Google’s Pixel 6 Pro is now available to buy. But is the phone worth getting over a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra or iPhone 13 Pro Max? Let’s find out…
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are Google’s 2021 flagship phones and were launched on October 28, 2021. The phones currently run Android 12 but will be updatable to Android 13 once the update lands later this year. In fact, Google’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will probably be the first phones to get the update, as is often the case with Pixel phones.
Pitched in a similar vein to Apple’s iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models, you have two distinct phones; one has high-end specs, a larger screen, a bigger battery, and the best camera tech, while the other has more mid-range hardware and specifications. We already have a Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro comparison, so check that out if you’d like to know more about these two phones and how they compare.
Pixel 6 Pro Specs
- Price: Starting at $899
- Android version: 12
- Display: 6.71-inch OLED (3120 x 1440)
- Refresh rate: 10-120Hz
- CPU: Tensor
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.85) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 48MP (f/3.5) telephoto with 4x optical zoom
- Front camera: 11MP (f/2.2)
- Video: Up to 4K 60 fps (HDRnet)
- Battery: 5,000 mAh
- Battery life (hrs:min): 7:49 (Adaptive) / 7:55 (60Hz)
- Charging: 23W wired (charger not included), 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi
- Size: 6.5 x 3.0 x 0.4 inches
- Weight: 7.4 ounces
- Colors: Stormy Black, Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny
Given that these phones represent a pretty big step forwards for Google, they’re the first Pixel phones to run Google’s Tensor chipset, for instance, feature a dramatically different design to what came before, and run a gamut of interesting, high-end specs and hardware, there’s quite a bit to chew through when deciding whether or not these phones are for you, including all the usual Pixel-related issues and bugs.
But what is the consensus on the Pixel 6 Pro? Did it do favorably in reviews? Is it worth buying? Can it hold its own up against the likes of Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max and Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra? Let’s take a look at what reviewers have been saying about the phone in order to build a better picture of whether or not the Pixel 6 Pro is worth buying in 2022…
Pixel 6 Pro Reviews
With an incredible camera array and the promise that Tensor provides, the Pixel 6 Pro is certainly a good choice for Android enthusiasts. It has enough power for any task and it is a wonderful camera phone. The best part is the price. At $899, the Pixel 6 Pro is more affordable than the iPhone 13 Pro Max and Galaxy S21 Ultra and just as capable in most areas.
In fact, the Pixel 6 Pro is compelling enough to convince me to switch back to Android from the iPhone 13 Pro Max I’ve been using. I like the curved display, I love the cameras, and all of the convenient Pixel features that I’ve come to adore over the years have gotten even better — Call Screen alone is enough for me to recommend a Pixel to anyone.
Tom’s Guide
The Google Pixel 6 Pro is an exciting challenger to some of the very best smartphones on the market, and it’s the first genuinely top-tier handset from the company. If you want to experience Android software in its purest form, this is the handset to buy right now. Plus, it has a beautiful screen and a superb camera – and it all comes for a price that’s a touch lower than its main competition.
The Google Pixel 6 Pro is an exciting challenger to some of the very best smartphones on the market, and it’s the first genuinely top-tier handset from the company. If you want to experience Android software in its purest form, this is the handset to buy right now. Plus, it has a beautiful screen and a superb camera – and it all comes for a price that’s a touch lower than its main competition.
Tech Radar
The biggest competition to the Pixel 6 Pro lives close to home. Dollar for dollar, the Pixel 6 ($599) is a better value. You sacrifice the zoom lens, the QHD+ 120Hz display for an FHD+ 90Hz panel, the 12GB of RAM (but 8GB is more than enough), the UWB chip, and you get a downgrade to the selfie camera. As a bonus, you save $300 and get a slightly smaller phone with a flat front panel. It’s hard to argue with that.
Android Authority
I like the phone a lot, and I’m still happy to recommend it to certain people who keep their phones longer and prioritize software advantages like never getting another spam call again and a great camera over pure hardware speed. If Google can iron out the last of the lingering problems while ensuring it doesn’t add any more new ones, I can extend that to a blanket recommendation — though, I think the cheaper Pixel 6 is a much, much better deal, even then.
At $600 Pixel 6 is a much better value with few sacrifices, coming in at $300 cheaper and delivering most of the same features and almost the same experience. Don’t get me wrong, the Pixel 6 Pro justifies its $900 price, and I would easily recommend this over a OnePlus 10 Pro. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a better phone for many, but it costs a whole lot more at $1200
Android Police
With the Pixel 6 Pro, Google has finally delivered a flagship-class phone that can compete with the very best in the business in all aspects, not just the camera.
The battery life is reasonable, the screen is fantastic and Android 12 is the most polished and refined software Google has put on a phone. The promise of five years of security updates is good, too.
It looks, feels and operates like a £1,000 phone, with all the bells and whistles you can expect for that sort of money. But aggressively priced at £850, it undercuts top-flight rivals by as much as £300, making it surprisingly good value if not exactly cheap.
The Guardian
Is The Pixel 6 Pro Worth It?
As you can see, the vast majority of the reviews are extremely favorable and while there are some rather alarming horror stories about Pixel 6 problems online, overall the phone seems to have performed well during testing. As you’d expect, the stand-out feature for many reviewers was its impressive camera but most also took note of Google’s aggressive pricing for its Pixel 6 Pro which undercuts its nearest rivals – the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra – buy a pretty considerable margin.
The Pixel 6 Pro also features the first proper update to Google’s camera module in a good long while. You now have a 50MP main sensor backed up by a 48MP telephoto lens and an 11MP selfie camera on the front. Nearly all reviewers tended to agree that Google’s 50MP ultrawide lens is currently the best in the business when combined with Google’s still market-leading machine learning and ISP.
The only real criticism of the Pixel 6 Pro, across the board, appears to be leveled at its design language (all tend to agree it is pretty divisive) and its battery life – it’s not anywhere near market-leading – falling behind the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It’ll still do a full day with average use, however, but if you push it too hard it may need a top-up mid-way through the day. Thankfully, it does support 30W charging, so top-ups don’t take too long.
The good news, however, far outweighs the negatives. You have a stunning OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 12GB of RAM, and a base storage of 128GB (although both 256GB and 512GB variants are available), as well as support for things like 5G and wireless charging (23W with Pixel Stand; 12W with Qi accessories). And then there’s the price: the Pixel 6 Pro starts from $899, making it considerably cheaper than both the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Galaxy S22 Ultra, despite the fact it matches and even surpasses these phones in nearly every aspect.
Is the Pixel 6 Pro worth it? I’d say this is the first time Google has a proper honest-to-goodness, high-end flagship phone on its hands. You get the best possible Android experience with it, timely updates, great performance, and one of the best camera modules in the business. And when it comes to a phone, you really cannot ask for more than that, can you? I expect Google will shift quite a few Pixel 6 Pro units between now and the launch of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
Richard Goodwin
Richard Goodwin has been working as a tech journalist for over 10 years. He is the editor and owner of KnowYourMobile.
