North Korean Pixel 8 Clone Surprises

July 21, 2026, 2:32 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

When it comes to North Korea, many might first think of a totalitarian state, complete control of the population, famines, and nuclear saber-rattling. High-quality technical products are considered atypical there. All the more surprising is a Pixel 8 clone from North Korea. It is said to be convincing.

Pixel 8 Clone Better Than the Original in This Aspect

The operator of the YouTube channel fenibook claims to have acquired a Pixel 8 clone from North Korea. The name is said to be “People’s Pixel,” roughly translating to “the people’s Pixel.” As a replica of a Google Pixel 8 Pro, it is already several years late—the original was released at the end of 2023.

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Even though it doesn’t feature current hardware, the North Korean Pixel offers surprisingly good performance, as reported by “Notebookcheck.” Visually, it is indistinguishable from Google’s device except for a North Korean logo (hidden in the video). Inside, it runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chip. While it is significantly inferior to the original Tensor G3 chip, it remains noticeably cooler, even under sustained use.

They were particularly generous with the RAM. Instead of the 12 GB RAM in the original, the “People’s Pixel” boasts a full 16 GB RAM. In this aspect, it surpasses the original. But that’s not all.

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Solid Features in the Pixel 8 Replica

The cameras are also surprisingly good. Included are a 50-MP main camera from Omnivision, an ultra-wide-angle and a periscope telephoto camera from Samsung (also with 50 MP), and a 32 MP front camera. According to the video, the telephoto lens is particularly impressive. It offers triple zoom and a close focusing distance of just 15 centimeters—also better than the original, where the value is one meter.

The display, however, does not achieve 120 hertz refresh rate, running only at 60 hertz with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. However, the brightness control is better than that of Google’s original device.

Doubts About North Korean Distribution

Who exactly is behind this Pixel 8 in North Korea is unclear. Typically, only cheap models from China make it into the isolated country, which are then simply relabeled. The quality of this specific replica stands out significantly.

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As stated in the fenibook video, the fake Pixel 8 is said to come with an unlocked bootloader. This theoretically allows the installation of other software and even Google services. However, this would certainly not be in line with state censorship, where even autocorrect is manipulated.

It is therefore assumed that the copy is either not widely distributed. Or, if it is, it won’t last long before the government confiscates it.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.