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Google is known to manufacture the best Android smartphones. And we have no reason to believe differently with the imminent release of the Google Pixel 8 series. The Made by Google event is on October 4, but we already have substantial information about the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro through various leaks.
This post looks at all the key upgrades in the Google Pixel 8 series over its predecessor, which could make it the best Android phone of this year. Also included are some of its disappointing flaws.
Key advantages of the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro
1) Faster refresh rate
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The Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will finally sport faster refresh rates with 120Hz displays. The vanilla Pixel 8 model will also have a 120Hz refresh rate, unlike the Google Pixel 7, which only had a 90Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 8 Pro will have LTPO support, so its refresh rate will go down to 1Hz whenever the display is inactive to conserve battery.
2) More powerful Google Tensor G3 chipset
As confirmed by most leaks, both the Google Pixel 8 smartphones will be powered by the upcoming Google Tensor G3 chipset, which would be faster and battery efficient as well. It will also have better processing power so that you can click faster shots, even in extremely low light.
3) Seven years of security updates
According to the specifications sheet supplied by Kamila Wojciechowska, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will also receive seven years of OS, security, and feature upgrades. Google currently offers five years of updates for their Pixel smartphones, which equates to three years of Android upgrades followed by an additional two years of security patches.
4) Android 14 out of the box
As with each year's Pixel launch, Google will formally announce a new Android OS after several months of beta testing. Android 14 is now accessible as a public beta test, but to assure reliability, Google will make it available as a stable build with the release of the Pixel 8 series.
5) Camera upgrades
The Pixel 8 series will likely include new camera functions and enhanced hardware. Now, software features known as Best Take and Macro Focus appear to have been verified by numerous leaks, albeit how they will function remains to be seen. The Pixel 8 Pro will reportedly have up to 30X Super Res Zoom, allowing high zoom photography capabilities similar to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
How the Google Pixel 8 series still lacks behind other Android smartphones
1) Higher price
According to a leak by Kamila Wojciechowska, the Google Pixel 8 will have a higher price than the Pixel 7. Thus, the starting price might be similar to the Samsung Galaxy S23, and potential buyers may opt for the latter instead.
7) Slower charging speeds
The Pixel 8 Pro is rumored to ship with a 4,950mAh battery that supports 27W wired fast charging. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 might come with a 4,485mAh battery that supports 24W cable charging and 12W wireless charging. This specification is similar to last year's Pixel 7 charging speeds but is slower than most Android smartphones, which offer up to 120W fast charging.
8) No variable refresh rate support
The Google Pixel 8, unlike the Pixel 8 Pro, will also come without any variable refresh rate support, so it can only switch between 60Hz and 120Hz. On the other hand, the LTPO panel on the Pixel 8 Pro offers better battery efficiency, like many other Android flagships.
9) Similar design
In an official video shared by Google about the upcoming Pixel 8 series, we can clearly see the same design as its predecessors. We wish Google could have introduced some design changes to distinguish its Pixel lineup from the rest of the smartphones.
10) Lack of a telephoto camera sensor
Unlike the Pro models, the Google Pixel 8 still comes without a telephoto camera sensor. This aspect is a big miss for the Pixel 8 as it means you won't be able to use the zoom functionalities in the camera app for portrait images or shooting objects far from your location.
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