The Google Pixel 8 duo this 12 months brings a handful of enhancements in comparison with its predecessors regardless of recycling the identical design for a couple of generations now. The brand new technology gives new digicam {hardware}, nicer shows, quicker charging, and a extra highly effective chipset with improved AI capabilities. They’re the primary Pixel telephones to supply seven years of full software program assist. In concept, they need to obtain Android 21.
Nevertheless, in case you are nonetheless figuring out which of the 2 you need to get, we’re right here to assist. Apart from the plain variations in dimension and pricing, there are a couple of nuanced distinctions between the 2, requiring a deeper dive. The characteristic disparity is larger than you would possibly suppose.
Desk of Contents:
Let’s start by evaluating the whole specs sheets right here.
Dimension comparability
Dimension and weight are the principle differentiating elements when trying into the Pixel 8 duo. These searching for a compact flagship telephone will clearly go for the vanilla Pixel 8 – it’s even smaller than its predecessors. Full-sized flagship enjoyers, however, are higher off with the Pixel 8 Professional.
Dimension and weight-wise, the 2 flagships are aggressive in their very own classes with out going overboard or standing out.
There isn’t any denying, nonetheless, that the Pixel 8 is significantly extra snug in hand, suits each pocket, and is a delight to make use of with one hand. In the meantime, the Pixel 8 Professional might show unwieldy to some customers.
Show comparability
Apart from the obvious distinction within the show dimension, there is a technological hole as properly. Whereas each units boast higher shows than their predecessors, the Pixel 8 Professional positively wins on this division.
Whereas each telephones now supply 120Hz refresh fee, the 8 Professional runs an LTPO OLED panel able to granular refresh fee management ranging between 1 and 120Hz, relying on the situation. This helps avoid wasting battery life in the long term. The Pixel 8 Professional’s show may also be a tad brighter underneath direct daylight, reaching 1,600 nits versus the vanilla 8’s 1,446 nits. In actual world, although, this would possibly not pose a lot of a distinction. Moreover, the 8 Professional has a barely greater display decision to match the larger diagonal.
Their HDR capabilities are the identical – HDR10+, however the safety degree is barely higher on the 8 Professional. It gives Gorilla Glass Victus 2 sheet, whereas the 8 settles for the earlier technology Victus.
Battery life
Surprisingly sufficient, the Pixel 8 and eight Professional supply related total battery life, in accordance with our Lively Use rating. Some small variations may be noticed within the particular person checks, although. The Pixel 8 is best in video playback, whereas the 8 Professional has greater name and internet looking runtimes, bumping up the Lively Use rating barely greater than the vanilla’s.
That is not what you’d count on from an even bigger telephone holding a bigger battery, although. The Pixel 8 has a 4,575 mAh unit, in comparison with the 5,050 mAh cell contained in the 8 Professional. Both manner, the distinction is marginal.
Charging pace
The charging functionality of Pixels has all the time been the Achilles’ heel of the collection, and whereas not excellent, this 12 months’s improve in each handsets is a step in the fitting route. The Pixel 8’s quick charging is rated at 27W, whereas the larger one can go as much as 30W. Wirelessly, the smaller Pixel settles for 18W charging, whereas the 8 Professional gives 23W. Each telephones assist reverse wi-fi charging.
Relating to real-world testing, the vanilla Pixel 8 outpaces its greater sibling by a small margin to all checkpoints – quarter-hour, half-hour and to a full cost. The distinction is extraordinarily small, although, and possibly will not make any distinction in regular utilization. The Pixel 8 is simply 8 minutes quicker to finish charging and leads all through the entire take a look at by simply 2-3%.
Audio system take a look at
In our speaker take a look at, the 2 telephones scored very equally when it comes to loudness – 26.6 LUFS vs. 26.0 LUFS in favor of the smaller Pixel. Nevertheless, their audio tuning could not be any totally different. The Pixel 8 Professional leans extra to the bass-heavy facet, at the very least by smartphone requirements. This ensures fuller-sounding music and a hotter vibe to most tracks.
Whereas the Pixel 8 produces a flatter sound with clear vocals however lacks depth in a manner. And whereas that is largely a subjective matter, we appreciated the bigger Pixel higher on this regard. Most tracks sound higher on the Pixel 8 Professional.
Efficiency
Each the Pixel 8 and eight Professional make use of the model new Google Tensor G3 chipset primarily based on Samsung’s 4nm manufacturing course of. The chip boasts improved AI capabilities and better uncooked efficiency in comparison with its predecessors.
Nonetheless, since each units share the identical {hardware}, efficiency is just about an identical, with a couple of caveats. For example, within the onscreen benchmarks, the Pixel 8 outperforms the 8 Professional because of its decrease decision, so count on a decrease body fee in some video games on the 8 Professional. The offscreen GPU checks present no statistical distinction, as one would count on.
Pixel 8 Professional
AnTuTu 10
1,151,243
Geekbench 6
1,766 single-core
Geekbench 6
4,492 multi-core
One other factor to remember is reminiscence. The Pixel 8 Professional gives a greater variety of storage configurations, going as much as 1TB and 12GB reminiscence throughout the board. The Pixel 8, however, has solely two storage variants – 128 and 256GB and solely 8GB of RAM, whatever the configuration. And whereas this may increasingly appear sufficient by as we speak’s requirements, a few Android variations down the highway, 8GB is probably not enough. We simply hope Google thought this by means of.
Digicam comparability
This 12 months, solely the Pixel 8 Professional’s digicam division will get the massive promotion because the smaller Pixel settles for a similar digicam {hardware} as final 12 months’s Pixel 8. Briefly, the general digicam expertise will probably be the deciding issue for a lot of patrons.
Certain, the principle cameras of each telephones are an identical and supply an identical high quality; even the 2x crop zoom pictures, which Google claims are almost lossless, are the identical. In each circumstances, you may be getting wonderful photograph and video high quality in the course of the day and evening.
Pixel 8 Professional: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x
Pixel 8: 0.5x • 1x • 2x
The 8 Professional’s auxiliary cameras are those you’re paying additional, although. The larger Pixel boasts a significantly higher ultrawide digicam due to its stronger 48MP sensor, and the devoted 48MP telephoto digicam delivers nice 5x lossless stills. One thing you possibly can’t get from the smaller Pixel.
The low-light ultrawide samples additionally look nicer on the Professional, though those taken from the principle cameras are an identical.
Pixel 8 Professional: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x
Pixel 8: 0.5x • 1x • 2x
However it does not finish there. For some motive, Google determined to omit some software-based options from the smaller Pixel, prone to drive up the curiosity for the larger Pixel. Both manner, with the smaller flagship, you’ll lose the Professional controls (that means no guide management over stills and movies), entry to the principle digicam’s full 50MP decision and Night time Sight video recording.
This is a glimpse of how the Pixel 8 Professional’s primary digicam compares in picture high quality to the Pixel 8’s in our Photograph examine software.
And here is how the Pixel 8 Professional’s primary digicam compares in video high quality to the Pixel 8’s in our Video examine software.
Verdict
As you possibly can see, the specs sheet is not the be-all and end-all when choosing the right telephone for you. Particularly in case you are deciding between telephones belonging to the identical household, just like the Pixel 8 and eight Professional. And in case you’re nonetheless right here questioning, then maybe dimensions, weight and show dimension aren’t the deciding elements, since you would have picked the Pixel 8 if portability is what you’re searching for. Conversely, the Pixel 8 Professional, if the big-screen expertise is your factor.
However issues are extra nuanced. For example, the Pixel 8 Professional has better-sounding audio system, whereas the Pixel 8’s charging pace and battery life are akin to these of its greater sibling. Efficiency can also be an identical, albeit the vanilla 8’s restricted reminiscence selection.
Relating to digicam, the Pixel 8 Professional is the clear winner right here. Certain, the principle digicam and 2x zoom efficiency are an identical, however you get a extra succesful ultrawide digicam and a correct 5x telephoto digicam with the Professional.
With all that mentioned, we additionally need to put our findings into perspective. The MSRP of the small Pixel is €800/$700, whereas the value tag for the Pixel 8 Professional is €1,100/$1,000. That is 300 bucks distinction, which is able to probably sway you in a single route or one other.
Do the €300/$300 distinction justify the Pixel 8 Professional’s additional {hardware} and software program options? We allow you to resolve that one your self, however in case you are strictly searching for that Pixel expertise, one might argue that the vanilla Pixel 8 will get you there for much less.
- The larger and extra superior show.
- The 5x telephoto digicam, higher ultrawide and extra digicam options.
- The higher audio system.
- The additional RAM for future-proofing.
Get the Pixel 8 Professional for:
- The extra compact and light-weight physique.
- The significantly cheaper price.
- The marginally longer screen-on battery endurance.
Get the Pixel 8 for:
The Google Pixel 8 duo this 12 months brings a handful of enhancements in comparison with its predecessors regardless of recycling the identical design for a couple of generations now. The brand new technology gives new digicam {hardware}, nicer shows, quicker charging, and a extra highly effective chipset with improved AI capabilities. They’re the primary Pixel telephones to supply seven years of full software program assist. In concept, they need to obtain Android 21.
Nevertheless, in case you are nonetheless figuring out which of the 2 you need to get, we’re right here to assist. Apart from the plain variations in dimension and pricing, there are a couple of nuanced distinctions between the 2, requiring a deeper dive. The characteristic disparity is larger than you would possibly suppose.
Desk of Contents:
Let’s start by evaluating the whole specs sheets right here.
Dimension comparability
Dimension and weight are the principle differentiating elements when trying into the Pixel 8 duo. These searching for a compact flagship telephone will clearly go for the vanilla Pixel 8 – it’s even smaller than its predecessors. Full-sized flagship enjoyers, however, are higher off with the Pixel 8 Professional.
Dimension and weight-wise, the 2 flagships are aggressive in their very own classes with out going overboard or standing out.
There isn’t any denying, nonetheless, that the Pixel 8 is significantly extra snug in hand, suits each pocket, and is a delight to make use of with one hand. In the meantime, the Pixel 8 Professional might show unwieldy to some customers.
Show comparability
Apart from the obvious distinction within the show dimension, there is a technological hole as properly. Whereas each units boast higher shows than their predecessors, the Pixel 8 Professional positively wins on this division.
Whereas each telephones now supply 120Hz refresh fee, the 8 Professional runs an LTPO OLED panel able to granular refresh fee management ranging between 1 and 120Hz, relying on the situation. This helps avoid wasting battery life in the long term. The Pixel 8 Professional’s show may also be a tad brighter underneath direct daylight, reaching 1,600 nits versus the vanilla 8’s 1,446 nits. In actual world, although, this would possibly not pose a lot of a distinction. Moreover, the 8 Professional has a barely greater display decision to match the larger diagonal.
Their HDR capabilities are the identical – HDR10+, however the safety degree is barely higher on the 8 Professional. It gives Gorilla Glass Victus 2 sheet, whereas the 8 settles for the earlier technology Victus.
Battery life
Surprisingly sufficient, the Pixel 8 and eight Professional supply related total battery life, in accordance with our Lively Use rating. Some small variations may be noticed within the particular person checks, although. The Pixel 8 is best in video playback, whereas the 8 Professional has greater name and internet looking runtimes, bumping up the Lively Use rating barely greater than the vanilla’s.
That is not what you’d count on from an even bigger telephone holding a bigger battery, although. The Pixel 8 has a 4,575 mAh unit, in comparison with the 5,050 mAh cell contained in the 8 Professional. Both manner, the distinction is marginal.
Charging pace
The charging functionality of Pixels has all the time been the Achilles’ heel of the collection, and whereas not excellent, this 12 months’s improve in each handsets is a step in the fitting route. The Pixel 8’s quick charging is rated at 27W, whereas the larger one can go as much as 30W. Wirelessly, the smaller Pixel settles for 18W charging, whereas the 8 Professional gives 23W. Each telephones assist reverse wi-fi charging.
Relating to real-world testing, the vanilla Pixel 8 outpaces its greater sibling by a small margin to all checkpoints – quarter-hour, half-hour and to a full cost. The distinction is extraordinarily small, although, and possibly will not make any distinction in regular utilization. The Pixel 8 is simply 8 minutes quicker to finish charging and leads all through the entire take a look at by simply 2-3%.
Audio system take a look at
In our speaker take a look at, the 2 telephones scored very equally when it comes to loudness – 26.6 LUFS vs. 26.0 LUFS in favor of the smaller Pixel. Nevertheless, their audio tuning could not be any totally different. The Pixel 8 Professional leans extra to the bass-heavy facet, at the very least by smartphone requirements. This ensures fuller-sounding music and a hotter vibe to most tracks.
Whereas the Pixel 8 produces a flatter sound with clear vocals however lacks depth in a manner. And whereas that is largely a subjective matter, we appreciated the bigger Pixel higher on this regard. Most tracks sound higher on the Pixel 8 Professional.
Efficiency
Each the Pixel 8 and eight Professional make use of the model new Google Tensor G3 chipset primarily based on Samsung’s 4nm manufacturing course of. The chip boasts improved AI capabilities and better uncooked efficiency in comparison with its predecessors.
Nonetheless, since each units share the identical {hardware}, efficiency is just about an identical, with a couple of caveats. For example, within the onscreen benchmarks, the Pixel 8 outperforms the 8 Professional because of its decrease decision, so count on a decrease body fee in some video games on the 8 Professional. The offscreen GPU checks present no statistical distinction, as one would count on.
Pixel 8 Professional
AnTuTu 10
1,151,243
Geekbench 6
1,766 single-core
Geekbench 6
4,492 multi-core
One other factor to remember is reminiscence. The Pixel 8 Professional gives a greater variety of storage configurations, going as much as 1TB and 12GB reminiscence throughout the board. The Pixel 8, however, has solely two storage variants – 128 and 256GB and solely 8GB of RAM, whatever the configuration. And whereas this may increasingly appear sufficient by as we speak’s requirements, a few Android variations down the highway, 8GB is probably not enough. We simply hope Google thought this by means of.
Digicam comparability
This 12 months, solely the Pixel 8 Professional’s digicam division will get the massive promotion because the smaller Pixel settles for a similar digicam {hardware} as final 12 months’s Pixel 8. Briefly, the general digicam expertise will probably be the deciding issue for a lot of patrons.
Certain, the principle cameras of each telephones are an identical and supply an identical high quality; even the 2x crop zoom pictures, which Google claims are almost lossless, are the identical. In each circumstances, you may be getting wonderful photograph and video high quality in the course of the day and evening.
Pixel 8 Professional: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x
Pixel 8: 0.5x • 1x • 2x
The 8 Professional’s auxiliary cameras are those you’re paying additional, although. The larger Pixel boasts a significantly higher ultrawide digicam due to its stronger 48MP sensor, and the devoted 48MP telephoto digicam delivers nice 5x lossless stills. One thing you possibly can’t get from the smaller Pixel.
The low-light ultrawide samples additionally look nicer on the Professional, though those taken from the principle cameras are an identical.
Pixel 8 Professional: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x
Pixel 8: 0.5x • 1x • 2x
However it does not finish there. For some motive, Google determined to omit some software-based options from the smaller Pixel, prone to drive up the curiosity for the larger Pixel. Both manner, with the smaller flagship, you’ll lose the Professional controls (that means no guide management over stills and movies), entry to the principle digicam’s full 50MP decision and Night time Sight video recording.
This is a glimpse of how the Pixel 8 Professional’s primary digicam compares in picture high quality to the Pixel 8’s in our Photograph examine software.
And here is how the Pixel 8 Professional’s primary digicam compares in video high quality to the Pixel 8’s in our Video examine software.
Verdict
As you possibly can see, the specs sheet is not the be-all and end-all when choosing the right telephone for you. Particularly in case you are deciding between telephones belonging to the identical household, just like the Pixel 8 and eight Professional. And in case you’re nonetheless right here questioning, then maybe dimensions, weight and show dimension aren’t the deciding elements, since you would have picked the Pixel 8 if portability is what you’re searching for. Conversely, the Pixel 8 Professional, if the big-screen expertise is your factor.
However issues are extra nuanced. For example, the Pixel 8 Professional has better-sounding audio system, whereas the Pixel 8’s charging pace and battery life are akin to these of its greater sibling. Efficiency can also be an identical, albeit the vanilla 8’s restricted reminiscence selection.
Relating to digicam, the Pixel 8 Professional is the clear winner right here. Certain, the principle digicam and 2x zoom efficiency are an identical, however you get a extra succesful ultrawide digicam and a correct 5x telephoto digicam with the Professional.
With all that mentioned, we additionally need to put our findings into perspective. The MSRP of the small Pixel is €800/$700, whereas the value tag for the Pixel 8 Professional is €1,100/$1,000. That is 300 bucks distinction, which is able to probably sway you in a single route or one other.
Do the €300/$300 distinction justify the Pixel 8 Professional’s additional {hardware} and software program options? We allow you to resolve that one your self, however in case you are strictly searching for that Pixel expertise, one might argue that the vanilla Pixel 8 will get you there for much less.
- The larger and extra superior show.
- The 5x telephoto digicam, higher ultrawide and extra digicam options.
- The higher audio system.
- The additional RAM for future-proofing.
Get the Pixel 8 Professional for:
- The extra compact and light-weight physique.
- The significantly cheaper price.
- The marginally longer screen-on battery endurance.
Get the Pixel 8 for: