Pixel 6 vs. Pixel 6 Pro: What's the Difference?

What are the main differences between the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro? And is the Pro really worth $300 more?

Google's Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have a lot of things in common, but there are some key differences that you should know about if you are planning to choose between the two. Let's take a look at how the two phones compare.

Price

Let's start with the most important part: price. The regular Pixel 6 starts at $599 for the 128GB base model and can be capped at 256GB. The Pixel 6 Pro starts at $899 for the 128GB model and can be capped at 512GB of storage. Right off the bat, the price difference is a significant one, but we'll get to that in a minute.

For the additional $300 on the Pixel 6 Pro, you are getting much better hardware and a more premium look and feel overall; the software upgrades—including the new camera features—on both models remain the same.

If you are looking for a better value for your money, the regular Pixel 6 is definitely the one to go for. While the Pixel 6 Pro does look more modern and feels premium, we are not fully convinced that it justifies the $300 bump.

That said, the Pixel 6 Pro is priced competitively against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra or iPhone 13 Pro. If you have the budget for it, the Pixel 6 Pro is not a bad deal.

Camera

Cameras on Pixel devices have always been a big deal and a major selling point for many buyers. The same is the case for Pixel 6 devices. Only this time, the main lens has a physically larger sensor to let in 2.5x more light and also comes in a fresh new "camera bar" housing for a unique look.

Spec-wise, the Pixel 6 has three cameras in total: a 50MP f/1.85 main sensor with Laser Autofocus and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens with a 114-degree field of view, and an 8MP f/2.0 front camera.

The device is capable of shooting 4K video at 60fps on the back, and 1080p video at 30fps on the front.

The Pixel 6 Pro has four cameras in total: the same main sensor and ultrawide lens as the regular Pixel 6, and an additional 48MP f/3.5 telephoto lens with OIS and 4x optical zoom (increasing to a maximum 20x zoom by combining optical and digital zoom). On the front, it has a better 11.1MP f/2.2 ultrawide front camera.

The device is capable of shooting 4K video at 60fps on the back and 4K video at 30fps on the front.

Performance

Both the Pixel 6 phones are powered by Google's first-ever in-house processor, the Tensor chip. Tensor is supposed to be the most advanced AI-driven chip on any smartphone ever.

Related: Why Smartphone Brands Are Designing Their Own Processors

When it comes to raw performance, both devices have the same chip and the same software magic. However, the Pixel 6 Pro does come with more RAM at 12GB than the Pixel 6 which is limited to 8GB. So naturally, gaming will be much smoother on the Pro model, especially for power-intensive titles.

Speaking of power, both the devices feature 370% higher GPU performance and 80% higher CPU performance compared to the Pixel 5—all thanks to the new Tensor chip. This makes tasks such as photo editing and gaming much more seamless.

Display

The Pixel 6 features a 6.4-inch 90Hz AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution stretching 1080 x 2400 pixels. It comes with a tall 20:9 aspect ratio, 411ppi pixel density, and an 83.4% screen-to-body ratio.

The Pixel 6 Pro takes it up a notch with its bigger 6.7-inch adaptive 120Hz LTPO AMOLED panel with QHD+ resolution stretching 1440 x 3120 pixels. It comes with a similar 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 512ppi pixel density, and an 88.8% screen-to-body ratio.

Both devices have the protection of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and support HDR10+ content and always-on display. However, the Pixel 6 Pro looks more modern with its slightly curved glass and thinner bezels. And its adaptive screen can switch between 10 and 120Hz depending on your usage to save battery.

Battery and Charging

If you are someone who follows Pixel devices, you know how bad battery life used to be on the older Pixels. It was only until 2020 that we got the Pixel 5 with a respectable battery over 4000mAh that didn't suck.

But with the Pixel 6, it seems that Google is finally taking battery life and charging seriously instead of leaving them as an afterthought. The regular Pixel 6 has an improved 4614mAh battery while the Pixel 6 Pro bumps that up to 5003mAh.

Both devices support reverse wireless charging and 30W fast wired charging. But when it comes to wireless charging, the Pixel 6 Pro is slightly ahead with its 23W charging as opposed to 21W on the Pixel 6.

Sadly, as is increasingly the norm, none of the devices come with a charger inside the box. You do get a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USC-C to USB-A adapter, though.

Related: Battery Capacity vs. Charging Speed: Which Is More Important?

Colors and Design

The Pixel 6 comes in three quirky colors: Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, and Stormy Black. The Pixel 6 Pro opts for a safer, more subtle approach with its Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, and Stormy Black colors.

Design-wise, both the devices have squarish corners as opposed to the rounded ones we usually find on Android flagships. The Pixel 6 Pro arguably looks better both from the front and the back, thanks to those thin bezels and the curved glass screen.

But do keep in mind that a curved screen can result in accidental touches and misinterpreted commands by the phone. It's not a surprise why curved screens have fallen out of fashion. Despite their obvious benefit of looking sexier in ads and promo material, they can potentially make the screen more susceptible to shattering after a drop.

The Pixel 6 Offers Great Value for the Price

The Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro are both great phones with competitive prices. They have more in common than they have differences. And so if you are trying to decide which one to buy, the Pixel 6 is an easy pick if you don't want to spend that extra $300 for that premium finish and telephoto camera, but still want all of Google's new software features.

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