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Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Google Pixel, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Google Pixel is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Only had the phone 3 days, but it has the most cohesive feel of all the Android devices I've owned, not as featureless as my Nexus 7, not over the top like my older HTC/Samsung devices. Switched to Nova Launcher, then switched back to Pixel launcher because it felt a better fit.
I love it. But I'm having some buyer's remorse. I still give it an 8 out of 10. A 10 would have been better than my previous in most categories, even if marginally.
The Pixel is more expensive than my 6P. It's subjectively uglier than my gold finish all metal 6P. It has no front firing dual speakers. It's speakers aren't as good as the 6P's. It has no 64gb option as my 6P did. And I know people may slate me for this, the 6P had a better camera. By a big margin.
So why the high rating? Well, the Pixel feels better in the hand. This is primarily due to the size. The build seems more solid and more dense. The software feels more natural, although this is hard to quantify. The Pixel doesn't exhibit any throttling that my 6P did, which is a huge improvement. It just seems a more polished finish.
It has excellent EIS and I think the 6P should have been given this as it's just software magic, AFAIK. But it is what it is.
No nightmares in the battery department. Quite stable in fact. My 6P was starting to drain quicker than I liked.
Did I say it's the only viable smaller handset with top end hardware? I find it so liberating to be using a smaller powerhouse again.
Most of all, it's just very reliable and dependable.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
I actually very much love this phone, I was expecting a lot to be hype, yet battery is good, cameras awesome see attached pics, and overall it's probably the best phone I owned in awhile, I was using an iPhone 5s, missed mu Android,. Operating system is fast and responsive and split screen multitasking is great especially with YouTube and chrome open
subhani said:
I love it. But I'm having some buyer's remorse. I still give it an 8 out of 10. A 10 would have been better than my previous in most categories, even if marginally.
The Pixel is more expensive than my 6P. It's subjectively uglier than my gold finish all metal 6P. It has no front firing dual speakers. It's speakers aren't as good as the 6P's. It has no 64gb option as my 6P did. And I know people may slate me for this, the 6P had a better camera. By a big margin.
So why the high rating? Well, the Pixel feels better in the hand. This is primarily due to the size. The build seems more solid and more dense. The software feels more natural, although this is hard to quantify. The Pixel doesn't exhibit any throttling that my 6P did, which is a huge improvement. It just seems a more polished finish.
It has excellent EIS and I think the 6P should have been given this as it's just software magic, AFAIK. But it is what it is.
No nightmares in the battery department. Quite stable in fact. My 6P was starting to drain quicker than I liked.
Did I say it's the only viable smaller handset with top end hardware? I find it so liberating to be using a smaller powerhouse again.
Most of all, it's just very reliable and dependable.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
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Im sorry but the 6P does not have a better camera. Coming from a 6P as well i agree with some of your viewpoints but the camera isn't a valid arguement. While the 6P camera is good its not at the level of the pixel.
I've used android phones, I've used iPhones. If this is what Google has to offer with its first Pixel phone I'm excited for Pixel 2 already. The camera rocks, love the quality of photos, the UI is intuitive and fast. Opening apps feels instant for me at least no delay. Have yet to see the device slow down. Almost elliminates the need to shy away from stock one can be hopeful that Verizon doesn't end up blocking depixel8 otherwise I may end up unlocking the bootloader if I see they do.
I use an Android and iPhone handset concurrently for work-related reasons. The Pixel is great, and compares very favorably with the iPhone.
Battery: I used to run all intensive apps like Waze and streaming audio through the iPhone, now I don't fear running them on the Android.
App switching: You know when you're chatting with someone and you look something up to further your discussion along? The Overview button double-tap for switching back and forth is so great.
Fingerprint reader: Is faster than the iPhone 6.
You can probably get a nearly identical experience with a Xiaomi or Oneplus phone without spending $650+. I remember even seeing one of the new Xiaomi flagships featuring the same camera sensor. But I hoped that the Pixel being was it is, it'll be a more bug-free experience.
I bought this phone expecting to not like it and sell it in a few weeks. It doesn't have an sd card slot or a removable battery. That's a pretty big deal to me. But I got the 128gb and started allowing Google to back up my pics. I can go 16 hours on the battery with 4 hours SOT. That's exponentially better than my MXP or pretty much any other phone I've used. I have grandfathered unlimited on Verizon so my choices are slim if I want root. Everything about this phone works very well. It's super quick and feels good in the hand. Overall, I'm extremely pleased with it.
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
I adore this phone. By far my favorite phone I've owned (S3, EVO 4G, EVO 4G LTE, HTC M8, Galaxy Note 5, Samsung Fireball, LG V20, LG V10). The experience has been unparalleled for me.
It's a great phone, but not worth the price tag that comes with it.
I would consider this to be the "photographer's phone." It has a great camera and amazing EIS. As well as unlimited original photo hosting on Google Photos.
Did I mention it has UNLIMITED, ORIGINAL photo hosting on Google Photos?
Don't get me wrong, there could be better cameras out there, but you just can't beat that perk of having a Pixel.
As a long time samsung owner, this device is a breath of fresh air. If it were more water resistant, and had wireless charging, it'd be a perfect 10.
what overall love for Power Users?
i searched little bit and it seems ok but i want to ask from real life power users?
ease of rooting and number of custom roms & mods
So I got my Pixel right before Christmas and switched from VZW to Project Fi at the same time. Mostly love the phone (and the service) and my minor complaints are all due to me being so used to my old Moto X '14. I really liked some of the Moto "tweaks" such as the twist camera and flashlight "chop". The camera on the Pixel is great but I really miss being able to take a picture by just touching the screen. Like I said, most of my complaints are really minor and consist of small missing software features. My only major complaint would be the sound of the speakers, they are too quiet which I really don't understand because when you strap the Pixel into a Daydream headset the sound is suddenly great. Battery life is fantastic. As for rooting/romming I'm still in the honeymoon phase where I haven't felt the need for either.
Geeks Empire said:
what overall love for Power Users?
i searched little bit and it seems ok but i want to ask from real life power users?
ease of rooting and number of custom roms & mods
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Power user here. Previously owned a Galaxy Note 5 and 7. I got the 128GB because I like to store lots of high-quality music files and 4K film. The auto backup photo/video feature is tremendous.
If you're on a normal Pixel (non-Verizon), rooting is a joke. Very simple. Custom ROMs are awesome - PureNexus is amazing and so are OctOS and RR. Not a ton of options but they've got everything you need. Dirty Unicorns is available too (no Slim ROM, sadly).
JoeHockey said:
So I got my Pixel right before Christmas and switched from VZW to Project Fi at the same time. Mostly love the phone (and the service) and my minor complaints are all due to me being so used to my old Moto X '14. I really liked some of the Moto "tweaks" such as the twist camera and flashlight "chop". The camera on the Pixel is great but I really miss being able to take a picture by just touching the screen. Like I said, most of my complaints are really minor and consist of small missing software features. My only major complaint would be the sound of the speakers, they are too quiet which I really don't understand because when you strap the Pixel into a Daydream headset the sound is suddenly great. Battery life is fantastic. As for rooting/romming I'm still in the honeymoon phase where I haven't felt the need for either.
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Click to collapse
Root your phone and you can get those things you desire.
Actually, with Tasker, you could probably make the twist camera thing fairly easily. Probably don't need root for that, either.
Thanks for the tip, I'll have to look into Tasker.
PsiPhiDan said:
Power user here. Previously owned a Galaxy Note 5 and 7. I got the 128GB because I like to store lots of high-quality music files and 4K film. The auto backup photo/video feature is tremendous.
If you're on a normal Pixel (non-Verizon), rooting is a joke. Very simple. Custom ROMs are awesome - PureNexus is amazing and so are OctOS and RR. Not a ton of options but they've got everything you need. Dirty Unicorns is available too (no Slim ROM, sadly).
Root your phone and you can get those things you desire.
Actually, with Tasker, you could probably make the twist camera thing fairly easily. Probably don't need root for that, either.
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Upgraded to a 128gb unit in December from a HTC ONE M8 and love almost everything about it.
Seriously, the difference in cameras is just amazing. I've got a big family and we all use different phones, and going from one of the worst cameras to the best camera is absolutely incredible. It runs fast, I can play PSP games on it. The rapid charge? 15% to full in an hour?! seriously, just amazed.
I have 2 complaints, the speaker is just terrible in comparison to the M8 (best sounding phone I've ever used) and how I hold my phone in my right hand with my pinky on the bottom to keep it from slipping it just mutes it. Second complaint is location services just kill my battery. When my M8 was new, I once got 3 days on a full charge, with the Pixel I'm resembling those iPhone wallhuggers everyone likes to joke about.
JoeHockey said:
So I got my Pixel right before Christmas and switched from VZW to Project Fi at the same time. Mostly love the phone (and the service) and my minor complaints are all due to me being so used to my old Moto X '14. I really liked some of the Moto "tweaks" such as the twist camera and flashlight "chop". The camera on the Pixel is great but I really miss being able to take a picture by just touching the screen. Like I said, most of my complaints are really minor and consist of small missing software features. My only major complaint would be the sound of the speakers, they are too quiet which I really don't understand because when you strap the Pixel into a Daydream headset the sound is suddenly great. Battery life is fantastic. As for rooting/romming I'm still in the honeymoon phase where I haven't felt the need for either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's an app for the twist camera. Made by the same guy who made ForceDoze.
tobalaz said:
Upgraded to a 128gb unit in December from a HTC ONE M8 and love almost everything about it.
Seriously, the difference in cameras is just amazing. I've got a big family and we all use different phones, and going from one of the worst cameras to the best camera is absolutely incredible. It runs fast, I can play PSP games on it. The rapid charge? 15% to full in an hour?! seriously, just amazed.
I have 2 complaints, the speaker is just terrible in comparison to the M8 (best sounding phone I've ever used) and how I hold my phone in my right hand with my pinky on the bottom to keep it from slipping it just mutes it. Second complaint is location services just kill my battery. When my M8 was new, I once got 3 days on a full charge, with the Pixel I'm resembling those iPhone wallhuggers everyone likes to joke about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life is much better than comparable Androids devices. I've never had such great battery life, honestly. Interestingly, I had an M8 for a year and did NOT get close to 3 days (not even 2). Coming from an LG V20, V10, Note 5 and Note 7 (and watching my wife's S7), this battery life is tremendous. I literally don't ever pay attention to battery anymore. I go to bed with 30-50% usually. I just charge overnight (why not?) to be safe.
But yes, the sound of M8 was unparalleled. Why they quit on that feature I'll never understand.
Overall I am pretty happy with the Pixel. I don't like large phones so i am glad Google offered a smaller version. I used to have the Nexus 5x (still do) but the Pixel has been lag free. Anyone who has been using Google's devices long enough knows the thing starts to lag and the only thing to get rid of it is to totally format every so often. This has been running great so far so I am happy.
One thing I hope Google does not do is eventually become like Samsung or Apple where they totally lock down the device. The price point was already bad enough, but if the attempt to become mainstream to the point where the phone cannot be customized I will be very unhappy.
If they want to sell their product as "Pure Android", that should include customization outside of their OWN OS. Locking things down is no better than Apple or Samsung.
I am going to change my Nexus 5X this month and I was wondering what it the best option for me; my main interest is the camera; Pixel 2 shows an amazing camera, S8 too, and it include manual controls from scratch (thats a plus).
By the other hand the S8 has more Ram, SD slot and a very interesting display, plus, in my country the S8 is cheaper than the Pixel 2 (5" 64gb)
The Pixel 2 has a classic 16:9 display, more bezel, that is not a problem for me, but Im not fan of the black navbar in amoled (oled in this case) displays, the S8 has a white navbar and I guess that it helps to avoid burn in; Im sure that the Pixel 2 will be super fast and I love the stock android experience (I have been using Nexus since Galaxy Nexus, so, stock Android is basically the UI that I love haha))
This is a hard choise for me, I could go for more "flexible" and maybe interesting technology (S8) or I could go for an amazing user experience in a really nice design with and amazing camera and more simple options.
Whats your opinion? Pixel 2 XL should be perfect but it is way more expensive here and for that money I could just go for the S8 plus.
For me:
S8: *more atractive display design
*white navbar that helps prevent burn in
*more ram
*Sd slot
*really nice design, compact and accessories easy to find everywhere
*manual camera built in
Pixel 2: *amazing camera
*stock UI
*(maybe) faster in terms of usage
cons: - less screen-to-body ratio than my actual 5X
- no SD
- no manual controls
- black navbar
- no wider display
- less ram (and more expensive device)
Get S8! Vendors will give you almost all the features of stock android plus additional features that only they can provide. Pixel2 camera must be good, but S8 camera is not less than any other smartphone camera. Water resistance, infinity display, iris scanner, headphone jack and wireless charging are some of the features that you won't get in pixel2.
RAM is 4GB for both
iris scanner, and all that stuff it is cool to show off but after a week all go back to finger print
manual controls only drain battery
SD card is cool, can't argue with it
UPDATES - pixel will get updates for a couple of years, s8 will get updates until s9 is released
pixel is not that good looking but if you are happy with a nexus 5x I don't see a reason why you can't get used to pixel 2
Thank you guys and thanks for clarify the ram info.
Yes, both phones are amazing, Pixel 2 doesnt have a really long life (I know it cuz Im a Nexus user since 2013); a plus for the S8 is that in my country it costs 100 less than the Pixel 2 (5")
Manual camera is a feature that I really like (I have the upside down problem with the N5X with third party camera apps haha, kinda annoying and long exposure almost always fails and force close the app)
I love my Nexus 5X but I had a problem with it and the guarranty gave me back a 16Gb version WHEN I bought the 32gb version, and well, sometimes when I take pictures in HDR the camera doesnt respond that fast and sometimes HDR pictures doesnt save (Im sure that is due to ram memory) Im absolutly sure that with S8 or Pixel 2 the camera will always works like a charm; but anyways is a hard decition, I have a few day to decide, maybe i could check some reviews of the Pixel 2 first before decide, I tried the S8 and I had a really nice experience, but I want to know how it will works with a lot of apps, my N5X work flawless all time, the little problem with the camera is not always, just sometimes when I use ZSL HDR.
I'm all for a vanilla experience. When I used HTC and Samsung's phones before I would install close to stock ROMs all the time. However, if you can get the S8 for same or less than the Pixel 2 then yeah it's a better deal. Personally, I went with the Pixel 2 XL.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
for the beginning you will love the s8 and the Samsung features but it does not take long time and you will miss the pure Android and the possibilities of developers. after a few months, you do not feel like the hundreds of Samsung apps that monitor everything and run in the background.
you can install pure Android on the s8 too
but for that you do not need the s8.
for me would be the pixel 2 the favorite phone [emoji6]
In my book, the S8 beats Pixel 2 because for one, the S8 proves that you can have have an incredibly thin, light, bezel-free, waterproof phone with a headphone jack. S8 proves that the arguments presented by Apple and Pixel apologists are false. You can have it all, and a headphone jack. On the other hand, I am not a fan of S8's screen because its curves on the edges. So we have a phone that has a high native resolution resulting in such dpi that the human eye won't discern against either QHD or FHD, and yet we have to put up with the incredibly bad and clearly visible distortion at the edges of the screen? Where is the logic?
So I'd personally get myself a Oneplus 5 or the original Pixel, specially if Google offers good deals on it, now that they need to clear the space for Pixel 2.
Im still waiting for a full review of the Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL and a real usage camera review.
Right now I would like to buy the Pixel 2, but seems that the S8 is a better option and at least in my country, way cheaper
I would definitely choose pixel 2. I love the google experience!
I've got the note 8 now, thinking about getting the pixel 2 XL. Wanted to come on here and get your opinions. I've watched tons of videos, I loved the original pixel, but I also love my note. I miss vanilla Android though, so I'm thinking about switching back too the Google phone.
ChrisAC84 said:
I've got the note 8 now, thinking about getting the pixel 2 XL. Wanted to come on here and get your opinions. I've watched tons of videos, I loved the original pixel, but I also love my note. I miss vanilla Android though, so I'm thinking about switching back too the Google phone.
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Who's going to have an opinion on a device that has not been released yet?
For me it came down to durability. I work in construction, so an all-glass body like the Note8 would be less durable and more prone to breakage than the Pixel 2's aluminum body.
Pixel 2 XL just because of better performance becasue of stock Android.
Touchwiz (Samsung Experience) is biggest crap with micro laggs and big laggs after time ..
Never gonna buy samsung in the near future again.
ChrisAC84 said:
I've got the note 8 now, thinking about getting the pixel 2 XL. Wanted to come on here and get your opinions. I've watched tons of videos, I loved the original pixel, but I also love my note. I miss vanilla Android though, so I'm thinking about switching back too the Google phone.
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Click to collapse
I don't think you can go wrong with either. It will pretty much come down to vanilla, timely and guaranteed updates or the extras the Note 8 brings to the table. Note 8 is an amazing device and I'm sure the P2XL will be amazing too.
Well, the decision was easy for me. I don't like TouchWiz and I demand prompt, regular updates. Samsung is getting better about their updates, but they are nowhere near Google. My vote goes to the Pixel 2 XL.
Pixel. Any day of the year
Skickat från min SM-N950F via Tapatalk
The New 8 is a beast, but I'm into Google devices like this badboy Pixel XL 2!
I had and returned a Note8. The phone is ridiculously fast and I have always liked the Samsung skin. However I greatly disliked the curved screen because I found things near the edges harder to see. Also the phone is crazy fragile with the curved glass front and the glass back. Dropping it once would probably destroy my $1,000+ phone. In the end I sent it back.
I had the s7e, pixel xl, s8+, and now currently have note 8, I've grown to like Samsung skin quite a bit as it does have a lot of useful features, but my short time with the pixel I really enjoyed it also but missed VoLTE was I was with att at the time. But now I'm with tmo and preordered the pixel 2 xl, but only time will tell if I'll end up canceling it as I really do love my note 8 but it's frigging heavy! But I don't think the poled screen will compare to samsungs super amoled, and I would really really miss the micro sad card
I've been using note since it came out and I've loved every second of it. I'm curious if pixel XL 2 that I have ordered can bump it out of the daily slot
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
ChrisAC84 said:
I've got the note 8 now, thinking about getting the pixel 2 XL. Wanted to come on here and get your opinions. I've watched tons of videos, I loved the original pixel, but I also love my note. I miss vanilla Android though, so I'm thinking about switching back too the Google phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me the pixel wins over the note 8 in pretty much every category except for the storage, not offering a 256gb version in 2017 is ridiculous..get with the times google.
sent from my Note FE
I pre ordered my N8 and I like it as a daily driver. We just got root for it.
That said, my trading in my Pixel XL for a Pixel XL 2.
Not sure what everyone's fascination is with manufacturer's bloatware and in contrast labeling the purest android phones to ever be made as vanilla.
The whole idea behind android is that you can do more with it, google simply (finally) made an android phone how it was meant to be made. Hardware and software that work flawlessly together but yet offer so much more that iOS does.
People still want phones that the true android experience such as , quickness, flawlessness gets mutilated by so many manufacturer's getting their greedy little hands on them and pretty much ruin what android is supposed to be. And don't get me started on the carriers crapware.
I have had a note 2, note 3, s6, s7 edge, HTC evo, mottoX.........all of which get glitchy and turn to crap slowly after each new android/manufacturer/carrier update. BUT NO MORE I TELL YOU!
Go buy a Pixel 2 XL and see how flawless everything works for you, very similar to iPhones. With the major difference is still being able to do soooo much more than iPhones.
There is no comparison between google phones and other android using phones and iPhone anymore. Hell google won hands down lol.
Mine will arrive on Oct 24th at my door step. I will post about the experience I have with the phone later.
force70 said:
For me the pixel wins over the note 8 in pretty much every category except for the storage, not offering a 256gb version in 2017 is ridiculous..get with the times google.
sent from my Note FE
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Every category except water/dust resistance, display size, features, screen quality and wireless charging. ?
I have an s8+ which I really like, but I cant deal with having to debloat the device, deal with bixby and all the other branded garbage, so I'm willing to take a slightly more ugly phone (imho) and screen in order to get more timely updates. I honestly would stick with the s8+ if they had a non touchwiz edition. The general public does not care, and I think pixel will remain niche because of it. I'll miss samsung pay, which is really nice being able to use old machines and not wondering if they have NFC or not.
spinkick said:
I have an s8+ which I really like, but I cant deal with having to debloat the device, deal with bixby and all the other branded garbage, so I'm willing to take a slightly more ugly phone (imho) and screen in order to get more timely updates. I honestly would stick with the s8+ if they had a non touchwiz edition. The general public does not care, and I think pixel will remain niche because of it. I'll miss samsung pay, which is really nice being able to use old machines and not wondering if they have NFC or not.
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Click to collapse
I have an unlocked S8 plus on Verizon. Last year I had the pixel and switched back to Samsung for the water proofing. I missed the pixel. The camera on it was great and even my wife loved it, she is all about social media and photos.
I ordered a Pixel 2 XL this year because I'm used to the larger screen. I feel that if the Pixel 2 XL is the same as the Pixel it will be a good phone. For me greatness will be a better camera from last year and battery life on par with the S8 plus. I guess by the end of the month we will be either singing it's praise or complaining.
Sent from my SM-G955U1 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
dhaugru said:
Every category except water/dust resistance, display size, features, screen quality and wireless charging. ?
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Click to collapse
Well luckily for me i dont care about the IP rating or wireless charging.
The extra screen real estate granted would be nice for sure but id rather have a slightly smalller screen with front firing speakers.
Screen quality on any flagship these days will be great...sure if you want to not pick the note 8 is better but Im sure the pixel will be just fine to look at.
sent from my Note FE
force70 said:
Well luckily for me i dont care about the IP rating or wireless charging.
The extra screen real estate granted would be nice for sure but id rather have a slightly smalller screen with front firing speakers.
Screen quality on any flagship these days will be great...sure if you want to not pick the note 8 is better but Im sure the pixel will be just fine to look at.
sent from my Note FE
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The Pixel 2 is water and dust resistant no different then the Note 8. IP67/68 is for all intent purposes the same, the only difference is IP68 can go to 1.5m instead of 1m. Unless you go swimming all the time with your phone I do not see an issue. Wireless charging and an SD card slot would have been nice, but after dealing with all the bloat and problems with other MFGs, I am ready for a pure Android experience and timely updates.
I thought I'd put my thoughts on this as well.
I had the Note 8 for 4 months or so, and have recently switched over to the Pixel Xl 2.
As choices go, it was one of the hardest when it comes to choosing between phones. In the end, the Pixel XL 2 won me over on points, some of which were personal, some of which were facts.
Battery - (It's better on the Pixel XL 2, than the Note 8. It's a fact)
I am a heavy user (Spotify, chatting, a lot of syncing apps + a garmin vivosmartHr+). Unplugged at 7 AM, the Pixel's battery is at about 20% at around 23:30 (11:30 PM). To me, this is spectacular. Leaving work at 6 PM, it's almost always at 50-55%, and that is with me using it for streaming music as I work, chatting with my partner between job tasks, and using it on my lunch break. The Note 8 never gave me this sort of longevity. I almost always had to charge at around...2-3 PM, when the battery was at about 30% or such. The Note 8 never filled me with confidence that it could easily last me a day. Same thing with standby mode. The pixel simply does not leak batter in standby. My note 8 always did, even after factory resets, even after using it on a factory reset with no apps used (as a test)
Camera - (The image processing is better on the Pixel Xl 2, than the Note 8 (opinion). However the Note 8 offers a dual lens setup, which is more convenient for people interested in zoom photography. (Fact))
The Note 8 does have the better camera setup - two cameras are better than one, hardware wise. When it comes to the images that come out of the phones though there is no comparison. The Pixel's image processing is out of this world. My cat was my test subject, and I took pictures of my cat in normal-lit environments with both phones. Samsung's processing made his fur look muddy on zoom. The Pixel had preserved 90% of the texture, as well as realistic colors. Portrait mode is also better with the pixel. Given how I almost never use the telezoom lens, I decided to stay with the Pixel (personal preference), but the fact is that picture quality from the Pixel is better.
Updates/Software version - (The Pixel blows anything else out of the water. Fact)
I care for such things, and once more there is no comparison. the Pixel gets updated far more frequently.
Things that the Note 8 just does better:
- Screen (Note 8 wins, hands down. Fact)
Here is where the note 8 obliterates the pixel. The pixel does suffer from rainbow effect (my unit not to an extreme), it does have a bit of banding tough nowhere near as bad as the V30 or previous generation OLED panels. The black smearing/smudging (whatever you call it, the fact that blacks smudge when you scroll), is there. First I saw it on the Pixel I was like - is this for real? I got used to it by now, but for people who do care about such things - stay away. In comparison, the Note 8 screen is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Bright, colorful, my unit had absolutely ZERO banding. There was a light red tint around the edges (Which I am guessing is due to the curved display), but nowhere near enough to be distracting. The Note 8 wins here, hands down.
- Build quality (Note 8 feels better int he hand - This is my opinion)
Both phones are well built, but the Note 8 is a class of its own. I prefer heavier phones (the Pixel feels a bit too light for me). Holding the note felt like you were holding onto a ton of technology in the most compact of packages. IT was a pleasure to hold. Personally, I don't feel the same for the Pixel but yet again - this comes down to personal preference.
- Tech/Pen (Note 8 packs far more tech. Fact)
I never much used the pen, so I can't comment on that. I won't deny though that the ability to keep notes on the fly is amazing. The Note 8 gives you that out of the box, and is a much better working tool than the Pixel or any phone. Useful in meetings, presentations, etc. Iris scanner was also useful, but I found myself using the fingerprint reader more in the end.
So why did I choose the Pixel XL 2? Well, the bits that the Pixel XL 2 does better were more important to me as a user, that's all. Mainly battery life, software version and camera (remember - I almost never used telezoom lenses in my photography life, but I always loved bokeh photography as well as street photography).
You can't go wrong with either phone. What you can do is tailor the choice on what fits -you- best personally.
I traded in my Note 5, which I loved for the Note 8 and the Note 8 is clearly the best phone I've ever used. That said, 2017 has finally brought compelling competition worth considering.
What I love about the Note 8:
-Hands down the highest quality screen of any phone
-6 GB RAM makes multitasking great
-The camera takes awesome pictures
-The battery life is incredible
-The theme engine allows dark theme without root
-Call quality is outstanding
-The phone is blazing fast 98% of the time
-Headphone Jack
What I don't love about the Note 8:
-The height and weight of the phone. I have large hands and could always manage the Note 5 one handed, but the height of the Note 8 with added weight make it awkward to use in certain situations. I think if the phone were wider, it might balance the weight distribution. Using a Pixel 2 XL and V30, both are much manageable in the hands.
-The forced white navbar is a nuisance for dark themes. Couldn't Samsung offer grays or faded navbar icons to minimize burn in? I use a 3rd party app to mostly mitigate the problem, but not all apps work properly with it.
-The Bixby button. Again, I've used a 3rd party app to mitigate the problem, but it doesn't seem like a polished solution. Samsung just needs to give us options to remap it.
-The curved screen. Yes, it looks great, but the shadows and light refraction make it annoying at times.
Obviously, the pros of the phone greatly outweigh the cons but every time I see someone using a Pixel 2 XL, I am jealous of the more manageable size, the fast and fluid UI that gets updated faster, and the even bigger battery. I am well aware that both the Pixel 2 XL and V30 have far more problems than the Note 8, namely their screens and bluetooth. Being on Verizon, the OnePlus 5T isn't an option, though I love the thought of a phone that has 8 GB RAM and custom ROM capabilities. Maybe I'm just dreaming of a Note 8 running stock Android, and with a flat 18:9 screen ratio instead of 18.5:9 (which seems to account for the length and narrowness). I'm not actually considering switching phones, but I've been tempted to get another flagship to replace my Nexus 6 as a business line. Thoughts?
I got a note 8 and my wife broke the screen of her s7 edge so of course she wanted fixed or a new phone. Gave her my note 8 and got myself an LG V30 thinking that my note 8 was still too big. After 4 hrs I decided I wanted the note 8 back. The note 8 is a superior phone in all ways except for the audio. I traded the v30 for a new blue note 8 in Bestbuy with 300 dollars off. If I have spare money for another phone I would probably get a pixel 2 xl. I watch a lot of videos and YouTube and the 2 speakers in the front appeal to me. For a daily driver I would get bored right away of the pixel. The note 8 could be customized in so many ways that I haven't even installed Nova launcher yet which has been a most in all my previous phones. If you have a note 8 you have the best Android phone currently and period.
Ha, what competition. Note 8 plays in it's own world. It's a beast.
Also with Oreo update it's only better
I had an ASUS Zenfone AR that I got in September. Nothing but problems - which probably explains why VZW pulled it in less than 6 months. After going through 3 Zenfones, I finally convinced VZW to buy it back and got the Note 8 last week.
Size is very good
Wireless charging FTW
Agreed with above points on speed, screen resolution, etc.
First thing I did was install Nova Plus
I played with the advanced Audio settings - including the hearing test and my LG BT Headset sounds amazing!
Theme engine???????
Disabling Bixby and downloading Google Assistant, finding an obscure setting that I can't find again that selects GA as the default and now it works perfect, but it took me a week to get it to work right.
The one thing I DON'T like about the curved screen is that in 2 weeks, I've had 2 tempered glass screen protectors crack and I have to think this is because of the curve. This second one is just a minor hairline at the bottom but the first one was worse.
The other was being reminded that you can't just connect a Samsung to your computer and transfer files >: Still looking for the best way to do that or break down and pay for Wondershare Mobile Go - which may be worth it since you can browse system files
I've only had it a few days.....had to root and debloat and amend some things (adblocker, viperFX...) It's sure is a beautifully designed thing. It's also like having a Mercedes made out of glass. First thing I did when I ordered it was to order a case and screen protector. No way I would go without it, even walking around a carpeted house. But the key reason I got it was that it was rootable and a high end phone. I was coming from a quirky but great V10 and a Note 3 before that. I will simply not have a phone that I can't root.
I like it a lot incredible battery life using a disable of course most crashes are caused by wonky apps..not blazing fast but not real important. I still prefer it over my iphone 6s plus.. not sure which phone is faster, but for a phone, I choose android.. previous phone was LG10,Note4,galaxys4....way better than those
I'm just looking for a upgraded spen device then I'll be content with the note 8
I've been a Samsung user for years. My current , Note 5, is paid and was thinking about a Pixel 2 XL. First off, I'm not a big picture taker because I'm into performance over everything. Plus, like many, are sick of the Samsung bloatware. But The S8+ is a great phone and it has maintained a feature I like.
The feature is pressing a button to answer the phone. The menu button on my 5 does that now. Does the Pixel 2 have such a choice? I hate to swipe to answer. Call me spoiled but it's so much safer while drive to hit a button instead of a swipe. The S8 series has moved the feature to the volume up.
So if there are any Samsung converts out there I'd be happy to hear what you like or even dislike about the Pixel 2 series.
I've done the side sides on my Note 5 vs. s8+ and Pixel 2 xl but I want to hear from real users.
Thanks
pbman1953 said:
I've been a Samsung user for years. My current , Note 5, is paid and was thinking about a Pixel 2 XL. First off, I'm not a big picture taker because I'm into performance over everything. Plus, like many, are sick of the Samsung bloatware. But The S8+ is a great phone and it has maintained a feature I like.
The feature is pressing a button to answer the phone. The menu button on my 5 does that now. Does the Pixel 2 have such a choice? I hate to swipe to answer. Call me spoiled but it's so much safer while drive to hit a button instead of a swipe. The S8 series has moved the feature to the volume up.
So if there are any Samsung converts out there I'd be happy to hear what you like or even dislike about the Pixel 2 series.
I've done the side sides on my Note 5 vs. s8+ and Pixel 2 xl but I want to hear from real users.
Thanks
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Ive been using Samsung for years. Started with the s3 then note3 then note5 and now pixel2xl.
So far pixel2xl has been great. The colors were a bit dull before the update giving us saturated colors, which fixed it for me. But other than that performance wise its a dream. My personal experience i have yet to experience studder or lag. Performance is the best ive ever experienced with any previous phone and the battery life is second to none. I average 8hr sot with watching YouTube, games, calls, internet.
The note3 and note5 were bought through Verizon so i haven't been able to flash roms or anything since my s3 and currently enjoying trying different mods and whatnot.
Overall this phone is amazing. Im not sure about the button to answer, as of right how it's swipe but could be a way to change that. If you get a chance to get this phone you won't be disappointed.
I have Pixel 2 XL and performance is great but I'm leaning towards Oneplus 5t since I can buy 2 of it and performance is par to Pixel.
The pixel 2 XL was good enough to replace my note 8. And that's says a LOT! ?
Sent from my Google Pixel 2 XL using XDA Labs
daviddem said:
I have Pixel 2 XL and performance is great but I'm leaning towards Oneplus 5t since I can buy 2 of it and performance is par to Pixel.
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That's not actually true. The pixel is actually smoother. I've had both. The pixel does have a smoother feel. Might be because of Oreo. And where I am the OnePlus is £499. And the pixel 2 XL is £699 with a free speaker. Do you couldn't even get 1 and a half OnePlus for the same price...saying you can get 2 for the same price is far fetched. I also wouldn't recommend switching. The OnePlus is a good phone for the price but it is a down grade and you will notice a few areas are not as good
Love my Pixel XL 2 better than my S8+
Reuben_skelz92 said:
That's not actually true. The pixel is actually smoother. I've had both. The pixel does have a smoother feel. Might be because of Oreo. And where I am the OnePlus is £499. And the pixel 2 XL is £699 with a free speaker. Do you couldn't even get 1 and a half OnePlus for the same price...saying you can get 2 for the same price is far fetched. I also wouldn't recommend switching. The OnePlus is a good phone for the price but it is a down grade and you will notice a few areas are not as good
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Thats not true for USA. The pixel 2 XL 128GB cost $1000+ with tax and Oneplus 5t 128GB $550. At the moment I have both side by side and performance there is no difference.
I've been a Samsung fanboy since my Samsung Galaxy vibrant with T-Mobile. I've had every Samsung Galaxy S phone up to the Galaxy s8+. I don't miss it one bit. I was on the fence for several weeks. I ordered it, cancelled multiple times because of all the bad press. I eventually pulled the trigger and bought the 64gb in black, but I forgot to get the premium coverage. So I returned it and got a 128gb. I don't regret purchasing this phone outright at all. To be honest. I don't think I'll go back. Not until Samsung comes out with something unbelievable. The way that I look at it. Samsung is like a Lamborghini or Ferrari of Android. But they can throw all the best parts, displays, whatever bells and whistles they want. But what good is a Lamborghini or Ferrari with a bad tune? Although the pixel 2 XL may not be the best looking device. It's tuned specifically for this phone and you can tell. Also, I sort of prefer the "natural" colors of this display. If you're going to look for issues, your going to find them in any device. But as for the phone calls. When somebody calls and your display is off. It will pop up a a screen with a circle. You can swipe up to answer the call, or down to ignore it. If your screen is on. A small box will pop up with the contact calling and you can take answer or ignore. I'll try to send some screen shots.
Some reason I couldn't update my previous post. But the attachments are what the call screen looks like from both perspectives.
Ive had my Pixel 2 XL for a week now and I have never had any lag/stutter even when syncing in the background. Battery is superb, 5-6hrs screen on time is easily achieved. Speakers are loud and clean. What can I say more about the camera? Camera is beast!
I used Samsung from S2 to S6 and there is always this delay/lag when opening apps. I guess its just the animation. I find Samsung chargers easy to have problems (slow charge). I am not sure with the S8 now. AMOLED is nice, but hurts my eyes. These are the reasons I went away from AMOLED to IPS LCD (pre-Pixel2XL). I was hesitant at first getting the Pixel 2 XL with all these display issues around it. But personally, the Boosted display settings is just right. I do not like the Saturated settings because it reminds me of Samsung. Too vivid for my liking. The Boosted colors are not washed out, people are just used to/spoiled seeing punchy AMOLED displays, looked unnatural.
As for your concern, a little adjustment when taking the call would be the best move.
So, if youre looking for a phone with the best performance, updates, camera, go get the Pixel 2 XL.
Display is subjective. For the missing headphone jack, im ok with it, they provide a c-3.5mm converter. Thats about it! Hopefully I have contributed something to your decision.
daviddem said:
Thats not true for USA. The pixel 2 XL 128GB cost $1000+ with tax and Oneplus 5t 128GB $550. At the moment I have both side by side and performance there is no difference.
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That doesn't seem to be true based on many reviews of OP5t performance vs the Pixel 2, even the very thorough review of the OP5t here at xda. Long story short: P2 offers a much more fluid experience than the OP5t and may even be a little snappier. The OP5t utilizes animation tricks to make the phone seem and feel snappier than it is and it's smoothness is nowhere near the level of the Pixel 2. Throw in the sub par camera, poor support and outdated firmware and it's no wonder they sell em for so cheap. Plus, it's $874 vs $550, hardly double.
I've had a LOT of phones over the years, usually switching every 6 months selling off whatever I had to get the absolute latest, but slowed down once I got my OnePlus 3T... It's an AMAZING phone for the price. I was done with Samsung after the 6 series. That said, I went to the Google Pixel 2 XL instead of the 5T because of the dual front facing speakers as well as a few other Pixel only features and I do not regret it at all. The blue-shift isn't too bad once you adjust the colors a bit on the screen (I'm rooted and using EX Kernel / KCal).
My girlfriend has the Samsung S7 Edge and a few friends have the S8s and all want the Pixel 2 XL now after checking it out. It's hard to match the software experience you get on a Pixel device, that's for sure. You can't beat having dual-speakers on a phone, makes for daily use, hearing calls, music, watching videos all the better. I do recommend the 5T for those not worried about camera or dual-speakers as it's got a nicer out-of-the-box looking screen and is much less expensive to purchase, it's no slouch overall. In the end, the Pixel 2 XL was worth every extra penny for my use... make a list of things you need from a phone and see which works best for you as you're all that matters with your phone purchase. Our opinions aren't here to sway you away from what's best for you.
Is is worth rooting since it comes so clean without bloatware compared to Samsung?
pbman1953 said:
Is is worth rooting since it comes so clean without bloatware compared to Samsung?
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Depends on what you want. For me 100% it is. Adaway, themes, terminal em, titanium backup, root browser.
Besides the themes, can you explain what the others are for
I've used Titanium when I had the note 4. I don't know how a root browser would be different
mlin said:
That doesn't seem to be true based on many reviews of OP5t performance vs the Pixel 2, even the very thorough review of the OP5t here at xda. Long story short: P2 offers a much more fluid experience than the OP5t and may even be a little snappier. The OP5t utilizes animation tricks to make the phone seem and feel snappier than it is and it's smoothness is nowhere near the level of the Pixel 2. Throw in the sub par camera, poor support and outdated firmware and it's no wonder they sell em for so cheap. Plus, it's $874 vs $550, hardly double.
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I agree. Saying it's double the price is an exaggerated. And I was surprised. When I was using the oneplus 5t my wife's pixel 2 did seem even more fluid and smooth
All the little things for me have been working better on the pixel 2 as well. I get better mobile signal...and sometimes the oneplus would refuse to turn on my mobile data so I had to restart it
The vibration motor is much nicer on the pixel
Screen is on par if not better in some areas on the pixel
Dual speakers. Amazing camera
Don't get me wrong the oneplus 5t is a great phone for the price but when you switch to the pixel you do feel the price difference in pretty much every area
..even in the small things
At this point I can't imagine going back to a non-Google phone. My first smartphone was a Nexus One and I loved it. I then went to a Galaxy S2 which was a piece of ****. Since then I have yet to see much improvement from Samsung software and the software from other phone makers isn't much better. I'm pretty much on an every other year cycle of whatever Google puts out because even if it isn't perfect it's still better than the alternative.
pbman1953 said:
I've been a Samsung user for years. My current , Note 5, is paid and was thinking about a Pixel 2 XL. First off, I'm not a big picture taker because I'm into performance over everything. Plus, like many, are sick of the Samsung bloatware. But The S8+ is a great phone and it has maintained a feature I like.
The feature is pressing a button to answer the phone. The menu button on my 5 does that now. Does the Pixel 2 have such a choice? I hate to swipe to answer. Call me spoiled but it's so much safer while drive to hit a button instead of a swipe. The S8 series has moved the feature to the volume up.
So if there are any Samsung converts out there I'd be happy to hear what you like or even dislike about the Pixel 2 series.
I've done the side sides on my Note 5 vs. s8+ and Pixel 2 xl but I want to hear from real users.
Thanks
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Click to collapse
Can I add that the ambient display with time and date is soooo fine?
When notifications arrive, they're below the always on time and date.
Plus there's "what's playing now", showing artist and song name for whatever
you're listening to. These capabilities make this phone perfect for me.
Battery life does not seem to take a hit for this luxury.
The active Edge (squeezing it) allows me to turn on the torch with screen off, which is awesome. Like when getting my keys out at night. The phone is spectacular and I've had an s8+. It's my fav. You prob could map the squeeze to answer phone. But I know you could answer with push of a button. Just remap the fourth hidden nav button maybe.