2 months with the Pixel 11 Pro: I owe you an apology, Google

Flawed genius.

That was how I described the Pixel 11 Pro when I reviewed it last month. Across over 2 weeks of initial use, Google’s latest compact flagship flattered to deceive, combining moments of genuine awe with baffling shortcomings.

However, a short review period can never fully reflect long-term usage, and so it has proved. In the six weeks since, the Pixel 11 Pro has dramatically improved, to the extent that I had to force myself to switch out my SIM for a new review device a few days ago. I missed it within minutes.

I stand by my original review. What I said was totally accurate at the time. But I owe Google an apology: the Pixel 11 Pro has proven to be a much better phone than I initially gave it credit for.

Who let the bugs out?

My initial testing of the Pixel 11 Pro was plagued with annoying bugs. App ghosting, freezes, crashes and a couple of random reboots made the usually excellent Pixel software a regular source of frustration.

Other people shared my experience. In the weeks after launch, NFC, 4K video audio, the AI-powered Video Boost feature and even scrolling were all reportedly playing up for early adopters. I described the software at the time as “in an unfit state”, but emphasised that it could be fixed with a couple of updates.

Luckily, Google has delivered, with the vast majority of issues now fixed. Android 17 is still a little rough around the edges, but the difference is night-and-day compared to what I initially experienced. Software is back to being one of the Pixel’s strengths, and I couldn’t be happier.

Bye-bye battery anxiety

Battery life was one of my biggest early issues with the Pixel 11 Pro. With very poor standby time, battery life was slipping through my fingers, with up to 25% per charge lost when I wasn’t even using it. Even then, it was a phone that could last a full day, but not much more.

I can often go two days before charging

Now, either the phone has adjusted to my usage patterns or one of the software updates has fixed it, but battery life is now significantly better. I can often go two days before charging, while overnight standby drain is now just a few percent rather than over 10.

It’s still well behind the best battery phones on the market — it’s only a 4850mAh cell, after all — but it no longer feels like you’re making a major battery life compromise by opting for a more compact phone. My earlier battery anxiety has mostly dissipated, which is the most important thing.

The lowlight I effortlessly ignored

Touted as one of the Pixel 11 Pro’s headline features, I ripped into the ‘HiLight’ feature in my review, branding the glorified notification light as “a waste of space”.

Much of my frustration stemmed from its prominence right next to the cameras. Sure, you could turn the feature off, but you could never remove the ugly white blob.

However, I’d underestimated just how easy it is to ignore after a while. I’d rather it wasn’t there at all, but it’s not as though the 11 Pro immediately becomes an ugly phone as a result.

HiLight is also set for a big upgrade before the year is out, so it might become something approaching useful by January. Either way, its presence isn’t the big issue I initially made it out to be.

The cameras still blow me away

That’s my three biggest initial gripes with the Pixel 11 Pro taken care of. Performance isn’t noticeably different, but without all those bugs, it feels much smoother. I haven’t ventured back into demanding games to see if the janky gameplay has improved, but if mobile gaming is a priority, you probably shouldn’t buy this phone anyway.

And crucially, everything I loved during initial testing remains true. The 6.3-inch display is a joy, even if my PWM sensitivity means it can cause headaches after a while. Build quality is excellent, while Google has my favourite suite of built-in AI features on any phone, including the surprise hit of Magic Capture.

the selfies are unmatched, in my opinion

If anything, the cameras only get more impressive over time. It’s consistently excellent across all scenarios and lighting conditions, delivering a clear, crisp image with a simple tap. I also love what the Pixel does with portrait mode, delivering a subtle yet gorgeous background blur to really bring subjects (read: my dog) to life. Oh, and the selfies are unmatched, in my opinion.

I maintain that the Pixel 11 Pro (and the identically-specced 11 Pro XL) has the best point-and-shoot camera system of any phone. It makes taking great photos incredibly easy, which is exactly what I want from a camera phone.

An unworthy upgrade (still)

The Pixel 11 Pro I switched away from a few days ago is almost unrecognisable from the device I first put my SIM card into. A combination of bug-fixing updates, stabilised battery life and HiLight fading into the background make it a far more compelling phone.

However, I still can’t recommend it for one simple reason: price. With discounts still relatively rare, you’ll likely pay close to the £1,079/$1,099 starting price from launch. With last year’s very similar Pixel 10 Pro often available at a fraction of its £999/$999 launch price and the regular Pixel 11 a comparatively affordable £879/$899, the 11 Pro is still a tough sell.

That may all change around Black Friday (27 November), with the Pixel 11 Pro a likely candidate for significant discounts. If that happens, it could catapult Google’s latest compact handset into the best phones conversation.

I can’t wait to finish reviewing my current phone so I can get back to the Pixel 11 Pro. I just wouldn’t recommend you pay four figures or commit to an expensive contract to do the same.