Google Pixel 3 XL - Big and Powerful

Pixel 3 XL is a full and long-awaited flagship smartphone developed by Google. This model represents the third generation of mobile phones from the search giant. The official presentation of the device took place on October 9, 2019, with some journalists and experts getting piece copies a few months before the announcement. In this review, you will find out whether Google was able to make a really perfect smartphone without weaknesses, or whether users will have to be content with only productive hardware.

Equipment

What to blame for the Pixel 3 XL is definitely not working out, so it's in the configuration, which can be called truly rich. If the white box does not cause any special feelings, then a lot of interesting things are hidden inside it. Of course, we are talking about the smartphone itself. It comes with not only a USB cable, but also charging, a clip for removing the SIM card tray, as well as a useful adapter so that you can connect, for example, a wired headset. And that's not all. There is a special adapter in the box, which received USB Type-A and Type-C connectors. And as a pleasant bonus are branded wired headphones, the retail price of which exceeds $ 100. It is worth noting that this package may differ from the final version.

Design and display

Pixel 3 XL already has a classic frameless design with a slightly strange “neckline”. Unfortunately, the “fringe” was too big, which negatively affects the appearance of the device. At the same time, there is a significant “chin” from below with a multimedia speaker grill. The entire front side is covered by a thick protective glass Gorilla Glass 5.

The Corning glass panel is also installed at the rear, but is already adjacent to the rough plastic. This original design move makes it possible to use fast wireless charging. Here is a fingerprint scanner. In the upper corner is the peephole of the main camera and a powerful flash. There is also a metal frame connecting the front and rear panels. At the bottom there is only a SIM card slot and a USB Type-C connector. The top face got only a microphone. Available colors: black, pink, white. Dimensions: weight - 184 g, height - 158 mm, thickness - 7.9 mm, width - 76.7 mm.

There is a P-OLED screen with an aspect ratio of 18.5: 9 and a 6.3-inch diagonal. With a resolution of 2960 by 1440 pixels, the image is perfect for clarity and detail. The Always On function allows the user to see all the most necessary information with a locked display. Protects the matrix is ​​very durable glass. The color scheme is set very high quality. Moreover, the colors themselves are as juicy and vibrant as possible. The picture remains readable at angles. There is also a decent oleophobic coating, which does not allow numerous prints to spoil the appearance of the device.

Features and Performance

The Pixel 3 XL houses the most powerful processor for Android smartphones - the Snapdragon 845. This eight-core chip consists of Kryo 385 productive cores. The maximum clock speed reaches 2500 MHz. The graphics are handled by the Adreno 630 GPU. The user can count on 64 or 128 GB of internal file storage. The amount of RAM is not very large - 4 GB. The device does not support microSD cards, so it is impossible to expand the free space. Inside is a 3430 mAh battery with quick charge even without wires. Directly out of the box, the device operates on the latest Android 9.0 platform without any shells. Naturally, for the owners of this smartphone the latest and most current system updates are stored. Results in Geekbench 4: single-core mode - 2430 points, multi-core mode - 8360 points. AnTuTu test shows 257,000 points scored. This is one of the fastest mobile phones to date. Moreover, the margin of productivity is enough for another 2-3 years in advance.No need to say once again that such a gadget is capable of performing absolutely any task.

Camera

According to the good old tradition, “Pixel 3” received the only main 12.2-megapixel camera. This is a very high-quality module with aperture of 1.8 and optical stabilization, as well as a dual LED flash. There is an automatic HDR mode that really “pulls out” hopeless photos even at first glance. You can only blur the background using software methods. There is also no optical zoom. Still, the lack of a second sensor affects it. Otherwise, there can be no special complaints about the camera; it copes well with direct tasks with limited capabilities. An interesting step on the part of Google is to equip the device with a dual front camera with two 8-megapixel lenses. There is also an HDR auto here, which works by default. Photos are very clear, and self-portraits can be done with spectacular blur. There is also a function to unlock the smartphone in the face.

Sound

Engineers placed the external speaker on the front panel, namely on its lower part. The stereo effect is created due to the simultaneous operation of both speakers (conversational and multimedia). The sound is quite powerful and assertive. Things are even better when listening to songs in high-quality headphones. Yes, for the flagship, the sound is pleasant, but still not the most outstanding.

Video reviews

Price

Unfortunately, Google followed in the footsteps of Apple, setting a harsh price tag on the new large “Pixel”. So, the cost of the device starts at $ 900 for the standard version. But this applies to the American market. With us, this gadget will cost even more in retail (up to 1,000 euros).

Conclusion

Smartphone Pixel 3 XL can not be called outstanding or reference. There are flaws in it, and quite serious ones. Especially depressing is the only main camera, whose capabilities were limited due to the lack of a second module. It is worth noting the ambiguous appearance with a really deep "bangs" and a large lower indent. But in terms of performance, hardware and software issues to Google simply can not be.