Google just announced the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones alongside the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Buds Pro in yesterday's "Made by Google" event. In this article, let's talk about the design, features, specifications, and expected price in Nepal of the Google Pixel 8.

Google Pixel 8 Overview

Design and Display

The new Pixel 8 features contoured edges, a satin metal finish, and a polished glass back. It is also smaller than last year's Pixel 7 and weighs 10 grams lighter. We also get to see some new colors: Rose and Hazel, while the classic 'Obsidian' stays. The front, back, and frame don't see any changes, at least on paper. They are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and not the rumored Victus 2. Google Pixel 8 secures an IP68 rating just like its predecessor. Moving on, we get to see a 6.2-inch 'Actua' screen which is 42% brighter than Pixel 7's display. It is a 120Hz OLED panel with support for HDR10+ and a pixel density of around 428 ppi. The screen estate is a bit less though at ~91.1cm² compared to the ~96.7cm² on the Pixel 7.

Performance

The Pixel 8 features Goole's 4nm Tensor G3 chip, which includes a 9-core CPU: one Cortex-X3 prime core, four Cortex-A715 cores, and four Cortex-A510 cores. For graphics, there's a 10-core Arm Immortalis G715 GPU, an upgrade from the 7-core G710 used in its predecessor. Moreover, the handset runs on Android 14 out of the box. Google also announced an industry-leading 7-year software support including major Android updates, security patches, and feature drops. And the Pixel 8 has already tasted the Android 15 beta update. As for memory, the vanilla Pixel 8 ships with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB storage configurations.

• You might also want to read these:
  • Google's Pixel 8 Pro launched with Tensor G3 and tonnes of AI camera stuffs
  • Google leaps into the foldable phone market with “Pixel Fold”
  • Pixel 8a leaks suggest rounded design and the Tensor G3 chipset.
  • Pixel Watch 2 launching in October with Snapdragon W5 Gen 1

Camera

As for the cameras, Pixel 8 has a dual setup on its back: a 50MP primary camera with an f/1.7 aperture, supporting PDAF and OIS, and a 12MP ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture. That might not sound very different on paper, but the upgraded main camera captures better photos and videos in low light settings than last year's Pixel 7. And the new ultrawide enables macro focus. The new selfie cam is a 10.5MP shooter with PDAF and a f/2.2 aperture. There are lots of new software features as well. For starters, the camera app has an intuitive, redesigned interface. Other features include:

• Best Take uses on device algorithm to create a blended shot from a series of images to get everyone's best look
• Magic Editor uses generative AI to let you reposition, resize subjects ,and play around with background presets.
• Auto Magic Eraser is a first-of-its-kind computational audio capability that uses advanced machine learning to sort sound into distinct layers so you can control levels of individual layers. Additionally, it also reduces distracting sounds in your video like the howling wind or crowd noise.

The Pixel 8 Pro will also be getting Video Boost with Night Sight Video for better low light recording but that is missing on the vanilla Pixel.

• Meanwhile, read all the prices and specs of Google products here

Battery and Charging

Regarding the battery, the Pixel 8 is powered by a larger 4575mAh battery with up to 27W fast charging and 18W wireless charging. The phone can be juiced up to 50% in half an hour and also supports reverse wireless charging. In terms of connectivity, the handset features tri-band Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, and USB Type-C 3.2, among other options. There's also a cool feature to measure temperature through the camera but that's exclusive to the Pixel 8 Pro.

Google Pixel 8 Specification

• Body: Front~Gorilla Glass Victus, Back~Gorilla Glass Victus, aluminum frame, IP68 dust/water resistant
• Display: 6.2 inches OLED, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+,1400 nits
• Resolution: FHD+(1080 x 2400 pixels), 20:9 ratio, ~428 ppi density
• Chipset: Google Tensor G3 (4nm Mobile Platform)
• Memory: 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage
• Software & UI: Android 14, up to 7 years of software support
• Rear Camera: Dual; – 50MP, f/1.7 primary sensor, OIS, Laser AF, PDAF – 12MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
• Front Camera: 10.5MP, f/2.2 sensor
• Audio: Stereo speaker setup, No 3.5mm headphone jack
• Security: In-display fingerprint sensor (optical), Face unlock
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass, Barometer
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), USB Type-C 3.2
• Battery: 4575mAh with 27W wired charging, 18W wireless charging, Reverse Wireless Charging
• Color Options: Rose, Hazel  and Obsidian

Google Pixel 8 Price and Availability

The Pixel 8 is up for pre-order with a price tag of USD 699 (which includes a free Pixel Watch 2 by the way). We expect the Google Pixel 8 price in Nepal to be around NPR 111,649.

• Meanwhile, check out our review of Pixel 7.