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RedMagic 7: A Little Bit Android, A Little Bit Nintendo Switch
RedMagic 7: A Little Bit Android, A Little Bit Nintendo Switch
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RedMagic 7
The RedMagic 7, starting at $629 and £529, is all about speed and performance to beef up Android games. The highlight is the phone's 165Hz refresh rate on its 6.8-inch screen.
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RedMagic 7
The phone's starting configuration has 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but can go upwards to 18GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
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RedMagic 7
Like many gaming phones, a cooling fan is included to help dissipate heat during gameplay and while fast charging.
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RedMagic 7
The RedMagic 7's Game Space launcher arranges Android games into a menu that's more like what is seen on a game console.
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RedMagic 7
On this review unit, the cooling fan has a decorative rainbow light.
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RedMagic 7
Menus in the Game Space mode let you toggle between refresh rates and other modes.
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RedMagic 7
Mortal Kombat Mobile supports the 165Hz refresh rate, running extremely smooth in fights.
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RedMagic 7
The corners of the phone to the left and the right of the exhaust can be set up to act as touch-sensitive "shoulder buttons."
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RedMagic 7
The phone includes a 65W GaN charger in the box.
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RedMagic 7
The RedMagic 7 can charge from 0% to 100% in roughly 30 minutes.
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RedMagic 7
The phone can run directly from the power adapter, allowing the battery to take a break when available.
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RedMagic 7
The RedMagic 7 runs on RedMagic OS, which is a skin on Android 12.
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RedMagic 7
The skin has a number of defaults that might not be preferable, such as the NextWord browser and a watermark it imprints on photos. These can be turned off in the Settings menu.
Gaming phones like the Nubia RedMagic 7 aren't trying to compete with Samsung Galaxy devices or Google Pixel phones. They instead crank up the Android gaming experience with specs that sound like they belong in a PC. The RedMagic 7 allows you to max out games for excellent responsiveness and performance.
Features like the 6.8-inch 165Hz refresh rate AMOLED screen, 12GB of RAM and 65-watt charging speeds also have a benefit beyond just being big numbers. They give us a glimpse at features that will likely make their way over to more mainstream phones in coming years.
For the price -- $629 (£529, which is roughly AU$940) -- all of these features might sound like a steal, but there are plenty of reasons why this phone isn't for most people, stemming primarily from tweaks to Android 12 that prioritize gaming performance over user experience. The RedMagic also has a shorter software update cycle than other phones at this price. And while a cooling fan is a common feature on many gaming phones, the RedMagic 7 includes an internal one, which is vital to keep the phone from overheating during intensive gameplay.
The RedMagic 7's $629 starting price includes 128GB of storage and 12GB of memory -- the latter already being a ridiculous amount for a phone. The review unit I tested is $799 and has 256GB of storage and an absurd 18GB of RAM. For perspective, the $800 Galaxy S22 has 8GB of RAM.
The RedMagic 7 comes with a 65-watt GaN charger.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
A little bit Android, a little bit Switch
At first glance, the RedMagic 7 seems like any other Android 12 phone. You unlock it with an in-screen fingerprint sensor and are greeted with a skinned version of Android 12 that includes themed widgets like a switch for the internal cooling fan and a toggle for quickly cranking the display's refresh rate from 60Hz up to 165Hz.
However, this RedMagic OS customization makes a number of annoying default choices that aren't great for casual users. Luckily, they can be switched off pretty easily. Apps are organized into multiple home screens like on iOS. To find the app drawer, you have to turn it on in settings. Once you set it up, you can keep most apps there and organize the ones you want onto the home screens.
The default internet browser is NextWord, which is easy to switch to Chrome or Firefox. And I hope you figure this out faster than I did, but the phone puts a RedMagic watermark on all your photos. After another frustrating trip to Settings I was able to turn that off as well.
You may find yourself visiting the Settings menu a lot to change some of the defaults in the RedMagic 7.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
OS annoyances aside, this phone is clearly aimed at gamers. A red physical switch on the top-left of the phone's transparent body boots it into a game launcher. The aptly named Game Space looks more like the menus you find on the Nintendo Switch and automatically adds games from your app library.
Gaming mode makes several tweaks to the phone's settings: It disables notifications, turns on the fan and adds menus for quick access to display refresh rates and processor performance. I set it up to show the frames per second as I played which helped determine which games supported higher refresh rates.
On the right side of the phone there's a fan exhaust and touch-sensitive areas that emulate shoulder buttons on a game controller. You can set up the "buttons" to tap specific areas of the screen during gameplay -- for instance I coupled them to the shoot button in Apex Legends Mobile and on the Use and Report buttons in Among Us.
Mortal Kombat Mobile supports the 165Hz refresh rate allowed by the RedMagic 7's screen.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
Gaming runs fast and sometimes hot
Along with the 165Hz display refresh rate, the RedMagic 7 touts a "720Hz Multi-Finger Touch Sampling Rate" -- their words. This refers to how responsive screen taps are while playing games. In lieu of having physical buttons, having a cranked-up touch rate for the screen makes a lot of sense. I found it particularly helpful for games streamed from the Google Stadia cloud service.
Cloud gaming in general is notorious for lag under even the fastest of internet connections, but with the RedMagic's 720Hz touch rate screen I was almost able to create combos in Mortal Kombat 11. It also made it possible to play Marvel's Avengers using the touchscreen over the Stadia cloud. These games are made for a physical controller, so while it's not an ideal or competitive way to play, it works fine for a quick game over good Wi-Fi.
The Game Space launcher on the RedMagic 7, which puts Android games into a more console-like menu.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
What was more interesting were the handful of games that supported the 165Hz screen refresh rate. Mortal Kombat Mobile (separate from Mortal Kombat 11) cranks all the way up to 165Hz, making all the punches and battles look super smooth. On the other hand, Rayman Adventures, which supports 165Hz, runs at double or triple speed. I had to turn the screen refresh rate down to 60Hz to run at a normal speed.
Most games however ran at 60 frames per second regardless of what I set. While Apex Legends Mobile appeared to top out at 60fps, the game did let me max all of its settings out. Performance remained super smooth throughout a 20-minute match, but I definitely noticed the phone was physically hot to touch. The RedMagic comes with a case that makes the heat from gaming substantially more tolerable.
The RedMagic 7 can charge from 0% to 100% in roughly 30 minutes.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
Fast charging that I want to see in more phones
The 65-watt GaN charger that's included with the phone is a serious perk. The dual 4,500-mAh double-cell battery can recharge from 0% to 98% in just over 30 minutes. This is a phone you definitely won't need to charge overnight. Interestingly enough when charging, an onscreen graphic shows the percentage, and the cooling fan turns on to dissipate any heat.
Battery life was great: I consistently got through an entire day, even when I kept the screen at 165Hz. Even on days where I played games for an hour or so, I had 20% to 30% left by the evening.
Another neat trick is you can power the phone straight from the power adapter, skipping the battery. This should help the battery ultimately last longer, since when available the phone won't need to draw power directly from it at all times. And during gaming, this will reduce the amount of heat the phone gives off.
I hope other phones adopt these power-charging features. A 30-minute charging time means the phone can fully charge up while you shower and get dressed in the morning.
Citi Field in New York. The RedMagic 7 applies a watermark by default that can be turned off in the settings menu.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
Photography and software support take a back seat
The phone has a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and 2-megapixel depth sensor. The RedMagic can handle most daytime photography situations, but it isn't going to win any awards for its photos.
Crowds inside of Citi Field, taken on the RedMagic 7.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
In terms of image quality, photos I took at a New York Mets game were on par with lower priced phones like the Moto G Stylus 5G. Photos taken outdoors in sunlight generally looked good, while lower light situations were more difficult.
RedMagic 7's Night mode photo at New York's Citi Field.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
The phone's Night mode helps bring out a few more additional details, focusing on subjects like the signs at the Mets' stadium, but it's not quite as detailed as other phones in this price range. If you want a phone that takes great photos, I recommend looking at the $599 Pixel 6 or the $700 Galaxy S21 FE.
The RedMagic 7 has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
The 8-megapixel front-facing camera is disappointing, even for livestreaming. Selfie photos are just OK. The front-facing camera isn't something I'd use to broadcast on Twitch. With gaming and livestreaming so interconnected, it'd be nice if the RedMagic 7 could function as a starter device towards that.
Software support on the RedMagic 7 isn't great. RedMagic says that its products tend to get one major update with a "maintenance period" that lasts between one and a half to two years.
Geekbench v.5.0 single-core
Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Geekbench v.5.0 multicore
Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Serious Android gamers only
The RedMagic 7 isn't for most people, nor is it intended to be. If you are a competitive gamer who really wants an absolutely screaming refresh rate, and doesn't mind a built-in cooling fan, then this phone is certainly an option for you. Just understand the software update tradeoffs and all the defaults you'll probably want to change out of the box.
But most other people should look elsewhere for a daily driver phone. Families considering the RedMagic as an alternative to a Switch would be better off buying a Nintendo Switch and a cheaper phone.
Nubia RedMagic 7 vs. Nubia RedMagic 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. Google Pixel 6
5G sub 6 (some carrier models also have 5G mmWave) support, Wi-Fi 6E, 30W fast charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS and security updates, IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front), Gorilla Glass 6 (back)
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review: Big, cheap and comfortable
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review: Big, cheap and comfortable
I've always been a big fan of Xiaomi's phones and the Redmi Note 3 is no exception, but also may now be my new favourite. That's partly because of the phone's classy metal body (upgraded from plastic on previous models) and partly because of its low price (around $220, £150 and AU$290, respectively). But it's mostly because Xiaomi has turned out a quality product that fits well into my lifestyle. However, if you're outside of Asia, you'll have to work some online magic to get the phone, and it may not work as swiftly with your carrier if it doesn't support your network's bands, so you'll need to check.
Budget phones usually skimp on storage space, but not the comfortable, 5.5-inch Redmi Note 3. This guy comes with 32GB, and if you need more, you can use one of the phone's dual-SIM slots as a microSD card slot for up to an additional 32GB of storage. Gaming performance was great; I loved the smooth framerates on Asphalt 8 and when switching between apps and sending emails, I rarely experienced any noticeable delay. The Note 3's non-removable battery lasted nearly-14 hours in our video looping battery test; a respectable number for the vast majority of phones.
Software wise, Xiaomi's usual MIUI skin runs over the Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system. Since all the app icons spread out across multiple home screens, it looks like a mix of Android and iOS. But other cool features, such as the ability to quickly move all the apps on one screen to the next, and weekly security updates, help make up for the atypical layout. While it isn't standard Android, MIUI does a great job making the phone easy to use, especially with a "Lite mode" which simplifies the interface for not so tech-savvy types.
The phone still uses physical keys instead of onscreen menu buttons.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Now, if there's one thing that I downright didn't like, it's the Redmi Note 3's lackluster camera. It's slow and lacks Auto HDR (high dynamic range), which meant I had to manually turn this mode on. It also had some exposure troubles, which resulted in slightly darker images unless you adjusted the exposure setting yourself before shooting. Neither is a deal-breaker, but they did knock down my experience a few pegs.
While it's a bit heavier than your typical flagship phones, the Redmi Note 3 is still comfortable to hold, and after switching back to my daily phone, I missed having the Note 3's rear-mounter fingerprint sensor. Truly, for the price, it's an excellent budget phone at any size. If you can find it, get it.
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Pixel 6: Everything to know about Google's newest phone
Pixel 6: Everything to know about Google's newest phone
Google's new phones, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, made their debut on Tuesday at the company's recent launch event. (Here's everything Google announced including Pixel Pass, Android 12 and its in-house Tensor chip.) Google's first Pixel phone made a splash when it was unveiled almost five years ago, but since then, the search giant's foray into mobile devices has been inconsistent. Last year's Pixel 5 received high marks for its cameras, but the Pixel 5 lacked the premium features you'd expect from a flagship smartphone, especially for the price. CNET's Lynn La called it "hard to recommend." Compared with the original Pixel phone ("pure Android at its absolute best" and "our favorite phone, bar none"), Google's phone trajectory looked rough.
Read more: CNET's Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro reviews
Now that Google took a larger creative leap with its Pixel line, the question remains whether the changes will help the company compete against the best phones from Apple and Samsung or continue to disappoint its one-time fans. Let's go over what we've learned about the devices, which are available for preorder. Here's everything you need to know about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro and which rumors about the phone have been debunked or proven true.
What are Google's new phones called? The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro
Unlike Apple and Samsung, Google has overall been consistent with its phone nomenclature. The original Pixel was followed by the Pixel 2, then the Pixel 3 and so on. Google's 2021 phones are indeed called the Pixel 6 and -- instead of an XL model -- the Pixel 6 Pro.
Google previously announced that both phones would have many of the same features: the new Tensor system-on-chip designed by Google, a camera bar that runs along the back of the phone, camera sensors that take in 150% more light than the Pixel 5's and an ultrawide lens. Software improvements also hit both models, including Android 12's Material You design, along with speech recognition and photography improvements powered by the Tensor.
Read more: Pixel 6 vs. Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 vs. Pixel 5
Rumors about the now-confirmed Pixel 6 Pro began when leaker Jon Prosser shared renders depicting the "Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro" in May. Prosser's renders were purportedly based on actual images of the phones, but released as renders to protect his source's identity.
The Pixel 6 phones come in black along with pastel shades of green and red.
Google
Release date: When will you be able to buy the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro?
Google launched its new phones on Oct. 19, and the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are both available for preorders now through Google's website.
Google has unveiled a new Pixel phone in October every year since 2016, with the exception of last year's Pixel 5, which was announced on Sept. 30. But 2020 was an exceptional year for many reasons, including phone release schedules.
Read more:Google's Pixel 6 may be more exciting than the iPhone 13, but how does it compare to older Pixels?
Google's Pixel release dates usually follow a similarly predictable pattern: The company usually makes its phones available for purchase within a week or two of being announced. The Pixel 6 will be released on Oct. 28, which is in line with these expectations.
Price: How much do the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro cost?
We now know that Google's Pixel 6 has a starting price of $599, and the Pixel 6 Pro will cost you a bit more with a $899 starting price. In his first look at the Pixel 6, CNET's Patrick Holland says the phone is "priced to compete with the iPhone 13, the Samsung Galaxy S21 and other midtier Android phones such as the current Motorola Edge."
In comparison to older Pixel phones the Pixel 6 costs $100 less than the Pixel 5 did at launch. Last year's Pixel 5 made some compromises to get the launch price down to $699, making it more of a midrange phone than its predecessors, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4, which both launched at $799.
This means rumors about the Pixel 6's steeper price tag from leaker Yogesh Brar have been debunked. The tipster previously speculated the Pixel 6 would have a $749 starting price, while the Pixel 6 Pro could have cost between $1,049 and $1,099.
Although the Pixel 6 costs less than its predecessors, Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of Google's hardware division, described the line as a "premium-priced product" in an August interview with the Verge.
Google's Pixel 6 is shown above in Kinda Coral.
James Martin/CNET
Design and colors: What does Google's new phone look like?
Confirming Prosser's renders, the Pixel line has a new look for 2021. The Pixel 6 is available in three colors: Stormy Black, Kinda Coral and Sorta Seafoam. The official Pixel 6 Pro color options are Stormy Black, Cloudy White and Sorta Sunny.
Moving to the front of the phone, the Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED (3,120x1,440 pixel) display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the Pixel 6 will have a 6.4-inch OLED (2,400x1,080) display with a 90Hz refresh rate. A hole-punch-style front-facing camera is centered up top, as opposed to on the left side of the screen as on the Pixel 5, and has 11 megapixels on the Pixel 6 Pro and 8 megapixels on the standard Pixel 6.
Pixel 6 has a Tensor chip, but what can Google's first in-house processors do?
Google's reveal of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro put a particular spotlight on Google's new system-on-chip, named Tensor. Going in-house moves Google away from the Qualcomm chips that have powered its previous devices, and Google says the chip brings with it notable improvements to speech recognition and photography.
"Part of the goal is to show the very best that Google can offer," Osterloh said in an interview with CNET's Rich Nieva. "There is a big segment of the market that wants the latest, and we love building technology. So we're going to try to appeal to that part of the market, too."
Read more: Google Pixel 6's Tensor chip aims to make the Android 12 phone smarter and last longer
The Tensor chip loads the Pixel with more power and abilities without sacrificing battery life. Thanks to Google's new in-house chip, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro has features like real-time language translations, highly accurate voice transcription and new camera features like the ability to unblur the face of a person in motion. The new features come as Google promises 24 to 48 hours of battery life for its Pixel 6 line.
The Google Tensor chip's unveiling is a prominent part of the first look at the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
Google
Camera specs and features: What's new on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro?
Along the phone's camera bar, the Pixel 6 Pro has three cameras: a 50-megapixel wide lens, 12-megapixel ultrawide lens and 48-megapixel telephoto lens. The standard Pixel 6 won't have the telephoto lens, but houses the 50-megapixel wide and 12-megapixel ultrawide lens.
As for the selfie camera, Google's new phone has a hole-punch-style front-facing camera with 11 megapixels on the Pixel 6 Pro and 8 megapixels on the standard Pixel 6. The earliest rumors about the Pixel 6's camera setup included speculation that Google might upgrade to an under-display selfie camera, but that's not on the Pixel 6. Since this rumor is based on a patent filed by Google that appeared not to have a visible front camera, however, it's possible another phone will include it. Perhaps the Pixel 7?
Read more:Google builds equity into the Pixel 6 with Real Tone photos and new voice features
Google also designed the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro's cameras to be more accurate no matter your complexion with Real Tone. The feature comes after the company announced improvements to its software for "a more accurate and inclusive camera" that works better for a variety of skin tones, in May.
Google's new Pixel phones also see other photography improvements thanks to the Tensor chip. A new feature called Face Unblur can put the face of a moving subject in focus, while keeping the blur around the rest of the body, and another camera feature called Motion Mode can add blur into still pictures.
Do Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro support 5G?
It's complicated. The Pixel 6 supports sub-6 5G. Some carrier versions of the Pixel 6 will also support mmWave, which is the fast version of 5G that's not widely available.
Read more: Will Google's Pixel 6 and 6 Pro work with 5G? The answer is complicated
What's in the box: Google's Pixel 6 won't ship with a charger
Google's Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro won't ship with a charger in the box. The tech giant previously shared that tidbit about the new phone alongside the reveal of the Pixel 5A. Instead, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will ship with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a Quick Switch Adapter.
Google's decision to ditch the accessory from its phone boxes follows both Apple and Samsung. Apple stopped including an AC adapter in the box of the iPhone 12 in 2020, and Samsung later did the same for the Galaxy S21.
Although Google's Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro won't have a charger in the box, the new phone supports 30-watt fast charging. This debunks earlier rumors about the smartphone from tipster Yogesh Brar and Android Police, which said that the Pixel 6 would support 33-watt and 23-watt fast charging, respectively.
Google also released a new Pixel Stand for the Pixel 6. The stand is said to be an alternative to wired charging, and was leaked before the phone's launch by tipster Evan Blass.
Images from leaker Evan Blass show off the second generation Pixel stand with 23-watt wireless charging.
Evan Blass
Do the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have an under display fingerprint sensor?
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro both have an under-display fingerprint reader. The feature was previously leaked by Android Senior Vice President Hiroshi Lockheimer, who shared two screenshots on Twitter showing an embedded fingerprint sensor within the Pixel's display. The tweet, which was originally posted to show off Android's new Material You design, has since been deleted from Lockheimer's account. Screenshots of the tweet were then later posted by leaker Mishaal Rahman.
Pixel Pass: What is Google's new subscription service?
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro launched alongside a new subscription option to bundle phone financing and services under one bill. The plan is called Pixel Pass, and is described as a "monthly subscription that addresses users' mobile needs end-to-end." The subscription bundles Pixel device financing, YouTube Premium, Google One storage, Play Pass, Google Fi, Google's preferred care and device protection.
Read more: Pixel Pass: Google bundles the Pixel 6 and a bunch of its services for $45 a month
Below are all of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro specs. For more, here's how to decide between a Pixel 5, Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL, the Pixel 5 versus the Pixel 4A 5G and the Pixel 5 versus the iPhone 11, Galaxy S20 FE and OnePlus 8. Plus, six reasons to buy a Pixel and what we think of the Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds.
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, Ultrawideband, 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)
Price off-contract (USD)
$599 (128GB)
$899 (128GB)
Price (GBP)
£599 (128GB)
£849 (128GB)
Price (AUD)
Converts to AU$1,100
Converts to AU$1,570
§
I've used Google Pixels and Apple iPhones for my daily smartphone photography needs for years. I've mostly relied on Pixels because of Google's pioneering computational photography software, which wrings superior image quality out of limited hardware. My current iPhone, the XS Max, has been relegated to occasions when I've needed a telephoto lens. But two recent smartphone launches -- of Google's Pixel 5 and Apple's iPhone 12 lines -- have changed my mind. The midrange camera hardware on the Pixel 5, and the high-end array of cameras on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, along with the gadget's large image sensor and new software options, are pushing me to the Apple camp.
Read more:iPhone 12 vs. Pixel 5: Apple and Google's 5G flagships compared
It wasn't supposed to be this way. I've been impressed by Google's ability to convert cutting-edge image processing research into superior smartphone photos. Google demonstrated how profoundly computers can modernize cameras, as it surpassed smartphone rivals and traditional-camera makers.
Google's decision to build a midrange phone with just two cameras feels like an abandonment. There's just no way to make up for the multiple cameras that rivals like Samsung, Huawei and Apple employ. Sure, rivals haven't necessarily matched all of Google's camera software, but Google isn't close to their hardware.
To be clear, the Pixel's cameras are good, as my colleague Lynn La details in her Pixel 5 review. From my perspective as a serious photographer, though, I'm looking for more.
Read more:The best phone to buy for 2020
Telephoto vs. ultrawide cameras
In 2019, Google's Pixel 4 took a step up by adding a second rear-facing camera, a telephoto option for distant subjects. That was the same year Apple added a third camera to its higher-end iPhone 11 Pro models, an ultrawide camera that sat alongside its main and telephoto cameras.
The Pixel 5 photo at 2X telephoto, shot here with Google's computational raw format, is fine viewed small but has only a 3 megapixel resolution. At right, the 12 megapixel image from a 2-year-old iPhone XS Max, shot as an HDR raw photo with Adobe's Lightroom app, offers more detail and editing flexibility. Clicking to enlarge reveals the superior iPhone detail, though it's scaled down to match the Pixel 5 photo.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Google tried to match Apple's prowess this year by replacing the telephoto camera with an ultrawide camera in the Pixel 5. But Apple made major camera improvements with its iPhone 12 Pro, including a bigger image sensor, a longer-reach telephoto lens, improved image stabilization to counteract shaky hands, Dolby Vision HDR video at 60 frames per second and Apple's more flexible ProRaw format. It's clear Apple is sinking enormous resources into better photography.
Google may have made the right call for the broad market. I suspect ultrawide cameras are better for mainstream smartphone customers than telephotos. Ultrawide cameras for group shots, indoor scenes and video are arguably more useful than telephoto cameras for portraits and mountains.
But I want both. I enjoy the different perspectives. Indeed, for a few years I usually carried only telephoto and ultrawide lenses for my DSLR.
In response to my concerns, Google says it's improved the Super Res Zoom technique for digital zooming on the Pixel 5 with better computational photography and AI techniques that now can magnify up to a factor of 7X.
"We studied carefully to determine what's really important to folks, and then we focused on that -- and shaved off literally hundreds of dollars in the process," said camera product manager Isaac Reynolds. Having a telephoto camera would have helped image quality, but Google's priority this year "was to produce a phone that compared well to the top end but at a much lower price -- and we did that."
I'm not so convinced. When shooting even at 2X telephoto zoom, my 2-year-old iPhone XS Max and my 1-year-old Pixel 4 both offer far superior imagery compared with the Pixel 5.
Zooming in at 2X, the Pixel 5's Super Res Zoom technology generates a 12 megapixel image, but it looks artificial up close, as in this cropped view.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
What I do like so far about the Pixel 5 cameras
I want to be clear: Google's new phone has its merits, and I've experienced some of its strengths while testing the Pixel 5 cameras over the past few days. Here are a handful:
Google's computational raw offers photo enthusiasts the best of both worlds when it comes to photo formats. It marries the exposure and color flexibility of unprocessed raw photo data with the exposure range and noise reduction of the multishot HDR+ processing ordinarily used to make a JPEG.
The ultrawide camera really is fun. It also dramatically improves video options, particularly indoors.
Based on earlier Pixel phones, I share my colleague Lynn La's concern that Google's video stabilization can be "drone-like," but my early tests of video I shot while walking looked more natural.
Double-tapping the phone's power button launches the camera app fast. It's not new with the Pixel 5, but it's so much faster than the iPhone's lock screen icon.
Night Sight, particularly astrophotography mode, still is amazing for low-light shots.
Google also pointed to other Pixel 5 perks, including a portrait light ability to control the apparent light source brightening a subject's face; portrait shots that work in Night Sight mode; 4K video that now works at a fast 60 frames per second, more advanced high dynamic range processing called HDR+ that's now boosted by exposure bracketing for better shadow details like a backlit face, and better video stabilization.
Here's the rub, though: As Google slips in hardware, rivals are improving their software.
Google's rivals in computational photography are catching up
Apple didn't comment on its photography plans for this story, but it spent more than 11 minutes touting the iPhone Pro photo and video abilities, and its actions speak volumes.
The Pixel 5 offers a useful if not unique portrait mode that blurs the background for smooth "bokeh."
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Last year, Apple matched most of what was best about Google's HDR+ for challenging scenes with bright and dark elements. This year's Pixel 5 boosts HDR+ with bracketing technology into the multishot blending technique. Apple's Smart HDR alternative, however, is now in its third generation of refinement. Apple is improving the iPhone's nighttime photos, too. And by using special purpose processing engines on its A14 chip, Apple's Deep Fusion technology to preserve detail in low-light shooting works on all four of the iPhone Pro cameras.
Photo enthusiasts like me prefer unprocessed, raw photo formats so we can fine-tune color balance, exposure, sharpening and noise reduction. That's great for when the camera doesn't make the right choices when "baking" raw image data into a more convenient but limited JPEG image. Google's computational raw blended HDR processing with raw's flexibility, but now Apple plans to release its answer, ProRaw, in an update coming later this year to iPhone Pro models.
"We want to give our pros even more control over the images they capture," said Alok Deshpande, Apple's senior manager of camera software engineering, during Apple's launch event.
Relatively few people use Pixel phones, and that weighs on Google too. Imaging software powerhouse Adobe calibrates its Lightroom photo software to correct lens problems and adapt its HDR tool for some cameras and lenses. No surprise that Pixel phones aren't on that list. "We tend to provide support based on the popularity of the devices with our customers," Adobe said in a statement.
In contrast, Adobe is "partnering closely with Apple" to tap into ProRaw abilities. And a Google computational photography guru, Marc Levoy, has left Google and is now at Adobe, where he's building photo technology into Adobe's camera app.
Selling a midrange smartphone like a Pixel 5 or Pixel 4a 5G might well make sense when the COVID-19 pandemic has cost millions of jobs and made a $1,099 iPhone Pro Max unaffordable. But for people like me with a photography budget and appreciation for Google's computational photography smarts, it's tragic that Google has lost its lead.
