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Phone Won't Charge? Try This Easy DIY Toothpick Trick First
Phone Won't Charge? Try This Easy DIY Toothpick Trick First
You've plugged your iPhone or Android phone into its charger and... nothing's happened. From broken or rusted charging ports to damaged power cables, there are plenty of reasons your phone might not charge and not all of them can be easily fixed at home. A common reason for faulty charging is simply that your charging port, whether that's Lightning on the iPhone 13 or USB-C on phones like the Google Pixel 6 Pro is clogged with months' worth of pocket fluff and the cable can't quite fit in anymore.
Thankfully, this is one of the simplest and cheapest solutions to a charging problem. Here's how to fix it.
Why is my charging port blocked?
There are no covers on your phone's charging port, meaning they're exposed to every bit of dust, dirt and debris they encounter. Every time you slide your phone into your pocket your phone will be susceptible to pocket fluff and if, like me, you've got pockets filled with detritus from accidentally washing your jeans with old receipts in the pockets then that's asking for trouble. And that's to say nothing of the biscuit crumbs I have in there. Do not ask me why I have biscuit crumbs in my pockets.
Day by day, this won't be a problem but those tiny bits of dust and fluff will build up over the months or years you have your phone, compacting together each time you plug in your charging cable until it forms a solid barrier that stops your charger from going all the way in and allowing it to connect and charge.
A wooden cocktail stick is a great tool for the job as the wood won't damage the internal parts.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
If you've had your phone for more than six months and you're gradually finding the charger becoming less and less stable (particularly if you have to wiggle it around to get it to begin charging) then it's highly likely that dirt in your port is the culprit.
How to clean out your phone's charging port
It's a simple task to unclog your phone's port. You'll need a cocktail stick, toothpick or other thin item that you can poke in to the port to scrape out the grime. Wood or plastic is better as it's less likely to scrape against anything inside and potentially cause harm. I've done this using a metal SIM removal tool and while it worked well, it's not the safest option for your phone.
Insert your tool of choice into the charging port until it won't go further and gently start scraping away. With an iPhone's Lightning port you can scrape back and forth, but with USB-C you'll need to scrape around the charging connector, which sits in the middle of the port.
Get it in there.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Eventually you'll start to work the compacted debris loose and you'll be able to encourage the dislodged material out of the port. It's a satisfying process and you might be surprised at how much stuff actually comes out. Gently work on the sides of the port too, but be mindful not to scrape hard against any of the metal charging connectors.
Eventually you'll have pretty much all of it out. It's difficult to check for sure if you've gotten rid of it all as it's tricky to see inside the port, even if you have a good light to hand. But once you've got a good amount of nonsense out, you can try your charging cable again.
The satisfying removal of nonsense from your phone's charging port.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Hopefully it'll plug in more securely now and begin charging. If not, carry on trying to extract more dirt and then test the charger again. If that still doesn't solve the issue it's time to consider other solutions like a new cable or charger.
Huawei Mate 8 review: An overpriced battery life beast
Huawei Mate 8 review: An overpriced battery life beast
Huawei's all-metal, 6-inch Mate 8 has a lot going for it, especially its long-lasting battery and high camera quality. After all, those are two things almost anyone would look for in a phone. But unfortunately the handset's price tag is too steep to close the deal -- €600 for the 32GB version and €700 for the 64GB model. Those numbers translate to roughly $650 and $760; £450 and £525.
The Mate 8 isn't expected to come to the US.
The prices alone aren't the problem; they're in line with premium rivals. The problem is that the Mate 8 just isn't a premium phone, certainly not premium enough to best the Google Nexus 6P or Samsung Galaxy Note 5, two of the phones I would look at if you're thinking of going large (scroll to the end for a full specs comparison). Part of my recommendation to skip the Mate 8 stems from the other, admittedly minor drawbacks, including a screen resolution that's lower than I'd like on a phone of this size.
A much lower price would help blunt those flaws and give fans of big phones a good alternative in an all-metal build. However, if you can get the Nexus 6P or Galaxy Note 5, or even the LG V10, do that instead. You'll get more for your hard-earned cash.
Pros:
Long-lasting battery
Recent version of Google's software, Android 6.0
All-metal build
Same accurate fingerprint reader that's on the back of the Huawei-made Google Nexus 6P
Loud speaker audio
Cons:
Large size is polarizing and won't fit comfortably in all hands
Dim screen
Screen resolution is too low
Battery life and screen size set the Mate 8 apart, but...
If you're hot on big phones, the Mate 8's 6-inch screen gives you the room you need to run wild. When I hold the Mate 8 in my hand, the screen seems bright and wonderful...until I stream video, view high-res photos or hold it next to any other phone. It's then that I notice its 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution looks dimmer and a little hazier than other phones of its class at any brightness level, especially the impossibly vibrant Nexus 6P.
Compared to ultrasharp displays like on the Nexus 6P's 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution, higher-res graphics look less detailed; that's because there are fewer pixels on the Mate 8, much lower than you typically see on a large-screen phone (see chart below). Most of the time, the Mate 8's resolution won't impede your viewing pleasure, but Huawei really should have climbed to the next rung in resolution to match the well-priced Nexus 6P (2,560x1,440 pixels).
The battery lurking below this shiny exterior packs some real muscle.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Better news is that battery here is a monster -- the Mate 8 lasted an average of 15.6 hours in our video drain tests. In everyday life, too, I always seemed to have enough battery reserves after continuously using it throughout the day. Some of that is due to the dimmer screen, though if your battery ever does get perilously close to flatlining, you can always turn on the phone's power-saving settings.
Bonus points: Camera and Android 6.0
Photos were another bright spot. The 16-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front-facing camera shot off rounds of very nice photos in most lighting settings, indoor and out. I'm not saying these were flawless -- camera photos do have their limits and I did get some weirdly yellow indoor shots in seriously terrible lighting -- but the camera components have gotten so good lately that most higher-end models will take photos you like.
Selfie shots were also pretty good when tested in the hand and yes, even on a selfie stick during a rowdy New Year's party, but Huawei does shove Beauty Mode down your throat -- unbelievably, you have your choice of two. Those with a more natural vibe can switch to the usual camera mode to slides settings down from Beauty 10 to zero.
The camera took pleasing photos in almost every lighting condition I threw its way.
Josh Miller/CNET
Here's another good thing: the Mate 8 has Android 6.0 Marshmallow onboard, Google's latest software. Being up to date means you get new features like Doze (automatic battery-saving software) and Now on Tap (which pops up extra info when you press the home button) -- I also like invoking Google voice search ("OK, Google") from any screen. The presence of Android 6.0 hopefully means that Huawei will continue to update the Mate 8 as Google rolls out updates.
If you've never used a Huawei phone before, you should know that Huawei liberally sauces Android with its own flavor, which it calls the Emotion UI (EMUI 4.0). It's a pretty dramatic change if you're used to the Nexus 6P's vanilla Android. Your apps lay out along multiple home screens like on the iPhone, and the lock screen and notifications pull-down menu have different effects, too. Spend some time playing around with the settings menu and lock screen and you'll get it all how you want it. I personally like some of the animated transitions, but a lot of Android purists I know rail against any changes to their favorite Android skin.
The colors on this broad-leaf plant are vibrant without being oversaturated.
CNET
I photographed this venerable St. Bernard close to the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
These friends took the Huawei Mate 8's selfie capabilities into their own hands -- er, their own selfie stick.
CNET
Our standard studio shot, taken in controlled lighting with the Mate 8.
James Martin/CNET
Things I'm not sold on
I've already mentioned that screen resolution is lower than I expect for a premium-priced handset. The Mate 8's processor and overall dimensions also raise some red flags.
The processor
Huawei doesn't just make gadgets, it now makes processors, too. Like Samsung, Huawei started using its Kirin chipset in phones. The Mate 8 did fine in our diagnostic tests, but generally lagged behind top phones from Samsung and Apple. More worrisome, Riptide GP2, which I regularly use to test smartphones, crashed the six or seven times I tried to push the limits in graphics settings (it played on medium-level graphics, though). On the other hand, those crashes could have more to do with how the developers coded the app; the phone behaved fine. Everyday tasks like opening apps and uploading photos worked smoothly and seamlessly, and bootup time was on par.
For me, the Mate 8's dimensions are just too big. The handset is hefty and wide, and even though there's a setting for one-handed controls, I'd never use them. The fingerprint sensor on the back that you can use to unlock the phone is dead on when you position your finger correctly, but I had to stretch to reach the sensor on the Mate 8 just as I did on the Nexus 6P, so I couldn't always unlock the phone the first time around. The larger-pawed folks I handed didn't have my problems.
Interestingly, the Mate 8 and Nexus 6P have about the same body dimensions, even though the 6P's screen is slightly smaller. If the 6P isn't too large for your hand, the Mate 8 won't be either.
Versus the Nexus 6P and others
With that premium-phone pricing and under-premium specs, the Mate 8 just isn't worth your money. Pick the Nexus 6P or Galaxy Note 5 instead. Although both are equally large in the hand, you'll enjoy a sharper, brighter screen and top-notch camera. Nexus 6P owners also get to brag about the perks of owning Android 6.0's debut phone, like getting new updates first and little things like a camera quick-start trigger.
Apple watch series 5 vs fitbit versa 2 download apple watch series 5 vs fitbit versa 3 apple watch series 5 vs fitbit versa manual apple watch series 5 vs series 3 apple watch series 5 vs series se apple watch series 5 vs series 4 refurbished apple watch series 5 apple watch series 3 apple watch series 1 apple watch series 8
Apple Watch Series 5 vs. Fitbit Versa 2: Best smartwatch to give as a gift
Apple Watch Series 5 vs. Fitbit Versa 2: Best smartwatch to give as a gift
The Apple Watch Series 5 starts at $399 (£399, AU$649) and makes an ideal gift for an iPhone user who wants to keep an eye on their health and fitness goals, or get notifications from their phone. But the Fitbit Versa 2 costs half as much and has many similar features, plus it works across Android and iOS. I've been wearing both these watches for a few weeks to determine which one is better at tracking workouts, getting notifications and has the best battery life.
Read more:Best gifts for people who are obsessed with CrossFit
Angela Lang/CNET
A versatile hybrid that's equal parts smartwatch and fitness tracker, the Versa 2 adds a few improvements over the first version that make it a good option for Apple and Android owners alike. Like the Apple Watch, it too has an always-on display, but the battery will last more than twice as long. Expect at least five days between charges if you don't have the always-on display active. It also gives you built-in sleep tracking, Alexa support and Spotify control on your wrist.
Read the Fitbit Versa 2 hands-on.
All-day comfort so you can go from the office to the gym
The Apple Watch comes in two sizes (40mm and 44mm) while the Versa 2 just comes in one size. I have a fairly small wrist and found both of these watches very comfortable to wear all day. With the Versa 2, I hardly had to take it off at all because I could use it to track my sleep.
Want a wide range of finishes and straps to choose from? You'll find the biggest selection with the Apple Watch. Everything from aluminum and stainless steel to the more expensive ceramic and titanium finishes that cost upward of $800. The Versa 2 has three aluminum color finishes with a variety of straps.
Angela Lang/CNET
The Versa 2 gets a much nicer color AMOLED display than the first generation Versa and it's easy to see in bright sunlight when the brightness is turned to max. (The always-on display could be a little brighter for me during outdoor workouts, however.) Notifications and on-screen prompts are clear and legible.
The Apple Watch uses a color LTPO OLED Retina display. It also has Force Touch, so you can press on the screen to register different options.
They're both water-resistant to 50 meters (164 feet) so you can use them to track swims and they'll be fine if subjected to occasional splashes.
Fitbit still makes its straps pretty difficult to swap in and out, as they have tiny toggles, whereas the Apple Watch is simpler with a button to slide the strap in and out. The charging dock for the Versa 2 is also a pain. Not only is it not backward-compatible with older generations of Fitbit watches like the original Versa, the cord doesn't tuck underneath the dock neatly so it's next to impossible to get your watch to lie flat on the dock when it's charging.
Smart features put the Apple Watch a step ahead
If you like customizing the look of your watch face, the Versa 2 has a lot more options to choose from than the Apple Watch, including third-party watch faces. There's even a Bitmoji watch face that changes expressions depending on your activity or time of day (my personal favorite).
Both have an always-on display and, thanks to the latest Fitbit OS 4.1 update, the Versa 2 now gets the option of a color always-on display, like the Apple Watch. But the Apple Watch only makes it through one whole day with a little extra to spare when I have the always-on display active. That's with a 40-minute workout thrown in and regular use throughout the day getting notifications from my phone. The Versa 2 makes it two-and-a-half days with always-on active and the same usage. That goes up to five-and-a-half days when the display is set to raise-to-wake.
The always-on display on the Versa 2.
Angela Lang/CNET
Being smartwatches, both support voice assistants, though they handle that in a different way. With the Versa 2 you get Alexa support to control smart devices, check the weather, start a workout or set reminders. There's no speaker, so you'll have to read the screen to check responses. And it's kind of slow.
With the Apple Watch closely integrated with Siri, you can speak the wake word or hold the button to summon the assistant. You'll be able to hear Siri talk, send text messages, speak responses and do most of what Siri offers on your phone.
Of course, you'll also be able to customize what notifications come through from your phone on both of these watches. However, you will only be able to respond to notifications from the Versa 2 if you're on Android, not iPhone. Both allow you to accept and reject calls from your wrist, regardless of what phone you're tied to, but if you have the Versa 2 you won't be able to take the call on your wrist because there's no speaker -- you'll need to grab your phone.
For me, the biggest advantage that the Apple Watch has over the Versa 2 when it comes to smart features is built-in connectivity, both GPS and cellular, which means you can leave your phone at home and take calls, send messages or stream music on the go when doing an outdoor workout, for example. (It does come at an extra cost, however.) With Emergency SOS you'll also be able to call emergency services from your wrist and share your location, plus alert your emergency contacts. The Apple Watch Series 5 also offers a built-in compass.
Both offer music storage, although it's more complicated to pull across music to the Versa 2 from a computer than it is to use the seamless transfer offered between the iPhone and Apple Watch. You can also pay with your wrist thanks to Fitbit Pay and Apple Pay on the Versa 2 and Apple Watch respectively.
I've been testing the Apple Watch and Versa 2 primarily with an iPhone and definitely feel the Apple Watch was the faster of the two when it comes to syncing and transferring settings. Occasionally, I have noticed integrations with third-party apps such as Spotify and Snapchat for the Bitmoji face require me to log in and sync again through the Fitbit app.
Read about some of the other features offered in WatchOS 6 on the Apple Watch.
Fitness tracking is Fitbit's forte, but Apple has ECG
I have used both of these watches during a number of different workouts (Pilates, indoor spin class, outdoor runs and outdoor bike rides) and have been impressed with the results from both. During my outdoor run, for example, both gave fairly consistent results when it came to tracking my heart rate, although I did find the Apple Watch updated my heart rate slightly faster. I haven't yet tested these watches against the gold standard in consumer heart rate tracking, a chest strap.
The Versa 2, however, can show you what heart rate zone you're in during a workout, such as cardio or fat burn, which I appreciate. Only the Apple Watch offers you on-wrist cadence tracking so you can see your steps per minute, plus pace alerts for running that can notify you if you fall below your chosen pace. You can see your pace on the wrist for the Versa 2, but you won't get alerts.
Both watches can track plenty of different workouts and automatically detect certain activities like running or walking. I find it easier to see and interpret the data from my workouts using the Fitbit app rather than trying to search for it across the Activity app or Health app on iPhone.
Fitbit also offers the Coach app (you'll need to download and sync it across to the watch from the Fitbit app) which puts three free workouts with visual guidance on your wrist. This hasn't changed since the first Versa but it's still a nice touch for those who might not have time for a full workout. You can pay for a Fitbit Premium subscription ($9.99 a month in the US) to get more workouts.
Sleep tracking on the Versa 2.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Sleep tracking is only available natively on the Versa 2 and I really like how Fitbit shows you a breakdown of your different sleep stages, such as REM and deep sleep, plus gives you a sleep score out of 100. Thanks to the latest OS 4.1 update, you can now see your sleep score on the Versa 2 and the watch now has a feature that vibrates to wake you at the optimal time in your sleep cycle (within 30 minutes of your alarm). Fitbit calls this smart wake.
Unfortunately the app won't tell you much about how to improve the sleep score (apart from some standard prompts to go to bed on time) unless you have a Fitbit Premium subscription which has more advanced sleep tools and analysis.
I also found that there was sometimes a variance between how I felt and the sleep score: For example, one night I got 8.5 hours of rest and felt great in the morning, but my sleep score was in the low 60s. The sleep score does take into account your restoration, which is sleeping heart rate and how much you toss and turn during the night. (Maybe I'm an overly active sleeper, because my restoration score showed a lot of restlessness.)
The Apple Watch helps you keep tabs on your daily activity using a ring-based system, which hasn't changed since the first generation. On the Versa 2 you can find your daily metrics in the Today section by swiping down from the main screen.
As for health and heart tracking in particular, the Apple Watch Series 5 pulls ahead. With a built-in ECG (electrocardiogram) that's FDA-cleared, the watch can also detect high, low and irregular heart rates and notify you accordingly. It also has fall detection. Both watches offer menstrual cycle tracking, although you can't log details on the Versa 2 like you can on the Apple Watch. Instead, you'll need to do that in the Fitbit app.
Which one's right for me?
Considering the Versa 2 costs half as much as the Apple Watch Series 5, if money is your concern, then this is the watch for you. Especially because it works across Android and iOS. It also has a wide range of activities that it can track and the Fitbit app makes it really easy to see your fitness metrics.
For runners, or those who want to leave their phone at home and stream music on the go, make calls or send messages, the Apple Watch with built-in LTE is the clear choice. It also has the benefit of ECG in certain countries.
Also, now that Apple has reduced the entry price of the Apple Watch Series 3 (which also has GPS and an LTE option) to $200, it's another good option for Apple users who want the tightest integration with an iPhone.
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Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still a Top iPhone Rival in 2022
Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still a Top iPhone Rival in 2022
Editors' note: The Google Pixel 6 Pro's solid all-round performance and excellent camera make it a superb high-end Android phone that's well worth your money, which is why we've given it a CNET Editors' Choice award. The original review follows.
When it launched late in 2021, I said the Pixel 6 Pro isn't just the best phone Google has ever made, it's also one of the best phones you can buy. Half a year later, I stand by those words and strongly recommend you consider this phone if you're looking for a great all-round experience at a more reasonable price. Its strong performance, great software additions, unique design and excellent camera system make it the biggest rival to Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Sure, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a few more bells and whistles. The S Pen stylus, for example, not to mention that incredible 10x optical zoom that blows both the Pixel 6 Pro's 4x zoom and the iPhone 13 Pro's 3.5x zoom out the water. The S22 Ultra is faster on benchmark tests, too. But at $1,200 it also costs a lot more than the Pixel, meaning you've really got to be dedicated to having only the most cutting-edge tech in your pocket to want to splash that extra cash.
The Pixel 6 Pro manages to offer its winning combo of specs and design at a price that undercuts its main rivals. The 6.7-inch base 128GB model costs $899 (£849, AU$1,299), a sizable chunk less than the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro's $999 price and even more off the $1,099 Apple wants for the larger 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. Sure, $899 might not be "cheap" but it represents good value when compared against the prices of other flagship phones.
Google's earlier Pixel 5 was best seen as a midrange phone with some higher-end touches, while the Pixel 6 Pro is premium all the way. From its glass and metal design to its high-resolution display and its superb triple camera, there's a lot to like here. Then there's the Tensor processor, a chip custom-made by Google for the phone, which provides ample power for all of your daily needs, better security features, 5G connectivity and a slick Android 12 interface. Battery life is good -- certainly above average -- but not great, with the iPhone 13 Pro putting in a stronger performance.
Its biggest Android rival right now is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which does have some neat camera additions (that 10x zoom, for one thing), but it costs more and the Pixel 6 Pro offers a more user-friendly experience. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max offer superb all-round use, but come at a higher price and if you're already entrenched in the Android ecosystem, it's likely not worth switching and buying all those apps again.
Those looking for the best all-round Android experience should absolutely look toward the Pixel 6 Pro.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Pixel 6 Pro or Pixel 6?
The stepdown $599 (£599, AU$999) Pixel 6 packs the same Tensor processor and lovely Android 12 software for $300 less than the Pro, but there are a few compromises it makes in order to come to that cheaper price.
It has a smaller and lower resolution 6.4-inch display that lacks the curving finesse of the Pro. Its battery is smaller, it has 8GB rather than 12GB of RAM and it lacks the 4x telephoto zoom lens found on the Pro.
The Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch display while the Pixel 6's measures 6.4 inches.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
But it's still a great phone that's well worth considering. It provides many of the same perks of the Pixel 6 Pro at a much lower price, especially if you don't care about the top-end performance offered by the flagship. As my colleague Patrick Holland put it in his review of the phone, "For the price, I can't think of a better phone to recommend right now."
A fresh design that stands out
I didn't love the look of last year's Pixel 5. The matte, rubberized back gave the phone a more budget feel than its $699 price tag suggested. The Pixel 6 Pro is worlds apart. The rear is all glass -- toughened Gorilla Glass Victus, in fact -- that curves at the edges to meet the 100% recycled aluminum frame.
The glass curves at the edges on the front, too, as does the display beneath it, making it not only look more premium, but feel like a truly flagship device when you hold it in your hand. It's big though, packing in a 6.7-inch display, which will make it more cumbersome for some than the 6-inch Pixel 5 or 6.4-inch Pixel 6. That glass makes it slippery, too, so consider one of Google's protective cases if you're nervous about dropping it.
The Pixel 6 Pro, flanked by the iPhone 13 Pro (left) and Pixel 5.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
It is IP68-rated for water resistance, meaning it can withstand being in 1 meter (about 3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. No, that doesn't mean you can take it swimming, but it does mean it should be able to shake off having the odd beer spilled over it by your clumsy mates.
An interesting design choice is the large camera bar that stretches across the back. It protrudes from the phone by about 3mm, so it doesn't lie totally flat when you put it on a table, but nor does it rock from corner to corner like phones with camera bumps just on one side. I like the look of the phone and it certainly stands out. One tip though: Get the Sorta Sunny orangey-peachy color, if you can find it in stock. The black-and-gray option, Stormy Black, looks rather dull by comparison.
The camera strip protrudes from the phone by about 3mm. As a result, it won't lie flat on a table.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The rear-mounted fingerprint scanner seen on the Pixel 5 has been removed, replaced instead with an in-screen scanner, which I found worked accurately and quickly most of the time, although Patrick found the Pixel 6's scanner to be much more hit and miss in his review. There's no face unlock ability, which is a bit of a shame.
Three excellent cameras
That big bar on the back hides three cameras: a 12-megapixel ultrawide; a 48-megapixel telephoto that offers 4x optical zoom; and a main camera that uses a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor, which Google says captures 2.5x more light than the Pixel 5. The cameras on the Pixel phones have always been excellent, and this new generation is no different.
Images from the main camera lens are stunning. They're vibrant, they're packed with detail and there's an amazing balance of exposure, with bright skies kept under control and shadowy areas being easily visible.
Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The golden colors of the leaves have been captured beautifully here, with a rich blue sky visible behind.
iPhone 13 Pro, main camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
And here's the same image taken on the iPhone 13 Pro. There's little to choose between them, but if I was being hypercritical, I'd say that the white balance on the Pixel 6 Pro has resulted in a warmer, more orange tone on the tree trunk, which I think looks better. You can see how the Pixel 6 Pro's camera really stacks up against the iPhone 13 Pro's in my photography shootout.
Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
This scene looking towards the beautiful Edinburgh castle is a challenging shot, with dark shadows and an extremely bright sky beyond the trees. The Pixel 6 Pro has handled it well though, maintaining a lovely exposure overall.
Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
And it's much the same here, with vivid blue skies, superb exposure and plenty of detail.
Pixel 6 Pro, ultrawide camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Switching to the ultrawide lens, the scene maintains the rich colors and exposure. Zoom closer in and it's clear it has less overall detail, but it's still a lovely shot.
Pixel 6 Pro, ultrawide camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Another from the Pixel 6 Pro's ultrawide lens. But check out the iPhone 13 Pro's:
iPhone 13 Pro, ultrawide lens.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The iPhone's offers a much wider view that lets you capture more in the scene. They're both excellent wide lenses and both do a great job in packing in those beautiful colors, but I'd like to have seen the Pixel offering a slightly wider scene.
The 4x zoom lens is amazing too, providing tons of detail thanks to its high resolution sensor. I think 4x is a great zoom level for a phone as well; it allows you to find compositions that would be beyond the reach of lesser zoom levels, but it's not quite as restrictive as the 10x zoom you'll find on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It's a zoom level I feel I'd use a lot on my travels and have already taken a few 4x shots with the phone that I'm really pleased with as artistic images.
Pixel 6 Pro, 4x zoom.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
This zoomed-in image is so pin-sharp I can actually read the headline on the newspaper. It's a really impressive lens that doesn't force you to make any kind of compromise on quality in order to achieve those zoom levels. By comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro's optical zoom maxes out at 3x, so the Pixel 6 Pro is able to achieve a closer-up image. Which, frankly, I'd take any day over a wider-angle view.
Pixel 6 Pro, 4x zoom.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
It's handy as well for focusing your view on a smaller scene like this, capturing intimate little still-life scenes, rather than grand, sweeping vistas. The fine textures on the leaves here are extremely sharp.
Google has thrown some extra features in too, including a tool that automatically removes people from the background in an image, which sometimes works well, and sometimes leaves a big splotch where a person once stood. Then there's the long exposure mode, which allows you to create ethereal blurred waterscapes and the Nightscape mode, which does an excellent job of taking shots in the dark.
Pixel 6 pro, Nightscape photo.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
I'm seriously impressed with the photography abilities of the Pixel 6 Pro and there's no question that it's among the best cameras you can get on a phone right now. Video quality is excellent as well, with superb dynamic range, excellent image stabilization and plenty of detail thanks to the 4K resolution.
Does Google's Tensor processor make a difference?
At the heart of the phone is Google's first home-baked processor, named Tensor. It's a significant move for Google to produce its own silicon and it shows a strong commitment to remain in the hardware game -- after all, you don't go to the effort of developing your own processors as a one-off experiment.
But it's essentially irrelevant once you get the Pixel in your hand, as it functions just like any other phone. It's nippy to navigate around the Android 12 interface, games like Asphalt 9: Legends and Call of Duty play perfectly, while photo editing and video streaming are handled exactly as well as you'd get from any other top-end phone right now.
Pixel 6 Pro benchmark tests
Google Pixel 6 Pro
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Legend:
Geekbench 5 (single core)
Geekbench 5 (multi core)
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Note:
Longer bars equal better performance
On benchmark tests like the Geekbench 5 processor test and 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme graphics test, the Pixel 6 Pro doesn't score quite as highly as the iPhone 13 Pro, but it's up there with the Galaxy S21 Ultra (and it edged out the powerful OnePlus 9 Pro on the graphics test too). Benchmarks are by no means a direct indicator of real-life performance, but it's good to at least see that Google's new silicon is operating in the same ballpark as its rivals.
No, the Tensor chip is not setting a new standard for lightning-fast performance. But it doesn't need to; today's phones already pack way more power than any of us are likely to need on a daily basis. Google's push into chip production goes beyond simply creating a "benchmark beater" and a lot of the real benefits will come over time as the company develops more ways to take advantage of its own hardware.
The Tensor processor is particularly designed with machine learning, AI and speech-recognition applications in mind. There are already speech-recognition functions built into the keyboard (for dictating messages or emails) as well as real-time translation tools and improved visual language translations when using Google Lens via the camera.
Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro run the latest Android 12 software.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Android 12 is lovely to use
The Android 12 interface is extremely neat and easy to use. It's my favorite version of Android so far, offering an uncomplicated experience that even Android novices won't take long to get to grips with. One of the bigger features that's (for now) exclusive to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro is the ability to create custom themes for the phone based on whatever image you have as your background.
When you choose a new wallpaper (either one of the many built-in ones, or any of your own images saved to your phone), the phone will automatically pick out the dominant color and will use that, and its complementary colors, to change the look of parts of the interface, including some of the default Google app icons on the home screen, such as the Play Store, Gmail and Photos. It's a nice idea, although it probably shouldn't be the main reason you decide to part with your cash.
Security has been given a particular push both on the software and hardware side. The Tensor processor has a dedicated Titan coprocessor that apparently allows for much better on-device security, while Android 12 offers more granular control of your security and privacy settings. That includes a dashboard that shows what apps have used what information recently and handy buttons in the pull-down notification tray that turn off system-wide access to your camera and microphone.
Those quick-access privacy buttons might come in handy.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Google has also promised that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will receive security updates for five years, which will mean these phones will be safer to use for longer. Many older phones are still perfectly usable from a hardware standpoint, but if they don't have the latest security patches on board then they're susceptible to all kinds of hacking nastiness. From both a cost and environmental perspective, being able to use our phones safely for longer is only a good thing.
Vibrant display, solid battery life and fast charging
The Pixel 6 Pro's 6.7-inch display is pin-sharp thanks to its 3,120x1,440-pixel resolution. It's bright, too, with vibrant colors that do justice to colorful games like Candy Crush Soda Saga or video like Netflix's world-dominating show Squid Game. It has an adaptive refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz when you're playing fast-paced games, but also slows down to only 10Hz when the phone is basically sitting idle. Performance when you need it; power-saving when you don't.
The Pixel 6 Pro and perhaps its biggest rival, the iPhone 13 Pro.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The phone runs on a 5,003-mAh battery, which should be good for a full day of mixed use. After one hour of streaming a YouTube video at max brightness it had dropped from full to 98%. By contrast, the OnePlus 9 Pro had dropped to 90%, while the iPhone 13 Pro dropped to only 99%. After a further hour the 6 Pro had dropped to 89%, while the iPhone 13 Pro was at 93%. You certainly shouldn't struggle to get through the day with it, but as with all phones, you can help it by keeping screen brightness down, avoiding demanding tasks like gaming or video streaming until you're near a plug, and turning off GPS.
It has Qi wireless charging and it supports fast charging with a 30-watt charger (not supplied), which will take the phone to 50% full in 30 minutes. That's decent, but not really a match for OnePlus's 65-watt fast charging, which will fully charge the device in the same time. Still, it's fast enough to be able to give your phone a quick boost before you head out and about, and the Extreme Battery Saver mode pauses all but your essential apps to preserve the remaining juice.
Google Pixel 6 specs vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro, Google Pixel 5, Apple iPhone 13
HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60fps
Processor
Google Tensor
Google Tensor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Apple A15 Bionic
Storage
128GB, 256GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
RAM
8GB
12GB
8GB
Undisclosed
Expandable storage
No
No
No
No
Battery
4,614 mAh
5,003 mAh
4,000 mAh
Undisclosed; Apple lists 19 hours of video playback
Fingerprint sensor
Under display
Under display
Rear
No (Face ID)
Connector
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
Lightning
Headphone jack
No
No
No
No
Special features
5G sub 6 (some carrier models also have 5G mmWave) support, Wi-Fi 6E, 30W fast-charging, wireless charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS security updates, IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front), Gorilla Glass 6 (back), dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
5G sub 6 and mmWave support, Wi-Fi 6E, ultra-wideband, 30W fast-charging, wireless charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS security updates, IP68 rating for dust- and water-resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front and back), dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
5G enabled; water-resistant (IP68); 90Hz-refresh-rate display; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); reverse wireless charging; fast charging
