Google Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 8 Pro: Which one is best for you?

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have made numerous improvements, but it's still critical to recognize the particulars that set these Android devices apart. Based on our firsthand experience, this Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 8 Pro comparison will make your decision-making process easier.

The Pixel 8 from Google offers a lot, including a stunning 120Hz display that is both clearer and smoother. Additionally, additional camera modes broaden your creative options. The Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, offers a bigger screen, a telephoto camera, and other interesting "pro" features that enhance your smartphone experience if you're ready to spend a little bit extra.

Check out our in-depth analyses of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro for the whole performance scoop. However, if you're searching for a brief summary of what sets these two gadgets apart, keep reading to learn about the key distinctions.

GOOGLE PIXEL 8 VS. PIXEL 8 PRO: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro went on general sale on October 12, 2023, and are both now accessible. 

Due to this year's price increase, pricing may unfortunately be a source of contention for long-time Pixel users. The beginning pricing of both phones are $100 higher than those of the Pixel 7 series, so you should expect to pay at least $699 for the Pixel 8 and $999 for the Pixel 8 Pro. Although the difference of $300 between the two phones is rather common, people generally dislike price increases.

The costs are still lower than those of some of Google's largest competitors, like as Samsung and Apple. While the Pixel 8 Pro comes in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options, the Pixel 8 is only offered in 128GB and 256GB variants.

GOOGLE PIXEL 8 VS. PIXEL 8 PRO: DESIGN

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro appear to have rounded edges, glass surfaces, and metal trimmings as their defining characteristics. The Pixel 8 Pro's bigger screen—6.7 inches compared to the Pixel 8's 6.2 inches—is the only immediately noticeable visual difference from the front. The Pro is about an ounce heavier as well.

The placement of the cameras on the back of both phones accounts for the other significant variation in their designs. The Pixel 8 just has a twin camera system, but the Pixel 8 Pro has a triple camera setup. 

The Pixel 8 Pro also has an additional sensor beneath the LED flash. This is a temperature sensor that can determine how hot an object placed in front of it is, with Google requesting FDA clearance to measure body temperatures.

The Pro variant also has a matte glass back, which looks fantastic and should make the phone significantly more grippable if you don't use a cover. The rear of the Pixel 8 is made of the same polished glass as its predecessors. On the Pixel 8, both the front and back glass are constructed of Gorilla Glass Victus, while the Pixel 8 Pro has more robust Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

DISPLAY OF GOOGLE PIXEL 8 VS. PIXEL 8 PRO

If you prefer larger screens, the Pixel 8 Pro will naturally appeal to you due to its larger 6.7-inch Super Actua Display. This device includes an adjustable refresh rate, which allows it to vary between 1 Hz and 120 Hz on the fly.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 has a 6.2-inch Actua display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz but a more limited adaptive mode that can only go down to 60 Hz. While there isn't much of a difference, the Pixel 8 Pro's greater display refresh rate might make it more tempting, especially to avid gamers.

The difference between the two Actua screens is more than just the refresh rate. Brightness is one of the new panel's main selling points, with Google stating that the 8 Pro's Super Actua display would reach 2,500 nits, up from 2,000 on the Pixel 8.

When showing HDR video, the Pixel 8 Pro topped out at 1,526 nits and the Pixel 8 at 1,349 nits in our tests. This is far superior to the Pixel 7 series. 

In addition, the Pixel 8 Pro produced significantly more DCI-P3 color space than the Pixel 8, with a score of 90.4% vs 89.4% for the Pixel 8. Meanwhile, the Delta-E accuracy of the Pixel 8 Pro was 0.23 vs 0.26 for the Pixel 8 (lower is better). So there's not a significant difference, but it demonstrates that the Super Actua display outperforms the competition.

Finally, there is the conclusion. The Pixel 8 Pro wins with a more detailed 2,992 x 1,344 resolution, which is roughly equivalent to QHD+. With a resolution of 2,220 x 1080, the Pixel 8 is closer to FHD+.

PXEL 8 PRO vs. GOOGLE PIXEL 8: CAMERAS

Casual photographers should be satisfied with the Pixel 8, but power users should consider the Pixel 8 Pro. The 50MP main camera on both phones is the same, but that is where the similarities end. 

The 8 Pro includes an upgraded 48MP ultrawide lens as well as a 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical magnification. Both phones have a 10.5 MP selfie camera, but the Pixel 8 has fixed focus, whereas the Pixel 8 Pro's front lens now has autofocus.

Other Pro-only features include the aptly named Pro controls, which allow experienced photographers to tweak various camera settings the way they want rather than what the phone dictates. It can also shoot in RAW format and will get a Video Boost feature later this year that will optimize your clips in the cloud. 

This feature allows you to upload your video to Google servers to be enhanced, providing quality that your phone cannot provide. This includes Video Night Sight, which is unique to this camera processing method. 

Tensor G3-enabled editing features such as Magic Editor and Audio Magic Eraser are available on both phones. While the Pixel 8 Pro has more flashy features, the Pixel 8 retains the ability to use AI and tinker with photos after the fact.

We have not done a direct comparison of the two cameras yet. However, during our testing for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro reviews, we were very impressed with the camera quality on both phones. It is just that the Pixel 8 Pro has more hardware to support all of the software upgrades.

PERFORMANCE OF GOOGLE PIXEL 8 VS. PIXEL 8 PRO

Both phones are powered by Google's Tensor G3 chip, an upgrade over the Tensor G2 from last year. Officially, both Pixel 8 models use the same chipset, and despite rumors to the contrary, the benchmarking results are very close, though not identical.

The Pixel 8 received a single-core Geekbench score of 1,569 and a multi-core score of 3,744. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 Pro outperformed in the former, scoring 1,699 on the single-core test but 3,666 on the multi-core test. 

3D Mark Wild Life Unlimited tests revealed that the Pixel 8 Pro achieved 52 fps and the Pixel 8 achieved 54 fps. Again, the results were close, with the 8 Pro finishing in 71 seconds and the Pixel 8 in 72 seconds in the Adobe Premiere Rush video editing test. 

In most cases, both phones are slower than the Samsung Galaxy S23 and iPhone 15. Performance is not the Tensor's strong suit, and when choosing between the two 2023 Pixels, it is clear that this will not be a deciding factor.

However, storage and RAM may play a role, as the Pixel 8 Pro has 12GB of memory compared to the Pixel 8's 8GB. Similarly, the Pro offers higher storage configurations of 512GB and 1TB in addition to the Pixel 8's 128GB and 256GB options. The Pixel 8 Pro is the phone to choose if you dislike cloud storage and are willing to pay to avoid it.

GOOGLE PIXEL 8 VS. PIXEL 8 PRO: CHARGING AND BATTERY LIFE

Google's Pixel phones have never had the endurance to make our list of the best phone battery life, but the Pixel 8 battery life is significantly better for both models. 

Let us start with the specs: the Pixel 8 has a 4,575 mAh battery, while the Pixel 8 Pro has a 5,050 mAh battery. Both are slightly larger than their Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro predecessors, which is a good start toward better battery life.

In our battery life test, we surf the web continuously over 5G while setting the screen brightness to 150 nits. Phones last about 10 hours on average, but anything that lasts 11.5 hours or more makes our list of the best phone battery life.

When the screen was set to 60 Hz, the Google Pixel 8 lasted 9 hours and 50 minutes, while the Pixel 8 Pro lasted 10 hours and 3 minutes. This is not a huge difference, but the Pixel 8 Pro has the advantage in terms of battery life.

The same can be said for the charging specs, with Google promising that the 8 Pro will be able to reach 30W charging speeds when using a compatible USB-PD charging brick. The Pixel 8 is limited to 27W speeds, but Google claims that both phones can reclaim 50% of their battery in 30 minutes.

With a standard Qi wireless charger, both phones provide the same 12W wireless charging speeds. The Pixel 8 Pro can hit 23W if you have a Google Pixel Stand 2, Google's homemade wireless charging stand, while the Pixel 8 is limited to 18W.

BOTTOM LINE: GOOGLE PIXEL 8 VS. PIXEL 8 PRO

Now that you know how the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro compare, your decision will be based on how much you are willing to pay or whether you value the Pixel 8 Pro's exclusive features.

The $300 price difference between the two phones will be the deciding factor. It is up to you to decide whether the Pixel 8 Pro is worth your money. 

And, because battery life and performance are fairly evenly matched, it all comes down to the additional camera features and larger display.

The Pixel 8 Pro may cost more, but it gains a temperature sensor, a 5x telephoto camera, and some pro controls with its cameras, as well as Video Boost for better-looking videos. But the regular Pixel 8 is still a great value.