I’ve relied on Google Pixel phones exclusively for the past four years, and after the release of the Pixel 10 last month, I decided it was time to upgrade models. I’m not going for the latest release, though.
I Want to Save Money
Ever since I started buying smartphones in the late 2000s, I’ve shrugged off the latest models and preferred buying devices that were at least a year old, usually two or three. It never happens that a brand-new feature on this year’s flagship phone is so valuable to me that I’d shell out anywhere close to MSRP for it.
That’s only gotten truer with time. Smartphones are boring in general now, and there isn’t much that manufacturers can reasonably add that would make me want to drop serious cash. There are only so many functionalities that are useful to have in the palm of my hand at all times. Sometimes the minimalist in me feels I could do with even less.
It’s a Better Time Than Ever to Buy Used
When a new smartphone model drops, that’s also when its predecessors’ prices drop—especially in the secondhand market. People are trading in and handing down, which means there’s an influx of used devices hitting the scene. That added supply, at least in theory, lowers prices.
Of course, this year in the US, the price of everything seems to be at risk of either rising or failing to fall. Still, you can see in the Amazon price history of refurbished Pixel 8 phones, there’s a downward turn in September when people started getting their Pixel 10 phones and flooding the market with their older handsets. I have no hangups about buying used and refurbished tech from reputable sources, so now is when I’m opening my wallet.
Google Promises Years of Updates
The risk in buying any aging smartphone is that the older it is, the less likely it is to get updates. A lack of updates means a lack of security, and I don’t play fast and loose with my phone security. My phone is where personal communication happens daily, and I won’t leave those communications at risk of exposure if I can help it.
I feel confident buying a Pixel phone that’s two or three years old because Google now promises Android updates and security patches for Pixel devices for seven years. Given the Pixel 8 line launched in 2023, I can expect reasonable security into the year 2030.
Now, the Pixel 6 I have is still getting security updates, too, into 2026. That means I could keep going with my current phone for another year or so before I should consider my security compromised. Still, it’s better to hop to the safety of a floating ship from another floating ship than from one that’s already underwater. If I have an unexpected issue with my newer phone in the next year, I can confidently fall back to my Pixel 6.
The Pro Camera Is a Big Improvement
Compared with the regular Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Pro is just a decidedly better phone in terms of hardware, particularly in the camera array. It includes a telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom that you won’t find in the standard Pixel 8. It also has an improved ultrawide lens and selfie camera compared to my Pixel 6.
You can see some example photos that my colleague Justin Duino captured in his long-term Pixel 8 Pro review. For 2023 at least, the photography capabilities were top-notch. That’s important to me as I’m getting into documentary and vlogging hobbies in my free time.
Size Surprisingly Doesn’t Matter
I don’t like big phones. I’m a small person with small hands, and I wear small clothes that come with small pockets. I wish the humble Pixel 5 were still a safe purchase because it felt perfectly sized for me.
Unfortunately, moving from a regular model to any pro model means you can count on a physical size increase. So I was holding my breath when I compared the dimensions of the Pixel Pro 8 to my Pixel 6.
With a sigh of relief, I saw the jump in size was basically negligible. The Pixel 8 Pro is only a few millimeters wider and taller than the Pixel 6, and it’s actually the slightest bit thinner. There’s an increase in weight of just three percent, so I expect my hands will barely tell a difference.
While I’m forgoing the Pixel 10 for now based on my budget and preferences, others feel differently. Senior Editor of How-To Geek’s Android section, Joe Fedewa, decided the regular Pixel 10 was good enough to ignore the Pixel 10 Pro. The phone is not without its detractors, though. Depending on your needs and expectations, the Pixel 10 might feel like a disappointment.
- SoC
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Google Tensor G3
- Display
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6.7-Inch Super Actua, 1344×29921-120Hz, 2400 nits peak brightness
- RAM
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12GB
- Storage
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128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Battery
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5050mAh
The Google Pixel 8 Pro includes the search giant’s Tensor G3, which was among the best smartphone cameras in the 2023 market. It also features a much improved camera array for great photos.
