The Google Pixel 2 XL is a surprising fruit to bear from the corporate’s still-young give attention to melding its software program and efforts. It’s refined, confidently serving as a showcase of how far Google’s design (and the inventory Android expertise powering it) have come up to now few years.

Plus, it’s a launching level for a couple of fascinating debuts, just like the clever Google Lens function and the slick, new Pixel Launcher.

In some ways, that is Google’s greatest telephone but. Its spectacular look and stellar, plus-sized display go toe-to-toe with the fierce competitors.The true kicker listed here are its cameras, which handle to outperform most, if not all, telephones which have come earlier than it.

Nevertheless, that is additionally the corporate’s most costly telephone but. And for that stack of money, you’ll be able to simply discover a competent possibility that trumps the Google Pixel 2 XL by way of options (like expandable storage and wi-fi charging).

There are additionally reviews of a screen burn-in problems Google Pixel XL when a static picture stays on the OLED show for too lengthy. To date, the problems are faint and should not dissuade you simply but. We’ll preserve this evaluation up to date as we hear extra and if you wish to sustain with the issues impacting some fashions, head over to our guide that may train you the best way to repair a few of them.

Watch our design and display evaluation of the Google Pixel 2 sequence beneath. 

Curiously, maybe the most important competitor working towards the Pixel 2 XL is the smaller Google Pixel 2, which retails for $200 (£170, AU$329) much less.

The 2 are very completely different in some ways in which could matter to you (with the XL providing a bigger battery, slim bezels and an even bigger, higher display), however the cheaper possibility supplies largely the identical expertise. 

Google touted the shortage of variations between the 2 fashions as a perk, not-so-subtly digging at Apple’s determination to incorporate the twin rear lens digicam solely within the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus. 

And it’s true: fewer variations makes for a better shopping for determination, successfully decreasing it right down to measurement and display high quality desire.

Are you an leisure junkie who calls for inventory Android, a big, pixel-dense show, and a forward-thinking design? In that case, you’ll be hard-pressed to discover a phablet that may take higher photos and is assured to be up to date properly into the long run with Android P and Android Q.

(Replace: Google Pixel 2 XL has a couple of issues we have addressed in our full evaluation, from the faint display burn-in impact and muted colours to the audio recording distortion when recording 4K video. 

Proper now, they’re all minor flaws that do not seem like widespread, however ones you need to be conscious of nonetheless. Google is difficult at work on software program patches to place a bandage over the issues and all in all, they should not flip you off from this smartphone, particularly because it has made it into our record of best Android phones.

Lastly, our reviewer took nothing however a Pixel 2 (properly, some garments, too) on his honeymoon and captured the outcomes, which you’ll find here.)

Google Pixel 2 XL value and launch date

• $120 greater than final yr’s Pixel XL, additional widening the hole between Pixel 2 choices 
• At this level, most who pre-order may have system in-hand by finish of November 
• eSIM know-how is nice, however works solely with Challenge Fi within the US 

The Google Pixel 2 XL launch date was October 19 within the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and India. 

Whereas the telephone is presently accessible to order, it might not ship to you immediately. We’ve seen that the Google Retailer for the UK, for instance, lists a wait time of 5 to 6 weeks for supply.

As talked about earlier, the Pixel 2 XL begins at US$849 (£799, AU$1,399) for the bottom 64GB mannequin, whereas the 128GB model is priced at US$949 (£899, AU$1,549). 

That is costlier than final yr’s pricing scheme, which noticed the unique Pixel XL sitting at $120 above the smaller possibility. The outcome? It now prices $200 (£170, AU$329) extra to make the leap between the Google Pixel 2 and the bigger model. 

In every area the place the Pixel 2 XL is offered, you’ll be able to snag it unlocked for the costs listed above, although native carriers, like Verizon within the US, EE within the UK and Telstra in Australia will supply the telephone for a month-to-month price. 

Better of all, many retailers are providing a free Google Home Mini with preliminary orders.

The Google Pixel 2 XL is the primary smartphone to have built-in eSIM know-how, which means no SIM card is required. You simply obtain the required credentials to the telephone and also you’re all set.

Unlucky for many, this function solely presently works with Challenge Fi, Google’s personal wi-fi provider that operates within the US. We’re Fi subscribers and had been keen to provide this a try to it was so simple as we had hoped.

Design and Lively Edge

• A refined mixture of steel and glass
• IP67 water resistance
• Squeezable sides for launching Google Assistant

Relying on who you ask, final yr’s Google Pixel telephones both appeared like a great begin for the road, a little bit too iPhone-esque or only a peculiar shade of futurism that didn’t sit fairly proper.

And whereas the Google Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL have largely held onto the divisive two-toned pairing of glass and aluminum, the corporate has labored to raised meet expectations within the center with a bevy of enhancements, together with IP67 waterproofing.

Aluminum now makes up a bigger majority of the again, and the grippy texture Google has labored into the fabric makes carrying the Pixel 2 XL sans case feels much less like an accident ready to occur. 

The highest glass part appears to be like and appears like an accent relatively than a useful a part of the design, with solely the big rear-facing digicam, flash and accompanying sensors sitting inside it.

Pats on the again for whoever at Google had the great thought to place a steel ring across the rear digicam, as it’ll go a very great distance in stopping a repeat of the profound horror endured when the unique Pixel’s rear glass cracked.

Talking of some different enhancements, Google’s new telephone employs Gorilla Glass 5 and with that, a three-dimensional curve round its edges that makes it simpler to carry and naturally, offers it a surprising look.

For those who’re attempting to determine the variations between the Pixel 2 XL and its predecessor, setting them facet by facet helps to clear issues up. The brand new system is 3mm taller at 157.9mm, about 1mm wider at 76.7mm, and all-around a thinner system at a constant 7.9mm, whereas the unique fluctuated between 7.three and eight.5mm. 

The adjustments appear negligible on paper, however they successfully impart a shift in design that’s made much more obvious by this 2017 smartphone’s trimmed bezels and taller 18:9 show side ratio on the entrance.

And whereas that is the place the telephone falls in step with different standard flagships from the yr, there are a couple of distinctive traits tossed into the combination.

Inside the bezels are twin front-facing audio system, which alone justify them being a bit thicker than we’ve seen on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Essential Phone.

It’s a small, however welcome, quality-of-life function to not should cup the underside of the telephone whereas watching a YouTube video to funnel the sound towards our ears. Google has additionally tossed in a superb front-facing digicam and a delicate notification LED into the highest bezel.

Neither the Pixel 2 or the Pixel 2 XL function a three.5mm headphone jack. These aren’t the primary Android telephones to omit the legacy port, however on condition that it made a pointed jab at Apple for doing so final yr, there’s a little bit of egg on Google’s face proper about now.

Nevertheless, it’s lower than you would possibly assume on condition that Android Oreo helps loads of high-quality wi-fi audio codecs. We’ll contact extra on this additional into the evaluation.

Shifting proper alongside, the perimeters alongside the Pixel 2 XL are smoothed over, providing a single texture instead of the multi-layered mixture of chamfered edges and shiny steel used collectively in 2016’s mannequin.

As normal, the suitable facet of the smartphone performs host to the quantity rocker and energy button (now not textured), with every delivering an optimum quantity of tactility when pressed. 

Nevertheless it additionally options an uncommon button that may’t be seen, Lively Edge, which helps you to squeeze the telephone’s decrease half to name up Google Assistant.

You would possibly do not forget that this function first popped up as Edge Sense within the HTC U11, nevertheless it’s nonetheless cool to see it present up within the Pixel 2 XL. For those who’re somebody who makes use of the Google Assistant regularly, you’ll most likely take pleasure in this. However on condition that Google presently doesn’t supply any customization for the function, your mileage could range.

It’d be nice to see the squeeze operate lengthen to booting the digicam, an app or actually, executing any command the person needs.

Then once more, we shortly started to make use of the function for Google Assistant commonly, and the deftness of squeeze truly feels higher right here than it did on the unique HTC U11.

Show

• A slimmer, but taller show than final yr’s Pixel XL 
• Slim bezels make this telephone fall in step with 2017’s hottest pattern 
• Razor-sharp pixel density is ideal for VR, however seemingly not as vibrant as final yr’s mannequin 

Comfortable between the curved, slim bezels is an LG-made pOLED show that pushes a QHD+ 2,880 x 1,440 decision with the aforementioned 18:9 show.

On first look, we seen that its shade profile isn’t as strikingly vibrant as we discovered on the unique Google Pixel XL, nevertheless it appears to try for higher distinction and shade accuracy, deeper blacks, and because of this is perhaps a smidge extra environment friendly.

One of many massive issues is the viewing angles although – flip the telephone even barely facet to facet and you may see issues get actually boring in each brightness and shade… it is a particular draw back in comparison with final yr’s Samsung-made shows within the unique Pixel handsets.

Whether or not there is a polarizer, glass therapy or simply much less spectacular manufacturing, the display has taken a backwards step over final yr’s Pixel XL. 

Android Oreo on the Pixel 2 XL hides a show setting to activate “vivid colours” which truly does amp up the saturation only a bit on colourful graphics in photographs, video games and movies, however you’re not more likely to discover an enormous distinction.

For those who’re caught deciding between the 5-inch Google Pixel 2 and the 6-inch Pixel 2 XL, display measurement clearly comes into play, however so does display high quality. Whereas each are a lot crisp at 441ppi (pixels per inch) and 538ppi for the Pixel 2 and a pair of XL respectively, the decision differs fairly a bit.

In comparison with 1080p on the smaller possibility, this yr’s XL supplies QHD+, which makes this the best possibility if you end up watching a number of motion pictures and hopping into the Google Daydream View (2017) for some digital actuality enjoyment.

That mentioned, each telephones boast a brand new function for a Google-made system: always-on show. Samsung, LG, Moto and others aren’t strangers to this function, nevertheless it’s now accessible on inventory Android, full with a couple of new additions. 

Activated by default, every telephone will present you the time, date and app icons that you’ve pending notifications to take a look at. 

For those who’d like, you’ll be able to and may change on the “Now Enjoying” function that listens in on music enjoying out and about and exhibits the tune title on the underside of the show.

Google says it does this domestically with out sending your information to its servers, and in our expertise, it really works like a allure. It’s a type of particular touches that makes inventory Android really feel more energizing than ever.