Google Pixel XL Review
Well, all Nexus phones have been efficient devices. Apart from this, they were neither too expensive nor too premium. On the other hand, through Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL, the company has presented its claim in the premium segment market. It would not be wrong to say that Google has prepared to challenge Apple. There is bound to be comparison between the phones of both the brands in terms of price, design and branding. It is possible that the company may have lost its Nexus fans after this decision. Will it be successful in changing the minds of iPhone supporters? Let us try to find out this.
Look and design of Google Pixel XL
At first glance there is nothing unique about the Pixel’s design. It is a mix of designs introduced by Apple, Samsung and HTC. Google has stated loudly that this phone has been designed by it only, the responsibility of making it was given to Taiwanese company HTC. Looking at the phone we can say that it does not have any distinct identity of its own.
The front panel is of glass. There is plenty of space at the top and bottom of the screen. In terms of specifications, it has 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4, but the curvature on the edges is not much. The sensor on our silver review unit looked a bit odd, looking like a black spot. However, the black variant should not have this deficiency. Android navigation is on screen, so the chin is empty.
The backpanel and sides are mostly metal, except for the upper part of the rear panel. It is of glass. Due to this reason the antenna is able to work. The patch for the antenna is clearly visible which gives Google’s new phones a distinct identity. However, it feels a bit awkward to hold in the hands, especially considering the presence of a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel.
After initial use, we found that the top half of the Pixel XL is heavy. But we got used to it.
The power and volume buttons are on the right side. We found his position a bit strange. On the left side there is a SIM tray in which you can insert a Nano SIM card. The 3.5mm audio jack is at the top and the USB Type-C port is at the bottom.
Overall this phone is a bit thick and wide. Its design didn’t impress us much. After using the Pixel XL, we felt that it would be more convenient to use a smaller Pixel. The good thing is that apart from the display, no major changes have been made in the smaller version.
google pixel xl specifications
Google has left no stone unturned in the hardware department. Most of the specifications of both the Pixel series phones are the same, the difference is screen size, resolution and battery capacity. You will get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset with a maximum clock speed of 2.15 GHz. Adreno 530 GPU is integrated for graphics. Both models have 4GB of RAM and you have the option to choose between 32 or 128GB of storage. Our 32GB storage unit had 29.7GB of storage available for use. MicroSD support is not present. Keeping this in mind, it would be a better decision to buy the 128 GB variant.
The Pixel XL has a 5.5-inch (1440×2560 pixels) screen, while the Pixel 5 has a 5.5-inch (1080×1920 pixels) resolution. Don’t know about the smaller variant, but Pixel XL is the smartphone with the best screen till date. It’s bright and crisp. The colors on this are very natural. You will find many unique types of sensors in the phone. Apart from this, an Android sensor hub is present. It’s a dedicated processor that continuously monitors inputs, even when the Snapdragon 821 processor is on standby.
In the launch event, Google had boasted about the capabilities of the phone’s camera. In Pixel and Pixel XL phones, you will get 12.3 megapixel rear cameras which are equipped with laser autofocus with phase detection. At the same time, the sensor of the front camera is of 8 megapixels.
Due to more space in the larger variant, the company has been successful in providing a larger battery of 3450 mAh. Support for quick charging is present. You will get a Type-A to Type-C USB cable in the box. Apart from this there is also an OTG adapter. This adapter is very useful. With its help, you can import contacts, photos, calendar data and messages by connecting your old phone to Pixel.
google pixel xl software
Google has discontinued the very popular Nexus series and launched Pixel phone in the market. This means that these phones will now truly reflect the company’s Android vision. However, in this phone you do not get the pure version of Android, but the Pixel version. It has a separate custom launcher and many more customizations. At present, it is also not clear whether any or all of these features will be allowed to be used by other smartphone manufacturers or not.
When we used Android 7.1 for the first time, we realized a lot was new. Starting from the home screen, you will see a tab with the Google logo on the top left. By tapping on it you will reach the Google search bar. Here your recently searched subjects will be listed. Swiping inward anywhere on the screen brings up Google Now. Pressing the home button for a long time will open the voice search command. Here you will meet Google Assistant.
The Settings app has been completely redesigned. There is now a new menu based system in which you will be able to change between sections.
Google Assistant is one of the important reasons why Pixel phones came into existence. In this, all the efforts of Google have been threaded into one thread. There is no doubt that in the coming time it will be a part of more and more devices.
The Assistant is something you may never use, or may not realize its full potential. This is not much different from the voice search feature of existing Android phones. It’s just more accurate. It can be used with OK Google command. With the help of Assistant you can send messages. Can launch the app. Can translate any sentence and control many functions of the phone.
google pixel xl camera
If Google Assistant is the first important feature of Pixel phone, then camera performance will definitely be at the second position. Google knows that only by developing the best camera it will be able to justify the title of premium phone. And she has been successful in this also.
The moment you activate the camera app, the Pixel experience will thrill you. It looks like a stock Android app but it has options like photosphere mode, burst and slow motion. Especially the lens blur mode is even more interesting. Because the phone does not have two cameras to capture different shots. In such a situation, after taking the shot, the app asks the user to move the phone slightly so that he can take a slightly offset shot from the same lens.
(Click to view the camera sample of Google Pixel XL in larger size)
Photo resolution goes up to 12.3 megapixels. The phone’s camera autofocuses quickly and captures photos in a jiffy, no matter the lighting conditions.
Now the question is about photo quality. We can say with confidence that the Pixel XL fully lives up to its claims. The quality of its camera is at the level of iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S7. The focus is fast as well as sharp. Some of the details in the close up shots are excellent. Its performance in low light is the best ever. We’re also pleased with the performance of its front camera, though it’s by no means revolutionary.
The videos came out clear and sharp. The problem with recording 4K video is that it consumes a lot of storage. But for this, Google has given free subscription of photos to the user for lifetime. You will be able to store 4K video in its original size. However, this is going to increase internet consumption.
(Click to view the camera sample of Google Pixel XL in larger size)
google pixel xl performance
As expected, there is no lag in performance with the help of the new and faster Snapdragon 821 processor. We did not face any problem in doing anything on this phone. Be it playing 3D games, streaming high-resolution videos or 4K recording. The good thing is that the phone did not get too hot during these functions. Watching videos and playing games on the big screen was something else entirely.
There is no problem in reading on the screen even in bright sunlight. However, we were disappointed by the sound coming from the built-in speaker. It is suitable for making the experience of watching videos and playing games enjoyable, but it becomes harsh at higher volumes. And it doesn’t quite fit the music. The fingerprint sensor worked properly. We never had any complaints about network connectivity. Overall, we enjoyed using the Pixel XL. Pixel XL also gave excellent results in benchmark tests.
Battery life is commendable. It lasted 14 hours and 6 minutes in our video loop test. We played games, recorded 4K video, and streamed music and video clips, and still had little battery left at the end of the day. Support for quick charging is present. The phone was charged from zero to 100 percent in about 2 hours.
our decision
We don’t know why Google entered the smartphone hardware business? Why has it been decided to limit the Pixel experience for now? Is the company disappointed with the performance of its partners regarding the Android experience? Did Google not want to take any risks with the Assistant, so it took on the project itself? Answers to all these questions will be available only in the coming time.
It is clear that the company has prepared to challenge iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus through Pixel and Pixel XL. In a way, Apple fans have now got an alternative to Android phones like iPhone.
If you buy this phone, you get the best smartphone camera ever. Its performance is also excellent. It is possible that Google Assistant may not be liked by many users, but if you want this feature then you have no option but to buy this phone. Getting important Android updates is also guaranteed. It is expected that after this Samsung and other companies will launch better Android products in the market.
