SpecEagle review · Google

Pixel 8 review: 2023 Tensor G3 + 7 years OS updates.

Item: Pixel 8
Rating: 88
Author: SpecEagle Editorial

SpecEagle Editorial·Oct 2023·$699

Overall

88/100

Class rank

#18 of 24

Tier

Flagship

Buy?

Yes

The verdict, up front

Google Pixel 8.

Google's 2023 Pixel 8 promised 7 years of OS updates (first Pixel ever) + Tensor G3 + 2000 nits HDR Actua at $699.

01Display

88/100

88/100 trails the 92-point cohort average for flagship phones of 2023.

TypeActua OLED 120 Hz

Size6.2"

Resolution1080 x 2400

Brightness2000 nits HDR

02Performance

84/100

84/100 is one of the weaker performance results among flagship phones of 2023 — 7 points under the average. Check the rows below before buying for this.

ChipsetTensor G3

CPU3 GHz octa Cortex-X3+A715+A510

RAM8 GB

03Camera

90/100

90/100 puts it above the 88-point average for flagship phones of 2023.

Main50 MP OIS

UW12 MP

Front10.5 MP

04Battery

84/100

84/100 trails the 86-point cohort average for flagship phones of 2023.

Capacity4,575 mAh

Charging27 W + 18 W Qi

05Software

94/100

At 94/100 this is one of the strongest software showings among flagship phones of 2023 — 6 points above the cohort average.

What works

7 years OS + security updates (FIRST Pixel ever).
Tensor G3 + 8 GB.
2000 nits HDR Actua OLED.
Wi-Fi 7 + UWB.

What doesn't

Tensor G3 not as fast as SD8 Gen 3.
27 W charge slow.
$699 high.
8 GB RAM only.

Cross-shop it against

iQOO 12

$580 · score 92/100

How this review is built: every section score, spec row and comparison on this page comes from SpecEagle's tracked catalogue — scores weight measured specs against the 24-phone cohort of flagship devices released around the same time. We don't publish invented lab anecdotes. Spot an error? .