[ad_1]
Among the newcomers to the highly competitive smartphone market this month are the Google Pixel 3 and larger Pixel 3 XL phablet.
Both handsets run on the latest Android operating system, Pie, and have excellent front and rear cameras, but do not support dual SIM card and have only one camera sensor in the back, while Huawei Mate 20's competing phones, also launched this week, have three.
First look at Huawei Mate 20 Pro – seems to be the new phone to beat
Design and material
The first reaction when buying the Pixel 3 is to see how much it looks like Pixel 2 last year. Dual front camera sensors are an immediate gift. In the case of the Pixel 3 XL, the same goes for the deep notch (this black cutout at the top of the screen edge-to-edge, first visible on the Apple iPhone X).
It quickly became clear that Google kept the features of the Pixel 2 that worked, such as the front stereo speakers and the buttons on the right side of the handset, and spared no effort to remedy the weaknesses of this handset.
Google Pixel 2 XL test: a practical and functional smartphone
For starters, the display has been improved significantly. The Pixel 3 XL has a large 6.3-inch screen, while the Pixel 3 has a 5.5-inch screen. Both screens are vibrant and bright, with colors that appear at all angles. According to Google, the phones are certified as high-end HDR devices – perfect for viewing YouTube HD content on the go – and by default use a new "Adaptive" setting offering bright, natural colors that most users prefer.
Many things remained unchanged, such as the placement of the single camera and fingerprint reader on the back of the handsets. If you do not usually use a phone shell, Google has added a texture that makes the back of the phone less sensitive to fingerprints and more comfortable to hold than other phones with glass backs, a feature I can attest to. Works.
The Pixel 3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 945 processor and has 4 GB of RAM. Both models are available in 64GB ROM and 128GB ROM versions. The Pixel 3 XL is equipped with a battery of 3430 mAh and Pixel 3, of 2915 mAh.
The Pixel 3 still does not offer a dual SIM card and the built-in storage can not be upgraded using a flash memory card. There is no headphone jack, but the phone comes with a pair of Pixel USB-C earphones and a 3.5mm USB-C adapter.
Software and features
The latest Google smartphone is powered by Android 9.0 Pie and incorporates an improved navigation system, based on gestures. The traditional three-button navigation control is reduced to two buttons and complemented by touch control gestures. These enhance the Android experience, but take a while to get used to it.
If you place Pixel 3 face down, you turn on Do Not Disturb mode, and press to launch Google Assistant. The Pixel 3 can be set to always listen in the background, like Google Home, allowing you hands-free interaction.
Unlike other handset manufacturers who have increased the number of rear-view camera sensors to two and even three, Google has opted for a unique 12.2 megapixel sensor with image stabilization and many features designed to enhance the quality of the photos you take.
For example, HDR is enabled by default, which can capture up to 8 images and merge them to get better photos. If you always end up with photos where someone blinks or not everyone smiles, the Top Shot mode takes several snapshots and uses automatic learning to recommend you the best. he is usually on the spot.
The notch on the previously mentioned Pixel 3 XL is needed to accommodate a second wide angle camera for group selfies. The Pixel 3 has that too (its cameras are in the upper part), and I loved it. The wide angle camera turns on when you zoom out in selfie mode, allowing you to capture a larger area.
It did not seem like much at first, but the performance of Pixel handsets is exceptional compared to other high-end smartphones. Notably, the distortion of wide-angle shots is automatically corrected with the help of software.
Back to the notch: it is deep, although less wide than that of the Apple iPhone X. The applications that support it (or adapt it), like Google Maps, will occupy all the Screen, but most applications do not use the notch area at all.
Performance and battery life
Despite "only" 4GB of RAM, the user experience is incredibly fluid. Even after a week of use, I have a hard time remembering a case where the phones stuttered or lagged behind. This may be due to the performance enhancements of Android 9.0 and the tight integration of new Pixel phones with it. This is impressive considering that I have tested my exam unit with features such as Now Playing and Google Assistant still enabled.
The music playback through the speakers was sharp and powerful, but it seems, at least on the Pixel 3 XL, to be significantly stronger in the lower part than in the upper part. Looking closer, the speaker grille at the bottom is shorter than the top one because of the space occupied by the two front cameras.
Pressing my finger on the grids one after the other confirmed the disparity of volume. This does not detract from the pleasure of reading, however, and I guess most users will probably not notice it.
At a time when the battery capacity of the big smart phones approaches or exceeds 4,000 mAh, and that of smaller devices, 3,000 mAh, the battery capacity of the family Pixel 3 seems little useful. However, the size of the battery may reflect the lack of interest of Google to embark on a race to specifications and its performance goal. I managed to use all day, even with hours spent on the Creative SXFI amp and streaming video from YouTube.
The helmets will never be the same: criticism of the Creative SXFI Amp
The Pixel 3 supports fast charging when the battery is running out of power. In less than 45 minutes, the Pixel 3 went from 10% to 70% charge, and the full charge lasted about an hour and a half. The two new handsets support wireless charging and Google sells useful Pixel support, which offers a discreet charge at a respectable rate of up to 10 watts on the nightstand or on your desk.
Conclusion
Google is focused on usability compared to the hardware specifications or half-cooked capabilities of the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL. With their enhancements and user-friendly features, they are significantly better than the Pixel 2. Since it runs on Android 9.0, the Pixel 3 offers one of the best Android experiences you can have.
Characteristics
Dimensions: 158mm x 76.7mm x 7.9mm (Pixel 3 XL) / 145.6mm x 68.2mm x 7.9mm
Weight: 184g / 148g
Display: 6.3 inches / 5.5 inches
Battery: 3,430 mAh / 2,915 mAh
Version of the reviewed operating system: Android 9.0 (Pie)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (Adreno 630)
Cameras: rear 12.2MP (f / 1.8), front 8MP (f / 1.8) + 8MP (f / 2.2)
Memory: 64 or 128 GB of ROM storage. 4 GB of RAM
Colors: white, black, pink
Price: Google Pixel 3 64 GB HK $ 6,683/128 Go HK $ 7,518; Google Pixel 3 XL 64GB at HK $ 7,508; 128 GB. HK $ 8,343. Price of iprice.hk
[ad_2]
Source link
