This is an Android phone produced by Google. It is not a cheap phone as the Google Pixel brand only seems to do quality offerings and it is also no surprise to me that is was one of the first to get Android 9 as its operating system.
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click image to enlargeThe Pixel 3 XL from Google measures 15.6x7.6x.7cm and weighs 137grams, although it is shiny black apart from the majority of the back – a light grey – it seems to repel finger marks quite well. I note that a while colour is also available.
The left side has the on/off button and then the volume rocker. The base has USB ‘C’ connection for charging and connection of an OTG device or the headphones via the USB ‘C’. The left side is clear and the top just has the entry point for your SIM. Its dual speakers are built into the face of the phone.
The back has a camera in the right top corner with LED flash beside it; below this is a finger print scanner.
Bootup is an amazing seven seconds while shutdown can be as little as two seconds.
The feel of the grey part of the back is totally different to the black part.
The viewable screen is 15.6x7cm; this has an imperial diagonal screen measurement of 6.3inches. The display is QHD+ and has 523PPI. The display ratio is 18.5x9cm and the contrast ratio is 100000:1. Unlike most phones this unit has one visible button at the base of the screen unless more than one App is open when a back button is available on its left. The main button is used via an upwards slide finger movement to show all open Apps which can then be closed via separate upward slides. Up to thirty five icons can be shown on a single screen.
The rear camera is 12.2MP dual-pixel; the front has two cameras at 8MP one wide angle and the other telephoto which work in unison to give very acceptable images. The front camera can capture 1080p video at 30FPS and the rear camera can quadruple that (120FPS). It can also capture 4K video at 30FPS.
It is IP68 water and dust resistant.
This unit sent to me by Vodafone and I see that currently they are offering a free Google Home Hub with this phone. Quite by chance I am currently reviewing the Home Hub from Google and early impressions are very encouraging.
The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon; it has 4GB LPDDR4x memory with 64GB storage.
The battery is 3430mAh so should easily last a day even for power users.
One feature that can have several uses is the side squeeze that can be tailored for a range of features, very strange when you first try it but it grows on you. The Gestures setting is where this can be found.
As I said at the start it’s not cheap and other phones do offer most of the Pixels features sometimes at a lower price point.
I liked the phone once I was used to squeezing it and the single button below the screen.
The Google Pixel 3XL is available from Vodafone for as little as £45 per month with £63 upfront on a range of price tariffs. The current offer of a Free Google Home Hub could be a nice sweetener, look for a review in the coming weeks.
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/brands/google/pixel-3-xl
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