Google Pixel 3 XL, unlocked, Clearly White, 128 GB, UK

Product Information

It easily fits in one hand, and, for the most part, you can operate it without resorting to using two hands. That's the best reason to choose the Pixel 3 over the Pixel 3 XL. It's screen size is big enough, yet the phone handfeel is rather manageable. Others will appreciate the fact that it doesn't have an ugly notch cut out at the top, a design choice deal breaker for many. Due to its late 2018 launch, the Pixel 3 also avoids the 'punch hole' camera design choice seen in the Honor View 20. It's trend that's sweeping 2019 smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S10. The Pixel 3 XL is essentially the same handset as the Pixel 3, so see our review of that phone for specifics related to hardware and software performance. Here we're going to discuss what's different between the two phones and why that matters. More rounded edges are everywhere on the Pixel 3. Its frame is less boxy than previous Google phones, a trend we've seen from the iPhone and and others. Gone is the harsher silver bevel around the frame and rear fingerprint sensor. It's like Google put the Pixel 2 through a smoothing machine, and we like the results.

The Google Pixel 3 is the ideal smartphone for anyone who cares about photo quality and isn’t satisfied with their phone’s picture-taking abilities today. It has the camera smarts and Android Pie-powered AI smarts of the Pixel 3 XL, without the awkward notch cut-out at the top. And, unlike the comparable, one-hand-friendly iPhone XS, it’s cheap – at least by 2018 and 2019 flagship standards. Where the Pixel 2 XL suffered with dull colours and terrible viewing angles, the Pixel 3 XL pops with contrast and just the right amount of saturation in brighter colours like red and green. Viewing angles are great too: tilt the phone and there’s no ugly shift to blue. This is a fantastic all rounder phone with a fantastic display and camera, and it is definitely worth the money if you are looking for something new that has a unique design and does everything you need it to.

Summary

You'll still find dual front-facing speakers on the Google Pixel 3. No one else is really doing this anymore (except Razer with the Razer Phone 2), so it's nice to see in a flagship device. You'll also get Active Edge, which allows you to squeeze the sides of the phone to call up Google Assistant. We much prefer this squeeze mechanic as opposed to a dedicated AI button on the frame, like Samsung does with Bixby button (which we often confuse for the volume down button). According to Dr. Ray Soneira at DisplayMate Labs, t he Pixel 3 XL has a top-tier display with excellent calibration accuracy and performance that is "visually indistinguishable from perfect." It falls into the same category as the Galaxy Note 9, the Galaxy S9, and the iPhone X/XS Max, earning a DisplayMate Best Smartphone Display Award, with each screen standing out for its own particular strengths. The Pixel 3's rear camera is capable of recording 4K video at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps. In both cases, video is smooth and stable, buoyed by a mix of optical and electronic image stabilization. We found video to be smooth, with minimal jittering or frame drops. Software and AI As far as additional audio goes, the front-firing stereo speakers may not be room-filling at maximum volume, but they were more than sufficient to attract the attention of my colleagues when blasting Iron Maiden. The Pixel 3 supports 24-bit audio with the included Pixel Buds. The Pixel Buds are comfortable to wear, come with an adjustable ear loop, and integrate with Google Assistant. I found audio quality to be robust, with a crisp and accurate range, though the LG G7 with its dedicated quad DAC still provides more customization for audiophiles.

On Geekbench 4, which measures overall performance, the Pixel 3 XL scored a surprisingly low 7,684. The Galaxy Note 9 hit 8,876 and the OnePlus 6 9,088. The iPhone XS Max reached 11,515.When it comes to low-light shooting, the Pixel 3 again holds its own. In the dim setting of PC Labs, the phone consistently focused with reliable clarity and minimal noise. Unlike LG's Super Bright Camera, the Pixel 3 doesn't use pixel binning to combine pixels, preserving details rather than brightening the shot as a whole. To me, it's a worthwhile trade-off, though shots on the V40 may look clearer to some eyes.

On top of that, newer phones have come along to question the Pixel 3's smartphone camera superiority, like the Huawei P30 Pro, so is it still at the top of our list of the best camera phones? Read on to find out. Today we’re introducing Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL, the new smartphones from Google. Pixel brings you the best of Google in a phone, powered by AI to deliver more helpful, thoughtful and enjoyable experiences. That means a phone that answers for you when a telemarketer calls, a camera that uses AI to make sure you never miss the shot, and a more helpful visual and audio experience while charging, powered by the Google Assistant. We’re taking more photos on our phones than ever before, but we still often miss the perfect moment. Pixel 3 helps you get that perfect shot on the first try. You can save all your favorite moments with free, unlimited photo and video storage in original resolution. AI in Pixel 3 enables new features that make your day-to-day actions simpler. If you want to know more about something you’re looking at, use Google Lens, built right into the Pixel 3 camera. To scan and translate text, find similar styles of clothing, or identify popular plants and animals, you can long press in the Pixel 3 camera to easily open Lens. Strangely, this time is a lot less than the 12:09 the Pixel 2 XL turned in last year on the same LTE network, and the somewhat small difference in battery size doesn’t seem to account for the delta in endurance. We will be running additional tests to confirm our results and will be adding anecdotal battery life data after a few more days of use.

The Pixel 3 XL has a 3,430mAh battery that lasted for 8 hours, 10 minutes while streaming video over Wi-Fi at maximum screen brightness. That's a bit better than the 7 hours, 57 minutes managed by the 2,915mAh Pixel 3, but the difference is fairly negligible. Both can take advantage of fast charging with the included 18W adapter or wireless charging with the 10W Pixel Stand or other Qi-enabled charging accessories. Super Res Zoom is also very impressive. I shot a photo of text on a wall from across the room, and I could easily make out the words, even though the Pixel 3 XL doesn't technically have an optical zoom. The camera is smart enough to reframe the photo and fill in the details. The Pixel ships with Android 9.0 Pie, the very latest version of Google's mobile operating system. The phone is free from bloatware, and comes with the guarantee of two years of updates at the very least. We've already covered many of the changes Pie brings, including the redesigned gesture navigation, integration with the Pixel Stand, improved Google Assistant, and features like call screening and the upcoming Google Duplex.