One of the things we can expect from Google I/O 2023 is our first glimpse of the Google Pixel 8 Pro — ahead of an official release later this year. Currently, I’m rocking the Pixel 6 Pro, which I’ve been very happy with. Since the two-year mark is a good place to upgrade, you’d think I’d be excited at the prospect, right? not exactly.
The Pixel 6 Pro has done a great job over the past two years. Is it the best Android phone? Not anymore, but I’m a simple guy who doesn’t need a phone in the latest model all the time. Simply put, the Pixel 6 Pro performs well enough and I have no real desire to upgrade just yet.
Aside from the absolutely miraculous feature that no one could have predicted, there is only one thing that would make me want to ditch the Pixel 6 Pro and buy the Pixel 8 Pro: better battery life.
The Pixel 6 Pro is still a great phone
The Pixel 7 Pro may have taken the Pixel 6 Pro’s place on our best phones, best Android phones, and best camera phones lists, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Pixel 6 Pro is a great little device. Well, don’t think too much that it has a 6.71-inch screen, but you know what I mean.
The Pixel 6 Pro may not be the best camera on a smartphone, but the general feeling I have about the results is good enough.
The Tensor G1 chipset may not be the most powerful, certainly compared to the likes of the iPhone 14 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, but I never had any performance issues in my 18 months with the phone. It probably helps that I tend to use my phone quite casually, and I rarely (if ever) do things that require a lot of resources to run properly — like high-spec mobile games.
Then again, if I don’t do those things, and have no real desire to begin, I really don’t need a phone that performs better on benchmark tests. I’d much rather spend my money on other things, like fixing the leak in the bathroom or painting the walls a new color.
Likewise, I haven’t had any issues with the camera’s quality. Sure, there were some issues, like Night Sight taking way too long to do its job and making it look like my neighbor’s cat only had one eye, but overall I was very satisfied with the Pixel 6 Pro it was estimated to be.
It may not be the best camera on a smartphone, but the general feeling I have about the results is good enough. Sometimes I don’t mind having Photo Unblur at my disposal, but I don’t feel the need to spend another $899 for one feature I won’t need very often.
Plus, sticking with the Pixel, compared to a Samsung or OnePlus device, means I get all Android updates right away, and without a lot of the nonsense some phone makers like to add to software. Oh, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before I willingly go back to the iPhone. iOS is not for me.
In the past, I tended to keep my phone for quite some time. Usually for as long as I can stand using them, and not get irritated by their very existence. This is what happened to the OnePlus 7 Pro that I ignored when the Pixel 6 Pro came out. Honestly, by the time October 2021 came around, I couldn’t wait to get rid of the explosive thing — and poor camera performance.
I might get to that point with the Pixel 6 Pro in a year or so, but for now I’m very happy with what I have. With one big exception: battery life.
The Pixel 6 Pro’s battery life is trash
Pixel devices don’t have the best reputation for battery life, and the Pixel 6 Pro is absolutely no exception. According to our tests, it managed 7 hours and 49 minutes with the adaptive refresh rate on, and 7 hours and 55 minutes locked at 60Hz.
I’ve experienced this poor battery life personally, and throughout a typical day, I’ll need to charge the Pixel 6 Pro at least once if I want the phone to last until I go to bed.
I’ve experienced this poor battery life personally, and throughout a typical day I’ll need to charge at least once if I want the phone to last until I go to bed. I recently checked the battery gauge on the top of my phone and estimated that my phone would last until 8.30pm, which is not good considering the battery was at 100% when I woke up before 8am.
The Pixel 7 Pro is even worse, running in 6 hours and 31 minutes with the adaptive refresh rate turned off. Not only is this embarrassingly bad, but it’s awful that a flagship smartphone released in 2022 can have such terrible battery life. If I was in the mood to really upgrade my 6 Pro, this number would immediately stop me from buying the Pixel 7 Pro.
It doesn’t give me high hopes for the Pixel 8 Pro’s battery life, but strange things have happened. The Google Pixel 5 managed to last 9 hours and 29 minutes on our battery life test, or about 10 hours if locked to 60Hz. It’s not one of the best phone battery life out there, but it does show that Google can deliver good battery life when you want it to.
It’s not clear what kind of battery life we might see in the Pixel 8 Pro, but if it proves to be a significant upgrade over Google’s past three flagships, I might be tempted to upgrade.
minimum
The truth is, the Pixel 6 Pro is a pretty great device — battery life aside. It was fine when it launched, and the fact that it can handle everything I need it to handle means it’s still a great phone now. There is no real reason to upgrade and feed the capitalist machine or the growing mounds of e-waste plaguing the planet.
The Pixel 8 Pro may have a bunch of cool stuff, but I’m sure it won’t be cool enough to warrant spending another $900 on the phone. Plus, no matter what cases and screen protectors I need to get my hands on after an accident.
The Google Pixel Fold might be another story, especially since I’ve never owned a foldable phone before. As long as the battery life doesn’t suck, of course. Unfortunately, given the Recent pricing rumors I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to afford one.
More Tom’s guide
[ad_2]
