Google’s earlier Pixels relied too closely on fancy software program to make up for having fewer cameras, smaller batteries, or older processors. But between its customized Tensor chip, up to date parts, and a slick new design mixed with even smarter software program, Google has capitalized on the Pixel’s potential eventually. And with a beginning worth of simply $599, for individuals excited about shopping for a brand new cellphone this yr (particularly these already acquainted with Android), the Pixel 6 is so good you need to critically ask your self: Why purchase anything?

A Design That’s More Than Just the Camera Bar

Google has by no means been shy about breaking from custom in relation to smartphone design, and with the Pixel 6, the corporate has performed it once more. Instead of the boxy digital camera modules you see on the backs of so many telephones, Google has opted for what it calls a Camera Bar, which performs proper into the cellphone’s kind and performance. On the Pixel 6, Google makes use of the digital camera bar as a playful accent to the Pixel 6’s tri-tone design, whereas additionally making it in order that the Pixel 6 sits flat on a desk, which is considered one of my long-simmering pet peeves concerning the transfer towards big digital camera modules.

But the most important change is simply how premium the Pixel 6 feels in comparison with the Pixel 5, with a Gorilla Glass Victus panel in entrance, Gorilla Glass 6 in again, and an IP 68 score for mud and water resistance to guard you from life’s dunks and dips. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have their very own identities: The customary Pixel 6 has a extra down-to-earth matte end round its edges (which I frankly desire), whereas the Pixel 6 Pro will get polished steel sides for a barely extra luxurious look.

Both telephones are undoubtedly on the big facet. The Pixel 6 incorporates a 2400 x 1080 6.4-inch show with a 90Hz display screen and the Pixel 6 Pro a 3120 x 1440 6.7-inch show with a 120Hz display screen, which is a possible bummer for individuals who desire a smaller system.

Then once more, with how nice the Pixel 6’s screens look, it’s arduous accountable Google for going huge. Both telephones put out glorious brightness north of 750 nits, with deep wealthy colours due to their AMOLED shows, and the tremendous clean viewing expertise that so many individuals have come to like from screens with greater refresh charges.

My solely quibble with the Pixel 6’s design is that these telephones are so huge and tall, I want Google had positioned their energy buttons beneath the amount rocker so it’s simpler to succeed in. I don’t find out about you, however I lock and unlock my cellphone extra typically than I regulate the amount. I additionally seen that relying on the content material, the Pixel 6’s stereo audio system can sound a bit hole, nevertheless it’s somewhat minor.

And whereas I like the comfort of getting an in-screen fingerprint reader (particularly when masks are nonetheless required in so many locations), the velocity at which the Pixel 6 acknowledges my digits feels nearer to the first-gen in-screen sensor Samsung used on the Galaxy S10, versus the faster model Samsung featured on this yr’s Galaxy S21. It’s not an enormous deal, and when you get used to it, it’s not one thing you consider throughout regular use. But it could possibly be sooner.

A Different Approach to Flagship Performance

It actually can’t be understated how essential Google’s Tensor chip is, as a result of not solely does it symbolize Google taking management of chip growth for its telephones, it additionally permits the corporate to make sure the Pixel 6’s efficiency will ship the most effective outcomes. Google says benchmark numbers aren’t every part, and with the Pixel 6, I can see why. On artificial assessments of general system efficiency like Geekbench 5, the Pixel posted scores of round 2,700 for multicore efficiency in comparison with round 3,600 for telephones with Snapdragon 888 chips just like the S21. The Pixel 6 appears to lag behind. However, on graphics assessments like 3DMark’s Slingshot Extreme Unlimited, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro’s scores of round 8,600 had been principally lifeless even with the S21 Ultra’s mark of 8,594.

But extra importantly, Google’s Tensor chips present extra highly effective neural processing, which makes the Pixel 6 sooner and extra power-efficient when performing AI and machine studying capabilities. That’s Google’s bread and butter. According to Google {hardware} chief Rick Osterloh, this makes it attainable for the Pixel 6 to do issues it merely couldn’t do earlier than utilizing an off-the-shelf cell chip, particularly in relation to operating extra correct voice fashions on-device. There’s no must name down for assist from the cloud, which will increase energy effectivity even additional (extra on that later), and it additionally ensures there’s much less probability Google or anybody is likely to be aware of delicate data.

Even with out probably the most spectacular benchmark numbers, each the Pixel 6 (with 8GB of RAM and 128 of base storage) and Pixel 6 Pro (12GB of RAM and 128GB of base storage) nonetheless boot apps and multitask in addition to any Android telephones available on the market (other than true big-screen behemoths like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3). The solely individuals who I can consider who might need points with this type of efficiency are hardcore cell players, and for them, there are telephones just like the Asus ROG Phone 5.

Note: The $599 unlocked Pixel 6 from the Google Store doesn’t help mmWave 5G, however the provider variants at AT&T and Verizon do. And with all three carriers providing offers the place they’re principally giving the Pixel 6 away if you commerce in your present system, there isn’t a lot of a premium on mmWave 5G if you happen to’re making an attempt to be sure you can get peak mobile speeds.

Smart Software Overload

With the introduction of Google’s Tensor chip, it actually feels just like the floodgates have opened in relation to how Google will leverage that added AI and ML efficiency. The variety of intelligent new software program tips within the Pixel 6 is definitely sort of jaw-dropping. Thanks to Material You in Android 12, making your cellphone’s total interface match your wallpaper is as straightforward a tapping a single toggle. You can activate Google’s slick minimalist app icons by enabling the Theme Icons settings within the Pixel 6’s wallpaper menu. But that’s simply the beginning.

First, there’s Google Calling Assistant, which is beneficial for people who hate coping with automated cellphone brokers when calling a giant firm’s buyer help. For the highest 5,000 companies within the U.S, Google Calling Assistant not solely tells you when wait instances are quick, it would allow you to navigate these arcane touch-tone cellphone menus with an onscreen UI, after which sit on maintain so that you don’t need to, earlier than pinging you when a customer support agent really jumps on the road.

There’s additionally a brand new Google Assistant-powered Voice Typing function that you may activate in Gboard by saying “Hey Google, type,” so you’ll be able to dictate your texts (together with emojis) as a substitute of tapping or swiping them out one phrase at a time. And if the Assistant ever will get it flawed, you’ll be able to edit your textual content in real-time by typing, use instructions like “Clear” or “Stop” everytime you need, or simply say “Send” if you’re performed.

The Pixel 6 can be borrowing a trick from Google’s Nest Hubs and sensible shows with the power to reply or decline calls, or cease and snooze alarms simply by saying the phrase—no must say “Hey, Google” first. With the ability of Tensor, Google is ready to use greater high quality voice fashions throughout varied apps, which makes my favourite Pixel app, the Recorder App (which now helps German and Japanese), even higher. And whereas the Pixel 6’s speech recognition isn’t excellent, all of those options work nearly as good and even higher than you anticipate, and it’s sort of magical.

But for me, the function that actually hits house is the Pixel 6’s Live Translate function, which works in a number of methods. You can activate Live Captions to translate audio and video in real-time, or use Interpreter Mode or Google Lens within the digital camera app to translate that can assist you get out of a jam whereas touring. But my favourite is the brand new Live Translate function for messaging, which works throughout a bunch of messaging apps (Google Chat, Android Messages, Snapchat, Signal, Line, Twitter, FB Messenger, and extra) in 11 completely different languages (English, French, Japanese, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Russian).

As a half-Asian individual with Taiwanese roots on my Mom’s facet, I really feel like a louse for by no means changing into fluent in Chinese (I spent a yr and a half studying Mandarin abroad in Taiwan, however got here again to the U.S. earlier than getting an entire grasp on the language). This has made it difficult to remain in contact with quite a lot of my prolonged household over there, however now due to some assist from a resourceful AI, my language hole abruptly feels quite a bit much less daunting.

Google isn’t really fluent in Chinese both (it incorrectly translated the character for pomelo to grapefruit), however generally a bit of assistance is all it is advisable to reinvigorate your efforts. I’m a bit unhappy that solely Simplified Mandarin is supported for now and never Traditional Mandarin, as a result of the latter is the Chinese of alternative in Taiwan, and it’s the place Google has a variety of main workplaces and hundreds of staff.

The Pixel 6 Cameras Are Really That Good

Unsurprisingly, Google is leveraging the ability of software program and {hardware} for the Pixel 6’s cameras. Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro include the identical 50-megapixel primary cam and 12-MP ultra-wide cam, whereas the Pixel 6 Pro incorporates a bonus telephoto cam with a 4x optical zoom, making it the primary Pixel to ever sport each a telephoto and an ultra-wide lens.

It might sound wild that Google is simply now reaching this milestone when telephones from Apple and Samsung have had each for years, nevertheless it actually drives dwelling the purpose that the Pixel 6 is the start of Google’s {hardware} push. And after ready all this time to see it occur, the outcomes are value it.

Everything from pictures taken in shiny mild to low-light Night Sight photographs look clear and crisp, with the Pixel 6 routinely capturing extra fantastic particulars than any of its competitors. In a shot of a lonely tree, not solely did the Pixel 6 Pro do a greater job of capturing the colours and the veins on the tree’s leaves, it captured deeper and extra correct greens on the encompassing grass. Then, in one other shot down an alley, the Pixel 6 Pro actually impressed with a photograph that confirmed off the cellphone’s dynamic vary whereas the iPhone 13 Pro’s pic left the leaves and elements of the sky wanting nearly neon. Even in a shot as mundane as a mattress of flowers, the Pixel 6 Pro did a greater job of tamping down over-saturation, which continues to be one of many ongoing weaknesses of Samsung’s cameras.

And in low mild, it’s not even actually a contest, as Google’s Night Sight continues to finest all comers when making an attempt to take pics at the hours of darkness. I’m actually undecided why iPhones nonetheless don’t have a devoted low-light mode, however they undoubtedly want one, as evidenced by a nighttime cityscape the place the Pixel 6 Pro captured a sharper, extra colourful pic with out struggling practically as a lot from the presence of undesirable lens flare.

The Pixel 6 Pro’s 4x optical zoom stacked up fairly favorably to Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra at 4x, which is simply beautiful for individuals like me who consistently lengthy for extra attain from smartphone cameras. However, whereas that attain will be prolonged as much as 20x due to Google’s Super Res Zoom tech, in comparison with the S21 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom, Samsung remains to be protecting the crown for the most effective zoom on a cellphone. The Pixel 6 Pro’s telephoto is sweet, however Samsung’s is healthier.

But Google additionally packed in some extremely enjoyable new digital camera options, like Magic Eraser, Face Unblur, Action Pan, and Long Exposure modes. While Magic Eraser isn’t fairly as highly effective as Adobe’s Content Aware Fill and even the Magic Stamp instrument, it’s a lot simpler to make use of and does a adequate job for social media. The identical goes for Face Unblur, which is a godsend for fogeys making an attempt to take pictures of their children. Now it gained’t rescue a foul image, however I’ve been testing it out on my 2-month-old son (who I gained’t publish photos of right here for privateness’s sake), and it actually does make it a lot simpler to seize sharp pics of children who simply can’t keep nonetheless.

However, the award for probably the most enjoyable new digital camera function is a tie between Action Pan and Long Exposure, which distills digital camera strategies that usually take hours if not days or perhaps weeks of follow to be taught (to not point out a good quantity of substances) into one-tap wonders. With Action Pan, a typical shot of automotive abruptly appears to be like like a display screen cap out of Forza Horizon. I used Action Pan to seize one other scene on an NYC ferry, and the Pixel 6 made an on a regular basis picture a complete lot extra thrilling. When was the final time you noticed a ferry go zoom?

Meanwhile, Long Exposure permits the Pixel 6 to utterly change the tone of a scene. A standard shot over water can develop into a tranquil facade, with clean, glassy rivers and waterfalls that you just’d by no means see with out this method. Now you possibly can do higher with a elaborate mirrorless cam, a tripod, and modifying software program, certain. But you’d by no means have the ability to do it this quick or straightforward, and in relation to smartphone images, that’s precisely what I need.

Excellent Battery Life, Convenient Extras

When it involves battery life, I’m undecided what’s extra spectacular: the Pixel 6’s day by day efficiency, or its rating on our video rundown check. In the actual world, each the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro routinely had 30% to 40% battery left within the tank on the finish of the day, and that usually included the time I spent testing varied options time and again. No doubt Google’s Tensor chip performs a giant half within the Pixel 6’s vitality effectivity, which is crucial as individuals begin to actually reap the benefits of the cellphone’s varied AI and machine learning-powered options extra typically.

On our battery check, the usual Pixel 6 posted an excellent time of 18 hours and 56 minutes, which is the second finest time we’ve seen from any cellphone this yr, proper behind the iPhone 13 Pro Max (19:30). And whereas the Pixel 6 Pro wasn’t fairly as spectacular, lasting 16:45, it tied the Galaxy S21 Ultra whereas handily beating the OnePlus 9 Pro (13:54), and others.

Battery life isn’t the one energy improve the Pixel 6 bought. Google additionally upped its charging speeds to 30 watts when wired charging (simply be sure you have a 30-watt USB-PD 3.0 energy adapter), or as much as 21 to 23 watts (relying on the mannequin) when charging wirelessly with Google’s forthcoming second-gen Pixel Stand. And even if you happen to don’t have a first-party Google wi-fi charger, you continue to get 12-watt wi-fi charging, which ain’t unhealthy. If you’re ever out and considered one of your different units with wi-fi charging is operating low, the Pixel 6 even has reverse wi-fi charging, so you’ll be able to share a few of your cellphone’s extra juice with a tool in want.

A Bigger Emphasis on Security

These days, managing your digital safety can really feel downright overwhelming. But among the finest issues concerning the Pixel 6 is that with its new Titan M2 coprocessor and its new Security Hub, Google makes it straightforward to shore up any holes—each in your system and on-line. In the safety hub, you’ll get notifications if Google detects that considered one of your passwords could have been compromised, tips about how one can additional enhance your safety, and even a normal rating to see how good (or unhealthy) you’re doing.

Google is now even committing to 5 years of safety updates for the Pixel 6 (which is now the longest amongst all Android telephones) plus three years of OS upgrades, so the Pixel 6 needs to be straightforward to carry onto for longer with out fear or concern of FOMO. And for these not accustomed to coping with scams and phishing assaults, the Pixel 6 will even warn you if somebody sends you a message asking on your password. Pro tip: Don’t ever hand your password over. Any main firm value their salt ought to have a number of methods of verifying who you’re with out you needing to ship your password in plain textual content.

The Best Phone for the Money

When I had an opportunity to get an early have a look at the Pixel 6 again in August, my huge takeaway was that that is probably the most confidence I’ve seen from Google about any Pixel so far. And after testing out the Pixel 6, it’s not arduous to see why. More than any Google system earlier than, the Pixel 6 demonstrates the ability and potential of machine studying and ambient computing. There actually is far more to efficiency than huge numbers, however to make it occur, you want intelligent software program and refined {hardware} optimized to make these apps and options shine. The Pixel 6 completely delivers.

If all you care about is getting the most effective cellphone on your cash, the Pixel 6 is it. It’s a flagship by means of and thru. Its attractiveness gained’t be confused with some other cellphone (the circumstances are somewhat fetching, too), it provides a brand new tackle smartphone efficiency, improved safety, and the most effective cameras you will get on a cellphone immediately. And as soon as once more, the Pixel 6 begins at simply $599, $200 lower than an iPhone 13 or Galaxy S21. And the Pixel 6 Pro is principally a extra inexpensive S21 Ultra with out built-in stylus help and approach higher software program. Honestly, what’s to not like? If you’re searching for the most effective cellphone for the cash, there’s no purpose to purchase anything.