It has been a busy yr; I used over 30 telephones in the middle of the final 5 months, and there have been a whole lot of notable units. Whereas cellphone designs and {hardware} have not modified an excessive amount of, the one space that’s seeing continuous enchancment is cellular imaging, with Chinese language manufacturers specifically pushing the boundaries of digital camera tech.
Hardwired
In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all issues {hardware}, together with telephones, storage servers, and routers.
Gadgets just like the Xiaomi 14 Extremely, OPPO Discover X7 Extremely, Honor Magic 6 Professional, and Vivo X100 Professional all have excellent cameras, and whereas there are variations between every system, you are assured to get nice pictures no matter whichever cellphone you select. And whereas Chinese language manufacturers are doing a good job with software program, there’s nonetheless some option to go on this space.
I used the Porsche Design Magic 6 RSR extensively in latest weeks, and the system has rather a lot to supply; it combines distinctive styling with terrific cameras, however Honor’s MagicOS is irksome to make use of at occasions, and it misses out on a couple of fundamentals. That is why I made a decision to change again to the Pixel 8 Professional as soon as I used to be completed with the present evaluate cycle.
I’ve at all times gravitated to Pixels; in earlier years, Pixel units acquired probably the most quantity of utilization out of all different telephones. The reasoning is straightforward: I like Google’s imaginative and prescient of Android, and the Pixel’s clear interface coupled with distinctive software program extras makes it the best alternative for my very own use case.
I am going to freely admit that the Pixel 8 Professional does not have the very best feature-set: the OLED panel does not get as shiny as 2024 telephones, the {hardware} is hilariously unsuited for gaming, the battery does not final as lengthy, and 30W charging is pitifully sluggish. From only a {hardware} standpoint, it’s objectively worse.
Google does not even have the greatest cameras within the business. Chinese language manufacturers have made larger strides on this regard during the last 15 months, and the change to huge 1-inch sensors mixed with overhauled digital camera tuning means the likes of the Xiaomi 14 Extremely, Discover X7 Extremely, and Magic 6 Professional take significantly better photographs than the Pixel 8 Professional in any given state of affairs.
The Xiaomi 14 Extremely specifically is terrific, and the Magic 6 Professional by some means manages to take excellent photographs of fast-moving objects. Out of all of the telephones I used this yr, I appreciated the cameras on the Discover X7 Extremely the very best — I choose its shade vibrancy to that of the Xiaomi 14 Extremely, and the cellphone does a greater job with portrait pictures in difficult situations.
However I do not care about any of that. What the Pixel 8 Professional lacks in {hardware} prowess it greater than makes up for within the software program, and that finally is the differentiator. The Discover X7 Extremely’s interface is fluid like no different cellphone round, however making an attempt to wrestle the Chinese language ColorOS construct to do what I wished turned a relentless supply of frustration. Similar with the Xiaomi 14 Extremely — Xiaomi’s long-awaited software program overhaul is not meaningfully totally different, and if something, it’s extra annoying to make use of.
The Pixel 8 Professional, in the meantime, manages to ship an general expertise that is simply higher than different units. The software program does not have as many options as its rivals, however the ones Google included inevitably get a whole lot of use; I like At A Look and Now Enjoying and continually make the most of each options, Recorder is my go-to option to file and transcribe interviews, and all of the AI-infused digital camera options that debuted within the Pixel 8 Professional are incredible to make use of.
Whereas a whole lot of manufacturers are bundling AI into nearly each product they will think about, I like what Google did on this space. Finest Shot, Audio Magic Eraser, and Magic Editor are all helpful options that make a distinction in how I take and edit photographs and movies, and I even get a whole lot of utility out of Video Increase.
There’s additionally the truth that I just like the Materials You interface; it’s quirky and playful, and it does an awesome job with the fundamentals: notification administration, UI navigation, and safety.
I do know it is not for everybody, however for what I want from a cellphone, the Pixel 8 Professional continues to be the right alternative.
The Pixel 8 Professional does not have the newest options, but it surely continues to ship within the areas that matter probably the most.