Polestar Phone vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro: A Head-to-Head Flagship Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing raw speed and charging capabilities, the Polestar Phone is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 80W wired charging offer a significant advantage. However, the Pixel 8 Pro’s superior battery endurance and AI-powered camera features make it a compelling choice for photography enthusiasts and those valuing software integration.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Polestar Phone | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - G1MNW |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G1MNW |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, April 24 | 2023, October 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, April 24 | Available. Released 2023, October 12 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165 x 74.4 x 8 mm (6.50 x 2.93 x 0.31 in) | 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm (6.40 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 214 g (7.55 oz) | 213 g (7.51 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Titan Glass 2.0 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1368 x 3192 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~511 ppi density) | 1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~489 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.79 inches, 107.7 cm2 (~87.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.7 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 600 nits (typ), 1250 nits (HBM) | LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) | Nona-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 | Immortalis-G715s MC10 |
| OS | Polestar OS | Android 14, upgradable to Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 1TB 16GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Ring-LED flash, panorama, HDR | Multi-zone Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra-HDR, panorama, Best Take, Zoom Enhance |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 1.2µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.1, 72mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.4, 15mm, 122˚ (ultrawide) | 50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.0, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 8K, 4K, 1080p; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm | 10.5 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm, PDAF |
| Video | Yes | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 а/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature) |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3 PPS, QC4+ 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless Bypass charging |
| Type | 5050 mAh | Li-Ion 5050 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | White | Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Mint |
| Models | - | GC3VE, G1MNW |
| Price | - | € 362.00 / $ 289.97 / £ 329.95 / ₹ 54,999 |
Polestar Phone
- Significantly faster charging (80W wired)
- Potentially superior CPU performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Faster wireless charging (50W)
- Camera specs currently unknown
- Battery capacity not specified
Google Pixel 8 Pro
- Exceptional camera quality and AI features
- Long-lasting battery life (11:14h active use)
- Guaranteed software updates and integration
- Slower charging speeds (30W wired)
- Tensor G3 CPU may lag behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in raw performance
Display Comparison
The Pixel 8 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 1600 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Polestar Phone’s display specs are currently unavailable, we anticipate a high-quality panel given its flagship positioning. The Pixel 8 Pro’s display technology likely incorporates LTPO for adaptive refresh rates, potentially contributing to battery savings. Color accuracy is expected to be excellent on both devices, though the Pixel 8 Pro’s tuning is known for its natural color reproduction.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 8 Pro is renowned for its computational photography prowess, leveraging Google’s AI algorithms for exceptional image processing. While specific sensor details for the Polestar Phone are missing, the Pixel 8 Pro’s camera system is a known quantity, delivering consistently high-quality photos and videos. The Pixel 8 Pro’s image processing prioritizes dynamic range and detail, while the Polestar Phone’s approach remains to be seen. The absence of details regarding OIS and lens apertures on the Polestar Phone makes a direct comparison challenging, but the Pixel 8 Pro’s established camera system provides a strong baseline.
Performance
The Polestar Phone’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) is a powerhouse, featuring an octa-core configuration with a prime Cortex-X4 core clocked at 3.3 GHz. This contrasts with the Google Pixel 8 Pro’s Google Tensor G3 (4nm) nona-core CPU, which utilizes a Cortex-X3 core at 3.0 GHz. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s architectural advantages, particularly in the Cortex-X4 and A720 cores, should translate to superior multi-core and single-core performance. The Polestar Phone will likely benefit from faster LPDDR5x RAM, further enhancing responsiveness. While the Tensor G3 excels in AI tasks, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 offers a broader performance lead in traditional benchmarks and gaming.
Battery Life
The Google Pixel 8 Pro achieves an impressive 11:14h of active use and an endurance rating of 90 hours, indicating excellent battery life. The Polestar Phone offers faster charging speeds – 80W wired (with PD3 PPS and QC4+), 50W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless – compared to the Pixel 8 Pro’s 30W wired (PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min), 23W wireless, and reverse wireless. While the Polestar Phone’s battery capacity is unknown, its faster charging capabilities could mitigate any capacity disadvantage. The Pixel 8 Pro also features 'Bypass charging' which can extend battery lifespan.
Buying Guide
Buy the Polestar Phone if you need a smartphone for demanding tasks like mobile gaming, video editing, or running resource-intensive applications, and value the fastest possible charging speeds. Buy the Google Pixel 8 Pro if you prioritize exceptional camera quality, long-lasting battery life, and a seamless, AI-driven software experience with guaranteed updates.