absence of facial recognition technology. The Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, boasts a vastly superior fingerprint reader which I've found to be exceptionally precise, complemented by an outstanding facial unlock feature. This significant improvement was a key factor in my decision to switch to this model.In terms of processing power, there has been some criticism regarding the new chipset not matching up to Qualcomm standards. However, in my experience, the difference is negligible in everyday usage, even when compared to several Qualcomm-equipped phones I've tested.Photography is a significant part of both my professional and personal life, and the Pixel 8 Pro stands out as one of the top Android phones for this purpose. Its ability to consistently capture excellent photos effortlessly is impressive. The enhanced ultra-wide lens is particularly beneficial for me, especially during my travels.The device also excels in display quality, featuring a high-resolution screen with a rapid 120Hz refresh rate. Its flat display design, in my opinion, is more functional than the more aesthetically appealing curved screens. Additionally, the display's exceptional brightness is a boon for outdoor usage in sunny conditions.Battery life is decent, though not the best compared to other models I've used. The camera usage notably impacts battery longevity. During a recent trip to LA, I found myself needing to recharge the phone mid-day, a more frequent requirement than with another phone I was carrying.While the 30W charging capability is adequate for overnight charging, a faster option would be preferable for those times when quick charging is needed.The AI features, particularly those integrated into Google Photos, are impressive, enhancing the overall Android experience, which I find superior to many other brands. Google's commitment to providing 7 years of updates and regular feature drops is also a significant advantage over other major competitors.However, the £150 increase in price for the 128GB model from the previous year is somewhat disappointing.

Absolutely loving this phone

The Google Pixel 8 is the latest sub-flagship smartphone from Google, and the third iteration in the modern series of Pixel phones that use the Google-designed Tensor processor. The combination of those processor smarts and software finesse has never been better, and Google has really dialed in the fit and finish of its phones this year.The big headline for me with the Pixel 8 is the new 50-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization. In my testing, Pixel 8 photos look far superior to those I can take with my Pixel 7 Pro from last year. Simply put, I have never seen smartphone photos that look this good. They are sharper, brighter, with more dynamic range and detail than any other smartphone camera I've used. See my attached pictures for examples.And the ... MoreThe Google Pixel 8 is the latest sub-flagship smartphone from Google, and the third iteration in the modern series of Pixel phones that use the Google-designed Tensor processor. The combination of those processor smarts and software finesse has never been better, and Google has really dialed in the fit and finish of its phones this year.The big headline for me with the Pixel 8 is the new 50-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization. In my testing, Pixel 8 photos look far superior to those I can take with my Pixel 7 Pro from last year. Simply put, I have never seen smartphone photos that look this good. They are sharper, brighter, with more dynamic range and detail than any other smartphone camera I've used. See my attached pictures for examples.And the photography fun doesn't stop when you click the shutter button. New for the Pixel 8 series is Google's Best Take feature, which uses the camera to take a burst of photos and allows you to choose the best facial expressions from all the different shots, composing group photos that look great, every time. Another new feature is Magic Editor, which uses cloud-based AI to help you do amazing things with Pixel photos. You can remove people and objects, rearrange things, increase the size of certain components in the shot, and Google AI intelligently fills in the background.The things you can do with Pixel 8's camera are astounding, and Pixel 8 Pro can do even more (more on that later).There are many other top reasons to choose Pixel 8, including:• Google's version of Android, which is clean and perfectly integrated with other Google services.• AI features, like call screening, live translate, and new AI wallpapers that put you in (some) control over what gets displayed behind your icons.• The new version of Face Unlock, which uses just the front-facing camera to do a very secure scan of your facial features and can be set to skip the lock screen and get you right to work after you glance at the phone.• Pixel 8 is an excellent small phone for people who love small phones. It's light and easy to use with one hand.• The matte aluminum metal frame is really nice, and the power and volume buttons are perfectly clicky.• The Pixel's rear camera bar keeps the phone from wobbling when lying on a table and provides a perfect place to rest your finger.• The new 120Hz 1080p "Actua" display is super color accurate gets very bright.• The Pixel 8 series comes with 7 years of operating system and security updates.One very important thing to point out is that Pixel phones in general may be the best phones for kids. Google's Family Link app is incredibly useful and usable piece of software, and lets you set app and web permissions with an amazing level of granularity. Furthermore, with Pixel, you know you're getting the latest security updates to keep the phone up to date and less susceptible to hacking. You can get a Pixel 8 for yourself now and know that it will be ready for your kid to use in a year or two, and they can keep using for years after with security and O/S updates.Things to know if you already have an older Pixel phone:• Pixel 8 is an iterative upgrade. The main camera lens is way better, the Tensor 3 is a bit faster and more capable, and the 8-series exclusive features are really neat. Other than that, older Pixels are fine, and still get many of the great features of Android 14.• Trade-in values for older Pixel phones were decent at launch, but quickly fell to pretty low, so consider your options when it comes to dealing with your old phone.• The new setup process is a breeze, and as long as you have a recent backup, you can restore all your apps, SMS, MMS, and even your Authenticator account, all without your old phone nearby.If you don't yet have a Pixel phone, get ready for the best version of Android, with lots and lots of Google's best ideas and AI expertise baked in. Also get ready for the best smartphone camera and editing tools. Finally, get ready to fall in love with Pixel.There are also some drawbacks here:• The Pixel 8 has the same processor as the Pixel 8 Pro, but gets fewer software features because Google wants to differentiate its top flagship product. I hope Google will amend this in a software update in the next 6 months or so (around when the Pixel 8a launches would be nice).• The Pixel 8 doesn't do an amazing job with memory management, and despite its 8 GB of RAM, it aggressively closes background apps. In my experience, this happened to Pokemon Go when I tried to take a few photos. Google needs to improve this in a future update• When used all day, battery life is just average. However, Google's Battery Saver and Extreme Battery Saver features work well if you need to keep your phone going with a depleted battery.• The fingerprint reader is under the screen, and uses a bright light to visually match your fingerprint. I love it and have never had a problem using it,

Amazing camera Above Expectations

Google Pixel 8 Pro makes it the company's best phone till date with an outstanding camera, seamless android experience, and remarkable battery life. I appreciate photography and software perfection, thus it's a dependable choice for me. Its camera features are unparalleled by any other phone. It also has an incredible display that is both brighter and larger than those of its competitors at this price range. There are also some really cool new AI functions. The phone has an upscale, sophisticated appearance thanks to its metallic finish for providing a luxury feel. With its adaptable design, the Google Pixel 8 Pro offers consumers a fantastic viewing experience under any kind of lighting conditions.Its presentation is lovely and vivid. The colours on the screen ... MoreGoogle Pixel 8 Pro makes it the company's best phone till date with an outstanding camera, seamless android experience, and remarkable battery life. I appreciate photography and software perfection, thus it's a dependable choice for me. Its camera features are unparalleled by any other phone. It also has an incredible display that is both brighter and larger than those of its competitors at this price range. There are also some really cool new AI functions. The phone has an upscale, sophisticated appearance thanks to its metallic finish for providing a luxury feel. With its adaptable design, the Google Pixel 8 Pro offers consumers a fantastic viewing experience under any kind of lighting conditions.Its presentation is lovely and vivid. The colours on the screen look amazing and are quite sharp. When a web page is displayed on a Google Pixel 8 Pro, brightness loss is far less than that on any other phone.With many other high-end capabilities, it has one of the most user-friendly cameras available on a smartphone. Extremely remarkable technology is used. For handling darker environments and yet retaining detail and high colour accuracy, I have always found the Night Sight setting to be quite useful. What I really like about Night Sight is that it can be utilised in bright, contrasty settings where you would like a bit extra shadow detail also.Small tiny textures such as fur, hair, grass, and so on are captured with exceptional clarity. In low-light conditions, the Pixel 8 Pro accurately boosts shadows and colours to match how they appear to the human eye in real. Furthermore, moving subjects such as birds, cars, and water are captured dynamically, with minimal blurriness in the air. It is a fantastic and elite phone, the best option for such a pocket friendly price, and a perfect phone with excellent value for money.

Another great Pixel phone

I think I've had every Pixel phone since they came out. While I've read stories or comments about issues people have had with some of them I have never really had any issues. I've always liked the plain Android software without all of the manufacturers' UI's and apps they add. They're very similar to iPhones in that you always know what you're getting and you are familiar with one Pixel phone you'll be familiar with any other one, including new ones. And they just keep getting better.The biggest changes Google tends to make with each version tend to come in the form of software updates (each new one usually launches with the latest version of Android before other phones get it), and the camera. And honestly the camera I think is what's made the Pixel line of ... MoreI think I've had every Pixel phone since they came out. While I've read stories or comments about issues people have had with some of them I have never really had any issues. I've always liked the plain Android software without all of the manufacturers' UI's and apps they add. They're very similar to iPhones in that you always know what you're getting and you are familiar with one Pixel phone you'll be familiar with any other one, including new ones. And they just keep getting better.The biggest changes Google tends to make with each version tend to come in the form of software updates (each new one usually launches with the latest version of Android before other phones get it), and the camera. And honestly the camera I think is what's made the Pixel line of phones so popular for Google. They take amazing pictures and video and the editing tools for photos are pretty amazing too. And Google continues to push the limits with their software, especially on the camera side of things. Not only do they have magic erase to remove objects from photos but they now have a similar function for audio on videos to remove or lower unwanted background noises so you can hear what you want to hear. You can also take several photos of a group and then pick the best version of each person out of the different photos (maybe someone blinked in one or didn't smile) and then it will stitch together those faces onto the same photo and it looks like the picture was taken that way with everyone having the perfect expression. You can take some pretty amazing low light and night photos as well as astro photography pictures. Some of these have been around a while but they have improved over the years with both software updates as well as better cameras and sensors.Then there's the other software features like live transcribe which will transcribe speech if you can't hear well or there's noise around. And live translate which will translate text, audio, or even live speech from one language to another. Not sure what language is being spoken? It can determine that and then translate it. You also have Google lens with will do all kinds of things from allowing you to copy text from a photo same as you would from anywhere else for copy/paste functionality, to searching the internet for similar items to what's in the picture. I think it's also pretty well known by now that Google's Assistant is superior to all the others out there.Some of these things are new to the Pixel 8 and maybe even only the Pixel 8 Pro. Some may or may not be added in software updates to previous Pixel phones. I don't know so I can't speak to that. So if you have a Pixel currently should you upgrade? It depends. If you have a 7 or even a 6, you honestly probably aren't going to notice much difference (unless you have issues with your current phone. Obviously with upgrading your getting better hardware and better software that you may or may not get on your current Pixel. But really since about the Pixel 5 or 6, it's getting hard to justify upgrading if you don't have a good reason to. The phones have just gotten so good and so we'll made that it's going to be hard to innovate much beyond the software side of things. But that's a good thing. It just shows how far the hardware has improved lately.I have had a few small issues/annoyances (auto brightness seems to reduce the brightness a little more than I'd like), but nothing that can't be fixed with an update, which you'll get almost monthly with fixes, features, etc.

Excellent performance and impressive camera

This is my first time owning a Google Pixel phone, having previously been loyal to the Samsung variants of the android system for the last ten years at least. My initial observations are that it is not too different. The phone is very nice to hold and it has a clear crisp display from the 6.7-inch ProMotion OLED screen. The transition from my old S21 to the new Pixel 8 Pro was seamless as the phones effortlessly connected with each other to transfer data, apps etc.Having had the phone for a few weeks now, I have noticed that the battery seems to be far superior to that of my old phone. I can now use the phone all day on a single charge, including no less than 2 hours of sat nav usage (although I do turn down the brightness.) That being said it's nice to get home ... MoreThis is my first time owning a Google Pixel phone, having previously been loyal to the Samsung variants of the android system for the last ten years at least. My initial observations are that it is not too different. The phone is very nice to hold and it has a clear crisp display from the 6.7-inch ProMotion OLED screen. The transition from my old S21 to the new Pixel 8 Pro was seamless as the phones effortlessly connected with each other to transfer data, apps etc.Having had the phone for a few weeks now, I have noticed that the battery seems to be far superior to that of my old phone. I can now use the phone all day on a single charge, including no less than 2 hours of sat nav usage (although I do turn down the brightness.) That being said it's nice to get home after work and see that at least 45-50% of my charge is left. I use the Pixel 8 Pro while running my business and in terms of use, it delivers swift performance and effortlessly handles multitasking and cpu demanding apps thanks to the latest Snapdragon processor.The Pixel 8 Pro is easy and straight forward to use, although there are some differences in the Samsung and Pixel 8 Android operating systems, but thankfully my partner has been a Pixel user for a few years now and has told me about some of the features specific to the Pixel.I have had limited use of the camera so far, but what I have seen looks impressive and I am looking forward to exploring its features such as the Night Sight and Super Res Zoom when the opportunity arises. I have had a go of the magic eraser feature though and it's fantastic for editing photos and taking unwanted items out of the background. All in all, I am happy with my purchase and would highly recommend it.

Google's software and hardware chops on display

The Pixel 8 Pro is truly a Google device. It has fantastic hardware and software that Google has (finally) taken full control over and everything integrates so well with your Google account. Photos are obviously the foundation of the Pixel name, and I can confidently say Google brought their “A” game to the table. The pictures and video are phenomenal and basic use of the camera makes it so easy to feel like you are a photographer. Now that Google is building its own phones it's able to match custom hardware with custom software, kind of like Apple. It’s been a rocky road, since the Tensor G1 in the Pixel 8 was pretty poor, but this 3rd revision is butter-smooth. And this phone specifically? Honestly, just pulling it out of your pocket at like 2am and snapping a ... MoreThe Pixel 8 Pro is truly a Google device. It has fantastic hardware and software that Google has (finally) taken full control over and everything integrates so well with your Google account. Photos are obviously the foundation of the Pixel name, and I can confidently say Google brought their “A” game to the table. The pictures and video are phenomenal and basic use of the camera makes it so easy to feel like you are a photographer. Now that Google is building its own phones it's able to match custom hardware with custom software, kind of like Apple. It’s been a rocky road, since the Tensor G1 in the Pixel 8 was pretty poor, but this 3rd revision is butter-smooth. And this phone specifically? Honestly, just pulling it out of your pocket at like 2am and snapping a shot in total darkness, knowing it will come out at least okay, only to discover it’s actually a pretty good shot, is reality with this phone. It’s crazy good and you will be really happy with it over any other phone since it’s Google’s own phone.Software is something that should be very important to everyone…I mean, interacting with a device of any kind for as long as we do is painful with terrible software. Remember the first few versions of Android? If not, just know it was pretty bad. Now that Android is on version 14, they have made so many improvements over the years, and I feel the Pixel 8 Pro is the culmination of that. Because it’s Google’s “version” of Android, I’d say anyone who isn’t some privacy doomsday’r would benefit so much from this phone. And even they can at least turn the Pixel 8 Pro into a Google-less phone with a privacy oriented ROM. My point here is the software is super slick and is a pleasure to use compared to any other Android phone. The Pixel is all Google and the experience delivers on expectations. I can see myself using this for a long time, especially since Google promises 7 years of OS and security updates starting with the Pixel 8. That means someone reading this in, say, 2029 could STILL be logically shopping for the Pixel 8 Pro. That’s incredible. Well, if you are reading this in 2029, just know the Pixel 8 Pro was incredible in 2023, that’s for sure.As a whole, this is, simply put, my easiest suggestion when someone asks for my opinion (on Android) phones. Just buy a Pixel from day one. Green bubble strong!

Great phone - Great Camera - Great Features!

I recently purchased the Google Pixel 8 Pro and I am absolutely thrilled with this smartphone after moving to it from a Galaxy S20FE. From its sleek design to its exceptional performance, it has exceeded all of my expectations.First of all, the build quality is outstanding. The phone feels sturdy and well-made in my hand, although a bit slippery without a decent case onboard.When it comes to performance, the Pixel 8 Pro truly shines. The phone is equipped with a powerful processor that handles everything seamlessly, from multitasking to running heavy applications. I've noticed a significant improvement in app loading times and overall smoothness while navigating through the user interface compared to my old phone, which I guess should be expectedThe display on ... MoreI recently purchased the Google Pixel 8 Pro and I am absolutely thrilled with this smartphone after moving to it from a Galaxy S20FE. From its sleek design to its exceptional performance, it has exceeded all of my expectations.First of all, the build quality is outstanding. The phone feels sturdy and well-made in my hand, although a bit slippery without a decent case onboard.When it comes to performance, the Pixel 8 Pro truly shines. The phone is equipped with a powerful processor that handles everything seamlessly, from multitasking to running heavy applications. I've noticed a significant improvement in app loading times and overall smoothness while navigating through the user interface compared to my old phone, which I guess should be expectedThe display on the Pixel 8 Pro is stunning. The colours are vibrant, and the clarity and sharpness of the screen truly bring everything to life. Whether I'm scrolling through my social media feeds, watching videos, or playing games, the visuals are always impressive.The camera on the Pixel 8 Pro is also outstanding. The photos captured are incredibly detailed, with accurate colours and excellent dynamic range. The low-light photography capabilities are particularly impressive, as it allows me to capture stunning shots even in challenging lighting conditions. I needed to take a photo of the inside of a toilet cistern I was repairing, and even though it was pretty dark in there - the camera adjusted and provide me with a detailed shot of the workings without any need for em to adjust the settings.I haven't had a lot of opportunity yet to play with the AI editing but have used the magic eraser which is pretty handy when a random stranger pops into your otherwise great photo - and you wanna delete him in a single swipe :)The software experience on the Pixel 8 Pro is fantastic. It runs on the latest version of Android with Google's intuitive user interface, which I must admit has taken me a while to get used to after 10 years with Samsung, but now I know my way around I must admit to preferring it (just). The phone is also guaranteed to receive regular updates and security patches, ensuring that I always have the latest features and improvements.Battery life is impressive as well. It easily gets me through a full day of heavy usage, and the fast charging capabilities help in quickly topping up the battery when needed.In summary, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is a top-notch smartphone that deserves a 5-star rating. With its sleek design, exceptional performance, stunning display, outstanding camera, intuitive software experience, and impressive battery life, it offers everything one could ask for. Whether you're a photography enthusiast, a power user, or someone who appreciates a great all-round smartphone, the Pixel 8 Pro is definitely worth considering.

Pixel, Refined Again

I’ve owned the Pixel 6 Pro, 7 Pro, and now 8 Pro and the progression from each iteration has been interesting to see. The 8 Pro feels like a refinement of the 7 Pro, just like that phone felt like a refinement of the Pixel 6 Pro. I don’t think that’s a bad thing necessarily and I like the identity that Google has settled into with the Pixel line. The Pixel 8 Pro nails everything for the most part and I like all the changes from the 7 Pro. If you’re a Google fan like I am, this is the phone for you.The overall design of the Pixel 8 Pro hasn’t changed a lot from the previous 2 models, but the new one does away with the curved edges and goes with a flat screen this time, which I love. The back of the phone now has a matte finish that resists fingerprints a lot ... MoreI’ve owned the Pixel 6 Pro, 7 Pro, and now 8 Pro and the progression from each iteration has been interesting to see. The 8 Pro feels like a refinement of the 7 Pro, just like that phone felt like a refinement of the Pixel 6 Pro. I don’t think that’s a bad thing necessarily and I like the identity that Google has settled into with the Pixel line. The Pixel 8 Pro nails everything for the most part and I like all the changes from the 7 Pro. If you’re a Google fan like I am, this is the phone for you.The overall design of the Pixel 8 Pro hasn’t changed a lot from the previous 2 models, but the new one does away with the curved edges and goes with a flat screen this time, which I love. The back of the phone now has a matte finish that resists fingerprints a lot better, which I also love. The camera bar is noticeably thicker compared to the previous Pros, but I don’t mind and I also like that all the lenses are contained within the same piece of glass instead of segmented like they were on the Pixel 7 Pro. I do wish they had also done the matte finish on the camera bar as well though. It feels nice in the hand with the smooth and rounded corners.The display looks fantastic and gets super bright, as well as being able to run between 1Hz - 120Hz. I did notice a peculiar things the always on display where in a dark room the top left corner takes on a slight tint. I’ve seen others report this issue as well. It doesn’t show in brighter rooms, so I’m thinking that maybe the lowest brightness introduces that color shift. It doesn’t bother me too much, but it is a blemish on an otherwise brilliant display.The experience of using the Pixel 8 Pro is the now classic Pixel experience. The software is clean, there’s no extra bloat, and the Tensor 3 chip keeps everything running smoothly. I also like whatever Google is doing with the haptics and vibrations inside the phone. The feedback from typing or hitting different parts of the navigation feels very precise and it’s something I’ve only personally experienced on iPhone. Android 14 isn’t too much different than 13, but it introduces a couple of fun things like lockscreen customization. I’ve always gone for the Pixel phones (and Nexus before that) due to guaranteed and timely Android software updates and it’s awesome to see Google committing to 7 years of OS updates for the Pixel 8 series.Photo quality has always been a highlight of Pixel phones and that’s still the case with the Pixel 8 Pro, even ignoring all the new AI editing features that I don’t plan on using. The already fantastic main camera gets a slight upgrade, but the main upgrade is in the ultrawide, which now has a larger sensor and higher 48 megapixel resolution and it looks really good. Colors feel punchy and true to life and there’s a ton of detail on all 3 lenses. I’d say the 5x zoom camera is probably my least favorite of the 3, but it’s still very good. You can also capture photos in DCI-P3 now, which is awesome. The video quality has improved as well, but I think the stabilization is too aggressive. It almost feels like the video is on a gimbal that’s trying to hard to compensate for motion and panning up and down and side to side has this rubber band feeling to it. Turning stabilization off is looks better, but if you’re moving the footage is going to be a lot shakier. It feels like something that could be corrected in a software update. I’m also interested to try the new Video Boost feature when that releases later this year, which is supposed to automatically improve videos in the cloud after you’ve taken them.The face unlock now works with things like banking and wallet apps now, so you don’t have to use your fingerprint to make those works, but the it still depends on the front-facing camera, so if you’ve got poor lighting you may be forced back to the fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor does not feel like it’s improved much from the Pixel 7 Pro and while it’s not terrible, it’s definitely not up to the quality of the rest of the phone. I wish Google had opted for an ultrasonic reader instead of an optical one. Maybe next year.The Pixel 8 Pro adds a temperature sensor, which is neat but I’m honestly not sure when I would ever use it, especially since it’s not rated taking human body temperatures. Even if it was though it seems like a strange addition. The performance of the sensor on other materials was hit or miss with me and the temperature could vary significantly from reading to reading.The battery life is about on par with the Pixel 7 Pro. It’s not any better, but it’s not any worse. It will definitely get through a day with battery to spare and I’m usually still at 40% by the time I go to bed. The 8 Pro also charges faster now at 30 watts.If you’ve got a Pixel 7 Pro I don’t think you need to run out and buy a Pixel 8 Pro, though it still feels like a nice upgrade even coming from that phone. The Pixel 8 Pro isn’t flawless, but if you’re all in on what Google is doing like I am I don’t think there’s any other Android phone that quite delivers an experience like this. The Pixel 8 Pro is $100 more this year and it mostly feels like it justifies that extra cost to me, but I can’t help but think maybe they could have nixed the temperature sensor and gotten a better fingerprint reader instead.