I was a little disappointed as we received the 41mm watch. It looked small on my wrist, which is usually occupied by a Pro-Trek. But then, it isn’t that small really and the display is crisp and very bright, and courtesy of almost 40% more usable screen space, there is absolutely no problem in reading any data. The borders around the display are still easily noticeable though.

The watch looks like a smooth pebble when you wear it and is susceptible to scratches as there is no exposed bezel to protect the screen. Although the display gets Gorilla Glass 5, I’ve never been this careful when wearing a watch as I have been with the Pixel Watch 3. After all, we know they all get scratched at some point or the other. 

The Pixel Watch 3 packs many new settings and features for the fitness enthusiasts, especially the runners. You can program custom runs, prompts to mark the start and end of a session, use pace coaching, pace training and the heart zone as well. Although I am not much of a runner and mainly use the step counter while I walk, briskly of course, it not only detected the walks but also was able to include the brief pause I took in between and mark it as resting time.

Thanks to AI, the FitBit app now suggests custom activities after assessing my workout pattern and also explains what all the collected data means and how much it would require to reach my set goal. I was using a free account, and I am sure people who run regularly would benefit from the premium subscription of FitBit. 

This Pixel Watch charges quickly now, but the sad part is that it lasts only a day, the 41mm, that is. I’ve been told the 45mm lasts for 2 days on a single charge. Reading mails, whatsapp and taking calls on the Pixel Watch 3 is convenient and used in tandem with my Pixel 9 Pro review unit, it works flawlessly. 

The 41mm Watch 3 is priced at ₹39,900 and the 45mm goes for ₹43,900. It is definitely not cheap, and room for improvement remains; battery life could be a lot better; more customisation options for exercises other than running and more watch faces, obviously. But overall, the Pixel Watch 3 is a good product and sets a progressive direction for the future wearables from Google.

The post Google Pixel Watch 3 Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

The first thing you notice is the departure from curvy design. The adoption of flat edges gives the phone a more premium look and makes it a lot easier to hold on to. Now, the only differentiating factor between the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL is the screen size. The adoption of the island design for the camera looks more polished in terms of product design. However, I can’t deny the similarity it now shares with the new iPhones. 

The 6.3inch 120Hz display is incredible, full of details and makes watching videos at the highest of resolutions, a treat. The ambient display works like a charm, it adjusts the brightness at the slightest change in light. The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner,also a new addition, works almost flawlessly. 

In terms of performance, the Tensor G4 performs well, probably not as well as the top tier chips in flagship Samsungs or iPhones, but it carries out the majority of tasks with ease. Gemini and AI features perform photo editing tasks and other AI duties without any hiccups and the best part is the phone doesn’t heat up like the older pixels. 

Using Android 15 is almost like using Android 14 visually, but with some additional features. It now comes with Theft Detection Lock, Private Space and App Archiving among others, and I suppose the biggest advantage it has over other Android smartphones is how seamless the overall scrolling experience is.

The 4700mAh battery is impressive. I traveled to Meghalaya recently. Starting out from Pune around 2AM with 96 percent charge, I drove down to Mumbai, caught a 3 hour flight to Guwahati, then drove 300kms to reach my destination at midnight and after this whole ordeal, the phone somehow managed to retain 25 percent charge.

Now coming to the most important question, how is the camera? Shots taken in natural light and the daytime come out crisp, detailed and the colours seem natural. Ultrawide also produces some amazing images and using the portrait mode in both the lenses is as amazing as ever. Shots taken at 5x come out impressive, even while using the Action Pan mode. Low light mode is another plus of this phone, and I was able to get some really good shots. Amidst all this, the AI integration mostly works brilliantly. There were a few instances where images looked over-processed and wouldn’t turn out the way I intended them to. Coming to video, it is capable of shooting 8K videos at 30fps but I could only try 4K in 30 and 60fps. I must say it is a very big improvement over the previous iterations of the Pixel. But that being said, the iPhone still stays the best when it comes to videos and the Pixel has become as good as its nearest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S24. 

With the Pixel 9 Pro, Google has indeed upped the ante and the Pixel in most areas stands right next to the Samsung S24, it also needs improvement in a few. At ₹1,09,999/- it still seems steep for what it offers but again, for the stock Android experience and all that it offers it is indeed a brilliant option to consider.

The post Google Pixel 9 Pro Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 come encased in a pebble shaped capsule made of high-grade plastic. The case offers two-way charging. The buds have a unique design profile for a snug fit. I am not sure if it’s just my ear profile, but I did have trouble with the fit, especially the sealing for ANC even after trying out the three spare silicone ear tip sizes. The twist-to-adjust stabiliser is a cool touch though and while they ensured the earbuds stay put, my ears did start to hurt after a while. My colleagues liked the fit so maybe it’s a ‘just me’ problem.

The premium experience goes beyond build quality. The warning chimes feel polished while the swipe gestures to increase volume are a nice touch. That said, the Buds app is not available on Apple’s app store. While you can pair and use the buds with an iPhone, you can’t configure the buds, check charge levels, fiddle with the sound settings or find them with an iPhone. That’s quite a big miss as it limits the earbud’s full functionality to only Android users.

The default sound profile is flat with punchy bass resulting in an auditory experience that’s as good as it gets for wireless earbuds and the ANC works well, especially in loud areas like airports. The battery on the buds lasts a day with moderate use with the case lasting close to two-three days. Overall, these are fantastic buds to have if you rock Android phones.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Specifications
Processor: Tensor A1 Audio: Custom-designed 11 mm dynamic speaker driver
Noise cancellation: Active Noise Cancellation with Silent SealTM 2.0, Transparency mode,
Active in-ear pressure relief, Conversation Detection
Battery: 12 hours (eight hours with ANC)
Price: ₹22,900 | store.google.com

The post Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

Powering the Pixel 8 is the new 4nm Google Tensor G3 chipset, developed by Samsung, accompanied by 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. An upgrade to 256GB is available for an additional cost, recommended if you plan to hold on to the Pixel 8 longer. Performance-wise, multitasking and app switching present no issues, with swift booting and app loading times. The Pixel 8’s offline capabilities are noteworthy, capable of performing extensive photo and video tasks without an internet connection. The offline translation feature functions seamlessly too.

The Pixel 8 is equipped with a 4,575mAh cell, supporting 27W wired charging, 18W wireless charging with the optional second-generation Google Pixel Stand, or 12W via standard Qi wireless charging. In our testing, the Pixel 8 comfortably lasts a day of heavy social media usage, understandable considering its high refresh rate screen and compact form factor that limits space for a larger battery.

The primary 50MP camera features optical image stabilisation and a Super Res Zoom of up to 8x. Images can be quad-binned for well-exposed 12.5MP shots, or full-resolution snaps for enhanced detail. The 12MP ultrawide camera employs a single-zone laser detect autofocus system. Notably absent are a dedicated telephoto lens and pro camera controls, present in the Pixel 8 Pro. The 10.5MP selfie camera offers a 95-degree field of view. Images captured by the Pixel 8 cameras exhibit remarkable detail and adeptly handle varying light conditions. While colours remain consistent across cameras, they appear slightly oversaturated. The Super Res Zoom feature performs adequately, albeit with some loss of fine details. The Pixel 8 excels in low-light photography, now retaining more shadow detail for a natural look. Selfies capture impressive detail, with portrait mode offering a natural appearance. Video capture is commendable, though still slightly oversaturated like still photos. Enabling HDR yields more accurate colours. Details remain sharp throughout captured videos, even in scenes with contrasting light levels. Digital zoom up to 7x is available during recording.

The Pixel 8 sits in a comfortable in-between the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 8 Pro. It’s a clear step up from the 7 while also being a fine and reasonable alternative to the Pixel 8 Pro since it doesn’t lose too much in the way of features. That makes it one of the best premium Android phones you can buy right now, and my personal choice.

Rs 79,990 onwards (8GB + 128GB)
store.google.com

The post Google Pixel 8 first appeared on Turbocharged.

Why should I buy one?
The Google Pixel 7A with its 90hz refresh rate display is an upgrade over the 6a, and has the Tensor G2 chip.

Prices
₹ 45,600 onwards

Where can I buy one?
flipkart.com

The post Google Pixel 7A first appeared on Turbocharged.

What is it?
The first-ever Pixel tablet from Google is here, and it comes with a charging dock included. Google says it was designed specifically for smart home use. Behind the 11-inch screen sits a Tensor G2 chip, 8GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage capacity. The Google Pixel Tablet is a relatively plain tablet device with an 11-inch display. It comes in three colors: Porcelain (white), Rose (pink), and Hazel (greenish gray). The Porcelain and Rose variants have white bezels around their display; the Hazel’s bezels are black. The Pixel Tablet is the first tablet to be updated to Android 14, though the update doesn’t bring many major changes from Android 13, the version the Pixel Tablet shipped with. Google said it partnered with major app developers to ensure a good tablet experience, citing examples like Spotify, Disney+, and Minecraft as having been optimized for the Pixel Tablet.

Why should I buy one?
Tailored for smart home use, it offers a seamless experience with a sleek design, advanced features, and optimized apps from major developers.

Where can I buy one?
store.google.com

The post Google Pixel Tablet- the iPad challenger? first appeared on Turbocharged.