Pixel 3 review: Google peers an amazing camera with serious AI smarts

When I first reviewed the Pixel 3 and the larger 3 XL in October, I had an inkling it would be one of the best phones of the year. Aimed at making a full call to the OnePlus 6T and an iPhone XR came out, and until it rolled out to a major camera feature it promised during launch.

Now that every major smartphone launched and the Night Sight update is available though, I can definitively declare that the Pixel 3 is indeed one of the best phones of the year, and my top overall Android pick. It truly is awesome, and it includes the best camera you can currently get in a phone.

Of all the things I liked it, I was most impressed by the vibrating and sharp photos. That's something the Pixel's competition, including the OnePlus 6T, iPhone XS and Galaxy Note 9 need two cameras (or at times, even more) to pull off. And with Night Sight, it can brighten up the darkest of scenes without a flash so that I'm not quite convinced it is not witchcraft.

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But the other half of the Pixel's draw is Google's software and the entire ecosystem it's ingrained with. Google wants you to use Google services like Gmail and Calendar. At times it's useful – especially your new ability to answer calls on your behalf. (Yes, it's as good as it sounds, but it does not help you in your life.) The constant notifications and tips and prompts get annoying, but fortunately you can turn these functions off.

So is an outstanding camera (which takes better photos than the iPhone XS) and Google's user experience worth the $ 799 (£ 739, AU $ 1,199) starting price for the 64GB Pixel 3? If you do not care about expandable storage, I say yes. At face value, the Galaxy S9 and it's cheaper compared to the iPhone XS '$ 1,000 (£ 999, AU $ 1,629) baseline price. The identically priced 128GB iPhone XR is a tempting alternative, but its just not up to the Pixel 3.

If you do not want extra storage, things get more complicated. The S9 ends up being the best value since it can hold up to 400GB of extra data, and the 256GB iPhone is actually cheaper than the Pixel 3 at any capacity in terms of price per gig.

But if you are willing to pay, the Pixel 3 is outstanding. It may not look like a luxury iPhone XS or Galaxy S9, but it has the advantage of being a Google phone, which includes unlimited cloud storage and timely software updates. And with its superlative, easy-to-use camera, the Pixel 3 is top-notch.

Keep in mind, too, that the Pixel 3 is available in a larger 6.3-inch model (compared with this model's 5.5-inch display). The Pixel 3 XL starts at $ 899 (£ 869, AU $ 1,349) and offers a bit more battery life and a hideable notch on its display. But features, including the cameras, are otherwise the same.

Editors' Note, Nov. 15: We've updated this review, originally published Oct. 15, with final camera testing and additional printing. CNET Editors' Choice.

Pixel's exceptional camera delivers again

If the Pixel 2 ($ 649 at Google Store)'s camera was excellent, the Pixel 3 is exceptional. The Pixel 3 takes impressive low-light shots, records steady video and pulls off solid photos with two cameras for the same effect. Its wide dynamic range handles varying exposures and well-being, at times producing images that look better than in real life.

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New camera software also aims to improve photo quality. Google has improved the camera's low-light capabilities Night Sight. It works extremely well, brightening up the darkest of scenes and keeping objects in focus. Top Shot, which works when you take "Motion" pictures, looks for smiles and open eyes to recommend the best image in a series. To improve its digital zoom, the Pixel combines several photos together and processes super detailed, zoomed-in shots.

In general, the Pixel takes brilliant photos, capturing images that are detailed and clear. The colors are more intense than you'd see on the iPhone XS, but not to a level that's unrealistic or exaggerated. The Pixel also has a white-balance and its skin tones were more true to life than the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 at times. It is more detailed with darker shadows than the Galaxy phones.

There were times when the OnePlus 6T had a wider dynamic range than the Pixel 3 XL in its default fashion, brightening and punching up colors more. But when I switched to 3 XL's HDR + enhanced mode, it outperformed the OnePlus 6T. And while the 6T's Nightscape, the Pixel's Night Sight feature is far better than the Pixel 3 XL.

The Pixel 3's camera is skillful at taking portrait pictures too. They take a few seconds to render, but the falloff between the foreground When I took a picture of a dog, I noticed a patchy-looking stray hair or two, but the effect was minimal. And the Pixel gives you the option to tweak the blurriness and focus of these portraits after you fire the shutter, similar to the iPhone XS and other Android phones. The editing process is accurate and easy to use. (For a deeper dive, check out CNET's Pixel 3 vs. iPhone XS camera comparison.)