Google Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL: bigger batteries, new HiLight LED, and a stealth price hike
Google's Pixel 11 Pro lineup lands on August 20, starting at $1,099 for the 256GB base model — technically the same price as last year's Pixel 10 Pro 256GB tier, but Google has quietly dropped the $999 128GB entry point, as confirmed by Android Headlines. In the UK, the 256GB Pro starts at £1,079, an £80 jump year-on-year per T3 UK. The honest read: this is a $100 effective price increase dressed up as a storage upgrade.
Pre-orders are open now at Google Store, Best Buy, Verizon, AT&T;, T-Mobile, and Google Fi in the US; Currys and major networks in the UK. Units ship August 20.
The hardware
Both phones share a premium spec sheet. The Pixel 11 Pro gets a 6.3-inch Super Actua LTPO OLED display; the Pro XL steps up to 6.8 inches. Both hit 3,600 nits peak brightness and step between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on what's on screen. Under the display sits a next-generation ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL in all four colorways: Obsidian, Fog, Canyon, and Olive.
Inside is Google's Tensor G6, built on a 2nm process and paired with a Titan M3 security co-processor. RAM starts at 12GB and goes to 16GB — tuned specifically for running Gemini AI models locally on the device, not in the cloud. Storage runs from 256GB to 1TB (Pro XL only). Both ship with Android 17 and seven years of guaranteed updates.
The Tensor G6 chip powers on-device Gemini AI processing without routing data to the cloud.
The cameras are a triple-sensor setup: a 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide with macro, and a 48MP 5x optical telephoto. The front camera is 42MP. On the software side, the Pro models get features the standard Pixel 11 doesn't: Magic Capture (which analyzes roughly 400 frames via Gemini to pick the sharpest shot), Camera Looks for in-viewfinder color grading, Night Sight Video, Cinematic Blur 4K, and Circle to Search directly in the camera viewfinder.
The triple-camera array on the Pixel 11 Pro, featuring 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP 5x telephoto sensors.
The standout feature
The one thing that visually separates these from every other Pixel is HiLight — an LED system built around the camera flash module. It pulses in different colors for different alerts: a specific contact calling, Gemini responding hands-free, and so on. It's a small detail, but it's the kind of thing that's hard to unsee once you know it's there.
HiLight LED system integrated around the camera flash, displaying color-coded visual notifications.
Battery and charging
The Pixel 11 Pro carries a 4,850mAh battery; the Pro XL bumps that to 5,115mAh. Wired charging tops out at 30W (Pro) and 45W (Pro XL), with Google claiming around 50% in 30 minutes. Wireless charging uses the Qi2.2 standard at up to 25W — 20% faster than the Pixel 10 generation.
Pricing
| Storage | Pixel 11 Pro | Pixel 11 Pro XL | |---|---|---| | 12GB + 256GB | $1,099 / £1,079 | $1,299 | | 16GB + 512GB | $1,219 | $1,419 | | 16GB + 1TB | $1,449 | $1,649 |
The phone is finished in aviation-grade aluminum with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back, rated IP68. Colors: Obsidian, Fog, Canyon, and Olive.