It’s uncommon for a new smartphone to seem completely fresh. The general consensus is that smartphones are all “mature” technologies, and that today’s new phone is only marginally different from the previous one. There’s a lot of truth to the fact that Apple has 15 generations of iPhones — and the newness you get from spending hundreds of dollars every couple of years to upgrade rarely transforms your day-to-day life.
Even though they don’t fold in half or have particularly novel designs, Google’s new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are a bit fresher than the average phone. They’re equipped with new cameras, materials, technology, software, and ideas about what a smartphone should be capable of.
However, a lot of this is new for Google and not really different from what you can buy right now from a slew of other smartphone manufacturers. The $599 Pixel and $899 Pixel 6 Pro offer a fresh start for Google’s smartphone ambitions, having slogged through five generations of Pixel phones without making an impact in the smartphone world.
As a result, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro aren’t flawless gadgets, and they don’t accomplish everything Google claims as well as you’d want. That doesn’t change the fact that they’re among the greatest phones on the market, and maybe the best Android phones to buy right now.
GOOGLE PIXEL 6 PRO
GOOD STUFF
• Snappy performance
• Smooth screen
• Great battery life
• Excellent camera
• Excellent value
BAD STUFF
• Only comes in Big
• Slow fingerprint scanner
• Very slippery
GOOGLE PIXEL 6 PRO
GOOD STUFF
• Snappy performance
• Smooth screen
• Great battery life
• Excellent camera
• Good value
BAD STUFF
• Big and unwieldy design
• Slow fingerprint scanner
• Very slippery
• A lot more expensive than the Pixel 6
• Fit and finish not as nice as other phones in this price range
The new Pixel phones’ design is a departure for Google, as it follows the traditions of other popular Android phone makers in recent years. They’re the standard glass and metal sandwich slabs with aluminum frames and slippery backs, rather than unusual textured finishes with exciting splashes of color. Their details have less whimsy and character than previous Pixel phones, which I miss. And, if you look closely, they’re not quite as polished as the best from Apple and Samsung at this time – a rough edge or two can be found along the seams.
Both phones have a similar front design to many other large Android phones on the market; they seem a lot like a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 or Note 20 to me. While the rear has a prominent bar at the top that houses the cameras, the overall appearance is reminiscent of a TCL phone.
The Pixel 6 is available in three two-tone colors: black, red, and green, however the Pixel 6 Pro is only available in black, white, or gold. The normal 6’s metal sides are hefty and matte black, whereas the 6 Pro’s sides are slimmer and polished to a high sheen. The 6 is unquestionably more entertaining, however the 6 Pro falls short in terms of appearance and fit and finish when compared to competing phones in its price range.
The camera bar that spans the back of each phone is the most conspicuous design element. It’s big, stands out a long way, and doesn’t quite match in with the rest of the phone. On the positive side, unlike camera bumps on other phones, it doesn’t cause the phone to wobble on a table or desk when you put it down.
However, many of these design criticisms are essentially academic, because in fact, you’ll cover up any rough edges or uninteresting colors with a case on either phone. That’s also a great idea, considering both phones are large, with slick glass backs that are quite slippery. I’ve had them fall off my desk, wireless chargers, sofa armrests, tables, my lap, and one of our trial units actually cracked the Gorilla Glass Victus glass panel covering its screen. (As a side note, I’ve been testing Google’s translucent recyclable plastic cases with the Pixel 6, and they’re terrible; I recommend looking into third-party alternatives.)
The primary issue with the design of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro is that they are simply too big for my tastes. They’re difficult to use with one hand, don’t fit comfortably in many of my jeans pockets, and are easily dropped. In previous years, Google supplied both tiny and large versions of its phones; however, the size difference between the two is insignificant in this sixth iteration. These are iPhone Pro Max-size phones, which is good if you want a big phone but excludes those of us who don’t like enormous slabs.
On the other hand, both phones offer large, roomy displays. The Pixel 6s has a 6.4-inch OLED display with 1080p wide resolution, while the Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch OLED display with 1440p wide resolution. The screen of the Pixel 6 is completely flat, whereas the screen on the Pixel 6 Pro features curved sides that taper into the frame. I like the flat screen of the 6, but in my testing, the curves of the 6 Pro didn’t cause any errant touch difficulties, which can make a curved screen tough to use.
Both are sharp, brilliant, and colorful, with the 6 Pro marginally brighter outside in direct sunshine. Neither phone has any of the noticeable issues that plagued previous Pixel phones, such as strange color reproduction or flickering at low brightness levels.
