Google Pixel 11 And Pixel Watch 5 Hands-On: Familiar Looks, Smarter Tech
Google just hosted a special hardware showcase ahead of this evening's Made by Google event and we were there to get hands on with the Pixel 11 series, alongside the Pixel Watch 5, plus something new: the Pixel Tag, which is the company's first Android tracker. Move over, AirTag!
At the center of this reveal is the Pixel 11 lineup, i.e. the standard Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Designed around the tagline "Ask more of your phone," the latest flagships (Fold aside) have a redesigned, edge-to-edge glass camera bar that integrates into a metal frame, complemented by an IP68 dust-water resistance across all models. Display brightness gets a notable boost with the 3,000-nit Actua display on the Pixel 11, a 3,600-nit Super Actua panel on the Pro models, and an 8-inch Super Actua Flex screen on the Pro Fold.
Marco from our team was on location at the event and was the lucky one to go hands-on early. Here's are his quick take-aways, in action on the scene...
Marco from our team was on location at the event and was the lucky one to go hands-on early. Here's are his quick take-aways, in action on the scene...
All four devices are powered by the new custom Google Tensor G6 processor, which claims a 50% more powerful TPU paired with an upgraded CPU that offers up to 20% better power efficiency, 25% faster web browsing, and 15% faster app loading compared to its predecessor. (Stay tuned for our full review to see the true performance improvements.) On-device AI operations are also elevated more so now by Tensor G6, which range from background task execution such as booking rides or ordering groceries, to real-time sign-language translation in Gboard for deaf and hard-of-hearing users using the camera.
The phone hardware is rounded out by magnetic Pixelsnap compatibility for fast wireless charging, Titan M3 security chips utilizing post-quantum cryptography, and software additions like Quick Share interoperability with iOS AirDrop.
Complementing the smartphone line, the Pixel Watch 5 debuts with a 20% faster Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated SoC, more RAM (3GB), double the storage capacity (32GB), a 3,000-nit Actua 360 display, and enhanced dual-frequency GPS accuracy. Running deep Gemini AI integrations, it introduces new health tracking metrics, including blood pressure monitoring, sleep breathing analysis, and guided weight-training tracking.
Finally, Google dropped itself into the object-tracking market with the Pixel Tag. Leveraging Bluetooth Channel Sounding with Phase-Based Ranging (PBR) rather than relying exclusively on RSSI or high-drain UWB signals, the tag supposedly delivers accurate distance tracking on Google’s Find My Device network while optimizing overall battery consumption.
