Per week with the Google Pixel 11 modified my thoughts about Gemini (for the higher)

execs and cons

Execs

• Brighter show is a welcome improve.
• Related digicam setup and options because the $1,899 Professional Fold.
• Qi2 25W wi-fi charging is straightforward to understand.

Cons

• Pricier baseline at 256GB.
• Probably an excessive amount of AI for some folks.

extra shopping for decisions

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Confession: I’ve spent the previous two weeks speed-dating. Not folks, however telephones. Some have been overly luxurious, providing flashy options and daring guarantees that have been just too lavish for my life-style. Others have been quietly compelling.

The brand new Pixel 11 is a little bit of each camps. It is just like the basic film trope: the quiet nerd who takes off their glasses, places on a swipe of hibiscus-pink lipstick, and out of the blue has everybody’s full consideration.

Additionally: Pixel 11 XL Professional: Google’s massive flagship is extra Professional than ever, however the digicam is not any massive factor

That is what it felt like after I first unboxed the handset, with its magenta hues profiting from golden hour by my lounge window. I’ve seen this story play out for years now, as Google typically treats its base mannequin Pixel with the “enjoyable” colours, however to my shock once more, the Pixel 11 rapidly grew to become my favourite of the 4 that launched this summer season.

A slimmed-down affair

Moreover the flamboyant new Hibiscus colour, there truly is not a lot that is new to the bottom Pixel’s {hardware} this yr. You are still getting a 6.3-inch AMOLED show, an almost symmetrical design (from the bezels to the bottom-firing speaker), and a mix of polished glass and matte-treated aspect rails.

Let me geek out for a second: I am a giant fan of the fabric selection for the Pixel 11 as a result of the shiny again glass has the unintentional impact of changing into grippier as your fingers construct up sweat (naturally) all through the day. So, not like the Professional fashions, which have a matte end on the again, the Pixel 11 is much less slippery to make use of one-handed — to the purpose that I really feel snug utilizing it and not using a case.

Additionally: Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 9: Why I am contemplating the improve this yr

Google has additionally slimmed down the digicam bar to just about half the scale of final yr’s, making it really feel even sleeker. So, if you happen to do resolve to slap on a case, the digicam bar ought to now match beneath the protecting layer, reasonably than probably being uncovered nonetheless to drops and scratches. It is fairly a powerful feat, contemplating the corporate upgraded the primary sensor to enhance light-gathering. Extra on that later.

Not fairly Professional, and that is okay

Choosing the non-Professional Pixel means settling for some limitations. That holds true this yr, even with Google bumping up the beginning value to $899 (from $799) for the 256GB storage configuration.

Listed below are some key differentiators that you have to be conscious of:

• The show maxes out at 3,000 nits of brightness (in comparison with 3,600 nits) and solely helps 60Hz and 120Hz refresh charges (as an alternative of all the way down to 1Hz).
• All three cameras are inferior to their Professional counterparts, from the primary sensor (48MP vs. 50MP) to the telephoto (10.8MP vs. 48MP).
• Reminiscence and storage cap out at 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. That is in comparison with the Professional fashions, which may area 16GB of RAM and as much as 1TB of storage.
• Wired charging is proscribed to 30W, whereas the Professional fashions help a sooner 45W ranking.

AI really shines with the bottom mannequin

Primarily based on my week with the Pixel 11 — and my much more intensive expertise with the Professional fashions — most individuals shall be completely nice with the aforementioned caveats. In actual fact, there’s one thing about Google’s varied Gemini/AI enhancements throughout its units that shines notably brightly on a extra minimal telephone just like the Pixel 11. 

In any case, the corporate appears motivated to introduce AI options that improve the consumer expertise, reasonably than change it.

For instance, dictating my textual content messages with the brand new Rambler characteristic was simply as clean and dependable on the Pixel 11 because it was on the Pixel 11 Professional XL. I’ve discovered myself responding to textual content messages extra proactively when driving now as a result of it is turn into that a lot simpler to speak freely, narrate any changes, and ship messages with out worrying about my telephone misinterpreting something.

The identical applies to the brand new Magic Seize characteristic, which intelligently captures stills as you report a video. It is virtually a photographer assistant; they’re going to take means too many photographs in concern of lacking “the shot,” however they’re going to get you greater than sufficient good ones to make up for it.

Additionally: Google desires you to make use of its telephones much less – however I am skeptical

With the brand new most important sensor, I’ve truly been fairly glad with how rapidly the telephone captures and processes photographs, particularly in dimmer environments. The output remains to be not as vibrant and saturated as what you’d get from a Samsung telephone, although, so it finally will depend on your choice for a way real looking and best photographs come out.

Lastly, it helps that the Pixel 11 runs on the identical Tensor G6 processor and Android 17 software program because the Professional fashions, placing it on close to equal footing with regards to day-to-day efficiency. I’ve solely seen a distinction in energy administration with regards to gaming, with the Pixel 11 not supporting sure graphics-intensive settings in titles like “Genshin Impression”. It is made me curious to see precisely how the 12GB of RAM will maintain up over time.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

That is to say, of all of the telephones Google launched this yr, the brand new Pixel 11 could be the largest sufferer of the world reminiscence chip scarcity. 

It was once a lot simpler to justify shopping for the baseline Pixel; it was a value-driven flagship with options that just about matched its Professional siblings. In 2026, I am discovering it more durable to again the now $899 handset, particularly when its largest new improve would possibly simply be a bigger digicam sensor that takes barely higher photographs. (You may also make the argument for an improved suite of Gemini options, however these could ultimately trickle all the way down to older Pixel fashions.)

Additionally: I ditched T-Cellular for Mint and located 3 main drawbacks of smaller carriers – and their workarounds

Comparatively, Professional clients, whether or not they favor the usual and XL sizes or the foldable, could already be accustomed to the $1,000+ value vary and enter their shopping for cycles anticipating to pay a premium.

However if you happen to discover simply the precise trade-in provide, sign-in promotion, or vacation deal, the Pixel 11 is your most secure possibility of the 4. And, if historical past repeats itself, you might even rating a brand new Pixel for a whole lot of {dollars} much less if you happen to wait till Black Friday.