Google Pixel 5 vs Pixel 8: Do you have to improve?

The Pixel 8 collection arrived in late 2023 bringing an improved SoC, a brand new digital camera sensor, and extra. For these hanging on to the now three-year-old Pixel 5, is it time to lastly improve? We take a more in-depth look on this Google Pixel 5 vs Pixel 8 comparability.

The Pixel 5 was powered by a modest Snapdragon 765G SoC with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and only a single storage measurement of 128GB. It additionally had a a lot smaller show than fashionable Pixels, at simply 6 inches.

Though Google nonetheless sticks to extra modest CPUs in comparison with a few of its rivals, the Tensor G3 is an enormous improve over the 765G. Simply don’t anticipate it to be fairly as speedy because the current-gen Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This new Tensor chip has the newest ARM CPUs, an upgraded GPU, a brand new imaging DSP, a brand new ISP, and a next-gen TPU. In layman’s phrases, all these new chips permit it to have among the most spectacular picture processing, machine studying, and AI capabilities on the planet.

Whereas the Pixel 8 nonetheless simply has 8GB of RAM, it’s now utilizing LPDDR5X RAM. It additionally has a 256GB storage possibility, alongside a base 128GB mannequin. The Pixel 8 show can be improved. Not solely is it a bit greater at 6.2 inches, nevertheless it additionally has a 60-120Hz variable refresh fee and a peak brightness of two,000 nits.

The remainder of the core variations come right down to the battery measurement, charging speeds, and the digital camera. We’ll discuss a bit extra about that later,  however first, let’s focus on software program. The Pixel 5 shipped with Android 11 and is now reaching the tip of its replace cycle. Android 14 is the final OS improve the Pixel 5 will obtain, and even safety updates are anticipated to finish with this replace.

The Pixel 8 not solely comes with Android 14 out of the field, however Google has introduced a formidable replace coverage of seven years of OS updates, safety patches, and have drops.

The Pixel 5 and Pixel 8 couldn’t be much less alike. On the entrance, you’ll discover the Pixel 5 has a round cut-out for the digital camera within the higher left nook, whereas the Pixel 8 facilities its notch. The rear sees much more dramatic variations.

The Pixel 5 had a fingerprint scanner within the middle of its rear and a sq. digital camera bump within the upper-left nook.  It wasn’t an unpleasant design, nevertheless it was fairly boring. That is in sharp distinction to the Pixel 8, which continues the brand new design language first launched with the Pixel 6. The all-glass rear is split into two elements, with a metallic digital camera bar towards the highest. Contained in the digital camera bar, you’ll discover a pill-shaped cut-out for the digital camera, and the flash is positioned on the best.

The Pixel 5 can be the smaller of the 2, coming in at 144.7 x 70 with a thickness of 8mm. The Pixel 8 is a bit greater at 150.5 x 70.8 and with a thickness of 8.9mm. Regardless of its bigger footprint, it’s really a a lot smaller telephone than its speedy predecessor, the Pixel 7. In our Pixel 8 hands-on protection, we felt the Pixel 8 hit the candy spot because it was neither too large nor too small.

The Google Pixel collection has at all times had a popularity for digital camera excellence. The Pixel 5 utilized the identical 12MP predominant sensor that Google had used because the authentic Pixel, although it additionally packed a 16MP vast sensor with .6x zoom. The {hardware} wasn’t the very best on the time, however Google’s digital camera software program and algorithms allowed it to maintain up moderately with different 2020 flagships.

Since then, Google has enormously improved its digital camera recreation once more. A big a part of that is because of the machine studying and AI methods enabled by the Tensor SoC. The precise {hardware} has additionally improved through the years. The Pixel 8 has a 50MP predominant sensor with an aperture of ƒ/1.68, backed by a secondary 12MP ultra-wide digital camera with 1.25μm pixel width, ƒ/2.2 aperture, and a 125.8-degree FoV.

We’ve but to place the Pixel 8 digital camera by its paces, however we are able to safely say its digital camera expertise represents a significant improve over the three-year-old Pixel 5.

The Pixel 5 has a comparatively small battery at 4,080mAh, however don’t let this idiot you. Because of its much less demanding chipset, the telephone may simply make it by a full day’s use. Sadly, charging it was a comparatively gradual expertise because it solely supported 18W wired charging and 12W wi-fi.

The Pixel 8 has a bigger 4,575mAh battery. You would possibly assume this implies it might probably even make it right into a second day with average use. Whereas we haven’t put it by its paces but, the battery measurement isn’t a lot completely different from the Pixel 7. Judging by the Pixel 8’s predecessor, we should always anticipate a full day’s use however nothing over that.

The excellent news is charging has improved a bit within the final three years. The Pixel 8 has a 27W wired charging and as much as 18W wi-fi.

The Pixel 5 initially retailed for $699, though it’s now not obtainable to buy anymore. The Pixel 8 additionally is available in at $699 for the bottom mannequin, whereas the 256GB variant will set you again $759.

Sure! The Pixel 5 was a very good telephone throughout its heyday however with Android assist ending, now may very well be the right time to improve. The Pixel 8 is the right possibility for Google followers, although the Pixel 8 Professional is also value a glance if you would like one thing with extra energy. Conversely, the Galaxy S23 ($799 at Amazon) is a superb different.

For many who don’t thoughts ready a bit longer, it’s additionally value mentioning the Galaxy S24 is lower than half a yr away.