The Google Pixel 6 features a great camera, unique design, and Android 12 to provide the best Android experience at a low price.
Yes, the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro grab your attention. But whether the Google Pixel 6 can keep your attention is the point of this Google Pixel 6 review: the Pixel 6’s Tensor chip cannot only recognize text on the phone’s camera, but also translate it on the fly if it is in a foreign language. The new chip powers Pixel features such as voice input and robocall screening, not to mention new photo processing capabilities.
Google Pixel 6: Top features
- New Tensor chip enhances machine learning capabilities, but overall performance is a step behind the Snapdragon 888.
- The Google Pixel 6’s main camera has a 50MP sensor, while the ultra-wide- angle camera is12MP with a 114-degree field of view.
- Magic Eraser can easily remove people and objects from the background of a photo.
- Battery life is not stable, below average on 5G connection and there on LTE.
- Android 12 introduces a new interface to the Pixel, with wall paper and icons reflecting the phone’s design.
- Google Assistant will offer Tensor-based features such as call assistant and voice detection.
- The 6.4-inch OLED display has an adaptive refresh rate of 90 Hz.
Google Pixel 6: Design
If Google were to invite all previous models to a Pixel reunion, the Google Pixel 6 would definitely stand out from the crowd. It is unlike any of Google’s previous flagship models.
It’s distinctive new look is entirely due to the horizontal camera rubber that extends across the back of the phone. This is quite a different approach from other camera arrays, which are generally confined to the upper left corner of the device. A nice side effect is that despite the horizontal bar protruding from the back of the Google Pixel 6, it prevents the phone from wobbling when the phone is placed on its back.
On the front of the Google Pixel 6, there is a notch for an 8MP selfie cam in the center of the 6.4 “display and a fingerprint sensor under the bottom glass panel. To activate the finger print sensor, one must press and hold a finger against the sensor. This is certainly not a deal-breaker, but it is definitely a short coming of the Google Pixel 6 Pro and one that we hope Google will speed up in an update. In fact, an update is reportedly currently being distributed to fix the finger print issue with the Google Pixel 6 series.
Google has partnered with iFixit to make it easier to repair Google Pixel 6 and older Pixel phones.
Google Pixel 6: Display
Consider the Google Pixel 6 to have a “golden lock” on the Phone display. At 6.4 inches, it will be just right for most users, not too big and not too small; the2400 x 1080p resolution is very sharp, and the minimal bezels allow apps to use the full available screen space.
If you want a smartphone with a display refresh rate of up to120Hz, you’ll need to purchase the Pixel 6 Pro, but Google has not a band one downers of the cheaper option: the Google Pixel 6 offers an adaptive refresh rate of 90 Hz, which makes scrolling on screen and refresh rate for smoother game play, otherwise dropping it to 60Hz to conserve battery power.
Compared to similarly priced phones with AMOLED panels, the Google Pixel 6’s display colors are fairly consistent. With the display set to Natural, the Pixel 6 displays 100.9% of the s RGB color spectrum, which is slightly lower than the iPhone 13 (110.2%), Galaxy S21 (109.2%), and OnePlus 9 (104.1%). Based on 0.28, the Pixel 6 is slightly less accurate in color reproduction than the iPhone 13 (0.26) and OnePlus 9 (0.27).
Still, the Google Pixel 6 is certainly not lacking in brightness. With the Adaptive Display feature enabled, we measured the Pixel 6’s screen brightness at 843 nits. This is brighter than most comparable phones from Apple, Samsung, and OnePlus.
Google Pixel 6: Cameras
Whereas the Google Pixel 6 Pro added a fancy telephoto lens to its rear camera array, the Pixel 6 follows the traditional wide-angle/ultra-wide-angle setup. No need to cry for the Pixel 6, however. The main wide-angle lens has been enhanced to 50MP, a big leap from the 12.2MP sensor Google has used on past flagships.
In addition, the Pixel 6’s camera is equipped with Google’s usual array of computational photo tricks. This year’s set of tools includes the ability to easily erase people and objects that clutter a photo’s background, the ability to turn a still image into an action photo with artistic blurring, software cleverness to remove facial blurring, and improved skin tone capture, especially for people of color.
This is because Apple’s latest models have a similar camera array-main lens and ultra-wide-and rank among the best camera phones available (even after the introduction of the iPhone 14 Pro Max). You can see why by looking at the statue I photographed at a marina near my house. From the statue’s pink suspenders to the red head of the carved vulture, the iPhone13 does a great job of capturing the colors of this scene.
Photos taken with the front camera are more even, but again, the Google Pixel 6 seems to like cooler colors. Even if some of the wrinkles on my face are washed out, the photo taken with the iPhone 13is more realistic, especially in capturing the various colors of my hair. Aging comes to all of us.
Google Pixel 6: Performance
Much of the buzz surrounding the release of the Google Pixel 6 has focused on Tensor, Google’s system-on-a-chip that is responsible for many of the machine learning features that make the new model stand out. For example, Tensoral sounder pins some of the photo correction features we discussed earlier. But silicon also dictates performance, and one of the big questions surrounding Tensor was how it compares to the Snapdragon 888 chipset that powers major Android devices.
The answer is that Tensor is on the same level as the Snapdragon 888: in Geek bench 5, the Pixel 6 scored1,029 on single-core and 2,696 on multi-core. Neither of these numbers came close to those of devices representing the Snapdragon 888, such as the Galaxy S21 (1,048 and 3,302) and OnePlus 9 (1,126 and 3,618). The iPhone 13 and its A15 Bionic chip outperformed the Snapdragon 888 devices in this test, and Tensor was also unbeatable.
The Google Pixel 6 can take comfort in seeing how it performed in a real-world test trans coding 4K video to1080 pusing Adobe Premiere Rush. While the Galaxy S21 and OnePlus 9 both took just over a minute, the Pixel 6 finished the job in 49 seconds, which is not as good as the iPhone 13’s 26-second result, but it is one of the better Android phones.
Pixel 6: 5G
The Tensor chipset includes a 5G modem (said to be one of Samsung’s Exynos 5123 modems). This is a step or two behind the Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 modem found in current flagship models such as the iPhone 13 and Galaxy S21. As a result, expect the Pixel 6’s5G speeds to be a bit slower.
Ultimately, this won’t be a deal-breaker for most users, but given the fact that there are different Pixel models with different types of 5Gnetworksthey can connect to, it creates unnecessary confusion about the performance they can expect.
Since its release last year, the Google Pixel 6 has gotten some good news on the 5G front: it has been certified to work on Verizon’s C-band5G network, so Google Pixel 6 owners who receive wireless service through Verizon will enjoy faster speeds in more areas Pixel 6 owners who receive wireless service through Verizon will be able to enjoy faster speeds in more areas.
Pixel 6: Battery and Charging
We would like to show you the battery test results for the Pixel 6 and its 4,614 m Ah battery. In our tests, we set the phones (ideally 5G) to surf the web continuously with a cellular connection and measure the time it takes for a fully charged device to run out of power. For consistency, the screen brightness of each device should be set to 150nits, with the Google Pixel 6 set to a very strict 77%.
In other words, the Pixel’s numbers in the 5G test are not very impressive: with a 90Hz refresh rate enabled, the Google Pixel 6 lasted8 hours and 13 minutes on T-Mobile’s 5G network. However, when I ran the same test at my house using a Verizon SIM, it could only pick up an LTE signal; without the power demands of 5G, the Pixel 6 lasted longer, averaging 10 hours and 52 minutes in multiple tests. That’s an average of 10 hours 52 minutes in multiple tests.
A30W charger was set up in the lab to charge a Pixel 6 with a depleted battery after 30 minutes, and the battery level recovered to 29%. The Galaxy S21 recovered to 55% in this time, and the OnePlus 9 on a 65W charger approached full charge.
Pixel 6: Software and special features
The Google Pixel 6 introduces the world to Android 12, Google’s latest software update for Android phones. This is not just at weak, Android 12 introduces Google’s new “Material You “interface built into Google Pixel 6. This means that wall papers will adapt to the colors of the Pixel. All available wall papers a retailored to complement my Kind a Coral review unit. In addition, the built-in Google apps have themed icons and even elements like the keyboard will match your phone’s hue.
The most valuable implementation is the interpreter feature, which allows Google Assistant to listen and translate spoken words; the Google Pixel 6 itself can handle German and Japanese, with access to 48 other languages if there is an online connection. The interpreter feature is probably most effective when speaking to native speakers when traveling abroad. I tested this feature with my wife, who speaks a little German, and while it generally worked well, her accent and pronunciation sometimes seemed to confuse the assistant.
There are a number of new features to digest, and Google doesn’t always make them easy to find, forcing you to dig into settings to enable them. So if you’ve just purchased a Google Pixel 6 or want to know how to turn on the features Google is trying to hide, checkout the Pixel 6 Starter Guide.
Security and updates
While Apple has made some head way in recent years in highlighting the privacy features of its phones, it’s clear that Google is tired of letting Cupertino claim all the glory. The Google Pixel 6 is a Tensor chipset and dedicated Titan M2 secure enclave to keep your data safe and sound.
My colleague Paul Wagenseil goes into more detail about the Google Pixel 6’s security and privacy features, but the highlight is the new privacy dashboard that shows the history of apps using the Pixel 6’s location, camera, and microphone. The Security Hub is a one-stop shop for passwords, app permissions, and Google accounts.
Since the release of the Google Pixel 6, Google has announced several Feature Drops, not just for the Pixel 6 series, but the latest Feature Drop was announced in June and includes little useful features such as the ability to easily add immunization cards to your phone The company has been working on a number of new features.
Verdict
The Google Pixel 6 is Google’s best smartphone ever. But that doesn’t mean it will be the best phone to replace Apple and Samsung’s flagships.
The Pixel 6’s camera is as good as ever, and the new editing tools bring welcome functionality. That said, I think the iPhone 13 takes better photos for the most part, especially in lowlight, which has always been the Pixel’s forte. The Tensor also seems like a welcome addition to the Pixel line up, but it’s machine learning expertise Only time will tell when it’s true value will be fully revealed.
I wish the Pixel 6’s battery performance had been more stable, and I wish I didn’t need a wall chart to figure out 5G connectivity. Since Google can now promise security updates overtime, it would do well to reflect Apple’s stance on software updates. Also, the problems that continually appear indicate that Google could do better on the software front.