Technologies

Google Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 7: Which Is the Best Choice?

The Pixel 8’s biggest advantage is that Google claims it can last until 2030.

Annual phone upgrades are usually minimal, and the jump from the Pixel 7 to Pixel 8 is no exception. Google’s new entry-level Pixel phone has a fresh processor, more AI tricks to help with photo edits, macro photography mode and a slightly improved camera. Taken together, these changes underscore Google’s increased focus on artificial intelligence, further signaling the technology will play a big role in future Pixel devices.

But if you’re just looking for a reliable new phone with a medium-sized screen and a good camera, you may be wondering if it’s worth buying the $699 Pixel 8 or last year’s Pixel 7, which is $100 cheaper at $599. The answer is tricky. Although I loved the Pixel 7 when I reviewed it last year, there are better choices in Google’s lineup.

The pricier Pixel 8 may not be very different from the Pixel 7, but Google promises software updates for seven years. That’s a big deal because it means the Pixel 8 shouldn’t feel outdated until 2030 since it will continue to receive new Android version updates, security updates and special Pixel updates that Google calls «feature drops» until then. If you’re already spending hundreds of dollars on a new phone, it’s a good idea to invest in the one that will last longer.

But if you’re looking to save some cash, go for the $499 Pixel 7A instead of the Pixel 7. It has a lot in common with the Pixel 7 by offering the same processor and a similar camera, but for $100 less.

Here’s a closer look at how the Pixel 8 compares to the Pixel 7.

Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 7: Design, display and software

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 look and feel similar, with each featuring a glossy back finish and a matte aluminum frame with a bar-shaped camera module that runs horizontally across the device. But the Pixel 8 has flatter edges and weighs less, which along with its more compact size make it easier to hold and use with one hand.

The Pixel 7 is available in lemongrass (yellow), snow (white) and obsidian (black) color options, while the newer Pixel 8 comes in hazel (gray), obsidian (black) and rose (pink) choices. Both devices are rated for IP68 dust and water resistance, which means they should be dust-tight and able to withstand some water immersion.

Where the Pixel 8 and Pixel 7 start to differ is in their screens. The Pixel 8 has a 6.2-inch display, so it’s slightly smaller than the 6.3-inch Pixel 7. The Pixel 8’s dimensions are also physically smaller than the Pixel 7’s, making it a more ideal choice for those seeking a petite phone.

The Pixel 8’s screen is also brighter since it can peak at 2,000 nits of brightness compared to the Pixel 7’s 1,400 nits. In addition, the Pixel 8 can boost its refresh rate up to 120Hz compared to the Pixel 7’s 90Hz display, although the difference may not be noticeable and depends on what you’re doing on your phone.

The Pixel 7 pictured next to the Pixel Watch

Both phones run on Android 14, the newest version of Google’s mobile operating system. The Pixel 8 comes preloaded with Android 14, and it’s available for the Pixel 7 as an upgrade. But as mentioned above, the Pixel 8 will get seven years of new Android versions, new Pixel features and security updates. If you want a phone you can hold onto for years to come, the Pixel 8 is the better choice.

The Pixel 7 will only receive new Android updates for three years following its launch, meaning it’ll stop getting new versions of Android after October 2025. That alone gives the Pixel 8 a big edge over the Pixel 7.

While the software experience is largely the same, the Pixel 8 has some new AI-powered features — many of which are photography-related. The Pixel 8’s Google Assistant is smarter and can summarize web pages. It also sounds more natural when screening incoming calls on your behalf.

Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 7: Camera

On paper, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 have similar camera systems. They each have a 50-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra wide camera, but the Pixel 8 also has a macro photography mode and a newer sensor that’s more sensitive to light.

The difference is noticeable; photos taken with the Pixel 8’s main camera generally looked a little brighter than those shot on the Pixel 7. And some shots looked more colorful too.

In the images of my colleague Bridget Carey below, which I shot using Night Mode in a dimly lit room in the CNET offices, the Pixel 8 did a better job at capturing the purple lighting more accurately. However, her face does look a bit noisy in the Pixel 8’s photo.

Pixel 8

Pixel 7

While photos generally looked the same between both phones, the Pixel 8’s images sometimes looked slightly more colorful. Take a look at the photos of the fish market in Wegmans below, and you’ll notice the reddish color in the fish’s scales looks a little bolder, especially in the tail.

Pixel 8

Pixel 7

Macro mode also makes it easier to capture closeup details on the Pixel 8. The photo of an artificial flower below was taken on the Pixel 8 in macro mode, and below it you can see the same photo without macro mode taken on the Pixel 7.

Pixel 8

Pixel 7

My colleague Patrick Holland, who reviewed the Pixel 8, also said photos looked generally similar between both devices. However, he did notice more shadow detail in the Pixel 8’s photos when looking closely, which you can see in his review.

The bigger difference between the two phones comes down to their photo editing features. The Pixel 8 has a handful of new AI-powered editing tools that aren’t available on the Pixel 7, like Best Take and the Magic Editor. The former lets you change a person’s expression in a group photo after you’ve taken a bunch of shots, while the latter makes it possible to move and resize people and pets in images.

Best Take is meant for moments when you can’t get everyone smiling or keeping their eyes open in a group photo at the same time. While it works impressively well and I can see the appeal behind it, Best Take also feels a little inauthentic to me. It’s easy enough to ignore this feature if you don’t want to use it, but it doesn’t feel as practical as previously introduced photo editing tools like the Magic Eraser and Face Unblur.

The photo below was edited with Best Take. CNET’s Jessica Fierro (left) and Abrar Al-Heeti (right) weren’t smiling in the original image.

My opinion on the Magic Editor is largely the same, although I’m sure some people will have fun customizing their images and finding creative use cases for it. With the Magic Editor, you can resize people, delete certain objects and move people and pets. Patrick has a great example of the Magic Editor at work in his review.

After capturing a photo of two of our CNET colleagues jumping off of a giant rock, he used the Magic Editor to remove the rock entirely, making it look like they were just jumping in the air really high. However, these edits aren’t as smooth as Best Take; you can clearly tell the image was altered. As my colleague Sareena Dayaram points out, tools like the Magic Editor also raise questions about the authenticity of the photos we snap on our phones and potentially share on social media.

Two people jumping off a rock with the rock erased

While the Pixel 7 doesn’t have these new features, it does have other handy editing options like Face Unblur, Photo Unblur and the Magic Eraser.

Overall, the cameras on both phones are similar enough, although the Pixel 8’s generally feels like a small step up.

Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 7: Performance and battery

The Pixel 8 runs on Google’s newest processor, the Tensor G3, while the previous-generation Tensor G2 powers the Pixel 7. Both phones are responsive enough when scrolling around the operating system, swiping through social media posts, launching apps and the camera and playing games. The new chip’s benefits really kick in when it comes to those AI-powered features mentioned earlier.

I also ran two benchmarks on each phone: one for testing general performance in everyday use (Geekbench 6) and another for measuring graphics power (3DMark Wild Life Extreme). In both tests, the Pixel 8 scored higher, especially on 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, as you can see in the table below.

Geekbench 6 Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 7

Geekbench 6 (single core) 1,605 1,481Geekbench 6 (multicore) 4,134 3,971

Pixel 8
Pixel 7

Note: Higher scores are better

3DMark Wild Life Extreme

3DMark Wild Life Extreme 2,381 1,711

Pixel 8
Pixel 7

Note: Higher scores are better.

3DMark Frames Per Second

Frames Per Second 14.3 10.3

Pixel 8
Pixel 7

Note: Higher scores are better.

Both phones offer roughly the same battery life, even though the Pixel 8 has a slightly higher battery capacity. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 7 can each last for around a day on a single charge, and they performed very similarly during CNET’s three-hour battery test. During this test, we stream a YouTube video with the screen brightness turned up to its maximum level for three hours and note the battery percentage at each hour.

Despite its brighter screen, the Pixel 8 delivered results that almost matched those of the Pixel 7.

Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 7 Battery Test

	Pixel 8	Pixel 7
1 Hour	95%	95%
2 Hours	88%	88%
3 Hours	79%	81%

Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 7: Which should you choose?

The Pixel 8 is a better investment overall for the simple reason that it will last longer. Its modest camera and display improvements are a step up, and the Pixel 8’s new AI features make it a bit smarter and therefore more convenient to use than the Pixel 7. But it’s really the long software support that makes the Pixel 8 the better choice. However, I’d only recommend upgrading if you’re coming from an older device like the Pixel 5 or earlier.

Google Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 7

	Google Pixel 8	Google Pixel 7
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate, brightness	6.2-inch OLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels; 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate	6.3-inch OLED, FHD+ (1080 x 2400 pixels) , 90Hz
Pixel density	428 ppi	416 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	5.9 x 2.8 x 0.4 in	6.13 x 2.88 x 0.34 mm
Dimensions (millimeters)	150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9 mm	155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm
Weight (grams, ounces)	187 g (6.6 oz)	197 g (6.9 oz)
Mobile software (at launch)	Android 14	Android 13
Camera	50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)	50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide),
Front-facing camera	10.5-megapixel	10.8-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K
Processor	Google Tensor G3	Google Tensor G2
Storage and RAM	8GB + 128GB, 256GB	8GB + 128GB, 256 GB,
Expandable storage	None	None
Battery	4,575 mAh	4,355 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Under display	Under display
Connector	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None
Special features	5G (Sub 6, mmWave); VPN by Google One; 7 years of OS, security and Feature Drop updates; front-facing camera has autofocus; 13W Qi wireless charging; 30W wired charging; USB-3.2 speeds via USB-C; IP68 dust and water resistance; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on front and back	5G, Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Long Exposure Mode, Action Pan; Hold For Me, Wait Times, Direct My Call Live Translate
US price off-contract	$699 (128GB)	$600
UK price	£575 (128GB)	£599
Australia price	AU$1,100 (128GB)	AU$999

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Sept. 19

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Sept. 19.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

I didn’t get off to a great start with today’s Mini Crossword, completely blanking on 1-Across. Thankfully, the other clues were easy, and that answer filled itself in. Need some help? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Cancel on plans at the last moment
Answer: FLAKE

6A clue: Shade of light purple
Answer: LILAC

7A clue: ___ acid (protein builder)
Answer: AMINO

8A clue: Sarcastic «Yeah, sure»
Answer: IBET

9A clue: Sardonic boss on «Parks and Recreation»
Answer: RON

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Stylish panache
Answer: FLAIR

2D clue: Party game that tests how low you can go
Answer: LIMBO

3D clue: Visitor from outer space
Answer: ALIEN

4D clue: Philosopher who posed the question «What can I know?»
Answer: KANT

5D clue: Environmentally friendly prefix
Answer: ECO

Technologies

Your Old Android Isn’t Dead. These Tweaks Can Bring It Back to Life

Clear space, optimize your battery and update the basics. These quick changes can make an old Android phone feel snappier.

You don’t need the latest Android flagship to get good performance.

Thanks to longer software support from brands like Google and Samsung, older models can still run smoothly, as long as you give them a little attention. Clearing out unused apps, updating your software and tweaking a few settings can breathe new life into a device that feels sluggish. These quick fixes can help your phone last longer and save you from spending on an early upgrade.

Before you start shopping for a replacement, try a few simple adjustments. You might be surprised by how much faster your phone feels once you free up space, optimize battery use and turn off background drains.

Whether you use a Samsung Galaxy, Motorola or OnePlus phone, chances are you can still improve battery life and overall speed without buying something new. Just remember that Android settings vary slightly from brand to brand, so the menus may look a little different depending on your phone.

Don’t miss any of CNET’s unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

Settings to improve your battery life

Living with a phone that has poor battery life can be infuriating, but there are some steps you can take to maximize each charge right from the very beginning:

1. Turn off auto screen brightness or adaptive brightness and set the brightness level slider to under 50%

The brighter your screen, the more battery power it uses.

To get to the setting, pull down the shortcut menu from the top of the screen and adjust the slider, if it’s there. Some phones may have a toggle for auto brightness in the shortcut panel; otherwise, you need to open the settings app and search for «brightness» to find the setting and turn it off.

2. Use Adaptive Battery and Battery Optimization

These features focus on learning how you use your phone, including which apps you use and when, and then optimizing the apps and the amount of battery they use.

Some Android phones have a dedicated Battery section in the Settings app, while other phones (looking at you, Samsung) bury these settings. It’s a little different for each phone. I recommend opening your settings and searching for «battery» to find the right screen. Your phone may also have an adaptive charging setting that can monitor how quickly your phone battery charges overnight to preserve its health.

Why you should use dark mode more often

Another way to improve battery life while also helping save your eyes is to use Android’s dedicated dark mode. Any Android phone running Android 10 or newer will have a dedicated dark mode option.

According to Google, dark mode not only reduces the strain that smartphone displays cause on our eyes but also improves battery life because it takes less power to display dark backgrounds on OLED displays (used in most flagship phones) than a white background.

Depending on which version of Android your phone is running, and what company made your phone, you may have to dig around the settings app to find a dark mode. If your phone runs Android 10 or newer, you’ll be able to turn on system-wide dark mode. If it runs Android 9, don’t despair. Plenty of apps have their own dark mode option in the settings that you can use, whether or not you have Android 10.

To turn it on dark mode, open the Settings app and search for Dark Mode, Dark Theme or even Night Mode (as Samsung likes to call it). I suggest using dark mode all the time, but if you’re not sure, you can always set dark mode to automatically turn on based on a schedule, say from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day, or allow it to automatically switch based on your location at sunset and sunrise.

Keep your home screen free of clutter

Planning to hit up the Google Play Store for a bunch of new Android apps? Be prepared for a lot of icon clutter on your home screen, which is where shortcuts land every time you install something.

If you don’t want that, there’s a simple way out of this: Long-press on an empty area of your home screen and tap Settings. Find the option labeled something along the lines of Add icon to Home Screen or Add new apps to Home Screen and turn it off.

Presto! No more icons on the home screen when you install new apps. You can still add shortcuts by dragging an app’s icon out of the app drawer, but they won’t appear on your home screen unless you want them to.

Read more: Best Android Phones You Can Buy in 2024

Set up Do Not Disturb so that you can better focus

If your phone routinely spends the night on your nightstand, you probably don’t want it beeping or buzzing every time there’s a call, message or Facebook alert — especially when you’re trying to sleep. Android offers a Do Not Disturb mode that will keep the phone more or less silent during designated hours. On some phones, this is referred to as the Downtime setting or even Quiet Time.

Head to Settings > Sounds (or Notifications), then look for Do Not Disturb or a similar name. If you can’t find it, search for it using the built-in search feature in your settings.

Using the feature, you can set up a range of hours when you want to turn off the digital noise. Don’t worry, any notifications you get while Do Not Disturb is turned on will still be waiting for you when you wake up. Also, you can typically make an exception that allows repeat callers and favorite contacts’ calls to go through. Turn that on. If someone is calling you in an emergency, odds are they are going to keep trying.

Always be prepared in case you lose your phone or it’s stolen

Is there anything worse than a lost or stolen phone? Only the knowledge that you could have tracked it down if you had turned on Google’s Find My Device feature.

To prepare for a successful recovery, here’s what you need to do: Open the Settings app and then search for Find My Device. It’s usually in the Security section of the Settings app.

If you have a Samsung device, you can use Samsung’s Find My Mobile service, which is found in Settings > Biometrics and security > Find My Mobile.

Once that’s enabled, you can head to android.com/find from any PC or mobile device and sign in to your account. Samsung users can visit findmymobile.samsung.com to find a lost phone.

If you have trouble setting any of this up, be sure to read our complete guide to finding a lost Android phone.

Assuming your phone is on and online, you should be able to see its location on a map. From there, you can make it ring, lock it, set a lock screen note to tell whoever has it how to get it back to you, or, worst-case scenario, remotely wipe the whole thing.

And always keep your phone up to date

As obvious as it may seem, a simple software update could fix bugs and other issues slowing down your Android device.

Before you download and install the latest software update, make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi, or else this won’t work.

Now, open the Settings application and type in Update. You’ll then either see Software update or System update — choose either one. Then just download the software, wait for a few minutes and install it when it’s ready. Your Android device will reboot and install the latest software update available.

There’s a lot more to learn about a new phone. Here are the best ways to boost your cell signal, and here’s a flagship phone head-to-head comparison. Plus, check out CNET’s list of the best cases for your Samsung phone. More of an Apple fan? We have tips for boosting your iPhone’s performance, too.

Technologies

Your Pixel 10 Might Have Issues With Older Wireless Chargers

You might want to try taking the case off your phone in order to successfully charge it.

When Google introduced the Pixel 10 lineup in August, it became one of the first major Android phones to receive the Qi 2 wireless charging standard, which Google calls Pixelsnap. However, users noticed issues with wireless charging on the Pixel 10 almost immediately after its release.

Some people are having trouble charging their phone with the new Pixelsnap charger, and others are having issues with older wireless chargers, including Google’s own Pixel Stands. The bulk of the problems happen when a case is on the phone — whether it has the magnet array or not.

I own both the first and second generation Pixel Stands and both will charge my Pixel 10 Pro XL without an issue if there’s no case on it. However, when I add a case to my phone, the problems begin.

I have three cases for my phone, the Mous Super Thin Clear Case, the Magnetic Slim Case Fit by Grecazo, and a no-name soft TPU case. If my phone has any of those cases on and I attempt to charge it while it’s vertical, it starts to charge and then stops after a second or two, and keeps doing that.

I can fix this for the first-generation Pixel Stand by turning the phone horizontal, but it will still charge very slowly. I can’t seem to fix it at all for the Pixel Stand 2 — vertical, horizontal, it doesn’t charge.

Not everyone has this issue

The problem doesn’t seem to be universal. CNET editor Patrick Holland said he had no issues charging the Pixel 10 Pro during his time with it.

A Google spokesperson told me the Pixel 10 lineup is not optimized for older Qi wireless charging standards, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the phones won’t work with older wireless chargers.

Qi 2 is backwards-compatible with older standards, but the phone’s height and charging coil placement on both the phone and the charger are still factors. If you’re having problems, you might see if removing the case helps.

The prospect of potentially needing to replace your older wireless chargers with newer ones isn’t ideal, especially if you shelled out $80 for one or both of Google’s own Pixel Stands. Still, if you want the best wireless charging speed for your brand new Pixel 10 phone, it won’t be with wireless chargers that only support older Qi standards.