Google Pixel 8 Review | One Month Later...
Summary
TLDRThis review offers a detailed take on the Google Pixel 8 after a month of use, focusing on its compact size, design, and key features. The reviewer praises the phone’s solid build, camera quality, and OLED display, though notes occasional software bugs and limited storage options. Performance is generally smooth, but not as fast as competitors, especially for gaming. Battery life exceeds expectations, but slow charging is a drawback. The AI-powered editing tools and camera features are highlighted, though some features are exclusive to the Pro model. Overall, the Pixel 8 is recommended for those seeking a smaller, more affordable flagship phone.
Takeaways
- 📱 The Pixel 8 is a compact and comfortable-to-hold smartphone, similar in size to the Asus Zenfone 10.
- 📸 The camera is reliable and offers great quality, but lacks advanced features like the telephoto lens and multi-zone autofocus found on the Pixel 8 Pro.
- 🔥 The Tensor G3 chipset isn't as fast as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but handles day-to-day performance smoothly despite occasional gaming stutters.
- 🔋 Battery life is excellent, with over 6 hours of screen time in one day, though charging is slow compared to other smartphones.
- 💡 The design feels premium with a matte aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus, although it can be slippery to hold without a case.
- 🎨 The display is vibrant with sharp visuals, supports HDR streaming, and has a 120Hz refresh rate, though it isn't as bright as some competitors.
- 🧠 Software experience is generally good with Android 14, though there are some bugs, such as issues with Android Auto and app freezes.
- 🎮 Gaming performance is decent but not top-tier, with some frame rate drops in graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact.
- 📷 The photo and video editing tools powered by AI are standout features, offering easy options for enhancing images and videos, though some advanced features are missing compared to the Pro model.
- 🎤 The audio quality is strong, with good clarity even in busy environments, and the selfie camera works well even in low light, despite lacking autofocus.
Q & A
What is the general size and design of the Google Pixel 8?
-The Google Pixel 8 is compact, similar in size to the Asus Zenfone 10, with a matte aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back, and a glossy finish. Its design feels premium, and it fits comfortably in the hand due to its rounded corners and edges.
How does the Pixel 8 handle fingerprints and smudges?
-The Pixel 8, especially in the darker Olive model, does a good job of hiding fingerprints and smudges, although it still gets slightly greasy after use. Compared to the Pixel 8 Pro's glossy surface, it hides smudges better.
What are the display features of the Pixel 8?
-The Pixel 8 has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2400x1080, supporting full HDR streaming but not Dolby Vision. It offers vibrant colors, solid contrast, and can reach a peak brightness of 2000 nits. The refresh rate scales from 60Hz to 120Hz, making the display feel fluid.
How reliable is the fingerprint sensor and face unlock feature on the Pixel 8?
-The in-display optical fingerprint sensor works fine as long as your hands are dry. However, face unlock doesn't perform well in dim lighting, so you might need to use a PIN in such situations.
What are some key features of the Pixel 8's Android 14 experience?
-The Pixel 8 runs Android 14, which brings features like AI-generated wallpapers, live translation, and enhanced safety tools. Google promises 7 years of OS and security updates, meaning the Pixel 8 will be supported until 2030.
What issues has the reviewer experienced with the Pixel 8's software?
-The reviewer experienced occasional bugs, such as Android Auto failing to work, apps freezing, and Google Maps malfunctioning. They hope future updates will resolve these issues.
How is the Pixel 8's performance compared to other flagship phones?
-The Pixel 8's Tensor G3 chipset provides good everyday performance but is slower than Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Gen 3 found in other flagships. It handles multitasking well but struggles with demanding games, occasionally dropping frame rates.
Does the Pixel 8 have overheating issues?
-The Pixel 8 does not have significant overheating problems. While it can get slightly warm during use, it’s much better compared to previous Pixel models, especially during cooler months like October.
How does the battery life on the Pixel 8 hold up during everyday use?
-The Pixel 8 has a 4575mAh battery, which lasts well during normal use. The reviewer reported over 6 hours of screen-on time with various activities, and the phone rarely runs out of battery in a single day.
What are the drawbacks in terms of charging speed for the Pixel 8?
-Charging speeds are slower compared to competitors. It supports 27W wired charging and 18W wireless charging, taking around an hour and a half for a full charge. This is slow compared to some Chinese brands that fully charge within 20 minutes.
How does the camera on the Pixel 8 perform?
-The Pixel 8 has a 50MP primary camera with optical image stabilization and a 12MP ultrawide lens. While image quality is generally sharp and natural-looking, there are occasional issues like soft portrait shots or slight artifacts. It lacks some features of the Pixel 8 Pro, such as manual controls, high-resolution mode, and a telephoto lens.
What video recording capabilities does the Pixel 8 offer?
-The Pixel 8 can record up to 4K video with good stabilization and excellent audio capture. It also has editing tools like noise reduction for vocals, which enhance video and audio quality. However, it won’t receive the Night Sight video mode that's coming to the Pixel 8 Pro.
Outlines
📱 First Impressions of the Pixel 8: Compact, Sleek, and Functional
The Pixel 8 has been in use for a month, and its compact size stands out as a major plus, comparable to the ASUS Zenfone 10. Its design, featuring a matte aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass, feels premium and is easy to handle. The camera bump improves stability, and the darker olive model hides fingerprints better than expected. The screen is durable, though it's recommended to use a screen protector for long-term use. The IP68 water resistance allows worry-free use in wet environments.
💻 Display and Software Experience on the Pixel 8
The Pixel 8's display is decent with bezels that are not too distracting, though the in-display fingerprint sensor can be finicky with moisture. Android 14 comes with a few new features like AI wallpapers and live translation. The device promises seven years of OS and security updates. However, there are bugs, particularly with Android Auto and some app freezes, which hopefully will be addressed in future updates. Storage options are limited to 128GB and 256GB, with no 512GB option or microSD support, which is a disappointment for a flagship.
🔋 Battery Life and Charging: Great Longevity, Slow Recharging
The Pixel 8's 4,575mAh battery performs well, typically lasting through a full day even with extensive use like video streaming, Skyping, and background audio playback. However, the charging speed leaves something to be desired with 27W wired charging taking about 1.5 hours for a full charge, and 18W wireless charging available. The battery health is preserved with adaptive charging, but the slow recharge time feels outdated compared to rivals that can fully charge in 20 minutes.
📸 Camera and Performance Review: Hits and Misses
The Pixel 8’s 50MP main camera offers decent performance with clear, crisp shots in well-lit conditions, but it struggles in extremely low light. There are no manual controls, telephoto lens, or high-resolution mode, which limits its potential for more advanced photography. The Tensor G3 chip is adequate for everyday use but lags behind competitors in gaming performance and frame rates. The camera’s AI-powered editing tools, like the magic eraser and face swap, are highlights, but the Pixel 8 lacks some features coming to the Pro model, such as night sight video.
🤔 Final Verdict: A Strong Mid-Range Option with Room for Improvement
After a month, the Pixel 8 proves to be a solid, compact option for those not requiring the most powerful specs. It competes with the Samsung Galaxy S23 and ASUS Zenfone 10 in size and feel, but software bugs and camera limitations hold it back from top-tier status. Battery life is impressive, but the slow charging and storage limitations are frustrating. Overall, it's worth considering if you prioritize size and user experience over cutting-edge performance.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Pixel 8
💡Tensor G3
💡Android 14
💡Camera Bump
💡Compact Design
💡Battery Life
💡Software Bugs
💡AI Features
💡Camera Quality
💡Slow Charging
Highlights
The Pixel 8 is a compact, premium smartphone with a matte aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus protection.
Despite being smaller, the Pixel 8 offers excellent hand feel and design, similar to the ASUS Zenfone 10.
The camera bump stretches across the full width, preventing wobbling on flat surfaces and improving grip.
The Pixel 8 features IP68 water and dust resistance, making it suitable for use in environments like baths without issue.
Its 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display supports HDR streaming, with a resolution of 2400x1080, providing crisp and vibrant visuals.
The Pixel 8 supports a variable refresh rate of 60Hz to 120Hz, ensuring smooth visuals for most apps and browsing.
The Pixel 8 is powered by the Tensor G3 chip, which performs well in daily tasks but lags behind other flagship chipsets in gaming performance.
The battery life is impressive, lasting all day with over 6 hours of screen-on time, despite its compact size.
The slow 27W wired and 18W wireless charging are noted as drawbacks, requiring about 1.5 hours to fully charge the device.
The 50MP main camera produces crisp, natural images, but lacks telephoto lens support and manual controls.
AI-powered photo editing tools, such as the magic eraser and face-swapping, enhance the camera experience, making it more user-friendly.
The Pixel 8's software comes with Android 14 and promises 7 years of OS and security updates, providing long-term device support.
Although it performs well in regular use, the Pixel 8 has some software bugs, particularly with Android Auto and occasional app freezes.
The Pixel 8 features stereo speakers with decent audio quality for a device of its size, and Bluetooth streaming performs reliably.
The selfie camera captures sharp images and supports 4K video, offering clear audio and image quality for video calls.
Transcripts
so I've had the pixel 8 for roughly a
month now or to put it in other terms
roughly twice the length of an Elon Musk
relationship and for the majority of
that time apart from when I was
reviewing the OnePlus open I've had my
sim slapped in there using it as my
full-time smartphone now at 699 quid the
pixel 8 is cheaper than most other
flagships but is the camera as good as
always does that tensor G3 get a wee bit
Burnie how is the battery life etc etc
well I'm glad you asked cuz here's my
one month pixel 8 review and for more on
the latest and greatest Tech please do
po subscribe and ding that notifications
Bell cheers now first up I just got to
say I love how adorably compact the
pixel 8 is just gives me happy joy jooy
feelings deep in my tummy whenever I
pick this thing up it's basically the
same size as my other favorite compact
smartphone of 2023 the isus Zen phone 10
it's just a smidge smaller but there's
bugger all in it really and the Hand
feel is especially good as those corners
and the edges or slope to just neatly
fit your palms so definitely Jesus teer
hand feel right here love it as always
with Google's blowers that camera bump
stretches the full width of the phone
and that's definitely a good thing cuz
when it's resting on a desk it means it
doesn't wobble about all over the place
it also doubles up as a handy whe ledge
that you can rest your point and finger
on like so makes it even more
comfortable to use this thing one-handed
it also does help a bit with the grip
because frankly this thing is super
slippery and Google's design does feel
pleasingly premium you've got a matte
aluminium frame sandwich between Gorilla
Glass victus one back and front and that
AR end is glossy as always unlike the
pro model and usually I do prefer a
matte finish to a glossy shiny o cuz I
find that this sort of surface usually
gets all greasy and finger printy when
you've been handling it for a while but
actually that pro model does get proper
smudgy after just a few minutes I see on
this shiny ass I found that actually
it's a pretty good job of hiding all
your fingerprint Badness it's probably
helped Along by the fact that I've got
this darker Olive model which certainly
does a good job of masking the smudges
and that's not to say that the pixel8
doesn't get greasy but in oily terms
it's more of a Colin Fel rather than a
Johnny Depp and yes before you point
that out in the comments I would perform
Arcane seanic rituals to have either of
those guys' hair in fact I actually used
to have slicked back hair well back in
the day back before Facebook basically
permanently etched all of our worst life
decisions onto the bows of the internet
for all time sometimes it's actually
pretty good being old now the regular
victus glass finish isn't as advanced as
what you get on the pixel 8 Pro but so
far there's only a few very light
scratches located near the bottom of the
back end of the pixel 8 and on that
display they are proper weeny you do
have to go actually looking for them cuz
they're not obvious at all but it has
only been 1 month and if you are
planning on keeping your pixel 8 for
years and years then highly recommend
slapping a screen protector on at the
very least oh and it's for the ip68
water and dust resistant as well so I've
happily kicked back in a nice hot Bubbly
Bath and caught up on some animation
anigan no worries whatsoever so as far
as the display goes very few complaints
I mean the bezels surrounding that
screen couldn't really be described as
skinny but they're not so chunky that
they're offensive to the eyes or
anything and that indisplay Optical
fingerprint sensor is fine as long as
your hands are fairly dry any moisture
there and the chances are this sensor
just won't be happy you've always got
face unlock as a backup but likewise
this doesn't function too well in dim
light so basically if you like candle
lit baths then you're going to have to
remember your pin and no I promise I
don't have candle lit baths while
watching anime by myself that would be
pretty weird even for me now because
this is a Google blower you naturally
have that tasty fresh Android 14
experience right out of the box plus the
added reassurance of 7 years of os and
security updates so basically as long as
you don't up the pixel 8 it'll happily
see you right through to 2030 and
frankly if I make it through to 2030
I'll count that as a personal Victory
Now Android 14 very much looks and feels
like Android 13 massive shock but you do
have a fair few new features chucked in
there and plenty of updates to existing
stuff now great mate AI can now spaff
out a unique and slightly bat bunkers
wallpaper on demand although this does
still feel far too restrictive or it can
also live translate to English in a
variety of situations if you never
learned any foreign speak Beyond a
courteous Uno Euro Grande Poore and
while I haven't personally used them
here on the pixel 8 the fresh safety
features seem like a genuinely
thoughtful and useful inclusion like
pretty much all the pixel Shenanigans
you'll find everything apart from that
temperature sensor on the pro which just
like Google what have you been smoking M
cuz you don't get that temperature
sensor here on the regular pixel a and
it's been a huge Miss cuz you know with
the regular pixel a I just have to
recklessly throw my coffee down my
throat and hope it's not hot enough to
scold me because I can't accurately read
its temperature first and yes a couple
more new features are coming to the
pixel Aid before the year's end
including the summarized tool which
should save you valuable time when
browsing articles or sifting through
transcriptions of your voice memor but
anyway if you want a much closer look at
all of those fresh new Android 14
features and updated bits while I've
done a full pixel 8 tips and tricks
guide which you can definitely go check
out right now or preferably after you've
watched the haul of this review and if I
remember I'll bung a link up above my
shiny scalp here but that's frankly not
going to happen now as for the everyday
software experience here on the pixel 8
well unfortunately there have been quite
a few bugs so for instance a couple of
times when I've been in the car Android
auto has suddenly decided it just can't
be asked to work anymore usually just as
I'm about to tackle a particularly pant
trouble and Junction fantastic fun
sometimes apps don't entirely behave the
way they're supposed to these are freeze
up on me completely uh once or twice
sometimes in the foreground sometimes in
the background and one time when I tried
to look load up Google Maps it basically
just did this and nothing else but
anyway hopefully Google will smash all
these bugs in the next update or two and
smooth things out cuz right now it kind
of feels like the pixel 8 has had one
tequila Slammer too many and it's just
kind of saring on its feet deciding
whether or not to do a tactical puke oh
and the storage options suck as well 128
gig base come on guys lots of mid-range
and even budget smartphones are coming
out with 256 gigs is standing now so
what the flipping F you're on the option
is a 256 here in the UK as well there's
no 512 gig option and is the micr SD
memory card support is the bollock
you've also only got space for one
physical Sim but at least Google offers
eim support on top of that now as for
that 6.1 in 20 by9 OLED display while is
still a highlight here on the pixel 8
now full HD Plus 2400x 1080 pixel
resolution produces pin sharp visuals on
a dinky screen this size you got full
HDR streaming support as well not Dolby
Vision HJ 10 this pums out some crispy
contrast and I love the bright vibrant
colors as well and while the pixel l m
max out at a mere 2000 nit certainly not
as bright as the pro but it is still
eyes slapping bright I've had zero
issues with visibility unless I've been
trying to watch some Disney plus stuff
outdoors I find that that can be a bit
murky at times and that refresh rate
scills from 60 HZ up to 120 HZ and
certainly on that Max refresh Everything
feels beautifully fluid as for the pixel
8 stereo speakers well they're perfectly
decent for a mini mobile like this
they're certainly loud enough when you
max them out so I can clearly hear a
video or a podcast while I'm smashing
together some fried goodies in the
kitchen and that audio quality is
absolutely fine as well and I've had bug
all problems when streaming over
Bluetooth absolutely fine to speakers
and even headphones in really busy
crowded areas out and about in London
now when we turn to the subject of
performance on a pixel smartphones
that's where things start to get a bit
nervy and pixel 8 is powered by yet
another tensor chipset the tensor G3
that's backed here by 8 gigs of ddr5 RAM
and when it comes to just the general
everyday performance that tensor G3
sadly isn't as nippy as the Snapdragon
AG Gen 2 which you'll find in most of
the flagship smartphones from this year
and that itself has now been replaced by
the AG gen 3 which will find stuffed
into flagships before the end of the
year however that we grip aside I found
that the everyday performance certainly
here on the pixel 8 has been absolutely
fine it's rare for this for to you know
sit and think about anything before
doing it usually you know you tap an app
it just pops straight up multitasking is
absolutely fine it can run a fair few
apps in the background but gaming is
where it all falls down a bit compared
with some Flagship Rivals that frame
rate is noticeably weaker when you max
out gench and impacts visuals for
instance it's generally fine but the
pixel a does stumble and jutter
occasionally you're best off maybe
luring the graphic settings if you want
a perfectly fluid frame rate at all
times plus Google's gaming mode is to
put but it politely is still rather
basic compared with what you get on
quite a lot of other smartphones and
then of course there's the subject of
overheating because tenses of the past
are notorious for getting hotter than
the insides of a freshly baked ginsters
pasty but personally I found that the
pixel8 has been absolutely fine it can
get a little bit warm to the touch on
occasions but certainly compared with
the thigh roosters of previous pixel
phones it's nowhere near that bad that
said though bear in mind I've been using
it in the month of October let's see how
the pixel8 handles a bit of British
summertime next year assuming we get a
summertime and actually get more than 15
minutes of sunlight in a day and the
connectivity's generally been fine on
the pixel a this past month but
occasionally you can just be a wee bit
slow when you're waiting for a website
to load or a podcast to download this is
all on mobile data has been fine on
Wi-Fi I've got bugger all complaints
when it comes to the battery life which
has well and truly exceeded my
expectations it's got a
4,5 75 milliamp capacity battery crammed
inside of that cute wi frame and I found
that certainly a decent size considering
how dinky this thing is and in this
entire time I've been using the pixel a
with my sim slapped in there I've only
managed to run it dry in a single day
once so for instance take yesterday
registered over 6 hours of screen on
time that includes a full hour of
Skyping which normally gobbles that
juice up lots of video streaming a few
hours of background music and podcast
streaming as well and I still had over
10% battery remaining when I slap this
thing on the charger quite often by the
time I finally slump Face Down On My
Pillow I've still got around quarter
charge left so certainly haven't been
stressed at all by the pixel 8 there
however once again the curse of the slow
charging Google smartphones strikes you
got 27 watt wired charging and 18 W
wireless charging so if the pixel8 is
almost fully drained you plug it in even
with fast charging enabled it still take
you about an hour and a half to get a
proper full battery again and that is a
real shame compared with some Chinese
Rivals which can fully charge in like 20
minutes from drain so you can just bung
a cable in them in the morning when you
stagger up by the time you've dragged a
shaver across your face brush your teeth
and everything it's fully charged again
whereas this bad boy I usually just slap
it on a wireless charging pad overnight
thankfully you've got that adaptive
charging Tech so hopefully it won't bulk
the battery health over time so let's
finish up with a squint at the camera
Tech headed up here on the pixel a by a
50 meg octopede camera with Optical
image
stabilization now you do only have
single zone autofocus here on the
regular pixel 8 compared with the
multizone autofocus of the pixel 8 Pro
personally I found that the focus has
been absolutely fine on this mini model
as long as you're not trying to shoot
photos in like super ambient conditions
I'm talking like basement Sex Dungeon
levels or a nightclub might be a
slightly less disturbing thing I might
have said just then instead but yeah
when it's proper dark the pixel 8 can
sometimes take a few seconds sort of
Mullen over what it is it's actually
supposed to be focusing on besides that
this mini Marvel is pretty much on a par
with the pro when shooting with that
main 50 meg Snapper it's not really
surprising as both pixels boast the same
image process and smarts courtesy of
that tensor G3 brain for the most part
this produces crisp natural looking
images and cops beautifully with
contrast although I have seen the
occasional bit of saturation and
artifacted in my photos while portrait
pcks can also occasionally be
surprisingly soft which I certainly
wasn't expecting from a Google smart
phone here's once again hoping that a
Google update sorts that out in a jiffy
it's a shame that a few other features
that you'll find on the pixel 8 Pro are
absent here on the regular pixel 8 so
there's no full-on manual controls you
can shoot raw images and there's no high
resolution mode as well which is doubly
a shame here on the pixel8 as there's no
telephoto lens it's cono a nice 50
megapixel image and then just crop in
and yeah that telephoto shooter has been
a big miss here on the pixel 8 this
phone tops off at eight time zoom and
even and then things get grainy when you
punch in above the sort of two or three
times Mark you've also got a more basic
12 megapixel Ultra wide angle shooter on
the pixel 8 but this still does a fine
job when you need a different angle as
for video where you can shoot up to 4K
Ultra HD home movies you got some decent
stabilization on here and excellent
audio capture too those vocals come
through crisp and clear even with a fair
bit of background shin diggery and on
top of that you can actually make vocals
even clearer by hopping into the video
editing tools and Lauren the background
noise it's absolutely stunning stuff and
I'll tell you what it is the editing
tools on this thing that are truly
addictive and really Elevate that camera
experience to top tier stuff again it's
a shame that the pixel 8 won't be
getting the night sight video mode that
will be coming to the pixel 8 Pro later
in the year but you've got that audio
magic razor tool and loads of nifty
photo editing tools as well it's like a
piss easy version of Photoshop that just
works far too well most of these new
tools are AI Le like the creepy face
swap tool this can morph your family's
faces so it actually looks like
everyone's enjoying each other's company
you can shift people about delete them
from existence as always all that good
stuff but anyway definitely go check out
my full in-depth pixel 8 and pixel 8 Pro
camera review for an in-depth look at
the photo and video smarts including all
of those editing tools again I'll try to
remember to bung a link up there but you
know don't go searching for it too hard
and before I forget you got a 10.5 Meg
selfie camera and it might lack the pro
model's autofocus but I found it didn't
struggle produce sharp photos even in
quite CAC lighting and again you can Sho
up to 4K resolution video using that
front faceing selfie cam the mics are
excellently pick up on your voice nice
and clear even if you're across the
other side of a room doing a Skype or a
zoom anything like that so great stuff
and there you have it my lovelies that's
what I reckon of Google's pixel 8
Flagship smartphone after a full month
of having it stashed inside my pants my
bag wherever and yeah there's certainly
a few issues that still need sort and
out with the general Android soft
software experience and with that camera
Tech as well hopefully they'll all be
smoothed out nicely in the next update
or two and I'd say if you want a more
compact handset something similar to
Samsung's Galaxy s23 or that isus Zen
phone 10 and you're not bothered about
having the most powerful smartphone
around you should certainly consider it
especially at this sort of price that's
what I reckon what about you guys have
you been using the pixel 8 yourself as
your full-time smartphone it' be great
to hear your own personal experiences
down below especially when it comes to
the general Android software shenanigans
you've been seeing lots of bugs and
stuff as well issues with the camera Etc
please do book subscribe and ding that
notifications Bell for more on the
latest and greatest Tech and have
yourselves a r wonderful rest of the
week cheers everyone love
you
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)