While it lacks a few of the Pixel 8 Pro's high-end features, the standard Pixel 8 shares a refreshed design, the company's latest Tensor G3 chipset, and a number of new AI features that the processor facilitates.

New Tensor chip, Refreshed design, AI camera tricks

Design changes are minor, Minimal camera upgrades over Pixel 7, No temperature sensor

Smaller but brighter screen leads upgrades for Google's everyman smartphone

Compact body built to a high standard, Finally, a bright display with a high refresh rate, Cameras remain brilliantly capable

Performance, battery a step back from class leaders, Some software being Pro-exclusive feels arbitrary, Even wider gulf in ability to Pixel 8 Pro than previous years

“The Google Pixel 8 packs amazing AI tools, great cameras, and long battery life into a pretty, compact body.”

Great main camera, Amazing AI photo editing tools, Two-day battery life, Slick, fast Android 14, Tensor G3 is cool and efficient, Seven years software support

Wide-angle camera disappoints, Average charge speed

At the end of the day, the Pixel 8 is a really well-rounded phone. It has got almost all the bells and whistles you would expect from a ‘flagship’ phone – competent hardware, excellent cameras, and beautiful display – packed in a cute little shell.

Ergonomic design (splendid display), Cameras are excellent as always, Clean software with a pinch of AI trickery (brownie points for 7 years of promised software support)

Tensor G3 can run hot sometimes

The Google Pixel 8 offers a number of improvements over the last-generation Pixel 7. There’s better AI processing, cooler camera features, and the promise of an impressive seven years of software updates. It’s a meaningful update to the Pixel line, to be sure. The only downside?

Better display, Cool AI camera features, Great software experience, Good battery life

$100 more expensive

Google has delivered a truly intelligent phone with some jaw-dropping features.

Magic Editor really delivers some amazing results, Actua Display gets very bright and refresh rate gets bumped to 120Hz, Excellent images from the camera, Lots of really helpful AI features, At a glance widget lets you see important information quickly, Surprisingly decent performance for games

Battery life is mediocre, No matte finishes, which is a shame

The Google Pixel 8 may be smaller than the Pixel 7 but it packs a bigger punch. Is it worth the higher price?

Better display, Cool AI camera features, Great software experience, Good battery life

$100 more expensive

The design looks a bit dated, but the Pixel 8 otherwise represents a great buy with impressive camera performance, AI-infused features that remain unique amidst increased competition, and all-day battery life that makes it a joy to use.

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

Dated design, No telephoto lens, Raw performance is behind other flagships

Google's Pixel 8 features a tweaked design, brighter and faster display, increased performance and a new camera system that's also smarter. You'll find plenty of AI features throughout the entire experience, even if it's scary at times, making the Pixel 8 a worthy option for anyone looking for an...

Excellent new design, Brighter, faster display, Face Unlock works everywhere now, Great cameras

Slow charging speed, Face Unlock can struggle at night, Is there such a thing as too much AI?

The Pixel 8 comes with some impressive upgrades in terms of display quality, a newer chipset and improved AI capabilities, but lacks some of the features on its bigger sibling.

Display is brighter and smoother, Battery life has improved, Camera performance is satisfyingly consistent, Fingerprint biometrics have improved accuracy, Magic Editor is a fun new software addition

Tensor G3 isn't meant for intense gaming sessions, Phone still gets warm frequently, AI editing features can be inconsistent at times