With IFA just around the corner, Engadget’s review team has been buried in new hardware — and the star of the show is a full sweep of Google’s latest Pixel lineup. Four new devices, four different verdicts. Here’s the roundup of what the reviewers actually think, condensed into one place.
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: More Power, Same Old Bulk
Google upgraded the internals of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold — a new chip, faster charging, and a better camera — but left the series’ notably chunky design untouched. It also doesn’t get the full camera feature set from the standard Pixel 11 Pro, missing out on the Pro Res Zoom system entirely. Engadget’s senior reviews writer summed it up bluntly: nice additions aren’t enough on their own to win over shoppers who aren’t already committed to the Pixel ecosystem.
Google Pixel 11 Pro: The Best Android Phone, If You Can Live With the AI
The Pixel 11 Pro is the most capable phone in the new lineup, but it comes at a cost — literally $100 more than its predecessor, and with less RAM to boot. It’s also saturated with AI features, more than any Pixel before it. Engadget’s executive editor didn’t hide her reservations about how much AI has crept into the experience, but conceded Google is still ahead of the competition at actually making it useful. Her verdict: if AI features don’t bother you, or you’re comfortable disabling the ones that do, the Pixel 11 Pro is arguably the best Android phone in its size and price class right now.
Google Pixel 11: Minor Upgrade, Still the Best Pick for Most People
The standard Pixel 11 doesn’t change much from the Pixel 10, and it’s $100 more expensive to boot — numbers that would normally sink a review. Instead, Engadget’s deputy news editor argued it’s still the best Pixel for the average buyer, largely because the phone it’s replacing was already excellent. His take was even more pointed for anyone considering switching from iOS: if you’ve been thinking about leaving the iPhone behind, he can’t think of a better first Android phone to land on than the Pixel 11.
Google Pixel Watch 5: Good Now, Great Once It’s Finished
The Pixel Watch 5 is a case of software catching up to hardware — several promised features aren’t live yet at launch. Even so, Engadget’s reviewer found it does just enough right now to justify the price bump, and doesn’t expect the still-missing features to make the experience worse once they do arrive. Her current read: it’s already a very good smartwatch, with more upside still to come.
HP Omnibook X: Proof That Fundamentals Still Matter
Outside the Pixel lineup, Engadget’s senior reviews writer was impressed by HP’s refreshed Omnibook X, calling it close to perfect for anyone who wants a reliable Windows ultraportable without extra flash — missing only an SD card reader and better speakers from being a standout. His takeaway doubled as praise for restraint: getting the basics right can be more compelling than chasing flashy features.
Pebble Time 2: A Smartwatch That Knows What It Isn’t
Engadget’s senior writer also spent time with the revived Pebble Time 2, and came away relieved to see a device pump the brakes in an industry obsessed with cramming AI into everything. His conclusion echoes what we found in our own hands-on look at the watch: it’s not built for everyone, but it fills a role the smartwatch market has been missing — and he argued the tech industry genuinely needs more products willing to do less on purpose.
Also Worth Knowing About
Beyond phones and watches, Engadget’s team covered a wide spread of other gear recently: a 39-inch curved gaming monitor from Alienware, the newly released Pokémon Champions game, two dedicated cameras (a GoPro action cam and a Panasonic mirrorless model), a portable power station, and — in one of the more unusual reviews of the month — a wearable personal air conditioner from Sony.
The Takeaway
If there’s a common thread running through this batch of reviews, it’s that incremental upgrades are still landing well when the baseline product was already strong — the Pixel 11 and Pixel Watch 5 both benefit from that. Meanwhile, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold shows that spec bumps alone aren’t enough to win over new buyers, and the Pebble Time 2 proves there’s still real appetite for tech that deliberately does less. If you’re shopping this fall, the standard Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro look like the safest bets in Google’s new lineup — just go in with clear eyes about how much AI you’re signing up for.
