It's known for its software smarts, can Google's hardware let its screens stand up against the competition?
Beyond reading the blurbs of "higher peak brightness!" every year, people often wonder if there are any other tangible improvements in yearly display upgrades. Besides, if other outlets are reporting color reproductive claims that are "indistinguishable from perfect," what more can they really improve upon?
If you want a new Android flagship phone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra or Pixel 7 Pro are near the top of your lists -- but which phone is better?
The Google Pixel is in an interesting spot. It is technically the default Android phone because it is made by Google, but because Samsung has been making phones for so much longer, and has such a wider global reach, it is instead Galaxy phones that are considered the default Android phone in the eyes of many casual consumers. And so, every time a new Android flagship comes out, it has to be compared to the latest Samsung flagship.
If you remember the mayhem caused by the Google Pixel 6 Pro from last year, then you'll also recall how simply divisive it was. Many Pixel fans will attempt to rewrite history and state that it was the best thing since sliced bread, but it was anything but. It was a good smartphone with a lot of problems, and in the case of the Google Pixel 7 Pro, Google has attempted to right a lot of those wrongs by approaching the same recipe with alternative ingredients.
The Google Pixel 7 finishes what the Pixel 6 started. It's a refined, intelligent smartphone that shows off Google's vision. Read our review!
Ever since its birth in 2016, the Google Pixel series has offered excellent software performance but subpar hardware. The original Pixel had a hilariously thick chin bezel that served no purpose (it didn't house any buttons or sensors); the second Pixel had display quality issues; the third Pixel had that hideous notch on the XL; the fourth Pixel replaced that notch with a bulky bezel housing a 3D facial scanning system that didn't always work; and the Pixel 5 neither used a flagship processor nor premium build materials. Winds of changes arrived with the Pixel 6, the first Pixel phone to offer beautiful hardware to match the industry-best software. But even then, there were still hardware quirks, including a display that didn't get bright enough and an in-display fingerprint scanner that was frustratingly slow.
The Google Pixel Watch looks good, feels good, but costs a lot for what you get. It's half Fitbit, half Wear OS, but not great at either.
Google has been long rumored to be working on a Pixel Watch -- for years, in fact. It took a long time for it to eventually come to fruition, and with it comes a lot of Google's trademark software smarts. While the watch itself has been shrouded in controversy thanks to perceived large bezels, a high price tag, and a poor battery life, I've found that Google has still nailed the fundamentals of a decent smartwatch. It's very much a "first-gen" product, but that was to be expected.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro has a stellar camera system, though everyone knew that it would. Just how good is it, though? Check out our review.
Google's Pixel 7 series arrived to much fanfare. With promises of improvements in the form of Tensor G2 and more software features than ever, the company has very likely released its best flagship smartphone yet. While we haven't had a lot of time with the Google Pixel 7 Pro just yet (and so, our full review will be coming at a later date), we've prioritized using the camera to get a feel for how things may (or may not) have improved.
The Google Pixel Watch is a stunning smartwatch that is hard to believe as a first-generation product. Here are our early thoughts!
Alongside the Google Pixel 7 series, Google also introduced its first-ever smartwatch -- the Google Pixel Watch. It's been shrouded in controversy ever since its first unveiling thanks to rumors of outdated hardware, a large bezel, and potentially poor battery life. We got to play with it at the company's launch event in New York City, and I have to admit that I'm a bit of a believer now.
The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have finally launched, and we had the opportunity to briefly use them. Here are our first impressions!
The Google Pixel 7 series is here, and like last year, there are two devices -- a Google Pixel 7, and a Google Pixel 7 Pro. I recently had hands-on time with both devices at the company's launch event in New York City. While I can't talk about a lot of details just yet, I'm able to talk about the brief time I spent with these smartphones at the launch event itself. These two smartphones debut the company's new Google Tensor G2, which has a few key differences over last year's Tensor chipset.
Google's Pixel Buds Pro are here, and while they pack some great hardware, it's clear that the company is just playing catch up right now.
Google's been in the audio game for quite a while now, and the Pixel Buds Pro is the latest addition to the company's portfolio. We've had Pixel Buds before, and the company has launched the Buds-A series in the past as a complement of sorts to the likes of the Google Pixel 6a. The Pixel Buds Pro is the first all-out attempt from Google, and while it's an admirable effort, the company is really just playing catch up.
The Google Pixel 6a represents the best of both worlds between a mid-range and a flagship, though it mightn't be worth it.
Despite Google's hit-or-miss flagship lineup, its mid-range smartphones have generally been much better received. Their value proposition was always pretty simple to sum up: flagship camera, mid-range specifications. Now the Google Pixel 6a is upping the ante a bit, throwing not just a Google-tier camera into the mix, but the company's own flagship Google Tensor SoC as well, the same that you see on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
Ambient Music Mod ports the Google Pixel’s Now Playing to other Android devices. The latest release of the mod brings several new features.
Most people will agree that the software on Pixel smartphones showcase what Google believes Android should be, and as such, the software is often well-received by enthusiasts. Nonetheless, thanks to the dedicated modding community, you don’t necessarily have to own a Pixel device to take advantage of its software features. The "Now Playing" functionality, for example, has remained exclusive to the Pixel lineup, but developer Kieron Quinn, also known as Quinny899 on our forums, managed to port it to other Android smartphones in the form of a hybrid Xposed-Magisk module named Ambient Music Mod. Now, Quinn has taken things a step further and completely overhauled the mod to make it a non-root solution.
The Google Pixel Buds A are a pair of affordable truly wireless earphones from Google with toned down features compared to the Pixel Buds.
Google usually has a very neat and uncluttered portfolio, with just a few options. The company broke tradition when it introduced the A series with the Pixel 3A and it was essentially a more affordable, toned-down version of its flagship phone. The product was a success thanks to a lower price tag and the fact that it came with Google's software. While the hardware wasn't great, Google was handling the software directly which meant users would get Android updates for three years and the same sort of camera processing found on the more expensive sibling. Google continued this trend with the Pixel 4a, the Pixel 4a 5G, and now more recently, the Pixel 5a (5G).
