Again in October 2023, Google launched the Pixel 8 collection. Whereas the Pixel 8 provided a ton of capabilities at an affordable worth, all eyes have been on the Pixel 8 Professional. With the perfect digital camera {hardware} we’ve ever seen in a Pixel, a brand new chipset, and a slew of AI tips, the Pixel 8 Professional was cool sufficient for me to pre-order my very own unit on Day 1 (the free Pixel Watch 2 didn’t harm, both).
Since then, I’ve used the Google Pixel 8 Professional completely as my each day driver. With six months gone since that launch — and our subsequent Editor’s Alternative award and greatest smartphone of 2023 win — I assumed it was the fitting time to inform you my ideas on it. What’s aged nicely? What’s aged poorly? And, finally, is it nonetheless value shopping for, even with the Pixel 9 collection looming on the horizon?
The nice
The Pixel 8 Professional is Google’s top-of-the-line providing for the time being, and there’s lots to like about it. Listed below are the issues which have aged notably nicely about this cellphone because it launched.
Flat show
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
The Pixel 8 Professional is nice for a lot of causes, however the flat show might be considered one of my favorites. The show was huge information when it launched: That is the primary Professional-level Pixel to have a flat show. Beforehand, we’ve solely had curved shows on Professional telephones. This aligns with developments, as we’ve had curved shows on most flagship Android telephones.
Now, I’m not attempting to say curved shows are dangerous. Curved glass is sweet as a result of it hides the cellphone’s bezels, so once you’re watching Netflix or different sorts of video content material, you are feeling immersed in it.
If I by no means use a curved show once more, it will likely be too quickly.
The issue, although, is that once you’re doing gesture navigation — which, let’s be sincere, you’re doing much more typically than watching content material — you might want to swipe over that curve on the sting, which isn’t almost as efficient as swiping on a flat show. Merely put, the Pixel 8 Professional is simpler and extra pleasant to make use of due to this. While you add this to the opposite highlights of the display screen — 1440p decision, 120Hz adaptive refresh charge, insane 2,400 nits of peak brightness — you get probably the greatest shows in the marketplace.
I’d prefer to level out that many different Android telephones, together with the complete Galaxy S24 lineup, even have flat shows. Meaning that is in all probability a pattern we’ll see going ahead, which makes the Pixel 8 Professional a very good funding for the lengthy haul. You’re not going to be trapped with a curved show years from now when no different flagships are utilizing curved shows anymore.
Class 3 face unlock
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
One other factor I like concerning the Pixel 8 Professional is Class 3 biometric help in Face Unlock. Class 3 is the very best attainable biometric safety class within the Android world. Earlier than the Pixel 8 collection, the one Android telephones that supported Class 3 safety by means of the front-facing digital camera wanted extra {hardware} to take action. This meant both hiding all of the {hardware} in a chunky bezel (as we noticed on the Pixel 4 collection) or making the show cutout bigger to suit the additional sensors (like we see on trendy iPhones and their Dynamic Island). Now, Google’s AI smarts enable for the very best degree of safety in the identical single-lens selfie cutout we anticipate with most Android gadgets.
Talking of iPhones, the latest ones rely wholly on Face ID for unlocks since they don’t have fingerprint sensors. With the Pixel 8 Professional, you could have the perfect of each worlds. You have got the speedy and safe fingerprint sensor beneath the show, and then you definitely even have Face Unlock, which affords the identical degree of safety. Eat your coronary heart out, iPhone.
This all means which you could both use your face or your finger to unlock your cellphone, approve contactless funds, or log in to delicate apps, reminiscent of banking apps. This one characteristic has made my life a lot simpler.
And don’t neglect that the majority different Android telephones don’t supply Face Unlock with this degree of safety. Except for some outliers that also embrace that further digital camera {hardware} (such because the HONOR Magic 6 Professional), Class 3 help is one thing you’ll solely get with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional. You learn that proper: Even the mighty Galaxy S24 collection doesn’t have this.
Helpful AI tips
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
In fact, we are able to’t discuss concerning the Pixel 8 Professional with out discussing all of the cool AI options Google launched with this cellphone. There are such a lot of which have turn out to be integral to my life, however I wish to contact on three actually shortly.
First, we have now Circle to Search. Truthfully, I’ve used this characteristic almost day-after-day since I bought it. It’s really easy to see one thing I wish to study, maintain down the nav bar, after which circle what pursuits me to get a full Google search on it. I’ve used it to buy, establish individuals, locations, and issues, and even translate indicators whereas touring. In fact, this characteristic can be accessible on different telephones, nevertheless it’s been on the Pixel 8 collection for the second-longest period of time (the Galaxy S24 collection bought it first).
Google shocked us all by rolling out a bunch of AI options that weren’t simply gimmicks.
The second is Magic Editor. That is one other unimaginable characteristic that I take advantage of on a regular basis. It permits me to delete issues from images or change the colour and lighting of a photograph without having to edit it manually or, even worse, retake it. Generally, a photograph is just a bit bit off, and Magic Editor is all the time there to rescue me. This can be a Pixel 8 unique for now, nevertheless it’s coming to many different telephones in Might.
Lastly, we have now Video Enhance, which is unique to the Pixel 8 Professional. This lets you seize a video, add it to Google’s servers, after which obtain an enhanced model. Merely put, it’s unimaginable the distinction you’ll be able to see between what you shot and what you get after Google processes it. If you wish to see what I imply, watch the video on the high of this text!
However the perfect factor about all these AI instruments is that Google’s not completed but. Because the Pixel 8 Professional will get seven years of updates, there’s no telling what new tips it might be taught. I’ll contact on this a bit extra later.
A tremendous digital camera
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Lastly, we are able to’t speak about Pixels with out speaking about cameras, and the Pixel 8 Professional has, bar none, the perfect digital camera of any Pixel ever. The entire lenses on this digital camera are astounding. The primary lens is a 50MP monster that produces gorgeous outcomes. The ultrawide lens has terrific coloration accuracy, particularly once you examine it towards that important lens. And the periscope telephoto lens is simply mind-blowing in how crisp its photographs look even at 10x.
I simply went on a visit to South America, and whereas I used to be there, all my relations designated me because the default photographer. This wasn’t as a result of I’m good at taking photographs (I truly am fairly mediocre), however as a result of most of them use iPhones and readily admitted that the Pixel 8 Professional captured higher photographs each time. This was particularly obvious when zoom was obligatory, as nothing the iPhone can do in that realm even comes near what the Pixel 8 Professional can do.
An image is value a thousand phrases, so right here’s a set of photographs from that South American journey:
The dangerous
Regardless of all its pedigree, the Pixel 8 Professional is much from excellent. Right here are some things which have aged poorly or will probably age poorly because the years go on.
Ineffective temperature sensor
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
I gained’t mince phrases right here: The temperature sensor on the again of the Pixel 8 Professional is among the worst Pixel gimmicks of all time.
When Google first launched the Pixel 8 Professional, it mentioned that you can use the temperature sensor on objects solely, like a soda can or a cup of espresso. This was laughable, as who of their proper thoughts is doing this typically sufficient to want it baked into their cellphone? Google did say that it could finally roll out FDA approval so you can apply it to your self. To its credit score, Google did do this. However even with FDA approval, I gained’t belief my cellphone over a traditional thermometer if I really feel underneath the climate. All proof reveals the Pixel 8 Professional’s thermometer is woefully inaccurate when in comparison with {hardware} particularly designed for the duty, reminiscent of an IR thermometer or perhaps a conventional one. If I’m getting sick, I wish to know what’s happening, and I don’t wish to have to hope that my cellphone works the way in which it’s purported to.
Truthfully, I used this characteristic as soon as once I first bought the cellphone, simply to strive it out. However I’ve not used it once more.
The worst factor concerning the temperature sensor is that it’s driving up the cellphone’s worth. This cellphone is fairly costly, and if Google hadn’t included a temperature sensor in it, the worth might have decreased barely. Sadly, whether or not you need it or not, you’re caught with it.
Tensor G3 gained’t age nicely
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Truthfully, I’ve been happy with Tensor G3. It doesn’t run almost as scorching as Tensor G2 and it has no downside dealing with the duties I throw at it each day, which incorporates enhancing my Android Authority YouTube Shorts. Nonetheless, I concurrently can admit that there’s a excessive probability that Tensor G3 will age poorly.
When Tensor G3 launched in October 2023, it was already behind. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 already beat it in quite a few metrics. Now, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is out, and the 8 Gen 3 clobbers the Tensor G3. Simply consider how behind Tensor G3 will probably be in a 12 months or two.
Tensor G3 is okay for now, however will it nonetheless be high quality 5 years from now?
Now, I wish to be clear that the Tensor G3 is an efficient chipset. It’s going to do what you want it to do, particularly for those who’re doing primary smartphone duties like taking pictures a video, searching the net, checking your e mail, and even enjoying video games. It’s additionally powering all of that AI-centric tech with on-chip {hardware}.
However for those who actually wish to push the bounds of what the processor can do by enjoying very intensive video games or attempting to do high-level duties, you’re going to face some bottlenecks. Not less than, you’ll face bottlenecks that you just wouldn’t face for those who have been utilizing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 as a substitute. You’re additionally going to have thermal issues. The Pixel 8 Professional doesn’t get as scorching as my Pixel 7 Professional did, nevertheless it nonetheless can get fairly toasty.
The underside line right here is that Tensor G3 isn’t going to be the perfect funding for the long term, particularly for those who’re an influence person.
Eliminated digital camera controls
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Lastly, I wish to contact again on the digital camera. I do know I’ve already lauded this cellphone as being probably the greatest digital camera telephones you may get, however Google did make a controversial change.
Earlier than the launch of the Pixel 8 collection, once you opened up the digital camera app on a Pixel, you’d see three slider controls on the viewfinder: brightness, shadows, and white steadiness. As you composed your shot, you can slide these to make on-the-fly adjustments. What’s extra, you can shortly modify for every subsequent shot, supplying you with quick (and simple) management over what you seize.
With the Pixel 8 collection, although, Google launched a brand new Professional Mode to the Pixel 8 Professional, the primary time ever {that a} Professional Mode has been in a Pixel. Google should have thought, “Hey, since we have now Professional Mode now, why do we’d like these sliders?” Therefore, Google took these sliders away.
My colleague Rita goes over why this was such an infuriating transfer, however I can shortly summarize it for you. Principally, if you wish to replicate the identical controls you beforehand had on Pixel telephones, you might want to swipe and faucet a number of instances in Professional Mode to switch every of those three settings. As you progress across the space and wish to make additional changes, you’ll have to repeat this advert nauseum, making what might have been a one-second process into one thing that takes a number of seconds. In sure conditions, these further seconds might trigger you to fully miss your required shot. This doesn’t even contact on the truth that the Pixel 8 Professional is the one cellphone with Professional Mode. All different Pixels simply have to take care of the loss with none alternative.
It’s attainable Google might revert this alteration sooner or later sooner or later, since individuals are fairly mad about it. For now, although, that is what we’re caught with.
Google Pixel 8 Professional revisited: Is it nonetheless value it?
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
So, is the Pixel 8 Professional nonetheless value shopping for at the moment, six months later? For these of you simply in search of a easy reply, I’ll say “sure.” I like the Pixel 8 Professional. I feel it’s the perfect Android cellphone which you could get proper now — at the least for the worth you’ll pay, which is round $1,000. That’s nonetheless considerably cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely ($1419.99 at Amazon), which might be probably the most comparable Android cellphone. So that you’re going to avoid wasting somewhat cash comparably, get lots of the similar options, and even get some options that the Galaxy S24 Extremely doesn’t have, reminiscent of Class 3 Face Unlock.
Google Pixel 8 Professional
Wonderful cameras • Enjoyable, unique Android 14 customizations • Trade-leading replace promise
Highly effective Google cellphone with highly effective digital camera options
The Google Pixel 8 Professional is filled with distinctive digital camera options and AI-assisted software program that places the good into smartphone.
For these of you in search of a extra nuanced reply, I’m going to say, “Sure, however…” Bear in mind how I mentioned the Pixel 8 Professional will get seven years of updates? That’s an enormous deal, nevertheless it’s additionally a double-edged sword. Regardless that Google plans on supporting this cellphone for that lengthy, what’s that help going to appear to be? Sure, you’re going to get the most recent safety patches and the latest variations of Android, however are you going to proceed to get modern characteristic updates for that total time? For instance, if Google releases an superior new digital camera characteristic for the Pixel 11 in 2026, will the Pixel 8 Professional finally get that characteristic? That’s an enormous query we don’t know the reply to as a result of we’ve by no means seen Google help a cellphone for this lengthy. That makes me barely nervous about recommending the Pixel 8 Professional to individuals, particularly when the Pixel 9 collection is true across the nook.
For me, the Pixel 8 Professional is almost excellent aside from its dimension. I actually want this cellphone was just a bit bit smaller, and all of the leaks to this point recommend that the Pixel 9 Professional that’s popping out in October 2024 will probably be somewhat bit smaller whereas nonetheless together with many of the Pixel 8 Professional’s options, together with a periscope zoom lens. If you happen to’re like me and you want your cellphone have been just a bit extra compact, it could be value ready for that Pixel 9 Professional.
In the long run, although, if long-term characteristic updates and the smaller Pixel 9 Professional don’t concern you and also you simply need the perfect Android cellphone you may get proper now for the cash, I’ve no hesitation in saying that the Pixel 8 Professional goes to do nice for you. For everybody else, for those who can wait six months for the Pixel 9 collection launch, I’d advocate you do this.