Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 8 Pro: All the differences explained
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Pixel 11 Pro XL on the left has a new design and big camera changes
Google's new Pixel 11 Pro XL is here, and that is a good moment for those still rocking the three year old 8 Pro model to consider upgrading.
In these three years, Google has changed the design of the phone, made it more durable in this latest generation, way more powerful, especially for AI, and of course focused heavily on the camera.
Sadly, along with everything good, there is some bad news too — the Pixel 11 Pro XL is pricier because of the skyrocketing RAM prices. The base Pixel 11 Pro XL version is now $1,300, $100 more than last year.
Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 8 Pro XL differences:
| Pixel 11 Pro XL | Pixel 8 Pro XL |
|---|---|
| 6.8-inch form factor | Slightly smaller 6.7-inch screen |
| Slightly thinner but a bit heavier | 8.8mm thickness and 213g weight |
| Better screen scratch resistance | Regular scratch resistance |
| Even brighter display reaching 3,600 nits | Already very bright reaching 2,400 nits |
| Tensor G6 chip (2nm) with better power efficiency and TPU compute | Tensor G3 chip (4nm) |
| 12GB RAM in 256GB version, 16GB in 512GB model | 12GB RAM, base model only has 128GB storage |
| Three cameras NEW Main camera sensor NEW and larger 5X telephoto sensor | Three cameras: 50MP main + 48MP ultra-wide + 48MP 5X telephoto |
| HiLight custom colorful LED for notifications on the back | - |
| 5115 mAh battery | 5050 mAh battery |
| 45W wired charging 25W Qi 2.2 | 30W wired charging 23W wireless |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Fancy new HiLight and better scratch resistance
Image by Google
The Pixel 8 Pro features rounded sides and this is the biggest giveaway of its age as in the last couple of years, most phones have switched to flat sides. The Pixel 11 Pro XL also has flat sides, which should contribute to better drop protection and a sturdier design.
The look of the Pixel, however, has not changed too much with the camera bar on the back giving it clear identity.
The new model features a slightly bigger 6.8-inch screen compared to 6.7 inches on the 8 Pro.
Of course, you also have new colors. The Pixel 11 Pro XL comes in Fog (the white-ish one), Obsidian (the black-ish one), and then you have Canyon and Olive. I think Google has really nailed the look and style of the Pixel the last couple of years, and the 11 Pro XL looks just as elegant as the 10 Pro XL.
|
|
| Google Pixel 11 Pro XL | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 162.6 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm | 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm (~10.56 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 226.8 g | 213.0 g |
See the full
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Google Pixel 8 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
The change that stands out the most to me is the claimed 2X increase in scratch resistance. Google probably uses some form of glass toughened with ceramic element similar to what we have on the iPhone 17 series. I was blown away by this: these iPhones don't accumulate any scratches, even after a full year of use. If that's also true for the 11 Pro XL, that would mean you can use it without a screen protector.
Image by Google
You also have the fancy new HiLight on the back. It's a colorful light that will blink and pulsate to notify you about missed calls and vibe with your Gemini interactions. Basically, you can look at the light to get a confirmation that Gemini is listening and not look at the screen. It's not something ground breaking but it could result in lower screen time, which I think is most people's preferred outcome these days.
Display Differences
Image by Google
There is a tiny difference in display size (6.8" on the new model vs 6.7" on the 8 Pro), but that's a really tiny change.
Both the 11 Pro XL and the 8 Pro come with a 1344 x 2992 pixel resolution and 1-120Hz variable refresh rate, so images look crisp and swiping is buttery smooth.
The real change is in outdoor brightness. The 11 Pro XL can hit 3,600 nits now vs 2,400 nits on the 8 Pro.
|
|
|
| Google Pixel 11 Pro XL | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.8-inch | 6.7-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, 120Hz | OLED, 120Hz |
See the full
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Google Pixel 8 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
There is no change to biometrics either as both use an ultrasonic fingerprint reader and the same Class 3 biometric security for face recognition. The Pixel 8 series were the first with Class 3 certification. They introduced an algorithm that can much better identify imposter and spoof photos compared to regular 2D face unlock, so it got the Class 3 rating.
In practice, you can use the face unlock on both these phones to sign into your banking app and authorize digital payments.
Performance and Software
Tensor enters the 2nm era
Three years of evolution are particularly noticeable in the processor.
The Pixel 11 Pro XL now runs on the Tensor G6 which is made in TSMC factories and it uses the latest 2nm technology. Compare this to the Tensor G3 on the Pixel 8 Pro which uses 4nm manufacturing and is manufactured at Samsung.
The 11 Pro XL has indeed improved greatly, both for general performance but especially for AI. Sadly, one thing that has not changed much is that Google is still not on par with other flagships in GPU performance and gaming.
|
|
|
| Google Pixel 11 Pro XL | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Google Tensor G6 (2 nm) | Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 3.1) 16GB/512GB 16GB/1TB |
12GB (LPDDR5X)/128GB (UFS 3.1) 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| Android (17), up to 7 OS updates | Android (15, 14) |
See the full
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Google Pixel 8 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
In my view, the great thing about Pixel phones is the software. It's clean, refined and software updates arrive without delay. Naturally, the old Pixel 8 Pro is running the same Android 17 software as the 11 Pro XL.
Both phones come with 7 years of promised software updates, just keep in mind that the 8 Pro has already used three of those.
Camera
Camera Looks gives you that trendy film-inspired look
Image by Google
Technically, both the Pixel 11 Pro XL and 8 Pro hae the same fundamental triple camera system: a 50MP main one, 48MP ultrawide and a 48MP 5X telephoto snapper.
The 11 Pro XL, however, benefits from new sensors, so the main camera specifically has improved and it now also captures better quality zooms in the 1X to 5X range. The telephoto also uses a much bigger sensor that can capture more light and go to 120X zoom.
The one improvement 8 Pro owners will notice quickly, however, is the faster night time photo capture — you no longer need to wait out those few seconds.
But what camera nerds really care about is the look of those photos. It's all about the colors, after all. That's why Camera Looks in the new Pixel is very exciting. For the first time Google is not chasing only that "perfectly manicured" photo look, but something with more character.
Camera Looks basically give you film-inspired styles. They are developed with Pixel’s Real Tone camera artchitecture, so skin tones remain accurate even when you tweak the looks. I can't wait to test these looks in a lot more detail soon, so stay tuned.
|
|
|
| Google Pixel 11 Pro XL | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 50 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.7 Sensor size: 1/1.3" |
50 MP (OIS, Laser and PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung S5KGM5 Aperture size: F1.7 Sensor size: 1/1.31" Pixel size: 1.2 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide) Aperture size: F1.7 Sensor size: 1/2.51" |
48 MP (Telephoto, OIS) Sensor name: Sony IMX787 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope) Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Sensor size: 1/1.95" |
48 MP (Ultra-wide, OIS, Autofocus) Aperture size: F1.9 Pixel size: 0.8 μm |
| Front | |
| 42 MP (PDAF) | 10.5 MP |
See the full
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Google Pixel 8 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Video quality scores a few welcome changes too. Overall quality improves with better processing and we should now get cleaner detail.
But also, there is a new Magic Capture feature that extracts the coolest moment from a video you recorded into photo snaps.
The Pixel 11 Pro XL also brings a new Creator tab in video settings where you can find the following:
- Folder organization: Place videos into projects for easy editing and organizing.
- Teleprompter: Get your script ready and just add it to Teleprompter.
- Audio visualizer: On-screen audio visualizer to monitor your audio levels in real-time.
- Creator gridlines: See a guide with the exact aspect ratio of social media platforms such as TikTok and IG reels.
- Improved Speech Enhancement: This tool reduces side noise like wind, traffic and crowds so that your voice can stand out.
Battery Life and Charging
Still no big changes to battery size
Image by Google
With a 5,115mAh battery on board, the Pixel 11 Pro XL is almost on par with the 8 Pro, and this just shows the slow pace of progress. These days, flagships out of China come with 7,000mAh silicon-carbon batteries. What a massive difference!
Yet still, Google officially estimates that you can get 30+ hours of battery life on all Pixel 11 models.
We will be testing this in our lab and will be bringing you the results toward the end of August.
|
|
|
| Google Pixel 11 Pro XL | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5115 mAh | 5050 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 45.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
Wired: 30.0W Wireless: 23.0W |
See the full
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Google Pixel 8 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
At least charging has improved more noticeable. Google says you should use a 45W charger. Expect to get a roughly 75% battery top-up in 30 minutes.
The 11 Pro XL also comes with Qi2.2 magnetic wireless charging, while the 8 Pro supports wireless charging, but has no magnets.
Specs Comparison
And here is an overview of the Pixel 11 Pro XL vs 8 Pro XL specs.
|
|
|
| Google Pixel 11 Pro XL | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 162.6 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm | 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm (~10.56 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 226.8 g | 213.0 g |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.8-inch | 6.7-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, 120Hz | OLED, 120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Google Tensor G6 (2 nm) | Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 3.1) 16GB/512GB 16GB/1TB |
12GB (LPDDR5X)/128GB (UFS 3.1) 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| Android (17), up to 7 OS updates | Android (15, 14) |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5115 mAh | 5050 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 45.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
Wired: 30.0W Wireless: 23.0W |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 50 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.7 Sensor size: 1/1.3" |
50 MP (OIS, Laser and PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung S5KGM5 Aperture size: F1.7 Sensor size: 1/1.31" Pixel size: 1.2 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide) Aperture size: F1.7 Sensor size: 1/2.51" |
48 MP (Telephoto, OIS) Sensor name: Sony IMX787 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope) Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Sensor size: 1/1.95" |
48 MP (Ultra-wide, OIS, Autofocus) Aperture size: F1.9 Pixel size: 0.8 μm |
| Front | |
| 42 MP (PDAF) | 10.5 MP |
See the full
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Google Pixel 8 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
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