Andrew Hoyle/CNET
After an extended wait, I’ve acquired my fingers on Google’s new premium flagship telephone, the Pixel 6 Pro, which Google revealed at its Pixel 6 occasion alongside the Pixel 6. And up to now, I’m impressed. Google teased the telephone again in August and I defined on the time why I used to be excited to attempt its new digital camera setup, its Android 12 software program and the Google-made Tensor processor at its core. Now it is truly in my fingers that pleasure hasn’t pale. I’ve solely spent a brief period of time with the telephone up to now however I’ve already seen just a few key enhancements over the earlier Pixel 5. But then it must make these enhancements, given its considerably larger asking worth. At $899 (£849, converts to about AU$1,570), the Pixel 6 Pro prices a large $200 greater than the Pixel 5, so there isn’t any query that Google is pitching this handset as a premium telephone to be thought of alongside the iPhone 13 and Samsung’s Galaxy S21 (although in some ways, the Pixel 6 is extra thrilling).
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Read extra: Google Pixel 6 vs. 6 Pro: What are the largest specs variations?The Pixel 6 Pro seems like a way more premium telephone, changing the textured again of the 5 with a two-tone, all-glass glass again with digital camera strip alongside the highest. It’s reassuringly strong to carry, whereas the glass on the entrance curves gently on the edges to fulfill the aluminum body. One tip, although: Buy the sorta sunny orange coloration possibility — my stormy black evaluation mannequin is fairly uninteresting to take a look at.
The 6.7-inch show stretches proper to the perimeters of the telephone and it appears each brilliant and pin-sharp because of its 3,120×1,440-pixel decision. Google additionally says it has an adaptive display refresh charge that dynamically adjusts between 10 and 120Hz, relying on what you are doing. If you are gaming, for instance, you may want that prime refresh charge, however as a way to save energy, the telephone will modify to a a lot decrease charge when the telephone is solely displaying the house display. Google’s personal Tensor processorThe Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are powered by the Tensor processor — Google’s first custom-made chip, which the corporate guarantees can have quite a lot of advantages, significantly for “machine learning,” speech recognition and AI. It’s a big transfer for Google to provide its personal silicon and it marks a transparent dedication to stay within the {hardware} recreation — in any case, you do not go to the trouble of creating your personal processors as a one-off experiment. That digital camera strip undoubtedly units the Pixel 6 telephones aside from the competitors.
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But most of the advantages will come over time as Google develops extra methods to benefit from its new {hardware}. In use proper now, you will not discover any distinction from some other high-end smartphone processor. It appears nippy and freed from any annoying lag and you will function the telephone in precisely the identical manner you’d some other Android telephone. Think of it like placing a brand new engine in a automobile; you may nonetheless drive it simply the identical, on the identical roads, utilizing the identical gasoline, however it may go a bit sooner and could also be extra environment friendly. Or it might not. Time will inform and I’ll have extra particulars on this in my full evaluation.Read extra: Pixel Pass: Google’s bundling the Pixel 6 with Google One, YouTube Premium and extraAndroid 12The Pixel 6 Pro arrives with the newest launch of Android on board; Android 12. Google has already proven off a few of the key upgrades in Android 12, which incorporates options like scrollable screenshots and extra superior controls over privateness, resembling with the ability to flip off system-wide entry to the microphone and digital camera out of your management panel. The Pixel 6 Pro with its Android 12 homescreen (left) and the iPhone 13 Pro with iOS 13 (proper).
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Privacy is helped as properly by the devoted {hardware} co-processor — referred to as the Titan M2 — which ought to permit for higher on-device safety. Google additionally guarantees 5 years of safety updates for each Pixel 6 telephones, which can imply you’ll be able to preserve utilizing your system safely for for much longer. One of the larger options that is (for now) unique to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro nonetheless is the flexibility to create {custom} themes for the telephone based mostly on no matter picture you have got as your background. When you select a brand new wallpaper (both one of many many built-in wallpapers, or any of your personal photos saved to your telephone) the telephone will robotically pick the dominant coloration and can use that, and its complementary colours to alter the look of the interface.
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First impressions of the brand new Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
9:02
3 rear camerasThe again of the Pixel 6 Pro is house to 3 cameras; a 50-megapixel principal digital camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 48-megapixel telephoto digital camera that provides 4x optical zoom. The principal digital camera makes use of a bigger 1/1.3-inch sensor which Google says captures 2.5x extra gentle than the Pixel 5, serving to it take brighter, sharper photos in low gentle. The Pixel 5 was already in a position to take first rate low-light photos so I’m excited to see what these upgrades carry to the desk. The strip homes the three rear cameras.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The Pixel line has all the time been recognized for taking strong photos: They’re often up there with, however probably not surpassing the competitors. Both the iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra pack excellent cameras able to capturing lovely photos in any situations so the Pixel 6 Pro might want to put in a stellar efficiency to tempt enthusiastic photographers to half with their money. On paper, its triple setup sounds interesting, providing extra zoom than the iPhone 13 Pro (4x versus 3x, though lower than the S21 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom) in addition to 4K, stabilized video, improved auto modes for higher pores and skin tones for individuals of coloration and a “magic eraser” operate, which might apparently robotically take away individuals and objects from the background of a picture.How will the Pixel 6 Pro’s digital camera stack up in opposition to the iPhone 13 Pro? I am unable to wait to search out out.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Premium telephones can reside or die on the again of their digital camera high quality so I’m eager to take the Pixel 6 Pro for a correct picture tour to see simply how properly it compares. Other Pixel 6 Pro key featuresIP68 water-resistanceIn-screen fingerprint scanner5G connectivity12GB RAM128GB base storage5,003-mAh battery30W quick charging11-megapixel front-facing digital cameraPixel 6 Pro specs comparability chart
Google Pixel 6 Pro
Google Pixel 6
Google Pixel 5
Pixel 5A 5G
Display measurement, decision
6.7-inch LTPO OLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 10-120Hz
6.4-inch OLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels; 60 or 90Hz
6-inch FHD+ OLED; 2,340 x 1,080 pixels
6.34-inch OLED + Full HD Plus (2400 x 1080 pixels)
Pixel density
512 ppi
411 ppi
432ppi
413ppi
Dimensions (Inches)
6.5×3.0x0.4 in
6.2×2.9×0.4 in
5.7×2.8×0.3 in
Dimensions (Millimeters)
163.9×75.9×8.9 mm
158.6×74.8×8.9 mm
144.7×70.4×8.0 mm
156.2×73.2×8.8 depth (mm)
Weight (Ounces, Grams)
7.41 oz; 210g
7.3 oz; 207g
5.33 oz; 151g
6.45 oz; 183g
Mobile software program
Android 12
Android 12
Android 11
Android 11
Camera
50-megapixel (huge), 12-megapixel ultrawide), 48-megapixel (telephoto)
50-megapixel (huge), 12-megapixel ultrawide
12.2-megapixel (customary), 16-megapixel (ultra-wide)
16-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (huge)
Front-facing digital camera
11-megapixel
8-megapixel
8-megapixel
8-megapixel
Video seize
4K 30, 60fps (rear), 4K 30fps (entrance)
4K 30, 60fps (rear), 1,080p 30fps (entrance)
4K
4K
Processor
Google Tensor
Google Tensor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB, 256GB
128GB
128GB
RAM
12GB
8GB
8GB
6GB
Expandable storage
No
No
No
Battery
5,003 mAh
4,614 mAh
4,000 mAh
4,680 mAh
Fingerprint sensor
Under show
Under show
Rear
Connector
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
Headphone jack
No
No
No
Yes
Special options
5G sub 6 and mmWave help, Wi-Fi 6E, Ultra-wideband, 30W quick charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS and safety updates, IP68 score for dust- and water-resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (back and front)
5G sub 6 (some provider fashions even have 5G mmWave) help, Wi-Fi 6E, 30W quick charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS and safety updates, IP68 score for dust- and water-resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (entrance), Gorilla Glass 6 (again)
5G enabled; water resistant (IP68); 90Hz refresh charge show; twin SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); reverse wi-fi charging; quick charging
5G-enabled, Titan M chipset (safety chip), dual-pixel principal digital camera, IP67 water score, twin SIM, stereo audio system; 18W quick charging
Price off-contract (USD)
$899 (128GB)
$599 (128GB)
$699
$449
Price (GBP)
£849
£599
£599
NA
Price (AUD)
AU$1,570 (transformed)
AU$800 (transformed)
AU$999
NA