The Pixel 8 Pro maintains the same physical dimensions as its predecessor, the Pixel 7 Pro. However, there are notable differences in its design and features. Firstly, the 6.7-inch display is flat, in contrast to the curved edge display on the Pixel 7 Pro. On the rear, the camera arrangement has been reconfigured, and the Pixel 8 Pro now incorporates a temperature sensor.
A significant improvement lies in the display technology. The Pixel 8 Pro boasts a Super Actua display, which is considerably brighter, ranging from 1600 nits to an impressive 2400 nits, as opposed to the Pixel 7 Pro’s 1000 to 1500 nits. Both displays offer a seamless 120 Hz refresh rate and support HDR content.
In terms of battery capacity, the Pixel 8 Pro boasts a slightly larger 5050 mAh battery that can deliver up to 24 hours of usage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_X4Xv5u8jU
Memory-wise, both models come equipped with 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and offer storage options of 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB using UFS 3.1 technology. Notably, the Pixel 8 Pro also offers a high-capacity 1 TB storage variant.
Under the hood, the Pixel 8 Pro features the advanced Tensor G3 chip, built on a 3nm process, a significant upgrade from the 4nm node used in the Pixel 7 Pro. Additionally, it boasts 9 cores (up from 8) and higher clock speeds.
Turning to the camera system, the primary camera on the Pixel 8 Pro is a 50 MP wide-angle lens with an f/1.68 aperture, offering a larger aperture than the Pixel 7 Pro’s f/1.85. The ultrawide camera has been upgraded to a 48 MP sensor with an f/1.95 aperture, a significant improvement over the 12 MP f/2.2 of its predecessor. The telephoto lens has also been enhanced, now sporting a 48 MP sensor with an f/2.8 aperture, in contrast to the Pixel 7 Pro’s f/3.5. Both cameras support 5X optical zoom and SuperRes digital zoom of up to 30X.
For selfies, the Pixel 8 Pro features a 10.5 MP front camera, slightly lower in resolution compared to the Pixel 7 Pro’s 10.8 MP, but it compensates with autofocus. Both cameras share the same f/2.2 aperture. New camera features include Pro controls, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Video Boost*, Night Sight Video, Magic Editor, Ultra HDR, and Astrophotography.
Notably, the Pixel 8 Pro will run on Android 14 and receive software updates for up to 7 years, including security updates, a significant improvement over the Pixel 7 Pro’s 3 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates.
[nextpage title=”Geekbench Benchmarks and Temperature”]
Temperature
By employing a CPU monitoring tool, we observed that the temperature remained stable when the processor cores were in an idle state. Following multiple rounds of speed tests, the recorded temperature read a stable 43 degrees Celsius. It appears that the heating problem in the Pixel 7 Pro has been successfully addressed with the Android 14 update. This is consistent with our prior report, which indicated that the Android 14 update for the Pixel 7 Pro exhibited significantly reduced heat generation compared to the initial Android 13 release.
Geekbench CPU benchmark
In single core benchmark, performance is closer to a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. In multi core test, the score of 3476 is a 8.8% improvement over the Pixel 7 Pro.
Google’s Tensor series was never focused on clock speed and performance but more on AI.
GPU
The GPU result is a mixed. In OpenCL test, the score of 5175 is lower than that of the Pixel 6.
In Vulkan, it get 5905 which is on par with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on the Samsung but it lost to Pixel 6/6a.
Could it be a software issue?
[nextpage title=”Comparison of Photo and Videos”]
Turning to the camera system, the primary camera on the Pixel 8 Pro is a 50 MP wide-angle lens with an f/1.68 aperture, offering a larger aperture than the Pixel 7 Pro’s f/1.85. The ultrawide camera has been upgraded to a 48 MP sensor with an f/1.95 aperture, a significant improvement over the 12 MP f/2.2 of its predecessor. The telephoto lens has also been enhanced, now sporting a 48 MP sensor with an f/2.8 aperture, in contrast to the Pixel 7 Pro’s f/3.5. Both cameras support 5X optical zoom and SuperRes digital zoom of up to 30X.
For selfies, the Pixel 8 Pro features a 10.5 MP front camera, slightly lower in resolution compared to the Pixel 7 Pro’s 10.8 MP, but it compensates with autofocus. Both cameras share the same f/2.2 aperture.
We took the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 8 Pro, shooting in various locations under different environments – indoor low lighting and outdoors. Photos and Videos were also taken using wide angle, normal angle. Photos were also shot with SuperRES at 30X zoom.
Differences are not noticeable. In fact, we did not notice much differences in the quality of photos for both Pixel 7 Pro vs Pixel 8 Pro.
The more apparent differences is video shoot in 4K/60 fps in wide angle. We notice less flickering and the video has more consistent brightness throughout.
The more interesting features on the Pixel 8 Pro are the Pro controls, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Video Boost*, Night Sight Video, Magic Editor, Ultra HDR, and Astrophotography
[nextpage title=”Features – Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Google Magic Editor”]
Best Take
Improve your group photos easily with the Best Take feature in Google Photos!
Group photos can be tricky, especially when people look away or blink, especially with kids. Google Photos now has a new feature called Best Take, which can help you get the perfect group shot without the stress. It automatically blends similar photos taken in quick succession to create a picture where everyone looks their best. If you want a different expression, you can pick one from the other photos you took to make your ideal group photo. Click the link to watch the demo.
Audio Magic Eraser
The Audio Magic Eraser by Google represents an innovative addition available exclusively on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones. This cutting-edge feature harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to effectively remove undesirable audio elements from videos captured using your phone. It can be seamlessly accessed within the Google Photos app, allowing you to enhance the audio quality of your video content.
To utilize this feature, simply navigate to the “audio” menu and select the “magic eraser” option. With this tool, you can effortlessly suppress audio segments that are not the primary focus of your video. The feature intelligently categorizes various types of noise, empowering users to selectively eliminate unwanted elements such as speech, crowd noise, wind, and music.
For those seeking a more hands-on approach, manual adjustments are also possible, granting you greater control over the audio elements you choose to retain or remove from your videos.
Google Magic Editor
Magic Editor, utilizing advanced AI techniques for photo editing, not requiring professional skills. Google Photos has previously used AI successfully in features like Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur.
Magic Editor offers two key capabilities:
- Framing: It allows users to reposition subjects in photos to achieve the desired composition, even after the picture is taken.
- Generating New Content: Magic Editor uses generative AI to fill in or remove elements in photos, enabling complex edits.
Thermometer
The Pixel 8 Pro smartphone has the capability to function as a contactless thermometer under specific circumstances, courtesy of its newly incorporated temperature sensor. This marks the inaugural inclusion of a temperature sensor in a Pixel phone by Google, setting the Pixel 8 Pro apart from its more affordable and compact counterpart, the Pixel 8.
[nextpage title=”Full Video Review”]
[nextpage title=”Conclusion”]
The Google Pixel 8 Pro, powered by the advanced Tensor G3 processor, has become the most eagerly awaited phone of the year. As Google’s flagship offering, it carries high expectations, especially in terms of its processor performance.
Initial impressions suggest that the Tensor processor is less focused on sheer performance and places a greater emphasis on AI capabilities. The Geekbench results indicate that it performs on par, falling somewhere between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Gen 2 processors.
The Pixel 8 Pro introduces several exciting new features, including Best Take, Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser, and forthcoming AI enhancements designed to elevate photography, such as Night Sight Video and Photo Boost. Many of these features are unique to the Pixel 8 Pro, setting it apart from its competitors and impressing users.
One noteworthy design choice for the Pixel 8 Pro is the adoption of a flat screen, which has been well-received by most enthusiasts. This design makes the phone easier to grip and handle.
In terms of camera quality, there are few discernible differences except in the area of wide-screen video recording, where the Pixel 8 Pro stands out with noticeably reduced flickering. Both the Pixel 8 Pro and its predecessor exhibit steady 4K/60fps video recording with effective stabilization.
The device is equipped with a 5050 mAh battery, a modest 50 mAh increase over the previous generation. While it is expected to last for up to 24 hours, real-world usage, which includes Facebook, video recording, and photography, typically provides around 5 hours of screen-on time.
Notably, the Pixel 8 Pro exhibits excellent thermal management, with no signs of overheating even after multiple runs of speed tests and Geekbench benchmarks. The maximum temperature recorded was 45 degrees Celsius, and the normal idle temperature remains at 33 degrees Celsius.
Both the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8 are compatible with all four major telecom providers in Singapore. Even though SIMBA is not listed on Google’s website, our tests confirm that both VoLTE and 5G NSA functionality work seamlessly with carrier settings dated 2023-7-25.
In Conclusion, the Pixel 8 Pro is a compelling choice as it comes with 7 years of security updates and feature drop of AI enhancement in December 2023.
Pricing USD 999
Pros :
Best Take, Magic editor, Audio magic eraser,
Long exposure, magic eraser, Photo unblur
120Hz smooth display
5G SA/NSA support
5X optical zoom, 30 X digital zoom
IP68
7 years of security updates
Cons:
No charger provided
Quick Charging is slow
Ratings
Performance 9
Design 9
Features 10
Usability 10
Value for money 8
Score : 9.2 / 10
