Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones differ from each other only in screen and battery sizes. Google is proud to say that the smartphone has the most advanced camera ever developed. The smartphone scores well in various parameters, including battery life. Read in the review what Google has prepared for us under the guise of its flagship smartphones.

Ultra-modern Google Pixel and Pixel XL – will Apple lovers rush to hand over their iPhones?

The Nexus series of smartphones from Google is a clear example of Android in its purest form. This is a worthy product for the current market, where each manufacturer has its own quirks. Companies are constantly competing with each other, introducing different designs and unnecessary changes. Google was going to collaborate with other manufacturers every year to ease some of the tension between the companies. However, plans have changed, and now the company is actively competing with its partners. Moreover, she has her own developments, which she is not going to share.

For several years, smartphones from the Nexus line have not caused any complaints: not too high a price, acceptable quality. And now new products from Google have come out - Pixel and Pixel XL - of course, solid high-end gadgets immediately aimed at conquering the market. It would not be amiss to note that Google sees its main competitor in the company Apple. This becomes clear by looking at configuration, price and even the design of the Pixel.

The company may have lost most of its Nexus fans, but can it win over iPhone users? This is a question to which we would really like to know the answer.

Impression of the appearance of Google Pixel XL

Externally, the smartphone does not particularly stand out. This is a kind of cross between the designs of phones from Apple, Samsung, and HTC. Google is proud that it independently developed both the software and the “stuff” of the smartphone, and HTC acted only as an assembler. However, in the end, there is no talk of any clearly defined design or completely individual style.

The front panel is made of glass, the areas above and below the display are empty. The display is protected by special 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4, along the edges of which there are slight curves. We received a silver sample, so the sensor block on the front side looked ugly - like black blots on white paper. In terms of compatibility, a black version would be better. Navigation is done from the screen, so the bottom part is completely empty.

The back and sides of the smartphone are covered with a single-layer metal body, except for the upper part of the back side, which is framed by glass. This is done so as not to interfere with the signal from the antennas, although thin antenna strips still run along the top and sides of the case. This glass insert gives the device its own flair, but one gets the feeling that they have gone too far with the size, especially if you remember the fingerprint scanner located on the back.

Buttons and camera

The camera lens does not protrude from the body, thanks to the fact that the top of the phone is thicker than the bottom, resulting in a wedge-shaped shape. To be honest, the difference between the 8.5mm top and 7.3mm bottom is so small that no one would notice, but Google decided to emphasize this feature and made the edges rounded. The Pixel XL also has a slight imbalance at the top, but you quickly get used to it.

The power and volume buttons are located on the right side; we found this arrangement a little inconvenient. On the left side there is a plug with a hole for one SIM card; microSD cards are not supported. At the top of the head there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and if you look from below, you can see a USB Type-C port between two grilles, only one of which is a speaker grille.

The smartphone is a little overweight, and did not cause us such awe as, for example, the design of the Galaxy S 6 and S 7. After getting acquainted with the overall Pixel XL, perhaps we would have liked the Pixel more. I'm glad that both versions have the same functionality.

Specifications

And yet Google sticks to its line regarding hardware. With the exception of display size and resolution, battery capacity, smartphones have similar characteristics.

• The smartphone is powered by an advanced Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC with two cores at 2.15 GHz and two more at 1.6 GHz for greater efficiency.
• There is also a built-in Adreno 530 video accelerator.
• Both models have 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB\128 GB of internal memory.
• We had a 32 GB copy, of which 29.7 GB was available for use.

Given the lack of expandable storage via microSD, we think some may be better off purchasing the 128GB version. On the other hand, Google offers unlimited storage for your photos on its Google Photo service.

The Google Pixel XL has a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1440x 2560, while the Pixel has a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1080x 1920. Both versions are claimed to have 100 percent color gamut. We don’t know how things are on the smaller version of the smartphone, but the display on the Pixel XL is perhaps the most advanced we’ve seen on other smartphones. The display gives a bright and rich picture in natural colors.

Connection

All standards meet modern requirements: Cat 12 LTE is supported, in other words, download speeds can be up to 600 Mb/s, and upload speeds can be up to 75 Mb/s, of course, if the Internet provider can provide it. There is also Wi-Fi with the 802.11ac standard, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, and high-frequency wireless technology. High speed USB 3.0 data transfer is provided via the Type –C connector. In addition, there are various sensors for space and environmental conditions, including an independent mini-processor that constantly processes incoming signals, such as voice commands. Moreover, even when the main processor is in standby mode.

During the launch of the smartphone, Google particularly focused on the camera capabilities and the fact that both the Pixel and Pixel XL have the same hardware. The main camera is a 12.3-megapixel module with a pixel size of 1.55 microns. In addition, there is phase and laser autofocus. On the front side there is a second camera of 8 megapixels.

The large size of the XL version allows it to accommodate a battery with a capacity of 3450 mAh. The battery supports fast charging, and a powerful (18 W) charger is included.

Easily transfer data from iPhone

In addition, in the smartphone box the user will find:

1. USB Type –A and Type –C cables;
2. small adapter for connecting different USB specifications;
3. headphones with three different sized pads.

The aforementioned adapter is particularly interesting because it allows you to connect your old phone and import contacts, photos, calendar data and messages, including emails from the Messages app on your iPhone.

Software and launcher Google Pixel

Google is replacing the much-loved Nexus series with a new smartphone. That is, from now on Pixel represents the company's advanced ideas regarding Android. Although what we see in the launcher is not Android in its pure form, but rather its “pixel” version with its own interface and several amendments. It's unclear whether other manufacturers will be allowed to bring some or all of the features to their devices.

One way or another, Google Pixel software is polished in the best possible way. This is our first experience with Android 7.1, so a lot of things were new to us. After turning on, the main screen appears. Here you can see the Google logo in the upper left corner, when you click on it, a search bar opens with a history of recent queries. If you swipe your finger to the side while on the main screen, Google Now will open with the already familiar blocks of weather, news and other information. Pressing and holding the white circle in the middle will bring up the voice search menu - this will be the user's first encounter with Google Assistant.

At the bottom of the main screen there is a block with five shortcuts, and swiping up on this area will open a list of all applications. The shortcuts for all system and pre-installed applications are rounded. When you long-press an application's shortcut, a context menu of actions pops up, but there is no way to know in advance which application supports this feature and which does not. In many cases you will need to press and hold buttons. This action can also move icons around the home screen or delete applications.

There are a bunch of screensavers, including a dynamic image from the Google Earth service. The spinning planet as a screensaver looks amazing, the screensaver changes according to the user's current location and shows the cycle of day and night. There is also a screensaver with a horizon, in which the color and position of the sun depend on the battery charge level, and there are also simply abstract patterns that visualize the time and current weather. The choice of wallpapers is simply huge; it combines well with other features of the smartphone.

If you open the notification panel, application shortcuts will appear at the bottom. If you swipe down on the screen while in the notifications tab, the panel will expand and take up the entire screen. There is a night mode that can be programmed to turn on according to a schedule.

Settings screen – now more convenient and with online technical support

Settings have been significantly redesigned, with a new menu-driven system allowing the user to quickly navigate through windows, while recommendations remain pinned to the top unless hidden or opened. We had not calibrated the recognition of the fingerprint scanner, so the recommendation that popped up turned out to be very useful, and it also opened the necessary section that we were looking for. The smartphone also has technical support built into Settings, which works 7 days a week from 9 am to 6 pm; the operator can remotely connect to the smartphone in order to see the user’s screen.

Google Assistant - communicate with your smartphone

The list of pre-installed applications includes the typical set of Google services, but the most remarkable element of the smartphone is built right into the operating system. Google Assistant is one of the possible reasons for the Pixel's existence, as all the recent announcements from the company have been related to this feature. And it will undoubtedly be built into other smartphones, given how Google goes out of its way to make its services an integral part of users' lives.

Google Assistant is a thing that not everyone will use, and, accordingly, will not know about all the possibilities of this function. It is in many ways similar to the existing voice search on Android smartphones. However, the Assistant is able to grasp the context based on the previous question. The service is launched using the same phrase “Okay, Google”, but now the Assistant knows which application is currently in use and can search for information there. It can also access the user's profile, location, and calendar date. Using this service, you can send messages, launch applications, translate phrases and control smartphone functions.

The assistant speaks English with a rather stereotypical accent of someone from India ;). But, nevertheless, this two-way communication is most similar to what we see with another personal assistant, Siri. In a quick comparison, we found that Assistant provides more relevant location-specific information, such as restaurant prices and airport ticket prices. Moreover, it was able to answer a more complex query such as “Find a Chinese restaurant that accepts orders at 11 pm.”

Main and front cameras

Google Assistant is the key element of a smartphone after the camera. Google understands that a high-speed camera is one of the few things that can set an expensive premium smartphone apart from the so-called “flagship smartphone killers” these days. The company successfully managed to do this.

Getting to know your Pixel smartphone camera starts with an app that launches instantly. The app is reminiscent of the Android version, but it has features such as panoramic shooting mode, continuous shooting and slow motion. There is a rather entertaining blur mode with focusing on an object. Since the Pixel doesn't have a second rear camera, this mode requires you to move the camera slightly after shooting to capture your surroundings, which the app itself will notify you about.

Photos are obtained with a resolution of up to 12.3 megapixels. You can shoot video in 4K resolution at 30 frames per second; in 1080p at 120 fps or 720p at 240 (suitable for slow motion) fps. Autofocus and capture speeds are amazing, even in low light conditions.

Of course, the most important feature of the camera is the quality of the photos. And we can say with confidence that in this regard, the Google Pixel XL lives up to its advertised characteristics. In terms of image quality, the smartphone is certainly on par with the iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S 7. The camera's focus is fast and accurate, and the depth of color reproduction and some details, for example, small patterns on leaves and flowers, when shooting at close range is truly amazing . Shooting in low light conditions is ideal - most photos come out colorful, even if there is very little light in the frame. The reproduction of color and detail is excellent, and the level of digital noise is within acceptable limits. The camera also pleased with its performance, although not very much.

Videos are just as clear and rich, the picture remains smooth at any resolution and frame rate. One of the challenges when shooting in 4K is the size of the output video. However, Google provides free cloud storage where you can store photos and videos in their original quality, including 4K videos. Although in any case you will need to upload the video to the Internet, given the size of the video, traffic will fly away only this way. Be that as it may, the value of this function cannot be ignored.

Performance of Google Pixel and Pixel XL

As expected, the smartphone has a new fast hardware - the Snapdragon 821 processor, which shows exceptionally impeccable performance. The system coped with any load without problems, including resource-demanding games, watching HD video on the Internet and shooting in 4K resolution. Fortunately, the smartphone did not get too hot while performing any task. It's a real pleasure to play games and watch movies on the large display, although the uneven thickness of the body is a bit noticeable when gaming if the device is turned horizontally.

The readability of the display does not decrease even in bright sunlight, but the sound quality from the built-in speaker is disappointing. It's good for playing games and watching videos, but at high volumes the sound is slightly distorted, which, of course, is unpleasant when listening to music. The fingerprint scanner works as it should. We also have no complaints about the quality of Google Pixel communications or Internet connection. As a result, after using the smartphone, we were left with generally good impressions.

Tests Pixel XL

The XL passed all tests with ease, scoring high in both the CPU power test and the CPU load tests. The results were as follows:

1. 133650 points in AnTuTu;
2. 4154 in Geekbench multi-threaded benchmark:
3. the gaming benchmark 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited assigned the device an impressive 27,515 points;
4. According to the graphics benchmark GFXBench, the frame rate is 55fps.

The battery has a large reserve of energy - the gadget was continuously used for 14 hours and 6 minutes while the test was underway. At the same time, we played games, shot videos in 4K, watched a lot of video clips on the Internet, and listened to a lot of music online. And despite all this, the charge lasted until the end of the day and there was still some left. In addition, the device charges quickly: it took us about two hours to fully charge a completely discharged battery.

Verdict

We don’t quite understand why Google got involved in this race for more powerful hardware now, while hiding key points related to Pixel from its partners, and what all this will lead to in the future. Is it any wonder that even long-time partners of the company remain in the dark? Is the Google Assistant project so closed that it needs to be kept within the company? Or maybe the tech giant simply wants to grab a bigger piece of the money pie?

Let's wait and see what this behavior will lead to.

Pixel vs iPhone

However, it is absolutely clear that, despite the policy espied by Microsoft with its Surface series devices, Google Pixel and Pixel XL are direct competitors of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

The buyer receives the same amount of memory at a similar price. But we can at least be glad that the company did not cut down the functionality of the gadget in order to later introduce the missing functions on a more expensive model. Apple users now have their hands on the most iPhone-like Android phone ever made. Perhaps they will give their preference to the brainchild of Google. Overall, this would be a good trend considering Samsung is temporarily out of the game.

For the money spent, the user gets a smartphone with the most advanced camera, a system with high performance, which is enough for both current and future applications. Some consider the Google Assistant a useless feature, but for those who like it, buying a Google Pixel smartphone is the only opportunity to come into contact with this development today. In addition, Google said that the phone is guaranteed to receive important updates. Hopefully, a new competitor in the market will spur Samsung and other companies to raise the quality bar to an even higher level.

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.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	69.54 mm (millimeters) 6.95 cm (centimeters) 0.23 ft (feet) 2.74 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	143.84 mm (millimeters) 14.38 cm (centimeters) 0.47 ft (feet) 5.66 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	8.58 mm (millimeters) 0.86 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.34 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	143 g (grams) 0.32 lbs 5.04 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	85.82 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.21 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Black Silver Blue
Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body.	Metal Glass
Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified.	IP53

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
CDMA CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) is a channel access method used in communications in mobile networks. Compared to other 2G and 2.5G standards like GSM and TDMA, it provides higher data transfer speeds and the ability to connect more consumers at the same time.	CDMA 800 MHz CDMA 1900 MHz
TD-SCDMA TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) is a 3G mobile network standard. It is also called UTRA/UMTS-TDD LCR. It was developed as an alternative to the W-CDMA standard in China by the Chinese Academy of Telecommunications Technology, Datang Telecom and Siemens. TD-SCDMA combines TDMA and CDMA.	TD-SCDMA 1880-1920 MHz TD-SCDMA 2010-2025 MHz
UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1700/2100 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 700 MHz Class 13 LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) LTE 2300 MHz (B30) LTE 1900 MHz (B25) LTE 850 MHz (B26) LTE 700 MHz (B12) LTE 700 MHz (B28) LTE 700 MHz (B29)

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 Pro
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	14 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	2x 2.15 GHz Kryo, 2x 1.6 GHz Kryo
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors.	64 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv8-A
Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory.	1536 kB (kilobytes) 1.5 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	4
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	2150 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 530
GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	624 MHz (megahertz)
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	4 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR4
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates.	Dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data.	1866 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	AMOLED
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	5 in (inches) 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.45 in (inches) 62.26 mm (millimeters) 6.23 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.36 in (inches) 110.69 mm (millimeters) 11.07 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.	1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail.	441 ppi (pixels per inch) 173 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	69.12% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance
	Corning Gorilla Glass 4 2.5D curved glass screen VR ready 100% NTSC

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor model	Sony IMX378 Exmor RS
Sensor type
Sensor size	6.25 x 4.65 mm (millimeters) 0.31 in (inches)
Pixel size	1.544 µm (micrometers) 0.001544 mm (millimeters)
Crop factor	5.55
Diaphragm	f/2
Focal length	4.67 mm (millimeters) 25.94 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	Double LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image.	4048 x 3036 pixels 12.29 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device.	3840 x 2160 pixels 8.29 MP (megapixels)
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Digital image stabilization Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode
	Phase detection 1080p@120fps 720p @ 240 fps

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera.	Sony IMX179 Exmor R
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device.	CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with larger sensors and lower pixel densities offer higher image quality despite the lower resolution.	4.54 x 3.42 mm (millimeters) 0.22 in (inches)
Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels per unit area, thereby increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high ISO levels.	1.391 µm (micrometers) 0.001391 mm (millimeters)
Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of the full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The indicated number represents the ratio of the diagonals of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor of a particular device.	7.61
Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger.	f/2.4
Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length is also indicated, providing the same field of view with a full frame camera.	3.38 mm (millimeters) 25.73 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the additional camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera.	3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with an additional camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the secondary camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution.	30fps (frames per second)

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML HTML5 CSS 3

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours.	2770 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Lithium-ion)
2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network.	26 h (hours) 1560 min (minutes) 1.1 days
2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	456 h (hours) 27360 min (minutes) 19 days
3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.	26 h (hours) 1560 min (minutes) 1.1 days
3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	456 h (hours) 27360 min (minutes) 19 days
Adapter output power Information about the electrical current (measured in amperes) and electrical voltage (measured in volts) that the charger supplies (power output). Higher power output ensures faster battery charging.	5 V (volts) / 3 A (amps) 9 V (volts) / 2 A (amps)
Fast charging technology Fast charging technologies differ from each other in terms of energy efficiency, supported output power, control of the charging process, temperature, etc. The device, battery and charger must be compatible with fast charging technology.	Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.	Fast charging Fixed

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.89 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard.	0.56 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)

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!

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.