Google Pixel 3 XL, 64GB, White, SIM Free

Product Information

The Pixel 4 XL’s 6GB of RAM definitely pales in comparison to other Android flagships, but we didn’t see any performance dips or other signifiers of memory limitations. It isn’t totally accurate - we had it listen to one of the greatest speeches of all time and the phone elided or misheard every tenth word or so - but it’s free and useful in a pinch. The Google Pixel 3 XL doesn’t push smartphone design in a revolutionary new direction like the new Huawei View 20, but it does see some satisfying change over last year’s Pixel 2 XL. Its lighter weight is an advantage against rivals in reducing the potential hand pain caused by its size though.

It's worth remembering the Pixel 3 XL isn't Google's newest large handset – the affordable Pixel 3a XL came out alongside the Pixel 3a, and the newer flagship Pixel 4 XL came out with the Pixel 4. This might be a bridge too far for some, but if you’ve already given your entire life over to Google the feature is very handy, especially if you’re always wearing headphones. Despite sticking with the same amount of RAM, Google has made the jump to the 10nm Snapdragon 845 mobile platform with the Adreno 630 GPU for more demanding tasks and gameplay.While it might lose in a game of Top Trumps, it’s not noticeable in daily use because the Pixel 3 is simply buttery-smooth in operation, with top-notch gaming performance too. Where other Android phones offer all manner of advanced features, preset modes, and added extras, the Pixel camera “just works.

But turning Night Sight on still has benefits, as here - nearly bright as day down on the street and on the tracks.Casual camera phone users who want to take photos at any time and don’t need tricks from hardcore zoom or ultra-wide lenses should seriously consider the Google Pixel 4 XL, as most of the camera magic happens behind the screen. Downtime is becoming an increasingly important part of the smartphone experience, with both Apple and Google pushing for better phone-life balance. The 4GB of RAM will be a sticking point for many, but in my solid week with the Pixel 3 I haven’t noticed any problems. But oh, what photos they are – combined with the Super Res Zoom introduced in the Pixel 3, zoomed-in photos are much crisper. I didn’t generally notice its presence except when it blocked status bar icons, which I found annoying.

There’s an aluminum frame that binds the front and back pieces of glass together – the only bit of metal you’ll see. It does, however, produce slightly more detail, bump colors a tiny bit and apply a little sharpening for added clarity. The Pixel Buds support Google Assistant, so you can interact via the headphones without looking at your phone. Subject tracking is hardly new, but it works a treat when shooting video or multiple photos of a moving subject.The Pixel Stand also essentially turns your Pixel 3 into a Google Home by changing the way it acts when docked. The Google Pixel 4 XL is a curious step for Google that minimizes the physical design while striking out in new territory with experimental features. The battery disappoints, but rest assured, the phone continues to be a casual photographer’s dream - and combined with Android 10, Google’s larger handset is the simplest, cleanest non-iOS phone on the market.

With the included package of Google and Android apps (plus a few others) and a week’s worth of photos and video, we’d already used up a third of that amount. The hardware for the main camera is mostly the same, although Google tells us the Pixel 3’s main sensor has been upgraded.

The smaller of Google’s new Pixel smartphones is arguably the best small Android phone going, and the Pixel 3 XL shares many of its best traits. The Pixel 3 camera is likely to sit at the top of the smartphone camera charts all year, and for good reason. The first 15 percent of battery life seems to vanish very rapidly though with the remainder depleting more consistently. The difference isn’t Earth (or phone) shattering, though we did end up preferring the tighter dimensions of the standard Google Pixel 3 for this reason. This will go over several common occurrences when it comes to your Google Phone not responding and showing a blank screen.