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The Google Pixel 3 series takes two steps back for each advance.
Google's pixel line is no stranger to controversy and this year is no exception. Every year, it seems that Pixel has been heavily criticized for its design decisions; the original version looked too much like an iPhone, with big effects and everything. Last year, Pixel 2 removed the headphone jack, despite Google's criticism of other manufacturers that had made it just a year ago, and its lot of control-related issues quality from the first day. This year, Google has added a notch, against which many people have spoken negatively, and has made a lot of polarizing design changes, both in Android and in their commonly used applications. The Pixel 3 with Android 9 Pie in 2018 represents a very different experience of the Pixel 2 with Android 8 Oreo from last year, but is it a good thing? Let's see the latest Google models and see how they turned out.
Google Pixel 3 Specs and Unboxing
Google is offering two models with identical specifications and different sizes. Both models are available in Just Black, Clearly White and Not Pink colors. The smallest Pixel 3 costs $ 799 with 64GB of storage and $ 899 with 128GB. Neither phone supports expandable storage. The largest Pixel 3 XL starts at $ 899 for 64GB of storage, and is also available with 128GB of storage for $ 999. Like last year, the larger Pixel 3 XL displays a higher aspect ratio, with a large 18.5: 9 HDR OLED Quad-HD display of 6.3 inches (523 PPI) and a deeper notch. The smaller Pixel 3 features an OLED HDR display (513 inches) 1080p 18: 9 (443 PPI) without a notch. The Active Edge feature that Google launched on the devices last year is still present on both models, and you will also see that Gorilla Glass 5 covers the front and back of each. There is no power difference between the phones, each powered by the same Snapdragon 845 processor and 4GB of RAM, and both equipped with the Visual Core Pixel with the new Titan M security module inside. The Pixel 3, smaller, sports a battery of 2 915 mAh, while the larger one reaches 3 430 mAh to compensate for the difference in size of the screen.
As expected, the USB Type-C port is the only one available on the phone, but Google has caught up with a serious miss compared to last year by offering a wireless charging on these two devices. This USB Type-C port displays USB 3.1 and USB Power Delivery 2.0 speeds. Both cameras are about the same size as last year, which is a good thing considering the increase in screen size on both. The smallest Pixel 3 measures 145.6 mm in height, 68.2 mm in width and 7.9 mm in height, with a weight of 148g. The largest Pixel 3 XL measures 158 mm in height, 76.7 mm in width, 7.9 mm in height and weighs 184 g. On the front is a pair of 8-megapixel cameras with a resolution of 1.4 pixels and a sensor size 1 / 3.2. The main features a foV f / 1.8 to 75 degree lens with PDAF, while the secondary is behind a wide angle f / 2.2 lens at 97 degrees FoV. The back of the phone only has one camera, despite the fact that most phones use at least 2 cameras in the back nowadays, many competitors going to 3 or more for different angles and effects. This unique camera is the same 12.2 megapixel sensor from previous years, with 1.4 megapixels of pixels, a f / 1.8 76-degree FoV lens, a two-pixel PDAF, and an OIS support.
Google includes a brand new pair of Google branded Pixel USB Type-C earphones, which visually resemble Pixel Buds in every way except for the fact that they're wired instead of 39, wireless headphones. On top of that, you will also find a better quality 3.5mm USB Type-C adapter (compared to last year), a USB Type-C to Type-A dongle for USB OTG and a switch functionality simple phone, a USB type -C a type C cable and an 18W power adapter.
Google Pixel 3 Display
Last year, we had a big dichotomy in the size of the screen, the shape and even the maker of each one. This year, both devices use a larger screen, although the notch of the Pixel 3 XL forces Google to make it slightly larger, while the smaller Pixel 3 is in the 18: 9 format. The Pixel 3 XL is equipped with an OLED screen from Samsung, while the smaller Pixel 3 is an OLED manufactured by LG. These two screens are considerably better than those of the Pixel 2 XL of last year. Although this device does not have a poor quality display, many features are not ideal, such as a strange color change and a "dirty" overall display due to OLED pixel inconsistencies. This year, all this is over, replaced by a significantly better panel in every way, including even better brightness levels than last year. This includes perfect white balance, perfect black levels and a 100,000: 1 contrast ratio.
Where the display wobbles again is on the Pixel 3 XL, where a cold color change occurs when you tilt the phone at any angle. There is an immediate offset when the camera is tilted and a very blue tint blurs its way across the screen even slightly to one side. It's disappointing, but it's not as extreme as last year's Pixel 2 XL, and in the end it's not a decisive effect. Purists of color will certainly be annoyed, especially since it is mostly on white backgrounds that Google has switched almost exclusively in its updated application portfolio with the new Material Theme design language. Dark mode in the supported applications will make this less visible, but it is still present.
Another problem with the display of the Pixel 3 XL is, unsurprisingly, the notch cut out at the top in the middle of the screen. Google has effectively made the display on the board on 3 of the 4 sides, sporting some of the smaller cases on the market, but the oversized notched top is a very polarizing way to achieve this. Part of the problem is that it is very high and Google has been forced to make the status bar twice as high as on other Android phones. This makes the extra display area less effective than other phones with notches and, to make matters worse, Google has allowed content to enter this display area with the notch cut.
This sounds worse when you watch YouTube content, where videos can be enlarged to fit the panel, which removes a giant item from the video on the left side. The video is not screen-centric because of the way YouTube handles different image formats, but this is not present on any other Android phone that we've tested this year. The full-screen zoom makes things worse, as it is now fully aligned left, with a giant cut cut out in the video itself. Why has Google allowed content to cross the notch is it a bit strange, given the magnitude that it bothers for content, and looks really awful all around. Google has announced the release of an update that will solve some of these problems, but for now, the problem persists.
Google has slightly improved the display screen always turned on in Android 9 Pie, but it is not an exclusive feature to Pixel 3. When the phone is locked, the function d & # 39; Ambient display always active indicates the current time, the next upcoming calendar event and icons for notifications waiting for you. At the bottom you'll also find the Now Playing feature, which debuted with Pixel 2, and will show the artist and track name for any music that the phone can listen to. This feature does not use real-time data, but references a database of songs stored at the bottom of the phone. However, unlike other vendors that allow you to fully customize this screen, you enable or disable Google without any additional options.
Although the phone does not come with the phone, Google's new Google Pixel Stand wireless charger opens up a whole host of new features related to the enhanced screen, including a clock still running and the possibility of it. 39, use as digital photo frame while the phone is charging. It can also be used as a wake-up call, where the screen slowly illuminates a warm color as the music plays, providing a softer way to wake up over a period of time rather than using a its loud and alarming.
Google Pixel 3 Hardware and Build
While Google has certainly downplayed the glasses on the phones last year for both models, no phone can claim to have small glasses, compared to so many other phones launched in 2018, especially during the second half of year. Both devices carry very large enclosures for a 2018 device, but all of this is due to Google's use of front-facing stereo speakers on both devices, as well as the new dual-camera configuration. This results in a large chin on both phones and an equal sized front on the smaller Pixel 3. Google's use of a cut-out slot on the Pixel 3 XL screen is sure to fuel the wrath of many people, especially because it's such a high notch. Most devices keep the notch as high as the status bar, but Google had more to do in this hack than most OEMs, opting for a larger notch than a larger one. In the current state of affairs, only a few icons can be displayed either side of this notch and its extension would have made things worse. Apparently, Pixel 3, smaller, originally had to also have a notch, but was canceled due to design issues due to the smaller physical footprint of this phone.
Unlike last year, both devices feature flat front OLED displays and nearly identical aspect ratio. Stylistically, these phones look almost identical to last year's Pixel 2 XL, without the curved glass, which means they look totally unique on most other smartphones . The first two generations of pixels included a glass panel at the back of the phone, occupying 1/5 of the top of the back, while the rest of the phone was metal. This year, the back is fully Gorilla Glass 5 on both devices, with a similar look and feel to last year. The 1 / 5th of the back is always in glossy glass, but this time is covered with a fingerprint resistant oleophobic coating that keeps it clean and shiny, while the 4 / 5th of the phone sports a fogged glass texture. This texture is smooth to the touch, more like a feeling of ceramic or metal live than any other element and allows Google to finally support wireless charging in its range of pixels. Wireless charging is something we have not seen since the Nexus 6, as it was the latest phone designed by Google to offer plastic construction because metal phones can not currently be recharged wirelessly.
This fogged glass texture has curved edges that line up with the curved edges of the phone frame. They are elegant and beautiful, unlike metal designs. This coating also slightly compresses the back, making it soundproof when placed on a hard surface, rather than brittle like a regular glass phone sound. The disadvantage of using this type of material at the back is that it is a bit slippery, especially in cold or dry weather. Last year, the phones had a nice metal with a rough texture, very easy to hold even in cold or dry weather. The sides are also in shiny and rounded metal, which makes it even harder to hold the phone in cold or dry weather.
The new vibration engines provided by Google for its phones are undoubtedly one of the best new features of the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL. These new touch vibration motors incorporate an extra vibration on the x-axis for advanced feedback of the elements of the user interface, giving the impression of physical interaction with virtual elements. Touching parts of the user interface now generates a return of physical information that did not exist before, creating a connection layer to the virtual elements that really needs to be felt to be understood. At the top of the status bar, you just have to slide a protective flap on the screen, which is a bit like the feeling of dropping the shadow on an old desk with a folder folding. Typing on the keyboard now has the same appearance as the physical keys, since each key offers distinct click impression that only a keyboard has. By pressing the space bar and dragging it to move from one letter to the other, you also get a similar feel, providing a very distinct mouse click when the cursor is moving. move in each letter.
Google Pixel Security 3
Most phones have been equipped with fingerprint scanners for years, and many are also moving towards more advanced facial recognition, but Google does not change the outer security layer with Pixel 3; this time, they change things from within. Just a few months ago, Google launched its first USB security key in two steps, the Google Titanand they follow this important security announcement, claiming that a similar key is now included in Google Pixel 3. Titan M is essentially identical to what users can buy for their PC, with the exception of fact that it can not be removed from the Pixel. 3 because it is integrated in the circuits of the phone. Titan acts as a hardware encryption and decryption chip for security keys, ensuring full protection of your data as it travels to and from. Google Backup Servers.
The data is then stored on Google servers, fully encrypted and can only be decrypted by the Titan M key of the Pixel 3. Google does not have this key and has no way to get it which means a personal backup. the data is totally secure from the moment they leave your phone. It also means that no one else can access your data, even in case of data breach on Google 's servers, and helps ensure the peace of mind of consumers. We are actively discussing future possibilities with Google regarding the implications of the Titan M chip and its connection with any security enhancements, both in terms of local system authentication as well as through the use of security features. applications and other authentication tasks related to the server. To our knowledge, this chip has nothing to do with the boot loader or the ability to root the phone
Performance, multi-tasking, and battery life Google Pixel 3
One of the most surprising decisions of the list of specifications this year is the use of only 4 GB of RAM. With rare exceptions, all other flagship phones in 2018 have debuted with at least 6GB of RAM and a lot with up to 8GB, increasing with the increasing resolution of screens and the complexity of modern applications. Leaving the Pixel 3 to 4 GB was definitely a mistake, and this is not just for specific specification reasons, as these phones are notably worse multitasking devices compared to other Android models in 2018. The Pixel 3 XL is worse than Pixel 3 simply because of the difference in resolution between the two phones and you will find that even the most recently used application will recharge about 50% of the time when switching between two applications. This could be a bug or a problem related to Android Pie's new battery saving features, but these issues do not appear to be present on other devices updated with Android Pie so far.
Despite the problems encountered when reloading applications during subsequent launches, the battery life of the Pixel 3 XL is good, while that of Pixel 3 borders the stars. Although unexpected, given the differences in battery size, the smaller Pixel 3 has withstood our use better than the Pixel 3 XL. We regularly get about 3 to 4 hours of screen time (SoT) with the Pixel 3 XL used daily, while the Pixel 3 managed between 5 and 7 hours of SoT most of the time. These were full days with about 18 hours of charge, which usually ended in adolescence with a battery remaining at the end of the day. The Apple Pie battery statistics calculated a total battery life of 21 hours for both devices. The day before is a clear improvement over previous generations, and discerning users will find that the battery will last easily until the second day, with a light reload necessary until mid-afternoon, the second day. The Pixel 3 supports USB PowerDelivery 2.0, as well as the 18W charge via the AC adapter included in the box. It's certainly a fast charge, but far from the super-fast charge that many companies now offer with their phones, which can range from 25 to 50W.
Google has made highly questionable navigation changes for the navigation bar located at the bottom of the screen in Android. By default, Google's new browsing style is forcibly enabled on both Pixel 3 phones, and at the time of writing, there was no easy way to return to the simple style buttons. These buttons feature a unique visual and navigation style that is sure to spark many discussions about the effectiveness of its design. Overall, the main purpose of navigational gestures is to remove the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. Removing the bar would increase the space available on the screen and help remove items known to cause image retention on the screens. Google's design does not solve any of these problems and instead attempts to "simplify" browsing by completely removing this entire view button.
The back button is also deleted when you are on the home screen. The home button is now a wide pill icon, which you can tap or drag to the right. This last feature is reserved for fast failover between the foreground application and the most recent application. In reality, this gesture is neither faster nor easier to perform than pressing the square presentation button twice. It takes almost a second to switch from one application to another because of the necessary gesture to run it, as well as animation. This animation, at least, fits perfectly with the redesigned multitasking Overview screen, as it scans applications like tiles.
The new redesign of Google's presentation screen has been presented by Google as being more useful because the newer larger tiles are "real" tiles, that is, they are not limited to screenshots, but fine to the application itself, reduced tile. The problem with this statement is that it does not really seem to be true because applications often need to be reloaded or refreshed when they click on them to open them again. This newly designed presentation screen is a mix of good and bad stuff, but anyway, it will dramatically change the way you navigate between phone apps. The redesign of Google seems primarily to reduce the need to navigate at home to launch applications that do not appear quickly in the list of recently opened applications. To do this, place the application drawer at the bottom of the overview at any time. Dragging on the pill will bring up the whole picture, and a second shot at the bottom of the screen will open the same application drawer that you find on the home screen.
It's very handy to launch any application installed on the phone without having to navigate home first to do it. It does not quite have the same features as the welcome tray, in that applications can not be placed in folders for easy logical placement, but fortunately the tray is sorted alphabetically. We criticized this design strongly in our Android 9 Pie Reviewand in the months that we've been able to use Android 9 Pie and its revised overview screen, we've come to the conclusion that users typically fall into two groups, depending on how often they use multiple apps at once. phone. Experienced users, who have to juggle more than 5 applications at a time, or who prefer to host two applications on the screen at the same time, will most likely hate this new change, as it is more difficult to quickly switch between them. . so many applications without stopping to think about what needs to be clicked.
Having three different methods for launching applications also makes this screen confusing. Indeed, a horizontal row of scrolling tiles, a row of 5 icons at the bottom of the screen, change depending on how Google's built-in AI determines your use of apps. a vertical application drawer at the bottom. As a person who frequently uses 10 or more applications at one point, I found myself completely ignoring horizontal mosaics and only using the lower row of icons, if I had noticed that one that I wanted was there, or just jump straight into the application drawer. . People who prefer the split screen will now have to take several steps to access this feature. It is likely that most people will never know that it exists because the icon above the thumbnail in the overview window must be pressed for a long time. then the option to run said split screen application appears. Still confused? It is certainly not a very good design.
On a positive note, people who commonly use less than 5 apps may simply find that this new design is better because the 5 most used apps are usually in the row at the bottom of the new screen. This allows a quick scan and a single click to switch between applications found in this row. This new design also allows you to copy and paste directly from the preview screen without having to navigate between applications. This is a nice feature, without a doubt, but it seems to be a niche reason to completely redefine what was already a very effective way of multitasking between applications. In the current state of things, the combination of this overhaul of the overview, the system of forced gestures that solves no real problem and the extremely aggressive management of background tasks the Pixel 3 XL, in particular, makes it a phone that is not very user-friendly for users who enjoy multitasking.
Google Pixel 3 wireless connectivity and sound
Once again, Google is partnering with Verizon to offer Big Red an "operator-only" contract, which only concerns operators in the traditional sense of the word. As such, Google offers the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL to the unlocked purchase from the Google Store, as well as through its own Project Fi cell phone operator. The unlocked version will work on all US carriers because it supports all the necessary tapes and must also work in most international markets. Check out the official Google page to make sure it works in your country and on the carrier of your choice before you buy. The signal strength is absolutely superb, and the radios used in these phones are the fastest you'll find on any phone. It also supports all wireless standards expected elsewhere, including Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi connections up to 802.11ac and NFC.
Call filtering function
In addition to the usual connectivity options, Google introduces what could be the most revolutionary feature-related calls for years: call filtering. Call screening is actually the little brother of Google Duplex, the service announced by Google during the I / O 2018, which can make whole calls for you in order to make appointments, bookings and other similar tasks. While this service arrives on Pixel phones in close futureGoogle begins by giving users the means to filter out telemarketers and other unwanted calls at the touch of a button. When a call comes in, you will find the usual red acceptance or refusal buttons, but in the middle is a new blue call screen button. This will launch a Google Assistant interface in which Google Assistant will communicate with the caller, as well as the caller's dialog, in a transcript of the window. You can then help drive assistant by pressing a few buttons, asking why the caller is calling you, also asking to unsubscribe from the call list or by hanging up politely. It's a brilliant software, which adds a level of "magic" that can only happen in an AI-driven business like Google.
On the audio side, Google does not put the 3.5mm audio jack on the Pixel 3, but this year provides a better quality 3.5mm to USB Type-C adapter, which may not break as easily as what was before. included in the first batch of Pixel 2 of the last year. In addition, Google is partially solving the total mess in wireless charging by offering wireless charging of the phone through the new glass. While wired experiences can provide a super fast charging experience and ultra-fast audio quality, these experiences can be much more convenient for the consumer. They are at least available in a form different from that of last year. Pixel 2 devices.
Google also provides a pair of high quality Type C USB headsets in every Pixel 3 box, with a design that is incredibly similar to last year's wireless Pixel Buds. While the Pixel Buds were indeed wireless, they were a separate purchase and, as they were wireless in nature, had to be billed prior to their use. These USB Type-C earphones feature high-quality speakers with deep bass, extended frequency response and high volume for listening even in an airplane, without reaching their maximum. Ils sont également dotés de la conception ingénieuse des boucles pour mieux les tenir dans les oreilles, car cette boucle est entièrement réglable et s'adapte à l'intérieur, essentiellement, à toute oreille. Bien que le fil puisse parfois gêner et qu’il n’ait rien de spécial en soi, mais qu’il s’agit du matériau caoutchouteux typique du fil d’écouteur, il offre une véritable alternative au fait de demander un achat supplémentaire sans sacrifier la qualité audio ni le confort.
Depuis le lancement du Nexus 6, Google utilise des haut-parleurs stéréo frontaux sur ses appareils. Le design du Pixel 3 en est une restée fidèle. Nous avons constaté des améliorations de la qualité des haut-parleurs au fil des ans, mais elles offrent le plus grand écart la qualité d'une génération à l'autre que nous avons encore vue. Ces haut-parleurs remplaceront absolument les haut-parleurs Bluetooth bon marché pour de nombreuses personnes, car ils fournissent une gamme incroyable de sons, avec des graves parfaitement réalisés qui sonnent de manière profonde et satisfaisante. La plage supérieure du son manque un peu et, par conséquent, les sons complexes ont tendance à être un peu confus sur ces haut-parleurs. Cependant, ils sont incroyablement forts et rempliront facilement une pièce, audible même dans une pièce avec une bonne quantité de bruit ambiant.
Comparés à d’autres produits phares, le Sony Xperia XZ3 possède peut-être des haut-parleurs légèrement supérieurs, mais c’est surtout en raison de leur plage plus étendue et de leur capacité à reproduire mieux les aigus, ainsi qu’à gérer le son complexe sans perdre une partie du son. Par rapport à des téléphones comme le Galaxy Note 9, qui propose des haut-parleurs stéréo dans une configuration différente (petit tweeter dans l’écouteur, haut-parleur à déclenchement par le bas), vous remarquerez immédiatement une différence de qualité. D’autres configurations de haut-parleurs plus novatrices, comme les haut-parleurs BoomBox de LG, n’y tiennent pas.
La conception sonore est vraiment quelque chose de spécial. Google a créé toutes sortes de nouveaux sons pour les fonctions système, comme brancher, charger, émettre un son frappant lorsque le téléphone est inséré pour la première fois dans le casque Daydream VR (signalant la nécessité d'une configuration sur le téléphone), ce qui rend la frappe très agréable. des bruits et de nombreux autres sons de l'interface utilisateur souvent négligés. C’est ce genre de petits détails qui font que l’expérience semble être un ensemble complet plutôt que celui qui est reconditionné pour correspondre à une certaine image.
Logiciel Google Pixel 3
Les appareils de Google ont toujours été livrés avec une version stockée d’Android. Bien que la gamme Pixel ait ajouté quelques personnalisations ici et là, il s’agit toujours d’une expérience stock. Android 9 Pie est la version d'Android la plus polarisante depuis l'histoire de l'OS, mais cela dépend principalement de quelques décisions en matière de navigation et de conception qui peuvent ou non gêner les utilisateurs individuellement. Les touches de navigation rapides, situées dans la zone de notification déroulante déroulante, présentent un design visuel différent avec des fonctionnalités réduites. Dans les versions précédentes d'Android, les utilisateurs pouvaient cliquer sur une flèche déroulante en regard de chaque icône pour modifier rapidement les points d'accès WiFi ou échanger des périphériques Bluetooth sans passer par les paramètres. Cette fois-ci, chaque icône de paramètres rapides doit être enfoncée de manière prolongée pour passer à ce paramètre individuel, s'éloigner de l'application actuellement active et annuler la fonction des boutons de basculement rapide. Le bouton de paramétrage rapide a également été masqué, nécessitant désormais deux balayages vers le bas sur la teinte de notification. Ces décisions, ainsi que de nombreuses autres décisions de conception dans Pie, sont des décisions bizarres qui suppriment ou réduisent les fonctionnalités, et sont certainement négatives pour les utilisateurs.
De nombreux changements visuels dans Pie, et en particulier dans les personnalisations Pixel de Pie, semblent trop conçus pour ressembler à un iPhone. Cette année, nous avons vu l'interface utilisateur multitâche unique et excellente d'Android, un carrousel jadis vertical de nombreuses applications qui était facilement utilisable d'une seule main, passant à une interface déroutante avec une rangée de tuiles défilant horizontalement qui ressemble à un ancien iPhone, ne montrant qu'une seule tuile de taille normale à la fois. Une grande partie de l’interface utilisateur a été conçue pour correspondre au langage de conception sans thème de Google intitulé Material Theme, supprimant ainsi une grande partie de la couleur qui rendait les applications immédiatement uniques et reconnaissables. Même le composeur a reçu ce traitement et est maintenant dépourvu de toute couleur, restant au lieu de cela une couche de blanc ennuyeux sur l’écran. L’apparence de Pie est devenu encore plus stérile sur le Pixel 3 grâce à nombre de ces modifications et représente un aspect et une sensation trop simplistes.
Certaines fonctionnalités de Pie sont bienvenues, notamment de nouvelles animations incroyables pour les transitions d’écran, une toute nouvelle animation pour l’arrivée des notifications et de nombreuses petites nuances ici et là. Le plus grand atout de Pie est sans doute le tableau de bord Digital Wellbeing, qui fonctionne conjointement avec les nouvelles fonctionnalités de batterie adaptatives du système d’exploitation, vous permettant de surveiller et de limiter votre utilisation des applications à votre guise. Vous avez trop surfé sur les médias sociaux tout au long de la journée? Vous pouvez voir le nombre d'heures que vous avez consacrées à chacun de vos sites préférés et même imposer une limite stricte au temps passé dans chaque application. Les minuteries peuvent être réglées pour n’importe quel intervalle de temps souhaité et les notifications de l’application peuvent être désactivées, ou l’application complètement mise en veille pour ne pas gaspiller la vie de la batterie en arrière-plan. Rien de tout cela n’est exclusif à Pixel, mais c’est peut-être le premier téléphone sur lequel vous l’avez utilisé, c’est donc intéressant à noter.
Matériel et logiciel de l'appareil photo Google Pixel 3
Depuis le lancement de HDR + sur le Nexus 5 il y a de nombreuses années, nous avons vu Google transformer le logiciel de son appareil photo en moteur de photographie de premier plan pour leurs téléphones. L’année dernière, Pixel 2 était une mise à jour époustouflante du déjà excellent Pixel, et cette année promet de maintenir la qualité élevée en ajoutant quelques modes nécessaires. Le premier de ces nouveaux modes est Top Shot, qui a été applaudi lors de l’annonce. Top Shot nécessite que les photos animées soient activées, ce qui est heureusement un paramètre activé par défaut. L’an dernier, ce paramètre de mouvement était utilisé pour l’option photos animées, mais cette année, il s’agit d’un concept beaucoup plus utile. When a photo is taken and motion is detected, you’ll get the automatic motion addition to the photo, which can be switched off at will in the gallery. Navigating to the hidden option of “Select Shots” in the top right menu brings up an awesome new interface that looks similar to slow motion, but lets you choose a moment out of the motion timeline to extract a picture from.
This is an awesome way to make sure the shot is always taken, no matter what’s happening, as it’ll grab 2-3 seconds worth of image data and allow you to choose from anywhere in this timeline. The downside is that the extracted photos are a paltry 1024×768 resolution or approximately 1-megapixel resolution. Every now and then the software will identify a particular frame that it marks as “recommended,” which increases the resolution to 3-megapixels (2048×1536) instead of the regular 1-megapixel resolution. It’s certainly better than missing the shot, but the quality degradation on these photos is ultimately incredibly obvious, no matter how you view them. Sony’s implementation of this is definitely better in quality, as it will present several full-frame shots when motion is detected, but Google’s grants more control to the user, despite the significant loss in quality. Sony’s implementation also auto-focuses between each burst shot, while most of the shots in the Top Shot timeline end up looking blurry or out of focus.
Another awesome new mode is Super Res Zoom, which attempts to use machine learning to make up for the fact that there’s no optical zoom secondary camera on the back of either the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL. Last year Google proved many wrong by introducing portrait mode with a single camera, and despite the fact that it was only one camera, bested basically everyone in the business in its quality. Super Res Zoom doesn’t work quite as well, consistently, as that portrait mode does, but it’s an incredible alternative for a second camera without a doubt. This works through Google’s already existing HDR+ algorithm, which takes several shots at a time and combines them for added detail and dynamic range. Zooming in through the viewfinder will automatically activate this mode, with presets for 2x, 3x, 4x and 5x zoom in the zoom slider. Since there’s natural hand-shake introduced when zooming in like this, Google gets all the metadata it needs during this motion, and can intelligently combine them with that Pixel Visual Core processor inside the phone.
Results are definitely much better than the usual digital crop that takes place on other phones without a secondary camera, but for the most part, it’s not the increased quality that comes from a secondary camera with a telephoto lens. There were a surprising number of times where it was close in quality to some secondary telephoto cameras though. At night you’ll find the difference between Google’s implementation and phones with multiple cameras shrinks considerably, as many phones don’t use the smaller telephoto sensors in very dark conditions. There are exceptions, depending on the lighting conditions, where the Huawei P20 Pro typically has the best zoom detail of any phone, but the Pixel 3 regularly keeps up with most of them in the darkest of conditions when zooming. You won’t find quite the same quality difference while recording video, but the overall dynamic range, stabilization, and general image quality in video mode are fair trade-offs in most cases. A secondary camera with this tech would have been better, but this is impressive for what is available, hardware wise.
Google has given its camera software a facelift, matching up to the iPhone style interface that so many manufacturers have settled on. Positives of this are that the four most used modes are front and center and can be easily clicked on to jump to them. You can also swipe between modes, but this is a bit on the slow side, and really I only found it usable for swiping between photo and video modes. Many modes are hidden in the “more” section, which makes for a confusing lineup of mode locations. This is unfortunate, as they could have all been located in one easy-to-reach place, but instead Google seems to have gone with what many in the industry are using instead of coming up with their own, unique design that works better.
That new Photobooth mode is located in this more section, as well as the renamed Playground mode. Photobooth mode is an automated group selfie mode that will automatically take pictures when it detects smiles and other expressions, which is a pretty fun way to get group shots, especially with that new 97-degree wide-angle selfie camera up front. Playground is a rebranded version of the AR stickers mode that was in the previous Google Camera design, and works similarly as well, allowing you to put AR characters into the viewfinder to add some fun to your photos. These are all shaded realistically with the scene, and scale rather nicely too, and can be used on the front or rear cameras. You can even record a video with them, similarly to what LG implemented on the V40, and really is just a cool new feature. There’s still no manual mode for photos or videos, but the camera can save pictures in RAW format finally, so fo,lks who prefer to post-process should be pretty happy.
Hardware wise, cameras are identical on both Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. That single rear-facing camera is the same 12.2-megapixel sensor from last year, with 1.4-micron pixels and an f/1.8 76-degree angle lens. It uses dual-pixel phase detection autofocus, and also has optical image stabilization. A new duo of cameras is up front, both using an 8-megapixel sensor with 1.4-micron pixels and a 1/3.2-inch size sensor. The main camera uses an f/1.8 75-degree angle lens with phase detection autofocus, while the secondary is a wide-angle 97-degree f/2.2 lens with fixed focus.
Google Pixel 3 Camera Results
As a result of using the same hardware as last year, we’re seeing results that are really no different from that phone. While photos taken from the Pixel 2 were mind-blowing last year, the increase in quality from competing phone manufacturers overshadows much of what Google has brought to the table. During the day the Pixel 3 excels at capturing fast-moving imagery thanks to a combination of the Top Shot mode, as well as Google’s excellent HDR+ processing, which constantly takes photos when the viewfinder is open and combines them for one super photo when the shutter button is pressed. This results in really tight imagery, even with movement, and you’ll find no ghosting on objects, even when they move quickly. This can be further enhanced by clicking to auto-track, which then follows an object in the viewfinder with incredible accuracy, ensuring it always stays in focus and is exposure-prioritized. An interesting new artifact occurs during some movement though, one that makes objects look slightly transparent when viewed up close. This is certainly a better alternative versus the double-image ghosting that other HDR methods can produce, but it’s definitely something that’ll look a bit strange the first time it’s noticed.
Surprisingly, dynamic range seems to have taken a back seat to some other flagships this year, and Google’s algorithms seem to have taken a turn towards underexposure more often than not. This results in a bit of black crush in very dark shadows, and even a bit more noise than I expected. Despite many in the industry crying for noiseless shots, noise can actually help make a photo look more natural or sharp, depending on how it is utilized. While the noise found in the Pixel 3’s photos isn’t bad by any means, it’s certainly surprising to see moments when other phones had zero noise in a shot and still retained detail, while the Pixel 3 ended up being a tad dark and noisy. Crop detail remains high in most shots, an area where Google has excelled for generations now and is typically the sharpest or second-sharpest in comparisons.
Color accuracy is really something special though, especially in low light, where the Pixel 3’s colors and contrast remain consistently excellent no matter the light. Outside of this though, low light was less impressive than previous years, and it seems that the hardware on this phone is likely holding back Google’s software from being as good as it can be. The detail loss in many scenes is pretty surprising, and quite a few photos end up looking softer than we remember happening last year. The general rule of thumb in low light seems to go like this: If you’re looking for sheer detail and amount of available light, the Huawei P20 Pro is typically the phone you want. Color accuracy almost always favors the Google Pixel, while the Galaxy Note 9 is the most solid overall low light performer after this latest camera update. Samsung definitely improved quite a few things with that update, improving detail and color accuracy in photos. It’s not able to keep up with the P20 Pro when it comes to producing inordinate amounts of light in what would otherwise look like a very dark photo, however, Huawei’s color accuracy definitely takes a turn for the worse in most of these types of situations because it uses the monochrome sensor to gather more light data in lower light.
Overall, the Pixel 3’s single rear camera is not nearly as impressive this year as it has been in previous generations. While it’s still excellent and is arguably the best when it comes to delivering solid performance when movement is happening, it seems to have taken a step back in dynamic range and low light performance as well. It’s surprising to see Google still use only a single camera around back, especially when two now reside up front. Many phones now ship with various tricks to help make up for small sensor size on phones, including ideas like dual aperture, much lower aperture ratings on lenses, and many OEMs now use multiple cameras to stitch together a composite image as well. Google performs some incredible composite imaging through a combination of camera software and that Pixel Visual Core, but that has its limits when only a single 12-megapixel sensor is providing the image data. What’s important to note though, especially in the low light photos, is that Night Shot mode isn’t available yet, and judging on Google’s sample photos, could completely change the game once it’s available. This is coming to the Pixel 1 and 2 though, so owners of those phones should also see a significant uptake in their low light shots when that lands.
Video recording is definitely fantastic and ranks among the best in the market as a whole. Video stabilization is done in a very similar, if not identical way, to the OnePlus 6. You’ll notice the Pixel 3 looks slightly more zoomed in than the other phones, and that’s done because the video is slightly cropped to give the software room to move it around when needed to avoid shakiness. The downside to this is that there’s the distinct possibility that the video won’t be quite as razor sharp as other phones with 4k recording, however, as we saw on the OnePlus 6, it’s video so smooth it looks like the camera is sitting on a handheld gimbal instead of being carried around. When comparing daytime recording to the Galaxy Note 9, the Pixel 3 tends to slightly underexpose when many bright objects litter a scene, while exposure generally favors higher values at any other time, which tends to wash out colors and give the impression of low contrast. Colors are not as saturated as Samsung’s settings though, which at times looks better, but the overall washed out look of the Pixel 3’s video just isn’t as impressive as what the Galaxy Note 9 can deliver. When comparing to the HTC U12+ you’ll find the stabilization on the Pixel is far better than HTC’s in 4K, with more natural colors as well. The HTC U12+ tends to favor similar exposure values to the Pixel 3 but seems to get the colors just a wrong more often.
When comparing more high-contrast, lower light scenarios, you’ll find that, yet again colors are just better and richer on the Galaxy Note 9. The higher exposure values of the Pixel 3 bring out more shadow detail, all without blowing out highlights. In darker conditions, this heightened exposure bias tends to pull out more shadow detail and make videos look brighter than the competition. There were a few points where the Note 9 pulled out more detail in these scenes, but it’s likely the brighter picture of the Pixel 3 is preferable in these conditions. You’ll also notice how much cleaner Google’s stabilization is while walking, where small vibrations in the frame can be seen on the Note 9, but are not as visible on the Pixel 3. Stabilization next to the P20 Pro shows the night and day difference a good hybrid stabilization will grant, as the P20 Pro only uses hardware stabilization.
The Pixel 3 lacks 4K 60FPS recording though, meaning you won’t be getting both the highest resolution and smoothest frame rate, but that extra stabilization will likely make up for anything 4K60 could bring to the table for most people. Google is also quite a bit behind in the slow motion video department, and the Pixel 3 is only capable of 240FPS slow-motion video recording at 720p quality. The bare minimum in 2018 for a flagship is 1080p at 240FPS, and many can now record 1080p at 480FPS, or even up to 1080P at 960FPS in Sony’s case. The general lack of extra quality options matches up with much of the Pixel 3 experience in many ways though, so while it’s certainly disappointing, it’s not outside of the bounds of what we’ve now come to expect.
Google did surprise us with a second camera on the front though, something that a few folks initially thought puzzling. While the rear camera isn’t always the most impressive in the world, the front-facing cameras are absolutely the best in the industry, no matter the lighting condition or photography mode chosen. These cameras are sharper than any other flagship phone on the market, despite having the same resolution sensor as many other phones, and it usually has considerably better dynamic range as well. Colors are deeper and everything typically just looks better during the day. That new wide-angle sensor pulls in a considerably wider range of imagery than ever before, which can be toggled by simply pinching out in the viewfinder, or using the on-screen magnification options. Quality degrades with light, as expected, but colors remain generally excellent, even though blacks start to get crushed at lower light levels. This is similar to what we see on the rear camera and is probably a result of contrast being pulled too high during processing. Folks are sure to be super pleased with that new wide-angle camera, which features identical quality to the main sensor, but provides a 97-degree wide-angle view of the world, while the main front-facing camera is a 75-degree angle lens.
As we expected from last year, portrait shots from the front and rear cameras are still the best in the business. These results are particularly impressive this year considering how many companies are pushing multiple cameras for many reasons, not just portrait mode, yet Google still pulls in the wins with a single camera on the back. Ironically enough, portraits from the rear camera seem to be even better than the front, despite Google having a second camera on the front now. This is likely all down to the megapixel difference between front and rear cameras, as Google’s processing works on a per-pixel basis. The more pixels you’ve got to work with, the better the likelihood that processing is going to be more accurate.
Edge detection isn’t the only thing that’s better on the rear camera though, that bokeh effect is deeper, giving more blurred backgrounds and just looking particularly stunning in many cases. You can also use portrait mode on the new wide-angle camera, which makes group selfies all the more feasible. While it’s definitely a better front-facing camera than others out there, that doesn’t mean edge detection or depth perception is perfect. In fact, you’ll find that many phones show the same exact error spots in edge detection, no matter if they’ve got one or two cameras to use for portrait mode. Bottom line though: if you take a lot of selfies or are particularly in love with bokeh-style shots, this is the phone for you.
Le bon
Much improved display over last year
Sleek and polished new body design
IP68 water and dust resistance (improved from IP67 last year)
Stereo front-facing speakers are quite possibly the best on any phone
New vibration motors are the best in the business and feel sublime
Call screening is a brilliant feature
Wireless charging
Included USB Type-C earbuds are fantastic
Point-and-shoot camera quality is phenomenal
Best portrait mode in the business, front or back cameras
Buttery smooth stabilized 4K video
Titan M chip is a big step toward a more secure ecosystem
The Bad
Overview redesign in Pie is a step back in functionality
Gesture navigation doesn’t solve any problems
Options to use button-style navigation have been removed
Many design changes feel like the “iPhone-ification” of Android for no real reason
Some other options have been removed (quick toggles for WiFi and Bluetooth, etc.)
Poor multitasking performance, particularly on the Pixel 3 XL
Overly large notch on the Pixel 3 XL impedes on content
No 4k60 video recording options
Slow motion recording is lacking quality and features
No 3.5mm audio jack
No support for expandable storage
High price for what it offers compared to the competition
Conclusion
If you want a no-nonsense phone that just works, this is what you buy. It truly has become the iPhone of Android, and will likely appeal most to users who aren’t interested in lots of options, tweaking the interface, or making the phone feel like a one-of-a-kind device that no-one else has. It’s the most solid hardware design we’ve seen from a Pixel phone yet, including a gorgeous new finish on the all-glass body, and ultra high-quality vibration motors that provide a deeper interaction with virtual elements than ever before. But is the Pixel experience worth $800 at a minimum, and $1000 on the high end? This price is even higher if you’re in Europe, especially, and considering the “no frills” nature of the Pixel, it’s becoming more and more difficult to recommend Google’s devices as a whole. For a long time, the Nexus and Pixel devices have been lauded for timely updates, including monthly security updates over the past few years, but we’ve seen those patches break things quite often, to dis le moins.
While there’s no telling if there will be quality control issues with these devices yet, there’s not exactly a great history of that, especially when taking last year into effect. It’s also hard to say that it makes more sense to pay more for an experience that restricts things so much when you can get a phone from OnePlus with more features for less money. We’ve also seen the smallest gap ever in the camera department, an area where Google lead for years but seems to now be stymied by their lack of truly new hardware or innovative use of multiple cameras like other OEMs provide. There’s very little here that makes sense to get over just about every other flagship phone that has been released this year, especially if features or options are what you’re looking for. This is a simple phone, and while it doesn’t quite fit in with the “no frills added” moniker, it definitely fits a vision that doesn’t match up with the Google we once knew.
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