Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Biggest differences to expect

The Google Pixel 6 vs Google Pixel 6 Pro comparison looks very interesting based on the rumors thus far. The Pixel 6 itself should be quite different from anything Google’s made before, especially the design and a possible new chip, while the Pixel 6 Pro could include several upgrades to differentiate the two flagships.

It’s impossible to say which phone may offer better value given that these specs aren’t confirmed, and nobody seems to know the price yet. But the rumored increased display size, camera count, larger battery and extra memory are all good signs that the Pixel 6 Pro will offer plenty of incentive to spend more over the regular Pixel 6.

Below we break down the different rumored features of the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro, to see how they compare.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Specs (rumored)

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Price

It seems a fair assumption that there will be a at least a $100 price difference between the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Looking to Google’s rivals for reference, there’s a $200 gap between the basic iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro, and also between the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus, or the S21 Plus and the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The current Google Pixel 5 costs $700, but as we’ll see later on, the Pixel 6 is rumored to be using much better hardware than its predecessor. Therefore, it seems possible that the Pixel 6 will cost around the $800 mark, with the Pixel 6 Pro likely to be Google’s first $1,000 phone (or more).

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Design and display

The Pixel 6 looks like a completely unrelated phone to the Pixel 5, but the two Pixel 6 models should look fairly similar with this apparent three-color design.

The two models are rumored to diverge in a couple of areas. The most obvious would be size, with the Pixel 6 sporting a 6.4-inch OLED display and the Pixel 6 Pro offering a 6.71-inch panel. The other big difference is supposedly the camera total – the Pixel 6 will reportedly have two cameras on the back, while the Pixel 6 Pro would get three.

Aside from the sizes, the displays on both phones are thought to use the same tech. They’ll be AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates, according to the rumors.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Cameras

The basic Pixel 6 is claimed to feature two cameras on its back: a 50MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The Pixel 6 Pro supposedly adds a third camera to this: a 48MP telephoto. This would enable a longer optical zoom, similar to the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

It’s also believed that both phones use single cameras on the front, but with different resolutions. The Pixel 6’s camera is tipped for an 8MP selfie sensor, while the Pixel 6 Pro would be a 12MP sensor.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Performance

Currently, we believe that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will both feature a Google-designed “Whitechapel” chipset, rather than the Snapdragon 888 found in leading Android phones such as the Galaxy S21 and the OnePlus 9 Pro. This would make the Pixel line more like the iPhone, in that Apple designs both the hardware and software for its phones from the ground up. Combined with Google’s control over Android, the performance and responsiveness of the Pixel 6 could be quite impressive.

The two Pixel models look to be differentiated in terms of their memory capacities. The Pixel 6 is rumored to have 8GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. The Pixel 6 Pro would instead use 12GB RAM, and either 128GB, 256GB or 512GB storage. This would be the most RAM and storage ever available in a Pixel, and would be a departure from Google’s historic focus on software over hardware when it comes to its phones.

Google launches its phones with the latest version of Android each year. Therefore we should see the Pixel 6 come with Android 12 out of the box.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Battery and charging

While both Pixel 6 models are rumored to have far larger batteries than the Pixel 5, there’s still a notable gap between their alleged capacities. The Pixel 6 is tipped to feature a 4,614 mAh battery according, while the Pixel 6 Pro would get a sizable 5,000 mAh cell.

There’s no word on the charging speed of either Pixel 6 yet. We should expect at least identical wired charging to previous Pixel models at 18W, but there are worries that Google will follow Apple and Samsung’s example and not include a charger in the Pixel 6’s box.

A new Pixel Stand wireless charger has been rumored to be in development at Google, which features a new built-in fan and therefore a likely higher charging speed than the current fanless Pixel Stand’s 10W.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 6 Pro: Outlook

The Pixel 6 Pro looks to earn its name compared to the basic Pixel 6. With an extra rear camera, a larger display, a bigger battery and more memory, it’s got plenty of hardware that will allow it to go toe-to-toe with Samsung, OnePlus and Apple’s latest phones.

Whether the Pro model will be worth it compared to the regular Pixel 6 remains to be seen. The rumors say you’ll get the same powerful processor, 120Hz display and overall image quality on the standard Pixel 6. So it will likely all come down to how much you’re willing to pay.