Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro: how to preorder

Google’s new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are freshly announced, and they’re already up for preorder. These Pixels promise new designs, new cameras, a uniquely designed Google Tensor CPU, and more.

This year’s Pixel phones come in two sizes: the standard Pixel 6 and the larger, triple-camera equipped Pixel 6 Pro. The base Pixel 6, with 128GB of storage, starts at $599, while the Pixel 6 Pro runs $899 and up if you prefer to go above the base 128GB.

WHAT’S NEW

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro look mostly nothing like prior iterations, with a metal and glass design highlighted by a rear camera bar that is slightly reminiscent of the classic Nexus 6P. These are big phones. The smaller Pixel 6, which cannot truly be considered small by any stretch of the imagination, has a 6.4-inch 2400×1080 OLED 90Hz display. The larger Pixel 6 Pro stretches its legs with a huge 6.7-inch 3120×1440 LTPO OLED 120Hz screen.

On the inside, Google’s brand new Tensor processor powers both, while the Pixel 6 gets 8GB of RAM, and the 6 Pro has 12GB. The new chips have a lot to prove for Google, just as the new camera systems do — with the Pixel 6 housing a dual-camera setup and the 6 Pro adding a third camera and lens to its rear bar. The phones match each other with 50-megapixel main cameras and a 12-megapixel ultrawide, but only the Pro counterpart gets a 48-megapixel sensor complete with telephoto 4x optical zoom.

Time will tell if all this hardware and new camera software brings the Pixels back to the top of the pack, but in the meantime, let’s look at how the Pixel 6 phones are configured and available for preorder.

WHERE TO PREORDER THE PIXEL 6 AND PIXEL 6 PRO

Google has kicked off its preorders on its own store first, right as the phone became official. The release date for the phones is Thursday, October 28th. Though, like most phone launches these days, delays may be expected.

We will update this post as more options become available, but we can immediately see how some models are not available everywhere — if a 512GB Pixel 6 Pro is your jam, your only option is Google at this time. So far, Best Buy, Target, and B&H are all taking preorders for both Pixels with at least the base 128GB storage.

Deals on new phones are tough to come by, but the best preorder deal going around for an unlocked Pixel 6 or 6 Pro is a free pair of Pixel Buds A wireless earbuds included with your purchase. The Pixel Buds A are Google’s budget-friendly earbuds, but they’re a solid set that is more worthwhile than the more expensive Pixel Buds — and free is free. You can currently get this promo with all of those preorders from Google, Best Buy, B&H, and Target. Just note that some retailers like Target may require you to add the Pixel Buds A to your cart manually, and they might be out of stock.

Google Pixel 6 Pro

The Google Pixel 6 Pro is the larger sibling of the newest Pixel duo, with a 6.7-inch screen, 12GB of RAM, and a third camera featuring a 4x telephoto lens and 48 megapixels of resolution.

Carrier deals

If you’re not shopping for an unlocked phone and prefer to utilize promos and payment plans from your carrier, there are some offers from the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Google’s own Fi service. Bear in mind that carriers give discounts as bill credits over time, attempting to rope you into service for 36 months or more. The Pixel 6 phones offered from AT&T and Verizon (including Verizon models bought on Google’s store) have radios for mmWave 5G, which cost upward of $100 more and may not give you faster speeds depending on where you live and use the phone.

AT&T

AT&T is offering up to $700 off the Pixel 6 Pro with a qualifying trade-in for new and existing customers, and 50 percent off of any Google-branded accessories purchased simultaneously. The base Pixel 6 128GB model costs $15 per month over 36 months without a trade-in, but keep in mind that the mmWave-equipped model AT&T is selling is fully priced at $740 and not the base $599 of unlocked models using only Sub-6 5G. The $15 per month over 36 months will result in a total price of $540, reflecting the $200 AT&T will discount over time via bill credits.

Verizon

Verizon’s offers are similar promo, with up to $700 off a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro with a trade-in— though this is limited to new customers switching over. Existing customers can get up to $350 off when trading in a phone and upgrading a line. If you’re shopping for more than one Pixel device, you can buy one and get a second Pixel 6 or 6 Pro for up to $700 off (given to you in billing credits over time; you’ll pay in full upfront) with eligible unlimited plans. The base Pixel 6 on a payment plan from Verizon will run $23.33 per month for 30 months, totaling $700 and a one-time $35 activation fee.

If you want to buy a Pixel 6 for Verizon’s network direct from Google, you’ll also receive up to $100 in Google store credit.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is advertising the base Pixel 6 as free with a trade-in on its Magenta Max plan and the Pixel 6 Pro up to $900 off under the same terms. Once again, these promotions involve buying the device as a Magenta Max subscriber or purchasing that service, paying the sales tax, trading in a qualifying phone that T-Mobile will offer a value on, and then receiving the allotted money back as monthly bill credits over 24 months.

Note that T-Mobile’s offerings of Pixel 6 and 6 Pro do not have mmWave radios, only Sub-6 5G, and are thus the respective $599 and $899 base prices as Google advertised.

Google Fi

Google’s own Fi service combines its free Pixel Buds A offer with $200 in bill credits if you transfer your number from another carrier after purchasing a Pixel 6 or 6 Pro.

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