Google Pixel 6 Pro 5G - Smartphone 128GB, 12GB RAM, Single Sim, Cloudy White

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Google’s also taking a whole new approach to the idea of widgets on Android 12, heavily inspired by Apple, with fun new designs that make the built-in set much more mainstream. If you don’t use widgets, you might want to give them a try again. Even the notification sounds and ringtones Google’s using by default are different and more “fun" now. As someone who has used every Pixel ever (and every Nexus excluding the Nexus S), I think Android 12 and Material You are the most unified that Google's software has ever felt — it's Apple-like in its consistency, but far more modern and chic. Voice typing improvements: Assistant is now better at voice typing. You can say “Hey Google, type…” and the assistant will launch the microphone and transcribe your speech (when in the Google Messages app). There are a slew of commands such as clearing text, sending messages, halting dictation, and inserting emoji. I use voice typing a lot and can say that these tools are a bit better on the Pixel 6 Pro than on the Pixel 5. After several months’ use, I’ve really come to rely on them. We like the design of the Google Pixel 6 Pro, and you’ll get a good idea of whether or not you’re going to like it from the photos you can see above alone.

Modem performance for Tensor is less straightforward. AP’s Max Weinbach approached gigabit speeds (~ 700Mbps) on T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G in the city, and I hit the same low-multi-megabit maximums I usually do with my middle-of-nowhere low-band T-Mobile 5G, but mmWave performance seems to be markedly poor compared to Qualcomm-powered phones, as is general signal strength for most connection types. Anecdotally, I have noticed my Pixel 6 Pro has a worse reported signal and slightly slower cellular performance than other devices nearby, and more extensive testing at other venues indicates the margin can sometimes be substantial. In short, expect slower mobile data and poorer signal compared to other phones like the Galaxy S22. If you live in an area with a tentative connection to begin with, the Pixel 6 Pro might be a bad choice. We reached out to Google to learn more about the Pixel 6 Pro's 5G modem, but a representative for the company told us that it is not disclosing details about it. After some digging with Sascha Segan, PCMag's lead mobile analyst, we confirmed that the phone uses Samsung's Exynos 5123 modem based on its baseband software. The Pixel 6 Pro is disappointingly only available in 128GB or 256GB variants in the UK (a 512GB model is available elsewhere, such as the US and Australia). Considering that this is the brand’s first real attempt at a top-tier phone, with plenty of high-end specs elsewhere, we would have liked to see the option of 512GB more widely available, or even 1TB of storage for true power users. There’s fast-charging here, although it’s not as fast as you’ll get with some other Android phones. It tops out at 30W, with the phone able to charge from zero to 50% in around 30 minutes. In our testing, we found a 30W charger was able to take the phone from zero to 20% in 15 minutes, and to 40% in 30 minutes. With all these impressive specs and features, there had to be some weakness that might deter some from it and with the Pixel 6 Pro, it's the battery. It's certainly more than adequate for most tasks and provides a full-day usage, but we have noticed that it doesn't last as long when the phone is pushed harder than usual with graphically intensive tasks or when shooting 4K video or actively using the GPS. This is surprising because the 4,905 mAh capacity here is nothing to poke fun at in terms of pure numbers. The fast charging is also a bit underwhelming here - capping at 30W. At the very least, it goes to 50% in 30 mins. Wireless charging, on the other hand, is acceptable with up to 23W. Pixel 6 Pro: Price UK

Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Specs

Last but not least, we used both phones to shoot this sign across a highway. The Galaxy S21 Ultra offers a longer zoom overall but in this 20x zoom comparison the Pixel 6 Pro's image is brighter and clearer. In this ultrawide landscape shot, the Pixel has a clear advantage when it comes to brightness. The scene looks more well-lit thanks to the sun off to the left. That said, the iPhone captures more of the landscape due to its wider field of view. The greenish tones to the water look a bit better in the Pixel’s image, but this is, as we’ve seen thus far, a very close race.

This time around, Google is using its own custom silicon for the first time ever in its own flagship smartphones and the idea behind this decision is to be able to have more control over the optimisation of the performance. Even though it doesn't score better than some other high-end chipsets, It's a powerful chip that certainly delivers plenty of real-life speed and comfort. Moreover, it expectedly supports a 5G cellular connection. Cameras: Best In The Business It’s an impressive point-and-shoot camera, and we found that it delivered great results in a variety of scenarios.The camera is awful in dark light. The delay while you hold on the object varies wildly, with no indicator if you're going to get an image or a blur. This isn’t a must-have feature for many, but we enjoyed it, and it complements the impressive display quality, and you’ll notice a difference if you’re swapping from a phone with a 60Hz refresh rate. The two selfies are quite different. The Pixel’s image has softer colors, but sharp focus on my face. It does make my hair look a bit darker than it actually is. Meanwhile, the iPhone’s selfie is brighter, but my face looks a bit too smooth. The colors look off, though, with an overall yellow-green tinge to the final image — the Pixel’s colors are more natural. The Pixel 6 Pro is a relatively affordable phone compared to other top-end handsets, but it’s still one of the more expensive smartphones you can buy. You may want to look elsewhere if your budget is tighter. Android 12 runs well on the Pixel 6 Pro, as you’d expect. Google has also confirmed that the phone will receive three full software updates, so you should expect this handset to continue being supported through the Android 13, Android 14 and Android 15 upgrades - and that it will get those updates more or less immediately after the software launches.