I'm already doubting the long-term durability of my Pixel 8 Pro

Pixel 8, 8 Pro, Pixel 7a, and Nothing Phone (2)
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

It started in the last week of December; I took my Pixel 8 Pro off the charger one morning only to see that the battery was still at 18%. I figured it might just be a case of not plugging in the cable correctly, but even as I did so, I realized the phone wasn't charging. I tried with a different USB-C cable — the one that came in the box — but still nothing. I thought it was the charger at fault, so I went into the home office and plugged the Pixel 8 Pro into the Nexode 200W, which is what I use to charge most of my devices — again, it didn't make a difference.

Hardwired

Android Central's LLoyd with a bionic eye

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all things hardware, including phones, storage servers, and routers.

At this point, I figured the USB-C port was busted, and as there was a lot of data on the device that wasn't backed up, I took out the Pixel Stand to at least charge the phone while I transferred over to another device. I meant to go back to the OnePlus Open, so I started setting up the foldable and, out of habit, connected the cable between the two devices to move data over. Somehow, that did the trick, and the Pixel 8 Pro started charging again. When I plugged the device back into the Nexode 200W, the battery started charging up. 

Ever since that day, charging the Pixel has been a regular source of anxiety and frustration. While the USB-C port is still working, it has clearly gotten loose (there's a lot of play around the housing), and half the time, any cable I connect comes loose after 15 minutes or so, and the device doesn't charge — particularly when I use a phone stand.

This is just after two months of using the Pixel 8 Pro — a device that's meant to last seven years. Somehow, I doubt the USB-C port on this thing is going to last even a year, much less seven. This isn't a new occurrence on Pixels; I have used all the phones Google has released thus far, and a constant refrain is poor quality control. The oleophobic coating on my Pixel 4 wore off after a month of use, the volume button on my Pixel 7 Pro detached after four months, and the Pixel 6 Pro had similar issues with the USB-C port.

Thinborne Aramid Fiber case for the Google Pixel 8 Pro

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Some of these foibles were excusable in the past as Google was just getting started, but the brand is now an established player in the hardware scene, and the fact that its devices continue to have hardware issues out of the box is infuriating. That isn't the only downside of the Pixel 8 Pro; the Tensor G3 isn't anywhere as fast as other flagships, the phone isn't particularly fluid in daily use, and it throttles easily while gaming. And after two months of use, I've already used up 90% of the available storage, so I'll need to delete some data soon. 

But I still use it in favor of Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Samsung phones because of the clean software and the cameras. While Xiaomi has the best camera package of any phone in the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, the Pixel 8 Pro is the outright winner at taking photos and videos in low-light conditions, and I value that more than the device's gaming prowess. 

What I can't abide is hardware failures on a $1,000 flagship, and Google needs to address this issue; it cannot charge the same price as other brands while continuing to roll out phones with little to no quality control. As for my unit, I'll have to send it to a service center at some point, and I'm not looking forward to that at all — I've had enough dealings with Google's aftersales service to know how shambolic it is, and I intend to wait as long as possible before taking that route.

It's great that Google is rolling out seven platform updates to the Pixel 8 series; this is absolutely the way forward for Android as a whole, and I want other manufacturers to follow suit. However, Google also needs to make sure it is doing enough to ensure that its devices can actually last that long without breaking down, and that's an area the brand hasn't paid much attention to — if at all. 

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor of Asia. In his current role, he oversees the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.

  • fuzzylumpkin
    *Grabs banged grain and waits for overly defensive pixel fanboys to roll in.*
    Reply
  • Josh Lubin
    No issues on mine so far. Sound like you got a defective unit tbh
    Reply
  • Bkdodger1
    I’ve had mine since release date. It looks same way came brand new no issues and I don’t baby my phones.
    Reply
  • sj0n
    Pixel 7 Pro user here...volume button just wore down and needs replacement. I have been 'corresponding' with Google since February last year. All I want is for them to mail me a new volume button in an envelope. For reasons I cannot fathom this is impossible. I can send them my phone and their 'expert' will replace the button for me in only two weeks! Never mind that I replace the button myself daily as it drops out again, and so consider myself somewhat of a Pixel 7 Pro button replacement expert.
    Cameras a great, but this is unacceptable design and service for a 1000 USD phone. Regret buying it, will never buy Google again and warn everyone I meet not to, despite the awesome camera. Shame on you, Google!
    Reply
  • digital
    As someone who has owned a Pixel phone in every series since the 4XL, and have had my share of issues I agree the Pixel line has many flaws they need to fix to get up to par with it's competitors but it sounds like the author is very rough on their phones and maybe needs to be a little more gentle and caring with their devices.
    Reply
  • notforhire
    apparently, Google is content with their level of QC on their hardware. "it's good enough" is the only thing that makes sense (from the outside looking in). it's like a drinking game every year trying to anticipate what handful of problems will arise with each new model.
    Reply
  • rdmetz
    Really feels like either I've got the best luck in the world or many of you have the worst luck.

    As someone who has used almost all Google devices from galaxy nexus to the p8 pro... I had very few problems and none since the Nexus 6p which Google ended up replacing for me for free with a pixel xl.

    I don't do anything crazy with my phone but I also don't baby it... slip on a slim case day 1 and maybe a screen protector and just go. I'm able to resell them regularly with no complaints and list them in excellent condition.

    I don't keep them for years and years but a couple is common and I went pixel 2 xl from day 1 to the pixel 6 and my uncle who bought it off me for another 2 years out of it. He is absolutely rough as hell and even with case's like OtterBox he's managed to destroy many phones die to his heavy machinery repair work... and even still the phone made it longer than the previous 3 iPhones he had before it.

    He has a pixel 6a now he got for $99 and he's completely happy with it.

    Performance has always been fine and no I don't game on my phone but do many other "pro user" tasks and it's always been enough without ever making me twiddle my thumbs and get frustrated like an out of date PC of yesteryear would do.

    Clean android best ai & camera features and just a user experience you can always count on... I have no real complaints.

    Maybe people just need to accept that it's not always the hardware or software that's the issue but... something else.
    Reply
  • makapav
    This reminds me of an XKCD comic - 10,000 new suckers born everyday. You have my empathy Author and I hope you find positive recourse.

    Google's hardware ability and standards have largely remained unchanged since their first one, 150+ devices ago, the Nexus One. This is the same company that designed a phone with only 192MB user addressable storage space at a time when they had two years to soak in their design on the success of the iPhone and the App store.

    Subpar is Google's middle name (and quickly becoming their first) spreading from hardware now into software all of which are loosing ground to rivals.

    No one should put premium money into anything Google until it is fully disposable or you have total local support - it's just too risky.
    Reply
  • Michele Beccalossi
    rdmetz said:
    Really feels like either I've got the best luck in the world or many of you have the worst luck.

    As someone who has used almost all Google devices from galaxy nexus to the p8 pro... I had very few problems and none since the Nexus 6p which Google ended up replacing for me for free with a pixel xl.

    I don't do anything crazy with my phone but I also don't baby it... slip on a slim case day 1 and maybe a screen protector and just go. I'm able to resell them regularly with no complaints and list them in excellent condition.

    I don't keep them for years and years but a couple is common and I went pixel 2 xl from day 1 to the pixel 6 and my uncle who bought it off me for another 2 years out of it. He is absolutely rough as hell and even with case's like OtterBox he's managed to destroy many phones die to his heavy machinery repair work... and even still the phone made it longer than the previous 3 iPhones he had before it.

    He has a pixel 6a now he got for $99 and he's completely happy with it.

    Performance has always been fine and no I don't game on my phone but do many other "pro user" tasks and it's always been enough without ever making me twiddle my thumbs and get frustrated like an out of date PC of yesteryear would do.

    Clean android best ai & camera features and just a user experience you can always count on... I have no real complaints.

    Maybe people just need to accept that it's not always the hardware or software that's the issue but... something else.
    Man, I have personally had 3 Google devices (Nexus 4, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 6 Pro) and never really had any issue.
    Unfortunately people LOVE to s**t on Google's phones, if they only applied the same standards to other OEMs, especially Chinese ones, holy shit we would have dozens of hit pieces like this, daily. Especially considering this guy just manhandled his phone and then complains.
    The Pixel 3 XL is the smartphone I held the longest, ever, and one of the reasons is because nothing broke down, unlike the audio jack issues I've had with my OnePlus 5T or the port issues I've had on my S7 edge (don't even get me started about software issues). IDK, maybe it's just Google sending the good devices to us and defective units to these "journalists".
    Reply
  • matthew.wing
    I'm on my second Pixel phone - I got a 7 Pro at launch, kept it until the 8 Pro launched, and sold the 7 Pro (working perfectly and in excellent condition) to a friend. I've not had a single problem with either phone, and the one I sold to my friend still works perfectly.

    What that tells me is that either the complaints about the durability of Google's phones are from people who abuse the heck outta their electronics, or Google has a *wildly* uneven quality control procedure.
    Reply