Google Pixel 6 Pro: our first impressions

Google Pixel 6 Pro is finally in my hands! As a long-time admirer of the Nexus first, of the Pixel then, I have been waiting for this moment with the best of the hype for several weeks now. That then, in truth, it is enough to be a lover of technology to be teased by this smartphone, in which Google says it has been serious.

There are the first custom SoC of big G, a photographic sector that promises great things, Android 12 in a flabed version, futuristic AI functions and a very particular design, finally there is a quality / price ratio practically unbeatable within the premium range.

Now it’s here, in my hands and I can start to write down the first impressions. What a great fortune!

A DISTINGUISHABLE DESIGN
The package does not offer great emotions: there is a Type-C / Type-C cable, a standard USB to USB C adapter, a pair of very basic Type-C earphones (they are mandatory in the version sold in France, the one we have). No power supply, no covers, no stickers (sigh!)

Here it is the Pixel 6 Pro, in the gray + gray color, or the saddest, but that was there and in the only 128 GB cut. We got it from the Google Store French and yesterday I personally drove to the border to retrieve it. (Thanks Simone!)

It is large, even rather heavy, but it is very balanced between the upper and lower part, despite that “room bar” that would suggest the opposite. The curved edges are very reminiscent of the Google Pixel 2, which as far as I’m concerned remains unbeatable in terms of design. The back cover is in Gorilla Glass Victus glass, as well as the front one, but behind it seems that they have forgotten the oleophobic treatment and in 2 minutes it is already full of fingers.

Unfortunately, even the protective slide of the optical group gets dirty easily, this could be a problem not only aesthetic but also practical. In addition, the glass of the bar room is divided into 3 parts, the two curvatures and a flat central, a detail that I noticed immediately and drew a grimace of disappointment in my face.

In general I must say that I like it, the look a bit ‘industrial is very distinguishable, original and finally different from the usual. Too bad it’s so big, a real shame.

The same design is also found on the Pixel 6 but in slightly smaller dimensions, it is also an interesting product and with an even more attractive quality / price ratio, we will certainly talk about it in the future.

Let’s quickly move on to the configuration and then savor the display for a few minutes: 6.71″ QHD, LTPO up to 120 Hz. Better than this impossible to ask, at least on paper, already because if last night it seemed really remarkable, today with the sun I resized the judgment a little. It is a screen that fits well on the high end but is not as bright as some competitors and is not perfect as color management. iPhone 13 Pro and Galaxy S21 Ultra surpass it, to be blunt.

In the first minutes of use I noticed a dangerous skid towards green reflections, fortunately, however, the alarm seems to have returned. Let’s not forget that these are the very first specimens to arrive on the market, a minimum of risk of defect there is always in these cases.

THE GOOGLE TENSOR PROCESSOR
Google Pixel 6 Pro is interesting outside and inside, I couldn’t wait to put google Tensor to the test, the first SoC designed by Google specifically to support the computational needs of AI.

It has a new architecture, with two X1 cores, 2 A76 cores, 4 A55 cores, already reading these codes someone will begin to ask questions: why the A76? Why 2 X1 cores? I will try to answer everything in the full review, but in the meantime I start with some first impressions.

While restoring my account and the almost 200 apps installed, he warmed up for good, then I felt hot again recording videos in 4K at 60 fps. Nothing exceptional, nothing alarming, more than anything else a testimony to the fact that under the hood runs a dangerously powerful engine.