Friday, March 29, 2024

Google Pixel 5 vs. OnePlus 8: Can the flagship killer strike again?

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The Google Pixel 5 looks set to become the best Pixel Google has released to date. Featuring the same excellent 12.2-megapixel camera as the Pixel 4, it adds a 16MP ultrawide lens, a significantly larger battery, 5G support, and an improved display. It looks set to be one of the best Android smartphones you can buy, and one of the best Android phones costing $700 or less.

But it’s not the only sub-$700 Android. Another strong contender in this category is the OnePlus 8. Released in April, it also features great software, a long-lasting battery, an appealing design, and a very usable camera. It’s a good phone in its own right, but is it better than the Pixel 5?

We answer this question by directly comparing the Pixel 5 and the OnePlus 8 across a variety of categories. By taking a closer look at their specs, performance, designs, batteries, cameras, and software, we should be able to help you decide which is the right $700 Android for you.

Specs

Google Pixel 5
OnePlus 8
Size
144.7 x 70.4 x 8mm (5.70 x 2.77 x 0.31 inches)
160.2 x 72.9 x 8mm (6.31 x 2.87 x 0.31 inches)
Weight
151 grams (5.33 ounces)
180 grams (6.35 ounces)
Screen size
6.0-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen (90Hz)
6.55-inch AMOLED (90Hz)
Screen resolution
2340 x 1080 pixels (432 pixels per inch)
2400 x 1080 pixels (402 ppi)
Operating system
Android 11
Android 10 (under OxygenOS)
Storage
128GB
128GB, 256GB
MicroSD card slot
No
No
Tap-to-pay services
Google Pay
Google Pay
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
RAM
8GB
8GB, 12GB
Camera
Dual lens 12-megapixel wide, 16MP ultrawide rear, 8MP front
Triple lens 48MP wide-angle, 12MP ultrawide, 2MP macro rear, 16MP front
Video
4K at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 30 fps
4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 340 fps
Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.1
Ports
USB-C, 3.1
USB-C
Fingerprint sensor
Yes, rear-mounted
Yes, in-display
Water resistance
IP68
IP68
Battery
4,080mAh

Fast charging (18W)

Wireless charging

Reverse wireless charging

4,300mAh

Warp Charge fast charging (30W)

App marketplace
 Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Network Support
Verizon, Google Fi
Verizon, T-Mobile
Colors
Just Black, Sorta Sage
Onyx Black, Glacial Green, Interstellar Glow, Polar Silver
Prices
$699+
$699+
Review score
News
3 out of 5 stars

Design, display, and durability

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Pixel 5 replaces the Pixel 4‘s ugly forehead bezels with a chic edge-to-edge display, which houses a punch-hole selfie camera in the top-left corner. It also substitutes the Pixel 4a’s cheap-looking plastic body for an aluminum case. As a result, it looks sleeker and also offers a more satisfying sense of weight. Even with that, the Pixel 5 is still 29 grams lighter than the OnePlus 8, which also sports an edge-to-edge display. The OnePlus 8 is noticeably taller, a little wider, and just as thin (8mm) as Google’s phone, meaning it carries more mass. Its body is made of glass rather than aluminum, so this adds extra weight while also making the phone look slightly more sophisticated than the Pixel 5. However, we’d say that both phones are more or less equally attractive in their own ways.

Both phones also have equally impressive displays. The OnePlus 8 packs a 6.55-inch AMOLED display, providing 2400 x 1080 pixels, or 402 ppi. The Pixel 5 has a 6.5-inch OLED screen, which offers slightly fewer pixels overall (at 2340 x 1080 pixels) but 30 more ppi. Because AMOLED screens tend to offer a little more quality than OLEDs, this difference in pixels per inch will likely balance. Both phones also support a 90Hz refresh rate, so you’ll have a hard time distinguishing any significant difference other than the half-inch difference in size.

The same thing applies to durability. Both the Pixel 5 and OnePlus 8 have received an IP68 rating. This means you can dunk them in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes, should you be that way inclined. It’s possible that the aluminum case makes the Pixel 5 more resistant to cracks, but without long-term use, we can’t say this for sure.

This opening round is a tie. The Pixel 5 and OnePlus 8 are similarly pretty and come with similarly sharp displays, so it would be a little fussy to pick one over the other here.

Winner: Tie

Performance, battery life, and charging

Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends.com

The Pixel 5 and OnePlus 8 come with equal amounts of RAM: 8GB. However, the Pixel 5 is still powered by the Snapdragon 765, while the OnePlus 8 benefits from the beefier Snapdragon 865. This makes a noticeable difference in practice, with the OnePlus 8 likely to handle the latest games and apps more comfortably than Google’s phone.

As for internal storage, both the Pixel 5 and the OnePlus 8 carry 128GB as standard, although you can choose to pay $100 more to buy the version of the OnePlus 8 with 256GB.  The OnePlus 8 also packs a microSD card slot, while the Pixel 5 doesn’t.

The OnePlus 8 also boasts better battery specs, with its 4,300mAh topping the Pixel 5’s still-generous 4,080mAh cell. Our review found that it easily lasts a full day under heavy use, while the Pixel 5’s predecessor — the Pixel 4 — often failed to see it through to the evening. That said, it had only a 2,800mAh battery, so we should expect the Pixel 5 to last at least until the morning, even though we’ll need a full review to confirm this.

Taken with the more powerful processor, this means that the OnePlus 8 wins this round. Things may change if we find that the Pixel 5 can outlast it under heavy use, but for now, it seems like OnePlus’ phone offers better performance.

Winner: OnePlus 8

Cameras

Google

It’s no secret that Pixel phones have some of the best cameras around. The Pixel 5 has a 12.2MP wide lens and a 16MP ultrawide lens, and while these don’t sound like much on paper, based on previous Pixel phones, they’ll deliver excellent photos. The OnePlus 8, on the other hand, goes in hard with a triple-lens 48MP wide camera, a 12MP ultrawide,  and a 2MP macro rear.

This would appear to give the edge to the OnePlus 8, which does take very nice photos in common everyday settings. However, we found the macro lens — used for zoomed shots — often lacks color and definition, while the main lens isn’t great in low light.

By contrast, it’s likely that the Pixel 5’s camera will be just as versatile and capable as the cameras on the Pixel 4a and Pixel 4. In other words, it will provide a nearly idiot-proof camera system that can take great photos under the vast majority of conditions, harnessing Google’s machine-learning capabilities to good effect. We don’t know this for sure, but we’re confident our full review will confirm this, particularly when the Pixel 5 adds an ultrawide lens to the Pixel 4 and 4a’s setup.

This round is, therefore, a provisional win for the Pixel 5. This may change if we surprisingly discover that its camera has declined compared to its predecessor, but we can’t honestly imagine this will happen.

Winner: Google Pixel 5

Software and updates

Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends.com

While Pixel 5 runs on Android 11, the OnePlus 8 is based around OxygenOS, which is OnePlus’ very own skin of Android 10. It improves on the basic Android experience by simplifying and streamlining the core interface, something which speeds up the system overall. Its slide-in, Google Assistant-driven screen is also very helpful, offering you quick news and weather updates as well as speedy access to your own notifications and updates.

However, you will notice from the paragraph above that the Pixel 5 is already running Android 11, while the OnePlus 8 has Android 11 only as a beta (as of writing). As this suggests, Google’s phone will be the first in line for updates and new versions, so while we are big fans of OxygenOS, we’re going to declare a slim victory for the Pixel.

Winner: Google Pixel 5

Special features

Robyn Beck/Getty Images

We’re pleased to say that both the Pixel 5 and OnePlus 8 support 5G. That said, 5G isn’t available for the OnePlus 8 from AT&T, while T-Mobile offers support only for the slower sub-6Hz band (only Verizon offers support for the faster mmWave frequencies). This arguably puts the OnePlus 8 at a slight disadvantage compared to Google’s phone, which benefits from mmWave support from Verizon and AT&T.

Aside from 5G, neither phone offers a standout special feature, largely due to their more reasonable prices. The Pixel 5 will offer a few Google-only exclusives, such as the artificial intelligence (A.I.) Call Screen feature. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 8 offers a few software quirks of its own, such as Zen Mode, which saves you from notifications and disturbances for a predefined period.

Neither phone has the advantage when it comes to special features, so this round is a tie. Yes, the Pixel 5 appears to have more comprehensive 5G support, but 5G still isn’t particularly widespread, so most OnePlus 8 owners will hardly feel the difference.

Winner: Tie

Price and availability

The Pixel 5 is available for pre-order from Google for $699 and will ship in the U.S. from October 29. It will be supported by Verizon, Google Fi, and AT&T, and you’ll also be able to buy it from Amazon.

The OnePlus 8 is available directly from OnePlus and begins at $699. As of writing, OnePlus is selling the version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of memory for $699. It’s also available from all major carriers and most major online retailers.

Overall winner: Google Pixel 5

Google

The two phones are pretty evenly matched, but the Pixel 5 is just a little better overall than the OnePlus 8. Its camera is noticeably superior, while it will also benefit from speedier updates. It’s also just as nice to look at as OnePlus’ phone, has a similarly vivid display, and will likely offer the same long-lasting battery life.

However, if you don’t care about the camera on your phone that much, the OnePlus 8 is highly recommended. It comes with a more powerful processor and offers very user-friendly software, as well as 5G support. If you can find its 12GB and 256GB version for $699, it’s certainly worth a shot.

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