Joe Maring / Digital Trends
TheGoogle Pixel 8was one of 2023 ’s proficient smartphone releases . The compact size , excellent camera , and top - notch software made it an extremely tempting purchase — specially with a retail price of just $ 699 .
But we ’re now five months removed from the Pixel 8 ’s release , and alothas switch . Samsung released its Galaxy S24 serial , OnePlus has been on a bust , and we ’re quickly getting a unspoiled idea of what theGoogle Pixel 9will wait like . Given all that , I decided to pop my SIM placard back into the Pixel 8 to see how the sound keep back up in 2024 .
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
What I still love about the Google Pixel 8
It had been a while since I last used the Google Pixel 8 , but in the past duo of week of revisit the headphone , I never once felt out of step with it . The Pixel 8 is such an easy sound to survive with . There are no steep learning curves , no weird computer software hurdles to overcome , and no game - breaking hardware issues . Everything about the earpiece just mold , and it ’s as soft in April 2024 as I remember it being in October 2023 .
The Pixel 8 has a few particular effectiveness , one of which is its size . As someone who regularly utilise theiPhone 15 Pro Max , coming back to the Pixel 8 has been a treat . It slither into my pocket with room to part with , and I can use it one - handed without a job . But at 6.2 inch , the filmdom never feels too cramped . I ’ve watched numerous YouTube videos and played too manyMarvel Snapmatches on the telephone over the last couple of weeks , and not once have I felt like I needed more space . It ’s a really lovely size , and it ’s one of my favorite things about the headphone .
Another reason the Pixel 8 has been so easy to revisit is its software . Google ’s flavor ofAndroid 14remains one of my favorites . It ’s neat , simple , and just so easy to employ . Unlike Samsung ’s One UI or OnePlus ’ OxygenOS — which I feel I have to ok - air and pinch to do work the way of life I desire it to — Google ’s Pixel software is casual . I do n’t have to hide matching apps , ignore dozens of features I ’ll never use , or anything of the variety . It ’s just wonderful .
Before Magic EditorJoe Maring / Digital Trends
Since the Pixel 8 ’s release , one of the biggest unexampled software feature it ’s received isCircle to Search . After plunge on the Galaxy S24 first in January , Circle to Search has been a amazingly ready to hand tool on the Pixel 8 . It ’s not something I utilize constantly , but whenever I do , it impresses me . It ’s also my favored form of Pixel feature article . It ’s utilitarian when I want to use it , but when I do n’t ask it , it go away from sight .
And , of grade , there ’s the camera . The 50 - megapixel primary photographic camera is still a joy to scoot with . It ’s far from the most advanced camera system on a earpiece today , but it remain one of my favorites .
Is it the best camera for zooming ? Not really . The 2x zoom shortcut in the camera work well , and even at 8x zoom — the maximal zoom distance for the phone — pic are still usable . But if you want to go any further , you ’re out of luck . The 12MP ultrawide camera also is n’t the very best we ’ve ever seen . But you have intercourse what ? None of that really bothers me when I ’m using the Pixel 8 . If I take a picture with the phone , chances are I ’m conk to be glad with the end resolution . The Pixel 8 handles nighttime guessing very well ; it deal locomote subjects easily , and its colors are just lovely — striking a with child balance of naive realism and vividness .
After Magic EditorJoe Maring / Digital Trends
My biggest issues with the Pixel 8
That ’s a destiny of praise for the Google Pixel 8 ! Does that mean it ’s perfect ? Not exactly . For as much as I bask using the Pixel 8 , there are some very ostensible shortcomings with the speech sound .
Surprisingly , one of them is the design . As much as I bed the size of the Pixel 8 , I ’m find other aspect of the design frustrating — specifically , the rounded corners . I think they give the Pixel 8 a very precious , soft aesthetic . In practice , however , they can make holding onto the speech sound weirdly challenging . It ’s a well-heeled phone that nestles into my palm , but I often find like I have to readjust my grip .
Maybe it ’s because I ’ve grown used to flat edge on phones like theiPhone 15 ProandGalaxy S24 Plus , but moving back to the Pixel 8 ’s smooth , rounded frame has n’t been totally idealistic . Rumor on the street is thatthe Google Pixel 9 is adopting a very Apple and Samsung - like flat frame , and I’mreallylooking forward to that .
Speaking of issue , let ’s talk about battery life sentence . It ’s … fine . When Andy critique the Pixel 8 last October , he managed to get “ deep into a second daytime ” of use on a unmarried charge . In my experience , the Google Pixel 8 hold out for about a day , and that ’s it . It ’s perfectly fine electric battery sprightliness , but in a world where similarly priced phones like the OnePlus 12R havemuch betterendurance , it ’s a little flake harder to overlook .
Making it more irritating is how slowly the Pixel 8 courser . 27W wired charging is not an telling number in 2024 . Once again , when there are options like theOnePlus 12Rwith 80W care speeding , going back to something this tepid can be frustrating . I still eff having the choice for wireless and reverse wireless charging , but I really wish I could juice up the Pixel 8 a portion faster than I ’m able to now .
Finally , I ’d like to babble about theTensor G3 chippowering the Google Pixel 8 . It ’s uphold to be a hearty improvement over its Tensor G2 herald . It generally run swimmingly , it does n’t get uncomfortably hot , and I ’ve not had nearly as many bugs / glitchesas I did with my Pixel 7 Pro . However , that ’s not to say it ’s perfect .
While not as liberal of an issue as it was for the Pixel 7 serial publication , the Google Pixel 8 does still get ardent — noticeably more so than phones with late Qualcomm chips . Plug it in to charge for a few hour or play a couple of rounds ofMarvel Snap , and there ’s no disregard the Pixel 8 heating up . I ’ve also encountered a handful of small software issues here and there — such as apps briefly lock up for a duo of seconds — and game do n’t feel quite as fluid as they do on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 - powered speech sound . It ’s nothing plot - break , but they ’re all reminder that Google still has plenty of way to grow with Tensor .
Is the Pixel 8 still worth it in 2024?
Revisiting the Google Pixel 8 has been an interesting experience . The logical part of my brainiac knows that if I were commend a sound to someone today , there are serious pick out there .
TheSamsung Galaxy S24 cost just $ 100 moreand has a more subject central processing unit . It also adds a right telephotograph camera , salutary battery life , a nicer CRT screen , and Samsung ’s own suite of AI tricks . The OnePlus 12 shares the Pixel 8 ’s $ 699 retail price(when you take reward of OnePlus ’ excellent swop - in promo ) and has its own mickle of benefits — be it the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip , 80W wire charging , or its own excellent camera system of rules . For many hoi polloi , either of those two telephone set is potential a smarter leverage over the Pixel 8 .
But even so , there ’s something I witness so welcome about the Pixel 8 . Maybe it ’s Google ’s top - notch software system . Perhaps it ’s the tiny , adorable sizing that ’s a true low density in 2024 . Part of it might be the oh - so - good camera tone . On a technological level , the Google Pixel 8 has its flaws . But when I pick up the Pixel 8 and am reminded of all the sound it does , those matter blow over into the ground .
I need to remove my SIM from the Pixel 8 to test another phone , but I am reluctant to do so . just put , I do n’t want to stop using the Pixel 8 . And for all the way we can canvass and brush up a smartphone in 2024 , I call back that ’s one of the best signs Google did something right .
