With the Pixel 6, Google positions its flagship smartphone in the premium segment again; not only does it provide it with a unique design, but also with a completely redesigned camera setup, the first in-house chipset, and an enormously long update promise.
Not only does Google focus on a lot of high-end specs in its new top model, but it also integrates its in-house Tensor chipset for the first time. Furthermore, there’s once again a Pro variant available alongside the Pixel 6. The latter is a bit bigger than our test device, has a 120 Hz panel with narrower bezels and a higher resolution, more RAM, a larger battery, and an additional zoom lens (48 MP, 4x zoom).
The Pixel 6 is equipped with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage; an expansion via a microSD card remains unavailable. A brand-new dual-camera setup is found on the back, and the battery has a capacity of 4,614 mAh. In terms of price, the Google smartphone starts at an MSRP of $599. The Pro model is available starting at $899 in the 128 GB version, and it’s alternatively also available with 256 GB for $999.
The Google Pixel is equipped with a fast USB 3.2 port (Gen. 1), which allows for high data speeds and supports OTG, but it doesn’t support wired image output. Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC are also on board.
Apart from that, Google stays true to the predecessor’s build by offering a very basic configuration. There’s no microSD support, notification LED, IR blaster, radio receiver, or anything of the sort.
Google opts for a pure Android 12 experience and spices it up with a few exclusive Pixel features. For instance, offline chats can be translated in real time in up to 55 languages. Unfortunately, the feature is only limited to a few apps so far.
The Magic Eraser is a tool that allows you to retouch unwanted elements in photos. This usually works quite well, although the Pixel 6 doesn’t always apply the proper background fill to the corrected area when the image content is more complex.
Not only does the Google smartphone have DRM certification, but it also has a new codec on board: HDRnet.
The Pixel is supposed to receive Android version and feature updates for a minimum of three years, and security updates are even supposed to be deployed for at least five years. This time frame started when the Pixel 6 was added to the US Google Store. Consequently, nothing should stand in the way of an update to Android 15.
The Google Pixel 6 can access mobile networks using all common mobile standards. Only 5G is limited by the manufacturer to the Sub-6 range in most regions. The mmWave standard is only available in the USA, Japan, and Australia. In view of the potentially long lifespan of the Pixel smartphone, this decision is hard to understand. According to various teardowns, only one mmWave antenna is installed in the G9S9B models, which is located in the phone’s top area. The frequency band coverage for the available standards is very broad, making it possible to establish mobile connections with the Pixel 6 all over the world.
With Wi-Fi 6E, the Google smartphone supports the most modern WLAN standard. The Pixel impresses in everyday use with a stable connection and a pretty good range. The former is also confirmed by the test with our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router. However, transfer speeds are a bit too low, especially for sending data.
For Google: CaseMe Google Pixel 6 Case, CaseMe Google Pixel 6 Pro Case
