What are the pros of Google Pixel 6 Review: Tensor Power and Excellent Cameras?

Excellent main camera , Clean Google Android experience , Distinctive premium design , 90Hz OLED display , Qi wireless charging , IP68 water resistance , Titan M2 security

What are the cons of Google Pixel 6 Review: Tensor Power and Excellent Cameras?

Limited remaining update period , Inconsistent battery efficiency , Can run warm under heavy use , Slow charging by modern standards , No telephoto camera , Heavy body

Primary

Google Editor's Choice 2021

Pixel 6

Q: How much does Google Pixel 6 Review: Tensor Power and Excellent Cameras cost?

The Google Pixel 6 Review: Tensor Power and Excellent Cameras is priced at $599 – $699.

Google Pixel 6 Review: Tensor Power and Excellent Cameras

Display 1080 × 2400 pixels (FHD+)

Camera 1080p @30fps

Performance Google Tensor (1st Generation)

Size 6.4 inches (16.26 cm)

Expert Score

8.4

94% Confidence

Community Score

7.1

0% Confidence

AI Score

8.2

90% Confidence

Final Score

8.0

92% Confidence

Storage

RAM

Color

Regional

Carrier

In Stock

$0 – $699 $599

Lowest $599 Save $599

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Category Scores

An aging but still capable Pixel with excellent computational photography, clean software and useful Google features.

Performance Great

The original Tensor chip remains smooth for ever...

Display Great

The 6.4-inch OLED display offers strong contrast...

Camera Great

The 50MP main camera and Google's image processi...

Battery Great

The battery can last a normal day, but efficienc...

Gaming Great

Most games run well, although sustained heavy ga...

AI Great

Tensor enables useful speech, photography and ma...

Security Excellent

Titan M2, the Tensor security core and regular u...

Value for Money Great

It can be strong value when purchased refurbishe...

Design Great

The camera bar gives the phone a distinctive ide...

Repairability Good

The sealed glass construction makes repairs more...

Software Support Great

Google expanded support to five years from initi...

Connectivity Great

5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, eSIM and USB-C...

Audio Great

Stereo speakers deliver clear output, although t...

Durability Great

Gorilla Glass Victus, Gorilla Glass 6 and IP68 p...

Charging Great

Wired, Qi wireless and reverse wireless charging...

Specifications

Display 8

Size 6.4 inches (16.26 cm)

Type AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+

Resolution 1080 × 2400 pixels (FHD+)

Pixel Density 411 PPI

Refresh Rate 90 Hz

Brightness High brightness mode support

PWM Dimming Standard frequency dimming

Protection Corning Gorilla Glass Victus

Processor 3

Chipset Key Google Tensor (1st Generation)

CPU Octa-core (2×2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 + 2×2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 + 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)

Process 5 nm

GPU 1

Graphics Mali-G78 MP20

Memory 3

RAM Key 8 GB

Virtual RAM Key No

Type LPDDR5

Storage 4

Internal 128 GB / 256 GB

Type UFS 3.1

Expandable No

Card Slot No

Battery 3

Capacity 4614 mAh

Type Lithium-Ion (non-removable)

Endurance Decent all-day operational metrics over standard LTE

Charging 4

Wired 21W fast charging (50% in 30 mins, USB PD 3.0)

Bypass No

Wireless 21W fast wireless charging (via Pixel Stand), Qi wireless compatible

Reverse Wired Yes (Battery Share functionality)

Camera 4

Main 50 MP wide, f/1.9, 25mm, 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS

Telephoto No (Up to 7x computational Super Res Zoom)

Ultra Wide 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114° FOV, 1.25µm

Features Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, Magic Eraser, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Motion Mode

Front Camera 4

Sensor 8 MP wide, f/2.0, 24mm, 1.12µm

Aperture f/2.0

Field of View Standard wide angle

Video 1080p @30fps

Video 3

Max Resolution 4K @30/60fps, 1080p @30/60/120/240fps with gyro-EIS, OIS

1080p Up to 60 fps (standard), 240 fps (slow motion)

Features 4K cinematic video stabilization, Live HDR+ tone mapping

Connectivity 7

Network 5G SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave (market specific), 4G LTE, HSPA, GSM

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6e (802.11ax) dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Bluetooth 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD

NFC Yes

Infrared No

USB USB Type-C 3.1, OTG

Positioning Dual-band GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, QZSS

SIM 2

Type Nano-SIM + eSIM dual standby configuration

eSIM Yes

Sensors 6

Fingerprint Optical under-display fingerprint sensor

Haptics Premium localized linear vibration haptic motor

Accelerometer Yes

Gyroscope Yes

Proximity Yes

Compass Yes

Dimensions 3

Height 158.6 mm

Width 74.8 mm

Depth 8.9 mm (excluding distinct camera bar)

Weight 1

Weight 207 g

Materials 4

Frame Key Tactile matte finish aluminum intermediate frame

Front Corning Gorilla Glass Victus

Back Corning Gorilla Glass 6

Water Resistance IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)

Colors 1

Options Stormy Black, Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral

Operating System 2

OS Android 12 (Upgradeable to Android 16)

Updates 3 major Android OS platform updates, 5 years of security patches

AI Features 3

Photography Magic Eraser object removal, computational Face Unblur, Real Tone skin balance

System Live Translate, automated offline speech-to-text voice typing, proactive Assistant voice filtering

NPU Google Tensor integrated machine learning TPU sub-system

Security 2

Biometrics Under-display optical fingerprint scan authentication

Platform Titan M2 dedicated security co-processor, Pixel hardware security core

Audio 3

Speakers Stereo loudspeakers

Haptics High-fidelity precise x-axis linear haptic module

Headphone Jack No

Benchmarks 3

AnTuTu v9 ~676,831

Geekbench 6 Multi ~2,899

Reference Official launch verification system benchmarks

Release 3

Announced October 19, 2021

Released October 28, 2021

Status Legacy product lifecycle

Expert Review

By Mutwassim

Design

The Pixel 6 introduced Google's bold horizontal camera bar and a two-tone glass design. Gorilla Glass Victus protects the front, Gorilla Glass 6 covers the back and the aluminum frame gives the phone a premium feel. At 207 grams, it is relatively heavy.

Display

The 6.4-inch OLED display has a 2400 x 1080 resolution, HDR support and a 90Hz refresh rate. It provides deep contrast and smooth scrolling, although newer mid-range phones offer brighter 120Hz panels.

Performance

Google Tensor remains responsive for messaging, photography, navigation and everyday multitasking. Its machine-learning capabilities support Pixel-exclusive features, but performance and efficiency fall behind newer flagship chips.

Gaming

The Mali-G78 GPU can run popular mobile games at reasonable settings. Long gaming sessions may expose the first-generation Tensor chip's thermal limitations and lead to inconsistent sustained performance.

Camera

The 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization is the Pixel 6's strongest feature. Google's HDR processing, Night Sight, Real Tone, Magic Eraser and Face Unblur produce dependable images. The 12MP ultra-wide camera is useful, but there is no telephoto lens.

Battery

The 4,614mAh typical battery generally supports a day of moderate use, but mobile data, navigation and camera use can reduce endurance. USB Power Delivery PPS charging, Qi wireless charging and Battery Share are supported.

Software

The Pixel 6 launched with Android 12 and receives Google's direct software experience. Google now lists it for five years of updates from its original US availability, meaning buyers should consider the limited remaining support period.

Ai

The original Tensor chip enables features such as on-device speech recognition, Live Translate, Recorder transcription, Call Screen and computational photography. It lacks many newer generative AI capabilities available on recent Pixel models.

Connectivity

The Pixel 6 supports 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS, eSIM and USB-C. Network support varies by model and carrier, especially for mmWave 5G.

Pros

Excellent main camera
Clean Google Android experience
Distinctive premium design
90Hz OLED display
Qi wireless charging
IP68 water resistance
Titan M2 security

Cons

Limited remaining update period
Inconsistent battery efficiency
Can run warm under heavy use
Slow charging by modern standards
No telephoto camera
Heavy body

The Google Pixel 6 introduced Google's custom Tensor platform and established the design language used by later Pixel phones. Its 6.4-inch FHD+ OLED display supports a 90Hz refresh rate, HDR and an always-on display. The first-generation Google Tensor chip prioritizes machine learning, speech processing and computational photography while providing smooth everyday performance. The rear camera system includes a 50MP wide camera with optical image stabilization and a 12MP ultra-wide camera, supported by features such as Night Sight, Magic Eraser, Face Unblur and Real Tone. The 4,614mAh typical battery supports USB Power Delivery PPS fast charging, Qi wireless charging and Battery Share reverse wireless charging. Gorilla Glass Victus protects the front, Gorilla Glass 6 covers the rear and the device carries an IP68 water and dust resistance rating. Google originally launched the phone with Android 12 and now lists the Pixel 6 among devices receiving five years of updates from its initial US availability.

Verdict

The Google Pixel 6 remains appealing for its camera quality, clean Android experience, wireless charging and distinctive design. However, its aging processor, inconsistent battery efficiency and limited remaining update period mean it should only be purchased at a compelling used or refurbished price.

Final: 8.0/10 Best for: Value seekers Segment: Unknown

Product Intelligence

Google Tensor processor 6.4-inch 90Hz OLED display 50MP main camera with OIS Google computational photography Titan M2 security coprocessor Qi wireless charging Battery Share reverse wireless charging IP68 water and dust resistance

Who Should Buy

Value-focused buyers who want excellent still photography, clean Android software, wireless charging and a distinctive flagship design at a low used or refurbished price.

Who Should Avoid

Buyers who need long remaining software support, strong battery efficiency, fast charging, compact dimensions or dependable high-end gaming performance.

Key Takeaways

Camera quality remains a major strength
The first-generation Tensor chip enables useful Google features
Battery and thermal efficiency are weaker than newer phones
The phone is officially discontinued
Its value depends heavily on used or refurbished pricing

Buying Recommendation

Consider the Pixel 6 only when it is substantially cheaper than newer supported alternatives and the battery condition is verified. Buyers planning to keep a phone for several years should choose a newer Pixel.