Google's latest phones shine a light at just how good Android can be.
It's true: aren't all that different from its . Specs, features, design and overall philosophy are effectively constant between generations, particularly when you take into account that last year's Pixels have been updated to Android 9 Pie and will thankfully be receiving many of the Pixel 3's new camera features.
But to dismiss the Pixel 3 for its similarity to the Pixel 2 would be to miss out on what is a great phone. Google has never been interested in adding or changing features just for the sake of doing something, and the Pixel 3 doesn't change the parts of the experience that already worked. But the Pixel 3 and 3 XL do fix much-discussed problems with the last generation, and add a few extras that enhance Google's vision for what an Android phone should be.
The result is a fantastic pair of phones.
Camera, phone
Google Pixel 3
A simple, powerful phone with an excellent camera and simple software anyone can enjoy using.
Google's charging a lot for its Pixel 3 and 3 XL, but it's warranted. It's true these phones aren't large upgrades from their predecessors, but that doesn't change the fact that these are exceptional phones with great software, excellent performance, good displays, and standout cameras on the back and front.
Pros:
- Simple, intuitive software
- Great photo quality
- Excellent selfies
- Sleek, solid hardware
- Loud stereo speakers
- Wireless charging
- Longterm software support
- No headphone jack
- Occasional camera app stutters
- Pixel 3 has subpar battery life
- 4GB RAM could limit future performance
Ed. note: Due to the extreme similarities between the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, this review should be viewed as applicable to both phones. Specific areas, such as size and camera comments, will note in particular whenever there is a difference between the two.
Evolution
Google Pixel 3 Hardware
This is a case of evolution, not revolution. The new phones are effectively unchanged in size from their predecessors, but the finishes and materials have been tweaked and, ultimately, much improved.
The Pixel 3 is actually smaller than the Pixel 2, but now has a 5.5-inch 18:9 display for roughly 10% more screen space — that means smaller bezels, which make the phone look and feel more modern. It brings the screen size up to a point where it feels like less of a trade off than previous small Pixels; I don't feel restricted by the screen size, but it's still a compact enough phone to grasp in one hand and slip into a pocket without issue.
Same sized phone, but with a larger screen — while keeping stereo speakers.
The Pixel 3 XL jumps to a 6.3-inch 18.5:9 display, but the number is a bit of a misnomer as its large notch and taller aspect ratio don't give it dramatically more room than the 2 XL. Everyone is focused on the notch here, but it just doesn't bother me that much. Phones just have notches now, and the number of options without them are only decreasing. After a couple days, you forget it's there. Really.
But it's the improvement to the quality of the screens that's far more important than the sizes and shapes — and potentially the most important change to these phones over their predecessors in any respect. Google spent an inordinate amount of time making the displays as great as possible, and it shows. Speaking with Seang Chau (VP Engineering) and Raj Singh (Sr Director, Tech Engineering) from the Google hardware team ahead of the Pixel 3 launch, I immediately understood just how seriously Google took the displays this year, and how proud both were of the end result.
Google spent an inordinate amount of time making these displays as good as possible.
The OLED screens are clearly higher quality panels than before, which is a great starting point. Then Google went to work calibrating them: there was a huge focus on base-level accuracy at the panel level, and then further calibration in software to make them perform their best. gave the Pixel 3 XL an A+ rating and ranked it among the best phone displays it's ever seen.
The phones ship in "Adaptive" display mode by default, which bumps up colors and saturation but has been tuned to limit the over-saturation of skin tones and reds in particular. Both screens look great, and look near-identical to one another — and importantly, they're dramatically better than any previous Pixel. Everything you see on the screen is crisp and pleasing. Colors stand out, but aren't obnoxious or overblown — and they don't shift dramatically when you tilt the phone. (And true display nerds can always drop it to "Natural" for a 100% RGB look.)