@@avfc1985 well i know for sure that i never will use iphones, and in the android ecosystem the pixel impressed me a lot, don like samsung, my wife has an s22 ultra and its kind a mheee for m , what other brand exist that its good enough to replace a pixel phone?
I think a lot of people will disagree with you and some will agree cuz nowadays people judge smartphones, cars , bikes just based on paper specs... But on the other hand in real world they are different.. on paper pixel 8 hardware is just like or less than a Xiaomi mid tier phone .. but in real world scenario it's not it's just the mixed experience of hardware software and compatibility and the processing and the smartest of device according to your need so yep i also agree that pixel 8 as per the price point is a great deal but again some may agree some may disagree... And what's funny is half of the people who disagree never actually used that stuff just complaining based on others review and experience and that's sick 💀
As someone who's been in the Android developer environment for 15 years from building kernels for phones that were previously unroutable to making apps just for fun, the whole theory that it's hard to optimize apps for Android because there are so many phones is a misconception at best and a cop-out excuse by developers at most. The only apps that are actually hard to optimize for a wide variety of hardware are games, specifically 3D games, and even then it can be done. Therefore, there is no excuse for simple 2D apps with no 3D environments accessing basic data from a server database. A lot of this choppiness in apps comes down to just really, really old coding techniques and simply laziness by the developer to tear the entire app down and start from scratch using modern techniques and the latest reference guides from Google. The amount of sheer laziness I see of copy pasting old code and then reusing it in modern apps is insane and just makes it so annoying. Google also does this, hence why the UA-cam studio app is such garbage and that is simply because they haven't bothered to rewrite their code from the ground up. And if Google isn't willing to do this then why would other developers who are probably not even making any money from these apps? A lot of the time optimization comes down to just utilizing modern best practice coding principles and techniques and not taking SQL database code from 15 years ago and continuing to cling on to it simply because you're too lazy to figure out the new stuff. For example, the apps that stutter and lag on one phone will stutter and lag on every phone. That's not indicative of bad optimization that is indicative of bad coding. Go ask meadow why they don't freaking bother to fix Instagram for years at a time. Also I have a pixel 8 and 8 pro as well as one of every pixel and Nex is going back to the Nexus one so I'm not making this up but a lot of the issues you mentioned are the pixel 8 seem to be hit or miss from user to user. I for example have had no issues that you described with things like Google maps or the camera. Whereas my friend who has the same exact phone seems to have it and this just comes down to Google quality control and not the hardware itself
Great video, I happened to get a deal from Telus where I got a Pixel 8 for $0, and as someone who already owns an iPhone 15 PM, I have to say this phone is a nice experience when it comes to android, especially with the AI features. Also, Dbrand magsafe case with a skin has made it easy to use all the magsafe accessories I have with the Pixel.
Ibra, your camera eye is second to none! Your shots are superb and you make beautiful videos! Since I'm overwhelmingly watch YT on 65" TV, your videos are treat! Expert information is icing on the cake.
For everyone who doesn't know Google's Tensor roadmap, which already became known with the Tensor G1: The goal is to produce a completely self-designed chip at TSMC within 5 years that is perfectly optimized to its own needs. This means that the upcoming Tensor G4 will be the last chip that, like the G1, G2 & G3, is just an optimized, existing chip from Samsung...and from then on, performance and efficiency should be in a completely different league.
As this video said different isn't always better. I want pixel to be true iPhone level of competency/consistency in the software but I'll reserve my excitement until we see it. Also what will snapdragon and apple silicon look like in 2 more years vs Googles offering. Something to consider
So what you're saying is if anyone bought a Pixel with a Tensor chip before 2025 they got ripped-off? According to you Google planned to create a better more efficient chip while selling an inefficient unoptimized Exynos based chip to customers who bought a Pixel 6-8Pro???🤔
Thank you for this long term review. I haven't seen anyone else talk about real world problems like the refresh rate issue or the experience on Google maps. These are really important and one would expect these basic stuff to work normally given the price. Subbed!
Tensors not the best but it's not garbage like people try and make it out to be. As for how it'll hold up after years of software updates, my 6a which has Tensor G1 still ran like butter just like when i got it. There's videos out there that show Tensor is actually great when it comes to video editing/rendering. Currently have the 8 and have no issues with performance or the fp scanner. It's fast, fluid and overall a solid phone and amazing value, especially for the price i paid since it's always on sale.
99% of people don't even know what a soc is. Like you my 6a ran like butter. People saying they hate exynos 😂 why because its not as good at geek bench?
@@theorgazoid4918 Pixel is definitely not the best for heavy gaming but it can pretty much handle everything else and is better than snapdragon at certain tasks. People just like to jump on the bandwagon to write things off. Creators like Juan bagnell have already shown off what Tensor can do years ago, as well as another recent review I watched recently of someone trying Pixel 8 after switching from iPhone and the Pixel held it's own in performance. I need to find the Creator to credit him cuz it was a very good/informative video, I'll update this with a link later.
@@theorgazoid4918no, because it actually heats up while playing games and has terrible battery life. Not everyone uses their phone the same way. Light users will be fine with even a midrange soc. But if you start playing demanding games, or using the phone a lot, the exynos and tensor does start to feel limited. The latest exynos is not that bad compared to the previous ones, but the one I had on my s10 was hot garbage. And the fact that I paid the same price as a snapdragon variant to get inferior performance just doesn’t feel good. And for the pixel, well it is struggling to keep up with the nothing phone 2 which has a 2 generation older soc. When you shell out 1000 dollars for a phone, it is note acceptable. Is that so hard to understand.
You are the only person I will listen to when it comes to cell phone reviews. Zero bias towards any manufacturer and phenomenal when it comes to speaking and getting your point across without sounding condescending.
That small size is exactly why I finally upgraded from the 5 to the 8. I just hate huge phones. The camera is my favorite of the flagships. Those zoom ins without actual optical zoom blow me away, and some of the night sight shots, including the astrophotography when I go out to the desert, is just mind blowing to me. As long as they keep making small ones, I will keep upgrading.
You won my attention when you said you're love small phones! Me too! Nice review! At least a honest one. I wanna switch my phone this year and I was considering very much to get a PIxel 8 because of the clean software and google gimmicks. But seeing ur video made me think that Zenfone 10 is a better option. Also, slow charge, no LTPO, no charger in the box..IDK
FINALLY A WELL DETAILED OS PERFORMANCE REVIEW! All phones are smooth in home launcher or gallery app. But the difference in 3rd party apps is the make or break for a smartphone. Subscribing right now.
Glad to see a long term review of the Pixel 8. I have to say, as an owner for the past 3 months, the fingerprint sensor complaints are extremely overblown, including the ones about blinding at night. Coming from a 4a 5G which just needed a tap on the sensor but was super sensitive to oily/sweaty/wet hands, this is just better. Edit: The thing about 120hz is not the phone's problem, it's the apps' problem and what you said about specifically optimizing for 120hz is inaccurate and wrong. I am an Android developer, the app you build can't specifically be optimized for one device to run in 120hz, it runs in whatever mode the phone does. Apps like reddit are a buggy mess and they have too much going on inside a scrolling list, so it's not weird that they lag.
Yeah, it seems like so, however it's a small sample size and that's not the difference between 120hz and 60hz, that's the difference between lag and no lag. Tbh besides Reddit, everything else is butter on mine. Reddit sucked on every phone I had so it's not surprising it also sucks here.
@@gusandrianos We all know you're lying man. Scrolling at 120Hz isn't the problem at all it's the Pixel 8. The Galaxy S24 (U.S. version) and OnePlus 12 have no problem running at 120Hz while on TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram.
Hey, ive gotta say this is the best Pixel review ive seen yet. I used my Pixel 8 Pro since release and i can 100% confirm there are huge performance issues in terms of smoothnes. Im actually super sensitiv for stutters and it was driving me crazy. I always tought they could fix it with updates, but that wasnt the case. Also, battery life on Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are similar, so for the regular 8 its really good, for the big phone it sucks. Furthermore ive never seen any actual usecase for all the AI features, so you gotta keep in mind if you would actually use any of this stuff before buying an Pixel. Dont get me wrong, the Pixel 8 series is great, but it wasnt the phone for me. I just switched for the first time ever to an iPhone, the 15PM. There are also many things that i hate as an android guy, for example the keyboard or the fact that apple just pushes way too hard to lock you into their system. It took me about 8 hours of work to properly make the switch without locking myself into the apple ecosystem. But so far, performance is great, battery is great, camera is almost as good as on the P8P an video is even better.
The apple keyboard is a complete deal breaker for me. I absolutely hate it and it was a constant source of frustration for me. Randomly adding in a period or comma in the middle of a sentence, decapitalizing the first word of a sentence, being very inaccurate with swiping words in comparison to google keyboard. Otherwise I probably would of kept it.
@@thinking7667 I feel you. I still will keep the iPhone to properly test it out for a few years. But the keyboard is by far by biggest problem. Gboard on iPhone also sucks, and Swiftkey isnt great either. So there are no good alternatives to the stock keyboard sadly
It's interesting to see how many people are using pixel phones now, I see them everywhere. when I first had Nexus and even up to my pixel 5 they were pretty niche products. Loved the pixel 5 size though, that was my favourite
I remember like 8 years ago in Mexico, a classmate had a curved screen nexus "google" phone. Curved screen, man that thing was badass, and expensive at the time. Not like now where any kid has a high spec phone@@melissajoi841
Those jitters happens to me in my galaxy a54 on the Google play store when i open the app and when i use Google feed with auto play video in wifi connection. Every thing else is smooth. So someone has to do some work with the apps optimizations. Btw nice video pointing out those problems that wouldn't imagine in this type of phone. Cheers. You deserve more credits.
The A54 is a turd compared to the Pixel 8 and I can't replicate that issue on my wife's Pixel 8. I don't have these issues with both my prior S22 Ultra and my new S24 Ultra either. You bought a budget (decent for the money) phone and you can't expect perfection. The Exynos CPU in my S22U was rubbish and that is still way better than the A54, software isn't going to fix weak hardware.
@@V1CT1MIZED I've got a S20 Ultra with an exynos 990, while my girlfriend has an A52s and I've checked out the A54 with the Exynos 1380 now. Compared to what I've seen on a pixel 8 (jittering), there aren't really any jitters on either of these Samsung Devices... so I guess it's more of a software thing (because all these exynos chips are slower than the tensor g3). And actually I can't think of any lag I've encountered recently... So while I'd like to switch to the Pixel 8 (as I'm super invested into the google ecosystem)... I can't seem to bring myself to do it with what Google has been offering with this pixel generation...
Those apps are jerky on anything apart from top end Snapdragon. The pixel is worse in these than A54. I had one but I found it too bulky compared to the 7a. So I replaced it with a Sony Xperia 5ii. Being a used 4 year old flagship it's a lot smoother than both. Yep. Seriously! But the battery is bad. Hope I can get a replacement.
Loved that review bro you know you can tell that the review is genuine and honest when someone mention the older version like really old version just like you did i was expecting a nexus or something but man when you said play ... 💀🎉🎉
A pixel 8 with a google tensor chip that had the same performance and features of a snapdragon gen 2 or 3 would be the perfect smartphone. If Google used a snapdragon chip, the pixel would NOT get 7 years of updates. The Snapdragon(launched in 2007) has a longer development history. The Google Tensor(launched in 2021) has a short development history. As Google gets better at chip design, performance will probably exceed snapdragon chips.
@@49studebaker1Exynos launched in 2011 which is the base of Tensor. While I do applaud Google for developing a custom chip you have to consider that Samsung doesn't even use Exynos exclusively/as widely as one would think they would since it's their SoC. I think they know there are significant limitations in performance, thermals and modems with Exynos. We may see that SD SoC on Pixel 10 according to the rumor mill. 😊
I've used the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 6, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 6, Pixel 7a, and Pixel 8. Pixel 4a 5G is still the best "google made" phone I've ever used. I still use it on bike trips because it's cheap and I'm not worried about it breaking. But for my main phone I've switched to Xperia 5V for the battery and the small form factor. Sony's post-processing of photos is not as good as google's but I don't have to charge it daily. I wish Google may come up with something slim and yet powerful with huge battery like that.
Man Im so happy I found This video. I have searched youtube for months now lol regarding the janky scrolling. I bought the 8 and 8 pro and returned them both. Every youtuber saying how buttery smooth the scrolling is and that is complete bs. I actually returned to the pixel 6 believe it or not. The scrolling is actually superior and speed On this phone compared to the 8 series. The 90hz on the 6 is better than the 120hz On the 8. 😅😅😅
Appreciate the comment but I've been using Android for well over 10 years now and this is the laggiest phone I have ever used. .5 animation speed makes no difference other than making the lag more apparent. @@samihanpargaonkar4477
Yes the processor on Pixels are weaker but the phone feels faster than any other. Yes the camera has mikro lags but moving objects captured on Pixel phone are much better than Galaxy S24 and iphone 15 pro. I have tried it,trust me... For me the main issue is the signal strength and call quality. Otherwise the phone is the best on the market for the money. ❤
I've got a 6 now and will be getting my 8 probably Monday. (Work phone, being shipped) Looking forward to it. I've really enjoyed my 6 and am ready to enjoy the upgrade. Thanks Uncle Pete!
Thanks for this review and indeed I also prefer a small compact design my first introduction was the nexus 5. I fell in love with that phone, so sleek and lightweight. Definitely hoping they up the bar and make me drool all over again. Keep up the nice work
Thanks for the great video. I've had the Pixel 8 for almost 3 months and I'm extremely disappointed. For many people, the battery is awful. Looks like you got a good one. Mine is terrible, averaging 3 hours screen time, and that's at 60Hz and without any gaming. Just normal stuff like browsing. Overnight, mine loses 30% battery. Go onto the forums and there are hundreds of threads about this. The other thing I don't like about the phone is totally subjective, but IMO the photos have this flat, artificially processed look to them. I totally understand that people might think the pictures are great, so I won't hold that against the phone. Also, whilst the screen size of the phone is great (and is the main reason I chose it over the P8P), the phone itself is very chunky. I haven't noticed my P8 being laggy though.
I'm using the Pixel 8 right now and don't find it laggy at all across apps. But when I switch back to my iPhone 12 I do notice the 'consistency' you talk about. The battery life is really good, but still wish it was a tad bit better, would have more confidence when on the road.
The smaller form factor is so nice, the screen is technically bigger than my 6a but it's still smaller overall. I wish the camera bar wasn't so huge but ik they gotta fit the hardware in somewhere, just spoiled by how flat it was on the 6a.
Great review! I have the same thoughts and grievances about my Pixel 7 Pro. It's stock Android, but completely overshadowed by the fact that it feels sluggish and unresponsive everywhere. Especially when taking photos, which is what a lot of people buy it for. At the end, I swapped my Pixel 7 Pro for a S24 Plus and I honestly couldn't be happier.
Just ordered the pixel 8 upgrading form iPhone SE. was debating between a iPhone 15 and pixel 8, but the pixel 8 is free so easy choice their. I can live with these little problems.
Coming from a Pixel 4, this is the first phone worth finally upgrading to. The specs aint hight end but you actually get support and updates. Pixel 10 will have chips from TMSC but until then we have to get Tensor which is a Samsung made processor with a Google logo on it. Obviously Samsung wont use their best FAB to give google their chips.
I bought my Google pixel pro 8 after seeing tonnes of reviews and I must say I'm blown away the AI features are brilliant no regrets whatsoever.And this is coming from someone who made the bold move after using Samsung only for years
I use an 8 currently, but I also have access to the OG Pixel 6. While the 6 isn't my daily carry, There isn't anything that I have thrown at it that bolsters the constant concerns that I hear about how future proof Tensor is not. I am not saying that the Tensor series is incredible or even cutting edge. I AM saying that unless there is a significant shift in how phone apps work and what we use phones for, Tensor phones should be fine for years to come. My biggest concerns for future performance are storage degradation, which I don't think will be an issue going forward, and RAM, which may be an issue but hasn't proven to be for the five years that we have had 8 gigs as the standard default.
Don't be fooled by the larger battery life, it does not last as long as the Pixel 5. Significant reasons why I upgraded from a Pixel 5 to 8: 1. higher brightness 2. loud call volume 3. performance speed boost 4. 120Hz instead of 90Hz 5. macro and overall better camera quality 6. in-screen, optical fingerprint sensor and face unlock Things I've noticed before and even after upgrading: Lots, and I mean LOTS, of weird hiccups that was never on the Pixel 5, such as: -Recent Apps freezing -Back button acting like the home button -Phone will be unresponsive in Google Maps and phone calls. For example when in a phone call and typing, pressing space does not work. (Fix for Google Maps freezing up especially when switching apps, it's caused by Driving Mode. Turn that off and it should alleviate the issue) -camera opens up blurry for a solid 3-5 seconds (interestingly, this wasn't the case when I first got the phone) -max manual brightness will automatically decrease after 5-10 mins so it becomes difficult to see outdoors -Google STILL does not let you remove the Google Search bar or At-a-Glance on the home screen. Using a third-party launcher causes instability. I think they resolved the recent apps freezing issue, but it should not have even been a problem to begin with. Oh, also the phone is heavier with a larger battery but does not last as long as the Pixel 5 thanks to the newer processor being inefficient, which is hilarious The optical fingerprint sensor doesn't work most of the time; extremely finnicky. Credit where it's due, when the Pixel 8 works, it's a pleasant experience. Things like the smooth display, face unlock, camera, All these minor and major problems added up to be a deal breaker. If you have a Pixel 5 and don't really use your phone for calls, photography, and are mostly indoors as well as not minding the 90Hz display and backside fingerprint reader, then I recommend to just hang on to it until the Pixel 9/10 when they fix the processor/battery issues Now I'm switching over to the Galaxy s24+ to alleviate most of these problems. The only things the Pixel has over Samsung is their camera, face unlock, and their phone app, which has native visual voicemail built-in, hold for me, direct my call, and call screening. Not too much of a loss considering that Samsung has an excellent fingerprint sensor and camera, plus I don't go on too many phone calls. Plus, I prefer Samsung's Calendar, Email, Notes, and other apps.
Great review and my experience regarding most things match what you say. Honestly I have commented the same things as below on every other famous reviewer's video I know and at this point of time I am doing it as a PSA. Do not want people to make the same mistake I did. Just got the phone in Dec 2023. The phone is great but it is not for me because of the following reasons. : 1. I overlooked a very important aspect that 5g does not work despite of the phone supporting the frequency bands if the network/country is not approved by google. The VoLTE and Vo5G also does not work. I travel a lot for work in and around Africa and Asia and other than the official supported networks/countries the phone's software limits the network to 4g. Please do note that the antenna and the hardware supports it. 2.Honestly the network reception/stability was better in my older phone(One plus 8T). For top dollar I expected a little better. So my suggestion is that if you travel a lot, this phone might not be for you. Will definitely be looking to replace it in a couple of years.
God bless you my friend for being real af even though clearly you are a fan of Google phones. You understand that we are normal people and due to that, we don't want to feel FOMO or feel like the phone is a limiting factor especially when pricing has gone up. Apart from the US, the Google phones aren't really that great of a deal.
I was using Samsung phones for couple of years, when Google pixel was finally available in my country, I bought one. Man!!! what a smooth experience, the haptics, the software., the photos are beautiful(Compared to saturated and over sharpened Samsung photos). I am never going back to Samsung again or any android for that matter. You get everything on a Pixel as long as you dont play games on your phone.
5G connectivity is my issue with Pixel. It switches to a 4G network, which is not the case with the realme X7, a 3 year old phone which I was going to ditch when I bought pixel 7.
Hey that was a good 4 month review on the pixel 8 and I think the reason you got such you were on Wi-Fi all day if you're on data the battery life is quite a bit different nowhere near 6 hours more like 3 and 1/2 to 4 if you're on data all day. That said I really like my Pixel 8 the special features the speech to text is awesome The camera though it's slow takes great pictures I also have my doubts about 7 years on this phone as the processor is going to be way under power and nobody pays full price for a pixel or at least you shouldn't always wait for a sale cuz they always go on sale at least here in the States
First time owning and using a Pixel phone. Pixel 8 is small and needs time to get used to for me. What I like the most is sound quality. Best Android phone I have used in terms of sound and call quality. I feel like manufacturers (and even reviewers) are ignoring that very important use case. What I hate the most is Google imposing their search bar on users with no way to replace it. Installed other launchers and problem solved. For me the Pixel 8 is all I need for now. Very impressed.
@@cormacbcb I am writing this from my pixel 7 pro, and I can tell that feels more powerful than my old OnePlus 7t, and at that point feeling laggy is a non existent feeling. The only moment with my pixel that feels non fluid is when changing wallpaper therefore changing the color palette of the system.
@@tuzoranger i'm on the pixel 7a and there's basically no actual lag at all. sometimes apps might take a second to open but the animations remain fluid throughout
Honestly I only notice lag in edge case stuff. I never have had Google maps lag during navigation, music and video playback are always flawless. The only time I notice lag is when I'm hitting the memory limit with 20 tabs open in Chrome and listening to music... The music is always fine but there is a slight lag when going into the app switcher. Other than that.. For my use case performance is flawless. I don't game though and I don't use light room or anything like that.
Damn it's small? I'm switching from the 2020 se today. This actually excites me. I was worried it's be huge. Got it for free so didn't pay too much attention to specs and stuff.
To all the tech people out there , Stop using “it dose not affect to the average consumer” When you spend 800-1000$ on a phone you are an enthusiast or you know what you are doing . An average person who just needs a phone will spend 300-400$ on a phone . Except i phone users who flash the logo as status symbol.
I bought for the size too. loved the 4A. still have it and it is great. they need Google OS , to separate from android, they are competing with their own customers . this will avoid lawsuits, can give google OS more features. they could do this next year. google OS could be a closed operating system with more security and be attactive to customers. I would make google OS available to the 4A and up . if they are going to take on Apple this is a good move. have a special update only availble to google devices including the tablet. Google OS would work with all android apps but offer unique features that prevent hackers from attacking your phone or tablet. automatic pairing with the tablet, watch, this will boost sales and not offend other android phone companies like samsung ,
14:35 - Pick this up for $550 ~ 8 months later (November 2024), I just got a Pixel 8 for like $500 in Mexico. I much prefer 1-year old smart phones. Their abilities are massively overshadowing their utility day-to-day. So it's not longer important to get phones every year, maybe every 2-3 years. Once the leap in stabilization, videos, photos, or user experience jumps ~ That's when I think phones should be purchased. But again, if you're patient, you can just get it for 30-50% off if you wait 6-12mo
I love the size and software, but the performance. I am an average user, I only play 1 game on my phone. Yet I still find it to glitch or be super slow or get hot simply doing an hour phone call. The AI features are nice, but the chip cant catch up since it takes so long and sometimes it ends up crashing or stopping. The chip makes this phone not usable for me. Also, great review!
Got me a pixel 8 pro (first time using a pixel device) for about a month now and i gotta say this review is one of the best and honest reviews out there. All painpoints you pointed out i have also experienced. And so far i really feel a bit robbed because the phone isn't worth the 4 figure price tag because of these issues.
ty for the detailed review!! I'm deciding between a Pixel 8 and a S24. I've been a Samsung user for years, wanted to try the Pixel for it's clean and uniform UI and the amazing pictures, but bc of those hardware limitations I might go Samsung again for the time being. Hopefully soon I'll give a future Pixel a try!
Yea got the Google pixel 8 because I got a great deal on a trade-in. But honestly was really disappointed with Google pixel 6 being that there were all kinds of software issues with simple apps like messaging and google maps. For the amount you are paying It's really not acceptable for simple apps to be so glitchy. I was honestly considering switching over to an iPhone after being an avid pixel user starting with the pixel 1, but with the great trade in offer I'm going to give pixel 8 a chance
I am not a fan boy to any phone or any company but I do look for good reasonable deals with good services and so far google has not disappointed with the Pixel 8 / 8 Pro. I purchased the pixel 8 when Google Fi had a promo discount for the pixel 8 and with my trade in (pixel 3). The pixel 8 discount combined with the trade in was $330 off the phone plus I had to use there Google Fi plan for 90 days for the full discount. In total with taxes I purchased the phone for around $550 dollars with my phone case. To me that was well worth the price with 7 years of software updates. Only time will tell how this phone will hold up through the years to come. So far I like the pixel 8 phone and the solid feel to it when I hold it and I have no major issues yet maybe except for the constant fingerprints and dust magnet but I can live with that. Good job Google for making a solid Pixel phone for now.
@@mihirsrivastava1113 @Victicat Hey, sorry for the late reply as I just came out of an internet blackout. I had bought the Samsung Galaxy S23 instead. At the time of purchase, upon asking some Pixel 8 users, I came to learn that the jitter issue was mostly fixed except on some apps like Reddit and UA-cam. The mobile data thermal performance of the phone in context of my country was not great, so I opted for the safer choice, S23.
Honestly the 7a is the best product they make when considering cost. Has a majority of the features just lacking the extra additional non essentials. Slightly lacking in Camera but honestly not a problem..and for $350 on sale it's amazing value. I thought about getting the 8 when my 6 Pro broke and honestly wasn't worth it over the 7a on sale. Will consider the 9 and see how I feel about the changes at the end of the year.
I just switched from T-Mobile to XFinity cell phone service, not that I've had a problem with T-Mobile. XFinity made me an offer to reduce my unlimited 2-lines from a flat 60/mo to a flat 20/mo and reduce my Cable TV, Internet and landline phone service (including increasing my internet speed, from 161.00 to 135.00/mo if I switched from my current phone (ZTE} to a Google Pixel 8 for free....I really like my ZTE AXON 10 PRO, having very good specs, blazing fast, large super screen with lots of ram and storage, decent cameras with great battery life. But the pricing deal was hard to not take advantage of with getting a new phone for free. Even though the Pixel 8 seems to fall short in terms hardware specs from my current phone I could not resist the offer. I haven't received the Pixel 8 yet but looking forward to getting and comparing it to my current phone.....HC...great video as always.
aps amazing video !! very pleasent voice, good points .. and i agree, the phone is really good, but theres always something pissy about it.. heating, or this or that stuttering .. cant remove the search bar ..ect .. i have the 6a and i like it, aka i got used to it, and tbh i never owned a flahship phone, but this 6a really feels like one, good build quality, great cam , very smooth UI ,but ya it gets warm from some apps, and this and that as i said.. but id say its ok, its the 6a .. i was hoping i wont hear the same aboutt the 8 tho .. pretty bad news to hear that .. all in all i love and i hate it at same time
Just made the switch from an iPhone 13 the Pixel 8 and boy oh boy am I impressed! I've been using the pixel as a media device for a month and it's been such a great experience now that I'm rocking it as my main phone
I had a really old Xiaomi phone passed on to me by a family member as my ow phone . It was called the Xiaomi MI 8 SE , and i had MIUI 12 Installed on that phone manually . Then it started to act off and i found out it was knackered so i went out to buy a Pixel 7a when i switched i could allready feel the power Pixel was bringing to me . I actually enjoyed this Android 14 experiecnce on my Pixel 7a . Pixel for life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have always wanted to try a Pixel, switching from Samsung but the jittery scrolling is such a deal breaker. It's unacceptable for a flagship phone not to mention the underwhelming technical performance and I don't even play mobile games.
I don't face any of these issues. Just the fingerprint is a little slow, but its reliable. I'm on Android 15 Developer Preview, animations are SMOOTH on all apps, no jittering issues. I love my Pixel 8!
Right now I can't wait to see the redesign model of the Google Pixel 9 series. The new camera bump is more elegant than the old simple design which was truly too basic in design. I honestly can't wait to see it in real life right here in Grenada. The similar iPhone overall form factor design with the subtle curve and the flat surface is really gorgeous. The Google Pixel 9 series new redesign must command respect and hypnotization because of its premium appearance. I reiterate, I can't wait to see it with its sky bluish colour. 😎💯💪🏿👍🏿
Holy moly, I'm so grateful I have watched your long term review, that lag would be an instant kill for my mood to use this phone any time, I almost ordered one last week. Thank god I did not.
I bought the pixel 7 in december 2022 since then it's performance has not deteriorated, everything works decently well on it. It still manages a full day on one charge, which for me is from 04:30am to 9:00pm. With my older phones after a year I would tend to sideload custom roms to make them work better, with the pixel there is just no point for that.
The Pixel line has always intrigued me with its clean Android experience and photography capabilities. This review helps paint a clearer picture of whether it's worth considering for my next upgrade.
I used Pixel 7 for a year and a few months. For the first year the phone was amazing except for battery life and fingerprint sensor and even after Android 14 update battery life got better. But my love story with pixel 7 ended with second update on Android 14. The camera started bugging like crazy when ever taking night mode shots and was not in sinc with flash 90% of time, the screen was going green when ever watching Netflix and battery life turned to crap. There were some more minor bugs but NON of the got fixed whit any software update even though I wasn't only one experiencing such behavior. I traded Pixel in for new S23 and it is much better phone in every regard except from cameras where Samsung isn't worst it just had different processing.
As an 'average' consumer still rocking the pixel 6 and about to upgrade the pixel series has been by far my best experience with phones and ive used them over the last 6 years. And yes ive used apple and samsung in the past. Had my phone now for two years and the only problem ive had is it takes longer than I'd like to charge my phone to 100%. That being said I use the cheapest chargers I can find. I haven't had Samsung since the S7 many years ago but that was by far the most problematic phone I ever had.
7 years a Samsung user, tried pixel 8, lasted 2 monthes, constant freezing, apps randomly closing, very slow, battery meh.. Photos I will say are amazing.. But I had too sell and go back to Samsung for over all smooth and consistent performance for everything. Tried to love you pixel!
With the android 14 update my pixel 7 pro and pixel 7a started to make a chime notification even when im with all notifications off, only on vibration, listening to music/videos with earphones and no matter what. And there is no way to turn it off. If the pixel 8 still suffers from that, im out.
I agree £550 is about right. A good stop gap until the smaller 9 Pro arrives! Also, one aspect of using a Pixel phone that is often not addressed by reviewers is the Digital Wellbeing implementation. Switching from the Pixel 2 to an S21fe has slightly changed how I use a smartphone. When I have a Pixel as a daily driver I tend to only pick it up when I need to do something not just out of habit which I find myself doing when using the Samsung phone.
for 6 years i was xiaomi user, but now i tried the pixel 8, and man i fell in love on this phone, pixel for ever now!!!
Forever?
@@avfc1985 well i know for sure that i never will use iphones, and in the android ecosystem the pixel impressed me a lot, don like samsung, my wife has an s22 ultra and its kind a mheee for m , what other brand exist that its good enough to replace a pixel phone?
@@geralt58try OnePlus 12 or Nothing Phone 2.
Cringe
I think a lot of people will disagree with you and some will agree cuz nowadays people judge smartphones, cars , bikes just based on paper specs... But on the other hand in real world they are different.. on paper pixel 8 hardware is just like or less than a Xiaomi mid tier phone .. but in real world scenario it's not it's just the mixed experience of hardware software and compatibility and the processing and the smartest of device according to your need so yep i also agree that pixel 8 as per the price point is a great deal but again some may agree some may disagree... And what's funny is half of the people who disagree never actually used that stuff just complaining based on others review and experience and that's sick 💀
Thank you for doing these long term reviews. It gives a real world use case of the phones!
As someone who's been in the Android developer environment for 15 years from building kernels for phones that were previously unroutable to making apps just for fun, the whole theory that it's hard to optimize apps for Android because there are so many phones is a misconception at best and a cop-out excuse by developers at most. The only apps that are actually hard to optimize for a wide variety of hardware are games, specifically 3D games, and even then it can be done. Therefore, there is no excuse for simple 2D apps with no 3D environments accessing basic data from a server database. A lot of this choppiness in apps comes down to just really, really old coding techniques and simply laziness by the developer to tear the entire app down and start from scratch using modern techniques and the latest reference guides from Google. The amount of sheer laziness I see of copy pasting old code and then reusing it in modern apps is insane and just makes it so annoying. Google also does this, hence why the UA-cam studio app is such garbage and that is simply because they haven't bothered to rewrite their code from the ground up. And if Google isn't willing to do this then why would other developers who are probably not even making any money from these apps? A lot of the time optimization comes down to just utilizing modern best practice coding principles and techniques and not taking SQL database code from 15 years ago and continuing to cling on to it simply because you're too lazy to figure out the new stuff. For example, the apps that stutter and lag on one phone will stutter and lag on every phone. That's not indicative of bad optimization that is indicative of bad coding. Go ask meadow why they don't freaking bother to fix Instagram for years at a time. Also I have a pixel 8 and 8 pro as well as one of every pixel and Nex is going back to the Nexus one so I'm not making this up but a lot of the issues you mentioned are the pixel 8 seem to be hit or miss from user to user. I for example have had no issues that you described with things like Google maps or the camera. Whereas my friend who has the same exact phone seems to have it and this just comes down to Google quality control and not the hardware itself
Being a web developer myself, I appreciate your comment on this scenario explaining the true culprits.
Hi, would you recommend this model? Im looking for new Android phone now
Thanks for these insights tho
That last bit about their QC doesn't inspire confidence for someone who just bought an 8. Here's to hoping I get a "good" unit...
Well... If the problem is not about components diversity then why these apps work better on iphones?
Great video, I happened to get a deal from Telus where I got a Pixel 8 for $0, and as someone who already owns an iPhone 15 PM, I have to say this phone is a nice experience when it comes to android, especially with the AI features. Also, Dbrand magsafe case with a skin has made it easy to use all the magsafe accessories I have with the Pixel.
yes more long term reviews! We need more creators that stick with a phone for more than one month!!
Yes even the best phones becomes "worthless" if their manufactures downgrade them in an "update" to make a newer model more attractive😮💨👏
Ibra, your camera eye is second to none! Your shots are superb and you make beautiful videos! Since I'm overwhelmingly watch YT on 65" TV, your videos are treat! Expert information is icing on the cake.
For everyone who doesn't know Google's Tensor roadmap, which already became known with the Tensor G1: The goal is to produce a completely self-designed chip at TSMC within 5 years that is perfectly optimized to its own needs. This means that the upcoming Tensor G4 will be the last chip that, like the G1, G2 & G3, is just an optimized, existing chip from Samsung...and from then on, performance and efficiency should be in a completely different league.
Exactly!!
What about the modem? An Exynos modem will still be a fail
As this video said different isn't always better. I want pixel to be true iPhone level of competency/consistency in the software but I'll reserve my excitement until we see it. Also what will snapdragon and apple silicon look like in 2 more years vs Googles offering. Something to consider
So what you're saying is if anyone bought a Pixel with a Tensor chip before 2025 they got ripped-off? According to you Google planned to create a better more efficient chip while selling an inefficient unoptimized Exynos based chip to customers who bought a Pixel 6-8Pro???🤔
my pixel 6a is working like butter since years. it's amazing @@jevonsims900
Thank you for this long term review. I haven't seen anyone else talk about real world problems like the refresh rate issue or the experience on Google maps. These are really important and one would expect these basic stuff to work normally given the price. Subbed!
The production on this is top notch. Impressive
I liked your honest opinion. I'm using Pixel phones from past 3 years and I agree with your views.
Tensors not the best but it's not garbage like people try and make it out to be. As for how it'll hold up after years of software updates, my 6a which has Tensor G1 still ran like butter just like when i got it. There's videos out there that show Tensor is actually great when it comes to video editing/rendering. Currently have the 8 and have no issues with performance or the fp scanner. It's fast, fluid and overall a solid phone and amazing value, especially for the price i paid since it's always on sale.
Exactly! Some people just hate to admit this. They feel so threatened by a phone they see as inferior.
99% of people don't even know what a soc is. Like you my 6a ran like butter. People saying they hate exynos 😂 why because its not as good at geek bench?
@@theorgazoid4918 Pixel is definitely not the best for heavy gaming but it can pretty much handle everything else and is better than snapdragon at certain tasks. People just like to jump on the bandwagon to write things off. Creators like Juan bagnell have already shown off what Tensor can do years ago, as well as another recent review I watched recently of someone trying Pixel 8 after switching from iPhone and the Pixel held it's own in performance. I need to find the Creator to credit him cuz it was a very good/informative video, I'll update this with a link later.
@@theorgazoid4918no, because it actually heats up while playing games and has terrible battery life. Not everyone uses their phone the same way. Light users will be fine with even a midrange soc. But if you start playing demanding games, or using the phone a lot, the exynos and tensor does start to feel limited. The latest exynos is not that bad compared to the previous ones, but the one I had on my s10 was hot garbage. And the fact that I paid the same price as a snapdragon variant to get inferior performance just doesn’t feel good. And for the pixel, well it is struggling to keep up with the nothing phone 2 which has a 2 generation older soc. When you shell out 1000 dollars for a phone, it is note acceptable. Is that so hard to understand.
@@Jo5ue1and you felt the need to defend a goddamn phone in multiple comments... that's just sad man
You are the only person I will listen to when it comes to cell phone reviews. Zero bias towards any manufacturer and phenomenal when it comes to speaking and getting your point across without sounding condescending.
That small size is exactly why I finally upgraded from the 5 to the 8. I just hate huge phones. The camera is my favorite of the flagships. Those zoom ins without actual optical zoom blow me away, and some of the night sight shots, including the astrophotography when I go out to the desert, is just mind blowing to me. As long as they keep making small ones, I will keep upgrading.
How is your experience with the battery. What's the sot you're getting
First time watching one of your reviews, and this was really terrific. Well done, sir!
You won my attention when you said you're love small phones! Me too! Nice review! At least a honest one. I wanna switch my phone this year and I was considering very much to get a PIxel 8 because of the clean software and google gimmicks. But seeing ur video made me think that Zenfone 10 is a better option. Also, slow charge, no LTPO, no charger in the box..IDK
FINALLY A WELL DETAILED OS PERFORMANCE REVIEW! All phones are smooth in home launcher or gallery app. But the difference in 3rd party apps is the make or break for a smartphone. Subscribing right now.
I hope Google can fix this with software. It's got enough power but it seems badly optimised
12:14 White Legion 7i Spotted! Can't wait for that review.
Long term galaxy s user and switched to pixel 8 pro last year and have been very pleased with the experience
Glad to see a long term review of the Pixel 8.
I have to say, as an owner for the past 3 months, the fingerprint sensor complaints are extremely overblown, including the ones about blinding at night.
Coming from a 4a 5G which just needed a tap on the sensor but was super sensitive to oily/sweaty/wet hands, this is just better.
Edit: The thing about 120hz is not the phone's problem, it's the apps' problem and what you said about specifically optimizing for 120hz is inaccurate and wrong.
I am an Android developer, the app you build can't specifically be optimized for one device to run in 120hz, it runs in whatever mode the phone does.
Apps like reddit are a buggy mess and they have too much going on inside a scrolling list, so it's not weird that they lag.
You have to nice to him - he just used iPhone 60 hz til now :P
idk at 4:24 it sure seems like its the phone and not so much the app when it comes to the jittery refresh rate
Yeah, it seems like so, however it's a small sample size and that's not the difference between 120hz and 60hz, that's the difference between lag and no lag.
Tbh besides Reddit, everything else is butter on mine. Reddit sucked on every phone I had so it's not surprising it also sucks here.
@@gusandrianos We all know you're lying man. Scrolling at 120Hz isn't the problem at all it's the Pixel 8. The Galaxy S24 (U.S. version) and OnePlus 12 have no problem running at 120Hz while on TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram.
@@jevonsims900 i don't have any problem scrolling with my Pro 8 - the App doesn't matter
Hey, ive gotta say this is the best Pixel review ive seen yet.
I used my Pixel 8 Pro since release and i can 100% confirm there are huge performance issues in terms of smoothnes. Im actually super sensitiv for stutters and it was driving me crazy. I always tought they could fix it with updates, but that wasnt the case. Also, battery life on Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are similar, so for the regular 8 its really good, for the big phone it sucks. Furthermore ive never seen any actual usecase for all the AI features, so you gotta keep in mind if you would actually use any of this stuff before buying an Pixel.
Dont get me wrong, the Pixel 8 series is great, but it wasnt the phone for me. I just switched for the first time ever to an iPhone, the 15PM. There are also many things that i hate as an android guy, for example the keyboard or the fact that apple just pushes way too hard to lock you into their system. It took me about 8 hours of work to properly make the switch without locking myself into the apple ecosystem. But so far, performance is great, battery is great, camera is almost as good as on the P8P an video is even better.
The apple keyboard is a complete deal breaker for me. I absolutely hate it and it was a constant source of frustration for me. Randomly adding in a period or comma in the middle of a sentence, decapitalizing the first word of a sentence, being very inaccurate with swiping words in comparison to google keyboard.
Otherwise I probably would of kept it.
@@thinking7667 I feel you. I still will keep the iPhone to properly test it out for a few years. But the keyboard is by far by biggest problem. Gboard on iPhone also sucks, and Swiftkey isnt great either. So there are no good alternatives to the stock keyboard sadly
@@thinking7667 what are there braindead comments? you can get g board in ur iphone.. i just returnd my shitter s24 6.1 update is DO G SHIT
I like how you point out the minor inconveniences so I can know whether I can live with it myself.
Don't get confused by early software reviews. Software updates by Google will be fixing "inconveniences"
@@hermanstokbrood this phone is almost done its like span.. 9 is coming out are u a troll or just dense af?
It's interesting to see how many people are using pixel phones now, I see them everywhere. when I first had Nexus and even up to my pixel 5 they were pretty niche products. Loved the pixel 5 size though, that was my favourite
You're the only other person I've met that owned Nexus 😂
@@melissajoi841 I started with the Galaxy Nexus and then had the 6p and 7 tablets. The nexus 6p was the best one.
Not really lmao. Pixel phones have shit quality.
Had the nexus 2-5 and switched over to pixel. Currently have the pixel 5 cause I like the fingerprint scanner.
I remember like 8 years ago in Mexico, a classmate had a curved screen nexus "google" phone. Curved screen, man that thing was badass, and expensive at the time. Not like now where any kid has a high spec phone@@melissajoi841
Those jitters happens to me in my galaxy a54 on the Google play store when i open the app and when i use Google feed with auto play video in wifi connection. Every thing else is smooth. So someone has to do some work with the apps optimizations. Btw nice video pointing out those problems that wouldn't imagine in this type of phone. Cheers. You deserve more credits.
The A54 is a turd compared to the Pixel 8 and I can't replicate that issue on my wife's Pixel 8. I don't have these issues with both my prior S22 Ultra and my new S24 Ultra either. You bought a budget (decent for the money) phone and you can't expect perfection. The Exynos CPU in my S22U was rubbish and that is still way better than the A54, software isn't going to fix weak hardware.
@V1CT1MIZED neah have also Huawei nova 5t with kirin 980 witch is a weaker processor that 1380 and I have 0 problems with the kirin.
@@nolimits9776 exynos was a lag fest on my a8 2018
@@V1CT1MIZED I've got a S20 Ultra with an exynos 990, while my girlfriend has an A52s and I've checked out the A54 with the Exynos 1380 now.
Compared to what I've seen on a pixel 8 (jittering), there aren't really any jitters on either of these Samsung Devices... so I guess it's more of a software thing (because all these exynos chips are slower than the tensor g3). And actually I can't think of any lag I've encountered recently...
So while I'd like to switch to the Pixel 8 (as I'm super invested into the google ecosystem)... I can't seem to bring myself to do it with what Google has been offering with this pixel generation...
Those apps are jerky on anything apart from top end Snapdragon. The pixel is worse in these than A54. I had one but I found it too bulky compared to the 7a. So I replaced it with a Sony Xperia 5ii. Being a used 4 year old flagship it's a lot smoother than both. Yep. Seriously! But the battery is bad. Hope I can get a replacement.
Love the high quality content. Keep it up 👍🏻
Loved that review bro you know you can tell that the review is genuine and honest when someone mention the older version like really old version just like you did i was expecting a nexus or something but man when you said play ... 💀🎉🎉
Pixel 8 with snapdragon 8 gen 2 or 3 would be the perfect smartphone.
A pixel 8 with a google tensor chip that had the same performance and features of a snapdragon gen 2 or 3 would be the perfect smartphone.
If Google used a snapdragon chip, the pixel would NOT get 7 years of updates.
The Snapdragon(launched in 2007) has a longer development history. The Google Tensor(launched in 2021) has a short development history. As Google gets better at chip design, performance will probably exceed snapdragon chips.
@@49studebaker1Exynos launched in 2011 which is the base of Tensor. While I do applaud Google for developing a custom chip you have to consider that Samsung doesn't even use Exynos exclusively/as widely as one would think they would since it's their SoC. I think they know there are significant limitations in performance, thermals and modems with Exynos. We may see that SD SoC on Pixel 10 according to the rumor mill. 😊
@@49studebaker1 bro i have use pixel 8 , trust me for normal use u wont notice anythings its fast when u game pixel 8 is bad for sure than snapdragon
@@NischalBhandari- the hell did you just say?
@@sayless9937😂
I've used the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 6, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 6, Pixel 7a, and Pixel 8. Pixel 4a 5G is still the best "google made" phone I've ever used. I still use it on bike trips because it's cheap and I'm not worried about it breaking. But for my main phone I've switched to Xperia 5V for the battery and the small form factor. Sony's post-processing of photos is not as good as google's but I don't have to charge it daily. I wish Google may come up with something slim and yet powerful with huge battery like that.
Man Im so happy I found This video. I have searched youtube for months now lol regarding the janky scrolling. I bought the 8 and 8 pro and returned them both. Every youtuber saying how buttery smooth the scrolling is and that is complete bs. I actually returned to the pixel 6 believe it or not. The scrolling is actually superior and speed On this phone compared to the 8 series. The 90hz on the 6 is better than the 120hz On the 8. 😅😅😅
Preach. Agreed 100%. I had the 8 and 8 Pro. Both way stuttery'er than the 6 series. So Strange
I'm glad someone called out the jittery experience. I returned my pixel 8 due to every app I used having this stuttering issue.
nothing to worry, OS update will fix it
And animation speed 0.5x
Appreciate the comment but I've been using Android for well over 10 years now and this is the laggiest phone I have ever used. .5 animation speed makes no difference other than making the lag more apparent. @@samihanpargaonkar4477
@@theoph1932was this phone not released a while ago?
@@cormacbcb yeah but every phone getting OS update every few months. Make the performance better. The same thing happened with pixel 6a and 7a.
Yes the processor on Pixels are weaker but the phone feels faster than any other. Yes the camera has mikro lags but moving objects captured on Pixel phone are much better than Galaxy S24 and iphone 15 pro. I have tried it,trust me... For me the main issue is the signal strength and call quality. Otherwise the phone is the best on the market for the money. ❤
I've got a 6 now and will be getting my 8 probably Monday. (Work phone, being shipped) Looking forward to it. I've really enjoyed my 6 and am ready to enjoy the upgrade. Thanks Uncle Pete!
How's ur pixel 8 experience now ??
@@sdinesh019 loving it!
@@nickhart5332 thanks for the reply mate, im gonna get one too!
I'm switching from a 6 pro to an 8 (it's shipping to me next week), any major differences you've noticed so far?
Great long term review, had no idea it could also be used as a webcam.
Thanks for this review and indeed I also prefer a small compact design my first introduction was the nexus 5. I fell in love with that phone, so sleek and lightweight. Definitely hoping they up the bar and make me drool all over again. Keep up the nice work
Currently typing this on my Pixel 4a that I've had for eons
I can't wait to get my hands on that camera man😮
As an iPhone user, I miss my pixel phone so much and that’s for one very specific reason, THOSE AMAZING, PUNCHY COLORFUL AND SHARP PHOTOS MAN
I absolutely love your pixel videos. Some of the best online. I would love to see some Nothing Phone content from you! Great stuff
Thanks for the great video. I've had the Pixel 8 for almost 3 months and I'm extremely disappointed. For many people, the battery is awful. Looks like you got a good one. Mine is terrible, averaging 3 hours screen time, and that's at 60Hz and without any gaming. Just normal stuff like browsing. Overnight, mine loses 30% battery. Go onto the forums and there are hundreds of threads about this. The other thing I don't like about the phone is totally subjective, but IMO the photos have this flat, artificially processed look to them. I totally understand that people might think the pictures are great, so I won't hold that against the phone. Also, whilst the screen size of the phone is great (and is the main reason I chose it over the P8P), the phone itself is very chunky. I haven't noticed my P8 being laggy though.
I'm using the Pixel 8 right now and don't find it laggy at all across apps.
But when I switch back to my iPhone 12 I do notice the 'consistency' you talk about.
The battery life is really good, but still wish it was a tad bit better, would have more confidence when on the road.
The smaller form factor is so nice, the screen is technically bigger than my 6a but it's still smaller overall. I wish the camera bar wasn't so huge but ik they gotta fit the hardware in somewhere, just spoiled by how flat it was on the 6a.
Great review! I have the same thoughts and grievances about my Pixel 7 Pro. It's stock Android, but completely overshadowed by the fact that it feels sluggish and unresponsive everywhere. Especially when taking photos, which is what a lot of people buy it for. At the end, I swapped my Pixel 7 Pro for a S24 Plus and I honestly couldn't be happier.
I was in the same boat. However, I went from the regular Pixel 7 to the regular S24. Been a big improvement in basically every way
@@xeranius_ wtf i just returned my s24 6.1 is a fucking mess have fun with ur non color white out screen lock notifications? yikes
@@jjswigger8591 what phone do you have now ? I was between pixel or Samsung as I've used Samsung most of my life
Just ordered the pixel 8 upgrading form iPhone SE. was debating between a iPhone 15 and pixel 8, but the pixel 8 is free so easy choice their. I can live with these little problems.
Just grabbed one unopened second hand for 530 USD(that includes27% VAT in Hungary). Loved my Pixel 5, hope this one keep it up
Coming from a Pixel 4, this is the first phone worth finally upgrading to. The specs aint hight end but you actually get support and updates. Pixel 10 will have chips from TMSC but until then we have to get Tensor which is a Samsung made processor with a Google logo on it. Obviously Samsung wont use their best FAB to give google their chips.
I bought my Google pixel pro 8 after seeing tonnes of reviews and I must say I'm blown away the AI features are brilliant no regrets whatsoever.And this is coming from someone who made the bold move after using Samsung only for years
This is actually one of the best longer term reviews I have seen of any phone. And it’s answered a lot of broader questions for me. Subscribed. 👍🏻
I love the Pixel lineup
I use an 8 currently, but I also have access to the OG Pixel 6. While the 6 isn't my daily carry, There isn't anything that I have thrown at it that bolsters the constant concerns that I hear about how future proof Tensor is not. I am not saying that the Tensor series is incredible or even cutting edge. I AM saying that unless there is a significant shift in how phone apps work and what we use phones for, Tensor phones should be fine for years to come. My biggest concerns for future performance are storage degradation, which I don't think will be an issue going forward, and RAM, which may be an issue but hasn't proven to be for the five years that we have had 8 gigs as the standard default.
This is such a great review, thank you
Don't be fooled by the larger battery life, it does not last as long as the Pixel 5.
Significant reasons why I upgraded from a Pixel 5 to 8:
1. higher brightness
2. loud call volume
3. performance speed boost
4. 120Hz instead of 90Hz
5. macro and overall better camera quality
6. in-screen, optical fingerprint sensor and face unlock
Things I've noticed before and even after upgrading:
Lots, and I mean LOTS, of weird hiccups that was never on the Pixel 5, such as:
-Recent Apps freezing
-Back button acting like the home button
-Phone will be unresponsive in Google Maps and phone calls. For example when in a phone call and typing, pressing space does not work.
(Fix for Google Maps freezing up especially when switching apps, it's caused by Driving Mode. Turn that off and it should alleviate the issue)
-camera opens up blurry for a solid 3-5 seconds (interestingly, this wasn't the case when I first got the phone)
-max manual brightness will automatically decrease after 5-10 mins so it becomes difficult to see outdoors
-Google STILL does not let you remove the Google Search bar or At-a-Glance on the home screen. Using a third-party launcher causes instability.
I think they resolved the recent apps freezing issue, but it should not have even been a problem to begin with.
Oh, also the phone is heavier with a larger battery but does not last as long as the Pixel 5 thanks to the newer processor being inefficient, which is hilarious
The optical fingerprint sensor doesn't work most of the time; extremely finnicky.
Credit where it's due, when the Pixel 8 works, it's a pleasant experience. Things like the smooth display, face unlock, camera,
All these minor and major problems added up to be a deal breaker.
If you have a Pixel 5 and don't really use your phone for calls, photography, and are mostly indoors as well as not minding the 90Hz display and backside fingerprint reader, then I recommend to just hang on to it until the Pixel 9/10 when they fix the processor/battery issues
Now I'm switching over to the Galaxy s24+ to alleviate most of these problems. The only things the Pixel has over Samsung is their camera, face unlock, and their phone app, which has native visual voicemail built-in, hold for me, direct my call, and call screening. Not too much of a loss considering that Samsung has an excellent fingerprint sensor and camera, plus I don't go on too many phone calls. Plus, I prefer Samsung's Calendar, Email, Notes, and other apps.
The best, honest long term review, I've seen on UA-cam. Kudos to you for a great job! 👍
Heartfelt thanks for the honest unfiltered thoughts ❤
Great review and my experience regarding most things match what you say.
Honestly I have commented the same things as below on every other famous reviewer's video I know and at this point of time I am doing it as a PSA. Do not want people to make the same mistake I did.
Just got the phone in Dec 2023. The phone is great but it is not for me because of the following reasons. :
1. I overlooked a very important aspect that 5g does not work despite of the phone supporting the frequency bands if the network/country is not approved by google. The VoLTE and Vo5G also does not work. I travel a lot for work in and around Africa and Asia and other than the official supported networks/countries the phone's software limits the network to 4g. Please do note that the antenna and the hardware supports it.
2.Honestly the network reception/stability was better in my older phone(One plus 8T).
For top dollar I expected a little better.
So my suggestion is that if you travel a lot, this phone might not be for you.
Will definitely be looking to replace it in a couple of years.
God bless you my friend for being real af even though clearly you are a fan of Google phones. You understand that we are normal people and due to that, we don't want to feel FOMO or feel like the phone is a limiting factor especially when pricing has gone up. Apart from the US, the Google phones aren't really that great of a deal.
He isn't a fan of Google phones.
I was using Samsung phones for couple of years, when Google pixel was finally available in my country, I bought one. Man!!! what a smooth experience, the haptics, the software., the photos are beautiful(Compared to saturated and over sharpened Samsung photos). I am never going back to Samsung again or any android for that matter. You get everything on a Pixel as long as you dont play games on your phone.
5G connectivity is my issue with Pixel. It switches to a 4G network, which is not the case with the realme X7, a 3 year old phone which I was going to ditch when I bought pixel 7.
Clearly a very thoughtful non biased review. Thank you.
Hey that was a good 4 month review on the pixel 8 and I think the reason you got such you were on Wi-Fi all day if you're on data the battery life is quite a bit different nowhere near 6 hours more like 3 and 1/2 to 4 if you're on data all day.
That said I really like my Pixel 8 the special features the speech to text is awesome The camera though it's slow takes great pictures I also have my doubts about 7 years on this phone as the processor is going to be way under power and nobody pays full price for a pixel or at least you shouldn't always wait for a sale cuz they always go on sale at least here in the States
First time owning and using a Pixel phone. Pixel 8 is small and needs time to get used to for me. What I like the most is sound quality. Best Android phone I have used in terms of sound and call quality. I feel like manufacturers (and even reviewers) are ignoring that very important use case. What I hate the most is Google imposing their search bar on users with no way to replace it. Installed other launchers and problem solved. For me the Pixel 8 is all I need for now. Very impressed.
The laggy performance has been frustrating. The tensor chip just ain't it. Everything else about the 8/8pro is fantastic.
Is it still bad, any updates make it better?
@@cormacbcb I am writing this from my pixel 7 pro, and I can tell that feels more powerful than my old OnePlus 7t, and at that point feeling laggy is a non existent feeling. The only moment with my pixel that feels non fluid is when changing wallpaper therefore changing the color palette of the system.
@@tuzoranger i'm on the pixel 7a and there's basically no actual lag at all. sometimes apps might take a second to open but the animations remain fluid throughout
Honestly I only notice lag in edge case stuff. I never have had Google maps lag during navigation, music and video playback are always flawless. The only time I notice lag is when I'm hitting the memory limit with 20 tabs open in Chrome and listening to music... The music is always fine but there is a slight lag when going into the app switcher. Other than that.. For my use case performance is flawless. I don't game though and I don't use light room or anything like that.
Writing this from pixel 7. I second you on this. Super laggy. My realme x7 with dimensity was much faster with less than half this price
Damn it's small? I'm switching from the 2020 se today. This actually excites me. I was worried it's be huge. Got it for free so didn't pay too much attention to specs and stuff.
To all the tech people out there ,
Stop using “it dose not affect to the average consumer”
When you spend 800-1000$ on a phone you are an enthusiast or you know what you are doing . An average person who just needs a phone will spend 300-400$ on a phone . Except i phone users who flash the logo as status symbol.
I bought for the size too. loved the 4A. still have it and it is great. they need Google OS , to separate from android, they are competing with their own customers . this will avoid lawsuits, can give google OS more features. they could do this next year. google OS could be a closed operating system with more security and be attactive to customers. I would make google OS available to the 4A and up . if they are going to take on Apple this is a good move. have a special update only availble to google devices including the tablet. Google OS would work with all android apps but offer unique features that prevent hackers from attacking your phone or tablet. automatic pairing with the tablet, watch, this will boost sales and not offend other android phone companies like samsung ,
14:35 - Pick this up for $550
~ 8 months later (November 2024), I just got a Pixel 8 for like $500 in Mexico. I much prefer 1-year old smart phones. Their abilities are massively overshadowing their utility day-to-day.
So it's not longer important to get phones every year, maybe every 2-3 years.
Once the leap in stabilization, videos, photos, or user experience jumps ~ That's when I think phones should be purchased.
But again, if you're patient, you can just get it for 30-50% off if you wait 6-12mo
Yes, thanks for this nice indepth and longterm review. Awesome!
Tensor somehow managed to be worse than Exynos versions of the galaxy S phones.
I love the size and software, but the performance. I am an average user, I only play 1 game on my phone. Yet I still find it to glitch or be super slow or get hot simply doing an hour phone call. The AI features are nice, but the chip cant catch up since it takes so long and sometimes it ends up crashing or stopping. The chip makes this phone not usable for me. Also, great review!
Got me a pixel 8 pro (first time using a pixel device) for about a month now and i gotta say this review is one of the best and honest reviews out there. All painpoints you pointed out i have also experienced. And so far i really feel a bit robbed because the phone isn't worth the 4 figure price tag because of these issues.
ty for the detailed review!! I'm deciding between a Pixel 8 and a S24. I've been a Samsung user for years, wanted to try the Pixel for it's clean and uniform UI and the amazing pictures, but bc of those hardware limitations I might go Samsung again for the time being. Hopefully soon I'll give a future Pixel a try!
Yea got the Google pixel 8 because I got a great deal on a trade-in. But honestly was really disappointed with Google pixel 6 being that there were all kinds of software issues with simple apps like messaging and google maps. For the amount you are paying It's really not acceptable for simple apps to be so glitchy. I was honestly considering switching over to an iPhone after being an avid pixel user starting with the pixel 1, but with the great trade in offer I'm going to give pixel 8 a chance
:) THANKS MUCH for sharing and I may have to add to my list IF the price comes down :) ALL the BEST and Cheers! :)
That wallpaper on the phone shown in the thumbnail looks dope.
Thanks for sharing crisp and clear review of the good pixel 8. Getting my Minty refresh tomorrow.
I am not a fan boy to any phone or any company but I do look for good reasonable deals with good services and so far google has not disappointed with the Pixel 8 / 8 Pro. I purchased the pixel 8 when Google Fi had a promo discount for the pixel 8 and with my trade in (pixel 3). The pixel 8 discount combined with the trade in was $330 off the phone plus I had to use there Google Fi plan for 90 days for the full discount. In total with taxes I purchased the phone for around $550 dollars with my phone case. To me that was well worth the price with 7 years of software updates. Only time will tell how this phone will hold up through the years to come. So far I like the pixel 8 phone and the solid feel to it when I hold it and I have no major issues yet maybe except for the constant fingerprints and dust magnet but I can live with that. Good job Google for making a solid Pixel phone for now.
Like I said in my conclusion, at $550...its a steal, but not everyone can get a deal like that 😞
Has the regular apps scrolling jitter issue been fixed by any update? I plan on buying this phone.
have you found any information on the matter?
if you already bought it, good? bad?
what are the issues you've already come across?
Any update?
@@mihirsrivastava1113 @Victicat Hey, sorry for the late reply as I just came out of an internet blackout. I had bought the Samsung Galaxy S23 instead. At the time of purchase, upon asking some Pixel 8 users, I came to learn that the jitter issue was mostly fixed except on some apps like Reddit and UA-cam. The mobile data thermal performance of the phone in context of my country was not great, so I opted for the safer choice, S23.
Honestly the 7a is the best product they make when considering cost. Has a majority of the features just lacking the extra additional non essentials. Slightly lacking in Camera but honestly not a problem..and for $350 on sale it's amazing value.
I thought about getting the 8 when my 6 Pro broke and honestly wasn't worth it over the 7a on sale. Will consider the 9 and see how I feel about the changes at the end of the year.
I just switched from T-Mobile to XFinity cell phone service, not that I've had a problem with T-Mobile. XFinity made me an offer to reduce my unlimited 2-lines from a flat 60/mo to a flat 20/mo and reduce my Cable TV, Internet and landline phone service (including increasing my internet speed, from 161.00 to 135.00/mo if I switched from my current phone (ZTE} to a Google Pixel 8 for free....I really like my ZTE AXON 10 PRO, having very good specs, blazing fast, large super screen with lots of ram and storage, decent cameras with great battery life. But the pricing deal was hard to not take advantage of with getting a new phone for free. Even though the Pixel 8 seems to fall short in terms hardware specs from my current phone I could not resist the offer. I haven't received the Pixel 8 yet but looking forward to getting and comparing it to my current phone.....HC...great video as always.
aps amazing video !! very pleasent voice, good points .. and i agree, the phone is really good, but theres always something pissy about it.. heating, or this or that stuttering .. cant remove the search bar ..ect .. i have the 6a and i like it, aka i got used to it, and tbh i never owned a flahship phone, but this 6a really feels like one, good build quality, great cam , very smooth UI ,but ya it gets warm from some apps, and this and that as i said.. but id say its ok, its the 6a .. i was hoping i wont hear the same aboutt the 8 tho .. pretty bad news to hear that .. all in all i love and i hate it at same time
Just made the switch from an iPhone 13 the Pixel 8 and boy oh boy am I impressed! I've been using the pixel as a media device for a month and it's been such a great experience now that I'm rocking it as my main phone
Has the jittery scrolling issue been resolved? Also, how is the battery on the phone? I’m also an iphone user and thinking about giving Android a try.
Has the jittery scrolling issue been resolved?
Haven't had any issues. No battery issues or no jittery scrolling. No lags, no stutters, not a single issue yet
@@daynemills14 Thanks for your answer. 🙂
Very strange that many people complain about stutters, lags and jitters.
@@Pro-Bert yeah I don't understand all the negative reviews and people having issues like they are!
Google needs to watch this video, exact issue I am facing with my P8, especially how hot it gets here in my env
I had a really old Xiaomi phone passed on to me by a family member as my ow phone . It was called the Xiaomi MI 8 SE , and i had MIUI 12 Installed on that phone manually . Then it started to act off and i found out it was knackered so i went out to buy a Pixel 7a when i switched i could allready feel the power Pixel was bringing to me . I actually enjoyed this Android 14 experiecnce on my Pixel 7a . Pixel for life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have always wanted to try a Pixel, switching from Samsung but the jittery scrolling is such a deal breaker. It's unacceptable for a flagship phone not to mention the underwhelming technical performance and I don't even play mobile games.
This is what i like about hardware canucks. Thier long term reviews
I went from Samsung to iPhone. But I ended up getting the pixel 8 in February and I love it itsy favorite phone byfar
I don't face any of these issues. Just the fingerprint is a little slow, but its reliable. I'm on Android 15 Developer Preview, animations are SMOOTH on all apps, no jittering issues. I love my Pixel 8!
Right now I can't wait to see the redesign model of the Google Pixel 9 series. The new camera bump is more elegant than the old simple design which was truly too basic in design. I honestly can't wait to see it in real life right here in Grenada. The similar iPhone overall form factor design with the subtle curve and the flat surface is really gorgeous. The Google Pixel 9 series new redesign must command respect and hypnotization because of its premium appearance. I reiterate, I can't wait to see it with its sky bluish colour. 😎💯💪🏿👍🏿
Holy moly, I'm so grateful I have watched your long term review, that lag would be an instant kill for my mood to use this phone any time, I almost ordered one last week. Thank god I did not.
Well, the refresh rate problem occurs on other Android phones with Snap dragon as well.
But this has nothing to do with the Pixel 8 is it?
I bought the pixel 7 in december 2022 since then it's performance has not deteriorated, everything works decently well on it. It still manages a full day on one charge, which for me is from 04:30am to 9:00pm. With my older phones after a year I would tend to sideload custom roms to make them work better, with the pixel there is just no point for that.
The Pixel line has always intrigued me with its clean Android experience and photography capabilities. This review helps paint a clearer picture of whether it's worth considering for my next upgrade.
The pixel is phenomenal, i dont overthink it. Ive adoated to it and i love it
All the big phones made me realise that I miss a smaller phone. Pixel 8 is a good phone. Great camera and a bigger battery.
I used Pixel 7 for a year and a few months. For the first year the phone was amazing except for battery life and fingerprint sensor and even after Android 14 update battery life got better. But my love story with pixel 7 ended with second update on Android 14. The camera started bugging like crazy when ever taking night mode shots and was not in sinc with flash 90% of time, the screen was going green when ever watching Netflix and battery life turned to crap. There were some more minor bugs but NON of the got fixed whit any software update even though I wasn't only one experiencing such behavior. I traded Pixel in for new S23 and it is much better phone in every regard except from cameras where Samsung isn't worst it just had different processing.
My man is from Mississauga! Shout out!! I’m from Mississauga.
I started from the HTC model and all the way to pixel 8. Starting from HTC-Nexus-Pixel1-Pixel 3-Pixel 5- Pixel 6-all the way to Pixel 8
As an 'average' consumer still rocking the pixel 6 and about to upgrade the pixel series has been by far my best experience with phones and ive used them over the last 6 years. And yes ive used apple and samsung in the past.
Had my phone now for two years and the only problem ive had is it takes longer than I'd like to charge my phone to 100%. That being said I use the cheapest chargers I can find.
I haven't had Samsung since the S7 many years ago but that was by far the most problematic phone I ever had.
7 years a Samsung user, tried pixel 8, lasted 2 monthes, constant freezing, apps randomly closing, very slow, battery meh.. Photos I will say are amazing.. But I had too sell and go back to Samsung for over all smooth and consistent performance for everything.
Tried to love you pixel!
With the android 14 update my pixel 7 pro and pixel 7a started to make a chime notification even when im with all notifications off, only on vibration, listening to music/videos with earphones and no matter what. And there is no way to turn it off. If the pixel 8 still suffers from that, im out.
I agree £550 is about right. A good stop gap until the smaller 9 Pro arrives! Also, one aspect of using a Pixel phone that is often not addressed by reviewers is the Digital Wellbeing implementation. Switching from the Pixel 2 to an S21fe has slightly changed how I use a smartphone. When I have a Pixel as a daily driver I tend to only pick it up when I need to do something not just out of habit which I find myself doing when using the Samsung phone.
Really interesting using the Nothing Phone 2 for comparing performance. Great Video 👏 👏
Nice glasses! Can you tell me whitch brand these are?