Google Pixel 3 XL review

Google’s Pixel 3 and 3 XL are showcases of how AI can improve the hardware and software in significant ways not immediately noticeable at first.

Good

Best camera phone we’ve tested

Problem-free 6.3-inch OLED display

Solid battery life vs smaller Pixel 3

Bad

The notch cut out is hard to ignore

Not one-hand friendly as Pixel 3

More expensive, like all 2018 phones

The Google Pixel 3 XL has been built to offer stable everyday performance, though you won’t find record-breaking speeds from its chipset and RAM configuration.

The Google Pixel 3 XL marries the one of the camera phone we’ve ever tested with a sizable, albeit controversial color-rich 6.3-inch OLED screen. It’s the right fit for people who don’t mind the notch cut out at the top and have already adjusted their grip for bigger smartphones in the past.

Its 12.2MP rear single-lens camera outperforms dual- and triple-lens smartphone cameras. We found its photos more consistently usable than photos from Samsung, Apple and LG’s camera phones. Even digitally zoomed-in pictures looked better.

The science that happens behind-the-scenes every time we snap a photo, or the actual Google Pixel 3 XL pictures. We were similarly pleased with the twin 8MP cameras, and felt the wide Group Selfie lens came in handy to capture more moments with friends. We just wish the default camera tricks were fleshed out when it came to triggering the selfie camera timer, and that Google had its own take on hyperlapse videos.

The Pixel 3 XL is the phone for power users who want an edge in daily picture-taking, and want it with a bigger screen and extra battery life. That said, for most people, we would recommend the smaller 5.5-inch Google Pixel 3. It has tighter dimensions for easy one-hand use, and it’s cheaper. Use that saved money for the 128GB of storage version, unless you really need the extended battery life.

Rounding out the Pixel 3 XL superb hardware is IP68 water resistance. The Pixel 3 XL can be in water (up to 6 feet) for up to 30 minutes. Needless to say, you can use them in the rain or drop them in the tub or toilet and they should work A-OK after drying out.

For those serious about photography, the Pixel 3 XL is an excellent value.

You’ll get Google’s best, most premium and refined phone to date. The camera is utterly astonishing and the best on a smartphone – though not as good as an actual DSLR.

The software is excellently optimised for the hardware and works seamlessly, which we can’t say for non-Google Android phones. The etched glass back is lovely and it’s simply a piece of hardware that’s a pleasure to use.

Google Pixel 3 XL: Specification

• Android 9 Pie

• 6.3in 2960 x 1440 19:9 P-OLED display

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

• Adreno 630 GPU

• 4GB RAM

• 64/128GB non-expandable storage

• 12.2Mp f/1.8 rear camera: Dual 8Mp front facing cameras

• 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi

• Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX

• 4G LTE

• Nano-SIM