Speaker 1: Google’s flagship. Pixel eight Professional is on sale now, however is it well worth the cash? Let’s take a more in-depth look. I had a rocky begin with the Pixel eight Professional with bizarre digital camera points, considerably denting my first impressions, however after numerous hours testing all components of the cellphone, particularly the digital camera, I’m lastly prepared to present my verdict. The Pixel eight Professional is drum roll please. [00:00:30] Mainly fantastic. If that looks like one thing of an anti-climax, then that is fairly becoming as a result of the Pixel eight Professional has been moderately an anti-climactic product for me. The Pixel seven Professional and 6 Professional, earlier than it have been very good all spherical telephones with superb digital camera programs. I gave each these telephones coveted CNET Editors Alternative Awards and because of this I had very excessive hopes for the Pixel eight Professional. However after having spent a very long time testing it, I’m left feeling considerably underwhelmed.
Speaker 1: [00:01:00] It isn’t that there is something particularly flawed with the cellphone, it is simply that it would not actually deliver something main to the desk or transfer the pixel line forwards in any significant approach. It is battery life is common. The processor efficiency actually did not impress, and to be trustworthy, I favor the design of the earlier mannequin. A few of its key new options, together with varied AI instruments and a brand new temperature scanner on the again of the cellphone. They work nicely sufficient, however they do not actually deliver sufficient [00:01:30] to the desk to face out as killer new options. One of many main factors it does have in its favor although is the seven years of software program updates that Google has promised to ship. That could be a large enhance over the 4 years it used to supply and a giant enhance over most different Android opponents, and that implies that this cellphone ought to nonetheless be going sturdy in 2030 and an extended lifespan to your cellphone means fewer telephones in landfill. So let’s dive in and see what the Pixel eight Professional has to supply.
Speaker 1: [00:02:00] Bodily it is clear to see the household resemblance with this huge digital camera bar working alongside the again. I do not suppose it appears to be like fairly as stylish or premium trying because the sage and gold of this Pixel seven Professional. Definitely not within the plain black model I initially reviewed. Though this mild blue one does have just a little bit extra character, the 6.7 inch show is identical dimension because the seven Professional and it appears to be like wonderful. Colours are punchy and vibrant and simply do justice to [00:02:30] no matter vibrant, colourful Netflix or YouTube video you are watching. It helps H D R content material. It is brilliant sufficient to truly use outside and it has a most 120 hertz refresh charges for easy scrolling and gaming. This small circle subsequent to the digital camera flash homes a brand new function, a temperature sensor now that enables the cellphone to take temperature readings from object supply surfaces straight in entrance of it, and it is simple sufficient to do you simply fireplace up the temperature app [00:03:00] and maintain the cellphone about 5 centimeters away from no matter it’s you need to scan.
Speaker 1: Form of like in case you’re taking a closeup picture, faucet the display screen and it will provide you with a temperature studying of that object. The concept is that you could test the temperature of a drink earlier than you’re taking a giant gulp or test that that piece of pie is not hotter than the solar earlier than you shovel it into your face. It labored pretty nicely in my testing and I can think about some examples the place it is perhaps fairly helpful. Perhaps you are a father or mother eager to test the temperature of a child’s bottle, however total I [00:03:30] do suppose it is actual world use is sort of restricted. It form appears like a function that is been shoehorned in simply to behave as a differentiator towards the competitors. And positive, the Pixel eight Professional now has a giant function that the iPhone 15 would not, however is it a function that you simply actually care about? To be trustworthy, I do not.
Speaker 1: The cellphone runs the newest Android 14 software program and Google has dedicated to seven years of software program updates. That is nice as a result of longer software program assist intervals [00:04:00] extends the lifetime of a cellphone. It is typically the case that older {hardware} remains to be going sturdy, but when the software program is working is not nonetheless getting safety updates, it is merely not protected to make use of. Android 14 is not that a lot totally different from Android 13. It appears to be like just about the identical and it is received varied methods to customise the interface. Google has sprinkled some AI options all through, nonetheless, together with a brand new method to create generative AI wallpapers, the device that is used choose from a wide range of prompts together with [00:04:30] colours, textures, objects and artwork kinds, after which mix these to create a brand new backdrop. It is fairly enjoyable to play with and I’ve genuinely loved taking part in round with the totally different prompts to try to create photos that I like.
Speaker 1: And Google has woven some AI options elsewhere within the cellphone, together with within the picture editor. These instruments that you simply do, issues like choosing an object to make it bigger or smaller throughout the body or take away it fully. Outcomes do not all the time look superb, however they are often fairly enjoyable methods of [00:05:00] taking part in round with snaps. That’s in case you might be bothered ready, the excruciating 15 or so seconds it takes to truly render every edit. Working the software program is Google’s newest selfmade processor, the Tenser G three, which I usually discovered to be underwhelming. It did not impress in any respect in Benchmark instruments, placing it nearer in efficiency to cheaper mid-range telephones moderately than right now’s flagships. And whereas benchmark instruments actually do not inform the entire story of a processor, there are areas the place I positively [00:05:30] really feel it is missing in energy, particularly these lengthy wait instances to create AI edits. Generally use, although it does really feel swift and responsive and demanding. Video games like Genin Impression and PUBG all performed with easy body charges even at excessive settings.
Speaker 1: So let’s discuss these cameras. The cameras have been my greatest concern in my preliminary evaluate resulting from varied picture processing issues I discovered beneath sure situations, a number of of our [00:06:00] preliminary check photos in excessive distinction conditions confirmed weird trying artifacts within the shadowy areas together with extraordinarily aggressive software program noise discount that smoothed out areas that ought to have had element. Google pushed out an replace to assist resolve a few of these points and whereas it has gone an extended method to rectifying them, they have not gone away fully, however it’s a way more minor situation now exhibiting up very hardly ever and in very particular circumstances. For essentially the most half, the digital camera is superb, taking [00:06:30] vibrant, sharp, and nicely uncovered photos in a wide range of situations. In good situations. The principle extremely vast and 5 instances telephoto Zoom digital camera all took stunning photographs that comfortably rivaled the identical photographs that I’ve seen on the iPhone 15 Professional at evening.
Speaker 1: The iPhone usually performs higher, however the Pixel eight Professional remains to be an enormous step up in evening abilities over the Pixel seven Professional. The cellphone has different new digital camera options as nicely, together with guide settings for adjusting [00:07:00] shutter velocity and white stability, in addition to a brand new 50 megapixel mode for taking excessive res photographs. The additional decision over the usual 12 megapixels is actually noticeable once you zoom in on these particulars, however to be trustworthy, most photographers will not want to make use of it, particularly because the one to 2 second delay required to take every picture means it is solely actually appropriate for static scenes like landscapes. Total, the Pixel eight Professionals digital camera is superb. I’m actually glad that I’ve spent all this additional time [00:07:30] in testing it following Google’s replace. It will possibly take stunning photographs in all situations and its evening mode is a giant step up over the predecessor. That heavy handed picture processing although remains to be seen and devoted. Photographers amongst you might be nonetheless most likely going to be higher served with the iPhone 50 Professional.
Speaker 1: So what do I like in regards to the Pixel eight Professional? Effectively, I like its gloriously vibrant show. I like its usually strong cameras [00:08:00] and I really like that prolonged software program assist. What I do not like is the underwhelming processor efficiency, the middling battery life, that heavy handed picture processing in some photographs and the truth that a few of its key new options form of really feel like gimmicks. So is it a foam that you should purchase Collectively, we have spent numerous hours testing all of the options of the Pixel eight Professional and taking a whole bunch of check photographs with all of its cameras. [00:08:30] Regardless of my earlier issues, I’m assured that the Pixel eight Professional is a strong Android cellphone to think about, particularly in case you’re into nighttime images. However total, it would not really feel like an enormous step up over the Pixel seven Professional and definitely in case you’ve received a seven Professional, it is completely not value an improve. However these of you on older pixel telephones or on different Android telephones greater than two or three years previous will completely profit from
Speaker 2: Of the important thing upgrades on this cellphone. What do you suppose to the Pixel eight professional? Is it the [00:09:00] cellphone for you or are your eyes set elsewhere? Do make certain to depart your ideas within the feedback beneath and ensure to take a look at the video description for lots extra data.
