Google Pixel 6 review: What you need to know
That’s because, despite the price, the Pixel 6 doesn’t lack key features. The flag-bearer for the newest version of Google’s mobile operating system, Android 12, the Pixel 6 is as good as it gets. It’s filled to the brim with flagship trappings, with a handful of one-of-a-kind extras dotted along the way.
The most important thing to note is that the Pixel 6 is the very first handset to be powered by Google’s in-house Tensor chipset. Ditching Qualcomm and avoiding Exynos and Kirin, Tensor promises a handful of performance and efficiency improvements over last year’s mid-range Snapdragon 765G, and it represents a bold new future for Google.
The company is again focusing its efforts on strengthening the Pixel’s camera capabilities. The rear camera is now a 50MP affair (up from 12.2MP), complemented by a 12MP ultrawide unit and a 12MP selfie snapper on the front. The camera’s new “Magic Eraser” tool now allows you to remove objects and people from the image just by circling them in the edit, too.
Elsewhere, the Pixel 6’s 6.4in AMOLED display is slightly larger this year, supporting a maximum 90Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ playback. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage as standard, and while there’s also supposed to be a 256GB option, this doesn’t seem to be available to buy in the UK at the time of writing.
Google Pixel 6 review: Price and competition
There’s no doubt that the Pixel 6’s killer feature is its cut-throat price. Starting at just £599 for the 128GB version (I don’t yet have prices for the elusive 256GB model), the Pixel 6 is remarkably cheap. Put it next to the iPhone 13 (£779) and Samsung Galaxy S21 (£769) and I’m sure you’ve already made your mind up.
But you should put your wallet back in your pocket for just a second. There’s also the Pixel 6 Pro to consider, which adds a slightly larger (6.71in), 120Hz display into the mix, with a boosted resolution (3,120 x 1,440) alongside a third 48MP 4x optical zoom camera and a bigger battery. You get all this extra stuff for £250 more (£849).
At the other end of the price scale, there’s the Pixel 4a, which at just £299 is half the price of the Pixel 6. It’s an older phone and it doesn’t share the Pixel 6’s high-end features (it lacks 5G, for a start), but the Pixel 4a is a strong contender if money is tight
| NETWORK | Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | |
| CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900 | ||
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | ||
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 – GB7N6, G9S9B16 | |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave – G9S9B | |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 – GB7N6 | ||
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A (CA), 5G |
| LAUNCH | Model | Announced | 2021, October 19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| BODY | Dimensions | 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm (6.24 x 2.94 x 0.35 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 207 g (7.30 oz) | |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM | |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| DISPLAY | Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.4 inches, 98.9 cm2 (~83.4% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density) | |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | |
| Always-on display |
| PLATFORM | OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Google Tensor (5 nm) | |
| CPU | Octa-core (2×2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2×2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| MEMORY | Card slot | No |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | |
| UFS 3.1 |
| MAIN CAMERA | Dual | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31″, 1.2µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| SELFIE CAMERA | Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Auto-HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 1080p@30fps |
| SOUND | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No |
| COMMS | WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Radio | No | |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
|---|
| BATTERY | Type | Li-Ion 4614 mAh, non-removable |
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired (based on 30W charger), PD3.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 21W wireless Reverse wireless |
| MISC | Colors | Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, Stormy Black |
|---|---|---|
| Models | GB7N6, G9S9B16 | |
| Price | $ 397.64 / C$ 575.00 / £ 351.00 / € 492.39 |
| TESTS | Performance | AnTuTu: 676831 (v9) GeekBench: 2899 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
|---|---|---|
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | |
| Camera | Photo / Video | |
| Loudspeaker | -26.9 LUFS (Good) | |
| Battery life |
Endurance rating 86h
|
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