Google Pixel 8 Review: Software Magic Do You Know It?
written By Alvi Hosain | August 8, 2024
After using the Pixel 8, I’ve concluded: that I don’t think you should buy the Pixel 8 right now. I mean, it’s not a bad phone by any means, but at $609, it’s painfully overpriced. For a more feature-packed experience, you might want to consider the Google Pixel 8 Pro or Pixel 8 Pro. Which offers more power for the same price range.
Instead, if you want a similar Pixel experience, you should get the Pixel 7a, which is available for just $499, or the Pixel 7, which goes for around $599. And if you want a smoother 120Hz display and a more versatile set of cameras, you can go with the Pixel 7 Pro, which has seen a massive discount and is cheaper than the Pixel 8. So, as I said, at $549, the Pixel phone doesn’t make any sense right now. I would advise you to wait for a few months.
What we like
- Crazy-AI camera tricks
- Refreshed design
- 7 years of software updates!
- Pro-level display
What we don’t like
- Lower performance compared to competition
- Battery charging still leaves room for improvement
- The audio quality could be better
- Minimal camera upgrades over Pixel 7
Google Pixel 8 Specifications:
- Body: Front~Gorilla Glass Victus, Back~Gorilla Glass Victus, aluminum frame, IP68 dust/water resistant
- Display: 6.2 inches, OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1400 nits (HBM), 2000 nits (peak)
- Resolution: FHD+(1080 x 2400 pixels), 20:9 ratio, ~428 ppi density
- Color Options: Rose, Hazel and Obsidian
- Software & UI: Android 14, up to 7 years of software support
- Rear Camera: Dual;
– 50MP, f/1.7 primary sensor, OIS, Laser AF, PDAF
– 12MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera - Front Camera: 10.5MP, f/2.2 sensor
- Audio: No 3.5mm headphone jack
- Security: In-display fingerprint sensor (optical), Face unlock
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass, Barometer
- Chipset: Google Tensor G3 ( 4nm )
- Memory: 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage
- Battery: 4575mAh with 27W wired charging,18W wireless charging, Reverse Wireless Charging
Google Pixel 8 Design
A very small change from the Pixel 7, I liked the rounded corners on this year’s Pixel 8, which made for a more comfortable grip. And while the side rails and camera unit on the back still have that beautiful matte finish, the back glass itself unfortunately still has the same glossy finish as the previous year’s models.
The overall design, the look and feel, everything remains the same, though. You get this iconic camera module, Gorilla Glass Victus on both the front and back, and an IP68 rating. But Google has done a great job in making it lighter and smaller.
So yes, I had a great experience every time I was holding this phone. It’s almost as compact as the Galaxy S23 but with a better and more comfortable hands-on feel thanks to these curves. The buttons here are easily reachable, and this fingerprint sensor is at the perfect location as well.
Google Pixel 8 Display
The display is also where the Pixel 8 gets a big improvement. You are now looking at a gorgeous 120Hz OLED panel with slimmer bezels, excellent color accuracy, and viewing angles, while the Pixel 8 can get bright as well. I watch movies on Netflix in HDR, and it’s an enjoyable experience.
The Pixel 8’s display was able to produce good contrast levels in those dark scenes pretty well. Likewise, thanks to the higher 120Hz refresh rate and all the subtle tweaks you get with Android 14, interacting with the Pixel 8 has also been quite enjoyable. It’s not an LTPO panel like the Pro model, but everything here is optimized to run at either 60, 90, or 120Hz. We now have a much brighter display on the Pixel 8 in terms of peak brightness, up to 2000 nits, and it somehow achieves those brightness levels more efficiently than last year’s models.
Google Pixel 8 Camera
The Pixel 8’s main 50-megapixel camera is the same as the Pixel 8 Pro and comes with optical and electronic image stabilization (OIS and EIS) and has an f/1.68 aperture. The wide-angle camera has 12MP and a 125.8-degree field of view, but there’s no dedicated telephoto camera, so you can make do with the 2x “optical quality” zoom provided by the main camera.
The selfie camera has 10.5MP and fixed focus. I compared it with the Galaxy S23, and most of the time, I got better dynamic range, nicer highlights, and exposure control from both the main and ultra-wide lens of the Pixel 8. The S23 tends to unnecessarily brighten up the images at times, but the Pixel 8 tends to maintain balanced shots with pleasing contrast.
So most of the time, I got better photos from the Pixel 8. And its portraits are in a whole different league as well. It has better subject focus, skin tone, and better color processing.The background blur is done nicely, and hence the photos come out much, much better.
Pixel 8 Photo
Same with the selfies, although in indoor conditions, Pixel 8’s photos look dark and over-contrasty for some reason so maybe an update can fix this issue. But overall, photography-wise, the Pixel 8 delivers consistent results with on-point everything like white balance, color science, details, everything. I also found that Google has greatly improved the videography side of things this time.
Protroits
Image Credit: Gadgetbyte
It’s not as good as something like the iPhone 15 but it’s getting close to what the Galaxy S23 manages which we know is a capable phone for videos. There’s no lag when switching between the main and ultra-wide angle lens at 4K 60fps and the stabilization is fairly good. Okay, so from the Pixel 8, you can shoot at up to 4K 60fps from the selfie camera as well and the video is stable enough.
It’s not extremely shaky so that’s nice but I think the subject looks a bit too dark and contrasty which should not be the case and I hope that Pixel brings forth an update to fix this issue ASAP. Alright, so by now, I guess I’ve covered almost everything about the Pixel 8, and like I said in the very beginning, its official launch price is just not right at the moment, especially because of its weaker and toasty Tensor chip.
Google Pixel 8 Performance
The biggest issue with the Pixel 8, especially considering its hefty price tag, is its Tensor G3 chipset. On paper, it looks quite capable with its 4nm manufacturing process, a 9-core CPU, and a new Immortalis GPU that promises improved graphic performance.
I also conducted a 30-minute GPU Throttle test. This thing drops to 63% of its peak performance, far less than any other modern flagship chip manages. Similarly, when running GPU stress tests like 3DMark’s Wildlife, its stability is not that great either.
As far as raw performance goes, the Pixel 8’s Tensor G3 is not even comparable to 2-year-old flagship chips from Qualcomm and Apple. And if you compare it with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Apple’s A17 Pro, things get embarrassing for Google. Of course, Pixel 8 phones have never been about pure horsepower, and Google mostly tries to make up for this difference with some neat AI tricks. But it’s just not right that we are getting such inferior CPU and GPU performance here.
As a result, the Pixel 8 does not deliver as good of a gaming experience as you’d expect from a flagship phone either. It didn’t perform well in most of the PUBG Mobile and Genshin Impact games I tried at the highest graphics settings, so I had to stick with low or medium settings to get stable results and a more comfortable temperature. Then again, the day-to-day general performance of the Pixel 8 has been fine for me.
Game Test
Google Pixel 8 Android Software Powered by AI
The software experience on Pixel 8 devices has mostly remained consistent for the past few years. They’re always known for amazing software capabilities more than hardware, and this year they’ve added a few cool tricks up their sleeves, especially with the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.
A few nuances that I noticed are a new repair mode with the latest version of Android. It’s hidden underneath the system settings, but basically, this protects your apps and personal data from being accessed when you give the Pixel 8 for repair in the future. I just hope you don’t drop it.
Google has also recently added Circle to Search, which debuted on the Galaxy S24, and Samsung was going to town with marketing that feature, though it was just a matter of time to get it rolled into the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
You long press on the home button, which highlights what’s on your screen, and all you have to do is circle, highlight, or tap anything, which will then bring up search results instantly, and it’s fast and stupidly accurate. This is great for those who are glued to Pinterest for design inspiration. I like this feature on the Pixel 8.
There’s also a clean feature that once again uses AI to remove any fingerprints, smudges, or creases when scanning documents or receipts.
You can also use the cameras to double as a webcam. All you have to do is just plug in the phone to a computer, tap on USB options, and then webcam, and just like that, you can either use the rear cameras or the selfie camera over the potato ones built into your laptop.
And finally, Google has committed to providing Android OS updates for a whopping 7 years on the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro, so that means these phones will stay current until 2030. However, I’m a bit skeptical about how the underwhelming Tensor chip will manage these advancements, but I guess only time will tell if it’s going to make it or break it. I did wish that Google extended these updates to include the Pixel 7 series, but what can I say? It’s a very Google thing to do.
Google Pixel 8 Battery
The battery life has also been kind of a mixed bag here. On days when I wasn’t playing many games or doing anything that would overheat the phone, it was giving me around 6 hours of screen time, which seems to align with the median Pixel user battery performance. But when I did exactly that, it only lasted for a maximum of 5 hours. So yes, it does not have the user battery usage profile you’d expect for heavy tasks, but given its compact size and relatively smaller battery, it’s not too bad, to be honest.
Plus, the charging speed has gotten slightly faster to 27W this time, and it can now go from 0 to 100% in around 1 hour and 15 minutes with my 65W Ugreen PD charger. So far, the Pixel 8 has been a hit and a miss, but as always, the cameras are the saving grace for this phone.
Pixel 8 Verdict
I guess I’ve covered almost everything about the Pixel 8, and like I said in the very beginning, its official launch price is just not right at the moment, especially because of its weaker and toasty Tensor chip. If they had included the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 here, its price would have been kind of justifiable, given how good it is at everything else from the display to the Pixel 8 experience and the cameras themselves. So, you would be looking at a fantastic compact flagship phone with the best camera in the segment on the Pixel 8.
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Alvi Hosain
I am a tech enthusiast with over 1.5 years of experience in phone reviews and gadgets. Passionate about making technology easier for everyone, I focus on creating smartphone reviews and detailed tech guides. Whether exploring the latest devices or providing tips on how to get the most out of your gadgets, I love helping others navigate the world of technology. Known among my friends for solving phone-related problems, I enjoy discussing technology and staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends.
