Google Pixel 6 – Unlocked Android 5G Smartphone with 50 Megapixel Camera and Wide-Angle Lens – 128 GB – Stormy Black

I've had the Pixel 1XL, 2XL, 3XL, 5 and now the Pixel 6. Before that I had every generation of Nexus phone which was a veritable mixed bag.Each year there has always been some kind of compromise. Whether that be battery, performance, screen or audio. The cameras have always been excellent (though clinging on somewhat as competitors caught up). This year they have delivered a true flagship.Coming from the Pixel 5, a solid but unremarkable phone, this is a true upgrade in every regard. I missed the boat with the 6 Pro but plumped for this figuring I could pick up a Pro in the future if needed. Having had the Pixel 6 since launch day I don't see any need to upgrade.The screen is excellent, yes it's only HD+ but it's clear, sharp and bright enough. The HDR works well. Images and video pops. Worth noting you can make things more saturated (or cool it off) in the settings menu. The size is perfect, I don't find it too large but I guess those with smaller hands might struggle. For consuming content...it's ideal. The phone is actually quite easy to hold with nicely sized bezels and rounded side bumpers.Audio sounds good, it gets loud enough and sounds decent relative to other phones and iPads I've used. Call quality is excellent over cellular and WiFi.I found it did get hot whilst setting it up but other than gaming or video editing I find it stays cool almost all of the time.Performance is fast, snappy and the Tensor chip is clearly optimised for Pixel. No complaints here at all.Pixel has always excelled with camera shots. This year the cameras have been upgraded and it shows. You can take fantastic photos without trying. There are lots of more advanced and some experimental options if you're into it but if you need a point and shoot that takes great photos more often than not....this is it.Battery life is improving with time. I haven't found it better or worse than anything else I've used before. I'm never far from a charging source so not a big concern for me. Easily seeing me through a day in any case.Dislikes...no charger. I have plenty of USB C chargers around the home anyway so not a big deal. It's the way the world is going. Whether that's right or wrong is up for debate. It would have been nice if they included it but I see the arguments for not. It's clearly advertised so I can't claim I was mislead.The keyboard takes a while to get used to owing to phone profile. Bit of a learning curve for me. Voice text is eerily accurate.Fingerprint sensor is maybe more hit and miss than previous rear mounted sensors but in the right spot it's fast enough.Happy to recommend this. The software is superb and will obviously be updated with time. This is a true flagship at a very appealing price point. Unless you need the higher res screen or telephoto lens from the 6 Pro, this is the one to go for.

This mobile looks good and feels good. Transferring data from my old phone was quick and simple using the USB-C cable that comes in the box. But then the work started. First the phone had to update to the latest Android 12. Then it set about updating to Android 13. In total these two updates needed around 3Gbytes of data to be downloaded so give yourself time for this process.Then there was the matter of getting my 2FAs sorted. The trick with these is to realise that despite having removed the SIM from your old phone, the authenticator app on it is still working. I wish someone had given me that tip at the outset. I cottoned on to this the hard way, with lots of experimentation and getting stuck into verification loops before I realised that there had to be a simple solution!Having invested time in the setup, I am now very pleased with the result. This is a responsive phone with a great camera (I'm still learning its ins and outs) and a decent battery. The through the screen fingerprint sensor works well for me. The trick seems to be to press your finger to the screen rather than just touch it. Android 13 is more colourful and is much better at copying and pasting onetime passwords than its predecessor.This is a phone that feels gorgeous to touch, it is so smooth and sleek, I find myself almost caressing it when I pick it up. And this is the one minor issue I have with it. Being so smooth it slips when placed on a sloping surface, I've fixed that with a simple case and also purchased an Amazon Basics wireless charger for its convenience.

This is the first time I've been back to a google branded phone since the G1, I have had numerous HTC, Samsung, Xiaomi, etc.. phones but now I'm back on the Pixel 6 and so far I've been fairly impressed.So where to start, on opening the box I was a little disappointed at the lack of accessories, there is only a usb-c cable and no wall charger although I don't really need it. Surprisingly though I normally like the crappy thin case and screen protectors you normally get as I use them as a 'get me by' until I get a feel for what replacements I want, but alas none!First impressions, the glossy back is very nice and has that premium feeling, the sides are smooth and feel cold like metal, but the glass front feels strange it might just be me and all in my mind but it feels like it flexes a little when pressing, which although is no problem is not something I am used to. Now although the phone looks great even with the big lump on the back housing the camera I would advise the purchase of as case ASAP as the phone is super smooth and therefore slippery, I felt like I could drop it at any moment until I put it in a nice case.Setup was super simple and I was guided at every step, the only thing slowing me down was the extended number of system updates I needed to apply. But going by some of the previous more negative reviews I was quite pleased to update to the latest software version.The part I was most worried about based on other reviews was the fingerprint unlock, well I'm not 100% sold on it compared to the dedicated hardware on the rear case of my previous phone but it works although a little slower than would be ideal. I am yet to try a tempered glass screen protector, but with a cheap plastic one I am currently using, I saw no difference compared to naked (the phone not me :) ).Day to day the phone is very responsive and it doesn't seem to have issues with leaving apps running in the background (they don't get killed to soon, which plagued me on my old phone) Gaming is pretty good, and doesn't struggle even under load. The GPS is very quick to acquire and works perfect as my main in car GPS.Battery has plenty of juice for me using it most of the day and I always charge every night so no issues.Unfortunately I have discovered one almost show stopper for me which nearly breaks my heart as its a great phone!! I am unable to use my IEM's even with a 3.5mm to usb-c adaptor :( UPDATE: So it seems you can, but you must by a specific adaptor with built in DAC at about £12 direct from google.Pro'sVery responsiveGoogle's interface is a winner with no bloatCamera results and post prod tweaks are fantasticScreen is brightFeels great to hold and not too heavyCon'sIts a bit chunkier than someFingerprint scanner is slow and 'may' have issues with tempered glass screen protectorsUnable to use analogue audio (3.5mm IEMs) with a simple usb-c to 3.5mm adaptor, you have to buy a specific one. Its not hugely expensive but something you need to consider.Now the big question..... Would I recommend this phone?Yes I would, BUT...as long as the above con's are considered and acceptable then you will have a fantastic phone in your hands, with a near perfect implementation of android, well done Google, but next time please just fix those small little issues.