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Google Pixel 6 Pro

RRP $ 899.00

"The Pixel 6 Pro has the best camera on a smartphone today, a vibrant screen, the latest and greatest-looking version of Android installed, and enough power and long-term support to keep you going for years."

advantages

• Incredible camera

• Fun camera features and editing tools

• Vivid, colorful screen

• Android 12

• Long software support

disadvantage

• Unreliable fingerprint sensor in the display

• Cellular connection fluctuates in some situations

• 120 Hz screen may shake

the Pixel 6 Pro is leading Google's Pixel smartphone lineup in an exciting and much-needed new direction. In the third generation, Pixels had become a boring mid-range smartphone for geeks and photographers. The Pixel 6 Pro, on the other hand, is a flagship with an eye-catching design and new technology inside. Plus, it has a fantastic camera, the latest software, and a price that won't hit your bank account too hard.

Does this make the Pixel 6 Pro a phone for everyone that can really compete with the best from Apple and Samsung? Yes, but not entirely either.

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What a fantastic looking smartphone the Pixel 6 Pro is, with its fashionable color scheme, high quality materials and feel, and unique style that makes it impossible to confuse with anything else. After a stream of boring, purely functional mobile devices, Google gave the Pixel 6 Pro a design that matches its clean and beautiful software. It's up there with the best looking phones released this year.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

All done? Nothing but praise? Well no The Pixel 6 Pro is massive and almost identical to the other monster phone of 2021, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. At 8.9mm thick, it's not slim either, and its 210g weight means you'll always have it in your pocket. It is far from suitable for one-handed operation. The metal and shiny glass don't offer much grip either. So if you don't hold onto it there is a risk of a major, expensive accident.

Even if you do not hold the phone in your hand, it does not eliminate the risk of disaster as the phone has a tendency to slide around on many surfaces due to its slippery nature. A bag is recommended to keep it safe, and I also made sure that it is shielded on surfaces as the large camera module on the back can act as an anchor. The single, raised module strip extends over the entire back and, in the Sorta Sunny version, is framed with black glass and provided with gold decorative stripes in the adjacent pictures. This edge is slightly raised and can prevent the glass and lens from being scratched.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

That the Pixel 6 Pro is big and slippery isn't unique, but it's a shame the non-Pro Pixel 6 isn't much smaller or less likely to break for freedom since it's made from the same materials. Unfortunately, the similarity in size means that no Pixel 6 phone is ideal for someone who wants a small Google phone. In the past few weeks with the Pixel 6 Pro, I've finally adjusted to the size and weight of the phone, along with the quirk that the power button is too high on the case. If you're coming from a smaller phone, be prepared for the fact that for the first few days the phone won't feel as natural as you might hope it will.

screen

On the Pixel 6 Pro, you'll see a beautiful 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with an aspect ratio of 19.5: 9, resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels, and refresh rate of 120 Hz, covered with curved Gorilla Glass Victus . This is where it differs from the Pixel 6, which has a smaller, flat screen with a lower resolution and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The curve is subtle and doesn't bend much of the screen over the sides of the phone and is mostly taken up by noticeable bezels.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It's incredibly bright with excellent viewing angles, and you can watch videos with the phone flat on the table without losing quality or color. The viewing experience comes extremely close to that of the iPhone 13 Pro, with only a slight decrease in contrast in a direct comparison. Watching the Carfection video on the Ferrari 250 SWB reveals sublime colors and razor sharpness. The Pixel 6 Pro is a powerhouse for video playback.

The stereo speakers are intelligently placed, with the speaker at the bottom of the phone being accompanied by the main speaker at the top of the screen. Although the sound is pushed forward, it still has a wide sound stage. It's loud but the bass is missing, although the immersion from the clever placement of the speakers still makes the Pixel 6 Pro sound great in almost all situations.

The Pixel 6 Pro is a powerhouse for video playback.

All good so far but there are two serious screen issues that really frustrated me. The first is the in-display fingerprint sensor, which is junk. The problem is that it's slow and unreliable. I've re-registered my pressure several times and it doesn't change the situation. I've unlocked the Pixel 6 Pro with my PIN code more than any other phone, and there's no face unlock to bypass the pesky fingerprint sensor. I got around it a bit with Android's Smart Lock feature, which keeps the phone unlocked when it's in my pocket or when I'm at home. However, it's not particularly reliable either.

One-handed mode Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Second, there's the 120Hz refresh rate. It's switchable between 60Hz and 120Hz instead of being dynamic like the Galaxy S21 Ultra's screen, and while much of the software is very fluid, there are apps that just aren't . Twitter is a great example as scrolling through my feed is like wading through mud compared to the iPhone 13 Pro. I'm pretty sure this is a screen refresh issue because when I manually force a 60Hz rate it scrolls freely, albeit with more blur. High refresh rate screens reduce eye strain and make website viewing and content scrolling more comfortable. At the moment, this is not always the case with the Pixel 6 Pro.

Both issues are at odds with the Pixel 6 Pro's polished exterior design, and not what you'd expect from a new high-end flagship from a company the size of Google. The refresh rate inconsistency could be fixed with a software update, and the fingerprint sensor unreliability could be improved in the same way. For now, however, both are pretty significant drawbacks that set the Pixel 6 Pro apart from its more expensive competitors.

camera

You get a 50-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with 4x optical zoom and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Pixel 6 Pro also uses Laser Detect autofocus, optical image stabilization on the main and telecamera, and records up to 4K videos at 60 frames per second (fps). There's also an 11-megapixel selfie camera in a hole-punch cutout at the top center of the screen.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I've already compared the Pixel 6 Pro's camera directly to the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and Apple iPhone 13 Pro, and it beat those two established camera superstars. Everything you've heard about the Pixel 6 Pro's camera is true – it really is that good. Stills are full of life, colors and details. I haven't yet found a real situation where a photo is being taken that I need to edit a lot, if at all, before considering sharing, and the range of cameras offers versatility for me to have fun and get creative with .

It's the simplicity with which you can snap stunning photos that makes it so exciting. No matter whether night or day – whether the subject is moving or resting or near or far – the 6 Pro does everything for you. You just press a button and get a brilliant picture.

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There are several exclusive pixel camera modes to try out. Action Pan lets you take photos with a blurry background motion effect, which is great for action shots of cars and other fast-moving things. You just take a photo as usual and Google's software will add the speed effect. Long exposure mode does the same thing and you don't have to track the subject, but I haven't found that many situations where it works compared to Action Pan mode.

Everything you've heard about the Pixel 6 Pro's camera is true – it really is that good.

Found in Google Photos, Magic Eraser is only available on the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, and it works by digitally removing unwanted things from your photo. It's effective and easy to use, and with a few swipes, random people and objects will disappear from the background of your photos. It even works with old photos and photos that weren't taken with the Pixel 6 Pro. It's part of Google Photo's extensive photo editing suite that goes way beyond optimizing HDR or Saturation. You can even change the look of the sky in your photo with the touch of a button.

Anything that isn't great? The large sensor makes close-ups difficult, and there is no macro mode to make up for this. I've also seen some weird distortion from the main camera where objects appear to be a different shape than they actually are. Aside from that, you get fun photo and video modes, transformative editing tools, and a camera that will capture amazing photos regardless of your skills and the environment. The Pixel 6 Pro's camera is currently the best you can get on a smartphone.

Software and performance

The Pixel 6 Pro uses Google's new custom tensor processor, paired here with 12GB of RAM. There is a choice of 128 GB or 256 GB of storage space. I used the phone normally, spent time playing Asphalt 9: Legends, and took nearly 500 photos over a couple of weeks. Through all of that, the phone was a top performer. I didn't notice any difference with the Tensor-powered Pixel 6 Pro versus a phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor when it comes to general everyday life.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Google used the Pixel 6 phones to launch Android 12. The biggest difference that you will notice with any other Android phone is the material you design. It makes Android cleaner than ever and a little more customizable too, as the accent colors can be set anywhere to match your wallpaper. There are some fairly new widgets of varying uses, with the YouTube Music widget being the most helpful to me and the new clock widgets being the most appealing.

The shortcut keys on the notification shade are bigger, easier to press and have new functions. I can't say they made a significant difference in my daily use, but they are definitely pretty to look at. I like the "bounce" built into vertically scrolling pages in the OS, but the one-handed mode isn't very good as you can't scroll through the OS and instead use a single app. It's not very helpful with a phone this big. I also like the Google Assistant's voice typing mode, which works fully in Messages and WhatsApp, so you can type and send messages hands-free. It's accurate and fast – I use it most days.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The tensor chip is supposed to improve the translation of other languages ​​on the device and is definitely faster than previous versions that I used on older Pixel phones. Live Caption adds text captions to videos in a few other languages ​​including Japanese. While watching one of AKB48's recent YouTube videos, Yuki Kashiwagi, the translation was good enough to understand what was going on, but it takes a while to get started. It will still make mistakes, especially if the conversation is lively, and will completely misunderstand what is being said, but overall it works well and is fast enough to keep up.

Although I've read some comments online about Android 12 having a lot of bugs, nothing was noticed during my time with the phone, at least not in terms of general usage. It is running all of the apps I have installed and has not crashed or done anything that irritates my daily chores. However, I've noticed that the assistant doesn't always give instructions to Google Home and sometimes it responds to the same commands. For example, Assistant stopped playing a YouTube video when I asked Home to stop playing a radio station.

I find Android 12 comfortable and quick to use, but there is a small learning curve. Google doesn't keep popping up cool features after reading the intro guide. The helpful pixel introductory cards that pop up the first time you set up your phone and lead you to notable new features will eventually wear off and you'll have to reach into the settings menu to activate them. It's a shame because you can be missing out if you don't take the time to really learn how to get the most out of Android 12.

Battery and connectivity

Equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery that charges to 50% in 30 minutes with a USB PD 3.0 charger and Qi wireless charging, Google says the Pixel 6 Pro will last around 24 hours before it does needs to be charged. After testing, I expect the Pixel 6 Pro to last at least as long as promised, and I was pretty impressed with the battery life given the size and specs of the screen and the 120Hz always-on refresh rate.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

For example, on a single day with three hours of GPS use, a hundred photos, apps open, social networks, and a few other simple tasks, the battery still had around 30% left late in the evening. With light to moderate daily use, it was rare for the battery to drop below 50% by midnight. However, it took the phone about two days and two charges to adjust to my usage before the battery started working much harder. After this adjustment phase was over, the battery life improved significantly.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

This is a 5G smartphone that connects to either sub-6 or mmWave networks depending on the version purchased. I am testing the phone in the UK on the 4G and sub 6-5G EE network. I have found that connectivity can be flaky and on several occasions a data connection has not been maintained despite showing a 4G or 5G connection. I've noticed that this is especially the case after driving a car, which may indicate that it is struggling to switch between cell towers and possibly 3G, 4G, and 5G as well. It isn't all the time and can only happen in areas with poor coverage, but there is something to be aware of.

After this adjustment phase was over, the battery life improved significantly.

Otherwise, the call quality is very good, with clear voices and a loud speaker (although finding the sweetspot on the ear is a bit awkward). I also had no issues connecting bluetooth earbuds or streaming YouTube to my TV.

Price and availability

the Pixel 6 Pro starts at $ 899 and is available now through Google's own online store and various networks. In the UK, the Pixel 6 Pro starts at £ 849. However, be prepared to wait if you order one now as demand is high and supply is low.

Our opinion

The only thing stopping the Google Pixel 6 Pro from being a must-have is the in-display fingerprint sensor. It's the only technical feature that lets the whole thing down, and since Face Unlock can't be used instead, getting into the phone takes longer than any other top smartphone currently available. It's a real shame because once inside it's a great experience.

Android 12 looks great, the screen is colorful and vibrant, and the camera is the best I've used on any phone in a while. That you have to resort to hacky workarounds to unlock your phone and gain access to these wonderful things borders on cruelty. Aside from the exaggeration, I was hoping that after the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 Ultra debacle, we had exceeded the level that makes security on smartphones annoying, but unfortunately not. Fortunately, the camera makes up for it. The last camera that I liked as much as the Pixel 6 Pro was on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and I think the photos on the 6 Pro are better than those of the S21 Ultra in many ways.

The many advantages of the Pixel 6 Pro mean I've learned to live with the inadequacy of the fingerprint sensor and other relatively minor annoyances, and the price is extremely competitive. even. If I were told it was $ 1,000, I wouldn't think of questioning its worth. It hits 8/10 here, and that will climb to 9/10 if the screen issues are fixed and connectivity improved in an update, but that number may not really reflect how good the rest of the Pixel 6 Pro is, which is why it is is associated with an Editor's Choice Award.

The Pixel 6 Pro is hands down the best Google phone in the past few years, and it's so powerful and well supported that it will last for years.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want the best camera phone available, our tests show that the Pixel 6 Pro is the right phone right now, although the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro are still superb and have some unique features that set them apart from others . These two devices are the main competitors of the Pixel 6 Pro, and we appreciate the feature set and beautiful screen of the S21 Ultra, as well as the performance, capability, and excellent software of the iPhone 13 Pro. You won't go wrong with any of these three phones.

How long it will take?

The Pixel 6 Pro's screen is covered with Gorilla Glass Victus, the back is covered with Gorilla Glass 6, and the phone is IP68 water and dust resistant so it can withstand harsh treatment. However, due to the slippery case, I still recommend putting it in a suitcase.

Google promises major Android software updates for the Pixel 6 Pro by October 2024 and security updates by October 2026. This is one of the longest update schedules on any Android phone, and even surpasses Samsung's generous four years of security updates on its latest Galaxy Cell phones. The Google Pixel 6 Pro will easily last three years before you have to consider upgrading, but for many it could easily take five years.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. The fingerprint sensor will annoy you, but the camera and performance are so good, and the price is so cheap, that you will overlook it.

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