What are the best Google Pixel phones? Well, that’s a tricky question. After all, there are numerous models to choose from, and they offer a range of overlapping specs and features. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 were the latest handsets to arrive in August 2024, but the Pixel 8, 8 Pro, and Pixel 8a also offer great performance and value as last-gen models.
If you’re keen to switch out your old phone for a Google Pixel but not quite sure which model to opt for, we’ve got reviews of all the latest phones. We test the battery life, display, and resolution while looking at how usable each phone is for your daily tasks, too.
Pixel phones can hold their own against Apple and Samsung, despite a slightly lower price point than iPhones or the best Samsung phones on the Android operating system. Google’s phones give you a clutter-free Android interface with the benefit of timely updates straight from Google, and they integrate with Google Apps seamlessly.
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Best premium Google Pixel
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| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 |
| Display | 6.8 inch 120Hz LTPO OLED (1344 x 2992px) |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
| Battery | 5,060mAh |
| Release | August 2024 |
- Top-tier display
- Great cameras
- Useful AI features
- Sleek design
- Not the best chipset
- Expensive
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the most impressive phone yet in terms of Google’s roster. This does mean it’s a bit pricey – starting at around $1,099. It’s worth every penny, though, thanks to some fantastic camera hardware and a stylish design that differs from the shiny and metallic approach of other big-name devices. There are also a few useful AI features that we had a lot of fun testing out.
The highlight of our experience with the Pixel 9 Pro XL was the display. The screen has a 120Hz refresh rate, double that of the iPhone 15 Plus’ 60Hz, and boasts a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, which is more than enough to make the display shine no matter the lighting scenario. It’s just stunning, and if you’re someone who spends a lot of time streaming YouTube, Netflix, or anything else on your smartphone, the 9 Pro XL is a standout option.
Still, there are a couple of caveats to the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It’s perhaps not one for gamers, with Google’s own Tensor G4 chipset struggling to keep up with the performance you might get from a phone with a Snapdragon chipset, like the Honor Magic6 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S24+. It’s also worth pointing out that not all the AI features are quite there yet in terms of usability; Pixel Studio especially could do with a little more work. However, we could see future software updates make them all a little more user-friendly.
Read our Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review here for more information.
Google Pixel 8
Best Google Pixel phone for most people
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| Chipset | Google Tensor G3 |
| Display | 6.2 inch 120Hz OLED (1080 x 2400px) |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB-256GB |
| Battery | 4575mAh |
| Release date | October 2023 |
- Tensor G3 chip
- Good price for a flagship
- Smaller than the Pixel 7
- No charger included
The Google Pixel 8 brings an array of upgrades compared to its predecessor and holds up as an excellent phone even with the next generation now available. Though the Pixel 8 is a little physically smaller than the Pixel 7, it retains a sleek design with a satin finish, that has had a little refresh to keep it modern and in line with the newest tech.
The camera on the Pixel 8 has some upgrades, including AI features to help edit your photos. Also new is the Macro Focus mode so you can really get in there and take crisp close-ups.
This Google phone comes with Android 14, including some Pixel-exclusive features. There’s even a promise of constant updates for the next seven years, keeping your device up to scratch. Considering the Pixel 8 is one of Google’s flagships, its price is competitive compared to other brands, but it is still higher than the last generation – though that’s something we can’t avoid.
Read our Google Pixel 8 review here for a deeper dive into how the device works.
Google Pixel 7 Pro
Best value Google Pixel phone
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| Chipset | Google Tensor G2 |
| Display | 6.7 inch 120Hz AMOLED (1440 x 3120) |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB |
| Storage | 128GB-512GB |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| Release date | October 2022 |
- Photo unblur tool
- Value for money
- Excellent cameras
- Battery life is average
- No microSD card slot
The Google Pixel 7 Pro has some better features than the Pixel 7 – however, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the absolute best model for everyone.
In terms of competition, it keeps up alongside the Samsung S23 and Apple’s iPhone 14 devices. Better yet, the cameras may be the best out there, despite being almost two-thirds of the cost of the best competitors – retailing at $899/£849, or less now that a few months have passed since release.
Thanks to the Tensor G2 processor, the Pixel 7 Pro works like a dream and can handle intense photo editing, and all manner of apps and games, and it even comes with an in-built VPN for added privacy.
However, there’s no microSD or dual SIM slot, so if you want more storage there’s not much you can do. The battery life also lets the Pixel 7 Pro down, so we can’t recommend it as a gaming phone.
Read our Google Pixel 7 Pro review.
Google Pixel 7
Best mid-range Google Pixel phone
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| Chipset | Google Tensor G2 |
| Display | 6.3-inch 90Hz AMOLED, 1080 x 2400 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB |
| Battery | 4,355 mAh |
| Release date | October 2022 |
- High-res front camera
- Photo unblur tool
- Battery life improvement
- No microSD slot
- No stylus support
- Expensive
The main thing separating the Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel 7 is the price, so this is a key thing to note if you have a specific budget in mind. The Pixel 7 is an improvement to the Pixel 6 but isn’t world-shatteringly different. The fingerprint sensor is noticeably better in the 7 than in the 6, but that’s the only really obvious upgrade.
In terms of what differs from the 7 Pro, it comes down to size and resolution. The Google Pixel 7 is 6.3 inches with a 1080 x 2400 resolution, making it a decent option no matter what you’re doing, and not too big to hold for long periods – but it adds a bigger screen than its counterpart.
The drawback is that the Pixel 7 doesn’t include a microSD card slot, something missing from a few of Google’s handsets. If the ability to expand your storage space is something you know you’re looking for, this may affect your decision.
Read our Google Pixel 7 review.
Google Pixel 8a
Best Pixel for under $500/£500
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| Chipset | Tensor G3 |
| Display | 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED (1080 x 2400 pixels) |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB |
| Battery | 4,49s mAh |
| Release | May 2024 |
- Impressive AI features
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Brilliant performance
- Unimpressive battery life
- Slow to charge
- Chunky bezels
If you’re looking for an affordable, middle-of-the-road phone, then Google Pixel 8a is the one for you. With its 120Hz fresh rate and gorgeous OLED screen, everything looks great on it, which is good news for anybody who likes to use their phone to play the best mobile games, or to watch TV shows and movies.
The addition of futuristic AI features really impressed us with this phone. Now, as writers, we don’t like AI as it’s going to take all of our jobs, but when it comes to convenient tweaks to phones, we can let it slide. One feature the Pixel 8a has is Circle to Search. This lets you circle anything in a picture, and then search it to immediately get information on it.
Another really handy feature is Live Translate, which does exactly what you might think and works seamlessly with a number of other apps. It’s really impressive stuff.
The two cameras it has on the back are really cool as well. They offer 64 MP wide and 13 MP ultrawide shots, and they look truly wonderful. These can also be somewhat enhanced with AI, with features like Magic Erase (which removes unwanted features from the backgrounds of photos) and Best Take (which makes an amalgamation of multiple photos so that you can get the best of all worlds).
It’s a pretty impressive phone, and while we wish that it could charge a bit faster or even that its battery would last a bit longer when it’s fully charged there’s very little that we could say against it. For its price, it’s an excellent choice of smartphone.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review.
Google Pixel Fold
Best foldable Google Pixel phone
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| Chipset | Google Tensor G2 |
| Inner display | 7.6-inch 120Hz OLED (1840 x 2208) |
| Outer display | 5.8-inch 120Hz OLED (1080 x 2092) |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB |
| Battery | 4,821 mAh |
| Release date | June 2023 |
- Decent cameras
- Sleek design
- Great for video
- Middling battery
- Hefty price tag
The Pixel Fold is almost like a mini tablet and is an excellent starting place for your first foray into foldable phones. It’s a bit heavier than a lot of phones you may be used to – but that’s expected given that it’s essentially the size of two phones.
The good news is that when the Pixel Fold is closed, there’s no gap between the screens and it’s quiet to close. Performance is decent, battery life is okay, and it’s a good starting point if you want to try one out before forking out for a top-of-the-range option.
Read our Google Pixel Fold review.
How to choose a Google Pixel
When it comes to choosing the right Google Pixel for you, it’s important to take various factors into account. Don’t assume that just because a phone is the newest model it’s the best option for you.
Instead, it’s a good idea to look at key factors like the amount of storage offered, how powerful a phone model is, what features it offers, and how much it costs. You may also want to consider how well both the front and rear cameras perform, and how easy the phone is to hold and use for extended gaming periods.
If the best Google Pixel phones aren’t for you, check out our guides to the best Xiaomi phones and the best 4G phones. You might also like the best stylus phones, along with the best stylus for iPad and iPhones.
Are Google Pixel phones worth buying?
Google Pixel phones run on an Android operating system, and they run a stock experience that many find cleaner and easier to use than some competitors also running Android. Pixels also come with high-quality cameras, and Google has introduced revolutionary “computational photography features” over the past few years, including Magic Eraser.
Overall, Pixel phones are smart and sensible, have fast-tracked software and security updates directly from Google, and are priced at competitive rates. But for many, they’re still not as nice to look at or use as the best gaming iPhones.
What’s the difference between the Google Pixel 8 and the Google Pixel 8 Pro?
The Google Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8 were released in October 2023 and represent the company’s top-tier handsets. The 8 Pro is the more expensive option, and the most obvious difference between the two phones is their screen size. The Pixel 8 Pro has a larger, brighter 6.7-inch display with a higher 120Hz refresh rate, against the Pixel 8’s 6.2-inch display and 90Hz refresh rate.
The Pixel 8 Pro also wins for its camera array, with a triple-camera system (50MP main sensor, 48MP ultrawide sensor, 48MP telephoto lens) against the Pixel 8’s 50MP main sensor and 12MP ultrawide.
As the Pixel 8 is more affordable than the Pixel 8 Pro, I’d recommend only going for the 8 Pro if you want a mega smooth display for gaming or streaming or the best smartphone photography experience.
What’s the difference between the Google Pixel 8 and the Google Pixel 8a?
The Google Pixel 8a arrived in Summer 2024 as a mid-range alternative to the more expensive Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. While both devices utilize the same Tensor G3 chipset, there are some big differences. For a start, the Pixel 8 comes with a temperature sensor, while the 8a doesn’t. Admittedly, the temperature sensor isn’t exactly the selling point Google anticipated it might be, but it is an easy differentiator.
The more noticeable gulf between the two is in the camera department. The Pixel 8 comes with a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultrawide, and 10.5 selfie shooter, while the 8a boasts a 64 main sensor, 13MP ultrawide, and 13MP selfie camera.
On paper, you might think that the Pixel 8a is the better of the two, but we found in testing that the more expensive Pixel 8 is the better option for smartphone photographers, with some in-built AI magic helping to capture stunning and colorful shots. That’s not to say the 8a is bad, it’s just not as impressive as its flagship older brother.
Performance-wise, there’s little to split the two, which isn’t a surprise considering they use the same chipset. Which of the two to go for depends on your budget, but considering we’ve seen a price drop on the original Pixel 8 following the arrival of the Pixel 8a, we’d recommend opting for the 8 if you can find it at a reasonable price.
What are the newest Google Pixel phones?
The latest generation of Pixel phones is the 9, announced at the Google Pixel 9 Series launch as part of the summer 2024 Made by Google event. We were introduced to the Google Pixel 9 series, and their new Gemini AI features for the brand’s smartphones, which are Google’s answer to Samsung’s Galaxy AI and Apple Intelligence.