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Our takeEditorialThe Pixel 8 Pro's 5x telephoto still has no Pixel a-series match - but at $999.99 in 2026 it needs a significant price cut to make sense.
Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Mint
Google
Google Pixel 8 Pro
7.5/10 UpPhone score
A 2023 flagship now available discounted - the Tensor G3 camera system and 5x telephoto still hold up, but the price needs to.
Screen
6.7"
Chip
Google Tensor G3 (4nm)
Camera
50 MP
The verdict, & two little voices
Should you actually get the Google Pixel 8 Pro?
The editor weighs in — flanked by the optimist on her shoulder and the cynic on the other.
“Five-times optical telephoto and full flagship build quality hold up; still a capable phone at the right discount.”
“Tensor G3 and a $999.99 price tag in the same year the Pixel 10 Pro launched is a hard argument to win.”
Our take
A 2023 flagship now available discounted - the Tensor G3 camera system and 5x telephoto still hold up, but the price needs to.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro launched in late 2023 as Google's full flagship - Tensor G3 at 4 nm, a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED at 120 Hz, 50 MP main camera, 48 MP ultrawide, 5x optical telephoto zoom, 5050 mAh battery with 30W wired and 23W wireless charging, and IP68 protection. In 2026 it is available on Verizon at $999.99, which puts it at the same price as the Pixel 10 Pro - a phone built on the Tensor G5 with three camera updates, a newer chip generation, and a lighter frame. At $999.99 the Pixel 8 Pro is a poor value unless heavily discounted. Where it still earns attention: the 5x optical telephoto is a genuine strength at any era, producing clean compressed backgrounds and reach that no Pixel a-series phone matches. The 213-gram body and mmWave 5G support are notable. The Tensor G3 handles the full Google AI stack including Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and live translate with competent speed. Twelve GB of RAM ensures multitasking headroom. The 23W wireless charging is useful. Seven years of OS updates were promised at launch, meaning software support through 2030. The honest advice: this phone earns its specification at a discount, not at $999.
What we love
- 5x optical telephoto - no Pixel a-series phone matches this reach
- 6.7-inch LTPO OLED at 120 Hz
- IP68 protection
- 50 MP main plus 48 MP ultrawide plus telephoto triple-camera system
- mmWave 5G support
- 23W wireless charging and 30W wired
- 12 GB RAM for broad multitasking headroom
- 5050 mAh battery
- Seven-year OS update commitment through ~2030
What we don't
- At $999.99 in 2026 it competes with the Pixel 10 Pro at the same price - the Pixel 10 Pro wins that comparison
- Tensor G3 is two chip generations behind Tensor G5
- 213 grams is relatively heavy
- Only on Verizon in this listing
- 128 GB base storage at $999.99 is tight for a flagship
Full specifications
Display
Size6.7"
TypeLTPO OLED
Resolution1344 x 2992 px
PPI489
Performance
ChipGoogle Tensor G3 (4nm)
RAM12 GB
Storage128 GB
OSAndroid 15
Camera
Rear camera50 MP
Rear camera 248 MP
Front camera10 MP
VideoYes
Battery
Wireless charging23 W wireless
Design
Dimensions162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm
ColorsObsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Mint
Form factorSlate
Connectivity
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3
NFCYes
USBUSB 3.2 (5 Gbps)
Networks5G: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G1MNW | 4G: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - G1MNW | 3G: HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | 2G: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Google Pixel 8 Pro on individual carriers
All 7 plans with Google Pixel 8 Pro
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Frequently asked questions about the Google Pixel 8 Pro
What kind of display does the Google Pixel 8 Pro have?
The 6.7-inch LTPO OLED panel at 1344 x 2992 resolution with 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate is excellent. 2400 nit peak brightness drives outdoor readability. LTPO allows the display to scale down to 1 Hz when the content is static, saving battery. The 2992-row resolution produces sharp text and detailed images. By 2026 standards the display specification is still competitive - the Pixel 8 Pro's screen is not where the phone shows its age.
What kind of camera does the Google Pixel 8 Pro have?
The triple-camera system - 50 MP main, 48 MP ultrawide, 5x optical telephoto - is the Pixel 8 Pro's strongest remaining argument. The 5x optical zoom produces clean reach-based shots without the softness of digital crop. Google's computational processing on Tensor G3 handles HDR, night photography, and skin tones well. Two chip generations behind Tensor G5, the processing is slightly slower on the most demanding AI tasks. The 10 MP front camera is weaker than the Pixel 9 Pro's 42 MP front camera, which is a notable gap for front-facing video.
What is the battery life of the Google Pixel 8 Pro?
Five thousand and fifty milliamp hours with LTPO adaptive refresh rate management is an efficient combination. A full day on heavy use is reliable. The 30W wired charging fills the battery in under 90 minutes. The 23W wireless charging is fast enough for practical midday top-up. Good battery profile for a 2023 flagship.
What processor does the Google Pixel 8 Pro use?
Google Tensor G3 at 4 nm with 12 GB of RAM. Handles the full Google AI stack. Two chip generations behind Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10; in absolute performance benchmarks, it lags the current generation. In practical daily use, the gap is minor for most tasks. The 12 GB of RAM exceeds the Pixel 9 Pro's 16 GB specification only at the Pro tier.
How much storage does the Google Pixel 8 Pro have?
128 GB internal at $999.99 is the base configuration. No microSD expansion. At the flagship price tier, 128 GB is tight if you shoot a lot of 4K video locally. Google Photos cloud backup is the practical solution.
What kind of speakers does the Google Pixel 8 Pro have?
Stereo speaker arrangement with earpiece and bottom-firing speaker. Google's flagship speaker tuning on the Pixel 8 Pro was one of the better implementations on Android in 2023. Loud, clear, with decent bass response by phone standards.
Does the Google Pixel 8 Pro support fingerprint or face unlock?
Under-display optical fingerprint sensor and face unlock. The Tensor G3 processes biometrics on-device. The Pixel 8 Pro added temperature sensing as a biometric-adjacent feature. Fingerprint reliability is solid.
Is the Google Pixel 8 Pro water-resistant?
IP68 full protection. Dust-proof and submersion-rated. Standard Pixel flagship specification.
