Pixel phones have often been referred to as the “iPhone of Android phones” due to their impressive camera capabilities and similar interfaces, but they’ve never been able to beat Apple or Samsung when it comes to other key specs like battery life, screen brightness or fast charging.

With the launch of the Pixel 6 line, Google seems ready to start playing in the big league and finally give customers a competitive alternative to the Big Two.

KEY FEATURES

• Powered by all-new Google Tensor chip

• All-day Adaptive Battery with fast charging

• Most advanced Pixel cameras yet

• 4K video recording capabilities

• Improved speech recognition

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UNBOXING AND DISPLAY

Straight off the bat, the Pixel 6 Pro is incredibly impressive to look at. With a 6.7-inch display, the model is easily one of the biggest phones on the market today. Despite this, the phone is super slim and fairly lightweight, though it does prove challenging to stuff into the ridiculously small pockets that women’s clothing affords.

The front of the phone features a slightly curved edge glass design, which is paired with a simple hole punch out for the front-facing camera; lending the phone the much-loved infinity look.

Unfortunately, the back is also glossy which immediately makes it prone to fingerprints. With no matte finish variant currently available either, this is a design element that may frustrate some potential buyers.

With its all-round glassy nature, the Pixel 6 Pro is also one of the first phones I’ve used that I’ve been genuinely concerned about breaking. This fear can largely be offset with a decent screen protector and case, but it’s still not a model that I feel overly confident about nonchalantly tossing into my crowded handbag.

When it comes to the display, the Pixel 6 Pro’s 120hZ LTPO OLED (1440 x 3120) design certainly packs a punch, delivering both vibrant colours and spectacular detail. As someone who hasn’t deviated from iPhones for the past ten years, I’m happy to note how incredibly intuitive the interface is, even if you’ve never used a Pixel before. With its clean homepage aesthetic and easy-to-find search bar, I actually find it even more appealing than Apple’s, which is a revelation in itself.

Possibly the most talked about feature of the Pixel 6 Pro design is the visor-style camera panel on the rear. While some online commenters have been quick to compare it to both Robocop and Thomas Bangalter’s Daft Punk helmet, it’s actually refreshing to see Google step away from the trend of the side square camera bump that is now synonymous with newer smartphone models.

There’s also a nice symmetrical element to it, which gives the phone an all round polished look.

Additional design features include a sim tray located on the left hand side of the phone, with the power button and volume control located on the right. On the bottom of the phone, you’ll find a USB-C port for charging.

While the Pixel 6 Pro does come with both a USB-C cable and a USB-A adaptor for data transfer, Google has unfortunately followed the frustrating trend started by Apple of not including a wall charger in the box. You could make the argument that most of us already own at least one adaptor by now, but that’s really not the point.

SPECS

The Pixel 6 range introduces the first true flagship smartphones made by Google, with both the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro now powered by Google’s very own Tensor SoC chip. This essentially allows Google to control almost every aspect of the models, from the hardware right down to the software.

But what does this actually mean in terms of performance? In short, Google will tell you that the Tensor chip affords the Pixel 6 range more power than previous models, and allows the phones to run at maximum efficiency without compromising on that all-important all day battery life.

With a 120HZ refresh rate too, the Pixel 6 Pro offers a fast and smooth user experience, which is evident just through the setup.

Unfortunately, a performance comparison provided by 9lekt on Twitter shows Geekbench 5 still scores Apple’s A1 Bionic chip much higher than Google’s Tensor SoC. However, the use of the chip by Google at least puts the Pixel 6 range on the map as a serious competitor in the smartphone space.

Google has also promised that the Tensor processor is the industry’s most secure, with both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro arriving with five years of security updates and three years of major software updates. Given that the devices currently run on Android 12, this should mean that users are afforded updates up to Android 15.

When it comes to additional security, Google is still opting for an in-display fingerprint sensor for unlocking; which is admittedly a little touch and go and somewhat difficult to get used to after using Apple’s FaceID for a number of years. However, it has to be said that FaceID has lost much of its appeal during the COVID-19 pandemic (as anyone who has tried to unlock their phone while wearing a face mask can attest), so I am largely unbothered by the difference.

Beyond the Tensor chip, the Pixel 6 Pro is Australia’s first fully 5G capable handset, which means it supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave.

CAMERAS

Given its reputation for creating some of the best smartphone cameras of all time, it comes as little surprise that Google has said its Pixel 6 line features the “most advanced cameras” ever built by the brand.

And I am happy to report that they absolutely do not disappoint.

Google has effectively upgraded every single camera sensor in the Pixel 6 line, resulting in the best photo capabilities I have ever seen in a smartphone. Both the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro have a new 1/1.3 inch sensor on the back, with this primary sensor now capturing up to 150% more light compared to Pixel 5’s primary camera.

Google also kills it when it comes to AI-led image processing, which means photos come out in vivid colour with exceptional clarity. You can see just how much the colours pop in the below photos, which were taken without any camera adjustments or added filters.

While Google never used to opt for a multi-lens approach, the Pixel 6 Pro boasts some seriously impressive hardware. Firstly, there’s a primary 50MP wide angle lens which features one of the largest sensors on any smartphone camera. Then there’s a 12MP ultrawide, a 48MP 4x optical zoom telephoto lens and an 11.1MP selfie camera on the front with ultra-wide capabilities.

The combination results in some solid stills and some seriously impressive image details, regardless of whether you’re taking a photo close up or using a zoom lens.

The Pixel 6 Pro also features an array of photo functions including Night Sight, Motion and Portrait mode; the latter of which does a great job at blurring the background and enhancing the details of your subject.

The Night Sight mode meanwhile gives an impressively bright and crisp image without any setting adjustments. Just look at how well-lit the below images are, despite being taken at 9pm in a fairly dim-lit courtyard.

There’s also a long exposure mode that offers some nice scope for creative photography, allowing you to artistically blur your images. You can see the side-by-side comparisons below of water captured as both a normal still and as a long exposure shot.

Google has also added a range of other photography features to the Pixel 6 line, including a Face Unblur (which is great news for parents of kids who won’t sit still) and a Real Tone post processing feature. The Real Tone is perhaps one of the most standout developments of the line, as it targets racial bias in AI facial recognition to better and more accurately represent all people and skin tones.

Another heavily anticipated feature is a new Magic Eraser tool, which Google has said will allow users to quickly and easily remove unwanted objects from the backgrounds of photos (finally - a simple way to remove your ex from your holiday snaps).

Admittedly, my hopes for the tool were not especially high, but it’s safe to say that it surpassed my expectations. On my very first time using it, I didn’t even have to change anything myself - the phone suggested what needed to be removed (in this case, random people in the background) and promptly removed them for me as soon as I agreed. You can see the results below.

Ultimately, the tool provides a convenient way to remove background objects and annoying photobombers without the need to fiddle around with five different apps. Given how difficult it is to take snaps in popular Sydney locations without other people getting in the way, this is definitely a feature I’ll be using often.

Professionals and creatives will also be happy to note Google has also improved the video abilities of the Pixel 6 line to allow users to shoot in 4K. This will bring the Pixel 6 range into line with the more recent iPhone models, among other competitors. Given my limited time with the phone, I am yet to fully test out the video capabilities, though they are a nice addition all the same.

BATTERY LIFE

Possibly one of my favourite aspects of the Pixel 6 Pro is the battery life, which really does deliver on its promise of an all-day battery. The phone sports a 5,000mAh battery which supports both 30W wired charging and 23W wireless charging (vs 20W wired and 15W wireless for the iPhone 13 Pro), which allows you to reach 50% charge in around 30 minutes.

As with all smartphones, how long your battery lasts ultimately depends on how you use it. For instance, if you’re still playing Pokemon Go for several hours each day, don’t expect it to last as long as it would if you were to check emails and send texts. Overall though, the battery lasts me at least a full day, which is really all I need it to do - after all, who doesn’t charge their phone at night?

SHOULD YOU BUY IT?

There’s absolutely no denying that the Pixel 6 Pro is Google’s best phone yet. While Pixels have often been overlooked by Apple and Samsung enthusiasts, this is the first phone from the Google brand that will make you want to reconsider your allegiance.

Given that Google has made the Pixel 6 Pro more competitively priced than the iPhone 13 Pro too, the phone is certainly worth considering if you’re looking to upgrade.

While there are some downsides, such as the performance of the Tensor chip not quite measuring up to Apple’s A1 chip, the upgraded hardware and seamless interface make it a great choice for day to day use. When considering the exceptional photo capabilities too, it’s a model I would quite happily trade my iPhone in for.

If you are looking for a slightly more affordable alternative, you can also snap up the Google Pixel 6; which offers many of the same features from $999.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Price: The Google Pixel 6 Pro is available in 128GB ($1,299), 256GB ($1,449) and 512GB ($1,599) options.

Where to buy: The Google Pixel 6 Pro is now available for pre-order at Vodafone, Harvey Norman, Telstra, JB Hi-Fi, Optus, Officeworks and the Google Store. It will be available to own from October 28.

Lauren ChaplinConsumer Technology Writer

Lauren is a consumer tech expert with five years’ experience in reviewing and writing about laptops, mobile phones, headphones, televisions and all the gadgets that make our lives easier. A former finalist in the Australian IT Journalism Awards, she previously worked at comparison site Finder as the Senior Shopping Writer where she reported on everything from tech gadgets to the latest home products. When she’s not busy testing new tech products, you’ll find her road testing the latest game releases. Prior to starting her career in journalism, she completed a Bachelor of journalism at the University of South Australia and worked as a media advisor for JB Hi-Fi where she sold the very products she now writes about.

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