Introduction
HTC and Google have come full circle twice since the original HTC Dream, which released on T-Mobile as the T-Mobile G1. Then a few years later with the release of the Google Nexus One, yet another phone is made by HTC for Google. And now, with the Nexus lineup seemingly discontinued, the (HTC-made, as well) Google Pixel takes its rightful place as Googles own flagship offering.
Google is committed to delivering the best smartphone experience and giving the iPhone 7 a run for its money. Quite literally as the two lineups are priced identically: starting at $650 (US) and stepping up +$120 if you opt for the XL model. Tack on $100 more if you want to up the memory from 32GB to 128GB. Either way, Google will throw in unlimited photo and video cloud-storage via Google Photos.
The G oogle Pixel is designed to deliver a Google-centric experience, complete with perfect integration of all the services Google has to offer, as well as the introduction to Androids new Google Assistant, now more talkative, helpful, and exclusive to Pixel.
The Pixel and Pixel XL are both successors to last years Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Except this year, the Pixels are identically specd with the exception of the screen sizes/resolutions and battery sizes, whereas the Nexus 5X and 6P had more significant differences like the hexa-core CPU in the 5X compared to the 6Ps octa-core chip.
Key Features
- Sturdy metal uni-body design with wedge
- 5.0" 16M-color AMOLED screen of 1080p resolution, 441ppi
- Snapdragon 821 chipset: quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kyro & 2x1.6 GHz Kyro) / Adreno 530 GPU / 4GB of RAM
- 12.3 MP main camera with f/2.0 phase detection and laser assisted autofocus, dual-LED flash, 1/2.3" sensor, 1.55 micron pixel size, 2160p (4K) @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30/60/120 fps, 720p @ 240 fps
- 8MP front-facing camera, f/2.4 ½.3" sensor size, 1.4 micron pixels, 1080p @ 30fps
- Comes in 32 or 128GB of built-in storage
- First device to ship with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box
- Up to LTE Cat12 depending on market (600/75 Mbps) / GPS with A-GPS; GLONASS / Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2x2 MIMO / Bluetooth 4.2 / NFC support for Android Pay and Android Beam
- VoLTE / Wi-Fi Calling / Project Fi-compatible
- Pixel Imprint fingerprint authentication
- 2,770 mAh non-removable battery
Main disadvantages
- Nexus cons - no microSD slot, non-removable battery
- Pricey for a Nexus successor
- No wireless charging, IR blaster, or FM Radio
- (Arguably) bland design < li>No full water resistance
Many Nexus fans were disappointed to learn that the Pixel wont as affordable as the Nexus devices. The Pixel phones are meant to be more mainstream and to carry Googles vision of Android to everyone. It carries a heftier price tag so customers are more likely to purchase the units through carriers (though Verizon is the only one that will carry it in the US). Besides, if the Google Pixel was not priced like the iPhone, many might be quick to dismiss it for being "cheaper than the iPhone".
Battery life is definitely something we are really looking forward to testing as the 2,770mAh battery sounds a bit iffy as Nexus devices in the past were hardly known for battery performance. So that is. We really hope Googles efforts with software will yield better battery life.
I n any case, the Google Pixel marks a new chapter in Googles smartphone portfolio. Many of you with a Nexus 5X (or even Nexus 5) might be wondering if you should upgrade to the Google Pixel, lets find out together if the Google Pixel is worthy of replacing your Nexus daily driver.
Whats in the box?
All Pixel models come in the same sized box with the appropriately colored model and say Google Pixel, even if it is a larger XL model. The only way to tell the boxes apart is by the model written on the tag. Once we slide the larger box out of the sleeve and cut the seal, then we can open the box and take a peek inside.
Google Pixel unboxing
Here we see the Pixel phone face down. Lifting the phone out and putting it aside, we find a pack of documentation with a SIM tool, warranty information and Quick-Start Guide. Underneath the pack of paper is a USB-A to USB-C cable, as well as an OTG adapter. This makes it easy to connect your old device and transfer everything over using the Android Transfer tool. More on that in the UI section.
A second flap on the right of the package reveals the charging adapter, as well as a USB-C cable. The power adapter uses a USB-C port. So the phone comes with two different cables: one for charging, and another one for data transfer. The charger that comes included charges the Google Pixel quite fast. More on that in the Battery life section. There is no included pair of headphones, but we really appreciate the OTG adapter and extra USB-A cable.
Google Pixel package contents (US)
Unfortunately, there are no headphones included in both the US and UK package.
Hardware & Design
When holding the Pixel for the first time, our impression was that it felt reminiscent of the HTC 10 in the hand. Even with similar screen sizes, however, the Google Pixel felt lighter than you anticipate on first look. A couple of things attribute to the difference in weight such as slightly differing battery sizes (2,770mAh on the Pixel VS the HTC 10s 3,000mAh battery), and the Google Pixels lighter "aerospace aluminum" build over the HTC 10s "military-grade aluminum" construction.
Google Pixel in the hand
The Google Pixel is quite closely related to the HTC 10. After all, the Google Pixel is manufactured by the same company. Check out the Google pixel alongside the 5.2-inch phone.
Google Pixel and HTC 10: Bottom • Top • Side
Granted, even cheaper smartphones are made of metal, but this is nothing like those formed sheets of metal, this guys chassis feels like it was "crafted" of the aluminum material. With that being said, the Google Pixels metal finish looks and feels fantastic.
Despite the appearance of the phone, it is very well built. Kudos to HTC for building a sturdy smartphone with a soft appearance.
From left to right: Google Pixel, HTC 10, and Pixel XL
The Pixel and Pixel XL look identical. With the only aesthetic difference being the size.
Google Pixel next to the Pixel XL
Some more shots of the Pixel and Pixel XL compare the phones footprints with the other one.
Google Pixel stacked on the Pixel XL
The design of the Pixel is quite reminiscent of the iPhone-esque HTC One A9, with a variation of the HTC 10s beveled edge that is found all the way around the backside of the phone. The Google Pixels bevel is a bit different, but the ergonomics are still there. The bevel on the sides angles toward the back, but then curves gently to the back of the phone. The angles and curves make it comfortable to hold without any sharp angles to poke you. Like the HTC 10, youll have to see and feel it in person to truly appreciate the positive role the bevel plays in the handling of the phone.
Google Pixel corner views
But why the antenna lines? We figure if the phone already has the big glass "window" for antenna signals to pass through then it wouldnt need any antenna lines. Then again, Google probably had to make certain decisions for the sake of crunching time when developing the phone.
Bringing it back to the front side of the phone, the Google Pixel is quite easily mistakable for an iPhone, minus the missing home-button and slightly larger screen. Just under the earpiece are the light and proximity sensors, while the 8MP camera is to the far left of the earpiece. The 5-inch 1080p screen makes up 69% of the front of the phone.
We really wish Google did something more exciting with the front of the phone as its top and bottom bezels are somewhat large for a 5-inch phone. The space could have been used to place a second loudspeaker in the earpiece? Thankfully, the single speaker at the bottom of the phone is quite loud.
Front of the phone
The top of the device features a 3.5mm headphone jack and a couple of antenna lines while the bottom side features a simple audio setup. To keep symmetry, the loudspeaker and microphone grilles look identical. A loudspeaker sits to the left of the USB-C port and the microphone slot is to the right.
The only buttons found on the phone can be seen on the right edge of the Pixel and there are three. The power button is textured and above the volume rocker for easily telling it apart from the volume rocker.
Finally, on the opposite edge is a single nanoSIM card tray which pops out with a SIM tool.
Left • Right
Bottom • Top
The backside of the Pixel is where most of the excitement is. Google took the idea of the Nexus 6Ps rear-camera glass and expanded on the idea of putting various sensors, radios, and the camera behind this slab of glass as a more (arguably) elegant solution to antenna lines. Still, the Google Pixel has both: this glass "window" and antenna lines.
This glass panel is home to the 12.3 MP camera setup with dual-LED flash, a noise-cancelling/ video camera microphone camera focusing sensors, and the Pixel Imprint fingerprint scanner.
Rear view • Close-up of glass "window"
The choice of materia ls is great, the Google Pixel is made of an aluminum chassis, much like the HTC 10. However, the Google Pixel has a softer feel while the HTC 10 felt harder and edgier, but somehow still works ergonomically.
If you are picky about fingerprints and smudges, it is worth noting: Our "Very Silver" model was quite merciful with fingerprint smudges on the glass window. The white glass panel is very lenient with smudges and hides them well. Our "Quite Black" XL model, however, wasnt as forgiving with smudging. The metal body of both color options hide fingerprints well.
The Google Pixels design, although somewhat pedestrian, is a safe play for now. Once the Pixel brand is better established after the next iteration or so, wed love to see some newer and bolder design cues that arent inspired by a certain fruit. Even so, the Google Pixel is sure to get some curious onlookers asking about it, as its backside stands out from other smartphones on the market these days.
Display
The Google Pixel rocks a 5-inch Samsung AMOLED screen with 1080p FullHD resolution and it carries the same pixel density as the LG Nexus 5 did back in 2013 with a ppi of 441. For a phone in late-2016, many would expect it to have a QHD screen by default but thats perhaps an overkill on a 5-inch screen.
The AMOLED display is gorgeous and colors, though vibrant, dont look too oversaturated. The screen sits behind a panel of 2.5D Gorilla Glass 4, which subtly curves into the screens bezel.
Google included a new "Night light" feature which can be used to add a strong yellowish hue to the screen in the evenings (perhaps too strong, there is no way to adjust it). This serves to block white and blue lights from reaching your eyes, thus repor tedly preventing late night device use disrupt your natural sleep cycle as some studies suggest that blue light makes the body stop producing melatonin.
Night light mode settings
We measured the screen brightness of the Google Pixel and it peaks at 445 nits. Other flagships phones like the Samsung Galaxy phones of this year and the iPhone 7 duo were easily pushing 600 nits on the brightness scale.
Unfortunately, the Pixel does not offer any brightness overdrive while using Adaptive mode.
On the other hand, we were able to dim the brightness to as low as 6.7 nits manually. Its worth noting, the screen got even dimmer (1.4 nits) in adaptive brightness mode.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, cd/m2 | White, cd/m2 | ||
| 0.00 | 445 | ∞ | |
| 0.29 | 428 | 1543 | |
| 0.35 | 561 | 1603 | |
| 0.40 | 656 | 1640 | |
| 0.00 | 563 | ∞ | |
| 0.00 | 391 | ∞ | |
| 0.30 | 455 | 1542 | |
| 0.17 | 306 | 1855 | |
| 0.20 | 378 | 1881 | |
The Pixel looks just fine in direct sunlight. Its not the greatest phone outdoors, but you shouldnt have problems checking up whos calling you.
When it comes to color accuracy, there is no other color mode to choose from in the display settings. However, if you really need to work on color sensitive materials, you can enable sRGB display mode in the developer options. To reveal the Developer options menu, you should tap the Android build number in the Settings menu 5 consecutive times.
The default color mode showed us an average deltaE of 4.9 and a maximum detlaE of 11.6. With the sRGB mode enabled, the accuracy was significantly better, with a detaE average of 2.2 and a max delta E of 4.5 (the red channel).
Connectivity
The Google Pixel uses the newest, commercially available modem, the Snapdragon X12 which supports LTE Cat. 11 - Thats 600/75Mbps (limited to Cat. 9 450/50Mbps on some carriers).
For superb audio quality theres Ultra HD Voice, which works either over VoLTE or Wi-Fi (side note: if you use Googles Project Fi network, Wi-Fi calling will be more common than the former). You need carrier support for this, of course, but Qualcomm says these calls are less likely to drop in spotty connectivity than regular HD Voice.
Also, the Qualcomm Fluence Pro technology is used for noise cancellation during phone calls. Interestingly, it uses two microphones for the handset and three mics when you use the loudspeaker.
The rest of the wireless conne ctivity holds no surprises - fast Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac (2x2 MIMO), Bluetooth 4.2 (with A2DP and LE), A-GPS with GLONASS and NFC. The latter is used for the Android Pay service, secured by the fingerprint reader, the Pixel Imprint.
Wired connectivity has USB Type-C running at USB 3.0 speeds, but no TV out functionality. Oh, and lets not forget the headphone jack on top! With USB Type-C supporting analog audio, it wasnt a given that Google will keep the old-school port.
Battery life
The Google Pixel carries a non-removable 2,770 mAh battery. Now while Googles Nexus devices have never been great with battery life in the past, we are happy to report the Google Pixel doesnt disappoint, though it certainly doesnt impress either. The battery life we got out of it has been consistent, and we like that.
The USB-C fast charger is not of the Qualcomm Quick Charge sort. Rather, it uses the USB Power Delivery standard and charges quickly with 5V @ 3A. Even though the charge r is rated for 5V (15W) and 9V (18W), the smaller Pixel will never use the 9V mode. The Pixel XL on the other hand makes use of the chargers maximum wattage. Even then, it still takes longer to charge it than the smaller phone. Its worth noting: the USB PD charger brought the small Pixel from 0 to 53% in 30 minutes.
Graph and Power Saver are accessible in quick settings
The Google Pixels battery life is about in-line with the iPhone 7 which scored 61h in our endurance tests. However, thats nothing close to the 80h tha t the Exynos version of the Galaxy S7 yielded. Although it had a slightly larger, higher res display, and a slightly larger 3,000 mAh battery, the Exynos chip proved to be far more power-efficient than the Snapdragon 820-powered alternative.
Google promised approximately 13 hours of video playback, 13 hours of web browsing, and 26 hours of talk time. We dont know what conditions Google tested these numbers, but the test numbers we got were lower. Talk time yielded 20:43h, video playback scored 11:27h, which was a bit short of the 13h promised, while the web score was around half of what Google promised at 7:40h.
The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case youre interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones weve tested will compare under your own typical use.
Androids finest
You would think Googles own phones would debut the companys latest Android operating system. However, it didnt and the LG V20 took the spot as the first smartphone to come with Android 7 out of the box. The Google Pixels, however, debuted with Android 7.1 out of the box. A few days later, Android 7.1 beta became available for the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X.
The Pixel gets you the purest of Android interfaces, the way Google meant it to be: free of any pre-installed third-party apps, carrier bloatware, or modified system menus. Given that its the phone whose software Google has control over, the Pixel is appropriately dubbed the "G" Phone.
Starting wi th the launcher, Google did something similar with the Google Experience Launcher (eventually renamed "Google Now Launcher") when it was first released to the public, it was exclusive to the LG Nexus 5 until it eventually became available to all Android users.
Much like the Google Now Launcher, the Pixel Launcher is officially available for only the Google Pixel devices (though you can sideload it to any Android phone). The launcher has a few differences from other smartphone launchers. There is no app drawer button, rather, a swipe up from the bottom pulls up all your apps, like an actual drawer.
A 3D-Touch-like menu can be accessed for each app by simply holding the icon down for about a second. For example, if you press and hold the Camera icon, youll get two bubbles that let you choose between "Take a photo" and "Take a selfie".
Launcher shortcuts let yo u interact with apps without opening them
A new feature baked into the Pixel launcher is the new Wallpaper chooser, which, as of recently, you can download to any Android phone from the Play Store and its Googles Wallpapers app. You can choose between Live Earth backgrounds that are rendered upon unlocking the screen or swiping between pages on the launcher. You can also set some of the wallpapers from other categories like "Cityscapes" or "Landscapes" to change on a daily basis.
Wallpapers • Live earth • 3D view of Arches National Park • Abstract live data • What time is it?
Unfortunately, there is no theme chooser. Even though Android once did support it back in Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the decision to remove it is somewhat strange. But perhaps Google had its reasons to get rid of it.
A fun tidbit: the new App drawer takes us back to the days of the T-Mobile G1 as the tab that you used to pull up from the bottom has been changed, morphed, and modified over the years. Yet, Google brought an original UI element back and refreshed it.
One more thin g, there is a search bar in the app drawer which you can use to sift through your long list of apps while the top row of apps display recommended apps - recently installed apps as well as recently installed ones.
The app drawer action reminds us of the T-Mobile G1 days
There is no longer a permanent search bar. Instead, Google has given us a tab with a "G" which can be tapped for a Google search bar, or you can pull it to the left for Google Now. You can use the Google search bar to search for anything online or anything on the phone, such as contacts, Google Books, apps, etc.
Across the screen from the G-tab is a weather widget, which cannot be moved to another spot; It lives in the upper-right corner all the time, and doesnt even go away when disabling the Google tab.
Google Now • Google knows our interests • Search • Homescreen settings
Stock Android finally began supporting split-screen this year with Android Nougat 7.0. Yes, Samsung has been implementing it for years, but what we are referring to is vanilla-Android, which never supported it until Marshmallow, when the system could be tweaked to support it. But now with Nougat, its supported out of the b ox. It only works with specific apps, but you can enable a setting in the Developer options to allow all apps.
Tap and hold the App switcher key on the navigation bar and the app in the foreground scoots to the top of the screen, then youll be able to choose another recent app to fill the lower-half of the screen. So you cant launch a new instance of an app, it needs to already have been running. Googles official implementation is a bit simpler than other OEMs implementations of it.
Quick note: In portrait mode, you can adjust the amount of split between the apps, but in landscape, youre stuck with an even 50/50 ratio.
Split-screen multitasking • Moving the dividing line • Landscape is locked to 50/50
If youd rather use full-screen apps and need to flip back and forth quickly, give the App switcher key two quick taps to perform the Android equivalent of Windows Alt+Tab.
If youve enabled "screen pinning" you can access the feature by entering the App switcher, and tapping on a pin next to the app youd like to pin. What it will do is "pin" an app to the foreground, and the only way to get back out is by tapping and holding the "Back" key, and entering a lockscreen pin, pattern, or password. Great if youve got a kid or two who love playing a game and would like them to stay within the app. Or if you find yourself constantly lending your phone to a nosy co-worker w ho needs to borrow your phone for some reason.
The Pin button • A pinned app • Unpinning the app asks you to unlock the phone
You can leave your screen unsecured, but you may be better off setting up a fingerprint, as it is the quickest way to get into your phone. While an unsecured phone requires a press of the power key, then a swipe up, with a fingerprint enrolled, pressing on the rear scanner briefly w ill bypass the lockscreen, skipping a whole step.
The fingerprint reader is very reliable, and registers our print well every single time, with the occasional "Finger moved too fast, try again."If youd like to check your notifications without using the power key, you can hold the sensor to unlock, then swipe down on the sensor to pull the notification shade down. This feature does need to be manually enabled, though. We arent sure why Google hasnt enabled it by default, as its quite useful.
Swipe for notifications • Fingerprints • Registering a fingerprint
Quick Toggles can now be quickly accessed at the top of the screen, bringing us back to the days of Jellybean 4.3 before KitKat moved all the toggles to their own, separate, area. This is also the first time AOSP-Android lets you rearrange them natively (without needing root or modded firmware). The first six tiles will be displayed in the top row of the notification shade.
Theres also a brightness bar, but its only accessible with the second pull of the shade, or a pull with two fingers will simulate a double-pull. There is no adaptive brightness toggle here, though, youll have to dig through the settings for that.
Notification area with row of toggles • Show more toggles by swiping further • Editing toggles
Quick replies have been refined and appear right in the notification of the app, instead of a bubble at the top of the screen. Then the replies are entered right under the notification. The best part is, as you keep replying through the notification, the conversation keeps building. This lets you carry a conversation without having to leave an app at all! The notification will reset itself when you open the app.
Quick reply • Replying right in the notification
On the Pixel, about 7GB are used by the system. Part of the large space required is due to the way the phone handles updates: the updates are installed into a second partition to a copy of the OS and once you restart the phone, the phone will boot from the newly updated side. No more waiting for Android to optimize apps!
Googles Pixel UI feels cleaner than what we had on the Nexus phones, and maybe a bit more simplified. But thanks to the flexib ility of Android, you can change the launcher to one that supports themes. And if youre sick of the ho-hum stock Android build, you can go four steps ahead and unlock the bootloader and do something about it: install a new ROM with customized features. Unless youve got a Verizon unit, which doesnt allow for unlocking of the bootloader.
Google Assistant
The Google Assistant makes its debut on the Google Pixel and Pixel XL. The Google assistant is the companys newest refresh of Google Now. While Google Now was more of a tool used for useful information. It offered basic voice commands, though they worked well. With the Google Assistant, Google took the excellent voice recognition and made it into an assistant that can respond with a friendly voice.
However, we feel that the Google Assistant should have been a complete replacement of Google Now, not an add-on. Because as it stands, Google Now still performs some things that Google Assistant cant do yet. So the Googl e Assistant feels like its not totally finished yet.
You cant ask the Google Assistant to track your packages like Google Now can, you need to say "track my package" into the Google search if you want to see your latest Amazon order. The Google Assistant will tell you "I cant do that yet". Even though the Assistant says "yet", and the intention to integrate the function is there, we just wish it was completely finished before launching it on Allo and the Pixel phones.
Still, the Google Assistant proved to be a better, more voice-accurate Siri competitor. A great touch is the extensive list of suggestions for search queries to help you find what youre looking for, while also learning the different things you can ask.
Google Assistant in action: asking about stadiums, the parking nearby, and whats to eat nearby
You can ask it whats around your area, how long it takes to get somewhere, quickly launch Google Maps navigation or transit directions. You can also use it to quickly translate phrases when traveling aborad provided that you have a data connection where youre headed. Then again, you could always use Google Translate and download a language for offline translations.
The Google Assistant was able to reliably tell what we were saying. Though there are always those few words that Google will hear the exact same way, no matter how many times you repeat it. You can always correct it, If it hears something wrong, you can say "No, I said _____" and Google will usually correct the search result.
As for what specific things you are able to do, Google Assistant is constantly being updated with new features and search combinations. You can ask it "show me cheap, top-rated restaurants" and it will display restaurants with more than 4-stars and rated with a single dollar-sign with "$" being the cheapest and "$$$$" meaning the restaurant has some really pricey items.
Last thing, when asked "turn on my Hue Lights", it responds "Sorry, I cant control lights from your phone yet. But Im learning more every day." Which implies that the compatibility is coming soon. After all, if Google Home is able to control Hue lights, why shouldnt the Google Assistant?
Things Google Assistant cant do yet
Its also worth noting, Google Now on tap still lives on. Just like before, you hold the home button to activate it, the main difference is you have to swipe up on the Google Assistant to see what contextual results are found in the foreground.
The Google Assistant works when offline: And still retains much functionality (the same cant be said for Siri), though the smooth voice synthesis reverts to the old robotic sounding one. You can turn radios on or off (i.e. turn off Bluetooth), open apps and settings, send SMS and even emails via voice command, all while offline. You cant create calendar events or set reminders, but you still create alarms, and set timers.
Things Google Assistant can do when offline
If you want to get a taste of what Google Assistant can do for you, check out Allo on the Play Store. Theres an in-app version of the Assistant that you can use on any Android phone.
The Google Pixel is driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 CPU. While it doesnt offer significant performance improvement over the Snapdragon 820. This particular version of the 821 found in Pixel devices is down-clocked to the 820s speed), the incremental update on the CPU brings a couple of benefits like battery efficiency over the 820, as well as thermal efficiency, so it wont run as warm as the Snapdragon 820.
The Snapdragon 820 made many phones run warm when performing mid-intensive multitasking like constantly switching between Twitter, Facebook, and text messaging a friend while other CPUs such as an Exynos or HiSilicon equivalent wouldnt make your palm break a sweat.
For this round of performance comparisons, well pit the Google Pixel with other Snapdragon 820 devices of this year like the HTC 10, Galaxy S7 (Exynos), as well as the OnePlus 3, and iPhone 7. Well also include the Nexus 6P to see the improvement over the Snapdragon 810.
Well also see how it fares against the Xiaomi Mi 5s, as its Snapdragon 821 CPU is not the same version as this one, and is clocked a bit faster.
GeekBench 4 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 7
5654 - Samsung Galaxy S7
5245 - Google Pixel (5.0)
4139 - OnePlus 3
4045 - ZTE Axon 7
3990 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
3987 - HTC 10
3621
Keeping in mind that the 821 is clocked like the 820, we can see that with all cores active, the 821 scored like the 820 did. Meanwhile, this years Exynos 8890 found in the S7 scored 27% better than the Pixel did. The iPhone 7 remains at the top thanks to the crazy-fast A10 Fusion chip.
As for the single-core test, the Pixel didnt do so hot, the Exy nos powered S7 did a little better, but the iPhone 7s A10 Fusion still took the cake by a long-shot.
GeekBench 4 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 7
3488 - Samsung Galaxy S7
1854 - OnePlus 3
1719 - HTC 10
1708 - ZTE Axon 7
1702 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
1682 - Google Pixel (5.0)
1535
The Pixel has 4GB of RAM - a well-established amount that has been seen on many smartphones this year. However, RAM cant help when going against the iPhone 7s 3GB of RAM. Sure enough, the Google Pixel scored right in the middle of the pack, yielding just about the same as the OnePlus 3s score. The OnePlus 3 fared a slightly higher score thanks to its 6GB of RAM.
Basemark OS 2.0 doesnt think much of the Pixel - pure Android, the latest version in fact, without any bloatware or custom skins running on a new high-end chipset and the results are still in line with the others.
AnTuTu 6
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 7
174532 - HTC 10
154031 - OnePlus 3
141764 - Google Pixel (5.0)
141193 - Samsung Galaxy S7
132084 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
131666 - ZTE Axon 7
129926
Basemark OS 2.0
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 7
3416 - Google Pixel (5.0)
2461 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
2378 - OnePlus 3
2365 - ZTE Axon 7
2346 - Samsung Galaxy S7
2128 - HTC 10
1839
Since the GPU was denied a bump up in performance, the demanding GFX benchmarks fared quite well. Given that the Google Pixel renders at 1080p, even the Xiaomi M i 5s couldnt catch up. You shouldnt see too many dropped frames while gaming intensively with the Google Pixel. The iPhone 7 has the entire Android OS beat on graphics performance, though.
GFX 3.0 Manhattan (1080p offscreen)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 7
61 - Google Pixel (5.0)
49 - HTC 10
47 - OnePlus 3
46 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
39 - Samsung Galaxy S7
38 - ZTE Axon 7
15
GFX 3.0 Manhattan (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 7
60 - Google Pixel (5.0)
48 - OnePlus 3
45 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
44 - HTC 10
28 - Samsung Galaxy S7
27 - ZTE Axon 7
12
With Nougat, support for Vulkan is required (some phones on Marshmallow has it as well). Vulkan is the future of OpenGL and needs to have OpenGL ES 3.1 support in order to work properly. Vulkan benchmarks havent matured just yet, but we do have a roster of OpenGL ES 3.1 tests. With that said, the Google Pixel topped over the other Android smartphones by a couple of frames.
G FX 3.1 Car scene (offscreen)
Higher is better
- Google Pixel (5.0)
20 - OnePlus 3
18 - HTC 10
18 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
16 - Samsung Galaxy S7
15 - ZTE Axon 7
15
GFX 3.1 Car scene (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Google Pixel (5.0)
20 - OnePlus 3
18 - ZTE Axon 7
16 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
16 - HTC 10
9.9 - Samsung Galaxy S7
7.9
Basemarks result reflects the higher-clocked Snapdragon 821 in the Xiaomi Mi 5s. It scored at the top with the Google Pixel ranking second amongst the other devices. The Exynos-powered Galaxy S7 scored among the other Snapdragon 820 devices of the bunch.
Basemark X
Higher is better
- Xiaomi Mi 5s
36240 - Google Pixel (5.0)
33023 - OnePlus 3
32715 - Samsung Galaxy S7
32345 - ZTE Axon 7
32243 - HTC 10
28882
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 7
1547 - Samsung Galaxy S7
732 - Google Pixel (5.0)
626 - OnePlus 3
625 - ZTE Axon 7
606 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
588
After one level of Plants VS Zombies 2 and one race on Asphalt 8, the Google Pixel did become warm. However, the Google Pixel cooled down quickly once switching to regular tasks like sending messages and browsing Twitter.
The same cant b e said for the Snapdragon 820 devices, which we know run quite warm. The HTC 10 and Snapdragon-powered Samsung Galaxy S7 are both clear examples of phones that like to "drop it like its hot". This is not the case with the Google Pixel. In fact, this is one of the best improvements of the Snapdragon 821 over the Snapdragon 820: it runs cooler.
We were especially excited for the 821 chipset as Google made a big deal about Daydream and the GPU is the bottleneck in VR (instead of rendering to one screen, it has to render to two - one for each eye). In short, the Google Pixel is as fast as you may expect a top Android phone to be, but there really is no real advantage over the early-2016 devices.
In either case, the Google Pixels performance does not disappoint. But you definitely will not find any significant performance improvement over devices with Snapdragon 820 CPUs. We do have to give it to Google and HTC though, as the UFS 2.0 storage is quite impressive when it comes to read speeds. By contrast, the write speeds are okay, but nothing extraordinary.
Telephony
The Google Pixel is only available as a single-SIM device. The reason being that the US is the Google Pixels primary market, and Dual-SIM devices are not popular in the US. Besides, with Allo and Duo, Google hopes youll be doing more talking and messaging over the internet.
For regular voice calls, the Pixel supports Wi-Fi calling and VoLTE (provided the carrier supports it), as well as the latest Ultra HD Voice. This new version of HD Voice is most resilient to spotty network coverage, and is less prone to calls dropping because of it. Also, Noise reduction is handled by two or three mics, depending on whether you are using speakerphone or not.
The dialer takes advantage of Googles extensive knowledge of nearby places and Google Maps to give you a smart phonebook - you are able to search for nearby locations by typing t he name of the store, restaurant, or grocery store you are looking for. Just type "pizza" and youll be given a list of nearby pizzerias.
Favorite contacts • Call log • Searching for numbers of nearby businesses • all contacts
New to Nougat, Android has b uilt-in call screening functionality. You can add numbers to be blocked from both calls and texts, and third-party apps can also refer to your blocked number list (apps like WhatsApp or Viber that use your number as an ID).
Google will attempt to ID calls from unknown numbers and if it suspects the incoming call is spam, it will let you know beforehand. This doesnt work for every incoming call, though. The number would have to be in Googles database. It does a pretty good job of detecting when, say, Bank of America is calling.
Built-in blocking feature • 123 now blocked • Caller ID and spam detection
Duo is pre-installed for video calls and is as straight forward as possible. Once you confirm your phone number, you are taken to a big Video call button and you can call people on your phonebook, but that person needs to have Allo installed and their number verified as well. While we love how simple it is, you can only video chat with one person at a time. No group "hangouts" around here.
Main Duo screen • Choose a contact to call • Settings
Theres ViLTE (Video over LTE) - a relatively new standard for native video calling over and LTE connection. While the format is supported at Verizon in the US and EE in the UK, youll need the second phone to support the same format in order to take advantage of it.
Loudspeaker
The Google Pixel has a single, bottom-firing speaker. But it leans on HTCs years of experience with audio in its smartphones (BoomSound was great). It scored a result of Very Good in loudness and sounds great for both music and hands-free talking. It prevailed over a few stereo-firing speaker phones, including the iPhone 7 Plus, LG V20, Xperia XZ, and even the HTC 10 with its BoomSound speakers! The audio doesnt distort or clip, even when you raise the volume all the way up.
A wid er bass range can be heard on the Pixel than on many other phones. The speaker chamber is obviously bigger than usual. Great job with the loudspeaker, Google and HTC. The one complaint I can find about the speaker is that it can be easy to muffle with a palm, or when holding the device in landscape mode when playing games.
| Speakerphone test | Voice, dB | Ringing | Overall score | |
| 61.9 | 66.0 | 62.1 | Below Average | |
| 61.6 | 65.5 | 67.6 | Below Average | |
| 63.1 | 66.7 | 74.3 | Average | |
| 69.5 | 69.3 | 71.1 | Good | |
| 68.7 | 70.9 | 73.5 | Good | |
| 67.6 | 73.2 | 75.7 | Good | |
| 74.0 | 68.3 | 78.0 | Very Good | |
| 66.4 | 72.2 | 84.1 | Very Good | |
| 74.7 | 77.8 | 72.1 | Very Good |
Google Messenger
Messenger is the sole SMS/MMS app installed on the Google Pixel. It handles threaded conversations and manages to create a modern experience over the old communication channel - you can easily embed photos, audio, and locat ion into your message. And there are stickers too, of course.
Its also worth noting that if you use the Google Keyboard, youll see a GIF button that lets you search for and insert GIFs into the chat. Check the Text Input section on the next page for screenshots of that!
Googles Messenger has been updated since our Google Pixel XL review has published. You can checkout what looks different in the screenshots below.
Google Messenger before the update
Now here are new screenshots with the updated Messenger UI.
Mesenger • Swipe to archive a thread • Chatting with Leslie Knope • Stickers • Sending a photo
Starting with Nougat, Allo is the mandatory (pre-installed) instant-message app that replaces Hangouts (of course, you can still find it on the Play Store). To make it easy for users, Duo and Allo dont require signing up with a Gmail account, instead it only asks that you verify your phone number, which is performed via SMS verification.
Allos top feature is the debut of the Google Assistant. You can ask questions, search for places nearby, set reminders and alarms, open apps, send e mails and texts, and make calls. The Google Assistant is more friendly and proactive than Google Now was, offering a more level ground to compete with Siri.
Note that the same Assistant found on Allo is available on the Pixel by tapping and holding the home button. You can type or use voice to talk to the Allo Assistant. However, it wont respond out loud - only the baked-in version of Google Assistant will talk back to you. At this time, only the Google Pixel or Pixel XL will offer the Google Assistant.
Asking the assistant: about nearby restaurants • about the weather • about the weekends weather
Text input
The Google Keyboard is probably the only keyboard youll need (unless you need a same-layout bilingual keyboard, I personally recommend Swiftkey for English/Spanish and it doesnt require a switch between languages). You can adjust the size and key layout and theres a built-in one-handed mode. There are even themes - many of them - so you can pick light, dark, colorful, and even just an image from your gallery. Another option allows you to toggle the border around the keys.
You can type with both gesture, and voice as well. Googles autocorrect is top notch and always learns more. The Keyboard even has a Dvorak option (along with the more traditional AZERTY, QWERTZ, etc.) so it can handle any locality.< /p>
Google Keyboard • One-handed mode • Keyboard height • Keyboard themes • Red with key borders
A nifty feat ure baked into Google Keyboard: when using Google Keyboard while sending texts, you can find a "GIF" button in the emoji section of the keyboard. You can browse through the categories available or search for more specific ones like "dancing cat". These GIFs can be sent and viewed right in Google Messenger, but only when you use the Google Keyboard, and the GIF finder can only be used in Googles Messenger.
Go to Emojis • Tap the GIF key • Searc h by category or keyword
Google Photos
Googles Photos app has been taking the place of a standard AOSP Gallery since the days of the LG Nexus 5 with KitKat. Since then, Google Photos has undergone some pretty significant updates.
As an added bonus, on the Pixel phones you can back up your full resolution photos in the cloud for free (for other phones, full resolution storage counts against your Google Drive quota). This works well with the "Free up space" feature that deletes local copies of the photo, provided that it is already backed up to Google (a great feature for those that choose the 32GB model).
Freeing up space
Theres also a similar feature for files that are stowed on the internal storage: Smart Storage will remove old files (after 90 days is the default setting) as well as remove files once they are backed up to Google Drive.
Google Photos • Changing thumbnail size • AI search • Searching by person • Assistant-made photos
Photos is a really smart gallery and we love the ability to search for photos by keyword: "beach", "selfies", and even peoples names can bring up some pretty effective results. There is also AI assistance with Photos and Google will automatically use backed-up photos (or videos) and compile them into collages, panoramas, filter-heavy images, GIFs, and short video memories to sum up your latest week-long vacation in Miami, for instance.
Check out this one - it took several photos of the same place and animated them. You can see the trees shadow as it sways in the wind - a pretty cool GIF and Photos made it all on its own! We love the Redisco ver this day that pulls content from the same day a few years ago, so you can relive the moments you may have forgotten.
You can create albums, or select multiple photos to share with anyone. All they need is a link to view the photos. You can even let friends contribute photos to the album, regardless of the mobile platform they use.
Share photos with anyone using just a link
Video Playback
While Google Photos does excellently at organizing and uploading all your photos, the video player is quite basic. It will play back your videos, but not much else. There are no subtitles, no chapter view, nothing that makes watching movies or binge watching your favorite series any easier. Thankfully, there are many third-party offerings on the Google Play Store.
Very basic set of controls
Music Player
Google Play handles all audio playback on the Google Pixel. It offers both offline and online features, the latter of which has exploded with popularity in most recent years (Spotify, Apple Music). If you dont wish to use any of the online streaming options, you can very well use Google Play Music fully offline, only retaining local media playback if you wish.
Play music homescreen • Music mix for work • Now Playing screen • Subscription needed for more flexibility
With a free account, however, you can listen to Google Plays curated radio stations. You can choose between playlists based on a theme, moods, or popular music. You can also listen to podcasts, standup routines, and other spoken performances. Of course, with a free account, youll have to l ive with commercials and video ads with your music.
For a paid subscription, youll get access to 35 million songs which you can download for offline playback. You can also buy albums that youll still be able to listen to even after you cancel your subscription. The Google Pixel comes with a promotional code good for three free months of Google Play Music, which also includes 3 months of YouTube Red for free - watch YouTube all you want with no ads.
Managing storage use on Play Music • Viewing only offline tracks • 5-band equalizer
A 5-band equalizer is available with presets and one user-defined setting. When you plug in headphones, Bass boost, and Surround sliders become available.
Audio quality is solid
When plugged into an active external amplifier, the Google Pixel XL posted excellent scores top to bottom and garnished them with very high volume levels. Certainly one of the best performers on the market here.
Plugging in a pair of headphones causes moderate damage to stereo quality and introduces a tiny bit of extra distortion. Neither is too big a deal, but when coupled with the loudness drop to just above average you are no longer looking at a class-leading performer. A pretty solid one for sure, though.
And now here go the results so you can do your comparison.
| Test | Frequency response | Noise level | Dynamic range | THD | IMD + Noise | Stereo crosstalk |
| +0.02, -0.03 | -93.0 | 93.0 | 0.0045 | 0.0086 | -92.6 | |
| +0.22, -0.03 | -92.7 | 92.7 | 0.0054 | 0.129 | -50.9 | |
| +0.01, -0.03 | -94.0 | 94.0 | 0.0033 | 0.0066 | -92.9 | |
| +0.17, -0.04 | -92.0 | 92.7 | 0.0067 | 0.125 | -62.0 | |
| +0.06, -0.10 | -92.4 | 92.3 | 0.0015 | 0.0093 | -80.9 | |
| +0.03, -0.11 | -92.3 | 92.3 | 0.0011 | 0.012 | -77.0 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S7 | +0.01, -0.04 | -92.5 | 92.6 | 0.0027 | 0.0078 | -92.7 |
| Samsung Galaxy S7 (headphones) | +0.05, -0.05 | -91.9 | 92.1 | 0.0044 | 0.063 | -73.4 |
| LG G5 | +0.01, -0.04 | -92.6 | 92.6 | 0.0051 | 0.0096 | -93.3 |
| LG G5 (headphones) | +0.05, -0.01 | -92.2 | 92.3 | 0.0029 | 0.037 | -50.7 |
Google Pixel frequency response
You can learn more about the tested parameters and the whole testing process here.
Excellent 12.3MP shooter with HDR+
Although theres nothing special about the number of megapixels found on the Google Pixels camera, the Google Pixel scored the highest DxOMark number of any smartphone it has ever tested. With that said, the Google Pixel actually uses the same sensor that are found in the Nexus 5X and 6P. That would mean a 1/2.3" Sony IMX377 12.3MP sensor behind a 26mm-equivalent lens with an aperture of f/2.0. That aperture is modest when compared to the Galaxy S7s f/1.7 or the HTC 10s f/1.8.
The camera sub-system however has received a few upgrades compared to the Nexus duo. It still makes use of the same large 1.55µm pixels to improve performance and there is still phase detection and laser auto focus but there a few small but notable upgrades such as the revamped HDR+ mode and the new video stabilization. There is no optical image stabilization, but you would rarely feel its absence.
The best feature of the Google Pixels camera (as well as the Pixel XL) is HDR+. It has been refined from the Nexus devices of the previous year, and the extra computing power found in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 is to thank for some really superb-looking images.
The HDR+ works is by keeping nine frames in the buffer as soon as the camera app is opened. The exposure is tuned to keep highlights from clipping to preserve detail there. The captures in the buffer ar e actually underexposed, but once you take a picture, they get stacked into a single image and provide a nicely exposed photo with less noise, better dynamic range, more saturated colors and more detail than the normal mode.
The HDR+ mode always defaults to On when you start the camera and its actually a good thing as there is no performance penalty and it does not slow the camera down in any way. Each image does need to process for a couple of seconds, however, but that happens in the background and shot-to-shot time is not affected.
Camera UI
The camera app is the same one we find in the Nexus 5X and 6P. The viewfinder is quite simple, yet you still have access to flash, white balance presets, HDR+, grids, and a self-timer. There are a couple of extra camera modes as well, like Photo Sphere, Panorama, and Lens Blur (which simulates a shallow depth of field for that uber blur effect).
The quickest way to start the camera is by pressing the P ower Key twice, fast while the phone is locked or unlocked.
Cameras user-interface
The video and still image viewfinders are separate, which helps line up framing before shooting in the first place. You can get to video mode by swiping to the left on the viewfinder. However, to get to the other shooting modes, youll need to find them in the hamburger menu. Once you choose video mode, you can enter the settings to change the shooting resolution.
Youre also able to toggle between 60fps and 30 fps directly in the viewfinder when in 1080p-res, or you can toggle between 120fps and 240fps when in Slow Motion video mode. Just know that 120fps Slow video records at 1080p while 240fps video records at 720p.
Image quality
As we said, the Google Pixel is able to get some really excellent photos in HDR+. Check them out.
Camera samples
The Google Pixels 12.3MP camera yielded some really great-looking photos with excellent details. The Auto HDR+ mode is able to get rid of a lot of noise in the darker areas of the scene, while also keeping the colors on the warmer side of things. This is the default shooting mode, however - so we think Google did this to make images appear bolder and more visually pleasing.
The white balance does seem to be a bit indecisive at times, even when shooting the exact same scene. This could be a variable in HDR+s algorithm that could be causing it. Not a huge deal, though.
Here are some images with HDR+ Off, and then switched back to Auto. Check out the sky in all the shots, HDR+ Auto really brings the blue out of the sky, darker areas contrast is brought down a bit, while the areas with more lights contrast is raised a touch. Details are sharpened and noise is reduced.
Camera samples, HDR+: OFF • Auto
If yo u find yourself in photo situations with really high-contrast scenes, youre better off manually turning on HDR+. While the Auto HDR+ keeps highlights down to prevent clipping them, sometimes shadows can stay too dark to make out. Sometimes we also get a green tint when the HDR+ works too hard. This is where forcing HDR+ to ON shines. Colors in the shadows are more accurate and you can better make out whats in the shadows.
Keep in mind that manually turning HDR+ on will take photos with longer exposures. So youll want a bit of a steadier hand and some patience when taking HDR+ (ON) photos. The three photos below is a perfect example of how using HDR+ manually yields a better image in higher contrast scenes.
Notice the difference between the first and second images. The sky looks much better, but because the camera is exposing for the bright sky, the buildings get left behind in the shadows. Once we turn HDR+ ON, the buildings exposure cranked up and the overall image look s so much clearer and we can see more details in the shadows.
HDR+: OFF • Auto • ON
Here, you can see how HDR+ really helps low-light photos by clearing up a lot of noise. When turning HDR+ (Auto) mode off, you can really see how much noisier the image looks. HDR+ (ON) cleans up the scene, but not without applying some noise. Still, HDR+ managed to save the details of a dark scene.
Low-light scene 1 - HDR+: OFF • Auto • ON
In the second low-light scene, HDR + helps to correctly expose the bright signs that were clipped in the first two photos. The third one perfectly exposes the signs and they are now visible. However, as HDR+ tries to spruce up the details of the vanishing point (further down the screen) noise is just too much to show any detail. The skys noise was fixed with HDR+ Auto, but made a return with HDR+ ON.
Low-light scene 2 - HDR+: OFF • Auto • ON
One issue that has been pointed out recently is that the camera is quite susceptible to capturing lens-flare. Sure, we encountered it quite a few times when shooting samples(and you can see it above in low-light scene 1, but not enough to really bother us. All cameras flare when a bright light is shone into the lens, or just outside the frame. However, the way the Google Pixels lens is designed makes it just a bit more prone to lens flares.
Google has already acknowledged the issue and is supposedly working on a fix in the HDR+ algorithm that will "cancel out" the flares appearance from photos. Just note that the only way the fix will work is by using the HDR+ Auto mode (which shouldnt be a problem since it is the default setting).
Panorama
The panoramas sadly arent able apply the same HDR+ algorithm to reduce noise and improve contrast. And Google insists on shooting panoramas with dots you have to aim at with the camera. While this isnt as straightforward as other smartphone cameras sweeping action, the results are still just as good. Images are 2,500px tall - not the tallest weve seen, but still great. Stitching isnt perfect, but it is hidden pretty well. Otherwise, exposures are blended flawlessly.
Panorama sample
Selfies
The 8MP f/2.4 camera sensor is carried over from the Nexus 6P. So while the sensor sounds like nothing special, it took some of the best selfies weve ever seen. Details are on point, skin tones and overall colors look spot on and pleasing. Dynamic range was pretty good as well, considering its a weak point of many front-facing cameras.
Shooting in HDR+ (Auto) yields photos with just a bit more saturation, otherwise, the great dynamic range is thanks to that HDR+ feature, which really cleans the images up well even with the front camera.
Selfie in daylight, HDR+: OFF • Auto
When taking low-light selfies, though, youll really want to keep HDR+ in Auto mode. Details and colors are maintained well while noise is kept to a minimum. HDR+ even brightened up the brick wall of the building behind me, while also improving the details in my hair and reducing much of the noise.
Selfie in low light - HDR+: OFF • Auto
Video
The Pixel can shoot video in a bunch of resolutions and framerates. If only Google made it a little less cumbers ome to select them, though.
The possible video modes are as follows: 4K@30fps; 1080p@30fps, 60fps, 120fps (slow motion); 720p@30fps, 60fps, 240fps (slow motion). The resolution is switched in the settings in the hamburger menu. Then for 1080p and 720p you get a toggle in the viewfinder to switch between 30fps and 60fps.
Choosing a resolution for slow motion is a little more confusing, depending on who is asking. Theres a Slow Motion mode in the hamburger menu. Once you select it, youll see a toggle in the viewfinder which lets you choose between 120fps and 240fps, but what the viewfinder does not tell you is that the slow motion video will be 1080p in 120fps and 720p in 240fps. This was likely decided to make it simpler for the average person.
If you were expecting stereo recording on the Google Pixel (or XL for that matter) youll be disappointed to learn the Pixel (and Pixel XL) records mono audio in all video modes.
4K videos come out to about 42Mbps - kind of low when compared to the Galaxy S7 and the LG G5, but dont let it fool you. 2160p (4K) videos look wonderful. Details are abundant and colors look quite natural and the overall image doesnt look over processed.
Otherwise, 1080p videos have an unusually high bitrate at around 21.6Mbps where others normally record at around 17Mbps. The output and color reproduction is just as good as 4K, but without the sharp details that 2160p can show off. 1080p @ 60fps are much smoother, but not as detailed as the 30fps, a common tradeoff.
You can also downlo ad the untouched video samples: 2160p (15s, ~84MB), 1080p at 60fps (15s, ~60MB), 1080p at 30fps (15s, ~41MB).
Final words
The Google Pixel launched to some really raving reviews and overall has been positively acclaimed. What counts most is the desirability of the phone: how much do people really want it? Perhaps it might be too early to tell, but the Google Pixel is a great stepping stone for Googles Pixel brand. Google chose the perfect strategy for getting noticed: pricing the phone exactly the same as Apples offerings.
Youll definitely want this phone if you take loads of pictures, or if you want to capture your youngsters running around. The Google Pixel is probably the best smartphone camera when it comes to low-light photography thanks to Googles HDR+ algorithm. Youre also guaranteed two years of Android updates and about three and a half years of security patches.
We still cant help but be a bit disappointed of the Google Pixels price tag, given that some of us are still shaking off the Nexus mindset. Normally, in the US (the Pixels home market) you buy the "mainstream" brands of smartphones through a carrier, either financed or leased. But the only way to do that this time around is with Verizon, as it is the only carrier in the US that will carry the phones in-store. If you go with T-Mobile, you can get a $325 credit back on a Simple Choice or T-Mobile ONE plan. Youll see a credit of $13.50 per month for 24 months. Not a bad deal if you opted to finance the Pixel through Google.
Google Pixel XL key test findings
- Excellent build quality with some arguably bland design choices. The glass window on t he back is an eyesore for some, and doesnt appear to serve any real purpose besides aesthetics. The glass is prone to micro scratches if you dont use a case.
- The display looks great, but not as bright as others weve seen. Still, sunlight legibility is great. Colors, while pleasing, are more saturated than they should be. (sRGB can be used for more accurate color reproduction, but other phones of the price range talk about HDR and wide color gamut.)
- The battery life is quite acceptable, but we would have loved to see a larger battery in there. Granted, with a 64h overall score, the Pixel offers endurance more or less in line with what the iPhone 7 yielded (61h).
- Androids Assistant is not totally done (still cant ask it 100% of what Google Now can do i.e. track packages) but its probably the best digital assistant right now. Google Photos is a really powerful photo gallery. Unlimited, full-res (and free) cloud storage is a a nice perk too.
- The Snapdrago n 821 is down-clocked to Snapdragon 820 speeds. Regardless, its still very fast, and runs cooler than the 820 did.
- Audio quality shows some distortion when headphones are plugged in and the volume is average. Excellent quality with an external amp, though. The loudspeaker scored Very Good.
- HDR+ single-handedly raised the Pixels camera above the competition. Youll want to keep HDR+ Auto all the time, but for tougher scenes, turning HDR+ ON makes the right difference. The selfie camera excels thanks to HDR+ as well.
- Outstanding video quality at 4K (2160p@30fps, and electronically stabilized) and a great selection of frame rates and resolutions. 1080p @ 30fps looks great, switching to 60fps is smoother, but the trade-off is less detail.
Of all the new features the Pixel phones bring along, we love the idea of seamless updates, it really takes the pain of processing the apps after each monthly update. Although a bit watered down, the split-screen feat ure is a nice feature, as well as Quick switch. Googles new UI (Pixel launcher) looks great, and features Googles search in a different way, while also replacing the persistent search bar that has lived on launchers for years.
Googles apps and services are among the best out there, even iOS users can take advantage of most of them, except the Assistant, which is exclusive to Pixel for now. Baking it into Allo is a great way for users from all over to check out the Assistants new capabilities. Photos AI features are top-notch and let you search for images or automatically edit photos. Google Play Music competes directly with Spotify and Apple Music, not to mention the Music subscription comes with ad-free YouTube Red.
While all the software mentioned above can be run on any Android phone, the hardware remains exclusive to Google (as well as the home-button-accessible Google Assistant), but Google may have priced it too high. This price is hard to take home when you consid er the Pixel does not have the brightest screen, fastest CPU, best battery life, best speakers, or the best water resistance.
It does have the best camera on a smartphone though, as well as the best Android software support which can be performed remotely.
What the Google Pixel has proven for Google is that Google can deliver a polished software experience. We are glad to see that Android Nougat 7.1 no longer has the wakelocks and memory leaks that once dreaded Nexus devices of the past.
The Galaxy S7 is one of the first phones that comes to mind when finding alternatives to the Google Pixel, although its already more than halfway through its product cycle, the Galaxy S7 offers a comparable camera experience, similar sized screen but with QHD resolution, as well as a larger 3000mAh battery, microSD card expansion, Samsung Pay, wireless charging, and proper ingress protection at IP68 (VS the Pixels IP53).
The decision comes down to whether or not you dont mind Samsungs TouchWiz, which even today can drive us nuts. We hope it gets better with Nougat (coming soon for Samsungs current flagships).
Samsung Galaxy S7
Even Apple managed to put more features in this years iPhone. While the standard model doesnt have the dual-camera setup found in the iPhone 7 Plus, it still features better waterproofing, wide color gamut (and brighter) display, stereo speakers, and much longer software support (i.e. the iPhone 5 got iOS 10 this year). Also, dont forget Apples A10 Fusion chip has also smoked the competition in benchmark results.
Your decision will be based on how much you care about Apples ecosystem services like iMessage and Facetime VS the flexibility of Android and the unlimited cloud storage on Google Photos.
Apple iPhone 7
Some design elements of the HTC 10 can be found in the Google Pixel. The HTC 10 is the Google Pixels distant cousin which went out of commission a little earlier than HTC would have hoped when T-Mobile dropped it from its product roster just less than three months after going on sale at the carrier, likely due to underwhelming sales (this is why marketing is so important).
The HTC 10 was the most underrated phone of 2016. It has a great performing camera, both the front and rear cameras feature optical image stabilization, and its build quality is excellent. The HTC 10 also has expandable memory, quick charging, and a 5.2-inch QHD screen.
HTC 10
One other phone that comes to mind is the Sony Xperia XZ, with a 5.2 inch 1080p screen, and a Snapdragon 820 CPU to boot. The XZ was built to cover for the Xperia X which didnt do very well with the masses this year. But with excellent build quality, a great 23MP camera, and 72h endurance score, as well as PlayStation connectivity features it could win over some hardcore Sony gamers. If you are looking for a minimally skinned Android experience, however, this phone is not for you.
Sony Xperia XZ
The LG G5 is another possible alternative. Although the battery is small, the LG G5 features a removable battery which slides out so you can install one of LGs "Friends". This is what LG called its modular accessories which offer things like dedicated camera controls, and a high-quality speaker with enhanced audio output.
The thing is, we do nt think LG will support these "friends" for much longer, as the modular phone wasnt met with much acclaim and did not age well. Still, the dual camera setup is nice, one of the sensors uses an wide-angle lens.
LG G5
Nexus devices used to be the norm for Google, devices contracted by OEMs to make that would run Googles unmodified software build as a reference device for app developers and phone makers alike. That meant living with any shortcomings of the phone that kept the price down. The Nexus 6P and 5X represented Googles graduating year, and this year Google launched the Pixels which now have ads running alongside the other flagship phones of the year, including the iPhone 7 (its biggest competitor).
The Google Pixel brand wont find overnight success, especially with the price for a phone that lacks features that its competitors offer as a standard. The price only gets higher if you arent in the US. You have to admit, it will be interesting to see how Googles phone will play out over the next year, but we are even more excited for whatever Google comes up with to succeed the Pixel. What? Too soon?
! ( hope useful)
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