Should you get the Pixel 3 XL or the iPhone XS Max?

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We live and breathe smartphones, and use nearly every one to find the best ones for you.

Google Pixel 3 XL

Big and bold

$899 at Google Store

Pros

• Google Assistant is fantastic.
• Huge display.
• Stereo speakers.
• Sizeable battery.
• Wireless charging.

Cons

• No headphone jack.
• Very large display notch.

Google took the Pixel 2 XL’s large body and squeezed a larger and much better 6.3-inch 18.5:9 display into it. The rest of the phone offers all of Google’s strengths: simple hardware, flagship specs, lightning fast software and an amazing AI-assisted camera on the front and back. It even sports a 3430mAh battery to keep your powered through the day.

Apple iPhone XS Max

Best iPhone ever

$1,099 at Apple

Pros

• Large beautiful display.
• Incredibly powerful A12 Bionic chip.
• 120Hz touch sensing display.
• Improved FaceID.
• Wireless Charging.

Cons

• Siri is still behind Google Assistant.
• No fingerprint sensor.

The iPhone XS Max is Apple’s biggest and best iPhone yet, with the incredibly powerful A12 Bionic chip. It has a large, vibrant 6.5-inch display and excellent stereo speakers. FaceID replaces a fingerprint sensor, and the cameras have some powerful new features. Guaranteed updates every year for several years are the icing on the cake.

The Pixel 3 XL and iPhone XS Max set the standard for smartphones running Android and iOS respectively. Software preferences aside, the Pixel 3 XL and iPhone XS Max are actually pretty similar smartphones. Both have glass and metal industrial designs with high screen-to-body ratios, along with IP68 resistance, wireless charging, stereo speakers, and more. While other Android companies can create their own competitors to Google’s Pixel 3 XL, the iPhone XS Max is the best iPhone you can buy right now.

What are the differences?

A large deciding factor in which phone you should buy is, of course, the operating system behind it. By now, you probably have a good idea where you stand on Android versus iOS, but the latest versions of both operating systems share several similar features, including a focus on digital wellbeing and helping prevent you from using your smartphone too much. In short, Android 9 Pie brings a fast, fluid experience with no unnecessary additions, while iOS 12 is simpler to use but lacking in customization options. This has been the standard for years though.

It’s hard to find major flaws in either phone’s hardware, and they both support the “notch,” although the deep notch on the Pixel 3 XL is unsightly, compared to the streamlined notch on the iPhone XS Max. The notch on the Pixel 3 XL houses the dual selfie cameras and one of the dual stereo-speakers, which Google says necessitated its larger-than-life size. The notch on the iPhone XS Max, meanwhile, houses the Face ID camera array which is the only way to secure the iPhone XS Max as there’s no fingerprint sensor.

Operating system	Android 9 Pie	iOS 12
Display	6.3-inch OLED2960x1440 (18.5:9)Gorilla Glass 5	6.5-inch Super AMOLED1242x2688 (19.5:9)Scratch-resistant glassDolby Vision / HDR10 compliant120 Hz touch-sensing
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845Pixel Visual Core	Apple A12 BionicApple GPU (4-core)
RAM	4GB	4GB
Storage	64/128GB	64/256/512GB
Expandable	No	No
Rear camera 1	12.2MP, 1.4-micron, PDAFf/1.8, OIS	12MP, 1.4-micron, PDAFf/1.8, OIS
Rear camera 2	None	12MP, 1-micron, PDAF2x Optical Zoom, f/2.4, OIS
Front camera 1	8MP, auto focusf/1.8, 75-degree lens	7MP, auto focusf/2.2, 32mm focal length
Front camera 2	8MP, fixed focusf/2.2, 97-degree lens	None
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, NFC, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2×2, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, NFC, GPS
Audio	Stereo speakersUSB-C	Stereo speakersLightning port
Battery	3430mAhNon-removable	3174mAhNon-removable
Charging	18W USB-C PDQi wireless	Fast charging (available separately)Qi wireless
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Security	Fingerprint sensor	Face ID
Dimensions	76.7 x 158.0 x 7.9 mm184 g	157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm208 g
Colors	Just Black, Very White, Not Pink	Space Gray, Silver, Gold

One of the big differences between the two devices is their approach to photography. The Pixel 2 XL last year was outstanding and used AI to capture photos that were better than the dual-camera competition despite having a single camera. The Pixel 3 XL sticks with a single camera on the rear, but adds a secondary wide angle camera on the front to help you take group selfies. The iPhone XS Max uses dual cameras on both front and back, with Apple preferring to use hardware rather than artificial intelligence to achieve the same effects.

Both phones offer many of the same features so the choice is whether you prefer Android or iOS.

Apple made a big deal during the iPhone XS announcement over some of the improved camera features, including the adjustable bokeh effect in post and stereo audio during video capture. Google also made a big deal about its new camera features during the Pixel 3 announcement, including Night Sight for improved low light photography and the ability to adjust bokeh after capture.

Both phones are up there in the price department, with the Pixel 3 XL starting at $899, and the iPhone XS Max breaking the four-figure club with a starting price of $1,099. You’re get a similar experience in terms of performance, cameras, and display, but if you want iOS, the iPhone XS Max is the best phone you can buy. If you prefer Android, your choices are vast, and while the Pixel 3 XL is an excellent choice, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is also worth looking at.

Pixel 3 XL

Flagship Android Phone

$899 at Google Store

The flagship Android experience as Google imagines in.

The Pixel 3 XL sets the standard for the flagship Android experience as defined by Google, and uses AI to accomplish what most other companies use hardware to achieve.

iPhone XS Max

The best iPhone

The biggest and best iPhone that Apple has ever made.

$1,099 at Apple

The iPhone XS Max is the biggest and best iPhone that Apple has ever made, and if you need a large iPhone screen, you should look no further than the iPhone XS Max.

Is 4GB of RAM enough for the Pixel 3?

Thanks to Google’s software optimizations, it sure is.

Google officially announced the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL last Tuesday, and although hardly any specifications were mentioned during the company’s keynote, it’s been confirmed that both phones ship with just 4GB of RAM.

That’s the same amount of RAM found in last year’s Pixel 2 series, and with phones like the OnePlus 6 and Galaxy Note 9 shipping with up to 8GB, the Pixel 3’s RAM count is looking pretty lackluster.

However, is 4GB of RAM really too small or is it still just fine for most people? Here’s what the AC forum community has to say.

Robisan
10-14-2018 01:18 AM

“

It’ll be OK now, but it hardly makes the P3s future proof. It will be comparatively small and potentially inadequate well before the supported lifespan of the device ends.

Reply

Thales SF
10-14-2018 04:40 AM

“

The ideal would be 6gb to more ram, but with 4gb it will survive. I’m using an og pixel XL and it has 4gb too, it isn’t that bad, usually I didn’t remember it is just it of ram and it is going great

Reply

TemporalBeef
10-14-2018 04:58 AM

“

My s8+ still runs well with 4gb of ram. I think that’s fine for a smartphone right now. They’re not gaming rigs after all…

Reply

J Dubbs
10-14-2018 07:36 AM

“

It makes a huge difference how well the ram is optimized…… and Google are the Masters of software, just like Apple… which is why the top of the line iPhone also only has 4 gigs of RAM. A lot of companies toss numbers around to make sales, but huge amounts of ram aren’t necessary if it’s optimized properly. Remember the pixel line is designed to run Daydream, that’s a pretty intensive gaming…

Reply

What do you think? Is 4GB of RAM enough for the Pixel 3?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL hands-on preview
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 3 vs. Pixel 3 XL: Which should you buy?
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL specifications
• Join our Pixel 3 forums

Best Buy
Verizon
Project Fi

Don’t let the Pixel 3 XL’s notch distract you from an otherwise great phone

O__________O

For the last few months, we’ve seen leak after leak of Google’s Pixel 3 XL. Along with the phone being one of the most leaked products in industry history, it’s also been met with some of the most criticism I’ve ever seen against a device before it was even released. The cause of that criticism? The notch.

That big, ugly, unsightly notch.

The notch in the leaks was so bad that some people tried convincing themselves that this must be Google’s way of toying with us. Google had to be leaking this monstrosity on purpose and would then bamboozle us by announcing the completely bezel-less Pixel Ultra. Right? RIGHT!?

The Pixel 3 XL — and its notch — are both very real.

Nope. The Pixel 3 XL is real, and — like we’ve been expecting for months — it’s got that big ‘ol notch taking up a good chunk of the top display. It’s certainly not pretty, and I won’t be patting Google’s design team on the back anytime soon, but as unattractive as it might be, the hate it’s been causing the Pixel 3 XL as an entire product to receive is ridiculous.

Remember last year’s Pixel 2 XL? It didn’t have a notch, but it also had one of the worst displays for a phone in its price range at the time. Burn-in / image retention was happening after just days of use, the blue shift on some devices was far more noticeable than other OLED panels, and the colors out of the box were straight up ugly. There was no notch, but the screen itself was a hot mess.

With the Pixel 3 XL, Google basically fixed all of our complaints with the 2 XL’s screen. The blue shift has been reduced, the possibility for burn-in has been cut down by 2x, and the colors look much better with excellent display profiles to give you a more saturated look or a screen that almost looks 100% true-to-life.

I don’t know about you, but I’d argue all day that it’s worth having a really great OLED panel with a cutout at the top over a pretty crappy one with no notch.

And you know what? The upgrades don’t stop with the screen.

The Pixel 2 and 2 XL are widely regarded as having the best smartphone camera ever, and with the Pixel 3 series, Google’s taken that same winning formula and made it even better. There’s now a wide-angle front-facing camera to help you get more people in a shot, the new Night Sight mode promises to deliver truly awesome low-light photos, Google’s found a way to vastly improve digital zoom compared to other phones, and there’s even AI working in the background to capture multiple frames before and after you take a photo to then recommend a better picture than what you actually took.

Add that all together with what we’ve already come to love from the Pixel 2’s camera, and we’re likely looking at a new best smartphone camera in history.

Still not convinced? The Pixel 3 XL also brings:

• Wireless charging
• 40% louder stereo speakers compared to Pixel 2 XL
• IP68 dust/water resistance
• Unlimited Google Photo storage
• Qualcomm’s insanely powerful Snapdragon 845

Oh, and the phone can use the Google Assistant to screen calls so you don’t have to waste time talking to scammers. There’s a lot going for it.

Would the Pixel 3 XL be even better if it had all of these goodies minus the notch? Yeah, without a doubt. I’m far from a fan of it and think it’s one of the worst implementations we’ve seen of a notched screen, but I also think Google crammed enough other features into the Pixel 3 XL so that you’ll be sucked into everything it does right and forget about the notch after a couple days like what’s been the case for every other phone.

The comments section is bound to be a war zone, but I’d still love to see what you think. Do you agree with me or think the Pixel 3 XL deserves to be taken out behind a shed and shot? Sound off down below — just watch out for the shrapnel and pitchforks.

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL hands-on preview: Screens worth staring at

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL hands-on preview
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 3 vs. Pixel 3 XL: Which should you buy?
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL specifications
• Join our Pixel 3 forums

Best Buy
Verizon
Project Fi

The new Palm phone is exclusive to Verizon and costs $350

This is designed to accompany your current phone, not replace it.

Back in March of this year, it was reported that TCL was actively working on a new Android phone that would revive the iconic Palm brand and bring it back to market. A leaked image of said phone appeared a few months later in August, and now on October 15, 2018, we have all the official details on the first Palm phone in years.

This new phone is simply referred to as “Palm” and is designed to be a new type of phone that lives alongside your main smartphone. It’s got an extremely small 3.3-inch LCD HD display, Snapdragon 435 processor, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. You’ll also find a 12MP rear camera, 8MP front camera, and a weight of just 2.2 ounces.

The Palm is powered by Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, but it doesn’t look like any build of Oreo we’ve seen before. Here you’ll find a custom build of Android with no traditional home pages or anything. Instead, you’ve got a vertical list of all your apps, a Google search bar at the top, quick access to the Google Assistant by double-pressing the power button, and that’s about it.

There’s also a special “Life Mode” that turns off all notifications and even disables the Palm’s radios in an effort to help eliminate distractions and focus on what matters. Speaking to Variety, creator Dennis Miloseski said, “It’s about technology receding. Do you really need to bring a supercomputer with you everywhere you go?”

Verizon is the exclusive carrier/retail partner for the Palm and is selling it for either $349 unlocked, $299 with a two-year contract, or $14.58/month for 24 months. Also, instead of acting like a normal line, the Palm uses Verizon’s NumberShare service that essentially copies your existing phone number to it for $10/month.

The Palm is currently expected to go on sale in November.

Palm is coming back in the most disappointing way possible

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 vs. NBA Live ’19: Which should you buy?

Android Central’s team has a legion of gamers who stay up late to play and wake up early to talk about the hottest, newest, and most fun titles.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2

Arcade Fun

$30 at Amazon

Pros

• Over-the-top basketball fun
• Huge roster of NBA stars
• Over a dozen park-style locations

Cons

• Not enough depth

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 takes us back to the days of NBA Jam and NBA Street. Caricatures of your favorite NBA superstars from the past and present will pull off crazy moves and dunks on the court. Its only problem is that it doesn’t offer much else.

NBA Live ’19

Authentic Basketball

$40 at Amazon

Pros

• Simulation-style NBA gameplay
• Tons of gameplay modes
• Great online features

Cons

• Gameplay needs tuning

NBA Live ’19 challenges for the simulation basketball crown with improved gameplay, presentation, and features. Despite the positive changes, it still has some ways to go to match its competitor.

This is a section that summarizes what the two options are and who we recommend get each thing. It shouldn’t be too long, because details do follow.

Two very different games

Although NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 and NBA Live ’19 are both NBA basketball games, they’re aimed at far different crowds. NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a more casual affair, offering a game that’s easy to pick up and play.

This is the game you get if you aren’t too serious about playing authentic simulation basketball. When you just want to posterize your opponents at the rim after doing a mid-air front flip or shoot a 3 from half court, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 trades realism for sheer fun.

There are over 400 NBA superstars of the past and present in the game. Many of the new appearances are thanks to 2K Sports’ hand in publishing the game, as the publisher used its influence to help secure the likenesses for big names like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

Platforms	PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC	PS4, Xbox One
Release Date	September 7, 2018	October 16, 2018
Price	$30	$40

Meanwhile, NBA Live ’19 wants to emulate the real-world product as much as possible. It features all current teams and NBA players, and even has a wealth of legendary players to use in team building modes or when you play as classic teams in regular 5-on-5 games.

And there are tons of ways to play NBA Live ’19. You can run the team as a general manager and take some of your favorite franchises to the promised land. Or you can make your own superstar and go from bench-warming roleplayer to venerable hall of famer. Then take that guy online and compete in pickup games with your friends. You could also build a dream team by collecting your favorite players and competing against others for rewards. This is the game to get if you’re interested in all the little nuances that make the game of basketball fun.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a nice change of pace

Sports games can be grueling depending on how you play them. Whether you’re grinding for new players for your MyTeam, playing online to increase your rank, or running a whole organization as the general manager, there’s a lot to distract you. NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 eliminates those distractions to present something you can pick up for 30 minutes at a time when you just want some quick fun.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2

Arcade Fun

$30 at Amazon

If you miss NBA Jam, this is the game for you.

2K’s Playgrounds 2 is not your typical basketball game, and that’s exactly why some will gravitate toward it. It changes the genre up to focus on ridiculousness and fun.

NBA Live ’19 is a full course meal

Alternatively, those who want a little more substance in all facets of the NBA experience can go for NBA Live ’19. The game presents its own brand of fun in the form of simulation gameplay that accurately emulates the ebb and flow of professional basketball, and there’s a little something here that everyone can enjoy.

NBA Live ’19

Authentic Basketball

NBA Live ’19 takes you further.

$40 at Amazon

NBA Live ’19 is a full-fledged simulation basketball game that offers deep hooping action. The game is chock full of content to ensure you never run out of things to do.

Grab the NVIDIA Shield Smart Home Edition and Google Home Mini for $200

Control everything from one place.

A couple weeks ago we shared a deal featuring the NVIDIA Shield streaming media player and a free Google Home Mini. That included the regular edition and the gaming edition that comes with its own controller. That deal is still good, but today we’re seeing that same free Google Home Mini promo plus a $20 discount on the Smart Home Edition of the NVIDIA Shield.

This version is different because it comes with the SmartThings Link, which is a Z-Wave transmitter that lets you use the Shield like a smart home hub. If you already use a SmartThings Hub or have Z-Wave smart home devices in your home, like smart light switches, then this should be of interest to you.

The SmartThings Link is $40 on its own, and the Google Home Mini is $49. The Google Home Mini pairs with the Shield quite well. In fact, you can use the Home Mini to power up the Shield TV, launch games, and more. Walmart also has the Nvidia Shield with the free Google Home Mini, just not the price discount on the smart home edition.

See at Best Buy

UK Daily Deals: Xbox Live Gold, refurb Fire HD 10, Hive thermostats, more

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today Xbox Live Gold membership, Hive Smart Thermostats + free Echo Dots, refurb Amazon Fire HD 10 tablets, Marshall speakers and much more!

View the rest of the deals

Each day, the Thrifter UK team scouts out and shares amazing deals on products you know and love, helping you find the best prices on the ‘net.

For more UK deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter UK and follow the team on Twitter for the most up-to-the-minute coverage.

This Arduino programming and eBook bundle is only $90

Many of us have dreamed about building a robotic servant, but jumping into that level of circuitry right off the bat isn’t exactly feasible. It’s best to start with simple circuits — things that control lights and buzzers — before moving onto more complex builds. What you need is an Arduino kit that starts at the bottom and moves up to more advanced projects through hands-on experiments.

Become a robotics pro with this Arduino bundle! Learn more

Right now, Android Central Digital Offers has a deal on the The Complete Arduino Starter Kit & Course Bundle. Instead of the regular $600, you’ll pay only $90 — that’s 85% off the regular price! If you’ve always been interested in circuity and creating your own electronic and robotic builds, now is the time to take the plunge.

The ARDX Arduino starter kit comes with everything you need to start tinkering, including 13 circuits, each with a breadboard layout. Get started on robotics, wearables, and much more.

Become an Arduino pro now! Learn more

Ready to get started with Arduino? This starter kit bundle is the best way to immerse yourself in the world of circuitry. And at only $90, there’s no better time than the present. Don’t wait too long; this offer won’t last forever.

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL review: Fewer features make incredible phones

Google’s latest phones shine a light at just how good Android can be.

It’s true: Google’s new Pixel phones aren’t all that different from its last Pixel phones. Specs, features, design and overall philosophy are effectively constant between generations, particularly when you take into account that last year’s Pixels have been updated to Android 9 Pie and will thankfully be receiving many of the Pixel 3’s new camera features.

But to dismiss the Pixel 3 for its similarity to the Pixel 2 would be to miss out on what is a great phone. Google has never been interested in adding or changing features just for the sake of doing something, and the Pixel 3 doesn’t change the parts of the experience that already worked. But the Pixel 3 and 3 XL do fix much-discussed problems with the last generation, and add a few extras that enhance Google’s vision for what an Android phone should be.

The result is a fantastic pair of phones.

Camera, phone

Google Pixel 3

$799+ at Best Buy

A simple, powerful phone with an excellent camera and simple software anyone can enjoy using.

Google’s charging a lot for its Pixel 3 and 3 XL, but it’s warranted. It’s true these phones aren’t large upgrades from their predecessors, but that doesn’t change the fact that these are exceptional phones with great software, excellent performance, good displays, and standout cameras on the back and front.

Pros:

• Simple, intuitive software
• Great photo quality
• Excellent selfies
• Sleek, solid hardware
• Loud stereo speakers
• Wireless charging
• Longterm software support

Cons:

• No headphone jack
• Occasional camera app stutters
• Pixel 3 has subpar battery life
• 4GB RAM could limit future performance

Ed. note: Due to the extreme similarities between the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, this review should be viewed as applicable to both phones. Specific areas, such as size and camera comments, will note in particular whenever there is a difference between the two.

Evolution

Google Pixel 3 Hardware

This is a case of evolution, not revolution. The new phones are effectively unchanged in size from their predecessors, but the finishes and materials have been tweaked and, ultimately, much improved.

The Pixel 3 is actually smaller than the Pixel 2, but now has a 5.5-inch 18:9 display for roughly 10% more screen space — that means smaller bezels, which make the phone look and feel more modern. It brings the screen size up to a point where it feels like less of a trade off than previous small Pixels; I don’t feel restricted by the screen size, but it’s still a compact enough phone to grasp in one hand and slip into a pocket without issue.

Same sized phone, but with a larger screen — while keeping stereo speakers.

The Pixel 3 XL jumps to a 6.3-inch 18.5:9 display, but the number is a bit of a misnomer as its large notch and taller aspect ratio don’t give it dramatically more room than the 2 XL. Everyone is focused on the notch here, but it just doesn’t bother me that much. Phones just have notches now, and the number of options without them are only decreasing. After a couple days, you forget it’s there. Really.

But it’s the improvement to the quality of the screens that’s far more important than the sizes and shapes — and potentially the most important change to these phones over their predecessors in any respect. Google spent an inordinate amount of time making the displays as great as possible, and it shows. Speaking with Seang Chau (VP Engineering) and Raj Singh (Sr Director, Tech Engineering) from the Google hardware team ahead of the Pixel 3 launch, I immediately understood just how seriously Google took the displays this year, and how proud both were of the end result.

Google spent an inordinate amount of time making these displays as good as possible.

The OLED screens are clearly higher quality panels than before, which is a great starting point. Then Google went to work calibrating them: there was a huge focus on base-level accuracy at the panel level, and then further calibration in software to make them perform their best. DisplayMate’s testing gave the Pixel 3 XL an A+ rating and ranked it among the best phone displays it’s ever seen.

The phones ship in “Adaptive” display mode by default, which bumps up colors and saturation but has been tuned to limit the over-saturation of skin tones and reds in particular. Both screens look great, and look near-identical to one another — and importantly, they’re dramatically better than any previous Pixel. Everything you see on the screen is crisp and pleasing. Colors stand out, but aren’t obnoxious or overblown — and they don’t shift dramatically when you tilt the phone. (And true display nerds can always drop it to “Natural” for a 100% RGB look.)

These displays blow away the Pixel 2 and 2 XL — it isn’t even close.

I’m extremely impressed with every aspect of this display, except for one: brightness. Unlike Samsung’s latest displays and the newest panel from LG in the V40, the Pixel 3 just doesn’t reach a high enough peak brightness to be clearly visible at all times outdoors. It’s dramatically better than the Pixel 2, and is good enough in sunlight, but I still found myself shading the phone with my other hand or turning away from the sun to see the screen more often than I should with a phone in this top-end category. Adaptive Brightness does a great job adjusting on its own throughout the day, but these phones could really benefit from an extra-high-brightness mode in sunlight like the competition offers.

Even with the stretched screens, Google’s retained its front-facing stereo speakers, and put extra time into both hardware and software so that they’re even louder and clearer than before. I typically walk around the house in the morning listening to a podcast on my phone and have to max out the speakers to hear it clearly — with the Pixel 3, I don’t. It’s not going to obviate the need for a Bluetooth speaker for group listening, but these phones get way louder than you’ll likely need in a phone — even on the smaller Pixel 3, which is perhaps 10% quieter than the larger version.

This is a solid and simple design, refined and improved on ever so slightly.

Picking them up, both phones feel amazing; just the right balance of heft and usability. The frames are entirely glossy now, which counter-intuitively provide more grip than the previous painted metal (your fingers “stick” to the gloss). The backs look the same as the Pixel 2, but are made of Gorilla Glass 5 instead. Roughly two-thirds of the glass surface is etched with a fine texture that mimics the painted metal of before, which isn’t particularly grippy but feels fantastic and dramatically cuts down on fingerprint accumulation.

The etching only covers the flat portion of the glass as well, letting the smooth part help transition more seamlessly into the metal on the sides. For me, this is the best of both worlds. You get the solid feel and texture that you’d normally associate with metal, but the wireless charging capability of glass. And yes, this means these phones will be more fragile than the Pixel or Pixel 2 — that just comes with the territory.

Some have panned the Pixel 3 design for being boring, but I enjoy the understated look. From phones to accessories and smart home gadgets, Google’s current design aesthetic isn’t flashy — the Pixel 3 fits right in with the rest of its product line in that respect. You can choose to step up the texture or color with one of its awesome knit cases, if you wish — or just stare at the contrast-colored power buttons on the white and Not Pink phones.

Carrying the torch

Google Pixel 3 Cameras

Google’s Pixel 2 is well-regarded as having one of the best cameras in the smartphone world. Google knows it’s onto something good, and it’s going even further with the Pixel 3. And it’s doing so with the exact same formula: leaning on software processing, not hardware.

Google didn’t add more rear cameras because it frankly didn’t need to — it thinks software is king.

Google didn’t add a second (or third) rear camera to the Pixel 3, nor did it substantially update the hardware itself. This is still a single 12.2MP sensor — albeit Google says it’s a new version with better dynamic range — with the same f/1.8 aperture and OIS. What’s different is the supporting cast of sensors, backed up by new processing.

Every photo benefits from improved HDR+ processing thanks to the Pixel Visual Core. This dedicated image chip, which is also in the Pixel 2, now handles all HDR+ photos — and you’ll notice up to 40% faster processing because of it. There’s also a new spectral sensor to interpret various spectra to aid in color accuracy, and a new flicker sensor to help reduce banding and visual issues when shooting in bad lighting.

The result? Photos that look a whole heck of a lot like they were taken on a Pixel 2. That’s a good thing, and not too surprising given the hardware similarities — but I suppose I was expecting some sort of revolution in photo quality for some reason. In reality, when you’re at the top of the heap already it’s tough to make a dramatic improvement. Photos from the Pixel 3 perfectly walk the line between having eye-catching colors and being accurate. They’re a great representation of what you want the scene to look like, but without going overboard with a typical “HDR” look.

Photos aren’t notably better than the Pixel 2 — then again that still makes this the best camera available today.

Like the Pixel 2 you can notice some grain and texture when you zoom in and check out the details — but that’s part of what makes the photos look so lifelike and realistic when viewed at full size. They don’t look artificially smoothed, fake or synthetically enhanced; so although it may not create impressively tack-sharp details, I don’t at all feel that takes away from the quality of the images when viewed at normal sizes.

The Pixel 3 is astonishingly good in a variety of lighting situations, somehow retaining detail and colors without much light to work with. It once again isn’t as sharp and smooth in low light as the Galaxy Note 9, but it isn’t particularly noisy either — there’s just enough texture here so that flat surfaces and edges look real rather than artificially constructed. In other words, low-light shots on the Pixel 3 have the same characteristics, qualities and colors as daylight shots — which is an impressive bit of consistency. And this evaluation comes before Google’s new “Night Sight” feature is available, which is coming a few weeks after launch and promises to be able to bring out tons of light in dark scenes without a quality drop.

I had to use tap-to-focus to increase the exposure on photos with a wide range of brightness across the scene, because the HDR+ processing just didn’t always pull out the kind of brightness I wanted when I just point and shoot. Now and then you get a shot that’s downright bland — but you don’t ever get a bad photo that’s blurry or grainy beyond use. The quality floor is just so high on this camera that even the subpar shots are of above-average quality for a smartphone.

Google’s overcoming its lack of a secondary telephoto camera with a new digital zoom system called “Super Res Zoom.” When you zoom, advanced processing collects and lays together several frames to make up for the lost resolution. In practice, it works really well at 2X and 4X zoom — 2X, in particular, looks nearly as good as the full frame; and 4X looks more like 2X used to. This isn’t going to make you confident that you can go digitally zooming all the time, because you do lose quality, but it effectively matches what you get out of other companies’ dedicated telephoto cameras — particularly in poor lighting where those cameras often just digitally zoom on the main sensor anyway.

Top Shot and Super Res Zoom aren’t features you need to know by name in order to use and enjoy regularly.

Motion Photos make their return on the Pixel 3, and a new feature called “Top Shot” is a good reason to turn them back on. With Motion Photos enabled, the Pixel 3’s camera will now look at the buffer of frames before and after the moment you hit the shutter button to find alternate photos that may actually look better. This is a feature that really shines when you’re taking pictures of people or animals — the rest of the time, it just generates the annoyance of taking lots of unnecessary Motion Photos. Setting the camera to “Motion auto” is a good middle ground if you often take photos of moving subjects, because Top Shot really is useful in those situations.

The only thing I can find that’s actually a detriment to the Pixel 3 camera experience is the inexplicable app slowdowns. I know Google’s doing some pretty darn amazing processing and lots of heavy lifting, and that’s a tough amount of work to handle. But the camera app still manages to bog down a phone with a Snapdragon 845 and a dedicated Pixel Visual Core image processor. To be clear, the camera isn’t consistently slow — it’s typically very fast — but from time to time it stutters or fails to save images, or takes multiple seconds to hop from the viewfinder to gallery. In my experience Samsung’s camera app is far faster and more consistent — Google’s been fighting this slow camera app problem since the old Nexus days. It has to figure out how to get rid of these bugs, because it’s the final piece of this camera puzzle.

Front-facing cameras

Unlike the rear camera, Google changed quite a bit about the selfie experience — despite the fact that the Pixel 2 was already excellent. The main camera is a new 8MP sensor with auto focus and an f/1.8 lens, which in itself is already an upgrade. And it’s supported by a second 8MP sensor behind an f/2.2 wide-angle lens — that gives you options for group selfies and also improved portrait mode shots. Google’s also applying really good lens distortion fixes for the wide-angle shots so you don’t look like you have a super-wide face.

Selfies with the Pixel 3 are, well, fantastic. Auto focus is a massive help to make sure your face is crisp, and there’s just an immense amount of detail available rather than any sort of weird beautification smoothing. Portrait mode selfies are also great … except when things go wonky with the algorithm, and those flaws really stick out to the point where you’ll want to retake the shot. Still, this is comfortably the best selfie shooter I’ve used.

Subtle tweaks

Google Pixel 3 Software, performance and battery life

Google preempted itself with the launch of Android 9 Pie weeks before its hardware was announced. Pie on the Pixel 3 hasn’t changed much from what you can use today on the Pixel and Pixel 2, but that’s just fine with me — Pie is a really great version of the operating system.

The biggest addition Google is likely to promote and advertise is a new “call screen” feature built into the dialer. When a call comes in, you now have the option to “screen” the call with a single touch. The caller receives an automated response from a digital voice asking them for more information about why they’re calling. That response is automatically transcribed (locally, not online) to text and shown on your screen.

You can choose to pick up the call at any time, prompt the caller for even more information, or reject it and mark the call as spam. That’s a neat feature, particularly as spam calls seem to be a problem everyone’s dealing with and aren’t going away any time soon. (Call screening is unfortunately U.S.-only for now, though.)

The whole suite of Digital Wellbeing features are also leaving beta with the launch of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL. This suite is highlighted by a new dashboard that gives you information on your phone and app usage throughout the day, and gives you simple tools to help limit it if you want. It also has neat little touches like “Wind Down” to grey out the screen to make it easier to get to sleep at night, “Flip to Shhh” to quickly put your phone in DND when it’s face down, and of course simple(r) controls for notifications throughout the operating system. The whole idea of “Digital Wellbeing” is apparent across Android 9 Pie in just how simple it is, and how it easily scales to be useful for the most novice and most advanced users out there.

Google’s take on Android continues to be my personal choice — it’s a joy to use every day.

It may seem overly restrictive and basic for someone who has leveraged Samsung’s software to its fullest for multiple years, I generally enjoy the simplicity of Google’s approach to Android. The design is soft and inviting, with pops of color and great use of contrasting colors with various levels of opacity throughout the interface. It’s also just downright simple to understand how to do all of the basics, and if you’re set into the Google ecosystem of products the transition to a Pixel is a treat.

System performance has also been exceptional; no matter what I threw at the Pixel 3 it handled it without issue. We know Google puts an emphasis on keeping animations and interactions smooth with a high frame rate, and it shows here. I understand the worries about having “only” 4GB of RAM, and have experienced one oddity of Pocket Casts shutting down when I took several HDR+ photos and tried to review them, but I don’t think this will be any sort of issue that will affect users. I sure would’ve preferred to have 6GB for the future, but Google’s committed to supporting the Pixel 3 with software updates for three years regardless — that’s Google’s problem to sort out, not the phone buyer’s.

Battery life

Now, to save the most important part for last: battery life. This is one of the areas where I need to break things down between the two sizes, because there’s roughly a 17% larger battery (3430mAh) in the Pixel 3 XL even though the Pixel 3 added capacity (up to 2915mAh) compared to last year. But there’s a common theme for both: battery life is good, not great.

You’ll get a full day of use in most cases. But nothing more.

Whichever phone I’m using, my usage is about the same. I spend a good amount of time on Wi-Fi throughout the day, with at least a couple hours using Bluetooth headphones listening to both Pocket Casts and YouTube Music. Ambient Display is turned on, I let automatic brightness change on its own, and all of my various email and social accounts are syncing. I don’t use Battery Saver mode until it turns on automatically at 15%. Typically, I have between 3 and 4 hours of “screen on” usage.

With the Pixel 3 XL, this type of use yielded between 16 and 17 hours of battery life to reach roughly the 5% mark, which aligns with what I can get out of phones like the Galaxy S9+ and LG V40. That means as I start to wind down in the evening, I’m getting a little worried about battery life if I expect to do much more with my phone than sit around and check out a few apps. It doesn’t give me a whole lot of wiggle room if I end up having a late night out, so if I was leaving the house for a while after dinnertime I would absolutely give it a quick charge just to make sure.

The Pixel 3 unsurprisingly offers a bit less. With the same usage, I averaged around 14 to 15 hours of usage, which starts to get to the point where I wouldn’t trust the phone to make it through a heavy work or travel day. Just like the 3 XL, if I use the 3 moderately and don’t spend a ton of time taking photos or streaming, I’ll head to bed with plenty left in the tank — these phones barely use any battery when they’re not in use. The problem is when you start to get into them hard, the battery falls off quickly.

Battery life is neither a feature or a problem — it’s just average.

As someone who spent a large portion of the last year using both the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, this doesn’t surprise me in the least. They exhibited the exact same battery life characteristics. Both were capable of getting through a day, but would drain quickly under heavy use — and neither one was a leader for battery life in its segment.

One downside of doing a review with just 6 days spent with these phones is that Android 9 Pie’s new “Adaptive Battery” management hasn’t had quite enough time to set in and really optimize apps to maximize battery life. Presumably, battery life will improve over the next week or so as the phones settle in — but right now the battery life is good, but not impressive. The Pixel 3 in particular is just weak enough to feel like it’s a trade-off for getting that desirable smaller form factor. The Pixel 3 XL isn’t a battery champion like the Galaxy Note 9, but it offers enough longevity to not worry about battery life on most days — that’s just fine for me.

Camera, phone

Google Pixel 3 Review

It’s absolutely true that the Pixel 3 and 3 XL aren’t huge upgrades over the Pixel 2 series. But like so many other manufacturers, Google isn’t really trying to court people who already own its phone from last year — that’s extra applicable to Google, which has a relatively small base of users. There’s far more market potential in getting people over from Samsung, and even Apple, phones — and for these people, the Pixel 3 and 3 XL look amazing.

This is a perfect example of a phone being greater than the sum of its parts.

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL aren’t about giving you every feature under the sun or trying to win every spec battle — these phones are a perfect example of being greater than the sum of their parts. They have all of the specs they need, and exceptional software performance regardless. The software is simple to use with tons of nice-to-have features and nothing to get in your way or frustrate you. It also comes with the peace of mind of knowing Google will send out software updates for the next three years.

Google’s hardware isn’t flashy, but it’s efficient and aims to provide an above-average experience while generally getting out of the way. It’s solid, efficient and classy — and now, the phones have screens befitting the price. You also get great stereo speakers, wireless charging and average battery life. Then there are the cameras, which are best-in-class on the back and front. Taking photos with the Pixel 3 is effortless and the quality is exceptional.

I have no hesitation recommending the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL to anyone who asks what the best Android phone is.

$799 is a lot to ask for the relatively small Pixel 3, but it stands among very few phones that offer this quality of hardware and components in a manageable size — making it a fantastic phone for anyone who has resisted the call of larger phones. For those who haven’t, the $899 Pixel 3 XL is a little tougher of a sell. The Galaxy Note 9, LG V40 and others are enticing options with big screens at similar prices — but still, Google’s qualities shine, and this is a fantastic phone that can compete with anything else out there.

4.5
out of 5

I will have no hesitation in recommending the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL to anyone who asks me what the best Android phone is. I can recommend them without qualms or caveats, because they’re just so good at doing the things everyone wants from a modern smartphone — whether they’re a novice or an expert — without show-stopping issues, problems, or tricks to learn. That’s the beauty of buying a Google Pixel.

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Here’s everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 3!

From specs, pricing, features, and more, here’s the latest on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL.

Following months of leak after leak, Google’s officially taken the wraps off its Pixel 3 and 3 XL smartphones. The two handsets look exactly like what we saw in all the early photos and renders, and while the element of surprise may be gone, we’ve still got two impressive Android handsets to talk about.

Without further ado, this is everything you need to know about the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL!

Check out our full review!

Here it is, folks — the full Android Central review of the Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL!

These are easily two of the best Android phones you can buy right now, and no matter if you opt for the regular or XL model, you’ll be getting a fantastic display, an excellent software experience, and some of the best cameras on a smartphone in 2018.

They may not look like much on the outside, but these are two really special phones.

Google Pixel 3 review: Fewer features make incredible phones

Here are the specs!

If you’ve got a Pixel 2, a lot of the specs for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL will look very similar. There’s still 4GB of RAM and a starting storage amount of 64GB, but the Snapdragon 835 processor from last year has been replaced by the newer 845.

For a full rundown on both phones, check out the link below. 👇

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL specifications

The displays are a lot better

Shortly after its release, one of the biggest controversies that popped up for the larger Pixel 2 XL was its poor display. We have an LG-made OLED panel once again, but the year-over-year difference is huge.

Google’s touting 400+ nits of brightness for both phones, 2X less burn-in potential, and less color shifting.

There are still three different color profiles to choose from so you can fine-tune your experience, and out of the box, both the Pixel 3 and 3 XL have been optimized so that their displays look identical next to one another.

For an extremely detailed analysis of the Pixel 3 XL’s display, check out DisplayMate’s full in-depth review in which it received a top A+ rating.

The Google Pixel 3 addresses our biggest complaint with the Pixel 2: its display

There are three colors

Google’s probably the best when it comes to naming its device colors, and this year we have Just Black and Very White. New this year is a pink hue that’s been aptly named “Not Pink.”

All three colors are available for both the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL no matter where you decide to buy them.

An all-glass back brings wireless charging support

For the past two years, Google’s used a mixture of aluminum and glass on the back of its phones. This year, the Pixel 3 shakes things up by adopting an all-glass construction.

There’s still an etched section near the top that adds a nice matte finish that allows for more grip and fewer fingerprints. Google’s also integrated Qi wireless charging support and selling a new Pixel Stand wireless charging accessory that’ll charge the Pixel 3 + 3 XL and put them into a new “dashboard” UI that shows a slideshow of pictures on Google Photos and various Assistant info.

The Pixel Stand is a $79 wireless charger for Pixel 3 that unlocks special display modes

Google’s made a ton of camera improvements

The Pixel 2 and 2 XL have some of the best cameras we’ve ever seen on a smartphone, and with the Pixel 3, Google’s making the camera experience even better.

Perhaps the biggest change includes the addition of a second front-facing camera. You now have access to a regular and wide-angle lens for all of your selfies and portrait mode works no matter which one you use. Google’s also integrated an algorithm to remove any distortion caused by the wider lens.

Other changes include:

• 40% faster HDR+ processing
• Improved detail retention while zooming
• Night Sight mode improves low-light shots
• Top Shot mode captures multiple frames before and after your picture and then recommends an alternative shot compared to what you actually captured

Along with all this, Google Lens is also built right into the Pixel 3’s camera app and works automatically when it detects something.

Android 9 Pie is available out of the box

As you’d expect, Android 9 Pie is running on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL from day one. This is the same Android Pie we’ve been using on the Pixel 2 phones, including the new navigation gestures, quick settings panel, etc.

The Pixel 3 does bring a handful of new software goodies, including the full release of Digital Wellbeing outside of its beta state and a slightly updated UI for the camera app.

There’s also a new call screening feature that’ll allow you to send your caller to a system that asks them to provide information about who they are and why they’re calling. What they say comes through in real-time and you can choose to hang up or pick up at any point.

There are already a ton of accessories

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL are great phones, but you can make them even better with a good collection of accessories.

Whether you’re in the market for a heavy duty case, screen protectors, or something else entirely, here are a few helpful links to get you started with outfitting your new phone.

• Best Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Accessories
• Best Cases for Google Pixel 3
• Best Cases for Google Pixel 3 XL
• These Are The Official Cases for the Google Pixel 3 lineup
• Best Screen Protectors for Google Pixel 3 XL

Here’s when and where you can buy it

If you want to pick up the Pixel 3 for yourself, pre-orders are open right now. The Pixel 3 costs $799 for the 64GB model and goes up to $899 if you get the 128GB variant. For those same storage configurations on the Pixel 3 XL, you’ll pay $899 and $999, respectively.

The Pixel 3 series will be sold at Verizon, Best Buy, the Google Store, and Project Fi.

See at Google Store

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL hands-on preview
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 3 vs. Pixel 3 XL: Which should you buy?
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL specifications
• Join our Pixel 3 forums

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