That title is probably not what you think it is. While it is correct in suggesting I couldn’t make it 30 days using Google’s Pixel 6 Pro, it’s not because the phone has provided an awful experience that would turn most people away. Instead, I couldn’t use the Pixel 6 Pro for 30 days because Google released another phone that’s more my style, the Pixel 6. The Pixel 6 has won me over and the benefits included in the Pixel 6 Pro over the regular version were just not enough to keep me around.
Let’s talk about the last 30 days of life with a Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6.
Pixel 6 Pro, still great for most
I think the takeaway from my initial review of the Pixel 6 Pro was really that Google made a very nice flagship-level phone, the best they had created in a really long time. They went for it in almost all departments and delivered quite a fun experience at a price well south of the competition. The Pixel 6 Pro, from the minute it dropped, became an impossible phone to ignore and likely one that most people should have had at or close to the top of their short list of potential new phones.
And I still firmly believe all of that! But that’s what I believe when suggesting a phone for other people. As I mentioned above, the Pixel 6 Pro just isn’t a phone for me. The Pixel 6 offers a better fit, even if I still have gripes there too.
Unfortunately, if you came to this post hoping for an update on the Pixel 6 Pro after a month or so of use, with new info on battery life or performance or the camera, I do not have that. As much as it is my job to test devices and then relay that info back, I’m a human and can only put up with something I don’t like for so long. Instead, here’s what the last 30 days have been like as I’ve tried to find a phone for me.
What you lose with the Pixel 6
The minute I wrapped my Pixel 6 Pro review, I reached for my Seafoam Pixel 6 that I had purchased during the pre-order period, but was waiting to use. I fired it up, set it up, and immediately started to get a feel for the differences between its $599 value and what you get for $899 in the 6 Pro.
I should also probably point out that I had a Pixel 6 Pro in Cloudy White on pre-order, but it was already a week+ late at this point, thanks to the lovely delivery service known as Ontrac. We’ll come back to that situation in a minute.
The first things you notice between the 6 and 6 Pro are the size, the thicker side walls of the phone, and of course, that flat display. By no means does the regular Pixel 6 feel cheaper, it just feels flatter in various ways. If anything, I find it more comfortable to hold, which sounds odd when you consider the curves to the 6 Pro that should make it fit better in the hand. There’s something to a flatter phone design that aides in grip and usability.
After the in-hand differences, you’ll notice (at least I do) the difference in screen quality and speed. The Pixel 6 Pro absolutely has a better display and the 120Hz is noticeable vs. the 90Hz on the Pixel 6. Everything is smoother no matter what you are doing, don’t listen to or trust a person who suggests otherwise.
It’s hard to say if there is a big performance hit on the Pixel 6, knowing it has less ram (8GB vs. 12GB), but I do notice the occasional hiccup or stutter that I don’t recall on the 6 Pro. Not that the Pixel 6 is slow or frustrating to use, there are just times that you’ll spot a frame drop and wonder the cause.
And then finally, there is the camera to talk about. The Pixel 6, without that extra telephoto lens, is technically a step down. Well, in versatility it is too, depending on how much importance you put on a telephoto lens. During my 6 Pro review period, I really thought I wouldn’t be able to live without that lovely and talented telephoto shooter, but here I am weeks later without it and haven’t really missed it. Since the rest of the cameras are the same, that’s all there is to know.
You get the same excellent camera performance out of either phone with its 50MP and ultra-wide lenses, which will take care of most situations. I’m sure at some point down the road, on a hike or traveling, I’ll find a need for the telephoto, but the other issues I have with the Pixel 6 Pro outweigh that rare use case.
So yeah, when going between the two, you’ll notice the screen differences, the shape of the phone in hand, and (maybe) some performance hiccups. Other than that, these phones are very similar, yet one costs $300 less.
Why I can’t go with the Pixel 6 Pro
Back to that Ontrac story for a second – that original pre-order I put in for a Cloudy White Pixel 6 Pro never arrived. Instead, they marked it as delayed with delivery expected the following day for 22 days and then figured it was lost. Thankfully, Google shipped me a replacement well before that saga ended. Once it (finally) showed up at my house, I was pretty excited to fire it up after using the Pixel 6 for a few weeks and do another comparison between the two to make a choice on my phone going forward.
I lasted 24 hours with the Pixel 6 Pro and went back to the Pixel 6.
The Pixel 6 Pro is just too f*cking big, man. I love the display, the design, the performance, and its lovely haptics. I could certainly find uses for that telephoto lens more often if I had it. But since Google only gave us a tablet-sized Pro phone this year, it will be a year that I go with the downgraded version.
It sucks. I’m borderline mad at Google for doing this. From the Pixel 1 through the Pixel 4 (and sort of with the Pixel 5), Google has given us options where we get two phones with identical specs that really only differ in size, because choice is good and not everyone wants a massive phone to carry around with them at all times.
Apple gets this. Samsung…OK, only Apple gets this. Maybe they are the only ones large enough to be able to get this and deliver on it, but holy shit to the Android world – give us some freakin’ smaller phone options.
Doing almost any life task brings unnecessary stress when you have a phone like the Pixel 6 Pro with you. It’s slippery, has too much glass, and feels fragile enough that setting it down almost anywhere will taunt you about potential disasters. And no, I’m not putting a case on the behemoth of a phone to protect it that will only make it even bigger. That’s absurd. Not all of us want a damn case on our phones. We want phones that can be used with a single hand.
News alert here, phone makers – a whole bunch of us don’t give a shit about watching video all day long on our phones. We use them as if they were a tool, for messaging and email and news reading and lists and controlling our homes and other actions that we don’t need a 7″ display for. A 6″ or even slightly smaller would be just fine, because we’ll be able to do things on them without much effort, like without a second hand.
And look, the regular Pixel 6 is not that much smaller. I’m annoyed at it too. But like I mentioned earlier, it’s much easier to handle because of its flatter, thicker sides and slightly smaller footprint. It’s not really in one-handed territory, but it comes close.
I guess it’s the Pixel 6 for now
We’re at the end of another year in smartphones and so we know exactly what our choices are. When looking around, the Pixel 6 is probably the best phone for me, even if I don’t absolutely love everything about it.
I have a Galaxy S21 here, and it’s fine. It falls inline with the Pixel 6, in that Samsung made the Ultra the ultimate phone with everything and then issued the S21 as the lesser version with some significant cuts. My issue with the S21 is that the early tastes of One UI 4 aren’t great. I much prefer Android 12 on the Pixel line over Samsung’s current take. I also never really loved the S21 and its cheap body, as you probably recall from my review.
OnePlus phones would be the other option, except they feel so far removed from what we all once appreciated about OnePlus. I have serious concerns about the software experience going forward, their phones are also all massive tablet phones with glass and curves, and they aren’t cheap.
And since I just ran through why the Pixel 6 Pro isn’t for me, that leaves me with the Pixel 6. I really do like Android 12 and the Pixel experience, the cameras, performance, and the overall design. This phone will do the trick for now and probably up until the Pixel 7 shows up in a year from now.
Or maybe I’ll just keep defaulting back to this iPhone 13 Pro. Thanks for giving us choice, Apple.
love my pixel 6 pro, coming from a 5. it was a huge change but i was always a nexus 6 person. just got used to the 5. now that I have had the 6 pro for a month it is perfect. although I wasn’t sure about the getting just the 6. and after ready comments, i just ordered one to feel it in hand although I am well aware it isn’t smaller by a lot. and i have used the telephoto lens several times already. we will see
oh, and i wasnt the happiest at the pros curved screen. hate that crap. so i check the 6 and see if it makes me change.
imagine hating on a software upgrade from samsung and saying it has a cheap body. How are those points to make against samsung? Most people have a case on and a new software upgrade change is not something to dock points against.
Just switched back to Pixel 5….P6Pro is going back.
If the Pixel 6 had all of Pixel 6 Pro’s features and specs I would’ve taken it. 6.7 inch screen is nice but not useful on an hourly basis. And the curved screen is totally unnecessary.
Over the week of Thanksgiving, I went on a 4 day road trip to Sedona and Monument Valley with my 6 Pro. Coming from iPhone 12 Pro, I noticed 3 major short comings; video quality (even though the photos are just beautiful), battery life (despite of such a large battery) and bugs (there’s home screen refresh issue when moving the navigation app to background).
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/03aa15b03d381b7602b9a23c35633ab963c9c8f1dd81df7e7efec7f100c71a2e.jpg
I like big phones and I can not lie
You other brothers can’t deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty, bitty waist
And a rectangle thing in your face
Kellen you just need bigger hands
That’s terrible selfish and idiotic just because the phone is too big for you you people are f..ing spoild if you have hands like a girl then get a bloody smaller phone manufacturers can’t make 10 phones and expect to make everyone happy the pixel 6 Pro is much better ergonomically than the iPhone I have bog hands but the iPhone 12 Pro max is just too big but I chose it for consuming contend of I get a phone then the biggest one there is for the screen and battery alone . So stop whining it makes me angry as it makes you sound like a little Bi**Ch
Try again but without the rampant sexism
Who said anything about manufacturers making 10 different phones? Having just two flagship level phones would be fine if one had actually been a manageable size. Instead Google released two phones that are pretty much the same size. Not liking massive phones doesn’t mean someone has small hands like a girl. Some people just have different priorities than you. Some people want a phone that can be used with one hand. The Pixel 6 phones aren’t usable with one hand for anyone other than maybe people with Shaq sized hands. And as far as comfortable pocketability I can’t even find pants with front pockets big enough to comfortably fit a phone as big as the Pixel 6 phones.
It’s just piece of ????. I have it ror few days and surprisedly couldn’t believe that android works better on China’s brands phones than on Google’s. Full of bugs, after update mist hard reset,lost all data, couldn’t read system fail??? Hot like oven…ok,have beautiful size,shape and display but everything else is crap
I only want big phones.
Personally I would go with the Pixel 6 Pro. I think the biggest factor is the telephoto camera. I have a Pixel 5 and I very often wish I could zoom without losing quality. I don’t care anything about the ultra wide camera. Other factors like 50% more RAM, an UWB chip (not useful yet but nice to be future proof) and the 120hz screen all make it more worth it to me.
I prefer smaller phones but since the “smaller” Pixel 6 is basically the same size anyways I figured I’d rather have the more features and especially that camera. I don’t care about the “curved” vs “flat” screen.
Although after seeing the reviews I decided not to get any Pixel 6. It’s like 80% because of the battery life (both have worse battery life than my Pixel 5 which already isn’t good) and 20% because of the worse fingerprint sensor compared to my Pixel 5. If the battery life had been better I probably would have bought a Pixel 6 Pro.
Agreed!
I have Pixel 4a. Seems perfect size to me. Very easily managed, lightweight. Physical size of an iPhone 6, 7, 8, SE2 but MUCH bigger screen.
I was hoping for an upgraded Pixel 6 with the same size, not a giant ungainly phone.
Since I’ve used the Pixel 5 every other phone feels unnecessarily huge in my hand, especially the iPhone 13 pro max. That is a behemoth of a phone I would never prefer to use no matter how good it may be. Seriously hoping Google will realise it’s fans want a functional phone, not a pocket sized TV. Looking forward for a Pixel 7 pro that is comfortable to use
Wow personally it doesn’t bother me at all I have Xiaomi mi 11 ultra and that screen is 6.81 inch and it’s pretty easy to hold I can do most task with one hand and I have a apple 12 pro max for work and finally getting rid thank god I had more trouble with that phone because of the flat sides and personally I like curved screens they don’t bother me as long as they are done right. All you small phone people have to realize these companies put millions into research and there must not be enough sales or enough people wanting small phones. Plus just want to say I have a Xiaomi mi note 10 with a 6.47 screen great phone by the way and I don’t really feel the difference or have problems going to Xiaomi mi 11 ultra 6.81 besides great screen
I’m so confused by the reactions to the size of this phone.
When I ordered, I braced myself for something comically huge, but it’s just… A regularly sized phone.The footprint is almost identical to my old OnePlus 5T, which had a noticeably smaller screen
Are people upgrading from the iPhone 4 or something?
Some people actually like a phone that can easily be used with one hand and can fit comfortably in a front pocket. Even my Pixel 5 doesn’t allow that. Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are significantly larger. That are both massive. Just because the competition’s phones are just as big doesn’t mean they aren’t “comically huge”. I can’t even wrap my hand all the way around the Pixel 6.
So tired of giant Android phones and Android OEMs cutting corners on the small flagship variants of their phones. To date only Apple gets small flagship phones right(Apple’s small flagship phone is identical to its giant sibling with the only difference being its size).
Let’s see what Samsung does with the Galaxy S22. Wish the Xperia 5 III had wireless charging 🙁
You and your little girly hands – weak. The pro shoulda been bigger don’t want to downgrade from my S21 Ultra 🙂
The Pro should have been bigger? Are you kidding? I can’t imagine anyone other than people like Shaq being able to reach all parts of the screen on a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro with just their thumb while using with one hand.
Yeah I was joking but I wouldn’t want it to be any smaller. They are already smaller than my current S21 Ultra which is disappointing to say the least.
Maybe not the Pro but the non-Pro should definitely be smaller and have the 3rd camera. I don’t want to have to decide between a reasonable sized phone and having a telephoto camera. Or, at the very least, if the smaller one is only going to have two cameras I’d prefer the main sensor and telephoto and no ultra wide. I’d actually use the telephoto. I don’t care anything about the ultra wide.
The S21 Ultra is enormous. It’s practically a tablet. Using a tablet with one hand and fitting it comfortably in a front pocket is a nightmare. My friend has the S21 Ultra. I tried to use it. I couldn’t even reach the top 3rd of the screen with my thumb and while it did fit in my front pocket it certainly wasn’t comfortable especially sitting down. I don’t even have small hands or small pockets. The Pixel 6 Pro isn’t really that much smaller. The Pixel 6 Pro is 1.2mm shorter and is actually 0.3mm wider.
I don’t get either why they are close in size either – I mean at least have a few inches of separation between price points. Perhaps the sales of the small phones were poor so they decided to release to larger phones.
Share your opinion without sexism thanks
I’ve had my Pixel6 Pro just over 10 days and really haven’t had much time to play with it. Came down hard with the Wuhan virus on the 19th and was just sick as sick could be. Thanksgiving cancelled and a trip to the ER for IV fluids was necessary. Sad that I haven’t really had time to enjoy my phone. Felt like a chore to set it up while I was sick. Even now I just don’t have any interest in playing with it. I’ve normally would have put it through just about every benchmark app I have and driven around looking for good spots to test 5G throughput. About the only thing I can say, compared to my old OnePlus 7 Pro, it has a dandy screen.
Did the exact same thing as you. The past 3 years I’ve been hyped up for the new Pixel, use it for a week or so then default back to an iPhone Pro. There always seems to be one or two major issues that cause me to go back. Guess I’ll start looking forward to the Pixel 7!
Even with the issues of the Pixel phones (I wouldn’t call any of them major) I’d still take the Pixel over the iPhone. The build quality, materials quality, hardware and battery life on the iPhones is the best I’ve seen and the quality control is probably the best in the industry but….iOS. I just can’t stand it. Although I wouldn’t get an iPhone at this point I’ve considered it more than I ever have in the past because of one factor….battery life. Battery life is so much better on the iPhone that I’d almost consider putting up with an OS I can’t stand. Poor battery life on Android phones is really starting to get old. Even my Pixel 5 which some have said has “outstanding” battery life is still not very good.
Please Google, make a Pixel with stellar battery life. Give us iPhone 13 Pro Max level battery like in the Pixel 7 and I’ll buy it.
The battery life is the main reason I went back to my iPhone. I’m right there with you on preferring Android to IOS.
And why we’re at it, hopefully Apple gets sued for all the issues iMessage causes. Makes it very difficult to use various devices.
Same, I prefer Android over IOS. But iMessage and great battery life (and the manageable size) make Apple the best option at the moment. It’s frustrating…
I like my Pixel 6 a lot but compared to the 6 Pro and S21 the screen is noticeably worse. There are times where the Tensor chugs a bit compares to the SD888 (CPU-intensive tasks mostly), and I wish the battery life was a bit better. I really do love the speech-to-text capability compared to any other phone. If the Pro had non-curved screen I would have gone for it to get an improved screen and camera (maybe).
I truly hope Google continues to make larger phones so you can make another complaining article.
Even the PIxel 6 is too large. WTF was Google thinking. After 10+ years on Android I bought an iPhone 13 Pro. I was on a Pixel 2 and just needed something newer with a great camera. If the Pixel 6 would have had 120 hz and more RAM maybe I would have stayed, but until Google releases a 6.1 inch phone that has at least what the 6 Pro has I will stay with an iphone. Sad!!!!!
How has it been being on the other side? I have the IPhone 11 Pro and love the size of this thing and refuse to buy a huge phone if I can help it.
Pixel 6 is not your typical smartphone. It’s a freaking phablet! The screen is HUGE. This phone is made for those with big hands. I am struggling to navigate my phone’s screen with one hand. It defeats the purpose of having a phone in the first place. I am sticking with my Pixel 5 running Android 12. Better luck next time on Pixel 7 Google.
There won’t be a small Pixel 7. Maybe the 6a
The 6a rumored dimensions are in between the Pixel 5 and 6.
People still say phablet!? Lmao. But I completely agree otherwise, phones are meant to be mobile, portable. It seems like since phone calls are secondary these days, bigger sizes to accommodate other content creation like videos, pictures, etc require the bigger screen.
What a useless article. Both are “large” and “heavy” phones. These issues are of course only deal breakers for people lacking reasonable pockets or purses. But the Pro version consistently outperforms the other in cell reception, battery life, camera features, multitasking, and disk space options. Thus the difference in price comes down to how much you value these features.
I guess we have a different idea of what “reasonable pockets” means. My pockets are normal size and I don’t wear skinny jeans. My Pixel 5 “fits” in my front pocket but it certainly isn’t comfortable. It’s very annoying. I buy “carpenter” jeans now just so I have the side pocket to put my phone.
As far as battery life the Pixel 6 Pro isn’t really that much better than the Pixel 6. Both have poor battery life. It’s especially true when on mobile data because of the crappy Exynos modem. Both the Pixel 6 phones have battery life worse than my Pixel 5 and the battery life on my Pixel 5 is mediocre.
I get almost 2 to 4 times the battery life on Pixel 6 Pro compared to my wife’s Pixel 6.
Unless you’re wife does nothing but graphic intensive gaming and all you do is browse the internet on wifi with the cell connection turned off I don’t believe that. And even then that’s a stretch. In fact some tests doing the same on both tasks on both phones showed the Pixel 6 to actually be a little better than the Pixel 6 Pro.
Here is one example.
https://www.tomsguide.com/amp/news/google-pixel-6-battery-life-tested-we-have-bad-news
Both also have worse battery life than the Pixel 5 I have now and the battery life on the Pixel 5 isn’t good. If you are happy with your Pixel 6 Pro that’s great. It just means your usage is different than mine.
The Pixel 5 uses like 25% of the battery for one hour of Netflix over mobile data (that’s just LTE not even 5G) using Bluetooth headphones. No way am I switching to a phone that is even worse.
For me the curved edges on the 6 pro was the main factor not to buy it. I just hate it and will never buy anything curved due to weak protection and glare.
On paper the dimensions seem so minor, yet clearly a lot of people can tell the difference. This only further proves I need to keep my P5 with how big the difference is compared to the P6.
I think people are mistaking us “smaller” phone people to mean we want a small phone. That’s not always the case. I want a medium size phone, which is “smaller” than a large phone. IMO, a medium size phone is about a 6″ screen give or take.
The iPhone 13/Pro are just slightly taller and wider than the Pixel 5 (which is the ideal size IMHO). I believe this is the size that Android OEM’s should be targeting.
I have the P6P, and had the OP 7 Pro before it, and I’ve gotten accustomed to the size…but I just purchased an iPhone 12 mini for my daughter for Christmas, and I can definitely see the appeal of smaller phones. Takes me back to my Motorola Droid Incredible days…oh the memories. I’m starting to understand the desire for smaller phones, and I do think OEM’s should take notice, I’m just not sure what the sales figures for the 12 and 13 mini are. I’ve heard rumors that Apple may not make a 14 mini. Also, whenever there was a mini version for Android, the specs were garbage compared to their larger counterparts. Lame.
Sales are reportedly really low for the iPhone 12/13 Mini hence the rumors pointing no 14 Mini next year.
I wonder if the sales of the iPhone Mini are low because people don’t want phones that small or because people don’t want to not have the features that only the bigger ones have.
I miss smaller phones. Phones that where I could reach everywhere on the screen with just my thumb and could fit comfortably in my front pocket. I used a Pixel 2 XL for three years and while I liked it for the most part I never got used to the HUGE size. Typing was a pain if I needed keys on the far left of the keyboard and anything on the top third of the screen was out of reach when trying to use with one hand. It’s still true to a lesser extent on my Pixel 5 but not nearly as bad.
Totally agree with the size issue. The OG Pixel is my favorite phone of all time, due to its compact size and flagship internals (well, same guts as the XL). While I love almost everything about the Pixel 6 I have, it is definitely larger than I would like, and a little too boxy/square. I like the more rounded style of the previous generation Pixels. I pick up my wife’s 5a, and that just feels so much better in-hand. The P6 feels like a Google-made Note, without the S-pen.
I pretty much feel exactly the same way about big phones. They should work with just one hand. The front-side finger print scanner requires me to shift the weight of the phone to center palm before I can unlock the thing. That’s a pain in the butt to do every time, especially if you’re not just sitting there ONLY focusing on the phone while doing it. They really should have a smaller, lighter, doesn’t take a modular addition to my pants in order to house it comfortably in a pocket. The pixel 6 is ALMOST there, but it’s just a little too big.
This review legitimately helped me make a decision about my next phone. I’ve always loved the Pixel phones and as my Pixel 3 ages, I’m looking to what’s next. Apple is nailing the size game and that just might be what it takes to push me into the Apple ecosystem.
Funny but I came from the Pixel 4 and consider myself a small form enthusiast as well. I’ve had the 6 Pro which came quickly and on schedule a few days after launch. I find the larger size far less discouraging than I thought I would. I was pretty much resigned to thinking I would sell it a few days into use. I haven’t and don’t see that happening. Maybe I’m getting more agreeable in my old age.
The ONLY reason I still have my S21 is because of the small size. I cannot agree more with this post. I tried pre ordering the 6 Pro but thankfully it was sold out by the time I tried. After playing with one at Best Buy there is no chance I get one. Give us a premium smaller phone!
Delivery services in my area (Centrl Cali) graded from decent to lousy… because I have nothing to do. Ontrac surprisingly ranks at the top for me.. always on time.
A = Amazon
A = Ontrac
C = UPS
F = USPS
F = FedEx
I’ve never really had an issue with any of them. Also, you can’t really group all of Amazon into only category. Amazon doesn’t really do delivery itself. They contract to other companies and some are better than others.
Stop supporting Amazon start supporting humans
the small phone crowd…you guys are a funny group. I dont know anyone who wants these tiny phones your guys cry about other than the 100 or so people on these type of comment sections. Im sure there is a Nexus 5 user in here, still holding on. I switch between the pixel 6 pro and Fold 3. Both are great, both are a good size and i have no issues. All jokes aside, what size gloves do you guys wear? S10E….they could not give that phone away a few years ago. XZ1 compact, if smaller phones sold…they would sell them. They dont sell, so they dont make them.
Yeah: even Apple dropped the mini line after this year. I do like it however.
Bingo!
Some people put a high priority on one handed use and comfortable pocketability. I’m a 6 foot tall male and have average size hands. I can’t reach everywhere on the screen with just my thumb (true “one handed use”). I can’t even imagine how bad it must be for people that actually have small hands.
I think smaller phones not selling had less to do with them being small and more to do with the fact that the smaller phones were usually mid range phones in every other way. I think there are a lot of people out there that don’t want huge phones but get them anyways because of the other features. Back in 2017 I bought a Pixel 2 XL instead of the smaller Pixel 2. I only did so because the Pixel 2 XL had a 30% bigger battery. If the Pixel 2 had a bigger battery I would have gotten it instead of the XL.
I’m in love with my Pixel 6. The size is just perfect, performance is incredible and camera is just wow. There’s not a phone in the market right now I’d rather have, no matter the price. ????????♂️
The truth is, there just isn’t a marker for smaller phones. That’s why iPhone Mini failed. Also, with edge-to-edge displays, we can’t compare screen sizes now to the ones 5+ years ago. Nexus 6 (5.96″) is larger in size than Pixel 6 Pro (6.71″). People need to stop looking at numbers, and just go and feel the device.
All I read was, I have small hands and so I need a smaller phone.
As for the 6Pro vs the 6 being about size, I’m not sure I follow your logic Kellen. If you had said you switched solely for the flat display and ease of grip, sure, that’s a whole design change, but to say the phone is smaller and that’s why you gave up a better display, bigger battery, and a better camera? I’m a little skeptical, as the display is literally only .3mm smaller. That’s it, .3mm. A 6.7″ display on the 6 Pro vs the 6.4″ display on the 6, this whole post was really about .3mm less of screen size and you decided that was enough to discard all the PROs (no pun intended) of the 6 Pro? Sorry, I can’t buy into this and I’m usually Team Kellen when it comes to Droid life, but this really does seem silly.
He makes these silly articles all the time like these companies are going to listen. Lol
.3″ does not equal .3mm. It’s over 7.5mm. I’m not arguing against your point about the difference not being significant but you mentioned .3mm three times but also said they’re 6.7″ vs 6.4″ which is a 7.6mm difference.
I went from the early tiny HTCs (starting with the Touch and Aria) to the Note line around 2 and have been on Notes since.
I feel that the phone makers think, as do I to some extent, that putting flagship performance into a small form factor is kinda a waste as the screen is too small to appeal to heavy-duty gamers or multitaskers that need the added performance along with screen real estate. That being said, most phone companies have gotten lazy and unoriginal with their phone designs, choosing to play it safe and do what everyone else is doing because anything that isn’t just like an iPhone or Samsung flagship is usually lambasted in the press.
That’s why I’m glad to see some new ideas coming out with the bendy phones and the camera-focused Sony, because it’s starting to feel like we’re getting back to the days of variety and innovation – like when you had the HTC Touch, Blackberry, Nokia 6800, and a whole hose of funky designs to appeal to a wide variety of tastes and needs. There’s enough people that would want a small form factor with high performance to justify a company making one, companies just need to feel like they can break out of the iPhone-derivative cycle to try new ideas again.
All these ‘men’ with tiny hands. ????
Yeah Kellen complaining about large phones…what else is new? ????????♂️
Right cause all men only have giant dinosaur mitts
Different strokes for different folks. The Pixel 6 Pro is awesome.
I feel your pain with Ontrac. Ontrac is by far the worst shipping company. I’m in Portland Oregon and my 6pro was delayed several times and I assumed it was gone. Tracking never updated but 2 weeks later it finally arrived.
The 6 pro has been my daily driver since it arrived..
I have a Pixel 6 and I think it’s junk. I push in the power button to shut it down and NOTHING, It drops calls, I try calling the individual back and it says “Server Not Available”. I’ve done this a few times and it doesn’t work. To shut down the phone I have to do a soft reset. The phone is 2 months old and it has done this at least 3 times. Google told me to do a reset of the network, which I did and after I could not make any outbound calls, Yeah Great Phone Google. Currently still jumping through the hoops to either resolve the issue or get another new Pixel 6
I’ve mostly grown accustomed to the behemoth 6 Pro. I don’t love it, but I cope.
I agree with the sizing option gripes. I partly “settled” for the Pro because the regular 6 is only marginally smaller. Google continually finds a way to make me jealous of iPhone hardware. When my wife received her 13 Pro Max, it was deemed far too large and went right into the return box—didn’t even power it on. The regular 13 Pro that replaced it is essentially the same device, but in a smaller package. Well done, Apple.
“Or maybe I’ll just keep defaulting back to this iPhone 13 Pro. Thanks for giving us choice, Apple.”
Oh no Kellen has turned into a heretic!
No, a realist.
As I figured. I have bought a new Google phone every year since the Nexus 5x, and I always get the smaller of the two. The Pixel 5 was one of my favorites, but I went and got all crazy and bought the Pixel 6. There were some upgrades and some downgrades, and the size is something I consider to be a downgrade. There’s no way I could do a 6 Pro. I hope they go back to their same features on regular and XL models next year.
Honestly, this reviewer should lose their rights to review any device ever again after saying they are not going to put a case on their phone.
It’s probably because kellen has several phones to choose from so he never has to worry about the longevity of his devices.
And yet he feels the need to opine on it anyway
Has anyone looked at getting Pixel Pass? I really like my 6 pro, and thought I’d check it out. Ridiculous! If you’ve already got the phone, Google wants you to send it back. I use Google Fi. I’d also have to cancel my service. So… Send back the phone, cancel my service just to re order the phone and service. I see that as borderline insane.
I absolutely agree with you that the pixels are dissappointly big! As a pixel 2 owner i am even more disappointed ????. Also the hardware isn’t future proof because of the outdated 5G modem… there is also a very slow fingerprint sensor! Will buy an iphone.
I’ve got a P5 and a P6, and I switched back to the P5 last week after a month on the P6. The size of the P6, the software bugs, and the pink/purple tint on the screen when viewed at an angle all got too much. I’m definitely not yet at the point of selling the P6, but I am hoping the December patch can fix some of the software issues and make it a better phone.
Yes I agree with all of this. I’m just going to stick with the pro model and chill anyways. The Belroy case makes it manageable for me.
This article doesn’t make much sense to me.
I understand that the Pixel 6 Pro is too large for some people. It’s larger than I would like, personally, though I still love mine.
What I don’t understand is why people suggest the Pixel 6 as an alternative. Both phones are nearly identical in size and weight.
Pixel 6 is 158.6mm x 74.8mm x 8.9mm and 207g
Pixel 6 Pro is 163.9mm x 75.9mn x 8.9mm and 210g
The Pro is:
– 5.3mm taller (3.3%)
– 1.1mm wider (1.5%)
– The same thickness
– 3g heavier (1.4%)
There’s just not much difference here.
I hate how my pixel Pro takes so long to focus. And anytime I try to take a close-up picture it just so blurry.
The software isn’t up to par with that amazing new sensor. I think that’s why they waited so long to stop using the old one in the pixels.
Really. Hope so
This is why I ditched Android when the Pixel 4 and iPhone 11 Pro were announced. I just got tired of Android OEM’s always kneecapping the smaller model. “Oh, you want all the same features as the Pixel 4 XL? How about a Pixel 4 with an inferior display and literally the smallest battery known to man? Want a Galaxy S21 Ultra in a smaller form? How about a Galaxy S21 with completely different camera components and build quality?”
It was honestly so refreshing to see an OEM put just as much care and thought into their smaller high-end model as their XL one with no differences outside of display/battery sizes and not display quality/battery performance. That being said, I’m still hopeful that next year we’ll finally get a Pixel 7 Pro in non-XL and XL sizes, but that’s only because I’m stupid and will always have a soft spot for and Android and Pixel’s.
There are plenty of smaller Android phones to choose from. Far more than Apple offers.
The argument isn’t that there are no small phones to choose from, it’s that there are no small phones with high-end specs to choose from. There is no Pixel 6 Pro in a Pixel 5-ish size. No Galaxy S21 Ultra in a S21-ish size. What you get when you go small is, generally, compromised devices with different chipsets, cameras, display types, battery performance, etc., and that’s the issue a lot of us have a problem with.
That just shows that there is no demand for such.
Ugh. Get out.
the 6 is also boarderline too large with a case on it, the 5 was literally the perfect size. My work phone is a s10e, and aside from Samsung’s software BS its the perfect phone
I’m loving my new Pixel 6: so glad I didn’t go with the Pro. But I also love my iPhone 13 mini! Oh and as much as I despise OnTrac, they actually delivered my phone on Thanksgiving Day!
I have the Pixel 6 Pro.
And anyone who feels that it is too big is just a wimp.
Or has hands of the same size that a 12 year old girl does. ????
????????????????????????
Agree with this, started out with a 256gb p6p, got my step dad a regular 6 and I ended up liking his so much more I sold my P6P for luckily more than I paid for it and got a reg p6 instead.
I wish this had the telephoto lens too, but for the $550 I paid for it, there ain’t much to knock this thing for and I really only got it to have a Pixel on hand; will likely still use my S21U and next year’s s22u more, but for $599, this phone can’t be beat.
Also, completely agree about small phones. I’m actually tempted to go to the dark side (iOS) just to have a small phone to use as you just can’t get an ACTUAL small flagship on Android anymore; it’s annoying. And even the small’ish flagships on Android (reg s21 etc) are A) Not all that small and B) Require a TON of downgrades from the much larger flagship.
Really wish Google and Samsung would go back to doing flagships, with ZERO compromises (outside of screen size and battery size) that come in large and small.
Exactly all this. I bought the P6P 512gb. Realized it was too much money, 12gb doesn’t matter when half my apps force a refresh when you switch out of them (banking and games), I personally never use telephoto, and I hate curved screens. Alsooooooooooo, I’ve decided I am in the small phone camp. So I got the 256gb regular P6 and am happy. I have the same thoughts as Kellen and you about switching to the dark side to get the iphone 13 mini but I love the pixel camera, google assistant and real time dictation way too much at this point. But I am liking the rumors that the Galaxy S22 regular version will have a 6.0 inch screen and hopefully most of the hardware of the ultra minus the spen.
I actually did go to the darkside with the iPhone 13 Pro due to the size of the Pixel 6 Pro. I wanted a flagship phone that wasn’t gigantic and that had decent battery life, and I was a bit upset with Google for not making a normal sized Pixel 6 Pro. Honestly, I thought I’d miss having a Pixel A LOT more than I actually do. So far, the 13 Pro has been a great experience–iOS is MUCH better now than when I had a 6s Plus. I don’t find the 13 Pro’s camera to be as consistently excellent as the camera on my Pixel 4 XL was, but it’s not bad, and I definitely miss Google’s call screening. Otherwise, though, I’m really liking my 13 Pro. It’s so nice to have a phone that’s easy to hold in one hand and with decent battery life and with such a beautiful build.
I have the 11 Pro and I love the feeling of using it one handed. And I don’t customize nearly as much as I used to so haven’t missed that much honestly. If Android (literally anyone at this point) gave a flagship small phone would you come back? I certainly would be tempted however I now have a Macbook and Ipad so I feel like I might be too invested.
Well, that’s what they want, people to invest into their ecosystem so much they won’t leave (and it works).
I haven’t tried an iPhone since the 8 and the size thing got me curious again, so I just ordered a 13 pro…I’ve only ever tried an iPhone once before with the 8 and I hated iOS, but I was also a lot more into the customization thing then too and I’m less so now plus iOS has become more customizable, so *maybe* I’ll like it this time? Figure with the holiday return period I have a month to try it too, so…we’ll see … Should have it in a week.
Back to pixel 6, battery life on this thing is stupid good. I’m still at 61% right now (almost 9pm) and dw shows almost 6 hours usage (afaik, only way to get a sort of sot now).
I will only consider coming back if there’s a flagship Pixel in a smaller size.
I’ve had a Macbook and an iPad Pro alongside a Pixel, and that was fine. Now, however, I also have an Apple Watch. Unless there’s a really good Pixel watch, I’m not sure how eager I’ll be to go back.
iPhone 13 Pro still big. Wish there was a iPhone 13 Mini Pro.
From the tone of the article it sounds like y’all are tired of Android…. And have been for quite some time now. Honestly, I moved to Iphone, not because it’s better, but because I get access to normal sized phones that are capable (having excellent build quality and long updates isn’t bad either). Unfortunately unless the trends somehow change I’ll likely stick with the fruit company since they give me options for size (ironically).
Agreed. Way too big. I actually returned my Pixel 6 as it was heavier and a bit wider than my Pixel 5a which I will stick with until the 6a comes out assuming that the 6a will be somewhere in the size range of the Pixel 5 which to me was the perfect one handed use phone. Sadly I lost mine but I am just managing with the 5a.
I appreciate the P6P’s battery life and extra camera. Coming from a decaying Blackberry KeyOne (fingerprint sensor failed, flashlight failed, battery was lasting about five hours with minimal use.), it feels like a miracle phone. The 5000mAh battery, RAM, and processor being futureproof for a few years were my only concern and it satisfied all of these.
It’s a honkin’ chonky boy, but I’m okay with that… I think…..
Same here. Except returned my pixel 6 to go back to pixel 5. Small phone life. Anyone else tired of installing larger pockets in pants?
I lasted 2 days and went back to the Note 20 ultra. Cant handle all the missing conveniences of One UI
The 5a 5g is absolutely perfect and cheap, too, compared to the 6 and 6 Pro. AND, the body isn’t glass which is what kept me from going to any 6 to begin with. It is much more one-handable and a case won’t make it too bulky either. So the screen refresh rate is only 60, who cares? It looks good, the screen is sort of bright enough, and the battery, the battery, the battery, is terrific!
Anyone else’s P6P rattle when you lightly shake it? I read it is due to the telephoto, but it is annoying.
It’s the OIS lens. totally normal.
Thanks. A bit odd walking around with the phone in my pocket and it rattling like I have keys in my pocket.
Couldn’t agree more about the humongous phones. I have no interest in carrying around a tablet. Give me a smaller phone any day. I prefer to use it with one hand anyway and there just aren’t many times I watch video on my phone where a larger screen would be useful.
If I could get a Pixel 6 with the same specs as the Pro – most importantly the telephoto camera – I’d take it any day. But lacking that camera is a deal breaker, so Pro it has to be. And of course Google will see a sale for the Pro and assume I wanted a bigger phone.
Kind of a weird thing to go back to your original review after the fact.
I think I switched to the “i want a small phone” camp because of what Kellen said: a whole bunch of us don’t give a shit about watching video all day long on our phones. We use them as if they were a tool, for messaging and email and news reading and lists and controlling our homes and other actions that we don’t need a 7″ display for.
Exactly all that. I want to whip out my small phone to check notifications, send off a few quick messages, buy some shit off Amazon, call our doctor and put the appointment in our calendar. I have a giant ass TV, big laptop and plenty of other screens to watch shows on/play games on. So i don’t want this giant ass slab of metal in my pocket all day, reminding me it’s there because it’s so big when i don’t need the screen.
JUST GIVE US THE OPTION
Stop supporting Amazon and start supporting humans
I can not tell the diffrence between 60, 90 and 120 fps. You can listen to me and trust me.
I have a work issued Galaxy S20 FE (120 HZ) and my personal Iphone 11 Pro (60 HZ) side by side and can tell the difference. I somewhat doubt that someone can tell the difference between 90 HZ and 120 HZ though.
I can’t tell any difference between 60 Hz and 90Hz, but I really see it between 60/90 Hz and 120 Hz
Interesting. I’ve never looked at a 120 Hz screen, so maybe I would notice a difference compared to 60/90. But, since I’m not getting frustrated with 60, I don’t see a reason to get tempted. LOL It’s not like back in the day when phones were doing weird resolution tricks that resulted in blurry horizontal lines. This is more of a “oh yeah, that sure is smooth looking” feature.
To me, it’s one of those things where I can definitely see a difference but I also immediately forget about it after I notice it. I’m likely going to be switching from a 120-hz phone to a 90-hz one in a few weeks so in the meantime I dropped the 120 to 60 just to see how much stepping down would bother me. While I could definitely tell the difference when I turned the setting off, I immediately forgot about it and I’ve kept it off so the 90-hz will be a step up again. If I care to pay attention to it, yeah I can tell I have it set to 60, but in normal usage it’s not enough to be a distraction.
I’m sorry, but I’ve been given my orders. I’m sure you’re a nice fella and I wish you the best.
My Pixel 4 can do 90 Hz, but I leave it on 60 since I really can’t tell the difference and anything that saves battery is important for that phone.
Some people claim that they can discern the difference, some say say that rhey can’t. Could they detect tje difference ina blind test? Another great topic for a blind test like this: https://youtu.be/2VGwHoSrIEU
I wish high schoolers were doing blind tests to settle questions about what percentage of the population can discern difference in MP3 music of specific quality, or the one in this topic, instead of making silly experiments with potato skins as fertilizer, again.
Everyone has their preferences on phone size. To me a galaxy s20 was perfect size. Went with the Pixel 6 Pro over the 6 because it was free with trade in of an old phone. Might as well take advantage of it.
With that said, it definitely is big, too big, sure. But im giving it a shot, pixel 6 is also too big though. Again S20 and even S10 size is perfect in my opinion, where the S10e was way too small.
“News alert here, phone makers – a whole bunch of us don’t give a shit about watching video all day long on our phones. We use them as if they were a tool, for messaging and email and news reading and lists and controlling our homes and other actions that we don’t need a 7″ display for. A 6″ or even slightly smaller would be just fine, because we’ll be able to do things on them without much effort, like without a second hand.”
Amen and that’s why I love my Pixel 5. Small enough and fits great in my hands.
Agreed & exactly why I’m passing on the Pixel 6 this yr. I even own a 4a5G and with its 6.2″ screen and I’m not big a fan. Personally I think the 6″ screen on the P5 with the body & screen size is Perfect.
The Pixel 5 might have been boring (even with lovely uniform bezels), but Google definitely nailed the size and weight.
I traded in my P5 for my P6 and wish I hadn’t. I have my P3 here, and I should have unloaded that instead. The P5 was (minus the 765G which is fine, but I had/have longevity concerns) a great little phone, and I should have kept it as my backup instead of the P3. Also has the added advantage of the unlimited photo uploads still too, which my P6 doesn’t. It’s the P6’s little brother and a terrific phone in its own way, and I didn’t think I’d miss it after getting the P6 (which I love) but turns out….I kinda do. :-
I picked up the Mini 6 on launch day to hold me over till I could get the pro.
However the tiny one has won me over.
Amazing!
I used to be very anti-large phone, and I really wanted a smaller phone. That’s why I got the Galaxy S10e when came back. The reality for me was that, even with a smaller phone, it still wasn’t that much usable in one hand than larger phones are. You still have to do thumb gymnastics to get around because app developers, for whatever reason, still aren’t designing apps for ease-of-use with larger screens. The S10e felt better in hand than any phone I’ve had since the LG G3, but it wasn’t any easier to use, and that’s what I wanted.
If you want comfortable one-handed use, you have to use a grip, and I found the OhSnap grip to be the best for me (my partner hated it and prefers Pop Sockets).
I’ll never understand why more people don’t use some type of phone grip if they have to use their phone one handed. There are so many types out there that personally it makes me think that people are just lazy. There are heaps of gadgets and cases that make owning a larger phone more manageable if it’s too much to handle. I have never predominantly used a phone one handed and I had the first iPhone when it came out. That thing was tiny AF but I still did a lot of things two handed.
I tried the OhSnap and didn’t care for it. I kind of liked the design but I had some issues with it and the company was kind of rude about it so I ditched trying to make that work. I avoided popsockets for years but I’m testing some out now that they have both magnetic and sliding ones.
People just have this weird obsession with their phones where they rather use it uncomfortably to show it off rather than using a case or grip that makes it easier to hold and use. I can’t think of any other reason why they won’t use a grip. I guess they want to feel special? ????????♂️
It’s wild to me that anyone would or can use a phone without a case. Phones are always so slippery, and it’s nearly impossible to hold a naked phone without parts of your hand touching the screen.
Bummer that the OnSnap didn’t work for you. It was perfect for my grip, and I love that it didn’t add bulk to the phone the way Pop Sockets do. Pop Sockets are easily removeable, though, so they’re just as good. I’m a fan of the Pop Wallet. I knew one person who used multiple Pop Sockets for their phone. It looked stupid AF, but it was surprisingly comfortable to use her phone.
Totally agree with everything you said.
I was extremely anti phone case until they all became mostly glass. I think the LG V10 or 20 was the last ceaseless phone I had. Now, despite how cool looking the design is, it’s pretty much a must have. For all the reasons you mentioned.
The OhSnap did have a low profile and I wanted to like it but the band broke like after two days and the company was like, “oh well”. So I didn’t even bother after that. I avoided Popsockets because they aren’t easy to take on and off. I don’t want them on there all the time. But with the sliders and magnetic ones they are easy to take off and put aside until I need it. Plus they teamed up with Burt’s Bees to make one that has chapstick in it. Since I have dry lips all the time I go through that stuff like crazy. Now I have one less thing to carry in my pocket ????.
Interesting to hear that OhSnap didn’t honor their lifetime warranty on that band. My wife and I are also OhSnap users and it’s still going strong after a couple months, fortunately. Definitely prefer it over popsockets.
My whole experience with OhSnap was a ckusterf*ck from the start so it didn’t surprise me in the least. It’s a long story but I was essentially duped into buying their product by some shady discount offer they were pushing at the time. That came with some fine print that wasn’t ever mentioned until after I finally got the chance to use it. Then when the band broke I contacted them, filled out the online form, sent pictures, etc, etc. I never heard back or got a replacement. I did call my bank and get a charge back so it wasn’t a total loss. In a way I’m glad it didn’t work out because like a month or so later they announced their 2.0 version. None of the v1 OhSnap ecosystem products work with the 2.0 stuff. Going forward I assume if you have the v1 and it needs replaced they’d send you a v2. Which means you’d have to rebuy everything. So probably for the best.
As I mentioned before, I’ve never been big on Popsockets and avoided them. But now that they have ones that are easily removable I decided to give them a try. Maybe I just got lucky with my setup because right now I’m pretty pleased with it. I think because the one I am using is bigger than the traditional kind it’s a little more comfortable. Less strain on the fingers.
YES, YES!!!! It really is too big even for me who’s 6’3 with good sized hands. I so wanted to keep it for that excellent Zoom lens but at the end, found myself not even using it as much as I thought. The final straw that broke the camel’s back for me and made me give up on the Pixel 6 line completely sadly was that AWEFUL AWEFUL TERRIBLE fingerprint reader. I don’t know WTF Google was thinking with this. It’s hands down the worst fingerprint reader on any smart phone I ‘ve ever tried and I don’t want to use a pin every time I unlock the phone. It makes me sad to give up on the phone (and having to sell it at a discount and lose money) but I just couldn’t stomach this phone….sure did try hard though!
I’m coming into Pixel 6 from a Pixel 3. I sometimes still pick up my Pixel 3 and while it feels tiny, it feels right.
We need a Galaxy S22e!
The Pixel 6 Pro is TOO HEAVY. It’s heftier than my friend’s Galaxy Note (don’t know which version). He stated:
“Wow. It is heavy!”
The Pixel 5 is too small (my former phone) for reading and long work emails when on the road. The Pixel 6 Pro is visually comfortable, but it could lose massive amounts of weight. I am a heavy user of zoom for close-ups for the camera, and the P5 is just OK in this area. The P6P’s camera is great in this department.
I’m still within my return period… and on the fence. Because the thing is freaking heavy. I didn’t consider the Pixel 6 because of the lack of telephoto abilities. Google should have offered a lighter phone with their telephoto abilities.
Never use an S21 Ultra then. The 6 Pro is noticeably lighter than that phone.
Also much lighter than the iPhone 13 Pro MAX
My former OnePlus 7 Pro feels like a behemoth compared to my Pixel 5. Much heavier and awkward to use with one hand (had to use both hands most of the time).
I upgraded from the 2 XL, and while I’m enjoying my 6, there’s no doubt that no phone has ever felt better in my hand in terms of size and material than the 2 XL. Although I will forever miss the ballistic nylon back from my droid turbo.
You all exaggerate. P6P is not big. Its tall and narrow. Even my wife can use my giant Huawei mate 20X. You all got little hands lol
I have tiny baby hands and I can use the 6 Pro just fine.
It’s not about your personal preference it’s about choice no company is making pro grade small phones. Because even though you enjoy a large phone not “everyone” does.
There is a reason why pro grade phones are larger, one: they heat up more and need space to disperse the heat, two, they require bigger batteries to run that level of power, three: they will only show off that performance on a larger display. There is zero sense in putting the most powerful processor in a 5-5.5″ phone, when a display that size doesn’t require or need it to run smoothly. You wouldn’t put a Ferrari engine in a Ford Focus, it would be overkill, sure it may run the car, but it’s also going to blow the doors off. Why would an OEM put a 2K display with a 120hz refresh rate in a smaller phone, you won’t see the benefits and it will churn battery, which has to be smaller to fit the smaller footprint of the device.
Larger phones allow OEMs to expand on features, power, battery and more and as consumers demand better, brighter and faster displays, all of that comes at a cost, a bigger, faster processor to ensure it doesn’t hiccup, which then in turn requires a larger battery, which in turns gets hotter from all of the power… do you see my point? Unless you’re Apple who handles all of the software and hardware and don’t mind handicapping your own processor (ie. slower clock speed) on your smaller phones, then yes they can use the same processor on their big and small phones, just not at the same speeds, thus smaller batteries can be used, less ram, etc. etc.
It’s not rocket science guys, there is a reason why Android OEMs make bigger phones more powerful and smaller phones less than so.
I miss my Mate 20X. Stupid AT&T. Near perfect phone for me.
I still have it
I miss my Mate 20X. Stupid AT&T.
Exactly! If they think these OEMs are going backwards…they’re dreaming. Lol
I feel like “I want a small phone” people are the new hipsters.
I had a Samsung Upstage for six years (until it fell off my shoulder+face into a coffee mug). Y’all come talk to me when you have a phone that small, okay? 😛
For real. I mean, how tiny are Kellen’s hands that he can’t handle a large phone? ????????♂️
Agreed! Actually, I only owned my pre-ordered standard Pixel 6 for a week and I returned it for being too large! While it’s a bit smaller than the Pro, it’s absolutely HUGE compared to my Pixel 5. I plan to keep using my P5 until Google hopefully releases a smaller 6a or a 7 Mini. I know “they” say the “market” wants larger phones, but I’m seeing a lot of posts with folks returning their Pixel 6’s and 6 Pro’s for being too large. Stay well…
THIS, 100x this! I have been hanging onto my XZ1 Compact for dear life because literally NO ONE has released a good, small phone since…so I continue to wait. My dad loves his Pixel 5 because of the size and has no interest in the 6’s cuz they’re both too big, we cannot be the only ones who would prefer SMALLER PHONES PLEASE!
I would love to go back to Android but it’s insane that out of so many OEM’s not one seems interested in a small phone that will cater to the masses. And not just a small phone but one with flagship innards that competes with the bigger ones. (A guy can dream eh?)
Can’t see it happening anytime soon.
Flagships Android SoCs (including Tensor) are way too inefficient and power hungry. Cramming one in a small phone (with a small battery) will definitely result in terrible battery life.
Apple is the only one who can really get away with it because the A series chips are so efficient.
It sucks but it makes sense why small android flagships aren’t a thing.
Samsung S21 is 6.2″ and S22 will be 6.06″ or basically the same size as Iphone 13 Pro.
yes but let’s see what the battery life will be like. And we also have to consider what downgrades the small S22 will receive compared to the “ultra”.
This basically goes back to my initial statement that small android flagships aren’t really a thing anymore. The 13 Pro is not only small, but it has the same exact features as the Pro Max. If the small variant is missing features that the big one has, is it really a “flagship” at that point?
I was simply responding to your comment of it being a cpu and power limitation. It is not the case as S21 uses flagship cpu and its battery life is comparable to that of Iphone 12. It’s not a hardware limitation, it’s simply a numbers game and it seems small android phones are not selling in numbers that would cause manufacturers to spend extra time on R&D.
We cannot be the last few remaining who love smaller phones. I barely use my phone for media like watching videos so what’s the real point of having a much larger display? The Pixel 5 size is perfect for me and wish more OEM’s would realize this!
One of my favorite phones ever was the Sony Xperia Z1 and its dimensions are nearly identical to the Pixel 5 (.1 mm shorter, but more wide with the sides).
I watch videos all the time on my Pixel 4. I have no need for a larger screen. Since I’m on the Pixel 4, I have need of an external battery, though… ugh.
Same!…ugh
I enjoy my 3XL but EVERYTIME I pick up my wife’s 4a, I’m like, “oh wow, this is nice”.
I told myself I’m buying a top end phone this year, but have already talked myself out of the 6 pro to the 6. Then the 6a news got me dreaming of a smaller form factor. The 3XL takes awesome photos still so no need to freak out about having an older sensor.
My wife loved her tiny MotoX (original, launched by Google) and later the Sony Compact Z3. From there she migrated to an Essential. It was not small enough, but at least it was medium size and a pretty phone. She absolutely rejected the Pixel phones. She said that (before the Pixel 6) they were as ugly as a truck tire. So she jumped to iPhone.
She says that the Android market is designing phones for SOME men with big hands and who don’t care too much about design. Only Apple is listening a little to women, but still is taking up this trend of ever growing phones.
That OG MotoX shape and size were fantastic and it was crazy lightweight, too. Perfect form factor for small hands or activities like running, hiking, biking, etc. I ran that thing with a custom ROM until it couldn’t even run the OS and Strava.
What else does your wife thing? Haha
I’m hanging on to my Galaxy S10e, which came out 2 years after yours, and is an excellent “small” phone. Only a smidge bigger than the Xz1c.
I sold it and got a “like new” Pixel 4. Great success. S10e is very good though and the only other small option along with Asus Zenfone 8.
And don’t forget the uniform/even/symmetrical bezel and the weight as well. Love the Pixel 5.