Google Pixel 3 XL Review: Still the pinnacle of Android?

The world of smartphone users is virtually divided into two types: iOS and Android. And while the iOS segment typically represents high-end buyers primarily based in the United States and Europe, Android has a stronger grip on the rest of the world. This is particularly true in China and India, which are the world's largest smartphone markets by user size. However, Android has generally been associated with affordable prices, due to its open-source nature and its wide range of associated manufacturers.

This is where Google's Pixel range hopes to change things. Premium and high-end devices on Android have always existed, but in 2016, Google decided to fight directly on iOS. Google branded devices are exactly what Android was supposed to represent, consistent with Google's original vision for its operating system, and also provides the Android equivalent of high-end smartphones built by Apple. The latest products in this range are the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL, launched earlier this month.

Today we are looking at the biggest and most expensive of the two, the Rs 83,000 Google Pixel 3 XL. Introducing for the first time an attempt to display notches, glass construction and Android 9 Pie in its own right, Google, the Pixel 3 XL is a promising device. But in a world where similar retail devices sell less than 25,000 rupees, is the "Made by Google" label still worth it? And the legendary Google Pixel camera has everything it was designed? We discover in our review.

WATCH: Google Pixel 3 XL Hands-On

Google Pixel 3 XL design and display

I'll start by talking about the design of the Pixel 3 XL by telling you that I do not like it. From the moment I saw the first images to the point where I actually unpacked our examination unit, I am absolutely unimpressed by the appearance of the phone. At a time when all other high-end smartphone makers are focusing on design and style, the Google Pixel 3 XL looks good.

Let's start from the back. The double-textured back has appealed in the past, but it's starting to look a little ridiculous now. That said, the switch to glass has slightly improved the style. However, this is not a monocoque construction, so despite its metal frame, the phone looks strangely "cheap" from certain angles. That said, it's something you'll get used to pretty quickly. And, although the color options "Just Black" and "Not Pink" have their own appeal, I liked the "Clearly White" option for its appearance unlike anything else today.

Like the Pixel 2 range, the Google Pixel 3 XL does not have a 3.5mm jack for older headphones and earphones. The single SIM tray is located at the bottom, next to the USB Type-C port, while the right side contains the power and volume buttons. The white option has a green power button with strange colors, which has an artistic or sticky look, depending on your sensibilities. At the back, you have the fingerprint sensor, the Google logo and a single camera with flash.

The rest of the frame respects the typical minimalism and simplicity for which the Pixel range is known. And while it's probably time to re-imagine the aesthetics of the Pixel series, the Pixel 3 XL unfortunately remains in a style now two years old.

Go ahead, it's where things get even more difficult. While other Android smartphone makers are looking to reduce the notch and totally eliminate the chin, the Pixel 3 XL offers voluminous iterations. Since the notch is a compromise by its very nature, one would think that Google would like to reduce it and make it less visible. However, it is deep, oddly shaped and gives a weird look to the phone. Below the screen is a chin also wide.

These two aspects are as they are because of the material they use; the notch features the Pixel's dual front camera configuration, its sensors and its headset / speaker, while the chin sports a large speaker grille. Therefore, these strange design clues are not useless, if they are functions that you actually intend to use. And given the quality of these two features, you will find them very useful, whether for better selfies or for better audio quality from the configuration of the phone's stereo speakers.

The Google Pixel 3 XL is equipped with a Samsung-made 6.3-inch AMOLED display, with an aspect ratio of 18.5: 9 and a resolution of 1440 × 2960 pixels, with the top Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for increased protection. Given the complaints about LG's P-OLED screens on the Pixel 2 XL, Google responded well to the call with this option for the Pixel 3 XL.

From resolution to color, there is very little to complain about, beyond the typical trend of Samsung AMOLED displays with slightly saturated colors. That being said, it helps the phone to get bright, strong colors that appeal to many users. Size also helps, making Pixel a large screen capable screen that allows you to play, watch videos, etc. The use of AMOLED technology also allows Google to continue using its excellent permanent display technology.

Google Pixel 3 XL specifications and battery

As is usually the case with Google Pixel devices, the Pixel 3 XL is powered by a flagship chipset. Under the hood, you get the Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC 845, currently considered the most advanced mobile chipset in the world for Android devices. However, the annual launch of Pixel in October means that it is only a few months before Qualcomm announces a successor and that the smartphone manufacturers implement it in their new devices. For now, the Pixel 3 XL is the best chipset available, if only for a few months.

Other specifications are anything but inspiring. The device comes with 4GB of standard RAM, with an internal storage of 64GB or 128GB and no possibility of storage expansion. Classic Pixel users may not be very affected by the lack of storage extension, given Google's excellent cloud services. However, even 128GB of storage may not be enough if you want to have many applications and their associated data. What's missing here is more RAM, more storage and perhaps booting storage options starting at 128GB this time.

After using the Pixel 3 XL for a while, I'll admit that 4GB of RAM might be enough to keep things running at key levels for most tasks. While other smartphones may be struggling to boost performance with so much RAM, the standard Android user interface and the pure Android framework with no additions from manufacturers mean that if a flagship smartphone can run 4GB of RAM, it is the Pixel 3 XL.

However, as I said before, using 4 GB of RAM is a long-term concern. It is unlikely that you will encounter problems for at least a year, but beyond that, 4 GB of RAM might be missing. And when devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and the OnePlus 6 offer up to 8GB of RAM, Google's insistence on dealing with what is needed rather than offering a safety net to buyers appears useless . An increase of 6 GB of RAM would have been nice. This is particularly relevant since I was experiencing some performance issues, but we'll talk about it later.

The phone sports a 3,430 mAh battery and comes with a 18W fast charger provided. You can get a full charge in about 80 minutes with the supplied charger, while most other options charge the phone rather slowly. Depending on your usage, you can use the Pixel 3 XL for a day. But keep in mind that the more you use a large, high resolution screen, the more you negate the possibility of a full day. I spent an average of about 3.5 to 4 hours screen with the phone; average at best since most Snapdragon 845 devices reach 5.5 or 6 hours on the right days.

Another little thing worth mentioning here: the lack of a 3.5mm jack means that Google is now including its Pixel Type-C earphones in the box. These are made of plastic, lightweight and feel a bit cheap. The fit is not as safe and insulating from the noise, which really discouraged me. Although they sound good, I was not fully impressed and often found that I had a better audio experience with a wireless headset, or using the 3.5mm Type C adapter to connect better spun headphones.

Google Pixel 3 XL Software and Performance

Google Pixel devices are always the first to receive the latest versions of Android, and the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are duly launched with Android 9 Pie ready for use. Released in August, a handful of smartphone makers (including Google for its older Pixel devices) have already started broadcasting updates, but Pixels are generally not beaten to the distinction of being the first phones to be launched with the new version of the operating system. And with Android 9 Pie come various improvements.

Some of these most important improvements relate to security; the Google Pixel 3 XL, with its security chip Titan M, is among the most secure smartphones on the market, with many of these security features built into Android Pie. In addition to this, a new gestural navigation system, an adaptive battery and brightness, AI-based application actions, a simpler screen rotation and digital well-being make part of the range of awesome new features.

Of particular note is the integration of machine learning into the software, both in the adaptive functions and in the application's actions. With continued use, Google Pixel 3 XL records your usage habits to offer you suggestions in the application drawer. It also helps you limit the battery and adjust the brightness according to the applications you use more or less often. In practice, it works pretty well. suggestions such as quick access to the BGR India Slack channel or the WhatsApp chat with my wife tended to appear exactly when I needed it.

Another nice feature is the Digital Wellbeing tool, which comes in the form of an option in the settings menu, as well as a standalone application. This tool is integrated with the Android 9 Pie framework and will be available for the integration of all smartphone manufacturers into their software deployments. It gives you interesting information about how you use your phone, how long the screen is on, how often you unlock the phone, and so on. You can also adjust it to set usage limits, but it was not something I wanted to do.

Overall, Android software is performance-oriented and does its job very well. In most cases, the performance of the Google Pixel 3 XL is first rate. Whether you use multiple tabs on Google Chrome, high performance games, most social media applications or even occasional editing of videos and pictures on the phone, the Pixel 3 XL worked well. Even high performance games such as PUBG Mobile It worked pretty well, but I could sense a difference in how the phone behaved differently on the OnePlus 6, which was a little better.

And that is essentially RAM. I noticed that all these tasks worked best when I was continuously cleaning up active applications, leaving only one or two applications running in the background. Pushing with too many apps running in the background would often cause slight application management issues, where Google Pixel 3 XL should relegate some features to the background.

Returning to applications causes a noticeable charging delay, although I personally have not experienced any application management issues in which the phone would turn off an actively used background feature. This is essentially where Google should have gone further. 4GB of RAM on a flagship smartphone today – especially one that costs Rs 83,000 or more – must be called for what they are. You can learn and adapt your use for the phone to work properly, even with 4 GB of RAM, but why should you?

And beyond that, the software also presents other problems, some of which can be solved with updates; Google Pixel devices tend to suffer some of the first software before everything is fixed. However, other problems are fundamental defects of Android stock, and you might be better served by the manufacturer's software that adds keys that could work for you.

This is what I most criticized the idea of ​​Android today: it is too cruel. The emphasis on simplicity, minimalism and not overloading the phone with useless objects can be awkward beyond a point. It lacks many software-based applications in Google Pixel 3 XL, as can be expected as basic notions about smartphones, for a fraction of the price.

There is no unlocking of the face, the "do not disturb" mode can not be specifically adapted to functions such as games, and the gesture controls of the Pixel 3 XL are limited to one way to navigate. While too much customization could be a bad thing, perhaps too little ability to configure the phone the way you want it is also a bad thing.

And what should be emphasized here is that the Google Pixel 3 XL poses serious problems of Wi-Fi network and mobile network. The antenna is just not as powerful as other devices, switching to 3G where other phones easily hooked to LTE. In addition, the Wi-Fi connection tends to take longer, especially if you use an authenticated PEAP connection, which often takes between 45 minutes and one hour. These issues have been around since the Google Pixel 2 series and have not been resolved yet. Google's software may not be entirely original, and manufacturers' user interfaces can be an advantage in many cases.

Google Pixel 3 XL Camera

We now come to what should be the signature of the Google Pixel 3 XL – his photograph. As was the case from 2016, when the Pixel was launched, the Pixel 3 XL is what is, in my opinion, the smartphone's camera in the world. And while other smartphone manufacturers add dual and triple camera configurations to add capabilities, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL do everything with a single 12-megapixel sensor (on the back, this is the only way you can do it). 39; is to say). This sensor does it all, whether it's taking normal pictures in all kinds of lighting conditions, taking portraits or zooming in with Google's new Super Zoom resolution, which essentially makes optical zoom quality shots with a normal digital zoom.

However, although he has long insisted that dual camera configurations were gadgets, the Pixel 3 XL has one at the front, of all places. The awkward notch presents this dual-camera configuration, which Google has implemented in the form of two 8-megapixel sensors. One is a standard wide-angle shooting game with phase-detection autofocus (a relative rarity among smartphones that usually use front-facing fixed-focus cameras), while the second is an ultra-wide angle shooter. The phone also uses its dual camera configuration to allow you to take portraits with the front camera.

Whether in daylight or at dusk, the images are fantastic to say the least. Whether it's getting the details needed to capture colors accurately, the Google Pixel 3 XL does a better job than any other smartphone I've used. With the exception of the slight exaggeration resulting from the use of HDR (which can be disabled), the images are largely faithful to the reality that your eyes can see. Precision is the key word here, without losing the natural "drama" that exists in every setting.

Go to close-ups and you continue to see the detail in everything. Even without using portrait mode, the camera does a great job of focusing on the subject and offers a natural background blur. It does all of that even when there is a plethora of colors and textures in the frame, showing just how well the legendary algorithms of the Google camera work. Thanks to millions of photos available, Google Pixel 3 XL cameras are among the most powerful of the moment.

Most smartphones drop their users, but not the Google Pixel 3 XL. I was able to capture the details with a minimum of noise and grain, even at night. Although you notice oversaturation of the bright lights, the focus areas remain well captured, while the dim lights retain their natural color and texture.

Also take a look at the 'Super Res' digital zoom in action. Zoomed on about 5X, the image below retains its quality without any of the compensation artifacts that most digital zoom cameras tend to have. It is possible to see individual details and textures in the walls of the Taj hotel in Mumbai, and phones with adequate optical zoom could not capture this level of detail.

And finally, let's take a look at portraits and selfies. The portraits taken with the rear camera are excellent, they perfectly retain the details and textures. The blur effect is also excellent, and it can even be changed once the image is taken. However, I found that the best results were to let the camera do its own work; the blur of the background did not really help the images.

Although you have background and foreground detection issues in the picture below, the quality of the selfie is, once again, superior to anything on the market today. Details in the individual hairs of my face with sweat marks on my forehead, there is very little to complain about in this picture beyond the detection of bad background.

The image below shows the ultra wide angle sensor in action. Just pull the bar on the phone screen until the front camera gains the ability to magically add more people to your selfie. There is very little distortion (as is usually seen on the edges of wide angle shots), and the shadows and colors remain accurate and true to the scene.

In simple terms, there is nothing wrong here. The Google Pixel 3 XL is without a doubt the best camera that I have used up to now on all smartphones. Its features are significant, useful and work as advertised, with the main feature of taking good pictures with the rear camera being better than ever.

Verdict

I really wanted to love the Google Pixel 3 XL. As an Android user for a few years now, I'm still rooted in the Google Pixel range. And although my relationship with this phone may have started badly, I ended up liking it. But I never learned to like it.

The Google Pixel 3 XL is without a doubt the best camera phone you can buy today. So, if this is your main goal, you will probably like the phone while forgiving its some flaws. However, I could not bring myself to look beyond these. The software is good, but not flawless, and the idea of ​​simplicity and minimalism may be too abstract for the world today. Performance is good, but you need to adapt your use to get the most out of it. The screen is good, but this strange design notch and chin away from what is otherwise an excellent display. And 4 GB of RAM with 64 GB of storage belong to a cheap device, not a very expensive flagship smartphone.

Of course, all these faults are made even more unforgivable by this price. Starting at 83,000 rupees, the Google Pixel 3 XL is an expensive smartphone that does not convincingly justify its value. You will get similar levels of functionality with smartphones representing half the price of the Pixel 3 XL. If you choose the right choice, you can even use software support levels that Google claims to be one of its USP. But if the minimalism of the Google brand and an unbeatable camera suits you, the Google Pixel 3 XL could be your next smartphone.

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