Best Google Pixel Phone 2024: Uncover Top Models & Exclusive Features

Trying to find the right Google Pixel phone? We help you sift through the noise, comparing them all so you can easily pick the model that fits you and your wallet.

Finding the Best Google Pixel Phone: Top Contenders

When it comes to choosing an Android phone like Google Pixel, you really can't go wrong. Google Pixel devices deliver some of the best speed and capabilities from Android phones currently on the market. Whether it’s biometric security or 5G, what elevates Google Pixels to something great is the experience you get from using one. It’s the ecosystem you get with these phones, with a host of features. Let's take a closer look at what sets these devices apart from the competition.

Google Pixel 8 Pro

As of May 2023, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is the current flagship device in the Google Pixel lineup. It comes with a triple rear camera system, including a dedicated telephoto lens, and boasts seven years of security updates – so even in 2030, it will be as relevant and well-protected as the day you brought it home.

The Pixel 8 Pro also includes the new Tensor G3 processor designed and fabricated by Google. This new processor allows the Google Pixel 8 Pro to perform up to 2x better than the previous Pixel 7 Pro. If you're looking for a Pixel phone with the best performance, undoubtedly, the Pixel 8 Pro is the way to go.

Google Pixel 8

The Pixel 8 sits in a sweet spot of price vs quality, making this phone an easy pick for casual users. It also has many of Google’s AI camera features and many performance upgrades over last year's models.

In addition, the Pixel 8 also includes the new Tensor G3 chip which makes this phone a close equal in processing power to the Pixel 8 Pro. It's got lightning fast speed for a good price. What more could you ask for?

Google Pixel 8a

If you don't need ultra-high-end features but are looking for a phone that will last, the Pixel 8a is the perfect option. Don’t let the lower price point fool you, though. It’s actually equipped with a lot of cutting-edge hardware, such as the same Tensor G3 processor found in the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8, along with a solid camera array.

The phone is already an excellent value on its own terms, but a nice discount is like an extra bonus for people who want a top-notch phone without shelling out a lot of cash.

Pixel Fold

If you want a truly one-of-a-kind smartphone, meet the Google Pixel Fold. A first-of-its-kind device, Pixel Fold takes an existing form factor and gives it an upgrade by making it foldable, allowing a phone-size device to fit nicely in your hand while providing the viewing area of a tablet. This is made possible by super-thin glass and plastics that prevent damage when the phone is folded and unfolded repeatedly.

Google Pixel Cameras: They're Just So Good!

Let's take a look at a widely advertised function of Pixel phones: their cameras. The new Google Pixel cameras come with features like Magic Eraser, Macro Focus, and Portrait Mode, all empowered by AI, which help Google Pixel devices capture colorful and detailed pictures.

Moreover, creative photo shooting is further unleashed with Pixel phones, offering the following features:

• Motion mode, allowing for action blur or long exposure effects

• Cinematic Blur for that dramatic touch

• Macro Focus for capturing the minute details of a subject

• Burst mode for getting the perfect group shot

Shooting Videos with Video Boost

Pixel devices can do the same thing with videos, not just stills. This feature called video boost makes poorly shot videos or videos taken in low light conditions much crisper and clearer. Here's how it works:

• Enhancing lighting

• Enhancing color saturation

• Enhancing detail sharpness

• Providing enhanced video stabilization

• Providing enhanced clarity

• Reducing noise through cloud processing

Night Sight

The Google Pixel's camera also comes with updated features for shooting photos and videos at night with Night Sight. Night Sight takes advantage of the improved sensor upgrades and software and allows your Pixel to take vibrant and stunning photos in low light conditions. You can snap photos of the night sky, take photos of landscapes and city lights, or take portraits like never before.

Battery Life and Charging Capabilities

Let’s talk about battery life. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have longer battery life than the Pixel 7 models, however, it doesn’t surpass the smartphone average in their price class. Adaptive Charging helps with this though, as it monitors the charging requirements and adjusts the charging speed to help preserve your battery’s health. On average, the Pixel 8 Pro will give you around 10 hours of battery life, while the Pixel 8 gets around the same.

But while Pixel phones might reduce charging speeds to maintain appropriate battery and device temperatures, you might consequently experience charging speeds that are occasionally slower than normal but which may actually improve the battery’s longevity.

Software and Security

Software and security with Pixel devices are unmatched. Google has had a long-standing pledge toward providing its customers with years of software and security updates for its Pixel devices. The new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones powered by the Tensor G3 processor are both guaranteed to receive software and security updates for a minimum of seven years from release day.

Personal Safety App and Car Crash Detection

Safety is important for all, and Google is looking out for yours with their Personal Safety App that comes pre-installed on Pixel devices. This app lets you add your emergency contacts, enter your medical conditions, and joins features such as Emergency SOS, Emergency sharing, and Safety check all into one place.

Pixels also come with a Car Crash Detection feature, which is able to automatically call emergency services if it detects that you’ve been in a car crash. The app can also automatically record video, alert additional contacts, and call emergency services, turning the Pixel phone into a personal safety net.

Call Screen and Google Assistant: Smarter Interactions

Features like Call Screen and Google Assistant are examples of making Google Pixel devices more effective and smarter in everyday user interactions.

With Google Assistant’s help, Pixel users can:

• Classify incoming calls, automatically dismissing spam calls and allowing legitimate ones to ring through

• Use the Call Screen feature, which provides a real-time transcript of the caller’s response

• Have quick options to engage with calls, increasing their control and convenience during calls.

Truly, Google Pixel phones aim to simplify life for their users!

Unique Pixel Features That Stand Out

If you’ve ever used a Pixel phone you’ll know that they can do things that no other Android phone can. Their cameras are deeply interwoven with the new Google AI. This allows you to use features like Magic Eraser and more.

Magic Eraser, which removes unwanted elements from photos that Google Photos can recognize, and Real-Time Live Translate, which leverages the Tensor chipset to locally process translations in real-time, are examples of pixel-exclusive features only found on Google Pixel phones. These exclusive features contribute to the superiority over competing devices.

Magic Editor and Photo Editing Features

Photo editing is the Pixel phone’s crown jewel: its Magic Editor offers studio-quality edits, Magic Eraser to get rid of distractions, and a recompose feature that lets you shift around subjects in photos for perfect framing.

Found only on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones, the Magic Editor adds additional options, such as the ability to warp photos, modify lighting effects, and use a Best Take tool to automatically pick the best images in a group shot. A significant function is the Photo Unblur feature, which adds sharpness and detail across entire images. This isn’t just for images you’ve taken with the Pixel handsets; it can make photos you’ve captured with any camera sharper.

Comparing the Pixel Experience to Other Android Phones

Let's compare the new Google Pixel 8 Pro to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra; both devices are considered to be the gold standard for smartphone photography. The Galaxy S24 has an incredible camera system excellent for capturing macro shots of small objects, like insects, up close. It also provides a powerful 5x telephoto lens with up to 100x digital zoom – although, at these zoom levels, your photos and videos tend to lose quality without a good deal of light.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra competes with Google Pixel’s AI features, offering:

• Circle to Search

• Real-time transcription

• Translation

• Advanced photo-editing capabilities

Even so, the long-standing relationship between the Pixel and Google services and its exclusive features gives it an edge over other Android-branded phones.

Zoom Lens and Portrait Light

There’s also more to camera specs than the megapixels. Both the Pixel 8 Pro and the Galaxy S24 Ultra come with a telephoto lens. This sharpens photo detail and clarity when zooming in. We see the higher photo sharpness and detail of the Pixel 8 Pro camera. However, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a greater degree of flexibility, with a 100x digital zoom.

When viewed in low light, photos taken with the Google Pixel 8 Pro come out brighter than those taken by Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra. This should give you an indication that the cameras on phones are about more than just the number of megapixels.

Seamless Ecosystem Integration: From Google Maps to Google Messages

Another example of ecosystem integration has to do with Google Pixel phones. If you find it useful to be able to share your location, for example with friends or family, you can use it to share this information in Google Maps, and you can control who can see your location and for how long.

The Google Pixel’s Messages app is a ‘smart’ texting assistant that uses sophisticated artificial intelligence to make grammatical (and grammatical-ish) suggestions based on the way users usually type. Of course, the more smartphones you have, the more information Google can use to monetise through advertising, so even in seeming to appeal to habit, there’s a careful playing to the iPhone masses – what you can do on a Pixel phone you’d be doing anyway, but on a Pixel, any task you undertake joins a fascinatingly complex and ambiently seductive universe of Google services.

Summary

We’re been on a Google Pixel phone roller coaster ride in today’s article. We talked about the camera quality of Google Pixel phones, the special features that are not typically found elsewhere, the integration of services with Google, and its comparison with other Android phones. By now, you should know what’s special about Google’s Pixel phones, such as the Google Pixel 8 Pro, Google Pixel 8a, and Google Pixel Fold.

So whether you’re a photographer who wants more advanced features from their camera, a power user looking for sheer speed, or you want something that just integrates with its suite of Google services, there is a Google Pixel phone for you. The story is done, but your story with your Google Pixel phone has just begun.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the battery of a Google Pixel 8 Pro last?

The battery of a Google Pixel 8 Pro lasts for approximately 10 hours and 3 minutes, based on a test conducted.

What are the unique features of Google Pixel phones?

The features that you can get only from Google Pixel phones by using the Google Photos app to edit photos with a magic eraser, using a real-time live translation by just clicking it, and knowing someone’s location with the personal safety app.

What is the Google Pixel Stand?

It’s an accessory designed to promote what Google calls ‘Included fast wireless charging experiences’ for Pixel phones, with 23W for Pixel 6 Pro and 21W for Pixel 6.

How does the Google Pixel 8 Pro compare to other Android phones?

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is a high-end Android smartphone with impressive camera performance and tight integration with Google services.

What is the benefit of the Live Translate feature on Google Pixel Phones?

With Live Translate, a feature on Google Pixel Phones, you can translate between spoken, written, or typed words in a seamless manner while communicating with people of various ethnic backgrounds and languages.