GoKawiilThe new Google Pixel 11 series is a known quantity at this point. It comes with several new AI features like Gemini Intelligence, camera improvements, and the brand-new Tensor G6 chip. Although many Google fans are drawn to the beefier Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL, that doesn’t mean the Pro phones are the best pick for everyone.
The base Pixel 11 might miss out on the extra features you’d get with a Pro, but you’ll save a fair chunk of change, and you are likely to find, at least when it comes to performance, that the phones are more alike than different.
Ultimately, as tempting as the Pixel 11 Pro is, I feel the Pixel 11 is a much better value for most people.
Is the Pixel 11 Pro series worth it this year? 469 votes Yes, absolutely! 32 % No, you should get a standard Pixel 28 % No, I'd rather go with Samsung or another competitor 26 % Other (Let us know in the comments) 14 %
The Pro offers more, but will you actually make the most of it?
Joe Maring / Android Authority
It used to be that the gap between the base Pixel and the Pro series was fairly wide, but year after year, the gap has shrunk as Google brings more high-end features to its non-Pro model. Just last year, Google brought a telephoto shooter to the standard Pixel for the very first time, and this year we’re seeing the Pro drop from 16GB of RAM to just 12GB on its base configuration, which matches what you’d get with the regular Pixel 11.
Of course, you could also argue the opposite, and say the gap is widening again with the Pixel 11 Pro. Its zoom feature was already better over the base Pixel, but now it’s jumping from 100x to 120x. The new telephoto camera is also said to allow 30% more light, which should make zoomed-in shots clearer than ever.
The display on the Pro models is brighter than ever, packing an additional 1000 nits of peak brightness. As if that wasn’t enough for you, there’s also a new HiLight that is effectively a modern take on a notification light, and it’s at least slightly reminiscent of Nothing’s Glyph technology.
I get the temptation to call this a major upgrade, and these features really do make a difference. However, they are arguably also pretty niche.
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