Google’s Pixel 11 continues to set the standard for what you should expect from the base model of a flagship phone with class-leading cameras, long software support and almost all the bells and whistles of its most expensive phones. The regular Pixel 11 costs £879 (€999/$899/A$1,499) making it £80 or equivalent more expensive than last year’s model as the cost of RAMageddon continues to bite. It’s not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but it comes with 256GB of storage and is £200 less than the Pixel 11 Pro, matching rival Samsung’s Galaxy S26.
At a glance the Pixel 11 looks very similar to the previous two Google phone iterations: glass front and back with flat aluminium sides and large pill-shaped bar at the back, which is much slimmer this time. Stick it in a case and the protruding camera all but disappears. The 6.3in OLED screen is crisp and super bright with up to a 120Hz refresh rate to keep your scrolling smooth.
The in-screen fingerprint scanner is fast and accurate, while the camera-based face recognition works well during the day and is secure enough for use with banking apps, unlike similar systems on most Android rivals. Camera: 48MP+ 13MP UW + 10.8MP 5x tele; 10.5MP selfie Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, wifi 6E, UWB, NFC, Bluetooth 6 and GNSS Water resistance: IP68 (1.5m for 30 minutes) The Pixel has a new generation of Google’s chip, the Tensor G6, which is up to 20% faster in tests. It significantly lags top-end rivals from Qualcomm and Apple, so won’t win any raw performance awards, but feels snappy in daily tasks and can handle mid-level gaming just fine.
The battery life is also improved over previous models, lasting about 54 hours of light use between charges. That includes actively using the screen for more than seven hours for browsing, messaging, apps and photos across a mix of 5G and wifi. Gaming and more demanding use hits the battery harder, but the Pixel should be able to see out even the heaviest of use days.
The Pixel 11 runs the latest Android 17 out of the box with operating system and security updates provided until August 2033. The software is slick, nicely animated and well optimised, with plenty of colourful customisation if you want it. As with previous Pixels, it is a showcase for some of Google’s most advanced AI systems, many of which run on-device, making them fast.
The most interesting of the tools remains Google’s proactive AI systems, which vary a bit depending on where you live. In the UK the expanded Magic Cue from last year pops up in messages and a few other apps with information such as your schedule, flight or order details, and suggestions for good local restaurants from Google maps or photos to share in a chat. In the US, Canada, Australia and a few other regions, the feature is called “Gemini Proactive Assistance” but has similar powers.
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