Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 8

The Google Pixel 8 duo this year brings a handful of improvements over its predecessors despite recycling the same design for a few generations now. The new generation offers new camera hardware, nicer displays, faster charging, and a more powerful chipset with improved AI capabilities. They are the first Pixel phones to offer seven years of full software support. In theory they should receive Android 21.

However, if you are still deciding which of the two you should buy, we are here to help. Aside from the obvious differences in size and price, there are some nuanced distinctions between the two, which require deeper analysis. The disparity in functionality is greater than you might think.

Summary:

Let’s start by comparing the full spec sheets here.

Size comparison

Size and weight are the main differentiating factors when reviewing the Pixel 8 duo. Those looking for a compact flagship phone will obviously choose the vanilla Pixel 8 – it’s even smaller than its predecessors. On the other hand, full-size flagship users are better off with the Pixel 8 Pro.

Regarding size and weight, the two flagships are competitive in their respective categories without exaggerating or standing out.

There’s no denying, however, that the Pixel 8 is noticeably more comfortable to hold, fits in all pockets, and is a pleasure to use with one hand. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 Pro may prove unwieldy for some users.

View the comparison

Aside from the obvious difference in display size, there is also a technology gap. While both devices boast better displays than their predecessors, the Pixel 8 Pro definitely wins in this department.

While both phones now offer a 120Hz refresh rate, the 8 Pro uses an LTPO OLED panel that can granularly control the refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz, depending on your scenario. This helps save some battery life in the long run. The Pixel 8 Pro’s display can also be slightly brighter in direct sunlight, reaching 1,600 nits compared to the Vanilla 8’s 1,446 nits. In the real world, however, this won’t be much of a difference. Additionally, the 8 Pro has a slightly higher screen resolution to accommodate the larger diagonal.

Their HDR capabilities are the same: HDR10+, but the level of protection is slightly better on the 8 Pro. It offers the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 sheet, while the 8 makes do with the previous generation Victus.

Battery life

Surprisingly enough, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro offer similar overall battery life, according to our active usage score. However, some small differences can be observed in the individual tests. The Pixel 8 is better at video playback, while the 8 Pro has higher calling and web browsing times, raising the active usage score slightly higher than the Vanilla’s.

However, it’s not what you’d expect from a larger phone with a bigger battery. The Pixel 8 has a 4,575 mAh unit, compared to the 5,050 mAh cell in the 8 Pro. In any case, the difference is marginal.

Charging speed

The Pixels’ charging ability has always been the series’ Achilles’ heel, and while it’s not ideal, this year’s update in both phones is a step in the right direction. Fast charging on the Pixel 8 is rated at 27W, while the larger one can go up to 30W. Wirelessly, the smaller Pixel makes do with 18W charging, while the 8 Pro offers 23W. Both phones support reverse wireless charging.

When it comes to real-world testing, the standard Pixel 8 outperforms its bigger brother by a small margin on all checkpoints: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and on a full charge. The difference is extremely small, however, and likely won’t make any difference in normal use. The Pixel 8 is only 8 minutes faster to complete the charge and has an advantage over the entire test of only 2-3%.

Test the speakers

In our speaker test, the two phones scored very similar in terms of volume – 26.6 LUFS versus 26.0 LUFS in favor of the smaller Pixel. However, their audio tuning could not be different. The Pixel 8 Pro leans more on the bass-heavy side, at least by smartphone standards. This ensures fuller sounding music and a warmer atmosphere for most songs.

While the Pixel 8 produces a flatter sound with clear vocals but somewhat lacks depth. And while this is largely a subjective matter, we liked the larger Pixel better in this regard. Most songs sound better on the Pixel 8 Pro.

Performance

Both the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro use the brand new Google Tensor G3 chipset based on Samsung’s 4nm manufacturing process. The chip boasts improved AI capabilities and higher raw performance than its predecessors.

However, since both devices share the same hardware, performance is virtually identical, with a few caveats. For example, in on-screen benchmarks, the Pixel 8 outperforms the 8 Pro due to its lower resolution, so expect a lower frame rate in some games on the 8 Pro. Offscreen GPU tests show no statistical difference, as you would expect.

Google
Pixel 8Pro

AnTuTu 10
1,151,243

Geekbench 6
1,766 single-core

Geekbench 6
4,492 multicores

Google
Pixel 8

AnTuTu 10
1,158,631

Geekbench 6
1,668 single cores

Geekbench 6
4,404 multicore

Another thing to keep in mind is memory. The Pixel 8 Pro offers a wider variety of storage configurations, going up to 1TB and 12GB of memory across the board. The Pixel 8, on the other hand, only has two memory variants: 128 and 256 GB and only 8 GB of RAM, regardless of the configuration. And while this may seem like enough by today’s standards, with a couple of Android releases in the future, 8GB may not be enough. Let’s just hope Google thought this through.

Camera comparison

This year, only the camera department of the Pixel 8 Pro gets the big boost as the smaller Pixel makes do with the same camera hardware as last year’s Pixel 8. In short, the overall camera experience will likely be the deciding factor for many buyers.

Sure, the main cameras on both phones are identical and offer the same quality; even photos with cropping and 2x zoom, which Google says are nearly lossless, are the same. In both cases, you will get excellent photo and video quality during the day and night.

Pixel 8 Pro: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x

Pixel 8: 0.5x • 1x • 2x

However, the 8 Pro’s auxiliary cameras are the ones you pay extra for. The larger Pixel boasts a noticeably better ultrawide camera thanks to its more powerful 48MP sensor, and the dedicated 48MP telephoto lens delivers stunning 5x lossless photos. Something you can’t get from the smaller Pixel.

Ultrawide low-light samples also look nicer on the Pro, even though those taken from the main cameras are identical.

Pixel 8 Pro: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x

Pixel 8: 0.5x • 1x • 2x

But it doesn’t end here. For some reason, Google decided to omit some software-based features from the smaller Pixel, likely to increase interest in the larger Pixel. In any case, with the smaller flagship, you’ll lose the Pro controls (i.e. no manual control over photos and videos), access to the main camera’s full 50MP resolution, and Night Sight video recording.

Here’s a glimpse of how the Pixel 8 Pro’s main camera compares in image quality to that of the Pixel 8 in our photo comparison tool.

And here’s how the Pixel 8 Pro’s main camera compares in terms of video quality to that of the Pixel 8 in our video comparison tool.

Verdict

As you can see, the spec sheet isn’t everything when choosing the right phone for you. Especially if you are deciding between phones belonging to the same family, such as the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. And in case you are still wondering, then perhaps the size, weight and display size are not the deciding factors, why you would have chosen the Pixel 8 if portability is what you’re looking for. Conversely, the Pixel 8 Pro, if the big screen experience is your thing.

But things are more nuanced. For example, the Pixel 8 Pro has better-sounding speakers, while the Pixel 8’s charging speed and battery life are comparable to its bigger brother. Performance is also identical, despite the vanilla 8’s limited memory choice.

When it comes to camera, the Pixel 8 Pro is the clear winner. Sure, the main camera and 2x zoom performance are identical, but with the Pro you get a more capable ultrawide camera and an adequate 5x telephoto lens.

That said, we also need to put our findings into perspective. The recommended price of the little Pixel is €800/$700, while the price of the Pixel 8 Pro is €1,100/$1,000. That’s $300 difference, which will probably sway you one way or the other.

Does the €300/$300 difference justify the Pixel 8 Pro’s extra hardware and software features? We’ll let you decide for yourself, but if you’re looking exclusively for the Pixel experience, it could be argued that the vanilla Pixel 8 gets you there for less.