The Pixel 11 Pro should be a disappointment, but after 3 weeks with the phone I can’t put it down

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A lot has been said about the Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL since their unveiling on August 12 — much of it not very good. Pixel phones always come with an extra heaping of criticism, warranted or not, but there are real concerns about this year’s Pro phones. They have less RAM than last year’s models, HiLight has already proven disappointing , the Tensor G6 chip isn’t a particularly big performance upgrade , and the phones are more expensive than ever before.

Considering all that, it would be safe to assume the Pixel 11 Pro ( $1099 at Amazon ) and Pixel 11 Pro XL ( $1299 at Amazon ) aren’t good phones. However, after spending about three weeks with both of them, I don’t think that could be further from the truth.

In typical Google fashion, the Pixel 11 Pro and its XL sibling aren’t chasing the biggest specs, and some of the hallmark new features aren’t as amazing as Google wants you to think. But the day-to-day experience of using the phones still ignites that unmistakable Pixel magic, and imperfections aside, I plan to keep using the Pixel 11 Pro long after this review is finished.

There are some genuine complaints I have with the Pixel 11 Pro, despite how much I like it, so let’s get those out of the way first. There are three main things to talk about: HiLight, Proactive Assistance, and charging.

HiLight is the glowing light on the back of the 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL, and as you’ve probably heard by now, it barely does anything. You can assign colors to specific favorite contacts, and when you do, HiLight will light up when they call you. Additionally, if your Pixel is face down, HiLight pulses and swirls when you interact with Gemini. Neat!

These are both fine features, but the problem is that they’re quite literally all HiLight does right now. Third-party apps have already unlocked more functionality , letting you use HiLight as a proper notification light for text messages and other apps, but the fact that this isn’t available out of the box is truly embarrassing. HiLight could be a great feature after ample updates , but right now, it’s not worth buying the Pixel 11 Pro for.

Proactive Assistance is equally disappointing. The pitch here is that your phone can proactively surface relevant info and actions based on what you’re doing. For example, if a friend texts you asking about an upcoming flight, Proactive Assistance can find your flight info and offer a shortcut to share it with them. Or, if you get a text asking if you’ve made a reservation at a restaurant for a certain time, you’ll get a shortcut in Google Messages to do it right there.