Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro: Nothing new under the sun

New versus old, old versus new. That's pretty much the deal with the Pixel 8 Pro versus the Pixel 7 Pro. Google is seemingly preparing a small selection of key improvements here and there, but so far nothing too revolutionary.

Instead, Google is seeming dead-set on perfecting the general formula that debuted with the Pixel 6 Pro and was honed by the Pixel 7 Pro; all could culminate with the upcoming Pixel 8 Pro before Google hopefully shakes things up with its future releases. 

So, what exactly do we expect of the Pixel 8 Pro, and how would it stack up against the Pixel 7 Pro? Here are our expectations based on the existing rumors and our educated guesses. 

At this point in time, we simply don't expect too many changes in the exterior and the overall design of the Pixel 8 Pro. It will be pretty safe to expect the same general design and the same overall dimensions. Surely, there might be some changes in certain design aspects. For example, we might see some changes in the camera strip at the back, which is a signature feature of all recent Pixel phones: Google might either change the build material or shake up the design in other clever ways. 

Size-wise, there are no credible rumors calling for a larger Pixel 8 Pro, so expect something along the lines of 6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 inches (162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm) and tipping the scales at a little over 210 grams. Overall, that's a winning combination, as it pairs a relatively large display with a phone that's not too unwieldy and heavy. 

The slightly curved rear and front glass that slope to the side frame make for a very comfortable and ergonomic experience, so we are definitely hoping that Google won't ditch that design language out of the door. 

Water and dust-resistance will be part of the mix, with IP68 most likely ensuring that the Pixel 8 Pro will be able to survive for up to 30 minutes in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater. That's as good as it gets and should give you a peace of mind that your phone will survive any liquid ordeal.

We don't expect a charger in the box of the Pixel 8 Pro.

We don't expect any differences in the display area. The Pixel 8 Pro's display will be a 6.7-inch OLED one and will likely have a QHD+ resolution of 3120 by 1440 pixels. Corning's own Gorilla Glass Victus will most certainly protect against accidental scratches, while the potential maximum brightness would likely hit upwards of 1,500 nits in the correct lighting conditions. 

Just like the Pixel 7 Pro, the Pixel 8 Pro will most certainly come with an in-display fingerprint scanner, which should be fast and accurate. Picture-based Face Unlock will be part of the Pixel 8 Pro specs sheet, too. 

The Pixel 8 Pro will be powered by the yet unannounced Google Tensor G3 chipset. It will likely  Codenamed Zuma, it will feature four mid-range Cortex-A715 cores in comparison with the dual mid-range Cortex-A78, while the prime core will be a 3.0GHz Cortex-X3, an improvement over the 2.85GHz Cortex-X1 core. 

Thanks to these improvements, we expect the Pixel 8 Pro to have substantially better performance than its predecessor. However, the leitmotif with the Tensor line of chips is not focusing on raw performance, so don't expect Google's new chip to beat the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or the Apple A17 Bionic.

Memory-wise, the Pixel 8 Pro might come with LPDDR5X RAM, which could introduce potential improvements in comparison with the LPDDR5 RAM on the Pixel 7 Pro. The Pixel 8 Pro might come with 8 and 12GB of RAM versions, just like the Pixel 7 Pro. The new phone will likely be available with 128, 256, and 512GB of on-board storage. 

The new Pixel 8 Pro is rumored to come with a new sensor for the main wide camera, with leakers being torn between the 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN2 sensor and the 64MP Sony IMX 787. 

If the Samsung sensor makes it on board the upcoming phone, it will be able to benefit from a new and improved so-called 'staggered' HDR feature. Unlike regular HDR, this one takes a short and a long exposure of the scene simultaneously, potentially eliminating ghosting artefacts and motion blur. The Pixel 7 Pro has no such feature.

The rest of the cameras aren't very likely to get changed. We expect a 5.0X 48MP telephoto to makes its proverbial way to the Pixel 8 Pro, as well as your standard 12MP ultra-wide camera. 

At the front, however, rumors put a 32MP selfie camera, a substantial megapixel improvement over the 10.8MP front-facing snapper on the Pixel 7 Pro. 

The audio quality of the Pixel 7 Pro was excellent and certainly on the flagship level one would expect from a high-end Google phone. With decently pronounced mids, sufficiently deep base and clear highs, it's a joy to listen to music or enjoy videos on your Pixel. That's why we have a particularly high set of expectations for the Pixel 8 Pro, and hopefully, Google will deliver. 

In terms of haptic feedback, gone are the days of mushy vibrations that some earlier Pixel phones were infamous for. The Pixel 7 Pro provides accurate feedback, here's to hoping the same fate will befall the upcoming Pixel 8 Pro. 

So far, we haven't heard anything particular about the Pixel 8 Pro's potential battery size, which most likely means that we'll get the same 5,000mAh battery. There are some rumors about a potential 5,100mAh battery unit, but that one is yet to be confirmed by credible sources. 

That's the same battery size as the Pixel 7 Pro, which generally fared quite well in our custom video and web browsing tests in comparison with the previous Pixel 6 Pro, but lost to it in our custom 3D gaming test. Hopefully, the Pixel 8 Pro will be able to outdo its predecessor and reach new heights of endurance.

Charging-wise, rumor has it that Google will slightly increase charging speeds. The Pixel 8 Pro could come with a 27W wired charging solution, a 4W increase over the Pixel 7 Pro's 23W charging.

Although it's too early too have any specific specs for the Pixel 8 Pro, our Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro specs comparison is live. Here's the gist of it, summarized for your convenience:

While it's true that we don't expect any major changes on the Pixel 8 Pro, this doesn't mean that it will be a lackluster release at all. In fact, the Pixel 7 Pro was easily one of our favorite Android phones of last year, so we have equally high expectations of the Pixel 8 Pro as well. 

Should you hold your breath and potentially upgrade to the Pixel 8 Pro if you're using a Pixel 7 Pro? Hardly. There most certainly wouldn't be any major differences between the two generations. 

However, if you're holding off from an older Pixel, then the Pixel 8 Pro could end up being the perfect phone to upgrade to. With a potential starting price of around $949, the Pixel 8 Pro could be one of the last sensibly priced flagships out there.