Pixel 11 Pro Flash Trails Rivals as HiLight's 8-LED Diffuser Softens Output
Updated
Updated · Notebookcheck.net · Aug 24
Pixel 11 Pro Flash Trails Rivals as HiLight's 8-LED Diffuser Softens Output
3 articles · Updated · Notebookcheck.net · Aug 24
Summary
Side-by-side tests found the $1,099.99 Pixel 11 Pro was the dimmest phone in both flashlight and camera-flash mode, trailing the Galaxy Z TriFold, iPhone 17e and Pixel 9 Pro.
Microscope images point to Google's HiLight redesign: a frosted diffuser now covers the main flash LED, replacing the dedicated lens or microlens used on earlier Pixels and scattering light instead of focusing it.
That hardware trade-off appears tied to HiLight, the new rear notification system that uses eight RGB LEDs around the flash after Google removed the infrared temperature sensor from prior models.
Google has not commented on the brightness gap, adding to scrutiny of HiLight after earlier reviews said its notification feature was limited and of little practical use.
Why did Google intentionally restrict the Pixel 11 Pro's HiLight LED to basic functions when the hardware is clearly capable of much more?
With third-party developers hacking the Pixel 11 Pro's HiLight LED, will Google officially unlock its full potential or block these complex workarounds?