Google Pixel 8 Pro handset features a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED Display with 2400 nits peak brightness, 120Hz refresh rate, and 1344 x 2992 pixels resolution. It runs on the Android 14 Operating System. It is powered by a Nano-core, Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) processor with 128GB internal memory, 12GB RAM / 128GB 12GB RAM / 256GB 12GB RAM / 512GB 12GB RAM / 1TB 12GB RAM phone memory variants.

To capture high-quality pictures and 4K videos, you can rely on a single 10.5 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide) camera for selfies and A triple camera setup at the phone’ rear end consisting of 50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide) + 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm (telephoto) + 48 MP, f/2.0, 126˚ (ultrawide) lenses. The front and back cameras record 4K and 1080p videos.

Google Pixel 8 Pro is a real deal for modern, high-end smartphones in 2023. It comes with Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, supports NFC, has an under-the-display, optical finger sensor and USB Type-C 3.2. Powering the handset is Li-Ion 5,050 mAh, non-removable battery with 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 1-50% in 30 min.

Google Pixel 8 Pro specs & price in Kenya

Brand	Google
Model	Google Pixel 8 Pro
Announced	4 October, 2023
Released	October, 2023
Operating System	Android 14
Chipset	Google Tensor G3 (4 nm)
CPU Speed	Octa-core (2×2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2×2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU	Immortalis-G715s MC10
Storage	128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
RAM	12GB
Card Slot	No
Rear Camera	50 MP + 48 MP + 48 MP
Front Camera	10.5 MP
Network	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
Sim Card	Nano-SIM and/or eSIM
Weight	213g
Dimensions	162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm
Screen Resolution	1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~489 ppi density)
Display Type	LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak)
Display Size	6.7 inches (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio)
3.5mm jack	No
Bluetooth	5.3, A2DP, LE, apt-X HD
GPS	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
NFC	Yes
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
USB	USB Type-C 3.2
Radio	No
Sensor	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature)
Battery	Li-Ion 5,050 mAh, non-removable
Fast Charging	30W, 50% in 30 min Wireless charging 23W Reverse wireless charging
Colors	Obsidian, Porcelain and Bay
Price in Kenya	Ksh 160,000.

Design and Physical Build

Google Pixel 8 Pro is elegantly designed with softer silhouettes, beautiful metal finishes and recycled material. Notably smaller than the Pixel 7, the Google Pixel 8 has contoured edges, feels great in your hand at 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm (dimensions and 213g (weight). It is slightly thinner than Pixel 8 but more weighty than Pixel 8’s 187g.

The phone is made of a Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), and aluminum frame. Pixel 8 Pro features a matte glass back with a polished aluminum frame and comes in three colours: Porcelain, Bay and Obsidian.

Moreover, a new temperature sensor at the back of the Pixel 8 Pro lets you quickly scan an object to get its temperature. Use it to check if your pan is hot enough to start cooking or if the milk in your baby’s bottle is at the right temperature. Google have submitted an application to the FDA, to enable Pixel’s Thermometer App to take your temperature and save it to Fitbit.

Notably, the handset supports Nano-SIM and eSIM. It is water-proof with IP68 dust/water resistant rating (up to 1.5m for 30 min). For security, it comes with an under-display fingerprint scanner.

Display of Google Pixel 8 Pro

Pixel 8 Pro’s 6.7-inch Super Actua display features our brightest display yet. The display features an LTPO OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, 1400 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak) brightness and 1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~489 ppi density) resolution.

This is an excellent display for an immersive user experience as you delve deep into gaming, watching video streams and endless social media engagement. You will not have any dull moments. Protecting the impressive display is the tamper-proof Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (always on display).

Camera Setup

Google Pixel 8 Pro features powerful, upgraded camera systems for stunning photo and video quality, plus game-changing editing tools. Every camera on the Pixel 8 Pro has been upgraded, starting with the main camera that captures better photos and videos in low-light settings.

The bigger ultrawide lens delivers even better Macro Focus, the telephoto lens captures 56% more light and takes 10x photos at optical quality, and the front-facing camera now has autofocus for the best selfies on a Pixel phone.

Pixel 8 Pro Main Camera:

• 50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31″, 1.2µm, multi-directional PDAF, multi-zone Laser AF, OIS
• 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm (telephoto), 1/2.55″, 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom
• 48 MP, f/2.0, 126˚ (ultrawide), 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF
• It features a Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra-HDR, panorama, Best Take
• It records 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps videos
• Video Recording support: gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR

Selfie Camera:

• 5 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1″, 1.22µm, PDAF
• It features an Auto-HDR, panorama
• Video Recording capabilities: 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
• Video Support: gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR

Updated camera hardware

Pixel 8 Pro, like Pixel 8 packs the same flagship 50-megapixel (MP) main camera, with 21% more light sensitivity than the Pixel 7 series for the best low-light photos and videos on a Pixel yet. You will notice much faster autofocus in those low-light settings, too.

Every single camera has been upgraded on Pixel 8 Pro — which includes bringing autofocus to the selfie camera for the best selfies ever on a Pixel. Compared to Pixel 7 Pro, the 48 MP ultrawide lens gathers 105% more light and focuses 30% closer for improved Macro Focus shots with amazing aesthetic blur.

To top it off, the 48 MP telephoto lens gives you even cleaner zoomed-in shots in low-light settings even at 10x with optical quality.

Dual Exposure on the main camera

Dual Exposure technology is available on the new main camera in both Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. It makes videos sharper and less grainy in scenes with the toughest lighting, like a sunset backdrop. Dual Exposure effectively takes two images simultaneously — one optimized for low-light and the other for high dynamic range. The result is natural-looking videos with vivid colour and low noise.

Image Equity with Real Tone

Google has invested substantially to make sure Real Tone accurately represents the wide range of human skin tones, especially darker ones, in photos and videos. The company has expanded its efforts in 2023, bringing Pixel’s best-ever skin tone accuracy to video. Moreover, Google has augmented flash to add Night Sight technology, so darker skin looks natural even in flash photos.

On-device algorithm on Pixel 8 Pro

You must have been in that situation where you have the perfect group photo, but someone is not looking at the camera. Best Take uses the photos you did take to get the photo you thought you took. To make that happen, an on-device algorithm creates a blended image from a series of photos to get everyone’s best look.

Magic Editor

Magic Editor in Google Photos is a new experimental editing experience that uses generative AI to help you bring your photos in line with the essence of the moment you were trying to capture. You can reposition and resize subjects or use presets to make the background pop — all with just a few taps.

Create the perfect group photo with Best Take, re-imagine your photos with Magic Editor, reduce distracting sounds in your videos with Audio Magic Eraser and, coming later, zoom in on what matters with Zoom Enhance.

Audio Magic Eraser

Audio Magic Eraser lets you easily reduce distracting sounds in your video, like howling winds or noisy crowds. This first-of-its-kind computational audio capability uses advanced machine learning models to sort sounds into distinct layers so you can control their levels.

Pro Controls on Pixel 8 Pro

Pro Controls provide even more control of your camera settings on Pixel 8 Pro, opening up a world of creativity. In addition to white balance, exposure and shadow brightness controls, you are now able to manually adjust focus, shutter speed and ISO on Pixel 8 Pro.

Additionally, the new Pro settings let you take 50MP photos throughout the zoom range. Even as you fine-tune Pro Controls, all of Pixel’s HDR+ computational photography is still enabled.

Guided Frame

It uses a combination of audio cues, high-contrast animations and haptic (tactile) feedback to help people who are blind and low-vision take photos. This feature now works on both the front and rear cameras, and it recognizes more than just faces — so snap a picture with your dog or your dinner.

 Video Boost on Pixel 8 Pro

Pixel 8 Pro will get Video Boost later in 2023, which pairs Tensor G3 with our powerful data centres to apply cutting-edge processing to your videos. It adjusts colour, lighting, stabilization and graininess, and the result is stunning videos that look true to life. Video Boost also enables Night Sight Video on Pixel for better low-light smartphone video quality.

AI Technology on Google Pixel 8 Pro

Summarize Feature

Pixel 8 Pro has new features and capabilities that enable you to get more context and quickly dive deeper into a webpage. With Summarize, Pixel can generate a webpage summary so you can quickly understand the key points. Your Pixel can even read aloud and translate webpages for you so you can listen to articles on the go.

Voice Notes

Pixel is even better at understanding the nuances of human speech, so you can talk to it more naturally to get things done. If you take a pause or say “um,” it will wait until you’re done before responding. Use your voice to quickly type, edit and send messages, even if you speak multiple languages.

Call Screen Assistant

And with improved AI, Call Screen now helps you receive 50% fewer spam calls on average. To engage the caller, it will silently answer calls from unknown numbers with a more natural-sounding voice. It is also intelligent enough to separate the calls you want from those you do not wish to receive.

Soon, Call Screen will suggest contextual replies for you to tap to quickly respond to simple calls, like appointment confirmations, without having to answer the phone.

Smartphone Performance

Operating System on Pixel 8 Pro

Google Pixel 8 Pro runs on Android 14OS, which is the latest upgrade from Android 13 OS. It offers General Quality of Life (QoL) improvements. Google have it that Android 14 is more optimized for battery consumption, with lots of QoL improvements both in the UI and internally to ensure users have a smoother experience.

Android 14

Some of the top Android 14 OS  features on Pixel 8 Pro are:

More customization

You can now access more tools to customize your lock screen. Some tools include a lock screen picker, lock screen templates, a monochromatic theme, and support for Ultra HDR images.

Notification Flashes

The new OS platform lets you turn on camera flashes and screen flashes for incoming notifications. This is handy for people with hearing loss if you do not want your phone to make noises or buzz with every incoming notification.

Better support for large screens

Android 14 supports building apps that adapt gracefully to different screen sizes across smartphones, folding phones, and tablets.

Restricting Photo and Video Access

It adds an option to select the specific photos and videos it can access, similar to what Apple offers through iOS 14.

Enhanced Security

The most notable is the improved support for authentication with passkeys enabling biometric login instead of using passwords for more apps.

Protected PIN

You can now turn off the animations that appear when you enter your PIN to make it harder for people with ulterior motives to spy on your digits.

Better Data Protection

Considering the increased data abuse by companies, Android 14 will send you monthly warnings when apps have changed their data-sharing habits and the possibilities of data breaches.

Processing Power Capabilities

Pixel 8 Pro is powered by Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) chipset. The chipset is built on Samsung Foundry’s new 4nm (4LPP) process and will feature a nine-core CPU and a ten-core GPU. The Tensor G3 chip is faster than the G2, and it has new features that include better Call Screen functionality for weeding out spam calls.

CPU

• Nona-core (1×3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4×2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4×2.15 GHz Cortex-A510)

The Tensor G3 packs a single Cortex-X3 clocked up to 3GHz, four Cortex-A715 that go up to 2.45GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores clocked up to 2.15GHz. Comparatively, the Tensor G2 has two Cortex-X1 cores, two Cortex-A78s, and four Cortex-A55s – a total of eight cores, one fewer than the G3. A more robust CPU means better performance in multi-tasking and handling intensive tasks more effectively.

GPU

• Immortalis-G715s MC10

Pixel 8’s Tensor G3 uses ARM’s newest GPU design – ten Immortalis-G715s. The new hardware is capable of hardware-accelerated ray tracing and, in combination with Samsung MFC (Multi-Format Codec) encoding and decoding 8K up to 30fps in both h.264 and HEVC format.

Regarding videos and gaming, Immortalis-G715s MC10 is up to the task of the best user experience for high-setting video games.

Seven years of updates to keep you and your personal information secure

Google Tensor G3 works with the Titan M2 security chip to protect personal information and make your Pixel more resilient to sophisticated attacks. And now, Face Unlock on Pixel 8 meets the highest Android biometric class, allowing you to access compatible banking and payment apps like Google Wallet.

With Pixel 8, you receive exclusive features and updates that keep your phone getting better over time. For the first time, Google provides seven years of software support for Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro — including OS upgrades, security updates and regular Feature Drops.

Google Pixel 8 Pro Phone Memory

Google’s smartphone packs a punch when it comes to phone memory. It packs:

• 128GB 12GB RAM, with UFS 3.1
• 256GB 12GB RAM
• 512GB 12GB RAM
• 1TB 12GB RAM.

Both the internal memory and RAM are sufficient for the high-end, high-performance smartphone of the calibre of Pixel 8 Pro to match and by far go beyond expectations.  The UFS 3.1 storage fittingly optimizes Pixel 8 Pro phone storage, thus effectively meeting the demands for more storage, speed, and control.

5G devices such as Pixel 8 have high-capacity data processing demands, and the UFS 3.1 technology ensures data processing efficiency, positively impacting the connection speed of 5G data.

Networking and Connectivity on Pixel 8 Pro

This is a 5 G-enabled phone. It runs on GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G Network Technology, supporting 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G bands. Enjoy fast uploading and downloading of large files and big data with HSPA, LTE-A (CA), 5G network speed.

For communication, you can rely on an array of features and functionalities which ease and improve how you communicate and use the handsets in your interactions and productivity.

Connectivity and Communication Aids

These include:

• Audio: Stereo loudspeakers for quality audio output
• Bluetooth:3, A2DP, LE, apt-X HD
• NFC
• USB: USB Type-C 3.2
• Sensors: Fingerprint (under the display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature)
• Positioning and Location: GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)

Pixel 8 Pro, like its predecessors Pixel 6, 7 and 8, does not support a 3.5mm jack for wired headsets. Moreover, it does not support FM Radio, forcing you to rely on online radio access to follow your favourite radio shows and presenters.

Battery And Power Management

Powering Pixel 8 Pro is a massive, Li-Ion 5,050 mAh, non-removable battery that guarantees a day’s use on a full charge. to recharge, you can opt for;

• 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min
• 23W wireless
• Reverse wireless

Pros and Cons of Pixel 8 Pro

Pros

• Runs on Android 14 with revamped security features
• Comes with a Tensor 3 chip, an upgrade from Tensor 2
• Refreshed design
• Brighter 2400 nits display at 120 Hz compared to 2000 nits peak brightness on Pixel 8.
• AI Camera that enhances user experience
• Better camera package compared to Pixel 8
• Pixel 8 Pro has proper manual controls, along with new editing tools for photo and video recording
• Records 4k videos
• Supports gyro EIS
• Decent phone memory package
• Higher battery capacity compared to Pixel 8
• Comes with temperature sensor

Cons

• Minor design changes from Pixel 7 and Pixel 8
• Slow in recharging.
• Relatively high price tag

Alternative Handsets to Pixel 8 Pro

• Google Pixel 8
• Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max