Google Pixel 8
The Google Pixel 8 packs a 6.2-inch full-HD OLED screen, a brand-new Tensor G3 processor, and a dual rear camera setup. It also promises software updates for seven years.
OnePlus 11
The OnePlus 11 is the company’s attempt at delivering a value flagship. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, a 5,000mAh battery, and a 6.7-inch 1440p OLED display.
ThePixel 8is Google’s newest small flagship, leading the Pixel lineup along with thePixel 8 Pro. As you can imagine, it packs a bunch of new hardware and has several new software and AI tricks up its sleeve. But at its price tag, it’s not an easy road because of similarly-priced flagships from other smartphone markers, many of which are featured in ourbest Android phone recommendations.
The OnePlus 11 5G is one such competitor. Let’s look at how the new Pixel 8 stacks up against the OnePlus 11 and whether it makes sense to opt for the Pixel or the OnePlus.
Price, availability, and specifications
The Google Pixel 8 and the OnePlus 11 carry the same starting price of $699 for their 128GB storage variants. The Google phone also has a 256GB model that will retail at $759, while the Pixel 8 Verizon version that supports the mmWave 5G starts at $800 and goes up to $860. Similarly, the 256GB model of the OnePlus 11 will set you back by $800.
Regarding availability, the OnePlus 11 is nearly a year old, so it’s widely available. The Pixel 8 launched in early October and can be found at all major retailers.
Before we talk about these two phones in detail, here’s a quick look at their raw specifications.
Both the Pixel 8 and the OnePlus 11 are essentially glass sandwiches — with very distinct designs. Google has kept the same design language as the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 7 for the Pixel 8, but in order to refresh things a bit, the company tweaked a few elements. For example, the Pixel 8 has more rounded corners, and the lenses now seemingly occupy more space in the camera bar than the previous generations. Otherwise, the phone has an all-screen front with a centered hole-punch selfie camera design, an aluminum chassis, a slim profile, and an all-width camera bar.
The OnePlus 11 front, although quite similar to the Pixel 8, has a left-aligned hole-punch cutout and even slimmer bezels. It’s the camera module that looks strikingly different from the Google phone. Instead of a large horizontal bar' the Chinese smartphone maker has opted for a circular camera bump, which melts into the phone’s frame.
In other design highlights, the Pixel is IP68-rated and can handle up to 1.5-meter deep water for 30 minutes, while the OnePlus 11 only has IP64 certification, which is essentially splash-resistance. The OnePlus flagship is also heavier at 205 grams, compared to Pixel’s 187 grams.
Although the Pixel 8 and OnePlus 11 both use OLED panels, the phones have different screen sizes and resolutions. Google uses a 6.2-inch full-HD screen, and OnePlus has gone with a 6.7-inch QHD panel. The good news is that the lower resolution will help the Pixel 8 in the battery department since it has a smaller battery than the OnePlus phone.
In other display specifications, each phone has a 120Hz refresh rate screen, but while the OnePlus 11 display can do 1Hz to 120Hz as required, the Google phone has a more limited 60Hz to 120Hz range. Moreover, you get support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ with the OnePlus offering, whereas the Google product is HDR10+ only.
The saving grace for the Pixel display is its higher 2,000 nits peak brightness, but you rarely see it in action. The OnePlus 11 can reach up to 1,300 nits peak brightness, which is also decent.
Camera performance is one category where Google has dominated with its Pixel phones, thanks to its computational photography prowess. The Pixel 8 will undoubtedly deliver better camera performance than the OnePlus 11. Moreover, the camera app for Pixel phones has been redesigned and includes features like Best Take.
The primary shooter on the OnePlus 11 can take solid pictures in most lighting conditions, but you’ll need a steady hand in low-light scenarios. The OnePlus phone is also decent at video recording and taking selfies, though it delivers nothing exceptional and suffers from inconsistency.
In terms of camera specifications, the Pixel 8 uses a 50MP primary shooter with f/1.68, a 12MP ultrawide camera with f/2.2 aperture and a 125.8-degree field of view, and a 10.5MP front shooter with f/2.2 aperture. On the other hand, the OnePlus 11 features a 50MP primary camera with f/1.8 aperture, a 32MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom and f/2.0 aperture, a 48MP ultrawide camera with 115-degree field of view, and a 16MP selfie shooter with f/2.5 aperture.
Performance and battery
This is where it gets a bit tricky as we haven’t had a chance to run our full suite of tests on the Pixel 8, so we don’t know whether it will pip the OnePlus 11 in performance and battery life. However, given the Tensor G3 is a flagship-grade processor, we can expect it to deliver a snappy and responsive performance, just like theTensor G2 offers on the Pixel 7. The presence of 8GB of RAM will certainly help.
The OnePlus 11, in contrast, has a much more tried and tested Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. We already know it delivers a rocking performance on the phone whether you are doing everyday tasks or playing a graphics-intensive game like theGenshin Impact. Like the Pixel 8, it also packs 8GB of RAM in the base model. Yes, you can shell out more for 16GB RAM, which is an overkill but will undoubtedly keep the phone running smoothly for years. In addition, the 16GB RAM variant comes with the faster UFS 4.0 storage, while both Pixel 8 versions have the UFS 3.1 storage. The 4.1 storage won’t result in a noticeable difference right now; however, it will make the OnePlus 11 a little more future-proof.
In other features, the USB Type-C port on the Google phone is rated for USB 3.2, unlike the USB-C port on the OnePlus 11, which tops out at USB 2.0. So, if you transfer data frequently to and from the phone, the Pixel 8 will make your task much faster.
Battery life
In terms of the battery, the OnePlus 11 has a bigger 5,000 battery. Asour review showed, the phone’s battery life is not impacted much, despite the phone’s larger display and higher resolution panel. It can easily run for two days on moderate use, plus it has the 80W fast-wired charging going in its favor.
In comparison, the Pixel 8 houses a 4575mAh battery. In Google’s estimates, it lasts around 31 hours with medium usage. Moreover, it only supports 27W fast charging, like its predecessor. The Google phone does have one advantage on its side in the form of wireless charging support, which is missing from the OnePlus phone. If you love the convenience of wireless charging, it’s an easy decision. And with the official Pixel Stand (2nd Gen), you can enjoy 18W fast wireless charging.
Android has matured quite a bit. Consequently, the software version of a phone and the manufacturer’s own play on Android don’t get that big of a consideration in people’s purchase decisions. However, it’s still an essential part of a phone’s experience.
Pixel 8, as you can expect, comes withAndroid 14out of the box. What sets Pixel phones apart from other Android phones is Google’s implementation of AI tweaks, which keep increasing each year. Thanks to the powerful Tensor G3 processor, the Pixel 8 can run even more complex machine-learning models than its predecessors. This means that it’ll be better at removing unwanted background noise from your calls, filtering spam calls, and making video recordings by improving their audio. The Pixel 8 can also seamlessly switch between languages during voice transcription and offer summaries of articles in Chrome and Google app, among other AI-enhanced features.
OnePlus 11, on the other hand, runs on Android 13-based OxygenOS 13. Like the Pixel, it has its own tricks, yet you miss out on Pixel-specific AI goodness. But more importantly, the company has fixed many of the software issues that plagued the OnePlus 10, and this ColorOS-infused OxygenOS version is more palatable.
Software updates
One of the big highlights of the Pixel 8 launch event was the revelation that the 8 series will get OS and security updates for seven long years. This is a first in the Android world. The Pixel 8 wins by a significant margin over the OnePlus 11, at least in the software support category. The OnePlus 11 will get four Android OS updates and five years of security updates. This is not shabby, but it can’t compete with Google’s promise.
The right phone for you
Choosing between the Google Pixel 8 and the OnePlus 11 will depend on which features are most important to you. The Pixel 8, which has much going for it, comes with better camera performance, a longer software support period, a capable processor, tons of AI-powered features, and wireless charging support. If these features are essential to you, the Pixel 8 is an easy decision.
The Pixel goodness
The Pixel 8 is an all-around excellent smartphone packed with Google’s AI tweaks. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find fault in the phone’s camera performance.
The OnePlus 11 has a bigger and higher resolution screen with more features, a larger battery for a higher uptime, and a top-notch processor. If you care more about the display, battery, and processor, the OnePlus 11 will keep you happy. You can also shell out more to get its 16GB RAM variant to become more future-proof.
Return to form
The OnePlus 11 uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip to deliver a fantastic performance, and it has an impressive display. It also shines in the battery department.
