Pixel 11 vs Pixel 11 Pro: What do you get for the extra money?

Photography is where the two phones diverge most significantly and it's arguably the biggest reason to consider the Pro.

Pixel 11 rear cameras:

• Wide: 48 MP (ƒ/1.70, 1/1.56" sensor)

• Ultrawide: 13 MP (ƒ/2.2, 1/3.1" sensor)

• Telephoto: 10.8 MP, 5x optical zoom (ƒ/3.1, 1/3.2" sensor)

• Max zoom: 30x Super Zoom

• Selfie camera: 10.5 MP

Pixel 11 Pro cameras:

• Wide: 50 MP (ƒ/1.68, 1/1.3" sensor)

• Ultrawide: 48 MP with autofocus (ƒ/1.7, 1/2.51" sensor)

• Telephoto: 48 MP, 5x optical zoom (ƒ/2.8, 1/1.95" sensor)

• Max zoom: 120x Pro Zoom

• Selfie camera: 42 MP

The sensor size differences are substantial. The Pro's wide camera uses a 1/1.3-inch sensor compared to the 11's 1/1.56-inch, which pulls in more light and should deliver finer detail. The ultrawide jumps from 13MP to 48MP, a massive resolution bump that will make landscape and architectural shots pop. The Pro's telephoto sensor is also much larger than the regular model, and supports a redesigned (AI-powered) 120x Pro Zoom versus the standard model's 30x Super Zoom.

The Pro also includes Instant Night Sight, which delivers up to 4.5x faster low-light photo capture compared to the standard Night Sight on the Pixel 11. We'll have to thoroughly test Instant Night Sight to judge the differences, but it should be a massive advantage for anyone shooting in low-light environments regularly.

There are loads more features the Pixel 11 Pro has over the standard model. With Pro controls and High-Res mode, the camera will shoot at the full 50MP resolution with manual control over settings, which is unavailable on the Pixel 11. The High-Res Portrait Mode also offers up to 50MP photos with appropriately blurry backgrounds.

There are similar gaps when it comes to video capabilities. Both models are capable of 4K video at up to 60 fps, but the Pro has the ability to digitally upscale that to 8K/30. There are similar software differences across the board, with the Pro offering a suite of advanced features like digital stabilization.

Google has a great track record when it comes to computational photography, but we'll have full reviews looking at both camera suites thoroughly very soon with full verdicts on how successful the 11 and 11 Pro are.

Connectivity

Another notable difference between the two new phones from Google comes in the connectivity department. The Pixel 11 Pro supports Wi-Fi 7, which delivers faster speeds and lower latency compared to the Pixel 11's Wi-Fi 6E. It also includes an ultra-wideband chip for accurate spatial orientation and precise device ranging. These are meaningful upgrades for tech-forward users but less critical for casual everyday use.

AI and software

Both phones will have Android 17, the latest version of Google's mobile OS, which arrived earlier this year and is already available for the previous generation of Pixels. New features for the Pixel 11 series include Gemini Intelligence with proactive notifications, Magic Capture, and Circle to Search in camera. While they offer similar features, only the 11 Pro includes a six-month trial of the Google AI Pro plan, which comes with Google Health Premium, access to stronger models, cloud storage and other features.