Google has formally launched its latest Pixel smartphones. The Search giant has moved the Pixel range firmly into the premium zone with the Pro variant, the Pixel 8 Pro at Rs 1,06,999, becoming the first Google phone to start at a price of above Rs 1,00,000.
Although its price might inspire some kidney sale jokes, the Pixel 8 Pro does pack in a fair bit for all those bucks. It comes with a brilliant 6.7-inch FHD+ LTPO AMOLED display that is much brighter than that of its predecessor and is powered by the new Google Tensor G3 processor, which adds a number of smart abilities to it and is also paired with 12 GB of RAM, to ensure multitasking is a stroll in the park. This being a Pixel, you of course get a truckload of camera muscle - the Pixel 8 Pro comes with a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor with OIS and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera as well, making it the most megapixel laden set of cameras ever seen on a Pixel.
You also get high-quality stereo speakers, and a big 5,050mAh battery with support for 30W wired and 23W wireless charging, although there is no charger in the box. All of this with Android 14 out of the box with assured updates for a staggering seven years, and in a typically stylish Pixel frame with that iconic camera bar on the back, with IP68 dust and water resistance.
But even that staggering spec sheet does not grant the Pixel 8 Pro immunity from competition. Standing in its way is a formidable array of flagships, some of which come with comparable specs and features at a lower price.
So, if you are considering going for the Pixel 8 Pro, we would advise you to pause and consider these fantastic five phones before making up your mind:
iPhone 15 Plus: The Big iPhone
Price: Rs 89,900 onwards
The iPhone 15 Pro starts at a hefty Rs 1,34,900, which puts it right out of the range of the Pixel 8 Pro. But that does not mean that the latest Pro Pixel does not have to deal with the latest edition of the iPhone.
The iPhone that is likely to be the biggest headache for the Pixel 8 Pro is the iPhone 15 Plus. It comes with a 6.7-inch XDR Super Retina OLED display that has a regular 60Hz refresh rate, but is exceptionally bright and brilliant, and also features a Dynamic Island instead of the old notch. The phone comes in new colours and a smooth matte finish and is powered by the same A16 Bionic chip that was seen in the iPhone 14 Pro range last year, making it great for gaming and multitasking.
The 48-megapixel main sensor and 12-megapixel ultrawide might not sound as impressive as the cameras on the Pixel 8 Pro, but they are excellent performers, and remain the benchmark in the video department.
Add to this the iPhone's standard app muscle, smooth interface and now greater connectivity, thanks to the USB Type-C port and the iPhone 15 Plus emerges as a formidable challenger to the new Pro Pixel. It also comes with perhaps the best battery life in the new iPhones.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Ultra-Hefty Competitor
Price: Rs 1,05,000
In terms of specs and size, this is the elephant in the Pixel 8 Pro Challenger room. In fact, if specs are what counts, it is hard to look past the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It was launched at Rs 1,24,999 but has received a few price cuts and is now available at a price that is in the vicinity of the latest Pixel Pro.
It remains a spec monster with a massive 6.8-inch quad HD Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, a terrific 200-megapixel main camera with OIS, two 10-megapixel telephoto sensors with OIS providing 10x optical zoom (something even the Pixel 8 Pro cannot match), and a very good 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera.
It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor which remains the ultimate smartphone flagship processor from Qualcomm at the time of writing, and as if all this were not enough, also comes with the iconic S-Pen stylus that lets you sketch and scribble on that magnificent display. It's massive, yet sleekly designed and comes with dust and water resistance and a large 5000 mAh battery that supports wireless charging.
The only thing it lacks is a charger in the box which the Pixel lacks too. All of this together makes the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra a nightmare for the Pixel 8 Pro.
Vivo X90 Pro: Pro With The X Factor In Photography
Price: Rs 84,999
One of the most underrated phones of the year, the Vivo X90 Pro did not come with the sort of hype that accompanied the other devices in this list, but it remains a terrific option for anyone looking for a premium phone with great cameras.
And that places it right in the path of the Pixel 8 Pro. It comes with a brilliant 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and the MediaTek Dimensity 9200 processor running it is one of the most powerful around. However, the real star of the show — and what makes it a true Pixel rival — is its camera setup, which is spearheaded by a massive one-inch 50-megapixel camera sensor (a rarity in phone cameras), a 50-megapixel telephoto sensor and a 12-megapixel ultrawide.
The phone is even designed to look like a camera with a large circular camera unit and a metal band running just below it. Its FunTouch OS interface might not be everyone's cup of tea but it comes packed with features, and the 4870 mAh battery can see off a day of use and thanks to 120W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, get recharged in a jiffy.
It got off to a slightly rocky start but some software updates have made this one of the best camera-centric flagships around, which makes it a great alternative to the Pixel 8 Pro, especially if you are in pursuit of purity in photography, rather than in Android.
Google Pixel 7 Pro: The Old Pro Still Rocks
Price: Rs 70,000
Yes, it is officially the old Pixel now, but that does not make the Pixel 7 Pro any less of an irritant to the prospects of the one that has taken its place in the Pixel portfolio. The Pixel 7 Pro was launched at Rs 84,999 but is now available at a much lower price, and while all its specs are not on the same level as those of the Pixel 8 Pro, it still packs in quite a punch.
The 6.7-inch AMOLED display is not as bright but actually has a slightly higher resolution than the one on the Pixel 8 Pro, and the 50-megapixel main camera with OIS, the 48-megapixel telephoto sensor with OIS (which gives 5x optical zoom like the Pixel 8 Pro) and the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera take brilliant shots, aided by Google's computational photography prowess. You get a clean Android that works smoothly and is assured of quick updates for a few years.
A 5,000mAh battery keeps it ticking easily for a day, although charging speeds are not super fast and there is no charger in the box. You also get the amazing Pixel design with the camera bar, IP68 dust and water resistance. Not a bad deal if you want a premium Pixel experience but do not want to get too premium in terms of budget.
Moto Razr 40 Ultra: Flip For Pure Android Magic
Price: Rs 89,999
Yes, we know this is a flip phone. An entirely different form factor. So why on earth are we pitting it against the Pro side of the new Pixel? Well, because it is perhaps the best option for anyone wanting a premium clean Android experience — something which the Pixel range is all about.
The Moto Razr 40 Ultra might not have the sort of camera muscle that the Pixel 8 Pro has — its 12-megapixel main sensor and 13-megapixel ultrawide are good, but not capable of the greatness that the Pixel 8 Pro's camera can unleash — but it comes with a clean Android interface, and what's more, spreads it across two displays.
The Razr 40 Ultra's external 3.6-inch AMOLED external/cover display is not only almost full HD in resolution but is actually capable of carrying out almost every phone function, from calling to browsing the Web to checking social networks to watching films. It is so impressive and handily compact that you almost forget the 6.9-inch internal display that the phone flips open. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip powering the phone is a flagship-level performer, although the flip form factor is not made for gaming.
The 3,800mAh battery charges at a respectable 30W (with a charger in the box). If your reason for pursuing the Pixel 8 Pro is a clean Android experience on a large display in a premium device, this is one phone worth flipping for. And has a lower price tag too.
