Yes, the Pixel 6 series displays feel hollow, and it’s not a manufacturing defect
I quickly learned that this is something Google did on purpose. The display feels hollow because the screen isn’t bonded to the mid-frame. Why? Well, apparently Google did it to improve the repairability of the display. This makes the display really easy to replace. What’s the downside? Well, it feels hollow, and it also affects heat dissipation. No heat is being released via the display here, therefore the back will get a bit warmer than you’re used to. On the flip side, the display will never get as warm as you may think. So, as you can see, there are positives and negatives to this. This is not something that smartphone OEMs do, especially not on their flagship phones. This does make the display easier to repair, but it does make it feel kind of plasticky and cheap.
The Pixel 6 Pro is in the same boat as the regular model
Google did the same thing on the Pixel 6 Pro, as it didn’t really bond the screen to the mid-frame either, as mentioned earlier. You’ll be really thankful Google did it this way if you ever break the display, though. The point is, you should try out the Pixel 6 and / or 6 Pro before you get it. If you’re coming from a OnePlus flagship, a Samsung flagship, or basically any other modern Android high-end smartphone, chances are you’re not used to hollow-feeling displays. This is definitely not something that will bother regular consumers. In fact, it may not bother you either, at all. It is something that bothers me, personally, quite a bit. I did use quite a few phones whose displays weren’t bonded to the mid-frame, most recently the Pixel 4a, but it’s not something you expect on a high-end phone, that’s for sure.
