Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: Should you upgrade?

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The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are easily the most enticing Pixel phones ever released. On paper, the Pixel 6 looks mighty impressive with a dual-camera setup, the Tensor chip, 5G connectivity, and more at a very attractive price. But is it worth upgrading to the Pixel 6 from the GooglePixel 5? Or should you continue using your Pixel 5 for another year or so? Let’s find out.

The Pixel 5 was never a flagship phone, with Google instead positioning it as a premium mid-ranger. Meanwhile, the Pixel 6 is a proper flagship Android with specs to back those claims. What makes the Pixel 6 an attractive proposition is its price — it is available for $ 599, which is actually $ 100 less than what the Pixel 5 commanded when it first launched in the US last year.

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Before we talk about the major differences between the Pixel 6 and Pixel 5, below is a table showing their spec-by-spec differences.

Phone Pixel 6 Pixel 5 Chipset Google Tensor Snapdragon 765G RAM 8GB 8GB Storage 128, 256GB 128GB Display 6.4 “FHD + (1080×2400, 20: 9) 90Hz OLED 6.0” FHD + (1080×2340, 19.5: 9) 90Hz OLED Battery 4614mAh, 30W wired charging, up to 21W wireless charging 4080mAh, 18W wired charging, up to 10W wireless charging Rear Cameras 50MP f / 1.85 primary (82 ° FoV w / OIS), 12MP f / 2.2 ultra-wide (114 ° FoV) 12.2MP f / 1.7 ( 77 ° FoV w / OIS), 16MP f / 2.2 ultra-wide (107 ° FoV) Front Camera 8MP f / 2.0 (84 ° FoV, fixed focus) 8MP f / 2.0 (83 ° FoV, fixed focus) Connectivity 5G, Wi -Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.2, NFC 5G, Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC Dimensions 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm, 207g 144.7 x 70.4 x 8.0mm, 151g Colors Stormy Black, Kinda Coral , Sorta Seafoam Just Black, Sorta Sage Price Starting at $ 600 Started at $ 699 Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: Design and Display

You’ll find a 6.4-inch OLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate on the Pixel 6 that’s protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. The Pixel 5 has a smaller 6-inch 90Hz OLED display, making it more compact and easy to carry around. Apart from the size difference, the Pixel 6 uses a newer gen Samsung OLED panel that should offer notably better brightness, color, and contrast.

The only other minor difference is the placement of the punch-hole selfie camera on the two phones: it is located in the top center of the display on the Pixel 6, while on the Pixel 5, you can find it in the left corner.

The bigger display (and body) also means the Pixel 6 is notably larger and heavier than the Pixel 5: 207g vs. 151g.

Unlike the Pixel 5, which has an aluminum back with a “bio-resin” coating, the Pixel 6 features a glass back. This means you’ll have to be more careful with the phone, as a drop on the sidewalk may end in tears. The Pixel 6 also has a distinct horizontal camera bar that is placed in the top-third of the phone’s backplate.

Both handsets are water resistant with an IP68 certification; the Pixel 6 also features a fingerprint-resistant coating. The Pixel 6 comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner, while the Pixel 5’s fingerprint sensor is located on its rear. Neither phone has a headphone jack.

The Pixel 6 is available in three colors: Stormy Black, Kinda Coral, and Sorta Seafoam. The Pixel 5 comes in Just Black and Sorta Sage.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: Hardware and specs

Last year’s Pixel 5 launched with a 7nm Snapdragon 765G SoC and an Adreno 620 GPU, a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon chip that includes 5G connectivity (a first for the Pixel lineup). This year, Google is using its own 5nm Tensor chip, which is what makes the new Pixel phones so special.

The Google Pixel 6’s Tensor SoC has an oct-acore CPU with a pair of Arm Cortex-X1 (2,800 GHz) and Arm Cortex A-76 (2.25 GHz) cores as well as four Arm Cortex A55 (1.8 GHz) cores. On the Google Pixel 5 you’ll find an older octa-core CPU with two Arm Cortex A76 cores; one clocks in at 2,400 MHz while the other comes in at 2,200 MHz; six Arm Cortex A55 (2,400 MHz) cores round out the SoC.

Tensor is the superior chip here, and it’s powerful enough for most users. While the Google Tensor SoC may score lower on benchmarks than the Samsung Galaxy S22 or iPhone 13, it relies on heterogeneous computing to accomplish various tasks. When compared with the Pixel 5, however, the Pixel 6 is the clear winner. Google claims its flagship offers “up to 80% faster performance” than the Pixel 5. On the GPU front, Google says its 20-core Tensor GPU is up to “370% faster” than the Pixel 5’s Adreno 620 GPU.

Tensor packs various optimizations for AI and ML tasks from Google that help it deliver improved security (in part owing to the included Titan M2 chip), an enhanced computational photography experience, and better efficiency. Needless to say, we’re disappointed Google will only commit to three years of OS upgrades, as the Samsung Galaxy S22 will get Android upgrades for four years and an additional year of security updates.

Another notable improvement on the Pixel 6 is that it comes with faster UFS 3.1 storage, while the Pixel 5 uses a slower UFS 2.1 NAND. The former is also available with up to 256GB storage, while the Pixel 5 was only available in one storage variant: 128GB. However, Google no longer offers unlimited Google Photos backups with the Pixel 6, which was available with the Pixel 5.

Related: Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 6: Is Google’s new A-series phone a better value?

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: Cameras

The Pixel 5 did not raise the bar for mobile photography or introduce any new breakthrough camera features. This year, though, Google has revamped the cameras on the Pixel 6 in a big way. The main camera gets a massive upgrade in size and resolution coming in at 50 megapixels (MP) with OIS and an f / 1.85 aperture.

The sensor has been hardcoded to take pixel-binned 12MP photos despite the higher resolution. The bigger sensor still has advantages, as it helps the Pixel 6 capture “150 percent more light,” allowing it to take pictures with more details and vivid colors.

The ultrawide camera has also been upgraded, though it is slightly down in resolution now: 12MP vs. 16MP on the Pixel 5. The Pixel 6’s wide-angle camera also has a wider field of view (FOV) at 114 °, compared with the Pixel 5’s 107 ° FOV, making it slightly more useful.

Unfortunately, neither the Google Pixel 6 nor the Pixel 5 has a telephoto lens; if you’re a smartphone shutterbug, you’ll want to check out the Google Pixel 6 Pro, as it sports a 48MP with an f / 3.5 aperture.

The custom image signal processor (ISP) in Google’s Tensor chip plays a significant role in extracting the best image quality possible from the Pixel 6 cameras. It additionally allows Google to offer new camera features like Magic Eraser, Motion Mode, Real Tone, and Face Unblur – all of which are currently exclusive to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. The Pixel 6 should also offer better video recording quality than the Pixel 5 due to the better ISP.

The 8MP selfie camera at the front remains the same across both devices, but the custom Tensor ISP should offer some improvements here as well.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: Connectivity.

The Pixel 6 features a newer 5G modem than the Pixel 5, offering faster and better 5G connectivity. All US Pixel 6 models also support mmWave and C-band. Although the PIxel 5 could theoretically work with C-band with a software update, Google announced it does not plan to push an n77 update.

The Pixel 6 also supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 standards. On the Pixel 5, you’ll find Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0. Both phones have NFC.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: Software and updates

Although Google hasn’t caught up with Apple when it comes to software updates, both the Google Pixel 6 and its predecessor should get updates for years to come.

The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro ship with Android 12. Both phones are guaranteed to get Android updates until at least October 2024; security updates are guaranteed until at least October 2026.

The Pixel 5 ships with Android 11. It will get Android and software updates until at least October 2023. That’s a far cry from the usual iOS upgrade policy for iPhones, but Google may surprise us with additional security updates.

Needless to say, we’re disappointed Google will only commit to three years of OS upgrades, as the Samsung Galaxy S22 will get Android upgrades for four years and an additional year of security updates.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: Battery life and charging

The Pixel 6 has a bigger battery than the Pixel 5 and charges faster, both wired and wirelessly. While the Pixel 5 is enduring enough thanks to its 4,080 mAh battery, the Pixel 6 has a substantially larger 4,614 mAh battery. It also supports charging at 30W over a wired connection and 21W wirelessly, up from the paltry 18W wired and 12W wireless charging speeds of the Pixel 5.

You have to buy a charger separately for the Pixel 6 since Google no longer bundles one in the box. Nonetheless, when paired with a 30W USB-C charger, the Pixel 6 can charge from 0-50 percent in just 30 minutes.

Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: Which should you buy

At $ 599, the Pixel 6 offers incredible value for money that hardly any other smartphone matches in the price bracket. If you can find a good deal on a new or refurbished Pixel 5 on eBay or another trusted reseller, it might be worth a shot, but we’d suggest waiting until the $ 449 Pixel 6a is released on July 28, 2022.

Buy Google Pixel 6:

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