During the first days after the announcement, which took place in mid-autumn 2016, Google’s brainchild earned the most flattering reviews regarding photo capabilities and high performance. But first things first.

Best camera

According to the authoritative resource DxOMark, the smartphone camera was named the best among mobile gadgets as of the second half of 2016. During testing, it earned a score of 89 points out of 100 possible, ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S7 by 1 mark and the Apple iPhone 7 Plus by 3 points. pair with the modular LG G5. Such outstanding performance was achieved even despite the absence of an optical image stabilization system in the design of the photomodule, which is intended to be replaced by a highly efficient digital stabilizer with software linked to the built-in gyroscope.

Large pixels

The main camera module does not protrude from the smartphone body at all. It is put into operation in a matter of seconds, which allows you not to lose sight of an important shot. In terms of the maximum aperture ratio (f/2.0), the camera matrix is ​​slightly behind its closest competitors in the class, but is ahead of them in terms of the size of an individual pixel (1.55 µm) - in low light conditions, each pixel absorbs a larger amount of light, resulting in a highly detailed image with less amount of noise. And the HDR+ function will help expand the dynamic range of images.

Rocket

The model is equipped with a top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, working in conjunction with an Adreno 530 graphics accelerator and 4 GB of RAM. Control of such a powerful “stuffing” is given to the Android 7.0 operating system, the distinctive feature of which is the round shape of application icons. In heavy games (World of Tanks or GTA San Andreas), the frame rate rarely drops below 60fps. It’s just that under prolonged intense loads, the smartphone’s body may heat up slightly.

Care

Google generously provides all mobile phone owners with unlimited cloud space to store photos and videos in their original quality. And users practically don’t have to worry about a suddenly dead battery - support for Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology allows you to partially replenish the energy reserve of a 2750 mAh battery in just 15 minutes, which is enough to ensure 7 hours of activity for the gadget.

The era of Nexus devices has come to an end. No matter how much geeks loved these phones, they sold poorly, to put it mildly. This year has been a significant one for Google. The mobile business development strategy has changed as dramatically as the name of the products being manufactured. Now they offer the user a choice of Pixel and Pixel XL, asking a lot of money for them.

Appearance

This is probably the weakest aspect of the phone. It turned out to be moderately interesting, but a little faceless. Holding the Pixel in my hands, I more than once caught myself thinking that it was very similar to the iPhone. Especially the back panel, if you cover the glass part.

Speaking of glass. This insert is a development of the idea of ​​​​combining two materials, which we saw in last year's flagship Nexus 6P. It has increased significantly in size, but the insert does not carry any meaning. Just a design element. Unusual and not for everyone.

It houses a fingerprint scanner, which is slightly larger than on other phones. The finger fits comfortably on it, and unlocking almost always occurs without errors. True, you have to keep your finger on the scanner a little longer due to protection against false clicks. So the speed of this process is inferior to the iPhone.

But the scanner has one useful feature that we have previously seen in Huawei phones. By swiping across its surface, you can lower (or raise) the notification shade. This will be convenient for people with small hands.

But rearranging the flash and camera frankly hurts the eye. Perhaps the company decided to stand out in this way, but it is very difficult to get used to such a sequence. You look and think that literally at the last minute they shoved a flash in instead of the second camera module.

The plastic antenna separators are made in the color of the body, which is nice. There's just one little thing - they protrude a lot, which creates discomfort. It's strange to see such flaws in a flagship and expensive phone.

The remaining elements of the device are very similar to those used in HTC phones. In my opinion, this company still took part in the development of the appearance of the phone.

The power and volume keys are also not like everyone else's. They are swapped and during use, instead of turning on the phone, I constantly increased the volume. It is very difficult to get used to such changes.

Unlike some competitors, the Pixel hasn't lost the "legacy" 3.5mm jack. So you can rest assured that you can use your favorite headphones with this phone. But the connector itself is placed on the top end, which is not entirely convenient.

But the developers made sure that you don’t scratch the phone’s body with your headphones by equipping the input with a plastic edge.

The same bezel can be found around the USB-Type C. This attention to detail is commendable.

The front side evokes the same conflicting feelings as the back panel. At first glance, everything is there: 2.5D glass, a camera, and a neat slot for the speaker. But it’s all just faceless. Put several flagships from other companies next to each other and Pixel will easily get lost among them.

And it’s a shame that Google hasn’t equipped its phones with moisture protection. The main competitors can easily withstand short-term immersion in liquid, which cannot be said about the Pixel.

Screen

The phone is available in two versions. The older Pixel XL model is equipped with a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED matrix. This combination of diagonal and resolution is perfect for use with the company’s VR helmet and the Daydream application. I was convinced from personal experience that Full HD is still not enough for virtual reality. So for VR the XL model will be preferable.

But if you are not keen on VR technologies, then you will definitely like the 5-inch screen of the younger Pixel. Yes, it doesn’t use the latest AMOLED matrix, which sometimes gives off green when tilted, but otherwise it’s an excellent panel.

Color reproduction is traditional for this type of matrix, so if you want calmer colors, you can activate the sRGB mode in the settings. It will make the picture as close as possible to the one we see on IPS screens.

Plus, the phone has an always-on display technology, which is similar to that used in the Moto Z, a review of which is on our website. Just by picking up the phone, the screen will turn on in monochrome mode and display the current time, practically without consuming battery power. This is a very convenient feature that I really miss on my personal phone.

Characteristics and usage experience

There’s not much to talk about here, because the phone has the top-end Snapdragon 821, Adreno 530 graphics core, 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. This set of characteristics allows the Pixel to be one of the fastest Android phones, showing strong performance in synthetic tests.

It is clear that Google has done a tremendous job of optimizing the firmware for specific hardware, this allowed them to achieve incredible smoothness of the system. I’ve already used very fast phones before, like the Moto Z, but here the speed of response to user actions seems more correct, or something. The smoothness of operation and drawing is simply amazing. The user experience is similar to the first time you picked up the latest iPhone.

In games, of course, there are no problems either. They all run with maximum graphics settings and do not slow down at all. And those projects in which FPS drops are simply unoptimized or “crookedly” written.

The software, as befits the heir to the Nexus line, was as fresh and as clean as possible. No additional services or programs. Android here is how Google sees it. A stock system that will allow you to experience the simplicity and consistency of interaction with your phone. It has changed a little in appearance, for example, by losing the “menu” button and changing icons that are completely different in style, for which the company has been criticized more than once. They are now round and standardized. But they didn’t forget about branded features.

At the phone's launch, we were promised a revolutionary voice assistant that would be able to carry on conversations and provide more relevant responses to queries. Indeed, asking a couple of popular questions (for example, “What do you think about the iPhone?”) can get funny answers.

But as soon as I asked him something less relevant, he simply answered “I don’t know.” Today, Goolge Assistant is just a slightly improved Google Now, nothing revolutionary.

In addition to the voice assistant, the phone now has an analogue of 3D Touch. Instead of developing a special touch layer that determines the force of pressing, Google decided to make do with a software implementation. To my surprise, activating the context menu almost always worked as expected. Only a couple of times, when I held it for a long time, I moved the icon instead of opening the menu.

There are practically no supported applications now, except for standard ones. Of the third-party ones, long press only worked with Twitter. But this is a Google phone, so support will soon appear in a large number of utilities.

Some were upset by the lack of support for microSD memory cards, but the company found a solution for this too. When you buy a phone, Google gives you unlimited storage for photos and videos you take on your Pixel. Additionally, all your device data is automatically backed up to Google Drive. After which the phone will offer to free up space on the internal storage by deleting already copied files. This is really cool.

Now, no matter what happens to the phone, its backup copy is in a secure cloud storage and is unlikely to be damaged, unlike the local version.

Battery life and sound quality

The battery life of the phone surprised me personally. A small battery with a capacity of only 2770 mAh allows you to fully use the phone all day long without fear of being left without a means of communication. On the second day, however, it won’t be enough. How the developers managed to reduce the appetite of the Snapdragon 821 is unclear, but they did a solid job on optimization. True, the smartphone falls a little short of the battery life of the iPhone. But there is support for fast charging, which will fully charge the phone in an hour and a half.

The following situation developed with sound. With headphones, this is one of the loudest and best-sounding phones. The entire frequency range is in place. I liked it very much.

But with the external speaker the situation is strange. We're used to seeing great stereo speakers in HTC phones, but here there's only one. Its quality is ordinary, nothing to say. A simple speaker that you may encounter, for example, in Meizu M3S.

In addition, it is very easy to cover it with your hand, causing it to lose almost all of its volume. So in this indicator it is significantly inferior to its competitors. It is quite possible to miss a call. By the way, the vibration motor is perceived strangely. It rattles a little inside the case, which after the Taptic Engine feels very cheap.

The day before, sales of the first smartphones under the new Google brand began in the United States: Pixel and Pixel XL. The new products are collected by HTC, but the search engine positions them as its own product, developed by it from start to finish. How “pixel phones” were accepted by foreign experts was found out by reading the main reviews of Pixel and Pixel XL in the American media, Vesti.Hi-tech.

Read also: ​

Following the example of Apple and Samsung, Google offered the device in two versions: Pixel with a 5-inch AMOLED display (1080x1920) and its enlarged XL version with a 5.5" screen (1440x2560). Both models are equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, four gigabytes of RAM memory (LPDDR4), a flash drive of 32-128 GB, a battery with a capacity of 2,770 (Pixel) or 3450 mAh (Pixel XL), as well as two cameras: a main one with 12.3 megapixels (f/2.0) and an 8-megapixel " front camera" (f/2.4). The design of the devices is identical. Price: from $649 (for a "regular" Pixel with 32 GB of memory), like an "unlocked" iPhone 7, to $869 (for a Pixel XL, 128 GB).

iPhone on Android

Overall, Google's new product was more than a success. After the main threat to the iPhone in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Note7, the Pixel was unanimously recognized as the best “Android” to date and the best alternative to the Apple smartphone. Describing impressions of the first Google phone, IT journalists did not skimp on epithets.

The Verge's Dieter Bohn called the new products "the best Android phones you can buy," while fellow columnist and veteran IT journalist Walt Mossberg called the Pixel "by far the best Android phone I've ever tested." "The Pixel is the perfect phone, and that's what Android should have been all along," says Business Insider columnist Steve Kovacs. "Google has created the best Android phone," agrees Joanna Stern of The Wall Street Journal.

Reflecting on the appearance of the Pixel, not a single author managed to avoid comparison with the iPhone. Mossberg, for example, called the design of Google's smartphone "conservative" and "nice, familiar and feels good in the hand." “Almost everyone I showed the phone to thought it was an iPhone,” he wrote. But Kovacs was not inspired by the “two-year-old” appearance: Pixel “is strikingly similar to the iPhone 7 - so much so that one of my colleagues thought I had two iPhones on my desk.” In his opinion, the device looks too much like an iPhone, which is why it “looks outdated.”

Combining aircraft-grade aluminum and Gorilla Glass, the Pixel actually looks a lot like an Apple device from afar. With the exception of the fingerprint sensor located on the back cover and the 3.5 mm audio port on the top end, they have almost the same design of the front panel, beveled corners, antenna lines and speaker placement. At the bottom end of the “pixel” there is a USB Type-C port, a microphone and a speaker, and on the left edge there is a microSIM slot.

The "back" of the Google smartphone, however, is not completely flat: it has a wedge-shaped shape, tapering from top to bottom. This makes the smartphone appear thinner when you hold it in your hands, notes The Verge reviewer. In addition, unlike the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7 - and this is perhaps one of the main complaints of reviewers about the device - Google's new product is not waterproof.

Google inside and out

Pixel is the real Google phone. As the main developer of Android, Google independently designed the successors to the Nexus line, which allowed it to seize complete control over both hardware and software. As a result, the company, like Apple with the iPhone, has managed to optimize the performance of almost every Pixel component: from the camera to the battery.

“In a week and a half of testing the phones, I've gotten absolutely amazing battery life, especially on the Pixel XL,” Bohn writes. “Last Sunday, I streamed the Vikings-Texans game for two hours, used the phone throughout the day, and scrolled obsessively Twitter during the presidential debate. At the end of the day I was still at 30%." In his experience, a single charge of the Pixels lasts a couple of hours longer than an iPhone and Nexus of the same size.

In Engadget's test, when a device connected to Wi-Fi plays HD video in a circle at 50% screen brightness, the XL version of the Pixel lasted 14 hours and 12 minutes (seven minutes longer than the Note7). His “little brother” lasted 12 hours and 25 minutes. In normal use, reviewer Chris Velasco said, the Pixel's battery can easily squeeze out one and a half to two days of work. For two days, for example, the device easily “lived” with Brian Heater from TechCrunch. From zero to 100%, Stern found, the small Pixel charges in an hour and a half - an hour faster than the iPhone 7.

But Mossberg expected more from the Pixel's battery. Its 5-inch smartphone never came close to the 13 hours of battery life Google promised for most device use cases. Playing a 90-minute movie from the Internet and music, the device “lived” only 9 hours, while charging the iPhone 7 lasted for 12-14 hours.

The tight integration of hardware and software also contributed to the high performance of the pixels. Journalists came to the conclusion that the combination of the latest 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chip and 4 GB of RAM makes the Google device fast and responsive. No one had any problems with multitasking, a slow interface or long loading times for pixels.

Velasco, for example, launched and switched between a variety of applications: Slack, Outlook, YouTube, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram, as well as the games Mortal Kombat X and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. “Nothing, nothing at all during the testing period made the Pixel or Pixel XL even sweat. Of course, they got a little warm from time to time, but their performance left me with no complaints,” he noted.

"Google Assistant makes Siri look stupid"

Pixels are currently the only smartphones on which Android 7.1 Nougat is available. The operating system, free of unnecessary programs and interface add-ons, on Pixel smartphones is complemented by some exclusive features and bonuses: a custom launcher with rounded icons, a new application menu that opens by swiping up from the bottom, as well as chat and technical support phone numbers, which are built right into “Settings.” .

By pressing the button with the letter G, you can open an Internet search bar, and if you drag the key from left to right, you can call up the smart Google Now assistant. In addition, every Pixel buyer gets unlimited cloud space to store photos and videos taken from the smartphone.

There are not many changes in version 7.1 itself. The main ones: the ability to send images and “GIFs” directly from the keyboard, support for Night Mode, which reduces the intensity of blue light radiation and makes it easier to go to bed, as well as quick actions that are displayed when you long press the application icon (like 3D Touch in iOS 9).

According to Ars Technica's Ron Amadeo, the Pixel's integrated nature solves many of the problems inherent in other Android devices, including version silos and unguaranteed OS updates. And since Pixel is an independent Google product, the company guarantees prompt distribution of updates and the absence of unnecessary software, the installation of which is often the fault of telecom operators and manufacturers.

The Pixel is similar to the iPhone in many ways, but its main advantage over Apple's product is Google Assistant, a new intelligent assistant. To access it, you need to press the "Home" key or say out loud "Ok Google." "Assistant" can work with any Google online services: from the search engine and Gmail to the calendar and photo storage. The more often the user accesses its services, the smarter the assistant becomes.

Mossberg called Google Assistant "not perfect, but impressive, and much better than Apple's Siri." The new system, already familiar to users from the Allo messenger, can not only launch applications, create reminders, notes and play music, but quickly and clearly answer any question posed and even a series of questions related to the same subject: “What is the population of Maryland?", "Who is the governor?" or "Show me the state flag." By comparison, Siri was only able to answer the first question by reading an article from Wikipedia. She performed worse on subsequent assignments, producing a selection of references and a dictionary entry defining the word “governor.”

Dieter Bohn was most impressed by Assistant's ability to find images in Google Photos, be it "photos of my cat, the kitchen, friends even if I don't remember tagging them, selfies, locations and more." Assistant does this task better than Siri.

Kovacs also spoke highly of the new assistant: Apple should be ashamed of Siri, which appeared five years before Google Assistant, but does not live up to its skills. "My favorite example from the last couple of days: I asked an assistant when my next flight was and he gave me an answer, including the Delta flight number and expected departure time. I never told Google about my flight. It just knew based on the email from confirmation Delta sent me when I booked," Kovach writes. "Show me the photos I took on my last trip to San Francisco. Done. Get the shortest route home. Done. Remind me to talk to my boss when I get off work tomorrow. . Done. Play a song by Calvin Harris and Rihanna. Done."

However, the capabilities of Google Assistant are not yet as wide as those of Apple's "concierge". “For example, he can tell me the date of the next debate, but he’s not smart enough to add his own response to the calendar,” Bon complained. He was also not satisfied with the poor integration with third-party applications and services: Google Assistant can book a table through OpenTable, but cannot call an Uber car. Moreover, the assistant can send letters and SMS, but not read incoming messages. It is expected that this function will appear before the end of the year.

How does it shoot?

The Pixel camera also benefits from Google integration. According to The Verge, the photo sensors of the Pixel, iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 are generally comparable: "It's more a matter of personal preference than just image quality." "The camera app launches quickly and takes photos instantly," Bohn wrote, and processing of HDR images takes only "a few seconds." By holding your finger on the shutter button, you can take a series of photos, and Google Photos will automatically select the best shot and offer to create a GIF animation.

Photos taken with Pixel have greater dynamic range and richness. But pictures taken at night come out grainier than those taken on the Samsung Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7, noted WSJ's Joanna Stern. She also admitted that the dual camera of the iPhone 7 Plus with 2x zoom functions without loss of quality and background blur is superior to the Pixel “eye”, which is only capable of simulating the bokeh effect.

“Pixels capture fantastic images—detailed and clear, usually with just the right colors,” wrote an Engadget writer. He was also pleased with shooting in low light conditions due to the f/2.0 aperture (but not as wide as the iPhone 7). In addition, Google has brought back HDR+ mode (which enhances shadows and colors while reducing noise), which now works “much better” and faster than on the Nexus 5.

Pierce, who took hundreds of photos with the Pixel XL during a trip to Colombia, was very pleased with the smartphone's camera. "You won't have the cool zoom or background softening features of the iPhone 7 Plus, but your photos will turn out killer." According to him, the iPhone accurately reproduces the lighting, even if the scene is dull and dark, while the Pixel tries to slightly improve the image quality, making it a little brighter and more saturated.

The best alternative to iPhone

"Pixel is the best Android and the best iPhone alternative. Hardware is easy. Today, anyone can make a good phone, and even make it cheap. The real challenge is to teach it to do more through AI and other useful services. Pixel is proof that that Google is not just solving this problem. It can beat competitors on the first try,” concluded Kovacs.

"They definitely have their flaws, like boring designs, poor water resistance, and steep price tags. The point is, Google had to start somewhere, and the foundation it laid with these two phones has been surprisingly strong," he said. Velasco concluded.

"When your name is the only one on the phone, you need to be presented in the best possible light. Of course, the company had some help with production from friends at HTC, but the message is clear - sink or swim, the responsibility lies with Google. And in almost every respect, the company does not disappoint." - Heather said.

“If you're an Android fan who's ready to buy a premium phone, the Pixel is your answer. Again, hands down, this is the best Android phone I've ever tested,” Mossberg concluded. “If you're an iPhone user who's thinking When you switch devices, the Pixel will feel physically familiar, but you'll have to shed the tenacious shackles that come with interacting with other iPhone owners: things like iMessage (which isn't on Google's platform and won't be in the near future) and Sharing to iCloud Photos" (which Google is trying to copy)".

"This is Google's first phone, and for a first try it's surprisingly good. In almost every way - speed, power, camera, smart assistant - it's as good as or better than the best phones on the market today," Bon agreed. . According to him, in the United States, users are too tied to the Apple iOS ecosystem, including iMessage and Siri, so the search engine needs to offer something more than a product of comparable quality. Google Assistant could be a killer feature, but its capabilities are still too raw.

Joanna Stern, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, came to a similar conclusion: "The biggest barrier between me and an Android phone? iMessage. I use Apple's chat service to communicate with family, colleagues and friends. When I inserted a SIM card "at Pixel, I found myself out of work. It's easier to take the whole family to Disneyland than to drag them into a new chat service."

Wired's David Pearce was the only journalist to admit that Pixels convinced him to ditch his Apple smartphone: "I've always been an iPhone loyalist, honestly. I've used every flagship Android phone ever released and always come back to Apple. Part of this was because I bought an iPhone 4S in 2011 and signed up for iMessage, and leaving it is a terrible headache."

"But I'm moving on. Seriously. I'm turning off iMessage, repurchasing apps, and warning my friends that I probably won't be receiving their messages for a few days," Piers admitted. "I've fallen in love with the Pixel. I love its camera, Google Assistant, the fact that I'll be using it with comfortable VR glasses, and that I'll finally have a version of Android that's both powerful and attractive."

Characteristics

• Dimensions: 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm
• Weight: 143 g
• SIM card type: Nano-SIM & electronic SIM card (e-SIM)
• Display: AMOLED (16M shades), 5.0 inches (occupies 67.9% of the body area), resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels (density 441 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 5
• Operating system: Android 8.0
• Processor: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835, CPU Octa-core (4x2.45 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo)/GPU Adreno 540
• Internal memory: 64/128 GB
• RAM: 4 GB
• Battery: 2700 mAh with fast charging support
• Cameras:
  Main 12.3 MP, f/1.8, OIS and EIS (gyro) (optical and electronic stabilization), phase and laser autofocus, dual-tone flash
  Video shooting with characteristics: 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@240fps
  Front: 8 MP, 1/3.2" sensor size, 1.4 µm pixel size, 1080p
• Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
  Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX
  NFC
• Pressure-sensitive side edges
• Water and dust protection according to IP67 standard
• Stereo speakers
• Active noise cancellation with dedicated microphones
• Missing 3.5mm jack
• USB 3.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
• Rear fingerprint scanner
• Accelerometer
• Light sensor
• Gyroscope
• Barometer
• Case colors: Black, silver, blue

Contents of delivery

• Telephone
• USB to USB-C adapter
• USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter
• USB-C cable
• Network adapter

Introduction

Almost 10 years ago, the first HTC Dream smartphone was released, which at that time received the little-known Google Android operating system. The device turned out to be original in appearance and was locked to a specific cellular operator. However, from this moment the history of Google phones begins.

Two years later the Nexus series appeared. It included smartphones, tablets and media devices running Android OS. The Taiwanese company again acted as the OEM manufacturer, and the smartphone was called Nexus One. The gadget worked on version 2.1 and was subsequently updated to 2.3.3. However, later it became possible to flash the device to Android Jelly Bean. The design was based on HTC Desire.

Towards the end of 2010, the Nexus S appeared. This time the developer was Samsung. By the way, the device was originally supposed to be called Nexus Two, but the South Koreans did not want to “be number 2,” so the letter “S” soon appeared.

The next Nexus was again developed by Samsung. This time it was called Galaxy Nexus. The gadget was supposed to be presented at the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event, but in 2011, the legendary personality Steve Jobs passed away, and the presentation was postponed. It was this model that began to be officially sold in Russia in Samsung showrooms. Personally, I received the Galaxy Nexus almost immediately after the announcement in Moscow. Been using it for a while. I can say that the device was extremely interesting, but the quality of the screen matrix left much to be desired.

In 2012, LG Electronics presented the next generation of Nexus number 4, so the device itself was called Nexus 4. The unusual, laconic design with an iridescent back panel is one of the most beautiful Nexus. I also walked around with this smartphone for some time.

The following year, LG again created a device together with Google - Nexus 5. This model became extremely popular due to its low cost and excellent technical characteristics. I liked the device so much that I decided to purchase it in red. At that time, the device had already implemented HDR+ technology, allowing you to create cool shots in any lighting conditions.

Then strange devices began to appear, in my subjective opinion, and everything was very sad with the price. The Nexus 6 was developed jointly with Motorola, then LG joined the fray with the Nexus 5X, and then the Nexus 6P from Huawei appeared. Later, many companies began to use the 6P design.

In 2016, at a presentation in San Francisco, Google introduced its new Pixel line. It includes two phones, Pixel and Pixel XL, and this time the developer is HTC. Unlike its predecessors, device connoisseurs or just geeks were more interested in “pixels”. In addition, smartphones have never officially entered our market. In addition to the latest system, the Pixels had excellent cameras.

This year, Google also showed two new products – Pixel 2 (developed by HTC) and Pixel 2 XL (developed by LG). The slogan of the event was the phrase “Ask more of your phone.” Actually, one of them (Google Pixel 2) will be discussed in this material.

The Google Pixel 2 smartphone is a compact gadget with flagship characteristics: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 4/64 GB of memory, USB-C 3.1, waterproof according to IP67 standard, in an aluminum case with Corning 5 glass.

It’s worth adding that there are almost no compact smartphones with excellent technical characteristics, so the Pixel 2 is in some sense a unique gadget, and even from Google, that is, on the “pure” Android system.

In Russia, unfortunately, the smartphone is again not presented. On the “gray” market you can find it from 55,000 rubles, which, in general, is quite expensive. The official cost, for example, in the USA is from $650 for the 64 GB version (about 40,000 rubles).

Appearance

Most of my friends to whom I showed the Pixel 2 gadget noted that there is “no smell” of design here. I partially agree with them; the device looks quite primitive. It seems to me that even the previous models were more interesting. However, such smartphones are bought not because of the design, but for the sake of the new operating system and the capabilities of “pure” Google Android. Unlike the mass of devices, gadgets from Google receive updates for at least a couple of years (yep, somewhere in the world millions of Apple iPhone 5S, released almost 5 years ago and received the latest version of iOS 11.1, are laughing sarcastically).

The Pixel 2 has a rectangular body shape with slightly smoothed corners, the side edges are smooth, and the back panel is slightly sloping. A thin polished chamfer runs along the perimeter, “playing” nicely in the light.

On the reverse side you can see a traditional Pixel feature - a glossy plastic insert. It serves not only as a decorative solution, but also as a light barrier to the signal, since the rest of the body is made of metal. It’s interesting that the first impression of the socket was: “Hmm, they said it was metal, but there’s some strange, rough plastic here.” In general, over time I got used to the sensations, and they turned out to be pleasant.

The dimensions of the device can be said to be miniature (when compared with most smartphones on the market) - 145x69x7.8 mm, and Pixel 2 weighs about 143 grams.

The gadget fits perfectly in the hand: lightweight, easy to handle, and does not slip out of the palm. This is especially noticeable in contrast: I use the Apple iPhone 8 Plus - it’s a huge and heavy device, after which the Pixel 2 seems like fluff and the most comfortable smartphone :) Frankly, I’m thinking about replacing the iPhone 8 Plus with the Pixel 2. Only one thing confuses me - Android again, which although I’m used to, I want something new. The iOS system is something new, but for an unprepared person it is “hell” with its limitations and sometimes strange behavior. I’m not saying that the Android OS is better in terms of stability, but at least it has some solutions, including installing some kind of assembly.

The Pixel 2 smartphone is sold in three colors: Just Black (similar to Apple's Jet Black), Clearly White and Kinda Blue. Simply put: black, white and blue. We reviewed Just Black, which resembles the reverse side of the Huawei P9.

The front side is protected by fifth generation Corning Gorilla Glass. Over time, not a single scratch appeared. There is an oleophobic coating, the quality is good. The upper insert on the back side is apparently made of the same material and is equipped with an “oleophobic” feature. In general, no scratches or fingerprints. On metal, fingerprints are also almost invisible.

On the top of the front panel there are sensors, a camera, and a speaker. Oddly enough, the earpiece made a somewhat negative impression on me: not very loud, average intelligibility. Considering that it is also responsible for outputting music, it could be done with a volume reserve.

Below the screen is another speaker. Paired with the top one, they create stereo sound.

At the bottom there is a microphone and a USB Type-C connector, and at the top there is only an additional microphone. On the right are the power button and the volume rocker. Very comfortable, with a pleasant and clear click. On the left are plastic slides with a rubber gasket. Attention, the device only has one nano SIM card and no microSD slot.

On the back you will find a dual-section flash, a large camera eye (which, frankly, looks a bit ridiculous in my opinion), a laser focusing module and a fingerprint scanner. Regarding the latter: the software offers too few options for saving fingerprint information. For example, in the Apple iPhone, the main part of the finger is scanned, and then the corners. On the Pixel 2, scanning occurs in just 6 steps. Therefore, the fingerprint sensor “knows” little and because of this it works in 5-6 cases out of 10 if you touch the sensor quickly.

I forgot to add that the new product has IP67 protection!

Google Pixel 2 and Apple iPhone 8 Plus

Display

The younger model Google Pixel 2 is equipped with a screen whose diagonal is exactly 5 inches. The frames on the left and right are about 3.5 mm, on the top – 18 mm, and on the bottom – about 17 mm. That is, the Pixel 2 cannot be called super-compact, since the design is ordinary, not FullVision. But in the Pixel 2 XL, they still made the frames narrow at the top and bottom, much like in the LG G6, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, and so on.

The Pixel 2 AMOLED screen matrix, the resolution is low for these days - FullHD, but for 5 inches this is quite enough. Below you can see the structure of Pentile.

I can’t say that this somehow bothers me, but I think FullHD+ resolution would be more appropriate; after all, it’s a flagship for a lot of money.

White brightness – 430 cd/m2.

I checked the matrix using a calibrator. The conclusions are:

• The difference between saturated and standard colors is minimal. In the first case, the data slightly exceeds the sRGB triangle, in the second they are almost identical.
• The matrix is ​​calibrated perfectly! Moreover, the most difficult thing - the gray color - is in perfect order.

Standard colors

Rich colors

Viewing angles are maximum, but at certain angles a slight blue tint is noticeable.

Viewing Angles

Battery

This model has a 2700 mAh battery - not the most impressive value in a modern smartphone.

Since the operating time of the device depends on individual cases, I was able to squeeze out about 3.5 hours of screen light from the Pixel 2 at automatic brightness. This is almost the entire day on LTE, all possible social networks, mail, and so on functioned in the background. The device lasted from 10.00 to 23.00 without any problems. In general, not much. The smartphone doesn’t play video for that long – 11 hours, but you can play games for almost 7 hours!

Theoretically, it would be possible to put a 3200 - 3400 mAh battery in the Pixel 2, but then the thickness would have to be increased.

The kit includes a powerful AC adapter with fast charging 5V – 3A / 9V – 2A.

Communication capabilities

The Google Pixel 2 smartphone is equipped with one slot for a nano SIM card. It works in 2G/3G and 4G LTE CAT 15 networks with all possible bands: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/20/25/26/28/29/30/32 /66. Supports 4x4 MIMO, 256-QAM DL and 64-QAM UL.

The Wi-Fi network operates at frequencies of 2.5/5 GHz (a/b/g/n/ac) 2x2 MIMO, Bluetooth has version 5.0 LE. NFC chip available.

The Type-C port supports USB version 3.1 (Gen 1). The smartphone is equipped with sensors on the sides of the body, as in the HTC U11: when squeezed, Google Assistant is launched.

GPS, BeiDou and GLONASS available. The device detects satellites even indoors, and in general it works atrociously: in open space there are up to 30 satellites with an accuracy of up to 3 meters.

There are no questions about the quality of communication.

Memory

The RAM in the Pixel 2 is sparse - 4 GB LPDDR4x. This volume is currently typical even for mid-priced gadgets. And if we talk about Chinese smartphones, then even for budget ones. RAM speed – 7600 MB/s – decent!

The internal memory can be either 64 GB or 128 GB. The 64 GB test (53 GB available) showed the following data: crazy 740 MB/s – reading, writing is weaker – 210 MB/s.

There is no memory card here, as you already understood. Well, that’s it... However, for photos and videos there is unlimited storage on Google.

Cameras

Surprisingly, Google refused to use an additional module in its flagship smartphones for both background blur and zoom/width. However, a software package was implemented to create bokeh.

The main camera is 12.3 MP (1/2.6 inches), pixel size is 1.4 microns, aperture is f/1.8, there is DualPixel phase focus and laser focusing assist. There is optical and electronic stabilization.

The front camera is 8 MP, pixel size is 1.4 microns, aperture is f/2.4 - weak. By the way, software background blur is also implemented here.

At the moment, the Pixel 2 has the best camera according to DXOmark. On the site you can find Pixel 2 with a rating of 98 points, second place is shared by Apple iPhone X and Huawei Mate 10 Pro (97 points), third place is shared by Apple iPhone 8 and Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (94 points).

I thought I’d describe the quality of the pictures in more detail, but I’ll say this – the Google Pixel 2 shoots SHI-KAR-NO! I have almost no negative comments. Choose HDR+ or advanced HDR+ and you're done!

Portrait mode surprised me in a good way. Frankly speaking, I expected that it would be impossible to achieve background blur with one camera, but practice using the Google Pixel 2 as an example showed that it is more than possible! Yes, of course, Pixel 2 does not always crop the background accurately and does not always create blur correctly, but dual-camera cameras also miss the mark.

Below is a comparison of portraits from the Apple iPhone 8 Plus, OnePlus 5 and Pixel 2 in poor lighting conditions.

In my opinion, OnePlus 5 did a better job, oddly enough.

Sample photos

Portraits

Selfie

Day

Low light

Night

The Pixel 2 smartphone shoots video in a maximum resolution of 4K and 30 fps. With FullHD it can record 120 fps, and 240 fps is obtained in 720p resolution. The quality of the videos is excellent, again no complaints. Even at night there are beautiful videos. The stabilization is decent.

This is not the first or second year that Google has been producing its smartphones, but perhaps for the first time it has decided to take this process under greater control than before. Where are such conclusions from?

Firstly, the new models are coming out under a completely new name – Pixel. The Nexus line, created back in 2010, could well continue its development now, but there was one problem with it. From year to year, “nexuses” were produced by different manufacturers. At one time these were HTC, Samsung, LG, Huawei, Motorola, and it so happened that each brand brought some kind of zest to the series from itself. More precisely, this was declared on paper, but in fact, almost every new Google Nexus was a copy of a certain smartphone from a certain manufacturer. Here's what it looked like in the early years:

• Google Nexus One = HTC Desire
• Google Nexus S = Samsung Galaxy S
• Google Galaxy Nexus = Samsung Galaxy S3
• Google Nexus 4 = LG Optimus G
• Google Nexus 5 = LG G2

With the Nexus 6 model, the situation began to change, and we can say that further “nexuses” began to get their own face and individuality. Google Nexus 6, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P were no longer copies of certain smartphones from manufacturers. However, the connection to the manufacturer still remained, and if you now try to search, for example, Google Nexus 6P or Nexus 6, you will find the Huawei Nexus 6P and Motorola Nexus 6 smartphones. It would seem that there is nothing wrong, but Google’s original idea was behind these years has long been transformed, and today a smartphone from Google should be exactly a smartphone from Google, which brand makes it is a completely internal story. Therefore, abandoning the name “Nexus” and choosing another, “Pixel” is the correct and logical decision.

Secondly, the company produces two devices with standard parameters, differing, by and large, only in screen diagonal and some small details. Everything from the platform, memory capacity, cameras to design is exactly the same for Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL. The choice comes down to the size of the display and the size of the smartphone itself, respectively.

Let's take a look at the first "pixels" in Google history.

Specifications of Google Pixel (Pixel XL)

• Case materials: metal, glass
• Operating system: Android 7.1 (Nougat)
• Network: GSM/EDGE, WCDMA, LTE Cat 6 (nanoSIM)
• Screen: AMOLED, 5", 1920x1080 pixels (441 ppi), automatic backlight level adjustment, screen temperature adjustment, Gorilla Glass 4 glass (AMOLED, 5.5", 2560x1440 pixels (534 ppi), automatic backlight level adjustment, screen temperature adjustment, glass Gorilla Glass 4)
• Platform: Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (MSM8996)
• Processor: Dual-core 2.15 GHz (Kryo) and dual-core 1.6 GHz (Kryo)
• Graphics: Adreno 530
• RAM: 4 GB
• Storage memory: 32/128 GB
• Main camera: 12 MP, pixel size 1.55 microns, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, dual LED flash, 4k video recording
• Front camera: 8 MP, pixel size 1.4 microns, f/2.4, video recording in FullHD
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac) Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.2 (A2DP, LE), USB Type-C connector (USB 3.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset, HDMI (via Type-C), DLNA, NFC
• Navigation: GPS/A-GPS, Beidou, Glonass
• Additionally: fingerprint scanner
• Sensors: accelerometer, position sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, barometer
• Battery: 2770 mAh (3450 mAh), supports Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging technology
• Dimensions and weight: 143.8 x 69.5 x 8.6 mm, 143 grams (154.7 x 75.5 x 8.6 mm, 168 grams)

The new Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL smartphones are manufactured by HTC; in fact, this is where the mention of the Taiwanese brand ends. It’s impossible to draw parallels with the HTC 10 here; as I said above, the Pixel is not something similar to the “ten”, these are completely different devices.

The idea of ​​Google Pixel is a simple and understandable smartphone for everyone. The company itself identifies five main advantages of “pixels”:

1. These are the first smartphones with Google Assistant pre-installed.
2. These smartphones take very good photos.
3. With these smartphones you get unlimited Google Photos storage
4. Pre-installed Google Duo and Allo services
5. Daydream VR support

What do we have in practice?

Google Pixel design is controversial. This is not another Samsung, which can only be criticized for copying itself, not Meizu or Xiaomi, which can be criticized for imitating Apple and also copying itself, not HTC or Sony. In all these cases, there are complaints about the design, but it can hardly be called controversial and ambiguous; everywhere there is balance and a sense of beauty, a certain universality. Google Pixel doesn't have it. You will either like the smartphone and find it amazing, or you won’t like it at all. There are unlikely to be neutral assessments here. I don't really like the Pixel. It has a strange “patch” of glass on half the body at the back, it has huge indents at the top and bottom of the screen, where there are no elements and it is unclear what causes them, it has no zest. Apart from the controversial issues described above, of course.

The body materials are all excellent here. A combination of metal and glass Gorilla Glass 4, what could be better?

Screen – Pixel uses AMOLED with a 5" diagonal and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Pixel XL has AMOLED with a 5.5" diagonal and a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. I can't judge the quality.

Platform – everything is good here, Snapdragon 821, 4 GB of RAM, 32 or 128 GB of internal memory.

The moment with the cameras is still unclear to me, to be honest. At the “pixels” presentation, it was said that smartphones had the highest camera ratings on the DxOMark portal, which is already a bad sign. At various times, the top cameras on dxomark.com were both the Sony Xperia Z5 and the Moto X Style, and this is all with the then-current Apple iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy S6 and LG G4, let me remind you. So I don't know. The camera characteristics of the Google Pixel don't excite the imagination at all: 12 megapixels and an increased pixel size, but that's all. There is no optical stabilization, no laser focusing. The aperture value is f/2.0, which is also quite ordinary and unremarkable for the second half of 2016. Front 8 MP camera with f/2.4 aperture, no special features here either. Perhaps Google has made every effort and the camera is capable of producing masterpieces thanks to the software, but, to be honest, it’s still hard to believe.

I won’t talk about working hours, the topic is fertile for debate. Google claims 13 hours of operation in Internet or video mode. There is fast charging; a powerful charging unit (18 W) is included in the package, which is good.

To be honest, while preparing this text, I find myself trying to think of something else to talk about in relation to the Google Pixel. And I don’t find it, except for the background history of the emergence of the Pixel brand itself. There is nothing in the devices that you can cling to, and this is upsetting. $650 for the Google Pixel and $770 for the Google Pixel XL are quite “flagship” prices, roughly on par with Apple and Samsung. But why buy Google Pixel when there are proven Apple and Samsung? Yes, there used to be a good reason - new versions of Android, the ability to install developer versions of the OS, and “play” with the device. With the release of the Pixel, Google abandoned the idea of ​​smartphones for developers. Moreover, on the official website in the characteristics of Google Pixel there is a note “Operating system updates for 2 years.” Of course, this does not mean that exactly on October 4, 2018, “pixels” will stop receiving the latest versions of Android, but the very fact of such a comment is indicative. This is not a smartphone for the elite, Google fans and developers, it is a smartphone for the masses. From Google's point of view.

From my point of view, Google Pixel is a strange smartphone for everyone and no one. There are no two cameras, there is no curved glass, there is no “smart” multifunction key, the thinnest body, sleek design, incredibly capacious battery, and so on. This is just a smartphone with strong characteristics and a pure Android OS. And they will choose it specifically for Android, as it seems to me, because there are no other “wow” features here.

P.S. Zhenya Vildyaev will talk about Google Assistant and other new things, but I want to grumble just a little. The company took its Google Now service, renamed it Google Assistant, added a couple of features, and rolled it out as something new. And for the past year, the presentation has shown us how cool it is to book a table in a cafe, get directions from point A to point B, send a message by voice, or schedule an event on the calendar. Hello, Google, you already showed all this a year ago!