Best Google Pixel Phone 2023

October 26, 2023

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Since Google released the first Pixel phone, the range has completely revolutionised the camera phone market, with each new generation pushing the mantle forward with the help of high-quality lenses and Google’s AI smarts. The question is, which is the best for your needs?

While you initially only had to make the choice between the Pixel and the bigger Pixel XL, the Pixel range has expanded and now has options at different price points. It’s not quite the same level as the likes of Xiaomi and Samsung, which have plenty of phones at every price point imaginable, but there’s still more choice for consumers than ever before.

We review every Pixel phone, including the flagship Pixel 8 and 8 Pro and the Pixel Fold, by popping our SIMs in and comparing all the cameras, batteries and displays, along with thoroughly running them all through our industry-standard performance tests.

If you’re after something a little less specific then our best camera phone round-up focuses on a device’s photographic and videography skills, while our best cheap phone and best mid-range phone lists focus solely on more affordable options depending on your budget.

Best Google Pixel phone at a glance

Best flagship phone: Pixel 8 Pro – check priceBest mid-range phone: Pixel 8 – check priceBest affordable phone: Pixel 7a – check priceBest foldable phone: Pixel Fold – check price

How we test

How do we test Google Pixel phones? Every Google Pixel phone included in the below list has been properly tested and used for an extended period by one of our product experts. We don’t review phones based purely on specs or a manufacturer’s claims – we use them as our everyday device for at least five days and usually for much longer.Our review process includes a mixture of real-world tests, along with more than 15 measured tests and industry-standard benchmarks. We believe this gives the most rounded view of a device.

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Best flagship phone

Google Pixel 8 Pro

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Pros

The bright, flat screen is stunning
Often incredible camera performance across all sensors and lenses
AI features offer unique software tricks
7 years of updates

Cons

Uncomfortable to hold
Temperature sensor is pointless
Performance not as strong as similarly priced phones
Notable price increase over 7 Pro

£999$999

Best mid-range phone

Google Pixel 8

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Pros

Impressive camera performance with unique AI features
Solid 6.2-inch OLED display
All-day battery life
7 years of OS upgrades

Cons

Dated design
No telephoto lens
Raw performance is behind other flagships

£699$699

Best affordable phone

Google Pixel 7a

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Pros

Excellent camera for the price
Plenty of upgrades over the Pixel 6a
Smart software
Some nice colour options

Cons

Middling battery life
Achingly slow charging

£449$499

Best foldable phone

Google Pixel Fold

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Pros

Thin when folded and unfolded
Some of the best foldable cameras around
Pixel software is unmatched

Cons

Very visible crease on inner display
Odd approach to app support
Very expensive

£1749$1799

Google Pixel 8 Pro

The best flagship Pixel phone

Trusted Score

Pros

The bright, flat screen is stunningOften incredible camera performance across all sensors and lensesAI features offer unique software tricks7 years of updates

Cons

Uncomfortable to holdTemperature sensor is pointlessPerformance not as strong as similarly priced phonesNotable price increase over 7 Pro

Our pick for the best Google phone is the top-end Pixel 8 Pro. This is very much of a rival to devices like the Galaxy S23 Plus, offering a slicker software experience and one of the best cameras around, though its increased price tag means it’s not quite as budget-friendly as its predecessor.

All the phones featured here boast smooth, clean and frequently updated software. As Google makes both the phone and the underlying Android software, Pixel phones get updates as soon as Android releases them, so you’ll get Android 14 out of the box. That’s cool enough, but Google’s commitment to 7 years of OS upgrades with the Pixel 8 range – the best of any Android manufacturer – will see it through to the release of Android 21, with all new features included.

More specifically, there are a few reasons to go for the Pixel 8 Pro over the cheaper options in our list. First off, the 6.7-inch 120Hz LPTO Actua display is both smooth and impressively bright at 2400nits, making it larger and smarter than the Pixel 8, while boasting a serious upgrade in resolution and brightness compared to the Pixel 7a. It’s also a flat display this time around, which makes for a nice change from the curved displays of previous models.

There’s also a slightly updated design with a matte rear that, compared to the Pixel 8’s glossy finish, is much better at resisting smudges and fingerprints while also being a little grippier.

It’s also the only version of the Pixel 8 with a triple camera array. Both the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro have excellent main and ultrawide cameras, but with the Pro, you’re also getting a 48MP telephoto zoom. It’s not the very best telephoto zoom we’ve used, but it’s the best on the list, including the high-end Pixel Fold.

Reviewer: Max Parker

Full review: Google Pixel 8 Pro review

Google Pixel 8

The best mid-range Pixel phone

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Pros

Impressive camera performance with unique AI featuresSolid 6.2-inch OLED displayAll-day battery life7 years of OS upgrades

Cons

Dated designNo telephoto lensRaw performance is behind other flagships

Right in the middle of Google’s smartphone range, you’ll find the Pixel 8. This device might not offer quite the same specs as the Pro version (most notably lacking a telephoto sensor and having a slightly smaller, non-LTPO screen), but it still packs quite the punch, especially given its relatively modest price tag – even if, like the Pro, it’s more expensive than the Pixel 7.

The camera, like with other Pixel phones, is the main highlight here, delivering gorgeously detailed and punchy images regardless of whether you’re using it during the day or at night. There are also fun AI smarts that allow you to swap out faces in group selfies for better options and even use generative AI to remove huge swathes of an image, but it’s not the only reason you might feel tempted to make one of these your own.

The 120Hz OLED Actua screen, measuring a slightly smaller 6.2 inches than its predecessor, is plenty capable with impressive peak brightness and great HDR support that makes watching Netflix movies a joy, and the design certainly looks sleek and feels premium to the touch as well. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t have the same matte finish as the Pixel 8 Pro, as it’s quite the fingerprint magnet.

It also gets the same long-term commitment as the Pixel 8 Pro, boasting 7 years of OS upgrades that’ll take it through to the release of Android 21, all new features in tow.

While the slow charging speeds and lack of a telephoto sensor are two obvious compromises, we certainly don’t think that these should be dealbreakers when a smartphone offers as good overall performance as the Pixel 8 does.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter

Full review: Google Pixel 8 review

Google Pixel 7a

The best affordable Pixel phone

Trusted Score

Pros

Excellent camera for the pricePlenty of upgrades over the Pixel 6aSmart softwareSome nice colour options

Cons

Middling battery lifeAchingly slow charging

If you’re on the hunt for a small Pixel but want to keep the budget low, the Pixel 7a is a great pick. In many of the most important ways, it matches the (now-replaced) Pixel 7 and packs a number of features you won’t find on the Pixel 6a.

Those features include Qi wireless charging, 8GB memory, a faster 90Hz screen (the Pixel 6a is merely 60Hz) and an overall more durable body. The Pixel 7a is a much better phone than the 6a, and we’d recommend paying the extra for the newer model.

One of our favourite Pixel 7a features is the camera. There’s a new main 64MP sensor on the back that’s far larger than the one found on the Pixel 6a and it produces better images in all conditions. Skin tones are accurate, low-light performance is exceptional and Google has done a good job at ensuring colours are the same.

Inside the phone, there’s the same Tensor G2 chip as the Pixel Fold. While we would like a little more power in the flagship range, at this price it is perfectly adequate and a good performer in all of our tests. Tensor also powers many of the AI aspects of the Pixel, like the clever call screening features and excellent voice recorder.

The 6.1-inch 90Hz OLED is good, though the Pixel 8’s updated 120Hz OLED makes it feel like a more responsive option, and the Pixel 8 Pro still has the best screen on a Pixel.

Keeping the Pixel 7a away from top marks is the mediocre battery life and the slow charging. While our reviewer managed to get through the day most of the time, a quick charge was required on busier days with lots of screen time.

Reviewer: Max Parker

Full review: Google Pixel 7a review

Google Pixel Fold

The best foldable Pixel phone

Trusted Score

Pros

Thin when folded and unfoldedSome of the best foldable cameras aroundPixel software is unmatched

Cons

Very visible crease on inner displayOdd approach to app supportVery expensive

At the other end of the spectrum, you’ll find the ultra-premium Google Pixel Fold, the only Pixel available in a foldable form factor. It’s extremely expensive at £1,749/$1,799, but if you want the Pixel software experience on a foldable, it’s your only option right now.

The book-style foldable is squatter than what you’ll find from the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Honor Magic Vs, making the external 5.8-inch OLED panel much more compact and easier to use. It also means the internal 7.6-inch OLED display boasts a horizontal aspect ratio, compared to most other foldables that are taller than they are wider. Both displays are set to a super smooth 120Hz refresh rate, with the inner display boasting a crisp 2K resolution.

You’ll find camera hardware including a main 48Mp snapper, a 10.8MP ultrawide and 18.8MP 5x telephoto lens capable of delivering the famed Pixel experience, with vibrant, impressively detailed shots and access to AI-powered features like Night Sight and Super Res Zoom.

That AI experience also spills over into the general Android 13 experience on offer, with AI-infused Pixel-favourite features like the ability to screen incoming calls on your behalf all present and accounted for.

There are hints that this is very much a first-gen product, however; the crease on the inner panel is both wider and deeper than what you’ll find from most other competitors in 2023, and the hinge doesn’t completely open 180 degrees, leaving the phone to wobble on flat surfaces.

Google has also removed the ability to force unsupported apps to run in full-screen mode on the internal display – a feature of every other book-style foldable – severely limiting just how helpful it can be when general app support is hit-and-miss.

And, as with practically every other Pixel phone, the 4821mAh battery isn’t quite enough to negate that battery anxiety. It’d get to the end of the day – just about – but couldn’t survive into the second day. It also suffers from a rather slow 30W charging experience, though this isn’t that out of place in the foldable market.

If, however, you’ve got your heart set on a book-style foldable and simply have to have the stock Pixel experience, the Pixel Fold ticks most boxes.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter

Full review: Google Pixel Fold review

We also considered…

Google Pixel 6a

Is it still a tempting option in 2023?

Google Pixel 6 Review: So close to greatness

So close to greatness

Google Pixel 6 Pro Review: The best way to enjoy Android 12

The first truly flagship Pixel phone impresses

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FAQs

Do these Pixel phones come with a charger, or do you need to provide your own? None of the phones included in our Best Pixel Phone list comes with a charger in the box, so you’ll have to provide your own. They all come with a USB-C cable and work with the PD charging standard. Is the Tensor chipset good for gaming? Google’s Tensor chipset is very capable and plays games just fine in our tests. You will, however, get better GPU from more recent phones with Apple’s A-series chips or a recent 8-series Snapdragon version.