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Long-term assessment of the Google Pixel 8: A desirable small high-end phone that requires a price reduction
The Google Pixel 8 is a highly recommendable compact premium phone for anyone who prefers such models, provided you can get it for less than Rs 60,000.
Advantages: – Top-notch construction and appearance – Small structure with IP68 defense against dust and water – Superior main camera, enhanced ultra-wide camera – Crisp, lively 120Hz OLED screen – Fluid and uncluttered Android 14 interface – Assurance of 7 years of software updates – Decent overall functionality after some updates.
Downsides: The charging process is sluggish and there's no charger included in the package. The Tensor G3 tends to overheat when it's heavily used. It still lacks a telephoto camera and is pricey.
Score: 3.75 out of 5. Cost: Ranges from Rs 75,999 to Rs 82,999
We've been testing out the Google Pixel 8 for several months now. Indeed, by the end of last year, we had experienced enough of its features to rank it among our top smartphones of 2023. However, some high-end phones truly improve and become more reliable over time, thanks to several updates that rectify initial glitches. The Google Pixel series is a perfect illustration of this. Therefore, we decided to spend more time with the Pixel 8, and it's now time to share all the essential details about it.
The design of the Google Pixel 8 is sleek and robust, with a high-end look and feel. Google has implemented a handful of minor changes to the design of the Pixel 8, and they appear to be effective. The phone continues to embody the characteristic Pixel design, and its small size makes it comfortable to hold. The phone weighs less than 190 grams. The construction is durable, with a high-quality finish due to its aluminium frame and glass back. The phone maintains its IP68 rating for resistance against dust and water. Although the screen remains flat, there's a slight rounding at the edges, enhancing its visual appeal and tactile feel.
The borders around the screen are significantly smaller, particularly the lower border, contributing to a slight reduction in the phone's overall height. The screen and rear of the phone are safeguarded from scratch damage by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The Rose (or rather, Rose Gold) version that we reviewed barely shows any fingerprints or smears. The metallic edges beautifully enhance the rear of the phone. This metallic aesthetic is also featured in the unique camera strip on the back, a characteristic that has been consistent in at least the last three versions of this phone.
The volume and power buttons are positioned on the right side, making them easily accessible without much finger stretching. The in-display fingerprint scanner is also ideally located, and while it may not be the best on the market, it is certainly an upgrade from the Pixel 7 series. The SIM card tray can be found on the left side of the phone, and the bottom houses a USB-C port and a speaker. However, the phone lacks a memory card slot and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
The display of the Google Pixel 8 is vivid and clear, with a 120Hz refresh rate for the first time. Despite a slight decrease in display size, the resolution remains unchanged, resulting in better pixel density. The Pixel 8 comes with a small 6.2-inch Full HD+ OLED screen with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a maximum brightness of 2000 nits. For the first time, a non-Pro Pixel device comes with a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen, which supports HDR10+, offers bright and crisp visuals with superb color accuracy and contrast right out of the box.
The fine tuning of the phone is commendable since it offers minimal color adjustments. It only provides two settings – Adaptive and Natural. The Adaptive setting enhances the colors a bit, whereas the Natural setting maintains the original color. You should experiment with both to see which one you prefer. An always-on display option is also there if you like that feature. The display is almost flawless and in many aspects, it is one of the phone's most notable attributes.
The Google Pixel 8's hardware and performance are decent, but they don't quite reach the high standards of top-tier smartphones. The device runs on Google's third iteration of the Tensor G3 processor, which also drives the Pixel 8 Pro. Although it's fairly potent, it doesn't hold a candle to the previous two versions of Qualcomm's flagship chips, namely the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Gen 3, in terms of sheer processing prowess. However, it's essential to remember the Tensor G3's impressive AI processing potential, which might not be evident in common synthetic benchmark results.
This phone comes with 8GB RAM and a choice between 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. However, it's worth noting that several rival phones have been offering the quicker UFS 4.0 storage since the beginning of 2023. In terms of performance, the Tensor G3 easily handles everyday tasks such as using social media or messaging apps, watching videos, surfing the web, operating multiple browser tabs, and switching among them. Initially, during our tests, the phone used to get slightly warm, but it now operates at a comparatively lower temperature for extended periods.
The phone typically remains at a cool temperature, but it can become slightly heated after half an hour of playing games or taking numerous consecutive photos. Even though the heat doesn't become dangerously high, the phone's performance significantly decreases as it gets warmer. In some instances, performance can decrease by up to 50%, as demonstrated by the 3D Mark stress test image provided. We conducted synthetic benchmarks tests to evaluate its performance and compare it with its previous model, the Tensor G2, which powers the Pixel 7 series.
Take a look at the benchmark scores in the graphic provided. I'll give you a rundown of how its performance measures up to its predecessor and the OnePlus 11 5G which uses Qualcomm's last-generation flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. Intriguingly, the Tensor G3's Geekbench 6 single-core score is approximately 50% higher than the other two chips, thanks to its 3 GHz Cortex-X3 core which commands the nona-core chipset. However, its multi-core score lands in the middle of the other two, showing a 15% increase from the G2 and trailing 10% behind the Qualcomm chip.
In the 3D Mark Wild Life gaming metrics, we saw a 33% increase in performance compared to the Tensor G2. Even so, it's still significantly behind what the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 can accomplish, with the Tensor G3 lagging by about 30%. That said, the actual gaming performance of the Pixel 8 is fairly good, allowing you to play the majority of games available. In some instances, you may need to reduce the graphics setting to achieve acceptable frame rates.
The phone is equipped with a dual speaker system, one located at the back of the earpiece and another at the bottom of the device. Together, they generate a considerably loud and powerful audio output with excellent stereo distinction. The device is compatible with Bluetooth 5.3 and offers tri-band WiFi that supports a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7 protocols. Throughout our evaluation period, the device demonstrated excellent call quality and reception. Additionally, the phone supports 5G technology.
The battery life of the Google Pixel 8 is satisfactory. Although the battery size has gone up from 4355 mAh in the Pixel 7 to 4575 mAh in the Pixel 8, the actual duration the battery lasts hasn't significantly changed. Initially, the battery life was even poorer than that of the Pixel 7. However, after several updates and improvements, the battery can now easily last more than a day with moderate usage, or about 28 to 30 hours, which is a decent performance for a smaller phone. The phone, however, lacks any real fast charging capabilities.
While the charging times have slightly improved from the previous model, they still fall short when measured against current standards, and are even far behind the benchmarks established by numerous Chinese manufacturers five years ago. The Pixel is capable of 27W fast charging with USB-PD 3.0 chargers, which is a 7W increase from the maximum that the Pixel 7 could handle. Therefore, opting for a 30W charger instead of a 20W one does enhance the charging rate to some extent, although the difference isn't huge, unlike with the Pixel 7.
Google continues to exclude a charger from its package, including only a USB-C cable. We tested numerous third-party chargers with power ratings of 20W, 25W, 30W, and higher using USB-PD. The quickest charging time we observed for the Pixel 8, from 1% to 100%, was 88 minutes, which is 7 minutes faster than the top speed of the Pixel 7. I think only Apple's top-tier devices are slower in charging when compared to this. Devices like the OnePlus 12 and Xiaomi 14 can achieve full charge in less than 40 minutes. If Google cannot match this speed, I hope they aim for a charging time of less than an hour for the Pixel 9 at least.
The camera performance of the Google Pixel 8 is exceptional, with a superior main camera and an enhanced ultra-wide camera. Despite having two rear cameras that appear similar to those of the Pixel 7, they are actually improvements. The main camera boasts a 50MP capacity with laser auto-focus, optical image stabilization (OIS), and a broader f/1.7 aperture. The 12MP ultra-wide camera has a wider 126-degree field of view and includes auto-focus, allowing it to function as a high-quality macro camera. This feature was previously absent in the Pixel 7. However, the specified telephoto camera found in the Pro models is still missing.
The primary camera takes spectacular photos in both well-lit and dim settings. The color representation is quite precise and the dynamic range is outstanding. Pixel phones have consistently boasted superb contrast over time, and the Pixel 8 is no exception. The images taken display incredible detail, evident in the camera samples provided at the close of this segment. It also performs exceptionally well in low light conditions.
The phone intuitively transitions to Night Sight mode in low light conditions, effectively brightening the image without overdoing it or sacrificing the intricacy. The level of detail captured is usually on par with images taken in well-lit conditions. Pixel phones have maintained a strong relationship with portrait photography for quite some time, and this bond continues to be evident in the Pixel 8. In portrait images, the edge recognition is extremely accurate, providing nearly flawless background distinction. The feature functions well with both human subjects and other items, as can be seen in the camera samples.
I previously stated that there isn't a specific telephoto camera included, but the camera application provides a 2X zoom feature, which may be described as hybrid or digital. Although I wouldn't classify these as lossless, the images taken at 2X zoom are quite satisfactory, almost comparable to those taken with an optical zoom. The zoom can go up to 8X, but any zooming above 5X noticeably reduces the image sharpness and detail. The artificial intelligence does help maintain image quality up to 5X zoom.
Transitioning to the 12MP ultra-wide camera, the results are impressive in suitable lighting, with color and dynamic range similar to the primary camera. The colors may seem a bit overdone occasionally, but this won't bother most people. It also functions fairly well in dim light, however, the colors appear somewhat subdued and the details aren't as sharp as the main camera. The ultra-wide camera of the Pixel 8 features auto-focus, allowing it to take high-quality close-up shots.
The device is equipped with a 10.5MP front-facing camera, which is slightly lower in megapixels than the 10.8MP found on the Pixel 7, yet the performance remains top-notch. This selfie camera delivers impressive shots with natural-looking skin tones. Furthermore, it boasts a wide field of view, enabling it to take more than just satisfactory portrait selfies. All the cameras have the capability to shoot 4K videos at 24, 30 and 60 frames per second. The back cameras also have the added feature of recording slow-motion videos in 1080p, reaching up to 240 frames per second. Both OIS and gyro-EIS contribute to the smoothness of the recorded videos. There's also a 10-bit HDR mode available. The videos shot with the rear cameras offer sharp and stabilized footage, which is quite impressive for this category.
Follow this link to view untouched photo examples taken with the Google Pixel 8.
The operating system and user interface of the Google Pixel 8 are top-notch for Android. Being a Pixel device, it offers the most refined and optimal Android 14 experience currently available. It provides a pure Android experience, free from any unnecessary software, and features the Material You design aesthetic. The user interface is smooth, without any significant lag, and any major glitches have been resolved. Any minor problems that arose soon after the phone's release have been rectified by this point.
The Pixel 8 operates on the most recent version of Android 14, complete with the security patch from March 2024. Users can look forward to numerous routine updates in the future. Notably, Google has committed to providing 7 years worth of software updates for the Pixel 8 range, a significant guarantee. The phone comes with a variety of handy features to explore, as well as the well-liked Google apps which are smoothly incorporated.
Whether it's identifying objects with Google Lens, recognizing speech, or translating languages, everything operates smoothly. Additional software features such as Magic Eraser and Camouflage provide editing and enhancement tools for your photos. Google continuously updates this device with new features, now including advanced options powered by Google AI. Make sure to regularly review Pixel Tips to discover any new or improved features on the Pixel 8.
The Google Pixel 8 costs Rs 75,999 for the 128GB version and Rs 82,999 for the 256GB model in India, including a one-year warranty. This is a significant Rs 16,000 increase from the introductory price of the Pixel 7. The delay in publishing this review was due to our anticipation, or rather, hope for a price reduction, which unfortunately did not occur. With the correct credit card, you can receive an immediate Rs 10,000 discount on the Pixel 8. However, even after this discount, the price still seems a bit steep. Let's delve into the reasons why.
The Pixel 7 Pro, which boasts superior features except for its processor, is presently available for Rs 66,999 for the 128GB model. Despite being equipped with a Tensor G2 chip from the previous generation, it's still sufficiently potent for a majority of tasks. Moreover, it features a higher resolution screen and an advanced camera system, including an impressive telephoto camera that the Pixel 8 lacks.
The Pixel 7, which isn't significantly different from the Pixel 8, can be bought for as little as 45K. Given the huge price gap, it's difficult to suggest purchasing the Pixel 8 at its current cost. Even though the Pixel 8 is marginally better in many aspects than the Pixel 7, the large price difference doesn't seem justified. Not only are the previous generation Google phones trying to rival the Pixel 8, but there are also more robust current flagship models like the OnePlus 12 and Xiaomi 14 available at a much lower price. The Apple iPhone 15 can also be included in this list.
The Google Pixel 8 isn't a disappointing phone by any means. In fact, it was one of the standout phones of 2023, and it remains a solid choice. However, the competitive landscape in 2024 has given it some hurdles to overcome to ensure it offers good value to customers. At the moment, Google appears to be following Apple's lead by reducing the prices of their new phones about a year after their release, typically around the holiday season. Should this occur, the Pixel 8 would be a wise purchase, especially if you can find it for less than 60K in the near future.
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