If you are looking for a top smartphone in a compact housing, the Google Pixel 8 is the right choice.

Compact smartphones that have almost all the functions of one flagship, they are becoming increasingly rare. Every year there is the Samsung Galaxy S23, the smallest in the Galaxy S device family, and there is also the Asus Zenfone 10.

With the Pixel smartphones now available in Belgium and, since last year, the Netherlands, you can add a third option to this list. The Google Pixel 8 (from 799 euros including VAT) has almost everything from the Pro version in a more compact size, but raises an important question mark about a few things.

Is it the best compact smartphone currently? We think so, but the future is still too unclear to be sure.

You can find all the details on performance and camera quality in our detailed review of the Google Pixel 8.

Solid workmanship

While the Pixel 8 Pro has a shiny metal edge and a camera loop combined with matte glass on the back, the smaller Google Pixel 8 has the opposite. Personally, we’re more fans of the matte edge and camera strap. The matte glass of the Pro version is very stylish, but at the same time very slippery. The traditional glass back of the Pixel 8 offers more grip.

While the Pro version without a case isn’t an option for us, we think this is possible with the Pixel 8. If you prefer more security, you can put a cover around it. Additional advantage of a case: The hard 90 degree angle between the glass and the camera strap, which is always full of dust and dirt, disappears.

The three colors are pretty standard: pink, gray and black. The camera strap and metal body of the phone change color every time, a nice detail.

Why standard 60 Hz?

The compact 6.2-inch screen looks very good and this time has a 120 Hz display like its big brother. Unfortunately, this is not an LTPO screen that can dynamically switch down to 1Hz. The Google Pixel 8’s OLED screen can only dynamically switch between 60 Hz and 120 Hz. For example, surfing the Internet always occurs at 120 Hz, while 60 Hz is sufficient for media consumption.

We find it strange that Google enables the 60Hz option by default. If you don’t look in the menus, you may miss the much smoother and more pleasant 120 Hz experience. Due to the very limited battery impact, the option should always have been enabled by default.

The OLED screen looks excellent and is on the same level as the Pro variant. Thanks to the peak brightness of 2,000 nits in direct sunlight, you can always see something on your screen.

Google Tensor G3 chip

Google has been making its own chip for the Pixel phones for three years, including the Tensor G3 chip. In terms of pure performance, you can’t compare it to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in most other top devices.

Google is giving up the speed race on both the CPU and GPU, but that’s not a problem for us. The phone is more than fast enough for any task we throw at it. Anyone looking to get the most out of 3D-focused games should look elsewhere. All other users get along well with the Tensor G3 chip.

Due to its limited mass, the Google Pixel 8 heats up a little faster than the Pro version, which means that the peak is reached more quickly and the chip has to deliver its peak performance after just two minutes instead of five. Both phones throttle, but the smallest pixel throttles the most.

According to Google, the AI ​​features in the chip are a much more important part than being the best in raw performance everywhere. Compared to the first generation of Tensor chips, the Tensor G3 can process twice as many machine learning models on the device itself. It helps the phone with generative AI, photo processing, speech recognition or translations, among other things.

Finally, the Tensor G3 has the Titan M2 security chip, which securely registers your face in addition to your fingerprint. According to Google, it follows the strictest biometric standard approved for logging into compatible banking apps using your face.

No professional camera mode

Read all about the camera performance and numerous photo examples in our extensive Google Pixel 8 Pro. Both have identical cameras, only the 3x optical zoom is missing from the Pixel 8. What’s still missing: the Pro mode.

We don’t know why Google thought this was a good idea, but it sets a dangerous precedent. Both phones have the same cameras and chip, so it’s not a hardware limitation. The harsh reality may be that Google prefers to sell its more expensive phone at higher margins, thus reserving the Pro features only for the Pixel 8 Pro.

That’s a shame, because if you want to deal with manual settings, you’ll be forced to look at the larger Pro version. If you want a small phone and extra control over your photos, consider the Samsung S23 or the Asus Zenfone 10.

More AI? Pay more

AI needs to be in everything, including photos on a smartphone. Google has been working on this for a while, but is going full throttle with the Pixel 8. In the Pixel 8 Pro test report we go into all the functions. Unfortunately, Google only reserves certain functions for the more expensive Pro version.

Do you want the AI ​​feature? Video Boost that automatically adjusts colors, lighting, stability and graininess in videos? Bad luck, only for the professional. The same applies to the future AI function, which is intended to make night photos better and will be rolled out as a software update this year.

Battery life

For a compact smartphone, the Google Pixel 8 performs very well in terms of battery life. Even with intensive use of GPS navigation and video calls, we reach the end of the day without any problems. If used sparingly, even two days are possible.

What we don’t like is the ridiculously slow loading speed. The Pixel 8 Pro supports a maximum of a 30-watt PD 3.0 USB-C charger. If you have a faster charger at home, this device will still charge slowly. In times when top devices charge ever faster with up to 125 watts or faster, we don’t really understand Google’s decision.

Half an hour of charging to reach 50 percent battery capacity is a long time, especially when you suddenly realize that your phone is almost empty and you need to go out. It takes over an hour to fully charge this phone. When a smartphone has this price, we can no longer justify it.

Seven-year Android update policy

We saved the best news for last: seven years of security updates and seven years of software updates, guaranteed by Google. That’s an important statement that only Fairphone can achieve with its eight years of updates.

Google is Android and vice versa. You are at the source and will notice this when the software updates are rolled out. Monthly updates are almost always timely, and you’ll receive the annual major OS update as soon as it’s available. With other smartphone manufacturers that work with Android, the process takes significantly longer.

Each Pixel comes with “stock” Android, the base version upon which each manufacturer builds its own shell. Google also does this with a number of subtle little extras, such as automatically detecting songs in the background and instantly translating lyrics when a foreign language appears on the screen.

Perhaps most important is the lack of bloatware. From Google you get everything, but nothing more. With other manufacturers you get everything from Google, plus additional (advertising) apps from the manufacturer itself.

Diploma

With the Pixel 8 we are caught between two fires. On the one hand, we’re big fans of the photo quality and the beautiful new AI features. On the other hand, Google is already blocking two “Pro” software features on the smallest Pixel phone that you’ll only find on the more expensive Pro variant. Will this get worse with future software updates?

Cameras on smartphones tend to get better and better thanks to software updates like this. Given the rise of AI functions and the first indication that Google is reserving some things only for the Pro version, we are worried. If the Pixel 8 isn’t pushed into a corner as a “small” device in the future, it will be an absolutely top device. That’s a big “if.”

Since the Google Pixel 8 is available today (from 799 euros including VAT), we are fans of the device. The price is strong and the device has an important advantage over the competition with a fast and long update policy. Of all compact smartphones, the Pixel 8 has the best (wide-angle) camera. Would you like to have more control over your photos with additional settings? Then focus on the Asus Zenfone 10 or the Samsung Galaxy S23, both of which cost the same.

Guarantee conditions: You are entitled to a two-year transport guarantee. The seven-year update policy begins when Pixel 8 phones first become available on October 12, 2023 with Android 14.