We Tried Google's Pixel 8 Pro And Pixel Watch 2: Here's What We Discovered
At the Made By Google event today, the company unveiled its latest devices in the Pixel lineup including the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel 8, the Pixel Watch 2, and two new colorways (and some new features) for the Pixel Buds Pro. In all, this is on par with what we expected, largely because Google already shared most of the specifications for its new phones a few weeks ago.
All the same, we've had some time in a demo area where we were able to work with the new devices and figure out what's what with the new devices. A lot of what we saw were expected spec bumps that are normal in a yearly cycle of phones, but we also got some pleasant surprises from the team at Google.
Our full reviews of these devices will come at a later time, but for now, here are some of our first impressions of the new hardware that Google is showing off.
Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have both been revealed through a series of leaks coming from Google itself, but all the same, it is great to finally go hands-on with the devices. First of all, the colorways are all pretty great with the Pixel 8 Pro coming in Bay (blue), Porcelain (white), and Obsidian (black). The Pixel 8 comes in Hazel (Green), Rose (Pinkish Red), and Obsidian (black).
Both phones are sporting what Google is calling "Actua" displays which, according to Google, are designed to reflect actual colors on the screen. The Pixel Pro actually comes with a "Super Actua" display, which is supposed to give you brighter and more vivid colors (than last year's Pixel devices). As for real-world improvements, Pixel 8 customers will be happy to hear that the smaller Pixel's display has a 120Hz image refresh rate — which is something some reviewers felt was missing from past iterations of Google's lilliputian flagship.
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What won't be a welcome surprise is the price bump, with the Pixel 8 starting at $699 and the Pixel 8 Pro jumping to a full $999. While that is cheaper than the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, it's still a $100 premium over last year's price, which is something of an "Actua" disappointment. But perhaps that can be tempered by the fact that Google is now promising seven years of OS and security updates, which is unheard of in the Android space. That alone might be worth taking a long hard look at the Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro.
Both the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be available for pre-order starting today, October 4, 2023. Pixel 8 and 8 Pro have a release date (for in-store availability) of October 12, 2023.
Pixel camera improvements
As we've come to expect from Google, the company is adding some really neat camera features into the mix with three notable additions, all powered on-device by the Tensor 3 processor. The first is called Magic Editor, which is similar to the Magic Eraser we've seen in years past. Now, however, in addition to eliminating annoying extra details in the background of an image, Magic Editor allows you to move a subject in its entirety around on the screen, making it possible to re-center a subject in the frame.
There's also Best Shot which will take a series of photos taken of a group, and allow you to change their faces from photo to photo, compositing a photo in which everyone is looking at the camera and smiling — assuming you can get your moody teenager to smile at all. The feature does not work with pets, however, Google did say that you can take multiple photos of people and your family pet and start with the photo in which the pet looks the best and re-work faces around that.
The last new feature is called Audio Magic Eraser which is exactly what it sounds like, no pun intended. If you are recording a video and there's some sound in the background that is distracting or otherwise ruining your shot, you can simply remove it. The AI on board will layer each sound into its own track so it can be muted.
All of these features will require far more testing than we were able to do in our hands-on demo, but they all could be game changers.
Pixel Watch 2
Meanwhile, the Pixel Watch 2 joins its phone siblings by looking virtually identical to its predecessor. The improvements to the Pixel Watch 2 are harder to notice, but they're also some of the most significant updates that we saw today. Our biggest concern was and still is battery life. Google increased the battery size slightly from 294 mAh up to 304 mAh, which is great. Google now promises 24 hours of battery life with the always-on display on. This is roughly about the same promise Google made last year, even though our own battery tests did not bear that out. Clearly, this is something that will need to be tested extensively for our review.
Google also added a few new sensors including a multi-path heart rate sensor and body temperature sensor, which combine to give you a body-readiness score, similar to Garmin's Body Battery score in a watch like the Garmin Venu 3. The multi-path heart rate sensor is able to take your heart rate from various angles to get a better overall picture of your heart rate, even when working out.
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The case is made of 100% recycled aluminum which makes the watch slightly lighter while retaining the same dimensions. Speaking of which the came strap fastener is here, along with the same overall look and feel of the watch. The Watch 2 also comes with 6 months of free Fitbit Premium. Google also added new apps for Gmail and Calendar.
Pixel Watch 2 will be available for pre-order starting today, October 4, 2023, with a price of $349 for Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, and $399 for 4G LTE. Pixel Watch 2 has a release date (for in-store availability) of October 12, 2023.
Fitbit Charge 6
While the Fitbit Charge 6 was originally revealed for the first time at the end of September, 2023, we're getting our first opportunity today to get our hands on the device today. Fitbit Charge 6 is the latest in Google's Fitbit line and remains affordable at $159.95. The Charge 6 has a more accurate heart rate sensor than in years past which should give you better overall data when it comes to your health. The Fitbit also has the same Daily Readiness Score found on the Pixel Watch 2 that will tell you whether you are ready to hit it hard or perhaps you should focus on rest for the day.
The Fitbit Charge 6 retains the same basic design as Charges of the past, with its narrow band and screen, making it more comfortable to wear at night. You can do that because the Fitbit Charge 6 can last up to seven days on a charge, which is necessary for a health tracker. You can also connect your Fitbit Charge 6 to compatible exercise machines, giving you even better metrics during your workouts. The Fitbit Charge 6 also comes with six months of Fitbit Premium membership, and will come in a variety of colors.
Pixel Buds Pro
Finally, Google unveiled two new colorways for the Pixel Buds Pro — Bay and Porcelain — which will complement the corresponding colors from the Pixel phones. Additionally, the Pixel Buds Pro will be able to tell you how long you've been listening to music at sustained volumes so that you can turn them down when you need to.
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The Pixel Buds Pro will also start supporting Conversation Detection, which uses AI to listen for your voice, or for someone talking to you. When it picks it up, it pauses playback and switches on transparency mode so you can have the conversation without taking out the buds. The Pixel Buds Pro will also support a lower latency Bluetooth connection making them better for gaming. Obviously, we'll need to test these new features to see how good they are, but those are three new welcome additions to an already-decent set of earbuds.