Google Pixel 11 Pro hands-on review

19 August 2026



Since GSM arena doesn't seem interested in finishing the review,I will now complete it for them.
Pixel 11 pro 512gb Vs Pixel 10 pro 128gb
Battery life-its better,about 15% better and less drain in general plus about one hours extra screen on time throughout the day before the 20% level.
Modem-yes it's better,pulls in signal better in difficult areas, especially mobile date.
Screen-very similar to 10 pro.
O.S speed-feel more alive,faster response.
Thermals-huge difference here,no overheating at all for me.
Camera/Video- camera is improved,faster and more detail less processing plus the vanilla setting is fantastic.video still a bit choppy.
Overall review is 9/10.pixel 10 pro long-term review 7/10.
Here in the UK a week later the new intelligence features haven't shown up,no difference to the 10 pro.
Here's the extra bit,value for money is 6/10 unless you get good discount or Google's trade in deals then it's 8/10,and not that it particularly matters to some but to me I think the new camera bar design is fantastic and the matte black colour is strikingly beautiful.
Advice-get the 512/16gb model,it has more ram and faster zoned storage and it's actually cheaper than last year's 512gb pixel 10 pro.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • 3S1
    • 29 Aug 2026

    Anonymous, 22 Aug 2026The issue is mainly the algorithm, even though the hardware... moreI just tested the Pixel 11 Pro XL again in a store.
    120x "Pro zoom" can be also used in the 50 megapixel mode. If you use 120x in the default mode, there is analog binning and the resolution of the dng file is 170x130. If you use 120x in the 50 megapixel mode, binning is disabled and the resolution is 340x260. Maybe 120x is actually less than 120x because theoretically the resolution should be even lower as the 11 Pro XL's periscope camera is actually a 4.4x camera.

    I can also verify that the 11 Pro XL (like the Pixel 10 Pro) uses analog binning at 2x in the default 12 megapixel mode (Pixel 9 Pro, 8 Pro and 7 Pro only used analog binning at 2x, when the light conditions were not good).

      When will the review be finished?
      Battery readings are missing!
      Owners report that the LED or torch is dim. Has anyone else experienced this?

        • S
        • Sonystyle
        • mgK
        • 29 Aug 2026

        GSM, how much longer will it take for the battery test results?

        Many users report that the LED or torch is very dim.

          • V
          • Vino
          • 3B2
          • 27 Aug 2026

          QhyQhy, 25 Aug 2026In France it's pretty handy. 125€ of coupon 550€ of G... moreCan you please tell me the referral code u got ?

            I wouls have loved it if they put a slope at the camera bump island and put a sloping bump busy with card slots and an audio jack at the bottom.designed to ergonomically accomodate your hands so it balances the phone

              Going from a 128gb pixel 10 pro to a 512gb pixel 11 pro for £350 seems to me fair value,it is a better phone in all ways and it's brand new for second hand with four times the storage.
              Plus Google gives me enough free store credit to buy a Fitbit air and mous case.
              Well done Google on the trade in values and genuine improvements over a single generation.
              Every aspect is better here on the 11 pro compared to the 10 pro.
              Give Google some credit here please,Apple give you 50% value trade-in year over year, Google have given 75% value and that's on a higher storage variant with free gifts.

                Anonymous, 22 Aug 2026The issue is mainly the algorithm, even though the hardware... moreHey. Can you tell me the exact resolution (in pixels) of the DNG files from the Pixel 11 Pro telephoto at the native focal length (~105mm and not 5x)?

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • Bvb
                  • 25 Aug 2026

                  What I like about the camera of Pixel phones:

                  You can choose whether you want 12 megapixel or 48/50 megapixel (in all light conditions), you can choose whether you want Jpg or Jpg+Dng and you can choose the exposure time.
                  And you can combine these options as you wish for all three rear cameras, for example 50 megapixel+Dng+manual exposure time.

                  (Though, for the selfie camera there is no full resolution (it's always analog binning) and (as far as I know) no exposure time option.
                  And you don't get many options for videos: no manual exposure time, no 8k, only upscaled 8k, no raw video)

                  Can any other phone do that?

                  Some phones upscale 12 megapixel images to 50 megapixel in low light conditions, some phones don't offer manual exposure time in 50 megapixel mode, some phones don't offer 50 megapixel/200 megapixel dng files, some phones offer manual settings only for the main camera.

                    adsubzero, 24 Aug 2026I don't know if things are different in the US but tra... moreIn France it's pretty handy. 125€ of coupon
                    550€ of Google Store coupon (ear trough referral but with limited time use)
                    470€ by Google taking my P10P 256 Gb (+400€ bonus)
                    5% cashback (but sadly they deducted the trade-in value beforehand)

                    If you don't wanna trade your valuable phone (I could have sell it between 600 and 650€ max on second hand market)., you can buy a low value phone which can be traded by Google (it's what I did last year)

                    So yeah here it's pretty valuable!

                      • D
                      • Didi
                      • pvj
                      • 25 Aug 2026

                      No DC dimming again? I got Pixel once. It was lime looking at welder's arc.

                        Anonymous, 24 Aug 2026Nah, not in the Pixel world. You often get drastically bet... moreWell ok that's not bad. What about pixel 9 or 10 trade in?

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • kZg
                          • 24 Aug 2026

                          adsubzero, 24 Aug 2026I don't know if things are different in the US but tra... moreNah, not in the Pixel world. You often get drastically better trade-in values with Google versus selling privately.

                          For example, just to test I added a Pixel 5A as a trade-in, a device that is no longer supported and has a known motherboard defect so nobody wants them and came back with a $150 trade credit. In addition, I received an email promo code offering me an additional $250 off. That's an instant $400 off off any Pixel, even base. Any old Pixel phone yields an inflated trade-in.

                            QhyQhy, 24 Aug 2026You have to consider the real launching price and not the &... moreI don't know if things are different in the US but trade-ins are such a scam. It's presented as a "discount" for the new phone, but it's not a discount, it's a worse deal vs selling your old phone on the market yourself.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • 0MP
                              • 24 Aug 2026

                              Jay, 24 Aug 2026Wow, it's the same phone they made last year, and the ... moreNo. worse

                                LOL, 24 Aug 2026It's an okay phone but considering its specs, the pric... moreYou have to consider the real launching price and not the "manufacturer retail price". Google each year give much for pre order. 100 to 150€ of coupon + 300/400€ of bonus for buy our old phones +perk of IA. Considering this, the day one price awesome for the specs

                                  • L
                                  • LOL
                                  • RxF
                                  • 24 Aug 2026

                                  It's an okay phone but considering its specs, the price should be reduced by about 30%.

                                  Google wants to push the narrative that Pixel phones are the legitimate rival to flagship phones from Apple and Samsung.

                                  The irony is Google still refuses to let user hide or minimize that Google bar on the home screen (no we do not want to install launchers), and Tensor was the weak brother of Exynos. Essentially Pixel phones have adopted the worst traits from Apple and Samsung.

                                    • J
                                    • Jay
                                    • tRq
                                    • 24 Aug 2026

                                    Wow, it's the same phone they made last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that.

                                    Such innovation making the same garbage year after year.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • gX{
                                      • 23 Aug 2026

                                      See youtube.com/shorts/J91if9dRSuY , the iPhone 17 Pro Max displays the text better (and also the exclamation mark next to "Danger") than the Pixel 11 Pro XL at 120x. This doesn't surprise me because Google uses analog binning for its "Pro zoom", so the 48 megapixel Quad Bayer sensor behaves like a 12 megapixel Bayer sensor. This means it captures less data and uses AI instead. And AI can't produce information out of nothing, that's why it can't handle text and will never be able to handle it (not even in 1000 years).
                                      I remember that the iPhone 17 Pro Max's performance is similar to the Pixel 7 Pro at 15x, when I tested the iPhone last year. (I have uploaded a Pixel 7 Pro vs Pixel 11 Pro XL comparison in a previous comment)

                                      I noticed that some reviewers say that Google lets you choose between AI or not AI, when you use "Pro zoom". But that's not true regarding the jpgs. The standard version still uses AI, just not as extremely, already the Pixel 3 used AI for digital zoom (possibly even older Google phones), just not as extremely.
                                      In order to get the least amount of AI, you need to use the dng files or the 50 megapixel mode.

                                        Anonymous, 23 Aug 2026who is surprised? we are angry because we are tired of this scamI live in America and most people are not angry about any scam I think you just must not be able to get one overseas

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