Does the Google Pixel 8 Pro have good connectivity?
Has Google finally fixed the glaring connectivity issues on its flagship Pixel for 2023?
by Rahul Srinivas · Android PoliceReaders like you help support Android Police. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.
Summary
- The Pixel 8 Pro has seen connectivity improvements over its predecessors, but some users are still reporting issues with cellular connectivity on the device.
- Google's Pixel smartphones are known for impressive cameras, Pixel-specific features, priority software updates, and occasional Feature Drops powered by the Tensor series chips.
- While initial feedback suggests improved connectivity performance on the Pixel 8 Pro, there has been a recent increase in user complaints about connectivity, particularly on the Pixel 8, and some users have experienced battery drain when connected to a mobile network.
Quick Answer: The Pixel 8 Pro has seen connectivity improvements over its predecessors, but some users are still reporting issues with cellular connectivity on the device.
Google's Pixel smartphones are interesting Android phones. While Google unabashedly touts them as flagship-grade devices, the majority of Pixel smartphone buyers are well aware of the fact that these devices do not exactly scream performance. Most people choosing Google Pixel devices usually do so because of their impressive cameras, exclusive Pixel-specific features, priority software updates, and the occasional Pixel Feature Drops. Most of these Pixel-exclusive features are powered by Google's Tensor series chips, which are based on Google's custom design but fabricated by Samsung.
However, these chips have had a major Achilles heel concerning cellular connectivity. Older Pixel smartphones, including devices from the Pixel 7 lineup, are known to face occasional connectivity issues like call drops, inconsistent 5G speeds, and spotty 5G connectivity. Most of these issues were attributed to the Tensor G2 chip and its Samsung modem.
Both the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro use the same modem as the Pixel 7 series on the new Tensor G3 chip, albeit with a slightly different model number. It is natural, therefore, for anyone intending to purchase these devices to be a little wary of possible connectivity issues on these devices.
So, how is the Pixel 8 Pro's connectivity?
Initial feedback from our colleagues here at Android Police has indicated largely improved connectivity performance with these devices, especially the Google Pixel 8 Pro. Our Phones Editor Will Sattelberg didn't find any connectivity problems in his Pixel 8 Pro review, or battery problems while using cellular connections.
However, it seems Google's sketchy past with cellular connectivity issues is coming back to haunt them. There has been a recent spike in the number of users complaining about connectivity in the Pixel 8 series. Most of these reports are centered around the Google Pixel 8 and do not specifically talk about the Pixel 8 Pro. However, a handful of Pixel 8 Pro users have also encountered battery drain issues with the device when connected to a mobile network.
Separately, on a Reddit thread, several users have indicated that they have encountered lower screen times with the Pixel 8 Pro when connected to a cellular network. Android Police's Rajesh Pandey, who also uses a Pixel 8 Pro, has noticed that his phone lasts a lot less when connected to a mobile network than when it is on Wi-Fi. He has also noticed heating issues with the phone with just 5 minutes of web browsing on 5G.
It's still too early to say how widespread these connectivity issues are on the Pixel 8 Pro, and we should get a clearer idea in the days to come. There is also a good chance that Google may issue an update to fix most of the cellular connectivity issues on both the Pixel 8 series devices.
What about the rest of the connectivity features of the Pixel 8 Pro?
Being Google's flagship offering, the Pixel 8 Pro is pretty fully loaded as far as wired and wireless connectivity goes. Besides featuring support for the latest Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) connectivity standard, the phone also supports additional features like NFC, Google Cast, and Bluetooth 5.3 with dual antennas. For location services, it supports GPS, GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), QZSS (Japan), BeiDou (China), and NavIC (India).
The Pixel 8 Pro uses Samsung's Exynos 5300 series modem for cellular connectivity. This is virtually the same modem that powered the company's Pixel 7 lineup, and Google hasn't mentioned any major improvements on this front either. This modem does enable support for a wide variety of 5G bands, including mmWave and Sub-6GHz. 4G LTE support is thrown in as well, again with support for almost all major LTE bands.
If you're considering the Google Pixel 8 Pro as your next smartphone, the wise approach would be to play the wait and watch game and see how widespread of an issue the reported cellular connectivity issues really are.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Pixel 8 Pro, Google’s newest flagship comes with a lot of updates over its predecessors, including an upgraded camera setup, and improved AI features to power features like Magic editor, Best Take, and Call Screen. Google also promises 7 years of software updates for the Pixel 8 series. Powering all these features is the new Tensor G3 chip which boasts several improvements over the older G2 chip. Concerns surrounding connectivity issues that have plagued the Pixel lineup, however, remain.