This week saw the unveiling of the Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones, just as it was anticipated. The two phones bring a new dawn to the Google we know, dropping the Nexus branding in favor of the Pixel name.
This is not just about everything that the new Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones come with, but you will find good as well as bad in these phones, just like with any other smartphone out there. In short, the Pixel and Pixel XL are far from being the perfect phones you can dream of.
Google Pixel and Pixel XL – the good side
Everything that exists has its good and bad sides and the Google Pixel and Pixel XL are no exceptions. These two are undeniably some of the best ever phones to come from the search engine giant. Praises have been given to the 12.3MP rear snapper on the back of the phone after it received the highest ever rating from DxOMark as far as smartphones are concerned – 89.
The Google Nexus 6P was an amazing device, but it lacked on this camera aspect. The story was the same for the Nexus 5X, but Google is making amends with the new Pixel and Pixel XL. These amends have also been felt on the software end, with the two phones coming in with a blend of stock Android 7.1 Nougat that also includes special features such as Pixel Launcher, a few tweaks to the visual design as well as integration with Google Assistant. Of course, these may be small changes, but they can play a huge role in luring more users to the handsets.
There are much better things on the Google Pixel phones when hardware specs are considered. You get the latest Snapdragon 821 SoC alongside 4GB RAM. This chipset makes life easier with VR, especially Google’s Daydream VR. There is a decent storage capacity of up to 128GB, but there is a smaller version of 32GB.
If size is your thing, Google has two options on the table – two options that offer flagship specs, but with differences in screen sizes, just like Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. There is a 1080p 5-inch AMOLED screen on the Pixel while the Pixel XL has a 1440p 5.5-inch AMOLED screen.
Google Pixel and Pixel XL – the bad side
While many will agree that the Google Pixel and Pixel XL are two amazing phones, as noted earlier, there is always some bad even in the best things there could be. As for the case of the two phones, many buyers might be put off by the phone’s asking price. However, if Samsung Galaxy S7, iPhone 7, HTC 10, Galaxy Note 7 and many other flagships are being bought at relatively similar prices, why not the Pixel and Pixel XL?
Apparently, the base model of the Pixel phone is valued at $649 while the high-end model costs $749. To get the Google Pixel XL, you need $769 for the base model and $869 for the high-end 128GB variant. When compared to the likes of OnePlus 3 and ZTE Axon 7, for instance, one would question why there is really the need to go all the way close to $900 just to get a smartphone with the same offerings as what you get on a $400 phone.