GOOGLE PIXEL 8/8 PRO
If 2023 is the year of AI, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro showcase it more than any other phones. Artificial intelligence is used to optimise performance, take and edit photos, summarize web pages, screen calls and even create personalized wallpapers.
The regular Pixel 8 gets all those features, but plenty more are exclusive to the more expensive Pixel 8 Pro. It's no surprise to see the 5x telephoto lens missing and an inferior ultrawide camera, but you'll also have to make do with a worse display, glossy finish, no temperature sensor and some missing software features.
Are those compromises worth it in order to save £300? Ultimately, that depends on what you're looking for.
DESIGN
After years of experimenting with the design of its phones, Google handsets now have a very clear identity. And aside from more rounded corners, not much has changed on the Pixel 8.
It means the striking camera visor still extends all the way across the top of the phone. I'm not a huge fan of the way it looks, and but you can't argue it's not distinctive. Camera modules continue to be one of the main ways a phone stands out from the competition, though you will have to put up with dirt accumulating above and below the visor.
While both the Pixel 8 phones have glass backs, the regular model has a glossy finish rather than the matte on the 8 Pro. Even on the Hazel model I tested, it began showing fingerprint smudges and other dirt within a couple of minutes of use. I'd expect the situation to be even worse on the Obsidian (black) and Rose (pink) versions, your only other choices.
As a result, I'd recommend a case. The official Googleare plenty of third-party alternatives.
