After Google laid out its entire stock of cards in all the so-called ‘leaks’, the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro are finally here. We have listed their specifications and compared them in ours Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 8 article. One of the main questions people have when a new version of a device comes out is how they stack up against each other, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do in this article. Here’s our comparison between Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro and whether you should upgrade to the latest Pixel 8 Pro.
Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Screen
The Pixel 8 Pro screen gets a “downgrade” in resolution from 1440 x 3120p on the Pixel 7 Pro last year to 1344 x 2992p this year, which is still technically a 2K panel. In any case, a normal user would not be able to see the difference in sharpness of the two displays. The 8 Pro’s screen reaches a peak brightness of 2400 nits compared to 2000 nits on the Pixel 7 Pro. This means outdoor visibility should be better on the 8 Pro. Speaking of which, it’s also worth mentioning that the 8 Pro now uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 instead of just Victus on the Pixel 7 Pro.
Google opted for a flat screen on the Pixel 8 Pro compared to the rounded edges of the Pixel 7 Pro. We already feel displeasure from one room as many people almost always consider this a premium feature. The other group of people must be very cheerful, because no accidental touching, woohoo! This also means that replacing a cracked Pixel 8 Pro screen will be much easier if repairability is important to you.
Another thing that’s better about the Pixel 8 Pro is the LTPO panel. Pixel 7 Pro also uses an LTPO (Low temperature polycrystalline oxide) which reduces the refresh rate to at least 10 Hz to save battery power during Always-on Display, for example. The 8 Pro’s display can only reach 1Hz and can help you save even more battery. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t upgrade to the Pixel 8 Pro just for the screen, as the Pixel 7 Pro’s screen is just as good but lacks very minor benefits.
Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Build
Both the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro have a glass back and an aluminum chassis sandwich behind it and the screen. Although there is one big difference with the Pixel 8 Pro this year, and that is the matte finish of the rear glass. This should help the device collect much less fingerprints, like the Pixel 7 Pro’s fingerprint magnet. The dimensions of both are almost identical; This also applies to the screen sizes and the visors that house the cameras.
Storage, RAM and Tensor G3
The storage variant and RAM remain the same on the Pixel 8 Pro. The phone still comes with 128GB of UFS 3.1 memory as standard in the base variant (Boooo!) but does offer a generous RAM upgrade from 8GB on the base variant of the Pixel 7 Pro to 12GB on the base variant of the Pixel 8 Pro. UFS 3.1 is old and most competitors have moved on to the faster UFS 4.0 speeds, which Google’s “latest and greatest” Pixel should have also offered, but here we are.
Tensor G3 is a significant upgrade over last year’s Tensor G2. It should run cooler, be faster on both CPU and GPU bound tasks, and also be efficient because it’s built on Samsung’s 4nm process. It uses the Cortex-X3 as Prime Core, clocked at 2.91 GHz. The performance cores are Cortex-A715, clocked at 2.37 GHz, and the efficiency cores are Cortex-A510, clocked at 1.7 GHz. The GPU is a Mali-G715. Considering Google’s claims that the G3 is cooler than the G2, they may have added a beefy cooling chamber, otherwise Samsung really nailed it this time. The G3 also has more AI processing power and runs 30% faster in CPU-related tasks and 20% faster in GPU (Check)
Battery and charging
The Pixel 8 Pro’s battery is a 5,050mAh cell that can be charged at 27 watts via wired charging and 23 watts via wireless. This is a small increase over the Pixel 7 Pro’s 23W wired charging speed. Unlike most manufacturers who have already moved to 60W or even 120W speeds, Google is still far behind in their charging game.
Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Camera
The primary sensor on the Pixel 8 Pro is the same as last year, namely a 50 MP f/1.9 Wide lens. The secondary is a 48MP f/3.5 telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom and 30x via software. Finally, the ultra-wide-angle lens gets an upgrade and is now a 64MP sensor instead of 12MP, supposedly for better macro shots. (Account) The setup is similar to last year’s Pixel 7 Pro, except for the larger ultra-wide-angle lens.
The one factor that could make the Pixel 8 series’ visuals look better than the 7 Pro’s is Tensor G3. As always, Google claims that the Tensor G3 has better equipped image and AI processing that should give both photo and video quality a significant boost in challenging situations such as at night. Moreover, the Pixel 8 Pro has new software features such as Magic Editor, AI Face Swap, Pro Mode, Video Boost, Audio Eraser for videos and Night Sight for videos.
Most of these features should come to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but some features like Video Boost and Night Sight for videos may remain exclusive to Tensor G3 as they seem more tied to the hardware. Either way, if you already have a Pixel 7 Pro, you should hang on to it if you’re considering upgrading to the Pixel 8 Pro for its new imaging and video capabilities.
Connectivity
In terms of connectivity, the Pixel 8 Pro has Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC and USB Type-C. The Type-C port this time isn’t just a regular Type-C port that charges and has slow data transfer, but a USB 3.2, meaning Pixels can now output a display signal that users can use to connect their devices to external displays or even external accessories such as AR glasses.
The Pixel 7 Pro, on the other hand, uses Wi-Fi 6E and also has Bluetooth 5.3, NFC and a Type-C port, albeit a slower data transfer interface. We hope Google has improved signal reception as the Pixel 7 series had issues with this at launch.
Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Specifications
| Specification | Pixel 8 Pro | Pixel 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions and weight | 167×80.9×13.4mm | 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm |
| Display | 6.7-inch 1344 x 2992p (check) 120 Hz LTPO AMOLED with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. 2400 nits peak brightness | 6.7-inch 1440 x 3120p 120 Hz LTPO AMOLED with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. 2400 nits peak brightness |
| To build | Aluminum chassis, flat glass front, matte back. IP68 Water Resistant | Aluminum chassis, curved glass front, glossy back. IP68 Water Resistant |
| Processor | Tensor G3 | Tensor G2 |
| RAM, storage variants | 12/128GB, 12/256GB, 12/512GB UFS 3.1, LPDDR5x | 12/128GB, 12/256GB, 12/512GB UFS 3.1, LPDDR5x |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB Type-C 3.2 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB 2.0 Type-C |
| Battery | 5050 mAh with 27W wired charging and 23W wireless charging | 5000 mAh with 23W wired and wireless charging |
| Cameras | 50 MP f/1.9 wide primary camera, 48 MP f/3.5 telephoto lens, 5x optical zoom (30x via software) 64 MP ultra-wide 10.5 MP selfie camera |
50 MP f/1.9 wide primary camera, 48 MP f/3.5 telephoto lens, 5x optical zoom (30x via software) 12MP ultra-wide 10.8 MP selfie camera |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, audio via Type-C | Stereo speakers, audio via Type-C |
| New software features | Magic Editor, Face Swap, Pro Mode, Video Boost, Audio Eraser for videos, Night Vision for videos | Should get few features with a software update |
| Software and updates | Android 14 out-of-the-box and 7 years of functionality drops* | Android 13 and 3 years of major and 2 years of security updates |
| To colour | Bay, porcelain, obsidian | Obsidian, Snow, Hazelnut |
| Price | $999 / Rs 1,06,999 | $899 / Rs 84,999 |
Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Verdict
Both the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro are solid devices and if you already have the latter, you shouldn’t switch. Of course, you might miss out on the new features at first, but most of them will become available via updates in the future, in addition to those closely related to the hardware. However, if you get a great trade-in price on the Pixel 8 Pro or plan to buy the Pixel Watch 2 along with the Pixel 8 Pro, Google has a US-only bundle where you can get a Pixel Watch 2 for it. free when you reserve the Pixel 8 Pro. It’s also worth mentioning that the Pixel 8 series will see seven years of added functionality, which is a first for any smartphone in the industry.
