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The review of the Google Pixel 8 Pro smartphone can only begin with number 7. Seven like the years of guaranteed software updates and not just patches. It means that Mountain View, in addition to truly believing in this device on the hardware side, will continue to enrich it with features. After trying it for a few weeks we can only appreciate the improvement compared to the 7 also in terms of autonomy. It is a pleasant top of the range that on the computational photography side does things that others don’t do thanks to the use of artificial intelligence. The list price of the Pixel 8 Pro in the 128GB version is 1,099 euros, higher than its predecessor. But this smartphone was born to be different, it is designed to last over time. It will be interesting to understand the Ai ecosystem that Google will build around it.
#MadeByGoogle ’23: Google Tensor G3
Hardware, what does it offer?
The heart of the new Pixel is the third generation of their chip. Let’s talk about the Tensor G3 chipset. Developed at 4 nanometers, with 12 GB of RAM it is designed to manage artificial intelligence algorithms. In the benchmark tests it is not the fastest but during our test it always offered a fluid experience, even in the longest gaming sessions. The device warmed up but the performance was not affected. Therefore, remaining on the hardware – which is not its strong point – we confirm that photography and video are top of the range. It films in 4K at 60fps. The shutter speed allows you to portray family, friends, children and animals, obtaining beautiful, easy and clear photos. The zoom that relies on digital magnification is fast and precise. While the battery finally doesn’t play tricks like in the past. They put a 5,000mAh one inside. It means that during the test at the end of the day we never dropped below 20% residual energy, even after rather intensive use. The screen is a 6.7-inch Oled with dynamic refresh up to 120 Hz and peak brightness of 2200 nits. It’s not the best display we’ve tried but it performs well in all light conditions, the colors are bright and it never tires.
What’s new.
Google Pixel 8 Pro does things others don’t. This mobile phone will provide surprises on the software side. We really liked the ones we’ve seen so far. For example, Magic Editor thanks to AI allows you not only to easily remove unwanted elements in photos, but also to move them within the frame. It’s not a Pixel-exclusive feature, it’s also been there for some time on the iPhone. When you take a series of very similar photos over a 10-second time frame, Google Photos will let you change the expressions of people in the scene by letting you choose a face from a different image in the series. With Best Shot, however, you obtain more convincing facial expressions based on a fair number of close-ups taken of the same subject. Particularly effective is the Audio Magic Eraser which reduces disturbing noises such as the wind, car horns or passing trams. And then there’s Google Translate, which allows real-time translations into 49 languages. It all works and is pretty easy. But you need to have Google Photos and storage.
Judgment
The price of Pixel 8 Pro with 128GB is 1,099 euros. The previous model cost 899 euros. Above the psychological threshold of one thousand euros today there is only iPhone and foldable smartphones. Google Pixel 8 Pro must be thought of in the long term. Seven years is a long time. If the update roadmap is respected and if new features related to AI arrive, then today’s thousand-odd euros could really be an excellent investment.