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Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in the test: Google shoots the most beautiful photos

Google is equipping the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro with their own processor for the first time, the Tensor SoC with Tensor Processing Unit. The TPU is used, among other things, in the camera system, which delivers excellent results in the test with larger sensors. The smaller Pixel 6 in particular deserves a purchase recommendation.

Table of contents

  1. 1 Google shoots the most beautiful photos
    1. Prices, colors and availability
    2. Technical data at a glance
    3. The new two-tone design with camera bars
    4. OLED displays with 6.4 and 6.7 inches
    5. Smooth display in practice
    6. Brighter screens crack 1,000 cd/m²
    7. Carrier fingerprint sensor in the display
  2. 2 Tensor SoC, battery life and Android 12
    1. Google cooks with well-known ARM ingredients
    2. Tensor SoC in the benchmark
    3. New GPU delivers significantly more power
    4. Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro under continuous load
    5. Google saves on memory
    6. Google increases the batteries
    7. The small one Pixel 6 lasts longer with
    8. battery life in everyday life
    9. Charging with up to 30 watts
    10. Android 12 with at least 5 years of updates
    11. Google says 3 years of Android main versions
  3. 3 camera, motion mode, magic eraser and videos
    1. New main camera outputs 12.5 megapixels
    2. Ultra wide angle camera with 114 degrees
    3. Pixel 6 Pro receives telephoto with periscope zoom
    4. HDR is Google's top discipline
    5. Telephoto with super resolution zoom
    6. Atmospheric night shots
    7. The movement mode as a new stylistic device
    8. Google's Magic Eraser
    9. Prettier video recordings in 4K thanks to HDRnet
    10. HDRnet is not 10-Bit HDR
  4. 4 Conclusion

Developer devices, premium smartphones, but more functional, a little bit of everything, or where is Google's journey going? The smartphones of the search engine giant have already had many stations behind them, from the G1 to the Nexus to the Pixel series and even within these series in a wide variety of classes from price breakers to four-digit numbers. Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are the result of all these experiments and experiences, with a new chapter being opened with their own SoC, eye-catching design and Android 12.

prices, colors and availability

In terms of pricing, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are neither particularly cheap nor overpriced. The smaller Pixel 6 is available for 649 euros and is equipped with 128 GB of storage. Basically, the smartphone is also available with 256 GB and should have cost 749 euros in this country, but ultimately Google decided against launching this model in Germany. If you want more memory, you have to use the Pixel 6 Pro, which starts at 899 euros with 128 GB, but is also available with 256 GB for 999 euros. With the Pixel 6 Pro, Google has also limited the selection, because the 512 GB model, initially planned for 1,099 euros, is not available for sale.

  1. Pixel 6 in Stormy Black, Sorta Seafaom and Kinda Coral (Image: Google)

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Pixel 6 in Stormy Black, Sorta Seafaom and Kinda Coral
Pixel 6 Pro in Stormy Black, Sorta Sunny and Cloudy White

This is what the Pixel 6 Pro offers more

Which Pixel 6 it will ultimately be depends not only on the memory selection, but also on the available colors and the features offered. Google offers the Pixel 6 in “Stormy Black”, “Kinda Coral” (test device) and “Sorta Seafoam” and the Pixel 6 Pro in “Stormy Black” (test device), “Cloudy White” and “Sorta Sunny”. In addition, the Pixel 6 Pro is not only the larger of the two pixels, as was previously the case with Google's “XL” smartphones, but also the better-equipped device. The following features, which are not derived from the size, are exclusively reserved for the Pixel 6 Pro.

  • Smooth display with 120 Hz (instead of 90 Hz)
  • 1440p resolution (instead of 1080p)
  • Telephoto camera with 4x magnification
  • Front camera with 11, 1 MP and 4K video (instead of 8 MP and 1080p)
  • Ultra broadband chip
  • 12 GB RAM (instead of 8 GB)
  • Back made of Gorilla Glass Victus (instead of Gorilla Glass 6)

Incidentally, the smartphones are not far apart in terms of dimensions. With 75.9 × 163.9 × 8.90 mm, the Pixel 6 Pro measures little more than the Pixel 6 with 74.8 × 158.6 × 8.90 mm. In terms of weight, too, there is almost a tie at 207 g to 210 g. Below is an overview of the technical data compared to earlier pixel smartphones and devices from the competition.

Technical data at a glance

Google Pixel 6 Apple iPhone 11Apple iPhone 11 ProApple iPhone 11 Pro MaxApple iPhone 12Apple iPhone 12 miniApple iPhone 12 Pro MaxApple iPhone 12 ProApple iPhone 13Apple iPhone 13 miniApple iPhone 13 ProApple iPhone 13 Pro MaxGoogle PixelGoogle Pixel 2Google Pixel 2 XLGoogle Pixel 3Google Pixel 3 XLGoogle Pixel 3a Pixel 3a XLGoogle Pixel 4Google Pixel 4 XLGoogle Pixel 4aGoogle Pixel 4a 5GGoogle Pixel 5Google Pixel 5aGoogle Pixel 6 ✔Google Pixel 6 Pro ✔OnePlus 8OnePlus 8 ProOnePlus 8TOnePlus 9OnePlus 9 ProSamsung Ultra S20Samsung GalaxySung Galaxy S20 5 S20 + 5GSamsung Galaxy S21Samsung Galaxy S21 UltraSamsung Galaxy S21 + Xiaomi 11TXiaomi 11T ProXiaomi Mi 11Xiaomi Mi 11 ProXiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Google Pixel 6 Pro Apple iPhone 11Apple iPhone 11 ProApple iPhone 11 Pro MaxApple iPhone 12Apple iPhone 12 miniApple iPhone 12 Pro MaxApple iPhone 13 ProApple iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 13 miniApple iPhone 13 ProApple iPhone 13 P ro MaxGoogle PixelGoogle Pixel 2Google Pixel 2 XLGoogle Pixel 3Google Pixel 3 XLGoogle Pixel 3aGoogle Pixel 3a XLGoogle Pixel 4Google Pixel 4 XLGoogle Pixel 4aGoogle Pixel 4a 5Google Pixel 5Google Pixel 5aGoogle Pixel 6 ✔Google Pixel 6 Pro ✔Oneus 8TOne Plus 9 Pro ✔Oneus 8TOne S Plus 9 Pro ✔Oneus 8TOne S Plus 8 Plus 8 Plus 9 Plus 9 Plus 8 Plus 8 Plus 8 Plus 8 Plus Galaxy S20 5GSamsung Galaxy S20 FESamsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5GSamsung Galaxy S20 + Samsung Galaxy S20 + 5GSamsung Galaxy S21Samsung Galaxy S21 UltraSamsung Galaxy S21 + Xiaomi 11TXiaomi 11T ProXiaomi Mi 11Xiaomi Mi 11 ProXiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Software:
(when released) Android 12.0 Display: 6.40 inches, 1,080 × 2,400
411 ppi, 90 Hz
OLED, HDR, Gorilla Glass Victus 6.70 inches, 1,440 × 3,120
513 ppi, 120 Hz
OLED, HDR, Gorilla Glass Victus Operation: Touch, fingerprint sensor SoC: Google Tensor
2 × Cortex-X1 , 2.80 GHz
2 × Cortex-A76, 2.25 GHz
4 × Cortex-A55, 1.80 GHz
5 nm, 64-bit GPU: Mali-G78 MP20 RAM: 8,192 MB
LPDDR5 12.288 MB
LPDDR5 memory: 128/256 GB 128/256/512 GB 1st camera: 50.0 MP, 2160p
Dual-LED, f/1.9, AF, OIS 2nd camera: 12.0 MP, f/2.2 3rd camera: No 48.0 MP, f/3.5, AF, OIS 4th camera: No 5. Camera: No 1. Front camera: 8.0 MP, 1080p
display flash, f/2.0 11.1 MP, 2160p
display flash, f/2.2 2. Front camera: No GSM: GPRS + EDGE UMTS: HSPA +
↓ 42.2 ↑ 5.76 Mbit/s LTE: Advanced Pro 5G: NSA/SA WLAN: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Wi -Fi Direct Bluetooth: 5.2 Location: A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS Other standards: USB 3.1 Type C, NFC USB 3.1 Type C, UWB, NFC SIM card: Nano-SIM, Dual-SIM battery: 4.614 mAh, 30.0 W
permanently installed, wireless charging 5,003 mAh, 30.0 W
Permanently installed, wireless charging Size (W × H × D): 74.8 × 158.6 × 8.90 mm 75.9 × 163.9 × 8.90 mm Protection class: IP68 Weight: 207 g 210 g Price: from € 649/€ 749 from € 899/€ 999/€ 1,099

The new two-tone design with camera bar

Google's new design for smartphones was no longer a surprise when the two Pixel 6s were presented on October 19, because the official website published images of the new generation for the first time at the beginning of August, which primarily anticipated exactly that, but also other first details.

Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are always two-tone in color tones that harmonize with each other – sometimes more extravagant and sometimes rather boring. Google tends to be more daring with the small Pixel 6, while the Pixel 6 Pro comes in the more serious colors. The editorial team's test device, for example, is dark gray below and a little less dark gray above the camera bar. The frame and camera on this model have a black high-gloss finish. “Cloudy White” with silver accents is at least as inconspicuous, “Sorta Sunny” with yellow, orange and gold for the frame is most likely to catch the eye.

Just don't take “Stormy Black”

The small Pixel 6 takes itself less seriously, although it is also available in “Stormy Black” with two shades of gray, if you don't want to experiment. But you should, because with “Sorta Seafom” in green and “Kinda Coral” in pink and red, there are two much more interesting models to choose from. The editors did not have the green for the test, but were able to look at it in real life and vote for it.

  1. In terms of size and weight, the smartphones don't take up much

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Take in terms of size and weight the smartphones are little
Pixel 6 in Kinda Coral
Pixel 6 Pro in Stormy Black
Pixel 6 Pro in Stormy Black behind Pixel 6 in Kinda Coral
Pixel 6 in Kinda Coral behind Pixel 6 Pro in Stormy Black
Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro tested

Apart from the colors, the two smartphones differ in the one matt (Pixel 6) and one glossy (Pixel 6 Pro) frame made of aluminum, which holds the glass components on the front and back as well as the camera module in position. In this point, a match can be found with the current iPhones, which also use this feature for Non-Pro and Pro. Both smartphones are convincing in terms of haptics, and they are also both of high quality.

Buttons rarely click so convincingly

The side areas of the camera module, which curve towards the frame, have not been solved quite as nicely. This component does not merge into the cover glass of the cameras in one piece, but is clearly separated by a vertical line, so that the impression is created that there is still a protective film over the cameras that has to be removed after unpacking – but what is not the case. On the other hand, Google shows finesse with the buttons that have rarely clicked so solidly on a smartphone.

The new covers are a step backwards

In terms of resistance, both smartphones have IP68 protection and are therefore protected from dust and water. The rear glass of the Pixel 6 is made of Gorilla Glass 6, that of the Pixel 6 Pro is made of Gorilla Glass Victus, which should offer a little more protection on paper. To be on the safe side, it is better to pack both devices in a protective cover that Google offers for 29 euros. However, the new semi-transparent plastic covers do not come close to the charm of the old fabric covers of a Pixel 5 or 4a, especially since Google has reduced the proportion of recycled materials from 70 to 30 percent.

New semi-transparent plastic covers

On the other hand, Google uses the current Gorilla Glass Victus on the front of both Pixel 6s, with the smaller model using a completely flat screen and the larger version using a display that is slightly curved towards the left and right edges. Google is sticking to a trend that is actually extinct, but fortunately not overdoing it with the curvature for the visible part of the display, because around 1 mm of this area is covered by a black frame that surrounds the entire OLED panel and the one at the bottom slightly wider than fails above. The Pixel 6 manages without this curvature, but in return it comes with visibly thicker display edges.

120 Hz and 1440p only for the Pixel 6 Pro

At 6.4 inches and 6.7 inches, Google is for the time being saying goodbye to small smartphones like the Pixel 5 with its 6 inch and 1.4 cm shorter housing. As already mentioned at the beginning, the two new Google smartphones are separated less by size and more by specific features. One of them is the resolution of the OLED panel, which is 1,080 × 1,920 pixels and 1,440 × 3,120 pixels. But you have to look very, very carefully to detect even the smallest differences in the pixel density, from a normal viewing distance these details are hidden.

Also not visible is the use of an LTPO OLED panel only on the Pixel 6 Pro, as Apple also uses on the iPhone 13 Pro (Max). The mixture of low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) and indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) for the thin-film transistors (TFT) is intended to increase energy efficiency and enable higher dynamic refresh rates. Specifically, this means up to 120 Hz for the Pixel 6 Pro, while the Pixel 6 offers a maximum of 90 Hz. In both smartphones, the higher refresh rate than “Smooth Display” can be found in the settings and is activated by default.

Smooth display in practice

Which of the two smartphones you choose not only affects the maximum refresh rate, but also the minimum. The Pixel 6 supports 60 Hz or 90 Hz, but no intermediate levels and no reduction to 10 Hz, for example for static content, in order to improve energy efficiency. The Pixel 6 Pro has three levels of 10 Hz, 60 Hz and 120 Hz. Without the Smooth Display function, the Pixel 6 Pro does not only reduce the refresh rate in the upper range, so that only 10 Hz and 60 Hz are then possible, Instead, like the normal Pixel 6, it always goes back to 60 Hz. Overall, the OLED panels from Google have significantly less flexibility than the OLED panels in the iPhone 13 Pro (Max). Because Apple offers a huge range of intermediate levels such as 20 Hz, 24 Hz, 30 Hz from 10 Hz to 120 Hz and even dynamically adapts the refresh rate to the scrolling speed of the user. LTPO-OLED is not the same as LTPO-OLED, because only the panel type says nothing about its capabilities.

  1. OLED -Display with 6.4 and 6.7 inches

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OLED display with 6.4 and 6.7 inches
Flat display for the Pixel 6 (left), slightly curved on the Pixel 6 Pro
The front camera is seated in each case at the top of the panel

It is a bit of a shame that the small Pixel 6 remains at the 90 Hz that already existed with the Pixel 5, since the jump to 120 Hz was actually expected as a normal further development of a smartphone over the course of a year. Because the 120 Hz on the Pixel 6 Pro feel pretty “smooth” in keeping with the advertising promise. Regardless of whether it is “ProMotion” from Apple or “Smooth Display” from Google, once you come into contact with the technology, there is no turning back. If you have never tried the higher refresh rate, however, it is not reprehensible to ask yourself what all the hype is about.

Lighter screens crack 1,000 cd/m²

Apart from the higher refresh rate, Google delivers brighter OLED displays in both devices. The improvements concern both the maximum brightness over the entire screen and the point brightness with a reduced proportion of white. Compared to the Pixel 5, both Pixel 6s create around 12 to 13 percent higher brightness over the entire surface (100 percent average picture level) and now come to 769 and 777 cd/m², i.e. an increase of around 100 cd/m². Google only enables significantly higher brightness values ​​with a reduced APL, which can be seen from measurements of 20 and 10 percent. The selective peak brightness then climbs to a very good 1,000 cd/m² and more and, with further reduction, even to over 1,100 cd/m². Last year the Pixel 5 was around 900 cd/m² with a reduced APL. Both smartphones are therefore suitable for outdoor use on sunny days, as they were able to prove several times in the test. The HDR playback also benefits from the higher peak brightness with great selective highlights. However, this is also due to the fact that both test devices were perfectly matched and are therefore among the best screens on the market, but with a slight advantage for the Pixel 6 Pro in the final evaluation.

«Previous display brightness max. Display brightness min. Display contrast Next»

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    • Carrier fingerprint sensor in the display

    Another new feature for the screens is the embedded optical fingerprint sensor, which Google has positioned in the lower third of the panel so that it is easily accessible. The manufacturer relies on an optical sensor, as was confirmed on request, and thus not yet on an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, as Samsung is using convincingly in the second generation of Qualcomm in the Galaxy S21 family.

    The fingerprint sensor sits on the screen

    Google's optical sensor is big enough for the thumb, but not one of the fastest on the market. The sensor works reliably, however, but the entire process could still run a little quickly. It is a shame that Google has not developed the very good “Face Unlock” of the Pixel 4, has not reduced it over the years and has not reintroduced it in the Pixel 6. But after the Pixel 5 was no longer equipped with it, a return could not be assumed.

    On the next page: Tensor SoC, battery life and Android 12

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