Google Pixel 8 broke cover back in October last year. Six months later, while its price has not dipped spectacularly in this period, its performance has improved, thanks to several updates. It is no spec monster even now, and it faces a lot of competition from 2024 flagships from the likes of Samsung, OnePlus and Xiaomi, but it remains the go-to device for those who want clean, regularly updated Android, a compact yet premium phone and great cameras, in descending order of preference. 

Google Pixel 8 Review: Quick Pointers

What we (still) love: 

• Compact size 
• Impressive cameras 
• Clean Android with quick, feature-laden updates
• Smart functions 

What we don’t:

• Expensive for the specs 
• Not a gaming beast
• Still heats up
• Slow charging, and no charger in the box either

It’s been around for a while, so why are we talking of the Pixel 8? 

It may not run up the kind of numbers that the iPhone or the Galaxy S series do, but the Pixel range is supposed to be the Android phone, as it comes from Google, the brand that makes Android. In some ways, it is the closest thing Android has to an iPhone, with the hardware and software coming from the same brand, and with assured and speedy OS updates. 

Also, like the iPhone, the main Pixel range is released only once a year (a specced, more affordable ‘a’ version is released in mid-year). As a result, a Pixel does not really ‘age’ like many other Android devices do – it keeps getting updates and remains a preferred device for Android updates for quite a long period. 

This is why the Pixel 8 is still relevant even more than six months after its release – at Rs 69,999 (it was released at Rs 74,999), it is the most affordable ‘new’ Pixel around, as the Pixel 8 Pro is priced at Rs 1,03,999 (launched at Rs 1,06,999). It is assured software updates for a staggering seven years, so it is not getting old any time soon. The question is: is it worth buying now? 

It’s still got the looks…and remains a tiny titan

After experimenting with a slightly larger form factor with the Pixel 7, Google went back to making its Pro-less Pixel a compact device. And even six months after its launch, the first thing that will strike you about the Pixel 8 is how much smaller it seems than most other phones out there. 

At 150.5 mm, it is slightly larger than the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S24, but is smaller than every phone in its price range (it is smaller than the Pixel 7a and the Xiaomi 14). At 187 grams, it is a little heavy for its size and is not exactly super lean at 8.9 mm, but it does exude undoubted premium-ness, thanks to the tall glass front, the curved glass back, the slightly convex aluminium frame and course, that metallic trademark camera bar on the back, which marks it out as a Pixel. 

It remains a very tough customer with Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back and IP68 dust and water resistance that lets you even take it for a swim. We would still say it is the most classy looking compact premium phone out there at its price – the camera bar gives it an identity that is all its own.

The camera still rocks, but faces even more competition   

For a lot of folks, the camera is one of the biggest reasons to grab a Pixel, and that applies to the Pixel 8 too. The phone comes with a very good 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor (also with autofocus, which is not very common in ultrawides), and a 10.5-megapixel selfie sensor. 

This being a Pixel, there is way more to the cameras than the numbers – you get computational photography, which enhances colours and details, and also several smart editing tools, including the famous magic eraser for removing unwanted objects. The result is some very good still photography, especially in terms of details, and very good low-light photography too. Videos are good rather than great – you do not get the iPhone level of smooth video magic here. 

But while the cameras of the Pixel 8 are very good, they are not as far ahead of the competition as their predecessors. 

In fact, in the time since the launch, we have devices like the Xiaomi 14 (Rs 69,999), the Vivo X100 (Rs 64,999) and even the OnePlus 12 (Rs 64,999) that bring as much quality, and an additional telephoto lens, to the photography table at about the same price.

 And of course, if videos matter a lot, the iPhone 15 at Rs 74,999 is only slightly more expensive. It sounds cruel to say it, but the Pixel 8 is no longer a no-brainer for photography enthusiasts – other phones can offer as much and even more. 

Oh, that clean Android with assured updates…and those smarts 

What makes the Pixel 8 very special is the fact that it not only runs a very clean uncluttered version of Android (zero bloatware), but it also comes with the assurance of getting regular updates (and Pixels generally get Android updates before other devices) – for seven long years in the case of the Pixel 8. 

That is not all. 

The Android running on a Pixel is unlike that running on other devices. In the case of the Pixel 8, you get access to several smart features, many of them powered by AI. For instance, you not only have a tool to remove objects from pictures but even a magic audio eraser to remove background or distracting noises. You can also get features like searching for an item by circling it on your phone, and of course, Google’s Bard AI takes Search to another level by providing descriptive answers, if you are keen on AI, you can even use Google’s Gemini AI to replace Google Assistant for a richer experience. 

Whatever new features come to Android, the Pixel 8 stands a better chance of getting them before non-Pixel devices. The phone is an Android fan’s dream, and Google’s services run much smoother on it than on any other brand’s device.  

Not Pixel perfect – some Pixellation too

For all its compact smartness, the Pixel 8 is not without its shortcomings. 

Its 6.2-inch full HD+ display is not the brightest or most vivid, and its Tensor G3 processor might help in several smart functions, but it is not really in the league of Qualcomm and MediaTek flagship chips in terms of handling gaming. This is not a gaming monster by any means. 

Also, while Google has addressed a lot of heating issues that initially came with the phone, the Pixel 8  can still sometimes get a little too warm for comfort. Then there is the little matter of the battery. The 4575 mAh battery on the Pixel 8 easily lasts a day, but charges only at 27W, generally taking 80-90 minutes to get fully charged – the OnePlus 12’s 5400 mAh battery gets charged in about half an hour in comparison. And while the Pixel 8 does come with support for wireless charging, it is only at 12W with normal Qi chargers and 18W with Google’s own charger. 

What’s more, there’s no charger in the box – the Xiaomi 14, OnePlus 12 and Vivo X100 all come with super fast chargers that can even be used to charge notebooks. In simple terms, this is not a spec monster. 

Google Pixel 8: Is it still worth it?

The Pixel 8 was launched in India at Rs 75,999 in October 2023 and is available now for Rs 69,999. You can get much better-specced devices at that price tag (the OnePlus 12, the Xiaomi 14, the Vivo X100 and even the Galaxy S24 in some places), and some of them can even match the Pixel’s famed photography. 

But if you love clean Android with regular and timely updates with the option to test new versions before they are launched for everyone else, or just want a smooth operating yet compact flagship for about Rs 70,000, the Pixel 8 is a no-brainer even more than six months after its launch.