After several months of speculations and leaks with a few weeks of teasers that left almost nothing hidden, Google‘s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are have finally been unveiled. A clear departure from last years’ mid-range hardware the new Pixels have top-notch specs focused on performance, smarts, and photography.
Table of Interests
Google Pixel 6 launched
The Pixel 6 comes with a 6.4-inch FHD+ Smooth Display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It has a Gorilla Glass Victus on the front for protection against scratches and Gorilla Glass 6 at the glass back.
The Tensor processor is Google’s first smartphone chipset. The SoC has 2 high-performance cores, 2 mid-cores, and 4 high-efficiency cores. It also has a 20-core GPU. Compared to the Pixel 5 which has a Snapdragon 765G processor, Google says the Tensor chipset has a CPU performance that is 80% faster and a GPU performance that is 370% faster.
The chip is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. As expected, there is no storage expansion.
The Pixel 6 has an in-display fingerprint scanner and a Titan M2 security chip. The Tensor chip also has a security core built-in that works with the Titan M2 to protect the phones against attacks. It has dual SIM support (one nano-SIM and one eSIM), WiFi 6E, stereo speakers, IP68 water and dust resistance, and a fingerprint-resistant coating.
The Google Pixel 6 is fueled by a 4614mAh battery and it support 30W fast wired charging, fast wireless charging (21W using the Pixel Stand), and reverse wireless charging. The phone is shipped without a charger but if you have a USB-PD compatible charger available, that should be fine. You can also charge wirelessly with a Qi-certified EPP charger but the charging speed will be capped at 12W.
The Pixel 6 runs Android 12 out of the box and will receive 5 years of security updates.
Cameras
There is a 50MP main camera on the phone as well as a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide angle camera with a 114° field of view. The 50MP sensor has an 82° field of view, an f/1.85 aperture, and a 1/1.31” sensor size. Google says that the phones capture 2.5x more light than the Pixel 5. The front-facing camera is an 8MP sensor.
The Pixel phones are known for packing impressive cameras thanks to the software. The Pixel 6 series takes the Pixel camera prowess to a new level with features such as Face Unblur which combines photos from two different cameras to remove the blur on faces when you take photos of fast-moving subjects such as kids. Magic Eraser will remove unwanted objects and persons from your photo.
There is also Motion Mode which detects if there is a fast-moving object in a photo such as a moving vehicle or the wheels of a bicycle and applies a motion blur to the object while keeping the subject sharp and in focus. The most important of them all for people of color is Real Tone which is a better image algorithm that authentically replicates the skin tone of the subject.
Google Pixel 6 Specifications
Network Properties
- 2G bands: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
- CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900
- 3G bands: HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
- CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
- 4G bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 – GB7N6, G9S9B16
- 5G bands:
- 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave – G9S9B
- 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 – GB7N6
- Speed: HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (CA), 5G
Launch
- Announced: 2021, October 19
- Status: Exp. release 2021, October 28
Design
- Dimensions: 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm (6.24 x 2.94 x 0.35 in)
- Weight: 207 g (7.30 oz)
- Colors: Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, Stormy Black
- Build: Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame
- SIM: Nano-SIM and/or eSIM
- IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
Display
- Type: AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+
- Size: 6.4 inches, 98.9 cm2 (~83.4% screen-to-body ratio)
- Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density)
- Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
- Always-on display
Operating System
- Android 12
Hardware
- Chipset: Google Tensor (5 nm)
- CPU: Octa-core (2×2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2×2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
- GPU: Mali-G78 MP20
- Storage: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
- Memory Card slot: No
- UFS 3.1
Cameras
- Main Camera: Dual
- 50 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.31″, 1.2µm, omnidirectional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
- 12 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm
- Features: Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
- Video: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS
- Selfie Camera: Single – 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm
- Features: Auto-HDR
- Video: 1080p@30fps
Multimedia
- Radio: No
- Loudspeaker: Yes, with stereo speakers
- Audio 3.5mm jack: No
Connectivity
- WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
- Bluetooth: 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
- GPS: Yes, with dual-band A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
- NFC: Yes
- USB: USB Type-C 3.1
Features
- Sensors: Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery
- Battery Type and Capacity: Li-Po 4614 mAh, non-removable
- Charging: Fast charging 30W, 50% in 30 min (advertised)
- Fast wireless charging 21W
- Reverse wireless charging
- USB Power Delivery 3.0
Models: GB7N6, G9S9B16
Google Pixel 6 Price and Availability
The Google Pixel 6 is priced at $599 for the 128GB version and $699 for the 256GB version. The phone is already available for pre-order now and will be available for purchase on October 28.
It will be available in Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, and Stormy Black. Those who pre-order in the U.S. get a free Pixel Buds A-Series.
