FOLLOW, CONTINUE
After many years of testing, it seems that Google has hit the nail on the head with its new Pixel 6. We are no longer facing an experimental terminal, but rather can compete at the top of the range. Until now, the tech has used its "smartphones" as a test bed for new technologies in an effort to promote research among Android makers. The problem is that the buyer may feel that he is paying for a technology that is practically useless. This is not the case with the Pixel 6, where the only "evidence" of Google is in its own tensor processor, which we will talk about later.
Is the Pixel 6 the phone you should buy right now? For the price and features, this could at least be an option.
The differences between the two terminals that make up the family, Pixel 6 and Pro, are at the level of the screen and the cameras, the Pro is a little larger, but it is difficult to tell with the naked eye.
Better materials, but they get dirty
In Spain, after almost two years without Google marketing the Pixels, only two models will arrive without any variation in their configuration; and a single color, black, also in very limited quantities. The Pixel 6 looks like a high-end mobile, especially since Google has switched to using glass in the body, leaving plastic behind. The glass finish always gives a more elegant feeling, but it is not without problems, it is dirtier and above all more delicate.
The design will not leave anyone indifferent, with a band that does not seek to hide the cameras, but on the contrary, highlights them from side to side, standing out notably from the phone as a whole. With so many phones following in Apple's footsteps, packing cameras into a sneaky rectangle, the Pixel 6 stands out. The only thing that didn't convince us was that the power and power buttons are backwards, ie power and volume down, which means that you can constantly miss the first few days.
The screen is one of the big differences between the Pixel 6 and the Pro. The Pixel 6 has a 6,4-inch panel, OLED FHD+ 411 DPI and 90 Hz, while the Pro has a 6,7-inch screen, flexible OLED LTPO QHD+ 512 DPI and 120 Hz refresh rate, which translates into rounded edges on the sides as curved screens to expand the vision a little more, being one of the best panels on the market. Both screens are of very good quality, with faithful color reproduction, but the difference between them is noticeable.
good cameras
The cameras are another big draw, the Pro version has a main camera of 50 megapixels, f / 1.85, a stabilized wide angle of 12 megapixels f / 2.2 and, what is more interesting, a stabilized optical telephoto lens of 48 megapixels with four magnifications . and thanks to its high resolution it can do up to 20 digital magnifications without losing much quality. The fourth target is laser autofocus and spectrum and flicker sensors. The Pixel 6 loses the telephoto lens, but the rest of the cameras remain unchanged from the Pro version.
The result of the images that we obtain with the two sets is really good, at the level of a high-end phone. Google also adds its algorithms to improve images, giving them great color realism, balanced warmth and, above all, in places where conditions are totally unfavorable, the results are really good, which hardly any phone is capable of matching. . In addition, Google cameras offer various types of shots that will delight more than one, the classic night mode, and a portrait with a very successful blurred background, but also moving images, blurring the background with this striking long exposure effect. . We tested the Pixel 6 camera where almost all mobiles fail, in backlit snow images, an environment in which mobile cameras suffer a lot, delivering very unrealistic snow tones, but the Pixel 6 has been able to pass the test on a high note.
Image captured with the Pixel 6 – JO
DO
We cannot forget the front camera, in the Pro we find an 11,1-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with a 94-degree field of view, capable of taking selfies with a wide range, while the Pixel 6 has an 8-megapixel camera. megapixels and a field of 84 degrees. of sight. The ultra wide angle is appreciated when taking selfies, almost achieving a “selfie stick” effect. Pixels have always had one of the best portrait modes on high-end phones and that hasn't changed on the Pixel 6.
We are facing one of the best cameras on the market. We cannot forget the video, 4k capable of recording at 30 and 60 fps, with a very well achieved HDR thanks to its AI. It is not the most remarkable aspect of the terminal, but the results do not disappoint in the least.
Good chip, but behind the most powerful.
Google's Tensor chip might raise some questions at first as it's the first of its kind, but in tests it falls a bit behind the well-known Snapdragon 888, Android's most powerful processor, when it comes to power. Anyway, something that we cannot judge, since the vast majority of analyzes and comparisons do not realize, is Tensor's AI processing capacity, which we understand will probably leave all other terminals behind, since it is by that Google installed yours. chip. In this way, it improves the functionality of the AI.
The photo editor magic eraser deserves a mention of its own because it is able to magically remove any element from a photo, be it people, an object, simply by marking it with your finger. It is true that it is a feature of the Pixel 6, but we tested it on the Pixel 4 and it also works like a charm, slower for sure, but it is perfectly functional.
As for the memory capacity, the Pro version has 12 gigabytes of RAM and the "normal" version 8. The battery capacity also differs between the two terminals, the battery of the Pro is 5000 mAh and that of the Pixel 6 is 4.600 mAh, as the Pro has a larger panel with higher power consumption, meaning they both have similar battery life. Something that has caused some controversy on the network is the charging capacity, which Google has not mentioned, it is fast charging, yes, but it is not one of the fastest on the market. Of course we have wireless charging, which is appreciated.
unlock problems
Let's move on to the aspect that we liked least, unlocking the phone. There is no facial recognition to unlock the phone, there is no such option. Google decided to ignore it, we imagine that for security reasons we only have the fingerprint sensor under the screen, which does not work very well or at least the times you want to unlock the Pixel 6 with one hand with your finger, it usually does not work and ends up entering the PIN constantly, which can be quite frustrating. Considering that any user unlocks the phone dozens of times a day, this is a step below other Pixels with facial recognition and a better fingerprint reader.
Google Pixel 6 will probably be the best Android experience you can have, the design of the operating system layer, the applications and the adaptations for the terminal are unique, and obviously only Google can offer them. If we add to this that the price of the two terminals is really competitive for the top of the range, 649 euros for the Pixel 6 and 899 for the Pro, we have an interesting combination.
