The flagship from the makers of Android, Google themselves is finally officially announced and every leak seems to be true about it. But does that stop it from being the best camera phone for the next 12 months?
The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are likely the least anticipated smartphones of 2018. Ask why? You must be living under a rock if you aren’t heard or seen the leeks about them before the official launch. But that is okay, it is hard to stay away from the internet even for the tech giant, Google themselves. It is gonna top the lists when it has all the ingredients for the best camera and software experience, which Pixel devices are famous for. Has it got that right? We will see for it ourselves.
Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL
Google Pixel 3 series was launched in Made By Google event on 9th of October with few other Pixel devices and accessories and the sales started the following week. The device is not quite refreshing from the last year’s Pixel 2 series but has done a lot of wrongs right this time. And as always there a few features that are pixel exclusive for the initial period which are boast-worthy. Let us see all of the specifications and features down below.
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Display and Design of Google Pixel 3 And Pixel 3 XL
The design has not changed much from the previous generation except for the notch on the Pixel 3 XL. The design carries the same dual tone back like any other Pixel. The only difference is the whole back is made of glass and the rougher bottom portion is created by etching the glass. The top has a single camera, a big sized sensor with a flash. The sim tray and the USB C port are on the bottom and then to the right are the power and volume control buttons. The display on the Pixel 3 is a P-OLED, 5.5inch 18:9 display with FullHD+ resolution. For the bigger brother, it is the QHD+ resolution 6.3 inches display with a large cut-out on its top. Both the display is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and has HDR capabilities. Notch houses two cameras and an earpiece that also doubles as a speaker for stereo sound.
The display is one of the major downsides with the Pixel 2 XL which Google has rectified it to a good extent. Though it doesn’t go hand to hand with the Samsung’s and iPhone’s it produces accurate colors with deep blacks and good sharpness. No more colour shifts or burn in issues. The Pixel 3 XL’s notch – the highly ridiculed aspect from the leaks is present which is intrusive and feels little awkward as the extra screen that is present on either side of the notch is not as functional or informative to have back the reason of having such a big notch. The smaller Pixel 3 is more attractive with symmetrical bezels on the top and bottom which is a better-looking device in our books at least.
Internal Hardware of Google Pixel 3 And Pixel 3 XL
The 2018 Pixels are going to have the same flagship spec as any other smartphone now. Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and 4 Gb of RAM. Yes, 4 GB is the total RAM for both the device. In the period of budget phones coming with 4GB and 6GB RAM, Google is confident enough to pull off a flagship with the same. Maybe the trust on the software has made them do so. The storage is not expandable with 64Gb or 128Gb to choose from. The battery on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are 2915 mAh and 3430 mAh and comes with fast charging and wireless charging on board, thanks to the glass back that has made way for the wireless charging. The phones are water and dust sealed with the IP68 rating.
The hardware though not very impressive, works great with the coupled software. Every task runs smooth and stutter-free. Pixel 3 XL has carefree full-day battery life and the smaller sibling needs to push to reach the end of the day at times. No worries you have QC 4 and wireless charging for the rescue.
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Software of Google Pixel 3 And Pixel 3 XL
The all-new Pixels run Android 9.0 Pie out of the box. The looks are refreshing and have a ton of new features, both common features, and Pixel 3 exclusives.
The most highly rated feature is the call screening feature with the help of Google duplex. This lets a voice assistant interact with persons on call while you can see a live transcript of what they say and respond via autoreply and pick or cancel the call when you want to. Android wellbeing feature tracks the time duration spent on each application and restricts accordingly. There is a feature hidden in the developer menu to hide the notch. The list of features is quite large and you must use it for yourself to know that.
Camera of Google Pixel 3 And Pixel 3 XL
Cameras are the real reason you need to buy a Pixel smartphone. The rear camera is 12.2 MP sensor with f/1.8 aperture and OIS. Not the same sensor from last year, the new sensor has got extraordinary capabilities. Paired with it is the Pixel visual core image processor which helps the smartphones stay ahead in the competition. There are two front-facing cameras on board both 8MP. One has f/1.8 aperture and the other one which has an ultra-wide lens with a f/2.2 aperture.
The cameras are simply the best by default, to bring in more fun you get some new features too. The dynamic range is one of the best in mobile photography with Google’s HDR+ algorithms. Top shot allows you to choose from a series of photos before and after you click the shutter. Motion Autofocus is great and works very well with humans and objects. the superzoom features promise lossless zoom without the need of the telephoto lens with the help of shakes and movements while capturing the image. Night sight feature is yet to arrive that will be great to use in the night if it works as demonstrated. The selfie and group selfie mode are also good with sharp details and high dynamic range.
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Colours of Google Pixel 3 And Pixel 3 XL
Both the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL comes in three colour options. Just black, Clearly white with a teal power button and Not pink with a slight hue of pink adored by orange volume rocker. All of the colours look flawless and looks good except the rough surface on the back which is easily prone to scratches.
Price of Google Pixel 3 And Pixel 3 XL
The price of the Pixel 3 starts at 799 USD or 83,000 INR and the Pixel 3 XL for 899 USD or 92,000 INR. The prices are moderate for other markets but looks expensive in the Indian market. You get a fast charger and USB-C pixel buds like headphones within the box due to the lack of headphone jack.
Verdict
Google has come up strong this time recovering from some serious issues from last year. As always it has nailed in the camera and software areas. Buy one straight away if that’s on top of your priority. If not Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are still good choices to be bid against other flagships.
