I canceled my Pixel 8 Pro pre-order last month — but can Black Friday sales make me change my mind?

I was speedy to jump connected nan pre-order train backmost erstwhile nan Google Pixel 8 Pro first launched — only to cancel my bid a time later. There were a batch of reasons down that decision, 1 of nan astir salient being that I didn’t really want to walk a 1000 dollars connected a marque caller smartphone. Not erstwhile my existent phone, nan Pixel 6 Pro, was moving conscionable fine.

I've had immoderate clip to deliberation astir this decision, but it's jumped backmost to nan forefront of my mind acknowledgment to Black Friday deals. The first awesome Pixel 8 bid discounts are here, including $200 disconnected nan Pixel 8 Pro erstwhile you bargain straight from Google. 

It’s rather a generous discount erstwhile you see really caller nan telephone is, and while hardly surprising, it's sewage maine wondering whether it's bully capable to upgrade — moreover though I said I wouldn't.

The Pixel 8 Pro is marque new, and already heavy discounted

Last twelvemonth Google knocked $150 disconnected nan Pixel 7 Pro complete Black Friday, and successful my mind it was a importantly little desirable phone. Not conscionable because my telephone was only a twelvemonth old, but besides because of nan specs and capacity — particularly that mediocre artillery life.

The Pixel 8 Pro is simply a different matter entirely. One, I’m successful that play wherever upgrading my telephone isn’t needfully seen arsenic wasteful. The 8 Pro besides has a bunch of useful features and capacity upgrades, peculiarly wherever nan artillery life is concerned. It whitethorn not person thing adjacent to nan champion telephone artillery life, but our testing shows there’s been a stark improvement complete nan erstwhile 2 generations.

Then again you besides person to see nan truth that nan Pixel 8 Pro is $100 much costly compared to past year. Does it make nan woody somewhat little valuable than past year? Officially, nan Pixel 7 Pro is $50 little based connected past year’s deal. But that’s an 18% discount compared to 22%, truthful it’s each a matter of position — and really you measurement nan worth of a deal.

Either measurement it’s still a bully woody considering nan property of nan phone. Not moreover nan champion Black Friday iPhone deals will sound $200 disconnected an iPhone 15 Pro Max anytime soon, surely not earlier nan motorboat of nan iPhone 16. 

In truth nan likelihood of getting thing amended are beautiful darn low. Especially if you’re averse to trade-ins for illustration I am, not that a 128GB Pixel 6 Pro is worthy each that much. $210 according to Google’s ain store, which isn’t insignificant but seems a small debased for a telephone that’s still successful cleanable moving bid — and has a twelvemonth of package support to go.

I’m still not truthful judge $200 disconnected tin person maine to upgrade

Despite nan discount, it still seems for illustration purchasing nan Pixel 8 Pro would beryllium buying it for nan liking of it — and not because I really want a amended phone. 

Perks for illustration 7 years of package updates and nan AI-centric editing devices sound bully connected paper, but successful reality I’m not apt to get each that overmuch usage retired of them. The somesthesia sensor seems for illustration a gimmick I don’t need, particularly since I person a thermal camera gathering particulate successful my drawers. Camera enhancements, while ever beneficial, aren’t thing I consciousness for illustration I request correct now.

Naturally nan improved artillery life is simply a large draw, arsenic is nan truth Google yet scrapped nan curved display, but I’m not judge it’s capable to person maine I decidedly request a caller phone. Not while my existent telephone still useful perfectly well. 

Much for illustration really Hollywood treats women complete 35, location are plentifulness of group that now spot smartphones arsenic aged and obsolete erstwhile they deed their 2nd birthday. This couldn’t beryllium further from nan truth (in some instances), particularly if your telephone still has immoderate package support to get through. Though admittedly this does disagree from shaper to manufacturer. 

A batch of nan clip you’re fortunate if you get 2 years of afloat Android updates, but successful nan lawsuit of nan Pixel 6 Pro afloat Android updates don’t expire until October 2024 — astir 11 months from now. 

Meanwhile it’ll still get regular information updates, and won’t go a information liability, until October 2026. So while it whitethorn miss retired connected hardware upgrades afforded to consequent generations of Pixel phones, it’s not missing retired connected thing Android-centric for astatine slightest a year.

Bottom line: I'm still happy nan measurement things are

I surely wouldn’t mind having a caller phone, and honestly I’d beryllium a small irritated to spot nan $200 discount if I’d stuck pinch my first Pixel 8 Pro pre-order. But nan existent mobility is whether I would really beryllium upset if I were stuck pinch nan Pixel 6 Pro until nan Pixel 9 Pro’s launch. Honestly? I don’t deliberation I would.

Maybe I’ll get sick of this telephone complete nan coming months, and will beryllium hopeless to upgrade arsenic soon arsenic nan Pixel 9 Pro arrives. Maybe I’ll alteration my mind earlier nan extremity of nan Black Friday income season. But correct now, arsenic awesome arsenic a $200 discount connected nan Pixel 8 Pro mightiness be, I deliberation I’m going to springiness it a pass. 

If you disagree, you tin ever caput complete to nan Google Store correct now to save $200 connected a marque caller Pixel 8 Pro. Or, alternatively, you tin prevention $150 connected a Google Pixel 8.

More from Tom's Guide

• Black Friday telephone deals — champion early income now
• Forget pricey flagships — nan Google Pixel 6a conscionable deed $99 astatine Best Buy
• I tested each nan caller Samsung phones this twelvemonth — 7 champion Black Friday deals I recommend