Google Pixel 11 review

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Introduction

Last year was pretty big for the vanilla Pixel model, the Pixel 10 gaining a telephoto camera for the first time. This year things are way more complicated - while we are sure that many engineers and designers would love to innovate the current tech and economic climate requires sacrifices to be made.

So how does the Pixel 11 fare on paper? You get basically the same design as last year, same build too. The 6.3-inch display is also pretty much identical, and so are the battery and charging (mostly).

Google Pixel 11 specs at a glance:

• Body: 152.8x72.0x8.6mm, 197g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame; IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min).
• Display: 6.30" OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2000 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak), 1080x2424px resolution, 20.2:9 aspect ratio, 422ppi.
• Chipset: Google Tensor G6 (3 nm).
• Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.x.
• OS/Software: Android 17, up to 7 major OS updates.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.7, 24mm, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 10.8 MP, f/3.1, 112mm, 1/3.2", dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 13 MP, f/2.2, 120-degree, 1/3.1", PDAF.
• Front camera: 10.5 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), PDAF.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 4985mAh; 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 55% in 30 minutes, 25W wireless (magnetic), Qi2.2, Reverse wired, Bypass charging.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 6.0, aptX HD; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); stereo speakers; Satellite SOS service.

There are still a couple of noteworthy upgrades. The main camera now uses a slightly bigger 1/1.56" sensor compared to last year's model. Though still not quite as big as the main camera on the Pixel 9, mind. Also, there is the almost obligatory move to the latest Google Tensor chipset - the G6. Though it still uses a 3nm process, it does get all-new cores.

In the 2026 smartphone landscape, the price is rarely great news. Last year, the Pixel 10 launched at $799 and €899 for the base 128GB model. This year, the Pixel 11 starts at $899/£879/€999 for the base 256GB model, and goes up to $1,019/€1,129 for the 512GB model. So, 100 bucks more, but double the storage. In this memory market, we'll take it!

Unboxing

We start with the unboxing. The Pixel 11 comes in a two-piece cardboard box. It is recycled, like almost too obviously so. It's almost like Google really wants to emphasize that the material is reclaimed, not doing anything to make the appearance fancier. Basic monochrome printing on top, and that's that. And we wouldn't mind that at all - there is zero value to be gained from a pretty box as it's either going to be immediately thrown out or kept in a drawer somewhere. It is sturdy enough to protect the phone, even in the absence of plastics.

You probably know better than to realistically expect in-box accessories from a "name brand" manufacturer in 2026. The Pixel 11 comes with a basic, rather short, non-E-marked USB Type-C to Type-C cable. There isn't a SIM ejector tool in there either.