Reviewing Google’s Pixel 6 Pro phone, to assess whether the camera technology, gaming performance, battery life, and Android 12 experience still rank among the best in 2023. In the long term, the Pixel 6 Pro isn’t quite as enticing as some competitors like the Xiaomi 12 or the Oppo Find X5 series. Nevertheless, its camera capabilities remain solid, and I appreciate the stock Android vibe.
Read Also: Google Pixel 6A Review
Design and Build Quality
The Pixel 6 Pro’s design, characterized by its unique aesthetics and substantial build, distinguishes it from the crowd. Sporting a sizeable 6.7-inch display, it offers a balance between modern aesthetics and a considerable form factor. However, the device’s chunkiness and weight may pose challenges for one-handed use. Its robustness is evident as it manages to remain largely unscathed despite daily wear and tear. While the unique design hides fingerprints, debris can find refuge in the crevices, necessitating occasional cleaning. An IP68 rating ensures protection against water and dust, a feature that enhances its durability.
Software Features
And that is a massive shame, considering how long the Pixel 6 Pro has been around. By now, you would expect most of these bugs to be ironed out in the first month or so, really. And we’re not talking about anything major here, just annoying little things. For instance, a notification might say that somebody is calling you on WhatsApp when, in fact, you’ve already answered their call, spoken with them, and hung up. Or sometimes, when you go to shoot an impromptu video, the Pixel won’t bother to pause any audio that happens to be playing at the time. So far, for some people, these bugs seem to be a regular annoyance, but for me, I only occasionally experience a proper glitch. Still, even minor instances of bugginess shouldn’t be happening on a flagship smartphone, especially a Google-branded one where they’ve handled both the hardware and the software. Also, I’ve definitely noticed more bugs on the Pro model compared to the regular Pixel 6, but I don’t know if that’s just bad luck or whatever. It’s just been my experience.
Apart from these minor bugs, Android 12 has been an absolute pleasure. For one, the call screening feature is an absolute godsend if you’re constantly bothered by endless spam calls and telemarketing. It saves me countless minutes of politely telling them to go away. Then, of course, there are the revamped privacy features. You can keep tabs on all of your apps and what they’re up to, rather than the other way around. Plus, the improved theme and tools, along with numerous other UI enhancements, make Android look and feel slicker than ever before. As always, many of the best aspects are things you wouldn’t consciously notice because you’re not meant to. I’m talking about unsung heroes like the excellent haptics, which deliver subtle vibrations just when you need them. I also appreciate many of the fresh updates, such as the ‘At a Glance’ widget that keeps getting better with each update. Now you can get a quick snapshot of whoever just rang your Nest doorbell, for instance. You don’t have to waste time dragging down notifications, tapping your way into the app, and checking it out, by which time whoever’s at your front door has probably left, especially if they’re an impatient courier or something. Additionally, when you choose Google, you can count on four more years of security and OS updates, which is far better than what most rivals offer.
My only other complaint is aimed squarely at the Pixel 6 Pro’s absolute stinker of a fingerprint sensor. While most optical sensors these days are actually pretty decent, this one gives me daily headaches. Yes, I know it’s tiresome hearing people complain about how bad this optical scanner is, but seriously, I’ve registered my thumbs multiple times just to see if that helps at all.
Display and Audio Quality
Anyway, moving on, there’s nothing more to add to my original Pixel 6 Pro review. As far as the media features go, that OLED screen matches any other premium smartphone panel out there, delivering beautifully crisp quality and visuals with sharp contrast, perfect for enjoying an HDR movie on the go. Its bright and vibrant colors are where it truly excels, along with all the other OLED benefits, including wide viewing angles. Thankfully, the small selfie camera notch doesn’t intrude too much on the action when you’re using the screen in full. The auto-brightness feature is still doing its job perfectly, and the 120Hz maximum refresh rate keeps the Android interface looking silky smooth. Apart from the lack of a headphone jack, as is the usual case, the Pixel 6 Pro doesn’t disappoint when it comes to audio. Streaming to Bluetooth speakers or headphones provides a judder-free experience, even when pushing the limits of the supported range or in crowded, post-covered environments. Even the stereo speakers are quite decent for smartphone standards, pleasingly loud yet not too tinny.
The Pixel 6 Pro features UFS 3.1 storage, like most flagship phones, available in either 128GB or 256GB options if you’re willing to spend a bit more. However, as is standard for flagship smartphones, there’s no microSD memory card support to expand the storage when needed.
Performance and Gaming
The performance on the Pixel 6 Pro might not be as robust as many of its rivals, but every day use on this phone is silky smooth. This is aided by the 12 gigs of DDR5 RAM and the fact that you have that lovely stock version of Android, which complements the Tensor chipset quite well. I must mention that the back of the Pixel 6 Pro can get a bit warm at times, even when I’m just browsing the web for around 40 to 50 minutes with the screen on continuously, or using it as a navigation system. These activities tend to heat up the device. Fortunately, I haven’t noticed any performance issues caused by this heating, even when the screen has been on for a couple of hours straight. When it comes to gaming, in titles like Genshin Impact, you may occasionally encounter small stutters and hiccups, especially if you crank up the graphics settings to the highest levels. While many competitors tend to handle this better, especially in this flagship price range, the experience on the Pixel 6 Pro is still perfectly playable. Lowering the graphics settings slightly usually results in a smoother frame rate, making the gaming experience much more enjoyable.
I also appreciate that Google has finally added a gaming mode to stock Android, although it’s quite basic compared to those offered by companies like Sony, or the features found in ColorOS and MIUI. Nonetheless, it’s better than nothing and has proven to be quite useful for things like blocking notifications when you’re engrossed in a Call of Duty session. The Tensor platform also brings some sub-6 5G capabilities, making it perfect for the UK. However, the super-fast millimeter wave action is not available just yet. The Pixel 6 Pro also supports Wi-Fi 6E, and I have no complaints in either of those departments. Both mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity have been reliable and pleasantly fast.
Battery life
Pixel 6 Pro battery life does seem to have decreased slightly over the past few months, which is a bit annoying. However, I still have no trouble getting through a long full day on just a single charge. There’s only been one instance in recent memory where I managed to completely drain the battery within a day, and that was after about seven hours of continuous screen usage with fairly intensive tasks. The 30-watt wired charging is particularly quick. It’s comparable to most rivals, such as Samsung and Sony, for instance. However, it doesn’t quite reach the impressive speeds of brands like Realme and Xiaomi, with their charging speeds of over 100 watts. Additionally, wireless charging is also available here, as is the case with most premium flagship phones.
Pixel 6 Pro Cameras
The most compelling reason to choose the Pixel 6 Pro over competitors like the Galaxy S22 Plus is the excellent camera technology, led by an impressive 50-megapixel primary sensor with optical image stabilization. No matter what you’re capturing or the time of day, the chances of getting lifelike results are very high. This camera is fantastic for capturing wide, sweeping vistas while on vacation, especially when you switch to the 12-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens or the 48-megapixel telephoto shooter to achieve different perspectives of architecture. The Pixel 6 Pro also excels at close-up portraits of your pets and the people around your home.
Of course, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro face strong competition these days from devices like the Vivo X80 Pro and the Oppo Find X5 Pro, as well as the regular Oppo Find X5. In fact, those Oppo models perform slightly better than the Pixel in low-light conditions, particularly for shooting videos in low light. I did find that with the Pixel, your subject needs to remain fairly still in low light; otherwise, the shots can turn out blurry. As for video, you can record 4K resolution footage with impressive color accuracy and clear audio capture. You also have the option to switch between the three main lenses as you record, and the transitions aren’t distractingly abrupt. While I believe the Find X5 phones perform better in ambient conditions and Samsung’s S series handsets produce cleaner-looking and sounding videos, the Pixel does a decent job for your personal videos.
On the front, there’s an 11.1-megapixel selfie camera, offering a slightly wider viewing angle than the regular Pixel 6 but delivering very similar results. This is one of the more disappointing aspects of the Pixel’s camera technology because in dimmer light, you’ll get grainy, flat-looking shots. This would be disappointing if anyone actually bothered to take selfies for any reason other than reviews. No significant new camera features have been added to the Pixel 6 Pro in the six months since its launch. The Magic Eraser tool is still quite impressive, as long as you don’t expect too much from it. Overall, the camera offers all the basic features you need. The portrait mode works like a charm and everything considered, it’s a very satisfying camera, although not quite the best available anymore.
The Google Pixel 6 Pro maintains its strong position in the smartphone landscape, boasting impressive camera technology, a vibrant display, and a satisfying software experience. While facing competition from newer models, its unique design and consistent performance make it a worthy choice for users seeking a balanced and reliable smartphone.
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Design and Build Quality9
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Display Quality8.5
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Software Experience7
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Performance and Gaming8
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Battery Life7.5
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Camera Test8
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Price Value7
