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Pixel xl vs essential

Anyone make the switch? To be honest, I'm still very happy with my pixel xl. Camera is relevant and the ux/ui performance is still top notch.
I'm thinking this would be a side-grade and not really an upgrade?
Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk

I just picked up an Essential to replace an HTC 10. For me, I was looking at used Pixel XL's (128GB) and new Essential Phone since they're around the same pricepoint.
What came down to it for me was the Snapdragon 835, new/fresh battery, and probably less warranty issues with a brand new phone.

I have a Nexus 6p and I bought an Essential phone and I'm selling the Essential because the camera quality was poorer (even with g cam trying optimizing it, pictures have a slight yellow hue and the picture is a little bit less sharp, while the Nexus 6p often have the best colors right off the bat) and the passage from AMOLED back to LCD was meh. Plus you gonna still have the update faster if you stick to the Pixel. But the build quality is fantastic.

cityle said:
Plus you gonna still have the update faster if you stick to the Pixel. But the build quality is fantastic.
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Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.

spotmark said:
Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.
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But there is still no Oreo, while i have it on my Nexus 6p since September (and I need the LDAC support of Oreo)

spotmark said:
Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.
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Yeah, I was surprised how quickly essential got that out. But I think he is also referring to os updates. I'm running 8.1 on my pixel. It'll be a while before essential pushes that out.
Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk

I sold my pixel for the essential.
The pixel camera app is much quicker and more reliable than essentials. As far as picture quality goes, indoors, when trying to capture more fine details the Pixel camera definitely wins. In good lighting and outdoors I can't tell a difference between the 2.
In terms of everything else the essential is better. Build quality and materials are better. More storage for less money. Performance is better on the essential. The essential is easier to tote around and use one handed because the bezels are smaller. If it wasn't for essential taking so long to improve the camera app then I would say it is the best smartphone experience I have had. And I have had a lot. Like over 20 easily.
Also I went through 6 pixels. The first one had paint chipping issues like nothing I have ever seen. The second one had a faulty speaker. The third one had radio issues. The 4th had fast charge issues. The 5th had issues with overheating to the point where I couldn't hold the device. And I am not a heavy user. And the 6th I sold as soon as it came in.

ryaleon87 said:
I sold my pixel for the essential.
The pixel camera app is much quicker and more reliable than essentials. As far as picture quality goes, indoors, when trying to capture more fine details the Pixel camera definitely wins. In good lighting and outdoors I can't tell a difference between the 2.
In terms of everything else the essential is better. Build quality and materials are better. More storage for less money. Performance is better on the essential. The essential is easier to tote around and use one handed because the bezels are smaller. If it wasn't for essential taking so long to improve the camera app then I would say it is the best smartphone experience I have had. And I have had a lot. Like over 20 easily.
Also I went through 6 pixels. The first one had paint chipping issues like nothing I have ever seen. The second one had a faulty speaker. The third one had radio issues. The 4th had fast charge issues. The 5th had issues with overheating to the point where I couldn't hold the device. And I am not a heavy user. And the 6th I sold as soon as it came in.
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Which pixel did you have?
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Xl

ryaleon87 said:
Xl
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Original or 2nd gen? I had my earpiece speaker blow on my og xl.. had it bl unlocked but it was a Verizon model.. replacement from google had updated bl so i couldnt unlocked and i dumped it.. pre-order 2 xl.. then cancelled a few days before it shipped because of all of the screen issues.....my ph-1 will be here Monday.. cant wait
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

The original. I thought about getting the Pixel 2 but the high price and screen issues keeps me away. If a phone cost nearly $1000 it better be perfect.

I think I ended up with the Essential Phone partly by choice and partly by accident. I'm a Sprint customer. My old Galaxy S5 was broken, I needed a phone that was cheap, as up to date as possible, and available NOW. That was early September. The PH-1 was by far the cheapest option for me to buy through Sprint.
There's a lot to love and a lot to hate. The camera app has gotten better but won't be winning any awards pretty much ever. That said, it's decent. The phone's form factor is small, which means it can fit into a pocket where a Pixel XL won't. As a longtime Samsung owner I love the pure android ability to get rid of bloat, but I'm used to a much more reliable experience and a much better looking screen. I love the huge screen on a tiny phone, but LCD is just so pedestrian at this point. I was always running out of internal space on my Samsung, so it's awesome to have 128GB internal. It's annoying that SD card support and phone jack weren't included. It's probably the best looking phone out there right now, which is kinda cool. Sadly, it's very buggy. It loses connection with my android watch and I've had to completely wipe and reconnect it a few times already. There is no "press the _____ button" to activate Google Assistant" option (as least not that I know of) which is a bit of a downer. Voice recognition is super buggy. The phone says it's listening, but you have to wait of few seconds because it will miss the first few words you say. It also takes about 5 words voice-to-text, then just simply stops taking/writing anymore words. You have to cancel and hit the microphone icon again to get it another 5 words , wash rinse repeat. The touchscreen tends to be unresponsive. It's gotten a bit better since the last patch, but it's still not great. It would have been nice if the fingerprint scanner doubled as a home button like LG does. Finding a case for the Essential Phone was a nightmare, but they're pretty easy to find now. The phone SHOULD BE one of the fastest phones on the market, but instead it's laggy. And one of the biggest reasons to get the Essential Phone -- clip on modules -- is kindof a nothingburger at this point. Honestly, I wish I could have held out for an LG V30+, but it wasn't out yet.

i'm also hesitating...

Just to chime in I got this coming from the pixel, not XL. I really like this phone, especially on the 8.1 beta. Its a great little handset, feels awesome, much better battery than anything Google has, and very snappy. I also had wicked issues flashing anything on my pixel. No trouble so far with the essential for me.

Jank4AU said:
Just to chime in I got this coming from the pixel, not XL. I really like this phone, especially on the 8.1 beta. Its a great little handset, feels awesome, much better battery than anything Google has, and very snappy. I also had wicked issues flashing anything on my pixel. No trouble so far with the essential for me.
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What do you think about the photo and video?

ggh95 said:
What do you think about the photo and video?
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Despite all the negative press, the pictures aren't bad. Their not as good as the pixel, true, but I don't use a phone as my main source for high quality pictures. I know many folks do simply because they always have their phone on them. The bottom line is, no one is going to look at a picture you took with this phone and think, "ew, did your 5-year old draw that?" It works just fine.

I heard about this phone early this year did some research and decided to buy it from Amazon on Jan 24th. I came from a Galaxy S6 and it was a good phone (battery was getting bad) but this phone is head and shoulders better! Especially now that we are running the Oreo B8.1! It is super stable and smooth much more than my old Galaxy S6. I was thinking of trying the Oneplus 5t or maybe the new Huawei Mate 10 pro but I am not sure I will be any happier. Never had the Pixel or 2 If they looked this good I'd buy tomorrow!

ggh95 said:
What do you think about the photo and video?
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with gcam its very good but very bad stabilization for videos

sabi95190 said:
with gcam its very good but very bad stabilization for videos
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What app has good stabilization?

Tech180 said:
What app has good stabilization?
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gcam

Switch from Pixel 2 XL

Hey guys I'm thinking of switching from the Pixel 2 XL to the OnePlus 6.
Some of the reasons I'm thinking of switching is that I miss having the headphone jack. It's gotten quite annoying not having it. I don't take many pictures, so I'm not too concerned with the camera downgrade. Price is definitely a big deal. I can sell my Pixel on Swappa and essentially break even. If I wait til the Pixel 3 and trade mine in, I still have to come up with 300-400 to upgrade. If I switch the the OnePlus 6, I'm getting the latest specs, extra RAM at pretty much no cost.
What do you guys think? Wanna help me decide?

kingmikel said:
Hey guys I'm thinking of switching from the Pixel 2 XL to the OnePlus 6.
Some of the reasons I'm thinking of switching is that I miss having the headphone jack. It's gotten quite annoying not having it. I don't take many pictures, so I'm not too concerned with the camera downgrade. Price is definitely a big deal. I can sell my Pixel on Swappa and essentially break even. If I wait til the Pixel 3 and trade mine in, I still have to come up with 300-400 to upgrade. If I switch the the OnePlus 6, I'm getting the latest specs, extra RAM at pretty much no cost.
What do you guys think? Wanna help me decide?
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I came from the HTC U Ultra, and for me atleast the One Plus turned out to be a really good investment. I also switched in part to the Headphone jack, and extra RAM. I do like he the phone so far, and found the camera to be on par with my HTC phone if not a bit better. The only complaint I have is I find the speaker , and vibration quite weak as compared to my HTC. In the end, the specs are quite good for the price

I've been a 2XL owner since January and I just bought the 6.
The 6 has a much worse vibration motor than the 2XL; to me at least, it is a huge difference and I really dislike the feel of the motor on the 6.
Colours/screen however, looks better to me on the 6, despite having a lower resolution - colours are more vibrant and no screen issues that many users report on the 2XL.
Performance is better on the 6 and that is a bit obvious I know, but I was shocked at the difference - it's actually noticable! Apps launch insanely fast while the 2XL is still stuck on that same app's splash screen.
The camera is not great at all in my opinion (on the 6). I could even go as far as saying it's slightly below average. Maybe it's because the Pixel's camera has spoiled me. You mentioned this isn't an important thing to you so you should be fine in this department.
I have all Bluetooth accessories, including headphones, so a headphone jack isn't necessary for me, but for your needs, it seems like another plus! (No pun intended lol).
Not sure if custom development (ROMs, kernels, etc.) are important, but OnePlus should have a lot more of that than the Pixels.
And finally, the biggest "feature" is the price - OnePlus is the clear winner here as well (especially for what you get in return).
I hope this helps make your decision a bit more clear

I'm using pixel 2 XL as my primary phone and this device as my secondary phone.
I'll never keep one plus 6 as my primary device cos I'm into photography. The only reason I have this for dash charging and dual SIM. Also I'm a digital nomad and I carry multiple devices. I retired my LG G4 which was an excellent shooter and was my back up device, now that's been replaced with one plus 6.
The extra specs and Ram doesn't really scream performance when you pit it against pixel 2 XL. One plus reduces all the animations to make the device faster but it doesn't have a very noticeable performance than my pixel.
I'm not bothered with the notch.
If you have the budget do both and you'll be happy. Else get this device and play around with both and sell what you think doesn't work for you.
My pixel is very dear to me so I would never think of replacing it with any other device. Also with one plus you lose the water proof thinge!!

manasgirdhar said:
I came from the HTC U Ultra, and for me atleast the One Plus turned out to be a really good investment. I also switched in part to the Headphone jack, and extra RAM. I do like he the phone so far, and found the camera to be on par with my HTC phone if not a bit better. The only complaint I have is I find the speaker , and vibration quite weak as compared to my HTC. In the end, the specs are quite good for the price
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I can see how the speaker and vibration could be bothersome. I love my Pixel 2 XL speakers, but I don't get to use them much because I'm at work or out a lot, and headphones would definitely come in handy. I have some Bluetooth headphones, but I have a lot more regular headphones that I have in my backpack, laying around at work, etc. It definitely seems worth the price!
rickysidhu_ said:
I've been a 2XL owner since January and I just bought the 6.
The 6 has a much worse vibration motor than the 2XL; to me at least, it is a huge difference and I really dislike the feel of the motor on the 6.
Colours/screen however, looks better to me on the 6, despite having a lower resolution - colours are more vibrant and no screen issues that many users report on the 2XL.
Performance is better on the 6 and that is a bit obvious I know, but I was shocked at the difference - it's actually noticable! Apps launch insanely fast while the 2XL is still stuck on that same app's splash screen.
The camera is not great at all in my opinion (on the 6). I could even go as far as saying it's slightly below average. Maybe it's because the Pixel's camera has spoiled me. You mentioned this isn't an important thing to you so you should be fine in this department.
I have all Bluetooth accessories, including headphones, so a headphone jack isn't necessary for me, but for your needs, it seems like another plus! (No pun intended lol).
Not sure if custom development (ROMs, kernels, etc.) are important, but OnePlus should have a lot more of that than the Pixels.
And finally, the biggest "feature" is the price - OnePlus is the clear winner here as well (especially for what you get in return).
I hope this helps make your decision a bit more clear
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It definitely helps! I've seen plenty of reviews where the reviewers say that the Pixel is faster. I'm not saying mine is slow, but it definitely hangs on some apps and I just have a hard time believing that the newest processor plus more ram isn't going to be faster than last years with less ram.
You've made great points, I hadn't thought about the screen. I definitely could see how the OnePlus 6 has a better screen! Thanks for your input, it's definitely been helpful
venkig said:
I'm using pixel 2 XL as my primary phone and this device as my secondary phone.
I'll never keep one plus 6 as my primary device cos I'm into photography. The only reason I have this for dash charging and dual SIM. Also I'm a digital nomad and I carry multiple devices. I retired my LG G4 which was an excellent shooter and was my back up device, now that's been replaced with one plus 6.
The extra specs and Ram doesn't really scream performance when you pit it against pixel 2 XL. One plus reduces all the animations to make the device faster but it doesn't have a very noticeable performance than my pixel.
I'm not bothered with the notch.
If you have the budget do both and you'll be happy. Else get this device and play around with both and sell what you think doesn't work for you.
My pixel is very dear to me so I would never think of replacing it with any other device. Also with one plus you lose the water proof thinge!!
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I love my Pixel, and I think I'll want the Pixel 3 when it comes out. But price wise for now, it's either sticking with the Pixel 2 XL or going to the OnePlus 6 for a wash. But I hadn't thought using both to see which I like better. I guess I could always return it within the 15 days if I don't like it right?

I sold my 2 XL a couple of weeks ago in anticipation of the OnePlus 6. I loved my 2 XL but personally found it just slightly too tall and I just couldn't get used to the screen. Even with "Boosted" and "Saturated" color calibrations the 2 XL screen paled in comparison with my wife's Galaxy S9 and my iPhone X (for work).
As for the camera, the 2 XL notably outshines the iPhone X in almost all conditions. Surprisingly, the pictures from my OnePlus 6 really are not that far off from my 2 XL. The OP6 still outperforms the iPhone X camera with much more clear and color accurate photos.
I loved my 2 XL, overall. But the iPhone X really showed me what a well designed bezel-less phone should be. The OP6 is Android's best alternative to that, IMO. The notch never bothered me on my iPhone and it doesn't bother me on my OP6. I'd make the same switch again in a heartbeat. And the best part is that I sold my 2 XL on Swappa for $710. This allowed me to pickup the OP6 (8GB / 128GB), the Nylon Bumper Case + screen protector and still pocket nearly $100.

venkig said:
I'm using pixel 2 XL as my primary phone and this device as my secondary phone.
I'll never keep one plus 6 as my primary device cos I'm into photography. The only reason I have this for dash charging and dual SIM. Also I'm a digital nomad and I carry multiple devices. I retired my LG G4 which was an excellent shooter and was my back up device, now that's been replaced with one plus 6.
The extra specs and Ram doesn't really scream performance when you pit it against pixel 2 XL. One plus reduces all the animations to make the device faster but it doesn't have a very noticeable performance than my pixel.
I'm not bothered with the notch.
If you have the budget do both and you'll be happy. Else get this device and play around with both and sell what you think doesn't work for you.
My pixel is very dear to me so I would never think of replacing it with any other device. Also with one plus you lose the water proof thinge!!
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Click to collapse
I have both and agree with everything you've said. My biggest disappointment with the OnePlus 6 is the speaker. It's awful. I don't know if I'm going to keep the OnePlus 6. It is substantially faster than the Pixel.

Switch. I had the 2 XL, S9+, 5T before this. Camera is good but nowhere near the Pixel (neither are the S9+ or 5T), but if that's not your primary focus you'll be happy with the 6 until the Pixel 3 comes out. You'll probably have better resell value than your 2 XL too.

I am so torn. I have both phones and have about another week to decide if I'm keeping the OnePlus 6. Even though I have cases on both I just saw this guy who did a drop test and completely shattered the OP6.
Sound on Pixel 2 much better. Speed on OnePlus better.
So difficult to choose. Any ideas?

People are down playing how bad the camera is. It's 2x worst vs most of phones listed above. Software hopefully will help it.
Speaker is not great for occasional usage. Few things missing in software.
Luckily OnePlus holds there value. especially next few weeks plus 15 return window to try out.
Phone is very fast and ultimately stock Android. Haven't had any issues with day to day usage. Think it's a decent upgrade till the pixel 3 comes out.

Sold my 2xl an hour's to the money back I paid for this op6 and I already miss it ?

mackentosh said:
Sold my 2xl an hour's to the money back I paid for this op6 and I already miss it ?
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What about it do you miss?

Don't choose the OP6 over the 2XL. It's a big downgrade, from the camera to the screen resolution to the terrible speaker to the vibration motor.

Goronok said:
What about it do you miss?
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The design, the camera, and the fact that it's pure Android ?
---------- Post added at 01:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 AM ----------
Only thing I haters about both phones is that there is no wireless charging ? but the OnePlus gestures are terrific

Much prefer my OP6 over my pixel 2 xl.

mastibeta said:
Much prefer my OP6 over my pixel 2 xl.
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Why? I'm still waffling.

I love the screen, the speed is unmatched, and the form factor is more pleasant to hold. Also a big fan of the nav system in Oxygen OS.

intruda119 said:
People are down playing how bad the camera is. It's 2x worst vs most of phones listed above. Software hopefully will help it.
Speaker is not great for occasional usage. Few things missing in software.
Luckily OnePlus holds there value. especially next few weeks plus 15 return window to try out.
Phone is very fast and ultimately stock Android. Haven't had any issues with day to day usage. Think it's a decent upgrade till the pixel 3 comes out.
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I disagree that it's 2x worst most phones. It's not even 2x worse than most flagships. I've seen several pics where it outshines the iPhone x or s9. The problem, in my eyes, is consistency. I'll take 4 pics and get 4 different results. 3 of them will be over-sharpened so much there is noticeable halos if you zoom in, etc. But it *can* take good pics, which leads me to believe with software (or Gcam!!!), we'll be money.
Also, the video is above average for sure. Once they get the focus hunting dealt with that is.

mastibeta said:
I love the screen, the speed is unmatched, and the form factor is more pleasant to hold. Also a big fan of the nav system in Oxygen OS.
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I completely agree with you about the speed and form factor. My biggest hesitation is the speaker and volume.
I've heard conflicting things about whether it can be improved with a software patch or if we're stuck with a hardware problem.

I don't use the phone as a loud speaker, I have Google home devices as well as Bluetooth speakers. That said it's plenty loud enough for me to play games or watch videos.

Pixel 3 worth it, Are any of the known issues a deal breaker.

First off i'm trying to decide on the Pixel 3 or S9 and I know asking here is kinda dumb but I wanna know if some of these issues are as big of a deal as the media plays them out to be? The issues i'm hearing about that bug me most are the speaker issues, will the low volume be fixed or is it a hardware thing? Also the back supposedly can be scratch quite easily, I went to best buy and tried to scratch it with my nail and it left a mark but it rubbed away. or is this more of a thing that coins will scratch it if put in a pocket with them? I had a Pixel 2 and the back never got scratched well I had it. Like I said I went to bestbuy and handled both the Pixel 3 and S9 and its a hard decision to choose. I like the make and build quality of the S9 but I hate it only comes in grey or purple here in Canada. It also has a beautiful screen. But the Pixel reminds me of my Pixel 2 plus it has the better camera. not that the s9 is bad just I don't like that it over exposes. Do you have a Pixel 3 do you recommend it and how's the battery life?

I've owned about 5 other phones before the Pixel 3. It's got the best speakers of any phone I've had. For me the volume is more than loud enough. I use a thin case so can't comment on the back being scratch prone. I haven't tried scratching it. Worst case you could get a skin for the back if you don't use a case and find it shows marks from your use. The screen is very good. If you're very picky about the display quality at low brightness you may not like it, but that's easy to test at a store before you buy it. The camera is excellent, so no worries there. For me the battery is as good or better than any other phone I've owned. After light use I have about 60% left at the end of the day. Of course, your past experience, expectations, preferences, needs and usage will determine whether it's a good phone for you. It what you've listed are your biggest concerns you'll likely be happy.

My general experience with the S9 was good apart from the battery life, the exynos processor version was shocking (i think this is the one you get in Canada too). Not sure if recent updates fixed this but it seemed like a huge complaint at the time, i couldn't get a day with moderate to heavy use.
With regards to the Pixel3 back texture, i have it naked and it's been rattling in my pockets (albeit i never put any phone in a pocket with coins or keys), it's perfectly fine and i would take this textured back over the slippy S9 any day. I have the Pixel2 also and it's a little scruffy on the back but unless you inspect it very closely it's perfectly fine.
Camera on the Pixel is way better in my opinion, you get a usable picture almost every time whereas the S9 i sometimes had to take several shots to get what i wanted.
I've had the Mate 20 Pro and iPhone XS this year also and the Pixel3 trumps all in my opinion.
I do have an outstanding issue open with Google however where the Pixel3's gyroscope sensor isn't calibrated correctly and so it's out by about 2-3 degrees. This means that when taking photos or using apps that use the gyroscope i have to hold the phone slightly off angle to make it think it's level. All that said i still consider it the best !

Is it worth upgrading from Pixel 2 (bought a new one for 350) to Pixel 3 (Pixel 3 would cost me 300€ extra)? I especially want to know, whether the super res zoom and the wide angle selfie camera is worth it - these are the two most outstanding differences between Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 in my opinion. If you know some other differences which are worth the additional 300€ please tell me.

Marcel Eff said:
Is it worth upgrading from Pixel 2 (bought a new one for 350) to Pixel 3 (Pixel 3 would cost me 300€ extra)? I especially want to know, whether the super res zoom and the wide angle selfie camera is worth it - these are the two most outstanding differences between Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 in my opinion. If you know some other differences which are worth the additional 300€ please tell me.
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Wide angle is nicer than I thought although I hate taking selfies ROFL. Super res was a meh compared to dual cam phones but better than nothing.
I'm in the process of upgrading to P3 from P2 (crappy displays, locked bootloaders, RMAs, etc.) and side by side P3 looks so much more modern and if you like modern then it looks so much nicer.
I would be careful with your decision though since this year P3 won the honor to enjoy all the display issues P2XL went through last year, so getting a satisfactory display should be your first priority in my opinion. That said, a good display on P3 seems to be better than the "good" display of P2XL last year, as suggested by others over at P3XL forum and I agree (I ordered both P2 and XL last year and had a brief experience with XL). Anyway, once you get a good display hold on to it!
Other than that, I can't think of buying anything else at this moment mainly because I value stock experience, easiness of modding, and Dev support. Ironically we have the locked bootloader issue right now on both P3 and XL. The dev support was also far behind compared to old Nexus days. If One Plus offered a smaller version of 6T I might have jumped the ship.
P.s. camera is nice as always but being a home guy I use the display 1000x more than the camera so a good camera only means "this" little to me.

cswithxda said:
Ironically we have the locked bootloader issue right now on both P3 and XL. The dev support was also far behind compared to old Nexus days. If One Plus offered a smaller version of 6T I might have jumped the ship.
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What issue are you having with the bootloader?

georgs_town said:
What issue are you having with the bootloader?
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Check out the thread in this Pixel 3 QA and Pixel 3 XL QA section. Newer devices *may* come in with bootloader "un-unlockable" :cyclops: Some people received this *feature* on their new devices and some enjoyed it on the new, RMA devices.

orbital247 said:
My general experience with the S9 was good apart from the battery life, the exynos processor version was shocking (i think this is the one you get in Canada too). Not sure if recent updates fixed this but it seemed like a huge complaint at the time, i couldn't get a day with moderate to heavy use.
With regards to the Pixel3 back texture, i have it naked and it's been rattling in my pockets (albeit i never put any phone in a pocket with coins or keys), it's perfectly fine and i would take this textured back over the slippy S9 any day. I have the Pixel2 also and it's a little scruffy on the back but unless you inspect it very closely it's perfectly fine.
Camera on the Pixel is way better in my opinion, you get a usable picture almost every time whereas the S9 i sometimes had to take several shots to get what i wanted.
I've had the Mate 20 Pro and iPhone XS this year also and the Pixel3 trumps all in my opinion.
I do have an outstanding issue open with Google however where the Pixel3's gyroscope sensor isn't calibrated correctly and so it's out by about 2-3 degrees. This means that when taking photos or using apps that use the gyroscope i have to hold the phone slightly off angle to make it think it's level. All that said i still consider it the best !
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We have the Snap Drangon one here in Canada, I believe Snap Dragon is sold in North America and Exynos is the rest of the world

Considering upgrade from Pixel 2XL to OP 7 Pro

I know the topic has been covered before however I'm trying to gauge the potential upgrade with the existing OP 7 Pro Android 10 firmware and latest camera updates.
Been rocking a Pixel 2XL for the last 2 years. Love it and despite the lack of wireless charging I've been very happy with it (coming from Note 5).
Being IP67 is a big plus as I don't have to worry about the inadvertent dip in the pool. Camera is definitely one of the main reason I had purchased it along with the pure Android OS and frequent updates.
I know OP is not far being in terms of patches, so I probably could live with it (been using all previous betas before the were ever released and it's been nice to get ahead of the curve).
I love the way the OP 7 Pro looks and 90hz screen seems like a must these days... after all looking at the screen is what we do the most with the phone.
Bezel less screen seems like a must these days which is why I was very disappointed with the P4XL (outside of the crappy battery and lack of fingerprint).
Lack of wireless charging does suck however probably can be lived with (provided the battery will last as long or longer than my P2XL which was another important factor).
IP rating would also be nice, at least to have the piece of mind that I wouldn't ruin my phone upon first H20 contact (which based on some of the online reviews might not happen... still scaring that knowing it is rated).
Always on display... not sure why it would be missing.... but I'll miss it.
Now since I play games on my phone daily, the upgrade would definitely be nice, especially with some of the modes offers on the custom OS.
Now for the elephant in the room... the camera.
I've been pretty much looking at every reviews out there on picture quality. From what I can see, things are all over the place (somewhat to be expected). It's not clear cut like the Pixel where the camera is just plain awesome for most.
It seems that the latest software improved the camera significantly. From what I can see looking at some of the photos taken, they appear to be just as good and some reviews, if not even better than the Pixel 3 or 4 (let alone the 2). Night shots are a mixed bag but pretty much on both sides.
Older reviews definitely show some very bad oversaturated pictures and plain awful night shots.
While I wouldn't expect the level of quality of the Pixel 4 XL on all shots, I'd like to know it's at least consistently better than my old Pixel 2 XL and for the most part very close to the Pixel 4 XL in terms of quality.
I just can't seem to make up my mind and really don't want to be disappointed making the purchase as I know I will likely keep this phone for a while. Price (especially now) is very attractive. Camera however still has me concerned.
Any input would be appreciated.

Why didn't you just ask in the already existing thread instead of creating a new one all over again?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-7-pro/help/coming-pixel-2xl-op-buy-t3995593

Indeed I should have... 2 year old jumping on my face, 9 yo screaming in the background clouded my thinking.
Please delete this post.

Thinking Of Coming From a OP 8 Pro

Has anyone come from the OnePlus 8 Pro? Or any larger sized devices (in terms of display size)?
I'm thinking of getting the Pixel because I miss stock Android, plus OP has moved from their "lightweight" version to a more heavy skinned OS with A11.
The biggest thing holding me back is the smaller display. I'm so used to big screens and I do a lot of typing on my phone, which leaves me curious about the typing experience on a smaller screen as well.
The only other concern is the top speaker as many YouTube reviews mention it's horrible, even for call quality. Call quality is another reason I want to come back to Pixel. My carrier doesn't support OnePlus devices, so VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling don't work properly. There are ways to try to get this to work but I'm not bothered and would rather just have a device that has those things working out of the box.
Any insights would be appreciated! Hoping there is a Boxing Day sale for the device here in Canada as the current price of $800 is quite heavy. Thanks in advance!

I came from a OnePlus 6T, the smaller screen hasn't bothered me one bit. I'm 6 foot with bigger than average hands and I'm more than happy typing on the screen.

I came from the OP7Pro so pretty similar to what you were working with.
I didn't notice it was a little smaller when I first got the P5 but not felt it's too small and very quickly got used to it. I find it to be a much more comfortable phone to hold compared to my OP7Pro and have no regrets moving in this direction!

I came from the OnePlus 6t, much the same as stringy, I'm 6'4 with larger hands and turn 50 this year yet I have no problem with the smaller phone, can see everything just fine and I'll say I actually prefer it. Typing is a little smaller all around but manageable and after a few days I've adjusted well. I can reach top to bottom on the screen with my thumb where my 6t it was a stretch. I actually ordered this and an s20 fe at the same time, the s20 was for my wife and I had to use it to set it all up for her and can say comparing the two, the pixel gets my vote. The s20, even with the 'better specs' was sluggish and after using the pixel for a day before hers arrived I had already adjusted to the pixel and an happy with my choice.

Thanks for the replies!
Seems like the majority of users actually enjoy the smaller form factor even coming from larger devices. It's really the biggest thing stopping me but it seems I should keep an open mind and give it a try.
How about call quality? Is that under-screen earpiece satisfactory?

Came from and went back to oneplus 6t. But mostly for the dual (physical) SIM that I really need and also because after 2 weeks on the pixel I couldn't notice a huge reason to stay with it. It's a great phone with a much better battery than the 6t but after the novelty wore off I could have gone both ways. Photos were important but MJL gcam is a beast so that was another factor. Pixel camera is still better though.
I also missed some of the oneplus software details like brightness slider coming down to thumbs reach as opposed to staying at the way top in the pixel and long pressing an app to uninstall. This was minimal though.
The screen and sound on the pixel I think we're great. Pixel is also noticeably lighter.
While I could still sell the pixel for a reasonable price I thought I would stay with the oneplus for another year.

rickysidhu_ said:
How about call quality? Is that under-screen earpiece satisfactory?
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Hmm, I thought I referenced call quality in my initial response, but indeed I did not. I can't say it's good, or bad really but rather just different. I have not had an issue with not being able to hear anyone, nor them me. Speaker phone, playing games, videos etc do not sound bad but at full volume I do not care for the sound. It's like I said, just different. Would I prefer a traditional speaker at the top? Yes. But I also appreciate the full display and no cutout for the speaker or a forehead so...ehhh..I guess sound to a degree is a bit of personal preference and with that said, it's not a deal breaker for me.

I came from the OP7 Pro and it was the best move compared to others in the past for me.
I like the weight, the size, the OS and most important: you'll get OS-updates on time every singe month.
So, do it! ✌

ulxerker said:
I came from the OP7 Pro and it was the best move compared to others in the past for me.
I like the weight, the size, the OS and most important: you'll get OS-updates on time every singe month.
So, do it! ✌
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Yup. That's one of the things that bothered me with OnePlus. I had the OnePlus 1, 3t, 6 and 6t. The more phones they come out with, the less the older phones get updated. The 6t I came from was great for 6 months in regards to updates then it started to fall down the list with the 7, 7 pro, 7t, 7t pro, 8, 8 pro, nord and the 8t all piled on in less than 2 years, the 6t has all but been forgotten. Sure, a security patch here and there but really, that's it. I was running lineage when I finally said I'm done. No fault of lineage tho, ran great but the phone started to have gps issues and call drops. I had the original Nexus, Nexus 6P and decided on the pixel 5. At least I know what to expect going forward with updates.

I'm going to head into a Best Buy today to check the device out in person, will give me a better idea of the screen size.
Really appreciate everyone's input!

rickysidhu_ said:
I'm going to head into a Best Buy today to check the device out in person, will give me a better idea of the screen size.
Really appreciate everyone's input!
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That's really the best thing you could do. I did not check it out in person because I don't often do things like that, you know... logical lol. I'm more spur of the moment but I feel I got it right this time, thankfully. I will say hardware wise the phone should have cost $599. Not saying it's not worth $699 but there's several phones at this price that on paper out spec the pixel. The OnePlus 8t, galaxy s20 fe are two examples where you get more hardware for the cost but the pixel offers a great experience to the end user with less hardware. Would you rather pay for the hardware or the software? I guess it just shows how much better Google's stock version of Android actually is when you have software that's been designed for the hardware vs muscling the software by the hardware. Your call. Be interested in hearing what you decide.

rickysidhu_ said:
Has anyone come from the OnePlus 8 Pro? Or any larger sized devices (in terms of display size)?
I'm thinking of getting the Pixel because I miss stock Android, plus OP has moved from their "lightweight" version to a more heavy skinned OS with A11.
The biggest thing holding me back is the smaller display. I'm so used to big screens and I do a lot of typing on my phone, which leaves me curious about the typing experience on a smaller screen as well.
The only other concern is the top speaker as many YouTube reviews mention it's horrible, even for call quality. Call quality is another reason I want to come back to Pixel. My carrier doesn't support OnePlus devices, so VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling don't work properly. There are ways to try to get this to work but I'm not bothered and would rather just have a device that has those things working out of the box.
Any insights would be appreciated! Hoping there is a Boxing Day sale for the device here in Canada as the current price of $800 is quite heavy. Thanks in advance!
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Hi!
I actually moved from an OP 8T to an OP 8 Pro and now i'm owning an Pixel 5
The main reason for that is the size and weight of the phone, its very nice to have such a "small" phone in my hands...
Before switching i was thinking about a few points. 90/120 Hz Display is a musthave now - so everything is fine. Fingerprint on the back is a bit "oldschool", but works great and i cann afford with it!
The only thing i was missing first time was the customizable OS like Oxygen, but now i didnt miss any option...
So i'm happy about my change, but always rember - its not such a big flagship like OP 8 Pro. Thats fact, even if you will not recognice much difference!

Thanks for the added input. I really appreciate and value everyone's opinions, as it is helping me decide significantly!
So I went into Best Buy yesterday and got some hands on time with the Pixel 5. That screen size is definitely noticeably smaller than my 8 Pro. Had them both side by side and the difference is quite grand. However, I tested typing on the Pixel and it's not so small where my thumbs are hitting one another or something, haha, so I think the screen size is not as big of an issue as I originally thought it would be.
Also tested that earpiece speaker and although it's not very loud, it didn't seem deal-breaker level bad. And that's me saying this while testing in a very loud store.
Didn't have the chance to test call quality but just hearing the speaker by playing a YouTube video, I don't think I'll have any issue.
Performance seemed off, though. They had two Pixel 5s side by side. One took a solid few seconds to open the calculator app whereas the other took just a second or so. Maybe the Pixels being demo models had something to do with performance inconsistency, but it was something noteworthy.
On the contrary, Google Maps opened faster than my 8 Pro which was very surprising, given Maps is a much heavier application vs the calculator app. And it was surprising also because my animation speed is set to .04x on my 8 Pro whereas the Pixel in-store probably had the default 1.0x.
My cousin has the Pixel 4 and I think it also shares the same processor as the P5, and seeing his apps open looked a bit slow, but maybe the software optimization is a bit different on the 5, or maybe other factors were in play, such as number of apps installed, background apps, background services running, and so on.
All these things aside, the most significant thing is Canadian pricing. It's $799 here, a bit steep. The Best Buy rep suggested I wait until Dec 26 (Boxing Day) or simply call my carrier to see if they have any deals or promos they can give me. I think this pricing is going to end up becoming the ultimate deciding factor for me, as opposed to performance and speaker/call quality.
I will keep this thread updated with what ends up happening, and any additional input from anyone is always welcome! Thanks again everyone for taking the time out to share your experiences, it really is a big help!

I came from the Pixel 4 XL, only because I just always like the latest so the phone size/screen size definitely felt smaller especially cuz I'm tall with kinda big hands, the stereo speakers were a little low and not as good but not the worst but I actually made them better installing Viper mod lol other than that battery is great better than previous Pixels and after 2 months I'm actually use to the screen size now and punch hole so not really any complaints but I do still wish they made an XL version and I would have gotten that instead. So I'll say go for it you won't be disappointed and at least you get the latest updates from Google first.

Pulled the trigger and ordered one! Just black, should arrive 25-28. Although I doubt it will come on the 25th lol.
Pretty excited now! Will keep you guys updated on my initial thoughts once I receive it and have some time to play around.
Thank you all for helping me make a decision! It was tough figuring out how I can go from a "flagship" to a "mid-ranger". But your input helped me a lot!

The screen on the P5 is rather washed out in comparison to the 8 pro, while running both at full brightness. The processor speed is noticeably in favor of the 8 pro. Scrolling on the 8 pro is far better experience , even at 60hz, versus the P5 at 90hz, since it skips and snags with fast scrolling at 90hz. The P5 has the FAR better size, hand feel and the flatter screen is a godsend. The P5 battery life is excellent. I also find the P5 signal has better signal in my area over the 8 pro. The P5 should have been released at $500. I think it cuts too many corners for $700. Get a used OnePlus 8 (non pro) for $400 used and that may be a better option.

rickysidhu_ said:
Pulled the trigger and ordered one! Just black, should arrive 25-28. Although I doubt it will come on the 25th lol.
Pretty excited now! Will keep you guys updated on my initial thoughts once I receive it and have some time to play around.
Thank you all for helping me make a decision! It was tough figuring out how I can go from a "flagship" to a "mid-ranger". But your input helped me a lot!
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You're welcome ... you won't regret it if you give yourself some time to get used to it and give the phone some time to settle in.

I just switched from the 8T yesterday, I was on vacation last week and was thoroughly fed up with the terrible camera so I sprung for the 5. It's definitely a lot smaller, I don't think I'll be able to get used to it as others here did, but it's also a pretty great device. I also haven't noticed a difference in the 865 vs 765 in my workload, though others will vary. I'll probably be keeping the P5 until an XL version comes out.

JedixJarf said:
I just switched from the 8T yesterday, I was on vacation last week and was thoroughly fed up with the terrible camera so I sprung for the 5. It's definitely a lot smaller, I don't think I'll be able to get used to it as others here did, but it's also a pretty great device. I also haven't noticed a difference in the 865 vs 765 in my workload, though others will vary. I'll probably be keeping the P5 until an XL version comes out.
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I thought the same in regards to it's size but honestly, it grew on me

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