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Google Pixel 6 review: Strong smartphone with long update cycle

Back on top. With the Pixel 6, Google positions its flagship smartphone in the premium segment again; not only does it provide it with a unique design, but also with a completely redesigned camera setup, the first in-house chipset, and an enormously long update promise.

Not only does Google focus on a lot of high-end specs in its new top model, but it also integrates its in-house Tensor chipset for the first time. Furthermore, there's once again a Pro variant available alongside the Pixel 6. The latter is a bit bigger than our test device, has a 120 Hz panel with narrower bezels and a higher resolution, more RAM, a larger battery, and an additional zoom lens (48 MP, 4x zoom).

The Pixel 6 is equipped with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage; an expansion via a microSD card remains unavailable. A brand-new dual-camera setup is found on the back, and the battery has a capacity of 4,614 mAh. In terms of price, the Google smartphone starts at an MSRP of $599. The Pro model is available starting at $899 in the 128 GB version, and it's alternatively also available with 256 GB for $999.

Google Pixel 6 (Pixel 6 Series)
Processor
Google Tensor 8 x 1.8 - 2.8 GHz, Exynos X1 / Cortex-A76 / A55
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
Display
6.40 inch 20:9, 2400 x 1080 pixel 411 PPI, capacitive, OLED, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, glossy: yes, HDR, 90 Hz
Storage
128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash, 128 GB 
, 110.38 GB free
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), Audio Connections: USB-C, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, OTG
Networking
Wi-Fi 6E (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, 2G (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (Band 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 19), LTE (Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71), 5G (Band 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78), Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.9 x 158.6 x 74.8 ( = 0.35 x 6.24 x 2.94 in)
Battery
4614 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Charging
wireless charging, fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 12
Camera
Primary Camera: 50 MPix (f/1.85, 25 mm, 1/1.31", 1.2 µm, Octa PD, laser AF, OIS) 12 MP (ultra wide, f/2.2, 17 mm, 114°, 1.25 µm), ultra HD video (60 FPS); Camera2 API level: Full
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix (f/2.0, 84°, 1.25 µm, fixed focus)
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: on-screen, USB-C cable, OTG adapter, SIM tool, Quick Start guide, 24 Months Warranty, GNSS: GPS (L1, L5), GLONASS (L1), Galileo (E1, E5a), BeiDou (B1, B2a), NavIC (L5); head SAR: 1.38 W/kg, body SAR: 1.00 W/kg, DRM Widevine L1, IP68, fanless, waterproof
Weight
207 g ( = 7.3 oz / 0.46 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
649 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible contenders in comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
87.4 %
11/2021
Google Pixel 6
Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20
207 g128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.40"2400x1080
89.6 %
02/2021
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14
200 g128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.70"2400x1080
87.3 %
02/2021
Xiaomi Mi 11
SD 888 5G, Adreno 660
196 g128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.81"3200x1440
88.7 %
10/2021
Apple iPhone 13
A15, A15 GPU 4-Core
173 g128 GB NVMe6.10"2532x1170
83.8 %
10/2021
Oppo Reno6 5G
Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4
182 g128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.43"2400x1080
85.9 %
06/2021
Asus ZenFone 8
SD 888 5G, Adreno 660
169 g256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash5.92"2400x1080

Case - Compact phones are a thing of the past

If you own a Google Pixel 5, you'll be surprised at how heavy the new Pixel 6 has become. It weighs 207 grams, which is 56 grams more than the predecessor. This is mostly due to the larger dimensions, the bigger battery, and the glass on the front and back. The glass on both sides is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

The cameras on the back are also eye-catching. The thick camera hump protrudes by an impressive 2.85 millimeters, but it keeps the Pixel 6 stable on flat surfaces. There's no room for criticism in terms of build quality. The matte metal frame isn't susceptible to fingerprints, but this isn't the case for the glass. The gap dimensions are tight and even, and the Google smartphone leaves a very sturdy impression when it comes to twisting attempts.

The SIM slot's cover sits flush with the frame. Both plastic and metal are used for the card slot, which looks sufficiently stable and can hold a nano SIM card. The Pixel 6 is IP68 certified and therefore resistant to dust and water. The phone is available in Stormy Black, Sorta Seafoam, and Kinda Coral, the latter being our review sample.

Size comparison

164.3 mm / 6.47 inch 74.6 mm / 2.94 inch 8.06 mm / 0.3173 inch 196 g0.4321 lbs161.5 mm / 6.36 inch 75.6 mm / 2.98 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 200 g0.4409 lbs158.6 mm / 6.24 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 207 g0.4564 lbs156.8 mm / 6.17 inch 72.1 mm / 2.84 inch 7.6 mm / 0.2992 inch 182 g0.4012 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 68.5 mm / 2.7 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 169 g0.3726 lbs146.7 mm / 5.78 inch 71.5 mm / 2.81 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 173 g0.3814 lbs144.7 mm / 5.7 inch 70.4 mm / 2.77 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 151 g0.3329 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity - USB 3.2 in the Pixel 6

The Google Pixel is equipped with a fast USB 3.2 port (Gen. 1), which allows for high data speeds and supports OTG, but it doesn't support wired image output. Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC are also on board.

Apart from that, Google stays true to the predecessor's build by offering a very basic configuration. There's no microSD support, notification LED, IR blaster, radio receiver, or anything of the sort.

Top: Microphone
Top: Microphone
Left: SIM
Left: SIM
Right: Power, volume rocker
Right: Power, volume rocker
Bottom: Speaker, USB, microphone
Bottom: Speaker, USB, microphone

Software - Android 12 with 5 years of updates

Google opts for a pure Android 12 experience and spices it up with a few exclusive Pixel features. For instance, offline chats can be translated in real time in up to 55 languages. Unfortunately, the feature is only limited to a few apps so far.

The Magic Eraser is a tool that allows you to retouch unwanted elements in photos. This usually works quite well, although the Pixel 6 doesn't always apply the proper background fill to the corrected area when the image content is more complex.

Not only does the Google smartphone have DRM certification, but it also has a new codec on board: HDRnet.

The Pixel is supposed to receive Android version and feature updates for a minimum of three years, and security updates are even supposed to be deployed for at least five years. This time frame started when the Pixel 6 was added to the US Google Store. Consequently, nothing should stand in the way of an update to Android 15.

Communication and GNSS - The Pixel 6 doesn't come with mmWave in all markets

The Google Pixel 6 can access mobile networks using all common mobile standards. Only 5G is limited by the manufacturer to the Sub-6 range in most regions. The mmWave standard is only available in the USA, Japan, and Australia. In view of the potentially long lifespan of the Pixel smartphone, this decision is hard to understand. According to various teardowns, only one mmWave antenna is installed in the G9S9B models, which is located in the phone's top area. The frequency band coverage for the available standards is very broad, making it possible to establish mobile connections with the Pixel 6 all over the world.

With Wi-Fi 6E, the Google smartphone supports the most modern WLAN standard. The Pixel impresses in everyday use with a stable connection and a pretty good range. The former is also confirmed by the test with our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router. However, transfer speeds are a bit too low, especially for sending data.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus ZenFone 8
Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
1261 (1192min - 1327max) MBit/s +57%
Oppo Reno6 5G
Mali-G68 MP4, Dimensity 900, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
938 (925min - 948max) MBit/s +17%
Apple iPhone 13
A15 GPU 4-Core, A15, 128 GB NVMe
833 (794min - 859max) MBit/s +4%
Google Pixel 6
Mali-G78 MP20, Tensor, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
802 (421min - 857max) MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Mali-G78 MP14, Exynos 2100 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
747 (650min - 862max) MBit/s -7%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Mali-G78 MP14, Exynos 2100 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
600 (305min - 657max) MBit/s -25%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
519 (391min - 604max) MBit/s -35%
Google Pixel 5
Adreno 620, SD 765G, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
483 (479min - 493max) MBit/s -40%
iperf3 receive AX12
Asus ZenFone 8
Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
903 (446min - 918max) MBit/s +1%
Google Pixel 6
Mali-G78 MP20, Tensor, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
895 (870min - 907max) MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Mali-G78 MP14, Exynos 2100 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
855 (827min - 886max) MBit/s -4%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Mali-G78 MP14, Exynos 2100 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
854 (804min - 879max) MBit/s -5%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
842 (329min - 976max) MBit/s -6%
Oppo Reno6 5G
Mali-G68 MP4, Dimensity 900, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
810 (784min - 852max) MBit/s -9%
Apple iPhone 13
A15 GPU 4-Core, A15, 128 GB NVMe
715 (672min - 723max) MBit/s -20%
Google Pixel 5
Adreno 620, SD 765G, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
625 (521min - 652max) MBit/s -30%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s -58%
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900Tooltip
Google Pixel 6 Google Tensor, ARM Mali-G78 MP20; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø894 (870-907)
Apple iPhone 13 Apple A15 Bionic, Apple A15 GPU 4-Core; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø715 (672-723)
Google Pixel 6 Google Tensor, ARM Mali-G78 MP20; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø788 (421-857)
Apple iPhone 13 Apple A15 Bionic, Apple A15 GPU 4-Core; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø833 (794-859)
GPS Test: Outdoors
Outdoors
GPS Test: Indoors
Indoors

The satellite signal is obtained very quickly outdoors, but it could be a bit more precise. The Google Pixel 6 takes a bit longer indoors, and the GNSS signal is only very weak.

During our short bike ride, the Google phone has to face a comparison with the Garmin Venu 2. The smartwatch shows a much more accurate route tracking, but the smartphone's performance is sufficient for navigation tasks.

GNSS test ride: Lake
GNSS test ride: Lake
GNSS test ride: Turning point
GNSS test ride: Turning point
GNSS test ride: Summary
GNSS test ride: Summary

Telephone and call quality

Phone and messaging app in split screen mode

The Google Pixel 6 can hold one nano SIM card. Users who want to use dual SIM cards can resort to an additional eSIM. Features like VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling are supported.

Voice quality is very good when the Google smartphone is held to the ear. The user's voice is transmitted very naturally, and interfering background noise is accurately filtered out after a short time without this leading to changes in the color of the voice. The three microphones and the implemented algorithms do an excellent job in this regard.

The speakerphone mode doesn't work as well. Although the user of the Pixel 6 can be understood well, their voice sounds muffled and hollow. In addition, the range of the microphones is only average.

Cameras - Powerful dual-camera setup in the Pixel 6

Selfie taken with the Pixel 6
Selfie taken with the Pixel 6

The front-facing camera of the Google Pixel 6 takes good selfies. The scene detection immediately suggests a portrait shot, which can also be comprehensively edited afterwards. Despite the lack of a monstrous resolution, the results look detailed and homogeneous. The only drawback is the lack of autofocus.

A lot has changed on the back, since Google has updated the main sensor for the first time in years by implementing a 50 MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1 sensor that works with pixel-binning, resulting in 12.5 MP photos. The lens is absolutely compelling during the day, and the Pixel 6 takes detailed and color-consistent pictures that don't overdo it, especially in terms of sharpness. The imaging performance is still good in low light, but it doesn't quite match the rivals from Apple and Samsung. Night Mode makes things a bit better, but even then, the two contenders mentioned above are a bit more detailed. The additional ultra-wide angle lens delivers good results with an appealing depth of field. There might be minimal aberrations when it comes to the edges, though.

Videos can be recorded in Ultra HD at up to 60 frames per second at best. Thanks to the optical image stabilizer (OIS) and the additional electronic stabilization, recordings remain very smooth.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Main cameraMain cameraUltra-wide angle5x zoomLow light

Under controlled lighting conditions, the Google Pixel 6's camera shows a slightly warmer white balance, but without overdoing it. Colors are often displayed a bit brighter, but the deviations from the DeltaE value are a bit too high when it comes to blues and dark skin in particular.

Our test chart is captured with a lot of detail, and the Google smartphone doesn't reveal any weaknesses even in the peripheral areas.

ColorChecker
15.6 ∆E
5 ∆E
9.5 ∆E
16 ∆E
7 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
5.5 ∆E
12.4 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
6.5 ∆E
2.9 ∆E
13 ∆E
11.4 ∆E
5.8 ∆E
2.4 ∆E
4.9 ∆E
13.4 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
3.2 ∆E
5.3 ∆E
9.4 ∆E
6.2 ∆E
1.4 ∆E
ColorChecker Google Pixel 6: 7.28 ∆E min: 1.43 - max: 16.03 ∆E
ColorChecker
25.8 ∆E
42.2 ∆E
30.5 ∆E
29.7 ∆E
34.8 ∆E
49.9 ∆E
38 ∆E
23.7 ∆E
25.9 ∆E
19.6 ∆E
46.7 ∆E
50 ∆E
22.5 ∆E
36 ∆E
20.2 ∆E
46.9 ∆E
28.8 ∆E
34.6 ∆E
48.9 ∆E
48.5 ∆E
41.6 ∆E
32.8 ∆E
23.5 ∆E
13.5 ∆E
ColorChecker Google Pixel 6: 33.94 ∆E min: 13.46 - max: 49.96 ∆E

Accessories and warranty - No charger is included now

The Google Pixel 6 comes with a 24-month warranty that can't be extended or upgraded.

The accessories in the box are modest, as Google doesn't include a charger. As a result, only a USB-C cable, a SIM tool, and an OTG adapter are included in the box apart from the smartphone itself. The manufacturer offers an optional 30-watt charger ($25), compatible plastic or leather cases ($29 and $49, respectively), and the Pixel Stand (2nd generation, $79), which can be used to charge the Pixel wirelessly.

Input devices and handling - The fingerprint sensor migrates into the display

The capacitive touchscreen of the Google Pixel 6 recognizes up to 10 simultaneous taps, and it responds to them quickly and accurately. The glass surface has very good gliding properties and is very pleasant to the touch. We like the vibration motor very much, and it pleases with a crisp feedback.

Google finally decided to provide Android with a one-handed mode. This has to be enabled in the settings first, but then a simple swipe downwards from the bottom edge of the screen is all it takes to reduce the image.

In contrast to the Pixel 5, Google is no longer using a fingerprint sensor located on the back, but instead, it has been moved to the front of the display. The optical sensor works reliably and unlocks the smartphone at an agreeable speed. Only when the panel is completely off does it first have to be woken up for the sensor to become active.

Display - Pixel 6 with impressive OLED panel

Subpixel structure
Subpixel structure

The Google Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch (16.26 cm) OLED display with a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels and an attractive pixel density. The panel works at up to 90 Hz, but it can only reduce the refresh rate to 60 Hz. HDR support is limited to HLG and HDR10. An always-on display is available.

The panel's brightness is excellent, averaging around 805 cd/m² with a pure white background and the ambient light sensor enabled. It even reaches 1,128 cd/m² with an even distribution of bright and dark areas (APL50). If the ambient light sensor is disabled, up to 485 cd/m² is available.

However, Google doesn't have a particularly good grip on OLED flickering. There's neither a DC-dimming mode, nor is anything similar directly integrated into the panel's settings. The display flickers unsteadily between 176.1 Hz and 376.6 Hz at minimum brightness. At higher brightness, the amplitude curve becomes increasingly flatter and only fluctuates between 352.1 Hz and 376.6 Hz at maximum settings. This means that sensitive users will have to deal with discomfort during use, and even the optional Night Light mode will only help to a limited extent.

801
cd/m²
805
cd/m²
814
cd/m²
806
cd/m²
805
cd/m²
796
cd/m²
807
cd/m²
810
cd/m²
798
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 3
Maximum: 814 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 804.7 cd/m² Minimum: 2.19 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 805 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.4 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.29
Google Pixel 6
OLED, 2400x1080, 6.40
Google Pixel 5
OLED, 2340x1080, 6.00
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2400x1080, 6.70
Xiaomi Mi 11
LED DotDisplay, 3200x1440, 6.81
Apple iPhone 13
OLED, 2532x1170, 6.10
Oppo Reno6 5G
AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.43
Asus ZenFone 8
AMOLED, 2400x1080, 5.92
Screen
8%
-3%
7%
24%
-42%
-30%
Brightness middle
805
635
-21%
814
1%
840
4%
831
3%
588
-27%
758
-6%
Brightness
805
636
-21%
814
1%
845
5%
830
3%
593
-26%
759
-6%
Brightness Distribution
98
97
-1%
97
-1%
98
0%
98
0%
98
0%
98
0%
Black Level *
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.4
0.8
43%
2
-43%
1.2
14%
0.77
45%
2.6
-86%
3.5
-150%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3.7
2.2
41%
3.6
3%
2.7
27%
1.52
59%
4.7
-27%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.8
1.7
6%
1.4
22%
2
-11%
1.2
33%
3.3
-83%
1.6
11%
Gamma
2.29 96%
2.23 99%
2.12 104%
2.26 97%
2.209 100%
2.19 100%
2.23 99%
CCT
6507 100%
6492 100%
6568 99%
6492 100%
6501 100%
6573 99%
6527 100%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 367.6 Hz ≤ 100 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 367.6 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 367.6 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Color reproduction is a bit less accurate than in the Pixel 5, but this is nitpicking because the deviations are still so small that only a very trained eye would notice them in isolated cases.

Color-space coverage is a bit lower than expected in the measurements with CalMAN, because the Pixel 6 targets an extended sRGB color space instead of the more common DCI-P3. This is probably only used when necessary.

Grayscales (profile: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscales (profile: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Colors (profile: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Colors (profile: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (profile: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (profile: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (profile: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (profile: Natural, target color space: sRGB)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
3.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 1.2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
6.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3.6 ms rise
↘ 3.2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 14 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Thanks to the high brightness, there should hardly be any problems when using the Google Pixel 6 outdoors, even on sunny days. In addition, the ambient light sensor works very conservatively, and it also learns from the user's fine-tuning over time.

The viewing-angle stability of the OLED panel is just as impressive. At flat viewing angles, only a minor loss of brightness is noticeable.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing-angle stability of the Google Pixel 6
Viewing-angle stability of the Google Pixel 6

Performance - Tensor makes for a strong Google debut

The Pixel 6 is the first Google smartphone to be powered by an in-house SoC - the Google Tensor. Its architecture is somewhat reminiscent of the Samsung Exynos 2100, but it has an additional Cortex-X1 core and one less A76 core. Furthermore, Google has implemented the Titan M2 coprocessor, which is said to provide additional security; likewise, the algorithms for machine learning are supposed to have been greatly improved. An ARM Mali-G78 is used as the graphics unit. In contrast to the Galaxy S21+, however, it has 20 cores instead of 14.

The powerful SoC makes for an appealing performance in everyday use. However, it ranks behind the Snapdragon 888 in the benchmarks. The Qualcomm chipset is particularly faster when it comes to the CPU's multi-core performance. The GPU performance is quite different. While older OpenGL benchmarks in 3DMark show weaker results than with the Adreno 660, the performance is mostly higher with the Vulkan API. Only in GFXBench is the performance consistently weaker than that of the Qualcomm chip. The situation is similar compared to the Exynos SoC, which is probably due to heat development as we will see in the Temperature section.

In terms of the chip's AI capabilities, the AIMark results are very disappointing since the score is very low. Things look different in the Procyon AI benchmark, where the Tensor is on par with the SD888.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
1041 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
598 Points -43%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
1100 Points +6%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
1136 Points +9%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
1755 Points +69%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
706 Points -32%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
1124 Points +8%
Average Google Tensor
  (1025 - 1057, n=3)
1041 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=212, last 2 years)
902 Points -13%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
2805 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
1635 Points -42%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
3364 Points +20%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
3784 Points +35%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
4820 Points +72%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
2161 Points -23%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
3385 Points +21%
Average Google Tensor
  (2805 - 2941, n=3)
2895 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=212, last 2 years)
2950 Points +5%
Vulkan Score (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
7701 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
923 Points -88%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
6259 Points -19%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
4279 Points -44%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
2626 Points -66%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5771 Points -25%
Average Google Tensor
  (7406 - 7701, n=2)
7554 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (79 - 9992, n=90, last 2 years)
4078 Points -47%
OpenCL Score (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
Points
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
7514 Points
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
4674 Points
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
2571 Points
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
4676 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (434 - 10711, n=82, last 2 years)
3875 Points
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0 (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
10409 Points
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
8210 Points -21%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
16428 Points +58%
Average Google Tensor
  (9717 - 11605, n=3)
10577 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (4761 - 21385, n=206, last 2 years)
11628 Points +12%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
7344 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
3915 Points -47%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
7718 Points +5%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
5061 Points -31%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
10379 Points +41%
Average Google Tensor
  (7344 - 9654, n=3)
8841 Points +20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9014 Points +23%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
11005 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
4036 Points -63%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
9794 Points -11%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
6021 Points -45%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
15652 Points +42%
Average Google Tensor
  (11005 - 15556, n=3)
13516 Points +23%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15728 Points +43%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
3393 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
3544 Points +4%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
3248 Points -4%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
4763 Points +40%
Average Google Tensor
  (3393 - 4501, n=3)
4014 Points +18%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4327 Points +28%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
6606 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
2964 Points -55%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
8001 Points +21%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
9343 Points +41%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
5713 Points -14%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
3875 Points -41%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
8779 Points +33%
Average Google Tensor
  (6606 - 7742, n=3)
7184 Points +9%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=175, last 2 years)
6514 Points -1%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
8605 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
2834 Points -67%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
10913 Points +27%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
12023 Points +40%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
9878 Points +15%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
4068 Points -53%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
11552 Points +34%
Average Google Tensor
  (8605 - 10733, n=3)
9432 Points +10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=174, last 2 years)
9281 Points +8%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
3643 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
3530 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
4137 Points +14%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
5249 Points +44%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
2307 Points -37%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
3324 Points -9%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
4771 Points +31%
Average Google Tensor
  (3643 - 4277, n=3)
3946 Points +8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=174, last 2 years)
4150 Points +14%
Wild Life Score (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
6954 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
1015 Points -85%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
5668 Points -18%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
5599 Points -19%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
8788 Points +26%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
2031 Points -71%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5767 Points -17%
Average Google Tensor
  (6516 - 6954, n=3)
6722 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (394 - 9839, n=131, last 2 years)
2586 Points -63%
Wild Life Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
7064 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
1022 Points -86%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
6010 Points -15%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
5678 Points -20%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
9979 Points +41%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
2001 Points -72%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5821 Points -18%
Average Google Tensor
  (7057 - 7261, n=3)
7127 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (392 - 20068, n=194, last 2 years)
6058 Points -14%
Wild Life Extreme (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
2067 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
448 Points -78%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
2470 Points +19%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
593 Points -71%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
1528 Points -26%
Average Google Tensor
  (1973 - 2067, n=3)
2027 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 5226, n=199, last 2 years)
1628 Points -21%
Wild Life Extreme Unlimited (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
1823 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
443 Points -76%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
2313 Points +27%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
579 Points -68%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
1512 Points -17%
Average Google Tensor
  (1626 - 1998, n=3)
1816 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (109 - 5248, n=194, last 2 years)
1635 Points -10%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
90 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
45 fps -50%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
119 fps +32%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
120 fps +33%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
60.1 fps -33%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
60 fps -33%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
119 fps +32%
Average Google Tensor
  (60 - 101, n=3)
83.7 fps -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
83 fps -8%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
144 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
48 fps -67%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
242 fps +68%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
268 fps +86%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
416.3 fps +189%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
97 fps -33%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
238 fps +65%
Average Google Tensor
  (125 - 252, n=3)
173.7 fps +21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (19 - 791, n=178, last 2 years)
244 fps +69%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
79 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
30 fps -62%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
119 fps +51%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
91 fps +15%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
60.2 fps -24%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
52 fps -34%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
116 fps +47%
Average Google Tensor
  (60 - 79, n=3)
68 fps -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.8 - 165, n=179, last 2 years)
71 fps -10%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
90 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
31 fps -66%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
161 fps +79%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
158 fps +76%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
217.4 fps +142%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
61 fps -32%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
152 fps +69%
Average Google Tensor
  (89 - 151, n=3)
110 fps +22%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9.2 - 363, n=179, last 2 years)
138 fps +53%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
57 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
21 fps -63%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
103 fps +81%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
59 fps +4%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
60.1 fps +5%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
35 fps -39%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
93 fps +63%
Average Google Tensor
  (42 - 60, n=3)
53 fps -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.7 - 158, n=179, last 2 years)
59.9 fps +5%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
60 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
22 fps -63%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
107 fps +78%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
111 fps +85%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
138.6 fps +131%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
40 fps -33%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
105 fps +75%
Average Google Tensor
  (60 - 100, n=3)
75 fps +25%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.2 - 279, n=179, last 2 years)
96.7 fps +61%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
36 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
13 fps -64%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
56 fps +56%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
33 fps -8%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
58.5 fps +63%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
20 fps -44%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
53 fps +47%
Average Google Tensor
  (30 - 54, n=3)
40 fps +11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (5 - 117, n=179, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +19%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
40 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
12 fps -70%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
62 fps +55%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
67 fps +68%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
96.6 fps +142%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
24 fps -40%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
61 fps +53%
Average Google Tensor
  (40 - 52, n=3)
46.7 fps +17%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.9 - 166, n=179, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +47%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
47 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
13 fps -72%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
64 fps +36%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
41 fps -13%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
23 fps -51%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
57 fps +21%
Average Google Tensor
  (43 - 47, n=3)
44.3 fps -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=219, last 2 years)
43.2 fps -8%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
49 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
13 fps -73%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
64 fps +31%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
79 fps +61%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
112.9 fps +130%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
26 fps -47%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
64 fps +31%
Average Google Tensor
  (49 - 69, n=3)
58.7 fps +20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=219, last 2 years)
63 fps +29%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
40 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
8.8 fps -78%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
44 fps +10%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
25 fps -37%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
54.9 fps +37%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
15 fps -62%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
41 fps +3%
Average Google Tensor
  (32 - 40, n=3)
37 fps -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=219, last 2 years)
32.2 fps -19%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
23 fps
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
5.3 fps -77%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
27 fps +17%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
29 fps +26%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
37.2 fps +62%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
10 fps -57%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
26 fps +13%
Average Google Tensor
  (23 - 30, n=3)
27 fps +17%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=219, last 2 years)
25.1 fps +9%
Antutu v9 - Total Score (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
702981 Points
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
813876 Points +16%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
424921 Points -40%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
795730 Points +13%
Average Google Tensor
  (702981 - 720905, n=3)
713075 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (102602 - 1650926, n=148, last 2 years)
741274 Points +5%
AnTuTu v8 - Total Score (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
611484 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
288970 Points -53%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
617805 Points +1%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
700592 Points +15%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
362407 Points -41%
Average Google Tensor
 
611484 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
101336 Points -83%
VRMark - Amber Room (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
7495 Score
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
Score -100%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
4639 Score -38%
Average Google Tensor
 
7495 Score 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1010 - 10071, n=14, last 2 years)
5281 Score -30%
AImark - Score v2.x (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
5723 Points
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
226728 Points +3862%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
209984 Points +3569%
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic, A15 GPU 4-Core, 4096
105623 Points +1746%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
41400 Points +623%
Average Google Tensor
  (5723 - 5967, n=3)
5824 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1043 - 139804, n=55, last 2 years)
22126 Points +287%
Basemark GPU 1.2
1280x720 OpenGL Simple Offscreen (sort by value)
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
38.8 (5.81min - 74.76max) fps
Average of class Smartphone
  (195.7 - 549, n=11, last 2 years)
332 fps
1920x1080 OpenGL Medium Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
97.9 (12.65min - 163.5max) fps
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
27.25 (3.12min - 46.18max) fps -72%
Average Google Tensor
 
97.9 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (7.65 - 13860, n=54, last 2 years)
328 fps +235%
OpenGL Medium Native (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
87.8 (11.09min - 157.62max) fps
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
25.18 (5.01min - 43.15max) fps -71%
Average Google Tensor
 
87.8 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9.3 - 9309, n=53, last 2 years)
238 fps +171%
1280x720 Vulkan Simple Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
282.4 (96.55min - 3557.1max) fps
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
fps -100%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
36.24 (8.76min - 87.97max) fps -87%
Average Google Tensor
 
282 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.12 - 39496, n=54, last 2 years)
1381 fps +389%
1920x1080 Vulkan Medium Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
88.8 (17.35min - 206.76max) fps
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
25.38 (5.93min - 44.29max) fps -71%
Average Google Tensor
 
88.8 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (7.51 - 15712, n=54, last 2 years)
412 fps +364%
Vulkan Medium Native (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
79.3 (14.05min - 141.25max) fps
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
23.05 (7.18min - 39.2max) fps -71%
Average Google Tensor
 
79.3 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 14706, n=53, last 2 years)
344 fps +334%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
6287 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
3290 Points -48%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
6144 Points -2%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
6361 Points +1%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
3817 Points -39%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
6043 Points -4%
Average Google Tensor
  (5950 - 6287, n=3)
6097 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points -9%
System (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
9085 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
5960 Points -34%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
10492 Points +15%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
10377 Points +14%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
8625 Points -5%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
9973 Points +10%
Average Google Tensor
  (9009 - 9109, n=3)
9068 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +6%
Memory (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
6071 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
5381 Points -11%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
6246 Points +3%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
8789 Points +45%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
5612 Points -8%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
6300 Points +4%
Average Google Tensor
  (6071 - 6592, n=3)
6333 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +3%
Graphics (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
15303 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
2560 Points -83%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
14636 Points -4%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
12732 Points -17%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
4311 Points -72%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
13167 Points -14%
Average Google Tensor
  (13319 - 15303, n=3)
14257 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points -9%
Web (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
1851 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
1428 Points -23%
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 8192
1486 Points -20%
Xiaomi Mi 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 8192
1434 Points -23%
Oppo Reno6 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 900, Mali-G68 MP4, 8192
1017 Points -45%
Asus ZenFone 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
1612 Points -13%
Average Google Tensor
  (1476 - 1851, n=3)
1697 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points -20%
CrossMark
Overall (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
849 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
437 Points -49%
Average Google Tensor
  (849 - 906, n=3)
873 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (200 - 1474, n=156, last 2 years)
832 Points -2%
Productivity (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
866 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
490 Points -43%
Average Google Tensor
  (866 - 926, n=3)
895 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (199 - 1428, n=157, last 2 years)
844 Points -3%
Creativity (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
825 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
370 Points -55%
Average Google Tensor
  (810 - 867, n=3)
834 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (183 - 1587, n=157, last 2 years)
803 Points -3%
Responsiveness (sort by value)
Google Pixel 6
Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 8192
867 Points
Google Pixel 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, Adreno 620, 8192
511 Points -41%
Average Google Tensor
  (867 - 968, n=3)
928 Points +7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (269 - 1552, n=156, last 2 years)
888 Points +2%

The browser speed of the Google Pixel 6 doesn't leave any room for criticism. Websites are loaded quickly and can be scrolled through smoothly. The smartphone performs very well in most benchmarks; only the iPhone is in a league of its own.

Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 13 (Safari 15)
180 Points +100%
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=167, last 2 years)
104.5 Points +16%
Google Pixel 6 (Chrome 96)
90.1 Points
Average Google Tensor (75.3 - 91.7, n=3)
85.7 Points -5%
Xiaomi Mi 11 (Chrome 88)
83.2 Points -8%
Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Chrome 88.0.4324.152)
66.3 Points -26%
Google Pixel 5 (Chrome 86.0.4240.110)
50.8 Points -44%
Oppo Reno6 5G (Chrome 93)
50.5 Points -44%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 13 (Safari 15)
399.8 Points +122%
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 414, n=3, last 2 years)
194.9 Points +8%
Average Google Tensor (180.4 - 189.6, n=2)
185 Points +3%
Asus ZenFone 8 (Chrome 90)
184.5 Points +2%
Google Pixel 6 (Chrome 96)
180.4 Points
Xiaomi Mi 11 (Chrome 88)
137.9 Points -24%
Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Chrome 88.0.4324.152)
117.8 Points -35%
Oppo Reno6 5G (Chrome 93)
105.7 Points -41%
Google Pixel 5 (Chrome 86.0.4240.110)
88.9 Points -51%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Apple iPhone 13 (Safari 15)
244 runs/min +135%
Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=151, last 2 years)
105.7 runs/min +2%
Google Pixel 6 (Chrome 96)
104 runs/min
Average Google Tensor (90.4 - 111, n=3)
101.8 runs/min -2%
Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Chrome 88.0.4324.152)
85.8 runs/min -17%
Xiaomi Mi 11 (Chrome 88)
62.8 runs/min -40%
Oppo Reno6 5G (Chrome 93)
49.5 runs/min -52%
Google Pixel 5 (Chrome 86.0.4240.110)
49.2 runs/min -53%
WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Apple iPhone 13 (Safari 15)
219 Points +99%
Asus ZenFone 8 (Chrome 90)
149 Points +35%
Average of class Smartphone (37 - 304, n=119, last 2 years)
131.8 Points +20%
Xiaomi Mi 11 (Chrome 88)
124 Points +13%
Google Pixel 6 (Chrome 96)
110 Points
Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Chrome 88.0.4324.152)
102 Points -7%
Average Google Tensor (77 - 110, n=3)
97.3 Points -12%
Google Pixel 5 (Chrome 86.0.4240.110)
77 Points -30%
Oppo Reno6 5G (Chrome 93)
65 Points -41%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 13 (Safari 15)
62664 Points +44%
Google Pixel 6 (Chrome 96)
43376 Points
Average Google Tensor (33046 - 44034, n=3)
40152 Points -7%
Asus ZenFone 8 (Chrome 90)
37926 Points -13%
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33525 Points -23%
Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Chrome 88.0.4324.152)
28247 Points -35%
Xiaomi Mi 11 (Chrome 88)
27539 Points -37%
Oppo Reno6 5G (Chrome 93)
25580 Points -41%
Google Pixel 5 (Chrome 86.0.4240.110)
18629 Points -57%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Google Pixel 5 (Chrome 86.0.4240.110)
2470 ms * -139%
Oppo Reno6 5G (Chrome 93)
1790 ms * -73%
Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Chrome 88.0.4324.152)
1744 ms * -69%
Xiaomi Mi 11 (Chrome 88)
1722 ms * -67%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1653 ms * -60%
Asus ZenFone 8 (Chrome 90)
1397 ms * -35%
Average Google Tensor (915 - 1532, n=3)
1160 ms * -12%
Google Pixel 6 (Chrome 96)
1034 ms *
Apple iPhone 13 (Safari 15)
413.6 ms * +60%

* ... smaller is better

As expected, the speed of the UFS 3.1 storage is high, but it lags behind the competition in nearly every area. Standard transfer rates are only achieved in sequential reading.

Google Pixel 6Asus ZenFone 8Samsung Galaxy S21+Xiaomi Mi 11Google Pixel 5Average 128 GB UFS 3.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
105%
136%
100%
-18%
90%
122%
Sequential Read 256KB
1546
1781
15%
1623
5%
1615
4%
851
-45%
1602 ?(1030 - 3134, n=55)
4%
1467 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
-5%
Sequential Write 256KB
233.4
767
229%
1037
344%
754
223%
190
-19%
778 ?(233 - 1332, n=55)
233%
1077 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
361%
Random Read 4KB
126.2
292.3
132%
309.6
145%
278.5
121%
138.9
10%
244 ?(126.2 - 428, n=55)
93%
241 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
91%
Random Write 4KB
190.3
272.9
43%
283.3
49%
289.3
52%
155.9
-18%
245 ?(121.4 - 503, n=55)
29%
265 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
39%

Games - Smooth gaming with minor limitations

The ARM Mali-G78 MP20 packs plenty of computing power, so it doesn't have to worry about any game from the Play Store. The Google Pixel 6 also shows a stable gaming performance at high detail levels in our gaming tests with GameBench. The corresponding titles even run a bit smoother at 90 Hz than on other smartphones.

However, we aren't able to select the Ultra HD setting for demanding titles like PUBG Mobile; HDR is the limit. Even the HD setting that we tested only runs at 40 FPS. Other competitors usually offer 60 FPS in this regard.

The Gaming Dashboard is a new feature that allows users to stream games directly on YouTube or to optimize the performance settings. However, the function is hidden under the Do Not Disturb settings and is only optimized for a few titles at the time of testing.

Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2
PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile
Gaming Dashboard
Gaming Dashboard
051015202530354045505560657075808590Tooltip
Google Pixel 6; Dead Trigger 2; 1.8.9: Ø84.6 (78-89)
Google Pixel 6; PUBG Mobile; 1.7.0: Ø40 (39-41)
Google Pixel 6; Temple Run 2; 1.83.0: Ø89.7 (60-91)

Emissions - Heat development slows down Tensor chip

Temperature

The surface temperatures of the Google Pixel 6 remain pleasantly low in idle usage. They increase significantly under load, but the smartphone doesn't get uncomfortably warm.

The 3DMark stress tests show that the Tensor SoC breaks a strong sweat under prolonged load. Remarkable parallels to Samsung's Exynos chip can also be observed in the graphs here. Performance drops by about 50% in both scenarios.

Unfortunately, we can't present the results of the GFXBench battery test here, since the app always crashes when trying to show them.

Max. Load
 34.9 °C
95 F
35.6 °C
96 F
35.7 °C
96 F
 
 37.5 °C
100 F
37.7 °C
100 F
37.1 °C
99 F
 
 36.8 °C
98 F
38.8 °C
102 F
36.4 °C
98 F
 
Maximum: 38.8 °C = 102 F
Average: 36.7 °C = 98 F
36.4 °C
98 F
37.3 °C
99 F
37.1 °C
99 F
36.8 °C
98 F
38.2 °C
101 F
37.4 °C
99 F
35.4 °C
96 F
36.9 °C
98 F
37.3 °C
99 F
Maximum: 38.2 °C = 101 F
Average: 37 °C = 99 F
Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated) & Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.7 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 38.2 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

3DMark Wild Life stress test

0510152025303540455055Tooltip
Google Pixel 6 Mali-G78 MP20, Tensor, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.0.5.1: Ø8.78 (7.06-12.9)
Apple iPhone 13 A15 GPU 4-Core, A15, 128 GB NVMe; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 0.0.0.0: Ø13.1 (12.3-16)
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Mali-G78 MP14, Exynos 2100 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.0.5.1: Ø8.98 (7.01-11.7)
Google Pixel 6 Mali-G78 MP20, Tensor, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability: Ø27.5 (22.2-41.9)
Apple iPhone 13 A15 GPU 4-Core, A15, 128 GB NVMe; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø47 (44.5-55.5)
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Mali-G78 MP14, Exynos 2100 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability: Ø25.4 (22.3-34.4)

Speakers

The two speakers in the Google Pixel 6 deliver a very decent sound, even though there are competitors that offer a richer experience. The Pixel is a bit weaker when it comes to the lower mids in particular, but this is only annoying at high volumes.

USB-C is available for wired sound output, but you might need to purchase the corresponding audio jack adapter separately. Devices connected via Bluetooth can use the SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC codecs.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.830.8252423.43116.121.14027.621.15032.334.46323.422.6802217.31002222.51252137.116017.949.120013.350.525015.254.431513.252.640011.554.250012.262.763012.368.580013.372.9100014.575125012.273.9160011.274200011.773.6250012.172.4315012.773.6400013.678.3500013.179.1630013.671.2800013.168.31000013.672.71250013.671.11600013.561SPL2586.3N0.665.8median 13.3median 71.1Delta1.38.929.53833.134.327.42831.331.730.332.729.628.924.124.520.730.417.639.414.845.712.34912.853.410.453.9957.611.363.214.464.817.166.31469.110.471.29.472.310.67111.473.813.676.713.768.215.370.715.467.716.66717.67017.366.917.662.726.383.20.754.5median 14median 66.93.18hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseGoogle Pixel 6Apple iPhone 13
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Google Pixel 6 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 9% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 84% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 30% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple iPhone 13 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 24% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 71% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life - Good, but not outstanding

Energy consumption

The Google Pixel 6 proves to be very frugal in idle usage, but consumption increases considerably under load. Especially the comparison with the iPhone 13 shows that it's possible to do a better job here.

Google doesn't include a charger with the smartphone, but the Pixel 6 supports wired charging at up to 21 watts, and the manufacturer recommends using a power adapter that is compliant with PD 3.0.   Wirelessly, up to 21 watts is supported as well, but this is reserved for the Pixel Stand (2nd generation), since other Qi chargers only charge the Google smartphone at up to 12 watts. The Pixel 6 can also charge other devices wirelessly.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.04 / 0.06 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.68 / 1 / 1.02 Watt
Load midlight 5.39 / 9 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Google Pixel 6
4614 mAh
Google Pixel 5
4080 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S21+
4800 mAh
Xiaomi Mi 11
4600 mAh
Apple iPhone 13
3240 mAh
Oppo Reno6 5G
4300 mAh
Asus ZenFone 8
4000 mAh
Average Google Tensor
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
27%
-18%
-72%
3%
-44%
0%
-10%
-26%
Idle Minimum *
0.68
0.69
-1%
0.74
-9%
1.57
-131%
0.6
12%
1.13
-66%
0.82
-21%
0.687 ?(0.68 - 0.7, n=3)
-1%
0.891 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-31%
Idle Average *
1
0.82
18%
1.27
-27%
1.92
-92%
1
-0%
2.09
-109%
1.1
-10%
1.187 ?(1 - 1.56, n=3)
-19%
1.448 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
-45%
Idle Maximum *
1.02
0.85
17%
1.33
-30%
1.94
-90%
1.3
-27%
2.15
-111%
1.16
-14%
1.213 ?(1.02 - 1.58, n=3)
-19%
1.63 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
-60%
Load Average *
5.39
2.73
49%
6.32
-17%
6.32
-17%
4.5
17%
3.71
31%
4.24
21%
5.88 ?(5.37 - 6.87, n=3)
-9%
5.57 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-3%
Load Maximum *
9
4.4
51%
9.61
-7%
11.65
-29%
7.8
13%
6.06
33%
6.83
24%
9.2 ?(8.74 - 9.87, n=3)
-2%
8.27 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
8%

* ... smaller is better

Energy consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)

012345678910Tooltip
Google Pixel 6 Google Tensor: Ø5.28 (0.821-10.1)
Apple iPhone 13 Apple A15 Bionic: Ø4.54 (0.574-10.7)

Energy consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)

0123456789101112Tooltip
Google Pixel 6 Google Tensor; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø10.4 (9.25-12.3)
Apple iPhone 13 Apple A15 Bionic; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø7.76 (4.8-9.44)
Google Pixel 6 Google Tensor; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.758 (0.531-1.025)
Apple iPhone 13 Apple A15 Bionic; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.709 (0.637-1.368)

Battery life

Overall, the Google Pixel 6 delivers really good battery life; runtimes are still good in our practical Wi-Fi test, but there's room for improvement considering the battery size. Especially when you look at the competition, you can find even more enduring smartphones.

Nevertheless, the performance provided is easily enough to comfortably get through the day. However, the Pixel 6 is definitely not an endurance runner.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
33h 40min
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 95)
10h 27min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
20h 19min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 51min
Google Pixel 6
4614 mAh
Google Pixel 5
4080 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S21+
4800 mAh
Xiaomi Mi 11
4600 mAh
Apple iPhone 13
3240 mAh
Oppo Reno6 5G
4300 mAh
Asus ZenFone 8
4000 mAh
Battery Runtime
19%
-4%
-26%
25%
31%
-30%
Reader / Idle
2020
2245
11%
1780
-12%
1144
-43%
2734
35%
H.264
1219
1466
20%
1174
-4%
971
-20%
1224
0%
WiFi v1.3
627
808
29%
651
4%
527
-16%
1019
63%
824
31%
442
-30%
Load
291
333
14%
282
-3%
214
-26%
299
3%

Pros

+ bright 90 Hz OLED
+ fast SoC
+ IP68 certification
+ powerful dual-camera setup
+ long update cycle

Cons

- no storage expansion
- thin voice quality in speaker mode
- USB without image output

Verdict - Powerful and future-proof

In review: Google Pixel 6. Test device provided by Google Germany.
In review: Google Pixel 6. Test device provided by Google Germany.

The Google Pixel 6 is a powerful smartphone that combines many positive features at an attractive price. Especially in terms of display and camera, the smartphone doesn't need to shy away from the competition. The panel is bright and accurate, and it also operates at up to 90 Hz.

In addition, the device supports wireless and reverse wireless charging, it's resistant to both dust and water according to IP68, and it promises security updates for at least five years. Therefore, it's not only protected against unfavorable conditions, but it also guarantees a long product lifecycle, which is something unusual for Android smartphones so far.

With the Pixel 6, Google once again succeeds in creating a smartphone that can compete with the very best.

On the other hand, we would've liked to see the USB port supporting image output. Although battery life is good in everyday use, a couple of hours more would have been nice in view of the large battery. We'll see whether algorithms or future updates manage to squeeze even more out of the battery.

Users who want something more high-end can get a 120 Hz OLED display with a higher pixel density, and an additional zoom lens for the camera with the Pixel 6 Pro. Whether this justifies the extra costs of $300 is a personal decision. Strong alternatives are also the iPhone 13 or the Asus Zenfone 8. The Pixel 6 is a good choice for those who want to enjoy their smartphone for a long time without having to compromise on a good camera.

Price and availability

At the time of writing, you can purchase the Google Pixel 6 directly from the manufacturer, as well as find it in other stores like Best Buy, for example.

Google Pixel 6 - 08/30/2022 v7
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
90%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
91%
Connectivity
54 / 70 → 77%
Weight
88%
Battery
90%
Display
93%
Games Performance
58 / 64 → 91%
Application Performance
81 / 86 → 94%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
76 / 90 → 84%
Camera
79%
Average
81%
87%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Google Pixel 6 review: Strong smartphone with long update cycle
Daniel Schmidt, 2021-11-30 (Update: 2021-11-30)