Google Pixel 6 Pro review

3 November 2021


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The Pixel 6 Pro is a terrible phone with a flashy screen and a flashy but actually terrible camera. All the issues seem to be centred on poor design. The fingerprint scanner under the screen means screen protectors need a circle of different material where the scanner is, which means if you want a screen protector you have a large discoloured circle in the middle of the screen. And the scanner doesn't work anyway, protector on or not. The camera module is ridiculously prominent and perfectly positioned to get smashed. The camera has few functions, most of which are pointless. There's no good display options, you're limited to 3 colour "themes" and most of the homescreen choices are intricate patterns that the app icons get lost in. I know it's an OS issue but you can't rearrange homescreen panels, you have to move all the apps on a screen manually 1 by 1, which is annoying in itself but more annoying because of how simple it would have been to fix. The screen's curved edge is pointless and just makes the phone sit out of its case so the screen is vulnerable - and thanks to the ridiculous position of the fingerprint scanner, you can't use a screen protector. I just bought this phone and it's a massive disappointment.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • pQr
    • 05 Aug 2022

    What's really bad about the Pixel 6 Pro camera is the terrible noise reduction. In perfect light conditions it applies an aggressive and patchy luminance noise reduction. In low light conditions (if you don't use Night Sight and use a high brightness slider setting) it applies an aggressive color noise reduction. The raw files show that such aggressive noise reduction isn't necessary at all. Previous Google phones (for example Pixel 3a) didn't have this issue.

    I compared the 19mm f/3.5 periscope camera with the Canon M50 at 45mm f/8 in low light conditions without Night Sight.
    I looked at the exif exposure time and used the same exposure time (1/3s) for the M50.
    Theoretically, distant objects should look about the same with both cameras in low light conditions as there isn't enough time for the smartphone to combine multiple frames due to the long exposure time (1/3s).
    But Google's image was unusable (I forced the periscope camera, so it wasn't using the main camera). The image quality of the photographed objects was extremely bad/unusable whereas objects in Canon's jpg (with my favourite picture style settings, but I haven't adjusted my favourite picture style settings for this photo) looked much, much better.
    Then I looked at the raw files and disabled the noise reduction in the raw converter: Here the noise of the objects was basically identical (what I predicted theoretically). This proves how bad Google's image processing is.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • 8mp
      • 18 Jul 2022

      Huge connectivity issues. Had the phone changed, still the same issues.

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        • Mity Costi
        • StU
        • 16 Jul 2022

        I have purchased a Google pixel 6 pro from Vodafone, the phone now after 7 months have real connectivity issues (dropping calls and internet connection) and is draining battery in a few hours, i have complaint in writing to google customer care and let them know that i want a refund for this phone because i need to buy another phone as i need it daily. The only solution they gave me is to send the phone to their technical department without a replacement until they investigate the problem. Conclusion is that this is the worst phone i have ever had and the worst customer care. My advise, do not buy this phone. In the UK they do not have a google store where you can go straight to the manufacturer if you have problems like you have with Samsung or Apple and because of that if you have problems with the phone is going to take ages.

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          • Mmm
          • Hxp
          • 12 Jul 2022

          Microphone and side buttons doesn't work in calling mode.

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            • Samuel
            • r3a
            • 12 Jul 2022

            What an iPhone ,Best in world
            What an iPhone or boy this phone is really good or well I can try to buy some of them what happened did he say why I what an iPhone or boy this phone is really good or well I can try to buy some of them what happened did he say why I put where is very pretty sure thanks

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • StU
              • 13 Jun 2022

              malverdant, 08 Mar 2022that would imply the pixel 6 is a mid range, no? yes it ha... moredef mid range

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                • Ganu
                • U@F
                • 08 Jun 2022

                Single sim or duel sim this phone

                  Anonymous, 15 Jan 2022Good job succumbing to western ideals by removing the sd ca... moreYeah... sad. Soon they will stop complaining about no charger in the box.

                    Anonymous, 05 Mar 2022google tensor is in a mid range phone, it's in a pixel 6 that would imply the pixel 6 is a mid range, no?
                    yes it has mid range hardware but it's priced and featured as a flagship.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • StU
                      • 05 Mar 2022

                      Sin, 01 Feb 2022Good point I said tensor is bad too Snapdragon is better I ... moregoogle tensor is in a mid range phone, it's in a pixel 6

                        • d
                        • derrr
                        • inE
                        • 19 Feb 2022

                        Tech20, 17 Feb 2022Major issues had already been solved with the January updat... moreNo need to intimidate others when they not meet a personal agenda...as in using "beta-testing" where there was no such reference ? and the other commenter was "whining" and "Don't Exaggerate it too much!" when referencing actual reviewers with similar issues..

                        Apart from the rubbish comments made by some, usually other commenters provide more insight to possible issues and the like which can be a reference to those who wish to maybe purchase the product and also assist manufacturers.
                        I am in the market for this product but awaiting the outcomes of some important functional
                        issues and do not want to take chance at this stage with the possibility of buying when they still exist like the wifi /bluetooth(reported also by gsmarena 17 February 2022) issue. I am sure there are others that just put up with these and not report...Mellow

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                          • Tech20
                          • 017
                          • 17 Feb 2022

                          derrr, 17 Feb 2022well you could try and do a search on google to increase yo... moreMajor issues had already been solved with the January update. such as screen flickering and app crashing! Although i did not have those issues with mine even before. February update made it even better and very reliable. Now people who have issues are in minority and that is the case with every other phone. Don't Exaggerate it too much!

                            • d
                            • derrr
                            • inE
                            • 17 Feb 2022

                            Tech20, 17 Feb 2022What issues, the 2 major Jan/Feb updates made the phone per... morewell you could try and do a search on google to increase your awareness of issues some users are having even after the latest update and just to help with this... copy paste into google search "pixel 6 pro issues after january update"

                              • T
                              • Tech20
                              • 017
                              • 17 Feb 2022

                              derrr, 16 Feb 2022Harsh? Can you point to where the commenter was beta-testin... moreWhat issues, the 2 major Jan/Feb updates made the phone perfect! The Finger print is more accurate and responsive and is much faster.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • gBV
                                • 16 Feb 2022

                                Anonymous, 16 Feb 2022The Zs60 probably can't compete with a Sony Rx10 IV , ... moreBut I want to add that in extreme low-light conditions, a crop of a smartphone main camera image might outperform the Zs60 at 720mm due to read noise (because the Zs60 has far more pixels per angle at 720mm, this leads to more read noise, so the result could look worse even though it gathers more light per time from a distant object).

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • gBV
                                  • 16 Feb 2022

                                  derrr, 16 Feb 2022A rather Moot comment there. However in a similar vein, th... moreThe Zs60 probably can't compete with a Sony Rx10 IV , but the Rx10 IV is not pocketable. I have tested that in perfect light conditions, a Zs60 produces slightly better results from distant objects than a Canon M50 + Ef-s 55-250mm STM lens (equivalent to 400mm, 24 megapixels).

                                  The Zs60 is very pocketable. I can always carry it in my jacket and don't even notice it. In the summer, I use the official Panasonic case and attach it to my trousers. It is also quite easy to transfer images to the smartphone (though sometimes the camera crashes).

                                  The Zs60 is extremely useful for birds, though sometimes the autofocus has some issues, I think that the Zs70 is slightly better in this regard, though the Zs70 is bigger. But I must say that the periscope camera of the 6 Pro doesn't have a good autofocus either. And regarding Zs60 videos, the autofocus is not good enough, then it can be better to focus manually.

                                  No, no smartphone can compete with the 720mm image quality of the Zs60 as long as the autofocus works. Even if they increase the number of pixels in the future, it's actually physically impossible due to diffraction because the best smartphone periscope cameras have effective lens diameters between 5mm and 6.5mm, whereas the Zs60 has 129mm/6.4=20mm at 720mm (or 129mm/8=16mm, if you use it at f/8 instead of f/6.4).

                                  When I tested the Pixel 6 Pro, the periscope camera (at 20x) didn't even beat the Canon M50 + 45mm f/8 lens (equivalent to 73mm, 24 megapixels) .

                                    • d
                                    • derrr
                                    • inE
                                    • 16 Feb 2022

                                    thunderresistant, 17 Jan 2022Sounds quite harsh but stop whining, you agreed to be beta-... moreHarsh? Can you point to where the commenter was beta-testing? there are many reviewers pointing to the same and more issues even after updates so are they whining too...

                                      • d
                                      • derrr
                                      • inE
                                      • 16 Feb 2022

                                      Anonymous, 15 Feb 2022Sadly, the periscope camera still can't compete with a... moreA rather Moot comment there. However in a similar vein, the Panasonic ZS60 at 720mm can't compete with a Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV . Can any mobile compete with your comparison? Can the Panasonic ZS60 be carried comfortably in pants pocket and send and receive data and calls and be as versatile by taking good movies, pictures, selfies etc. ...

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • pQr
                                        • 15 Feb 2022

                                        Sadly, the periscope camera still can't compete with a travel zoom camera like the Panasonic ZS60 at 720mm. I compared the 6 Pro and the Zs60 some months ago. At 4x or 20x, the 6 Pro is much worse than the Zs60 at 720mm regarding distant objects. But that's not too surprising really as the Zs60 has a larger effective diameter (2.0cm vs 0.54cm) and more pixels per angle. Though, Google could at least let us choose the high resolution 48 megapixel mode of the periscope camera.

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