Google launched its new Pixel 11 collection earlier this week – there’s a new vanilla, two new Professional and one new foldable mannequin. All that’s lacking now’s an inexpensive a-phone.
The huge improve in RAM costs has affected the Pixel collection. Google now affords 256GB storage as normal on all 11-series fashions, which is an efficient factor, however the Pixel 11 Professional and 11 Professional XL begin with 12GB of RAM. In order for you 16GB (which is what all Pixel 10 Professional and 10 Professional XL telephones had), you’ll have to get a 512GB or a 1TB mannequin. The vanilla cellphone solely comes with 12GB of RAM, whereas the foldable all the time will get 16GB.
The Pixel 11 collection is at present on pre-order and shall be accessible from August 20. Throughout that point, Amazon is providing a present card and, when you ship in an outdated cellphone, you will get a trade-in bonus on high of the outdated machine’s worth. The present card quantity and trade-in bonus fluctuate with the mannequin.
The vanilla Google Pixel 11 is powered by the identical Tensor G6 chipset as its dearer siblings. Nonetheless, it misses out on the HiLight RGB LED. Oh nicely. At the least it has a bigger most important digicam sensor than the Pixel 10 (48MP 1/1.56” vs. 1/2.0”), whereas protecting the 5x/112mm 10.8MP telephoto and 13MP ultra-wide cameras the identical.
The brand new mannequin additionally options sooner 25W Pixelsnap magnetic wi-fi charging (up from 15W), however wired charging is similar at a slow-ish 30W charge. The battery capability is similar too – Google is betting that the extra environment friendly G6 chip will enhance battery life.
The Google Pixel 11 Professional does have HiLight – it’s an RGB LED subsequent to the cameras on the again, which serves as a notification mild and can be utilized by the Gemini AI. The Professional mannequin has a 6.3” OLED show, which is similar dimension because the vanilla cellphone, however it’s a sharper (1280p+ vs. 1080p+) LTPO panel. The battery capability is mainly the identical as final yr and so is the 30W wired charging. Wi-fi charging has been upgraded to 25W like on the vanilla mannequin.
The Professional has extra succesful cameras, although they’re largely the identical as final yr. This features a 50MP most important with a big 1/1.3” sensor and a 48MP ultra-wide with an autofocus lens. The telephoto digicam is totally different – it has a 48MP 1/1.95” sensor and a 5x/106mm lens in comparison with a 48MP 1/2.55” sensor and a 113mm lens on the ten Professional. It stays to be seen how a lot of a distinction this makes.
The Google Pixel 11 Professional XL is only a bigger Professional – it has a 6.8” show (1334p+, LTPO) and a 5,115mAh battery. That’s not so large – actually, it’s 85mAh smaller than the ten Professional XL battery. The brand new XL mannequin has 45W wired and 25W wi-fi charging, the identical because the outdated XL. Wired charging appears to be marginally sooner, although, going as much as 75% in half an hour, in comparison with 70%. We shall be testing that in our evaluate.
The brand new Google Pixel 11 Professional Fold is slimmer and lighter than its predecessor – it measures 10.1mm folded (5.0mm unfolded) and weighs 239g. That’s nonetheless thicker and heavier than competing book-style foldables, nevertheless it’s a good enchancment over the moderately chunky 10 Professional Fold, which was 10.8mm folded (5.2mm unfolded) and weighed 258g.
This slimming down had a destructive affect on the battery, which now solely has 4,806mAh capability. This places it beneath the Z Fold8 Extremely (5,000mAh) and the Pixel 10 Professional Fold (5,015mAh). At the least wi-fi charging was boosted to 25W, however wired continues to be solely 30W.
Google additionally outfitted the brand new foldable with the vanilla cellphone’s 48MP 1/1.56” most important digicam, which replaces the 48MP 1/2.0” module from final yr. That sensor might need been okay for the Pixel 10, nevertheless it was definitely not appropriate for the dear Pixel 10 Professional Fold.
Be aware: as an alternative of the $350 present card, you’ll be able to decide up a free Google Pixel Watch 5, a 41mm Bluetooth mannequin. In order for you the bigger 45mm watch, that is an possibility too, nevertheless it prices $30 extra (that is the distinction between the 41mm and 45mm fashions).
The brand new Google Pixel Watch 5 isn’t so new – it makes use of the identical chassis, show and chipset (Snapdragon Put on W5 Gen 2) as its predecessor. It now has double the on-board storage, 64GB, whereas protecting RAM at 2GB. The battery is usually the identical too. The main upgrades this technology are Gemini Intelligence and improved health tracking.
The Google Pixel Buds Professional 2 obtained a brand new coloration possibility, Olive, and new software features that embody Dynamic ANC and an improved Dwell Translate mode. That is coming to all Professional 2 buds as an replace, so if you have already got a pair, you aren’t lacking out on a lot.
There shall be a Pixel 11a, however not for a number of months. For now, a budget mannequin stays the Pixel 10a, which has a modest $75 low cost. This has a two-generation-old Tensor G4 chip with solely 8GB of RAM. The cameras function the small 48MP 1/2.0” sensor and lack a devoted telephoto lens.
Google’s new foldable goes up in opposition to three foldable Galaxys. Samsung launched the huge Galaxy Z Fold8 this technology – a kind issue that Google was near with the unique Pixel Fold however that it has since deserted.
Like with the Pixels, Amazon is providing a present card and a trade-in bonus for the foldable Galaxys.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Extremely is the successor to the massive Z Fold7. It measures 8.9mm folded (4.1mm unfolded) and weighs 215g, making the Pixel 11 Professional Fold really feel chunky. And that is with a bigger 5,000mAh battery that helps 45W wired and 20W wi-fi (non-magnetic) charging. Whereas the huge Z Fold8 has a mid-range 50MP huge plus 50MP ultra-wide digicam setup, the Extremely boasts a 200MP most important (1/1.3”), 3x/67mm 10MP telephoto and a 50MP ultra-wide.
Google doesn’t have a flip, so the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 is left to compete with the Motorola Razrs. Be aware that the trade-in bonuses for the Z Fold8 Extremely and the Z Flip8 are smaller than they had been final week.
Samsung additionally has new smartwatches – a vanilla and a sportier Extremely mannequin. These have spherical shows in contrast to the Apple watches, however they’ve squircle our bodies. Some may discover the Pixel Watch 5’s rounded physique and domed glass extra pleasing to the attention.
Lastly, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 collection has been out for months now and their costs have fallen significantly since launch. The Galaxy S26 Extremely is competing in opposition to the Pixel 11 Professional XL and it prices beneath $1,000 for the bottom 12/256GB configuration – in the meantime, the Professional XL with the identical reminiscence capability is $1,300.
Equally, the 6.3” Galaxy S26 is beneath $800 for the bottom 12/256GB mannequin, whereas the Pixel 11 Professional is $1,020. Even the vanilla Pixel 11 is $900. And all three S26 fashions use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chips.
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