Google Pixel 6 and Pro first impressions: Release date, price, and color

Today we're taking a peek at the newly revealed Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro. These devices were first announced by Google in the weeks leading up to the official unveiling event today, spec-by-spec, detail-by-detail, in about as prolonged a period of detail dishing a company's ever delivered before an official full reveal. It feels as though we're already entirely familiar with these smartphones before we even open the boxes – but here we are, at long last!

The Google Pixel 6 was revealed today alongside the Google Pixel 6 Pro, complete with release details, options, and prices. The Google Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch flat OLED display with FHD+ 1080 x 2400 pixels (411 ppi) with 90Hz refresh rate. The Google Pixel 6 Pro has a curved-edge 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with QHD+ 1440 x 3120 pixels (512 ppi) with 120Hz refresh rate – and that's just the beginning of the differences between the two.

Both the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro come with a Google Tensor processor inside. Both also have a Titan M2 security coprocessor inside with end-to-end security "designed by Google." The Titan M2 security coprocessor, security core, and Trusty (Trusted Execution Environment).

Both devices have a minimum of 5 years of security updates guaranteed, as well as Android System Intelligence, a Private Compute Core, and automatic security checks and privacy controls with the latest Security hub inside.

Both machines have similar main cameras and ultrawide cameras on their backs. That's a 50MP Octa PD Quad Bayer wide camera with f/1.85 aperture, 82-degree field of view, and 1/1.31-inch image sensor. Both work with a 12MP ultrawide camera with 114-degree field of view, lens correction, f/2.2 aperture, and 1.25um pixel width.

The Pixel 6 has Super Res Zoom up to 7x. The Pixel 6 Pro has Super Res Zoom (using its telephoto lens) up to 20x. The most major difference in camera power comes in the 48MP telephoto camera on the Pro – this isn't present on the non-Pro unit at all. This camera has an f/3.5 aperture, 23.5-degree field of view, 4x optical zoom, and the ability to capture 0.8um width pixels with its 1/2-inch image sensor.

Both Pixel 6 devices have LDAF sensors, Spectral and flicker sensors, and "fast camera launcher" tech. Both have optical and electronic image stabilization, but the Pro has it on both wide and telephoto cameras.

The front-facing camera on the Pixel 6 is 8MP with 1.12um pixel width, f/2.0 aperture, and an 84-degree wide field of view. Both devices use fixed focus cameras on their front, and the Pro has an 11.1MP camera with 1.22um pixel width, f/2.2 aperture, and a 94-degree ultrawide field of view.

One other relatively major difference between the two devices comes in 5G coverage. If you're using the Pixel 6, you get Wifi 6E, HE160, MIMO, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS, and Google Cast. The Google Pixel 6 Pro has all of those connective abilities as well as an Ultra-Wideband chip "for accurate ranging and spatial orientation."

You'll find that the two have similar mobile data coverage, so long as you get the right model. The Pixel 6 has a 5G version with mmWave, but you'll need to buy it at Verizon, AT&T, or through the Google Store (Model G9S9B). There are two versions (at least) of the Pixel 6 – the other is the Model GB7N6 with no mmWave action.

The Pixel 6 Pro Model GLUOG works with all the same 5G sub-6Hz coverage as the basic Pixel 6, while the Model G8VOU has all the 5G mmWave like the Verizon/AT&T version of the Pixel 6. Both machines have IP68 dust and water resistance and a 1 year warranty from Google.

The Google Pixel 6 has a release date of October 28th, 2021, and will be released in three color combinations: Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, and Stormy Black. The starting price of the Google Pixel 6 is $599 USD. The Google Pixel 6 Pro is what Google calls the "fully loaded Google phone" and is priced accordingly, starting at around $899 USD. The Pixel 6 Pro was revealed in three color combinations right out the gate: Sorta Sunny, Cloudy White, and Stormy Black.

The Pixel 6 will be available with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM with 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. The Pixel 6 Pro will be available with 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, and 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage.

Stick around as we give these devices a full set of reviews over the next week!