I’ve had a Pixel 8 Pro in my pocket pretty much everyday since launch. In that time, it’s joined the likes of HTC One (M7) as one of my favourite smartphones ever. More often than not, it’s complemented by my Pixel Buds Pro too. They make for a cracking combo to my eyes and ears, something your senses can also experience for far fewer pennies than I paid. Head on over to Amazon, and you’ll find a brilliant bundle pairing the two at a discount with a rich assortment of colours to choose from.
A bundle containing a 128GB Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Buds Pro costs just £778, regardless of which colours you pick for each. However, storage conscious shoppers can opt for a 256GB model instead for another £60, for a total of £838. Taking the current £129 price of the earbuds into account, you’re effectively getting Google’s 2023 flagship smartphone for £649 (128GB) / £709 (256GB).
Pixel 8 Pro 128GB + Pixel Buds Pro
“Pixel 8 Pro camera system makes selfies sharp, close-ups close, and photos and videos crisp and incredible.”
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To address the obvious elephant in the room, this bundle arrives in the wake of Google’s Pixel 9 series. However, I’d argue your money’s much better spent on this Pixel 8 Pro bundle. For one, you’d need to spend another £290-350 to even buy a Pixel 9 Pro alone, nevermind the added cost of new earbuds. Furthermore, that’s just for the 6.3in model, with the comparable 6.8in model costing an additional £100. With that out of the way, let’s talk about what makes last year’s smartphone and the Buds Pro such great bits of kit.
In my Pixel 8 Pro review over on Pocket Tactics, I had plenty of praise for Google’s former flagship. I stand by all those positive remarks, particularly where its powerful triple camera array and punchy OLED display are concerned, almost a year later. That’s not forgetting the exemplary eight years (now seven) of security and software updates that Google’s promised to deliver. In fact, the smartphone’s improved with age in some respects.
In addition to taking fantastic photos that you’ll have seen in my reviews for Club386, it packs a host of useful AI features. Arriving after launch, Video Boost and Night Sight Video are now available and work wonders to improve the quality of your moving pictures. I also regularly use Magic Eraser to tidy up any intrusive elements, be they hairs, scuffs, or whatever else, to make my images that bit better.
Suffice to say, Pixel 8 Pro remains my smartphone of choice. However, I do still wish its Tensor G3 chipset was a touch faster, mainly for gaming. This is an easily forgivable shortcoming, though, as general performance is still smooth.
As you’d expect, Pixel Buds Pro pair well with Pixel 8 Pro, both aesthetically and technically. They’re not class-leading in terms of audio quality, but punchy enough for casual listening. More importantly, though, they offer great active noise-cancelling. I couldn’t tell you how many times these little pebble speakers have saved me from the soundscapes of public transport.
As a reminder, both Pixel 8 Pro and Buds Pro come in a variety of colours. I personally rock Bay and Coral, but do let us know what combination you choose if you pick some up.
