The New Pixel 8
In October, Google unveiled its latest flagship phone, the Pixel 8, priced at $699 (£699, AU$1,199), marking a $100 increase from the previous Pixel 7 and Pixel 6. For those seeking a premium Android experience focused on exceptional photography, the Pixel 8 delivers, maintaining Google’s reputation in this regard.
Design and Iterative Upgrades
Unlike the revolutionary changes three years ago, the Pixel 8 offers an evolutionary upgrade, with a design closely resembling its predecessor, albeit with a marginally larger screen and reduced weight. The standout improvement, however, lies in its software. Google’s commitment to seven years of software upgrades is a notable enhancement compared to the Pixel 7 series, which promised five years of security patches and three years of major Android updates. This reflects Google’s increasing dedication to long-term device support.
Software advancements bring new features to the Pixel 8, such as Night Sight for video, Audio Magic Eraser for eliminating background noise in videos, and Best Take, a photo editing tool specializing in group pictures. While these may eventually reach older Pixel models, the Pixel 8 is the first to showcase them.
The camera setup, maintaining a 50-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera from its predecessors, introduces a higher-resolution 10-megapixel selfie camera. The Pixel 8 retains Google’s Tensor chip, now in its third iteration, Tensor 3. Although performance improvements over Tensor 2 (in Pixel 7 and Pixel 7A) and Tensor 1 (in Pixel 6) remain to be tested, the phone boasts 8GB of RAM and storage options of 128GB or 256GB.
Notable upgrades include a higher display refresh rate at 120Hz (up from Pixel 7’s 90Hz), promising smoother navigation. Charging speed also sees an improvement, with Qi-compatible devices now supporting 13 watts compared to the older Pixel phones’ 5 watts. Wired charging remains at 30W, consistent with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6.
To compare the Pixel 8 with its predecessors, refer to the specs chart below. For insights into the Pixel 8 Pro, a detailed comparison is available in a separate article.
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