Google Pixel 3 XL, 128GB, Black, SIM Free

Product Information

Once Google Duplex is rolled out, the phone will be able to do even more in the call department. Google Assistant can take over calling duties for you, sparing you from the tedium of tasks like scheduling hair appointments and making dinner reservations.

I’ll start with that notch, because it’s really the first thing that catches your eye. I’ve got nothing against notches in general, but the size of the one used here feels a step too far. It droops down noticeably more than an iPhone XS Max and as a result impacts on the content a lot. Wireless charging is a new feature for the Pixel phones, and a welcome change now that Google has launched the Pixel Stand wireless charger alongside its new devices. We haven't had a wirelessly charging Google phone since the plastic Nexus 6. 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). The UI is clean, simple and fast to navigate. There’s only the essential Google apps pre-installed and absolutely nothing else. As a user of Google services, the way everything works and syncs together is nothing short of fantastic.The 5.5-inch OLED screen fits into modern times. It's big and expansive, and sits in a phone that's smaller than we had expected given the screen size rumors. The entire thing measures 145.6 x 68.2 x 7.9mm and weighs 148g. It's roughly the same size as the Pixel 2, which had a smaller 5-inch display. The Google Pixel 3 XL release date was October 18, 2018 in the US, and November 1, 2018 in the UK and Australia, and it launched thereafter is Canada, France, Germany, Japan, India, Ireland, Italy, Singapore, Spain, and Taiwan. The Pixel 3 has a 5.5-inch 2,160-by-1,080 OLED display that's thankfully free from the scourge of a notch. The resolution works out to a crisp 443 pixels per inch. While we've been seeing higher-resolution screens lately (like the 570ppi Galaxy S9), the Pixel 3 is still plenty sharp for the size. It's crisp enough to easily read text, watch videos, and play games, and you won't notice any real difference in clarity between the two devices. The one thing to note is that, while the screen is certified to support HDR content, it doesn't do any upscaling as we've seen on phones like the Sony Xperia XZ3 and the midrange Nokia 7.1

But the Pixel 3 XL is more functional: It has two selfie cameras, dual front-facing speakers, and Active Edge, allowing you to squeeze the sides of the frame to trigger Google Assistant. We prefer this over a dedicated AI button, something that annoys us about Samsung and LG’s new phones with dedicated, often-mispressed AI buttons. Google has just announced the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. For an in-depth look at both phones take a look at our Pixel 4 review: hands on and Pixel 4 XL review: hands on. Typically we prefer bigger screens, but the Pixel 3 XL has a hard-to-ignore notch cut out at the top of the display - something not only far more sizeable than that in the Pixel 3 but also far deeper than the iPhone XS Max notch. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test.

While other handsets have been released to steal the crown, like the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, the Huawei P30 Pro, and the OnePlus 7 Pro, the Pixel 3 XL arguably remains the best camera phone. 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. We’ve covered the biggest Android 9 Pie features in a separate piece, so I won’t go deep into them here. However a couple do deserve a mention.

The Pixel 3 XL fits into one hand, but takes two hands to operate and it’s a little more slippery to hold than the Pixel 2 XL. The difference isn’t Earth (or phone) shattering, though we did end up preferring the tighter dimensions of the standard Google Pixel 3 for this reason. Even though the display is big, this isn’t the best phone for media viewing – simply because that notch does get in the way. Some apps, YouTube and Netflix for example, can give you the option to expand video behind the notch or default it to 16:9. However, Google Play Movies has no such option, even though it’s visible on the smaller Pixel 3, so movies play in a small box with lots of wasted space. Google Pixel 3 XL – Performance 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.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 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. Other connectivity protocols include dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC for use with Google Pay, and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless listening. Por poner una pequeña tara, que parece que soy de la empresa, el tiempo de duración de la batería quizás sea un poco escaso. The front set of cameras consist of a pair of 8MP standard and wide-angle sensors. The latter can snap with a 97-degree field of view, giving you a wider sense of your surroundings when taking a selfie. The sensors are sharp and accurate when it comes to color reproduction and skin tones. Most interestingly, while it appears to have barrel distortion in the viewfinder, with post-processing the effect is removed, minimizing the distinctive fish-eye effect we normally see on wide-angle cameras.