The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are Google’s new smartphones and they come with significant upgrades in all areas. From a revamped design to better cameras to Google’s first mobile processor and software that is designed to take advantage of the hardware for a smooth experience, Google claims its new phones bring big upgrades.
Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro specifications
The Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch FHD+ Smooth Display with a 90Hz refresh rate while the Pixel 6 Pro packs a bigger 6.7-inch screen with a QHD+ LTPO display and a 120Hz refresh rate. The two phones have Gorilla Glass Victus on the front for protection against scratches while the Pixel 6 swaps Gorrila Glass Victus for Gorilla Glass 6 for the glass back.
The Tensor processor is Google’s first smartphone chipset. The SoC has 2 high-performance cores, 2 mid-cores, and 4 high-efficiency cores. It also has a 20-core GPU. Compared to the Pixel 5 which has a Snapdragon 765G processor, Google says the Tensor chipset has a CPU performance that is 80% faster and a GPU performance that is 370% faster. The chip is paired with 12GB of RAM and 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage on the Pixel 6 Pro while the Pixel 6 has 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. As expected, there is no storage expansion.
The Pixel 6 series both have an in-display fingerprint scanner and a Titan M2 security chip. The Tensor chip also has a security core built-in that works with the Titan M2 to protect the phones against attacks. They have dual SIM support (one nano-SIM and one eSIM), WiFi 6E, stereo speakers, IP68 water and dust resistance, and a fingerprint-resistant coating.
There is a 5003mAh battery inside the Pixel 6 Pro and a 4614mAh battery inside the Pixel 6. The two devices support 30W fast wired charging, fast wireless charging (21W on the Pixel 6 and 23W on the Pixel 6 Pro using the Pixel Stand), and reverse wireless charging. They don’t ship with a charger but if you have a USB-PD compatible charger available, that should be fine. You can also charge wirelessly with a Qi-certified EPP charger but the charging speed will be capped at 12W.
The Pixel 6 series will run Android 12 out of the box and will receive 5 years of security updates.
Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro cameras
There is a 50MP main camera on both phones as well as a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide angle camera with a 114° field of view. The 50MP sensor has an 82° field of view, an f/1.85 aperture, and a 1/1.31” sensor size. Google says that the phones capture 2.5x more light than the Pixel 5. The Pixel 6 Pro gets a third rear camera – a 48MP sensor with a telephoto lens that brings 4x optical zoom. The front-facing camera is an 11.1MP sensor on the pro model and an 8MP sensor on the non-pro variant.
The Pixel phones are known for packing impressive cameras thanks to the software. The Pixel 6 series takes the Pixel camera prowess to a new level with features such as Face Unblur which combines photos from two different cameras to remove the blur on faces when you take photos of fast-moving subjects such as kids. Magic Eraser will remove unwanted objects and persons from your photo.
There is also Motion Mode which detects if there is a fast-moving object in a photo such as a moving vehicle or the wheels of a bicycle and applies a motion blur to the object while keeping the subject sharp and in focus. The most important of them all for people of color is Real Tone which is a better image algorithm that authentically replicates the skin tone of the subject.
Pixel 6 Series Price and Availability
The Pixel 6 is priced at $599 for the 128GB version and $699 for the 256GB version while the Pixel 6 Pro is priced at $899 for the 128GB version. The 256GB and 512GB versions are not listed in the U.S. The two phones are already available for pre-order now and will be available for purchase on October 28.
The Pixel 6 will be available in Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, and Stormy Black while the Pixel 6 Pro can be purchased in Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, and Stormy Black. Those who pre-order in the U.S. get a free Pixel Buds A-Series.
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