**** The Official Google Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL Thread ****

[jonneymendoza]

Honestly why would you do this. No ND filters and huge diffraction at small apertures (even on m43 diffraction starts around f8 so god knows what it's like for a 1/2.6" sensor)

U can easily hold up a nd filter in from of the lens. Also long exposure is a must for night landscape

 

[AndyCr15]

Well the "ridiculously out dated bezels" still stands, you can say what you want, it doesn't change the fact that in 2017, they are outdated.

But for how long have we had no top and bottom bezels? They don't have to be smaller than the Nexus 5, it's the same design and it's design we're talking about really. It's a matter of since when do we not have top and bottom bezels and that's only really been in the last half a year, so as I said, ridiculously out dated bezels is over stating it. Probably 90% of phones being released this year look like that.

And whilst you guys may see it that way, to me and others, it just comes across like you are defending/justifying your choices/purchases or/and you don't like to see what you are about to buy getting bad reports so you unintentionally go into defending mode as per usual on this type of forum so you see it kind of goes both ways

But we're accepting and talking about the issues, you appear to be blowing them up as big as possible.

 

[james.miller]

The small details matter to some people when they're spending hundreds.

I expect the landscape to change rather quickly in regards to top and bottom bezels. next year the S8/S8+/Note8/iphone X/LG v60 will have been around for a while with ~18:9 screens. Sony will do it, some chinese brands are already here, others will also follow on behind... It wont take long.

 

[FishLicker]

Google Play Edition S8 would be perfect!!!

Sadly will never happen.

That would be lovely wouldn't it...

Mind all I will say, is people slate the performance of the Samsung phones. YES, they ARE slower. Noticeably. But its not the big deal most people say. I'm still using an S7 Edge which I've pretty much 'Pixel-ized' and in all honesty, it runs pretty fast most of the time. There is a bit of lag that creeps in now and again, but I just take that as a queue to restart the phone. I think the issue IS overstated, and especially so probably with the latest S8/Note 8 handsets, but yes it won't be as smooth or snappy as a Pixel.

Horses for courses, swings and roundabouts. There is no perfect choice, as much as I wish there was.

 

[Nexus18]

GS8 has very fragile glass on both sides. Bottom of the group in more than one drop test. They are also not very scratch resistant at all, mine already had a couple of scratches on the back before i put a skin on there. I dont know if the pixel two is similar or not. But otherwise, though, it's a better phone than the pixel 2.

I'm not too bothered about the drop tests as pretty much any phone will break when dropped onto concrete, just comes down to luck with regards to how and where it lands.

Discoloration, chipping and possible bending/cracking is what bothers me especially when a couple of my last phones have already had 2 of those issues.

The glass back on the gs8 getting scratched will be annoying but fingerprints/smudge marks will be even more annoying so I would definitely get a dbrand skin for the gs8, not only to solve that issue but to provide more grip too.

But for how long have we had no top and bottom bezels? They don't have to be smaller than the Nexus 5, it's the same design and it's design we're talking about really. It's a matter of since when do we not have top and bottom bezels and that's only really been in the last half a year, so as I said, ridiculously out dated bezels is over stating it. Probably 90% of phones being released this year look like that.

But we're accepting and talking about the issues, you appear to be blowing them up as big as possible.

Again, I'm not expecting GS 8 slim bezels but I would like the screen to body ratio to at least have been better than most of google's previous phones..... And as said, from here on out, it is more or less guaranteed that every phone will be getting the slim bezel treatment so come next years new phones, the pixel 2 is going to look even more dated than it does now.

Maybe it comes across like that but for myself, those are areas of concern for me and also, it comes across like you are dismissing any issues, which are brought up.

 

[TripleT]

Picked up a White 64GB Pixel 2 for the Wife. The bezel and design don't bother her and prefer stock android and the camera is important to her.

£38 a month for 8GB with EE £9.99 upfront with a "free" Google Home thing. That's with a discount.

 

[Mekrel]

WHAT really bugs in in "new phone" threads

people for whatever reason can't justify or afford to get a new handset (which is fine) but then feel the need to jump on hint of imperfection to justify not getting it and hopefully talk others down the same road for more self assurance that they made the right choice. it's pretty lame.

I am waiting for the 15th November for mine to arrive, i have also had a play with one in the shops. i am happy if i feel it has a problem or will be a problem i will return within my legal rights.

Errr, I can both justify and afford a new handset (it was 2010 when I last used a contract to pay for a phone, I've owned a new phone outright every year ever since) so that has no bearing on my criticism of the Pixel 2 XL.

Google are advertising and price wise, are selling this device as a flagship mobile phone. The market over the years has shaped my expectations of what I get for paying top dollar for a device and that does NOT include having to partake in a display panel lottery. That was the case 7 years ago with the HTC Desire and its pinkish grey display issues, but we're now in 2017.

I'm fully aware the colour saturation can be tweaked in later software but this does not fix the banding and noise that are plaguing some P-OLED displays.

Someone at LG and/or Google will have been blissfully aware of the quality issues with these P-OLED displays and they've gone a head and used them anyway and even if that wasn't the case, it hasn't been picked up during quality checks either.

There's no questioning P-OLED by LG is behind the OLED displays Samsung is producing, the only question is how bothered the end user is by it. Some aren't fussed and that's absolutely fine, but people like myself can quite rightly be put off.

There's no additional cost to Google behind providing a pure Android experience, so if they want to price the Pixel with other flagships devices out there then I'm not accepting any second rate components.

 

[AndyCr15]

Maybe it comes across like that but for myself, those are areas of concern for me and also, it comes across like you are dismissing any issues, which are brought up.

It comes across to me as exaggerated. Your above statement is fine, I get all that and some of it is a concern to me (the colouring from not using a case could really annoy me). But stating what you have on occasion comes across as having a slant on things.

Is saying 'I doubt it will be an issue for me', or 'I didn't notice it in my use' dismissing? I don't think so. I think it's accepting but stating it's not a priority or problem for me. I don't expect you to watch it, but in my video's I'm saying the bezels are there, they are quite big, but for me it's not a problem, in fact in some ways I quite like them (I briefly had to use the Honor 9 again, whilst they don't have slim bezels, it has buttons on the bottom bezel. It was very annoying, several times I picked it up and activated/touched the buttons). My summary was 'if you don't mind the bezels the Pixel 2 is an amazing phone'. Again, I don't think that's dismissing them?

 

[glenimp617]

I think the main issues with a lot of pixels threads in general, is that a lot of Nexus owners have transitioned their expectations across to the pixels. The pixels are operating in a much higher price bracket and thus justify higher expectations.

Someone who moves up from a vauxhall to a mercedes expects a higher quality of car.

 

[GMac11]

Well further to my post this morning about finally giving up all hope of getting the XL 2 and subsequently ordered an S8+ off the rainforest I popped into CPW to have a further look at one and I think I'll be cancelling that order now

The software is pretty much all I expected it to be but what really got me was the curved screen. I've never been a massive fan of them but I lived with it on my S6 edge + but the shimmer under any lighting and the vignetting when viewing a white screen a la web browsing is horrible. I was only there for a few minutes but the shimmer alone almost gave me a sore head. Granted that was coming from direct overhead artificial lighting but I can't see direct sunlight or any other lighting being any better.

I think it's stick with the XL until Google either fix the Bluetooth problem or until something else worthwhile comes out.

 

[glenimp617]

I really like the XL (apart from bluetooth)

 

[FishLicker]

I think the main issues with a lot of pixels threads in general, is that a lot of Nexus owners have transitioned their expectations across to the pixels. The pixels are operating in a much higher price bracket and thus justify higher expectations.

Someone who moves up from a vauxhall to a mercedes expects a higher quality of car.

I'd generally agree with that. The problem for me is that you could accept the Nexus line lagging behind slightly in terms of the hardware because of the lower price, but when they're competing with the big boys, you expect it to keep up in specs. I am still cynical that the camera really is, at least in terms of quality of hardware, as good as competing handsets of the same price - they seem to be getting around its limitations with software, an avenue that is open to any manufacturer who can be bothered to try replicating it. I expect a great screen, but it's not delivering that - this is fine on a sub £500 device but not so much on an £800+ device. Then there's the broken bluetooth, lack of headphone out, no SD card, no water proofing, no wireless charging. They are asking a hell of a lot just for a good software experience, particularly when many of its aesthetics can be added to any android phone...

 

[glenimp617]

The Nexus 6p was £449 at launch. Great screen, great build quality, used the latest processor at the time, obviously stock android. The only thing IIRC was the camera which let it down.
The market has on average increased it's prices up to 20% (some only 10% but let's give google the benefit and go with the maximum). So that's £449 + 20% = £539

XL2 is £799.99 an extra £261 over todays 6p price. That's why my expectations are higher. I'm fine with it costing £800, but prove to me it's worth £800 please.

 

[MLAM]

The Nexus 6p was £449 at launch. Great screen, great build quality, used the latest processor at the time, obviously stock android. The only thing IIRC was the camera which let it down.

I don't recall the camera being a letdown as up until last week I have been using my 6P and in the course of the 2 years I've had virtually every flagship only to sell them on and go back to the 6P for it's camera and stock android.

I've since then changed to a Pixel XL and the software tweaks are nice, I still prefer the look and feel of the 6P

 

[Nexus18]

^^

Pretty much my thoughts, essentially google are still providing nexus quality hardware but instead, they have added apple price tags just because they think they can as they are the mighty google brand.

Nexus 5x/6p had/have fantastic cameras, you just need to have HDR+ enabled (much the same with the pixels even). I bought a nexus 6p on release day but couldn't get use to the size so was forced to the 5x, tried a 6p again but as per usual, just too big.

I'm not necessarily over the moon with my 5x but at £290, I couldn't/can't complain too much, main downside is the speaker and now, the battery life.... With the 6p, I had no issues, it was the perfect phone except the size.... I would have happily paid £600+ for the 6p as it was "worth" it, it had everything and more back then for my needs (no wireless charging but I could overlook that as everything else was great). Pixel phones just don't have the hardware to back up their price tag when compared to other flagship devices IMO. The software is still there but these days, it doesn't have as much of an impact given that google have off loaded most/all of their apps to the play store and new android versions don't bring an awful lot to the table for OEM skins/devices.

 

[jonneymendoza]

I loved my 6p so much that i bought it again after it got stolen. lost it again recently grrrr

 

[GeX]

But for how long have we had no top and bottom bezels? They don't have to be smaller than the Nexus 5, it's the same design and it's design we're talking about really. It's a matter of since when do we not have top and bottom bezels and that's only really been in the last half a year, so as I said, ridiculously out dated bezels is over stating it. Probably 90% of phones being released this year look like that.

I'd disagree that the bezels are like 90% of other phones. I've (in modern phones) gone Nexus 4, Nexus 5, S6, Nexus 5 and now Pixel 2. The Pixel 2 has bigger bezels than all my previous phones. I think the only one that comes close was my HTC Hero running Android 1.5 with its chin and trackball! They are dated, I don't like them but my perfect phone doesn't exist and I don't mind compromising on these, I'm sure I'll get used to them but they do feel abnormal (I'm talking top and bottom only here)

 

[AndyCr15]

As I said, right there in the quote you've used, I'm not talking literally a measurement against other phones. I'm talking is it slim/bezel-less, or does it have bezels.

Pixel 2 - 67.9%
Nexus 5 - 70.8%
Nexus 4 - 68.3%
Galaxy S6 - 70.7%

To me those are all pretty much the same or same design. Their bezels are 'alike'.

Galaxy S8 - 83.6%

There's a difference.

 

[sesevans]

Ars carried the iFixit teardown of the 2 XL today.

One thing that stood out (we discussed this earlier): a magnesium mid
frame which should make the phone extra stiff.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...wn-shows-off-google-soc-and-squeezable-sides/

 

[kona786]

The Nexus 6p was £449 at launch. Great screen, great build quality, used the latest processor at the time, obviously stock android. The only thing IIRC was the camera which let it down.
The market has on average increased it's prices up to 20% (some only 10% but let's give google the benefit and go with the maximum). So that's £449 + 20% = £539

XL2 is £799.99 an extra £261 over todays 6p price. That's why my expectations are higher. I'm fine with it costing £800, but prove to me it's worth £800 please.

6p was Googles first phone with a great stills camera. Video on the other hand was a shaky mess.