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Google Pixel 6 Pro Is Still the Phone to Buy in 2022. Here's Why

Solid specs, a great camera and cheaper than Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra. Sold.

Andrew Lanxon Editor At Large, Lead Photographer, Europe
Andrew is CNET's go-to guy for product coverage and lead photographer for Europe. When not testing the latest phones, he can normally be found with his camera in hand, behind his drums or eating his stash of home-cooked food. Sometimes all at once.
Expertise Smartphones, Photography, iOS, Android, gaming, outdoor pursuits Credentials
  • Shortlisted for British Photography Awards 2022, Commended in Landscape Photographer of the Year 2022
Andrew Lanxon
2 min read
Pixel 6 Pro photographed on a pink background
Andrew Hoyle/CNET

I gave Google's flagship Pixel 6 Pro a CNET Editors' Choice award when I reviewed it last year. Its solid combo of decent performance, a slick user interface, an awesome rear camera setup and even its attractive design meant it was easily deserving of the accolade. And it has all that with an $899 (£849, AU$1,299) price tag that undercuts the $999 iPhone 13 Pro and the $1,200 Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Overall, the Pixel 6 Pro is a superb Android phone, offering everything you'd need from a flagship phone at a price that's more approachable than that of its rivals. It was an easy decision when we debated whether it should get the award. Of course it should. 

Watch this: Pixel 6 Pro is the best Android phone you can get right now

Over half a year later, I still stand by those words. The S22 Ultra has launched since then, and sure, it's got some more impressive tech packed in (the stylus, a 10x optical zoom), but it costs a lot more than the Pixel so it doesn't represent great value. 

Then there's the OnePlus 10 Pro that launched in April. It's the same price as the Pixel 6 Pro and has a great lineup of specs, but overall the Pixel's camera performed better and the OnePlus has some 5G compatibility issues in the US, along with a lack of an official IP waterproof rating on most versions, which means it's not quite as easy to recommend as Google's phone. 

An array of four phones: Pixel 6 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, OnePlus 10 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Left to right: Google Pixel 6 Pro, Apple iPhone 13 Pro, OnePlus 10 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Google pushed the boat out with the Pixel 6 Pro, packing in the best tech it could, and it's why this phone still contends with the best of the best more than half a year after it launched.