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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!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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!!
Click to expand...
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.

Why so much hate for the 3 XL ?

Wow the Pixel 3 XL is getting bagged and dogged on left and right as if it's the worst smartphone ever made. Yes it could have been designed better for sure. Try to go the more minimal notch like Essential or something, and no bottom chin, do the stereo speakers like the HTC 10, or and the iPhone XS, and Note 9's, do, etc... to allow a more full screen design. Yes give us 6GB RAM.
Mainly in tech forums I keep reading so much hate for the Pixel 3 XL;
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/pixel-3-pixel-3-xl.2106788/page-68#post-26666374
And YouTube channels dogging on the phone big time
But I still wouldn't go iPhone, just not an iOS fan whatsoever. And Samsung Touchwiz not my thing either. So if I hate the iPhone, don't like Galaxy phones and the Pixel 3 is sub par, what's the other options? I wish we had a third option, a Windows Surface phone or something.
Oh well, I still have my White Pixel 3 XL on order, and not changing. Yes the notch is ugly, and more RAM would have been nice, but I still value stock Android, updated directly and quickly from Google, and the smooth fluid vanilla UI, and the amazing camera, and A+ rated display, and IP68 rating, and wireless charging. Maybe I'm a sucker, but that's my choice.

Honestly, I didn't even notice the notch when I was checking out the display phone at Verizon. I love the feel of the phone, very well balanced and light compared to my old Nexus 6. Can't wait to get my phone call on Thursday (I hope) to come and pick up my phone.

I think manly they are charging Flagship prices but not delivering on flagship hardware /specs compared to whats already on the market and instead are betting on software to carry them. Now i love pure android how its meant to be not a fan of all tweaks each manufacture adds to the phone, If Samsung offered a note 9 /S9 pure (ie stock android no mods) i think the pixel would be left in its dust. The Pixel's have always seemed to be a generation behind. I love my pixel 2 xl i know i just wanted something more to go with the great feel of stock android and what not. maybe next year, i have my 3 XL ordered and will use it for a week or two to see if its worth the upgrade over my 2 XL

How would I have like to see Google design the Pixel 3 XL? Well on a realistic manner not some unrealistic futuristic design but a realistic version could have been a cross between like the LG V30 shape and size with the minimal bezels but give it the Essential notch and stretch the screen out on the top and bottom. And then do the stereo speakers like on the Note 9 or iPhone so they don't have to be front-facing, and allow for full display with almost no bezels at like 6.2" or so. And give it 6GB RAM. And a bigger 4,000MaH battery.

At the end of the day, for October 2018, I still think FOR ME, the Pixel 3 XL is the best phone out.
- Stock vanilla Android is my bread and butter OS. I go back to owning the Nexus-One when it was new, then waiting in line for the Nexus-S at launch. I just have a thing for stock Android, all other versions of Android just irritate me, or frustrate me.
- Updates first and quickly
- A+ rated display
- Best camera
- Wireless charging now
- IP68 rating is nice
- Phone can easily be rooted, mainly for the best ad blocking and Substratum themes
No other phone right now interests me. The Note 9 or S9+ ? Not at all, no way, Lagwiz still exists no matter what people say. The LG V40, yeah that's cool, but not a fan of the LG skin, and they suck at updates. iPhone XS Max looks super cool, a very beautifully built device, really liked it a lot, but man I hate iOS, and on the XS Max the OS looks out of place, dated like something from a decade ago. OnePlus 6T, yeah will be a great phone, but they always skimp somehow.
Is the Pixel 3 XL the best phone of 2018 ? NO, not at all. But for me a stock Android nerd, it's really the only option.

Yeah if the Iphone XS Max ran android it would be a dream phone lol IMO ... That said i do think the Note 9 Running stock android with all the software options of the pixel 3 would be a great option as well .

PSA:
Don't read Mac/Apple websites for reviews on Android devices. They are quite happy being locked into their apple ecosystem and will never appreciate the open source model of a pixel device.

No hate here, just wish the display was LARGER......Note9/V40 temp me with their larger displays......but I can't get away from pure google... C'mon google, 6.5 next year!!!

Why the hate? Did you notice that big black malignancy at the top of the screen? What about specs that are less than impressive? My guess is the answer is right there between those two things. Flagship means flagship, you want to charge this kinda money you need some wow factor and the ability to say you're second to none and have that hold water.
These devices don't give me that vibe. Too me they're like the second toughest guy on the block saying "Look, I can juggle!" As to the former enough has been said about it. I personally found my Best Buy experience to fall between what some said. At points when I was busy manipulating the GUI I forgot about it completely. Any time I stepped back from specific tasks the thing jumped out at me, it was like getting mugged with an ugly stick every timei looked at the phone as an object.
Yeah, I'm stupid so I'm still thinking about buying even though I'm not convinced I won't be sorry.

razor237 said:
I think manly they are charging Flagship prices but not delivering on flagship hardware /specs compared to whats already on the market and instead are betting on software to carry them. Now i love pure android how its meant to be not a fan of all tweaks each manufacture adds to the phone, If Samsung offered a note 9 /S9 pure (ie stock android no mods) i think the pixel would be left in its dust. The Pixel's have always seemed to be a generation behind. I love my pixel 2 xl i know i just wanted something more to go with the great feel of stock android and what not. maybe next year, i have my 3 XL ordered and will use it for a week or two to see if its worth the upgrade over my 2 XL
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I don't agree with this at all. The pixel 3 xl has a Samsung screen which looks amazing (and I bet is par or at least close to what you see on a Samsung phone), it has the latest Quallcom processor, the best cameras and software, same day updates, wireless charging, front facing speakers, I mean, what else does it need to be 'flagship specs' to you? What, because it only has 4 GB of RAM? That's literally the ONLY thing I can come up with, and that's only because many OEM's have stuffed more RAM in their phones this year. And honestly, it's not really necessary, at least not for 90% of people who use smartphones. Sheet, iPhones only have 4 GB or RAM. They only had ONE GB or RAM for a looonnnggg time. No one complained about that.
To me, this is a premium flagship, no question. The hate is mostly the RAM and notch. It's superficial. Last year it was the blue shift. Which, I think that plus the terrible quality control was actually warranted. This year, it's not much to hate on. Either you like it, or don't get it. And you can hide the notch. Either way, I'm excited about it coming today. I LOVE 2 xl, but I'm definitely ready for this upgrade, even though I was very on the fence before I checked one out in the store. My point here is, people are going to hate on something every time. Every time. If you don't like something, don't get it. It's really that simple.
My $0.02

gettinwicked said:
I don't agree with this at all. The pixel 3 xl has a Samsung screen which looks amazing (and I bet is par or at least close to what you see on a Samsung phone), it has the latest Quallcom processor, the best cameras and software, same day updates, wireless charging, front facing speakers, I mean, what else does it need to be 'flagship specs' to you? What, because it only has 4 GB of RAM? That's literally the ONLY thing I can come up with, and that's only because many OEM's have stuffed more RAM in their phones this year. And honestly, it's not really necessary, at least not for 90% of people who use smartphones. Sheet, iPhones only have 4 GB or RAM. They only had ONE GB or RAM for a looonnnggg time. No one complained about that.
To me, this is a premium flagship, no question. The hate is mostly the RAM and notch. It's superficial. Last year it was the blue shift. Which, I think that plus the terrible quality control was actually warranted. This year, it's not much to hate on. Either you like it, or don't get it. And you can hide the notch. Either way, I'm excited about it coming today. I LOVE 2 xl, but I'm definitely ready for this upgrade, even though I was very on the fence before I checked one out in the store. My point here is, people are going to hate on something every time. Every time. If you don't like something, don't get it. It's really that simple.
My $0.02
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I was simply stating why i think so many people hate the new pixel 3 xl from reading it sure does seem like a lot don't like it.
I agree the screen looks great but it should since they woke up and used a Samsung panel this time yay , my issue with it is its basically the same size as the 2 xl when you look at the usable part of the display and that is kinda disappointing to me i wanted a screen the size of the note 9 / XS max on the pixel 3 xl instead they went with a huge notch that takes away from the phone in stead of adding to it i honestly think they would have been better with out it at all, in person the notch isn't bad at all its big but once you play with it for a bit i didn't notice it as much and i don't mind the bottom chin as people call it since i love front firing speakers always hated cupping the end of the phone to direct the sound lol . They added an extra front camera and notch but no type of face id another missing feature that would have been a great addition to the pixel but we got wireless charging back so i guess its a trade off.
I said nothing about the ram because i think that's a mute point for most for the exact reason you said, apple has had little ram for a long time there is a difference between the two since apple designs the cpu they can help optimize it for the amount of ram they are using but mostly they iOS optimized for how it can handle the ram. google does the same with the pixel, most of the other phones need the extra ram because all the bs they add uses so much of it. for me as of now my daily usage on my 2 XL is 2.4-3.2 or so, 4gb is enough for me in 6 months that may not be the case but i doubt it
everyone has different ideas of what makes a phone flag ship quality or not, so this is just my opinion and you can agree or not for me i feel they could have done better and they came up a bit short compared to other phones only time will tell though and i still cant wait to get mine and use it to see if its worth the upgrade from the 2xl or not for me.

Nah, I don't buy it. Flagship is flagship. Almost flagship if it weren't for one big weakness is not flagship, it's second rate. I'm one of those people that can take advantage of more than 4 gigs of ram, I'm currently using 3.2 at home which is about average for me but usually hit in the upper 4s, lower 5s at work. Go ahead and name the one phone which is claiming flagship status and charging flagship prices but does not have me covered? See where I'm going?
Flagships is flagship, not second best with software optimization that every rooted oneplus will have installed not too far down the road on a phone that costs little more than half the price. Yeah, I'm talking about the camera. Still perhaps best in class overall but more than one reviewer has noted that telephoto shots lag behind other flagships including the fruit devices. They need to up their game here, flagships don't polish turds, they deliver the best hardware and polish that.
One that doesn't bother me in the slightest that I noted is the phones perceived build quality is a step behind Samsung and Apple. I cant point to one particular thing, either of those two just felt a little more expensive. As I said, I don't care because the phone will go into a case and I wont see it again until I give it to one of my kids or grand-kids in the spring.
So yeah, to me it feels like it's not quite up to flagship par except in price. It's all those things combined that give me that impression. And yeah, I'm still thinking about buying it, last night I got as far as putting it in my cart. Pixel has always been more the whole than the sum of its part, they are satisfying to own even if some things about them are underwhelming. The doubletake on the notch has me spooked though, when I was moving around the GUI it faded out of existence but when I just looked at the phone I kept doing this "whoa, what the hell were they thinking" thing. Cant figure out if that's ever going to go away or if it's going to be like a sore tooth. Still, buy in or not I'll never really consider it flagship hardware and every redraw I get will remind me of it should I start to forget.

The flagship price, the poor software utilization of the notch, the smaller battery and 4 GB RAM were the deal breakers.
The Note 9 is every bit as fast as the Pixel 3 XL, has a much better screen, better battery and SPen for the same price. The Pixel 3 XL may very well be a great phone but when priced with the Note 9, it needed SOMETHING to justify the price. Also, one can easily get a great condition LG V35 ThinQ or S9+ with better specs for hundreds less. Once the price drops, then it might be a better competitor.

For me a premium device needs to last me 2 years and be a useful companion for the duration.
The phone needs to be well built to last, have a good screen and the hardware features need to be ergonomic.
In addition to this the phone must have quick, well thought out software that ties in nicely to my favourite services.
For me, my best option is the Pixel 3 XL. I was considering the new Mate 20 pro as it is very similar in price here in the UK but there is now way I'll be putting up with their software and clutterware for two years. I'm also put off by their storage media and awful to uae, curved screen.
The pixel is getting stick for having underwhelming specs but this is a very short-sighted view unless your sole purpose for the device is to run benchmarks. People needs to evaluate what they use their phones for and what they need to achieve that.
I'm running the original Pixel XL 32Gb and it is still fantastic for all of my everyday uses. My wife is in fact selling her Samsung s9 and will be having my Pixel now that I've upgraded to the 3 XL.
Just as a side note, iPhones are brilliant for many as they offer a great experience across their devices and therefore are useful for their duration. This is more important than having a 40MP camera and 8Gb of RAM for the vast majority.

A lot of that was subjective: I find the Apple experience awful, spread it out across more devices and I call that cancer. I have to say however that your concept in general is on the mark in that the experience is what matters rather than the numbers. It's a fair summation.

for the peeps that hate on the notch and the ram .. just go buy the OnePlus 6T and be done with it

It's all just opinion as we have stayed here. The easy to pick on parts of any product is the visual appearance and listed specs. The new pixel XL appears to be poor in this area for a lot of people. Usabilit of the entire package is impossible to judge from online reviews.
If it is anything like the original Pixel, the phone will be great. If it's like my old Samsung phones or my iPhone 7, no thank you.

The phone is what it is. If you don't like it for the way it looks or a feature that it has or doesn't have, don't buy it. If all you have to say is you hate the notch, spare us. There are a lot of phones I don't like. I don't buy them and I don't seek out their communities and complain about them. This forum is here for the people that have the phone, not for those that hate it.

dmb219 said:
The phone is what it is. If you don't like it for the way it looks or a feature that it has or doesn't have, don't buy it. If all you have to say is you hate the notch, spare us. There are a lot of phones I don't like. I don't buy them and I don't seek out their communities and complain about them. This forum is here for the people that have the phone, not for those that hate it.
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This! Sooo much this! Last year with the pixel 2 xl, there were so many trolls who had zero intention of ever buying the phone who came onto the forum just to talk sheet. One thread went hundreds of pages. It was ridiculous and stupid. If people like that really have that much time on their hands that they have to go troll things that have nothing to do with them, get a hobby or a life. Seriously. I'm surprised there isn't more yet on here. But, people have only begun to start getting their phones, so, I'm not holding my breath that it won't start.

It still looks like a toy next to any Samsung phones.
My note 9 looks like a monster next to my xl3.
I hate the notch. I'm not those people that will get over it.
I never will.
Anyway, display on xl3 looks great to me.
Camera is amazing.
Anything else

[Review] Oppo Ace2 and Red Magic 5G Initial Impressions

Thought I'd share my initial impressions on the Oppo Ace2 since it has not gotten much coverage. I also owned the Red Magic 5G for a week before selling it.
I'm coming from a Oneplus 6 and have owned a lot of other Android devices, off the top of my head these include the Nexus 4, OnePlus One, Asus Nexus 7, Samsung Tab Pro 8.4, Galaxy S7 Edge, Huawei Nexus 6P, LG v20, Lenovo ZUK Z2, Mediapad T5, Red Magic 5g etc.
Let's start with the Red Magic 5G. I ordered this a few months ago off tradingshenzhen, it got to me fast enough and the price was fair, but their customer support was not very good (I will not be ordering from them again cause of this https://i.imgur.com/2qd4zPM.jpg). They'll get your phone to you and offer one year warranty but don't expect them to be nice or helpful in the event you dont like your phone or have any issues.
Either way, here my notes on the phone:
Software
I got the Chinese version of the phone. I found the software experience to actually be very good despite this, ignoring the fact that there were some chinese apps that I didnt understand. I'm sure if I removed these few apps I would have had a very good software experience. The software felt very smooth and stable. There were some pretty cool features, but not a ton. Experience felt close to stock android, but lightly skinned with the right theme after some setting up. It didnt come with play store, I just had to install the playstore from apk, chrome and google keyboard then I had an experience not all that different from my OnePlus 6. My red magic 5g got a lot of updates in the time I had it, with big change logs, I'm not sure if global rom users will get that same experience since these types of phones seem to get better support in China.
Display and Body
This is where my mind was blown. That 144hz screen is beautiful and smooth. This was definitely what I loved about the phone most. However, I had my gripes with this screen. For one the, bezels were huge, and the corners were too rounded (meaning less screen). They were so rounded that it was distracting to me, almost as much as having a notch.. This might be a gross exaggeration but I hope it gets my point across. As for the large bezels, it feels like they used the "gaming phone" identity as an excuse to cut corners here with bezel size. It bothered me that there's so much potential screen space being wasted with those large unused bezels. Now the body has very nice comfortable shape, so I don't have anything against that, but it is kind of big, and it is pretty heavy. It felt very premium and nice in hand, but at the same time, it was not comfortable to one hand for long periods of time, it's size and heft also made it a little unwieldy for one handing. This is the main reason I ended up selling this phone. I would often find myself going back to my oneplus 6 instead of using my new phone cause it was just way more comfortable to use with one hand.
Battery and Misc
Microphone was good according to those that I called, speakers sounded fine to me, werent bad at all. They were stereo speakers, one bottom firing and one in the ear piece, which was nice. Battery was meh. For a 4500mah battery phone, it died very fast. Battery felt about the same as my much older oneplus 6 in it's current state.. Around 6-7 hours of screen on time with regular use (not gaming). With gaming I got around a little more than half that. It charged at a decent speed, not slow but not astonishingly fast. My Red magic 5g benchmarked around 595k on Antutu, so it was very fast. The fan was barely audible in it's intelligent mode or whatever it's called. Personally I think the fan is pointless, and that good thermal design makes a much bigger difference. I loved having the shoulder triggers for gaming. playing games like codm, pubg, etc were great experiences. I sunk hours into these games even though I dont tend to really do any smartphone gaming. I don't really like that manufacturers are trying so hard to make phones into "gaming phones" cause they are still just phones at the end of the day. If anything I would like to have a good value flagship (or flagship killer) with shoulder triggers, it doesn't need to be a "gaming phone". For instance, I think the oneplus 8 (or pro) but with a flat screen + shoulder triggers would be the perfect and ideal phone for me.
I also ordered the Realme X2 Pro but the seller (realme's aliexpress store) cancelled this order due to shipping issues. Then I ordered the Poco F2 Pro but GearBest hadn't shipped it out even after 3 weeks so I cancelled the order. Finally I ordered the Ace2 off Giztop and this was a much better experience. Order placed Friday, shipped out Monday, then received next week Monday (today). The Ace2 was discounted to $589.99 and I got a further 4% discount with the GTRE4 code. Shipping was $30 (DHL) and duties/brokerage was $37, so I paid a grand total of around (roughly) $632. Not bad. The shipping, handling, duties and fees all together were still less than Canadian tax (13%). Canadian retailers sell phones like the Poco F2 pro for around $580 (USD), after taxes that's $655, not even including shipping costs. Much better to wait a little for longer shipping and buy from outside of Canada it seems. So let's talk about this phone.
First and foremost, I'd like to note I do get buyer's remorse (like I did with my red magic 5g), but I've never had any issues post-purchase rationalization. If I don't like something, I don't try to justify it, especially where phones are concerned and having owned so many different devices, both good and bad. For example, the LG V20 was my most expensive purchase and easily the phone I hated most out of all the devices I've owned. I had already paid for it, so I stuck with it even though I hated it for at least a year, before finally getting my current oneplus 6. The LG V20 was so bad that I thought my much older nexus 6p was wayyy better, I wanted to go back to it so bad but I had already handed it down to my mom. While I liked the red magic 5g, I didn't like it enough to keep it and ended up selling it at a loss. My point here is, that these are just my opinions, but I do try to be as unbiased as I can be. I bought the Ace2 knowing that I would sell or return it if I didnt like it, like I did with my Red Magic 5g, so I didnt have my hopes high or any plans to keep it if I wasnt happy with it.
Setup
The unboxing experience was very basic, like any other Chinese smartphone so I will skip this part, but it does come with a pre-applied screen protector and a surprisingly nice clear case. I thought it would be a cheap clear case that looked nasty on the phone.
First thing I did was update the phone's firmware, then do a full factory reset. I set it up fresh, uninstalled what chinese bloat I could (there was a lot), installed playstore with the first apk I found, then using that I installed chrome + google keyboard. After turning on the app drawer, and dark mode I felt I had a very usable experience similar to what I had on my oneplus 6. I hate migrating phones, but the experience here wasnt too bad, I downloaded and used oppo's phone clone app from my oneplus 6, it connected the two phones with direct wifi and copied 30 gigs of data over in around 15min. I did not get much control in what gets copied over but it was still a very simple and hassle free process that I could appreciate.
Software
I'm going to start with this phone's biggest weakness. So the software is.. a mixed bag. Say what you will about the design, but ColorOS and oppo launcher are really well optimized. ColorOS has really come a long way from what it used to be. I tested a bunch of different launchers on this phone but I ended up going back to the oppo launcher cause it was just wayyy smoother and responsive. I wish that's all I had to say about the software but there's a lot more to say.. like how bloated this phone comes. Just random chinese apps everywhere. Most of them can be uninstalled off the bat, but the rest need a little more work to get rid of, including ADB and a little research. I actually think I would have liked coloros a bit more than oxygenos had this been a global version and came with less bloat. It's just a big hassle that I'm sure nobody wants to deal with after getting a new phone. The software experience here is great- if you're chinese. If you're not, you have a whole lot of work to do to get it somewhere good. On the other hand, I thought coming from oxygenos I thought this would be a complete downgrade, but much to my surprise there are a lot of things it actually does better. There are way more features, yes I mean useful ones, it feels smoother and more responsive for some reason (the animations are way quicker and smoother). I think ColorOS isn't actually that bloated once you get rid of the apps you don't need (using ADB where you need to). OxygenOS is great and used to be way ahead of it's time, but I feel the other choices available have caught up while OxygenOS hasn't really gone anywhere. My OnePlus 6 barely gets updates and is slow to get them when it ever even gets any. I've noticed that's a common occurrence with OnePlus devices, you get a lot of quick updates when your device is still a new release, but then it gets put on the backburner as new devices come out.
Display
This display is amazing, it's breathtaking. Side by side with my oneplus 6 it looks and feels like an upgrade in every way. The colors are better, and the smoothness is so satisfying, every bit as much as the 144hz display I had on my red magic 5g, which further leads me to believe anything above 90hz isn't really worth the price premium and battery cost. The punch hole was a little distracting at first since I wasnt used to it, but I quickly got used to it and dont even notice anymore. It's a very small punchole and is a nice upgrade from the big notch my oneplus 6 had. I would rather have this punch hole then the huge top bezel (and lost screen space) the red magic 5g had any day. I didn't realize this until I had the red magic 5g in my hand and wish I realized this sooner. The whole point of notches and punch hole I think is to give us more screen where we used to have bezel, and this is something I appreciate a lot more now. One of the biggest things for me here is that the screen is flat. I'm soo glad that I didn't have to compromise with curved edges. After owned an s7 edge, I never want to deal with that again. I know they aren't as bad as they used to be, but I still think it's silly to have to compromise with how the light reflects off of curved edges, the accidental touches or touch rejection, finding screen protectors that work, etc. If flat screens are cheaper I dont see why more manufacturers dont choose to go this route on their budget flagships at least (looking at you mi 10 non pro and oneplus 8 non pro).
Body
This phone is very solid and quality feeling. It doesn't have any super outstanding premium feeling that a higher end flagship might give you, but it does not feel cheap at all. The body is your typical metal frame, gorilla glass 5 sandwhich build. I have to say though, I love this two tone color on the back. It's like a black/navy type color that looks really elegant and sexy in my opinion. I hate oreo shaped camera modules but this is the one phone that I think it actually looks good on because of it's simple minimalist design. My favorite part of this phone is the weight and size. It's almost the same as my oneplus 6, in both weight and size, but has a larger screen. To me, that's amazing, because looking at all the new SD865 phones released this year it felt like I was going to have to give up the light weight and compact size of the oneplus 6 to upgrade to a "better" phone. It's one of the smallest and lightest Snapdragon 865 phones available and it IS the smallest and lightest one available with a flat screen, which exactly what I wanted. It just feels soooo comfortable in hand compared to anything else I've recently used. They really nailed the comfort aspect with this phone. I had no idea this was going to matter so much to me until I used the red magic 5g for a week (which isnt even that big or heavy for a gaming phone, there are worse offenders out there like the black shark 3). I can see why some people really want smaller phones now. For me, I like having a big screen, so it's not smaller phones that I want, but phones that have better screen to body and weight ratios.
Sound
Now here's where I found a nice surprise. Good stereo speakers. Never thought I would ever care about having this. I'm a headphone guy, and phone speakers always suck anyways so why would I care (so I thought). These are by far the best phone speakers I've ever heard, and they somehow blew me away even though I've never cared about how good the speakers on a phone were. They get very loud, and they sound very full. Even at the loudest volume setting where I expected the fidelity to deteriorate, it still had nice clear, smooth, full sounding stereo audio. I saw someone on reddit asking for a phone recommendation with good stereo speakers, apparently it was a must for him, and I didn't get why until now. I no longer feel the need to grab my headphones when I want to watch a youtube video, the stereo experience on this is just much better. There is still a con to be talked about however, no headphone jack. Having a headphone jack would have been nice, and even cooler if the phone came with a nice DAC (pretty much the only thing LG does right in their phones). Not a huge deal for me, I would be using bluetooth or a USB DAC anyways if it didnt come with a good internal DAC but it does make things less convenient in a pinch.
Battery and Performance
Well, it has a snapdragon 865, haven't had a single hiccup yet. Phone is blazing fast as expected. Coloros is well optimized too. Battery is good too, I will report screen on times soon. Much better than my red magic 5g so far from what I can tell. The main star of this show though is that 40w wireless charging and 65w wired charging. Charging cable that it came with is kind of short but the phone charges so fast I don't think it matters. 4000mah might seem small compared to alternatives, but coloros is surprisingly very efficient with it, even with 90hz on and all the chinese bloat it came with. Im surprised they managed to fit a battery this size and a 40w wireless charging coil in such a compact and light phone (relative to similar spec phones).
Closing thoughts
I think this is what the OnePlus 8 should have been, and I hope for others that this is what the Realme X3 pro is going to be if not better. There are a lot of things more expensive oneplus 8 is missing out on here, like the 65w charging, wireless charging, flat screen, etc. The only thing I think it has going for it is that it seems like a nicer build/quality phone with better software. I think the Poco F2 pro on the other hand is a solid contender because it actually comes with global software, has a huge battery + great screen on time, has a decent camera and will have a big developer community. I ultimately ended up passing up on this phone because it doesnt have 90hz, wireless charging, 65w charging, doesnt support very many frequencies, has a slower face unlock and cause its a pretty heavy phone (so not as comfortable), but this phone will make sense as a better choice for many others that have different priorities. Pick what suits you and your needs best. All in all, this is a very underrated phone that doesn't get talked enough about outside of Asia. I think if you're interested in the Ace2, feel it fits what you want well at a price that you think is good that you shouldn't be afraid to buy it. It's a great phone and it's worth it. Just note that you may need to do some extra work to make the software experience good for you because of the chinese bloat (as you would need to with any chinese rom phone anyways). Not to say that the software is bad, it's very good software that's just marred by all the extra chinese stuff it comes with that most of us probably dont want or need.
If there's anything more you guys would like to know about any of the phones that I own or have owned please let me know. I'll try to answer them the best I can. Would love to see some form of an Ace2 community grow but I won't be surprised if it's just me even months later.

Inspiring
I think that based on your detailed review (That I read before on reddit) I’m convinced to purchase this phone, the only android experience I’ve had was an old samsung s7 edge so I’m convinced that the ace 2 will be smooth, so one question: can you guide me on how to debloat the phone once I get it?

view 20 in late 2020?

I have had this device since launch in January 2019. I just wanted to see how everyone is finding it long term really.
Personally I have no complaints. It is so good. In pretty much every aspect. Almost the perfect device I would say. Battery life is still a champ almost 2 years later. Performance is top notch. No slowdowns at all. Ram management and multitasking is very good (as long as you turn off the auto app launch management that is). Screen is awesome. Best LCD I have used as far as I can recall.
Android 10 updated. Design is fantastic. It was the OG pinch hole all screen display I remember, which was the reason I picked it up initially at launch.
I am so surprised how well it has held up. I have tried multiple devices since. Huawei mate 20x and pixel 4A, my old iPhone 7 and galaxy s8. All have only reinforced how good the V20 is. I always go back to it.
I just got the pixel 4A this week and using that back and forth with the v20 now. If I had to get rid of one it would be the pixel. But fortunately I don't have to, so will keep both.
Just wanted to give my thoughts on very long term use really. I have used the v20 every single day bar a week or two over the last 22 months. It is so good.
Such a shame this Huawei / Honor trade ban and how it is affecting Google services on their newer devices. Huawei make some incredible devices. Thankfully the v20 is not affected.

Hey man,
I've got the view20 in march/April of 2019 and it has been amazing. I really enjoy the camera and night mode, which has prevented my from buying any new phone. Also the new features that came with magic UI 3 (swipe bottom left to right for app switching) has made it more current. Agreed the punch hole means the phone still looks on top of trend. Unfortunately I don't enjoy the size and weight of the phone as I prefer smaller phones and the 12 mini is tempting but I genuinely picked the view 20 for the long lasting LCD screen.
All around great phone!

Yep it is fantastic device. Cannot overstate in anyway how good it is.
I agree about the size, though it does not bother me as much. It is a big as I would probably go for big phones I've realised.
I'm also leaning more towards smaller devices nowadays. Funny you mention the 12 mini. I've also been looking at it but not too sure on the battery life. Seems a small cell which is the norm for apple. Besides I am enjoying the Pixel 4A quite a bit at the moment. It is a lot of fun using both a small and big phone. You really see the differences and appreciate both for different reasons. Especially when both perform extremely well in almost all areas.

It's the end of an era.... Well maybe not quite as dramatic! I've made the very hard decision to let my V20 go. Decided to go full on with the smaller form factor going forward. iPhone 12 mini and pixel 4a! I can only hope they stand the test of time somewhere close to the v20. They both have a tough act to follow for sure. This had been easily the best all around smartphone I've ever used. Cannot fault it at all. It's just my compulsive need to change smartphones which has lead me to move on. If anyone is considering a v20 going forward, take it from someone who has used the life out of this thing for almost two years, it is a champ! In every department. Stands the test of time unlike any other phone I've used before. Battery and performance still incredible now.

Bought April 2019, in the Middle East. And used in the UK and globally (in the old days when we had flying machines)
To date, I cannot fault the hardware. The 8 GB Ram and 256 storage are more than enough for my needs. Battery lasts for up to 2+day, or 36 hours when I've done an all night shift. Continues to perform well well and fantastic feature set like app twinning and privatr6area. No performance issues and updates are timely
I have reviewed several alternatives primarily keeping an eye on the Samsung Note line. I cannot see any reason to justify the cost of the moving to £1000+ phone ant see any difference.
The critical factor will be suport for Google Apps. If/ when that is lost, then time to move on compatability is critical.
There are rumours Huawei will spin of Honer, which would be great, but not sure the timescales will be favorable to the survival of my phone.
Annoying, as the primary reason for.th Huawei sanctions are commercial, (give US companies a lead. In 5g). But. The knock oon might be a 3rd global player in the mobile OS space. That won't be good for Google, security or quality of apps available to all parties.

Just to let you know, Android 11 support has been added with Magic UI 4.0
So late 2020 seems to be a good year!

Did you get the update already?

modelno1 said:
Did you get the update already?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No but I can see it in firmware finder, depends on what region you are in for me it's still not approved

Good to see you guys still enjoying this fantastic device. I'm back again with another Huawei...lol. got the P30. Very similar to the v20 I think. Main difference is just the display is oled. I do really like Huawei / Honor devices. I heard Honor is being sold off. Don't know if that's a good thing or not yet. But for sure the V20 is the business.

Hey what happened with the 12 mini? I've been thinking of getting bit but worried about battery life. The honor is just too big for me but does everything right, so reluctant to change

Fonesrgood said:
Hey what happened with the 12 mini? I've been thinking of getting bit but worried about battery life. The honor is just too big for me but does everything right, so reluctant to change
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still have the 12 mini. It is my main device. Battery for me is very very good. No exaggeration. I don't play any graphically intense games though so bear that in mind.
I easily make it through the day and then some. Over 4 hours screen on time comfortably. I don't know how they are doing it with a 2200 cell really. I also turn off 5G. So only 4G in use. I don't know again how much of a difference that makes. But as long as you are not a big gamer into graphically intense games, I think you will be very happy and pleasantly surprised with the mini's battery.
I also been using the mate 30 as secondary device. Again, very very nice.
Do I miss the V20? In all honesty sometimes yes. It is such a great phone. Just about the only thing I would have added would have been an IP rating perhaps. And that's just nitpicking... Everything else fantastic. But wanted a smaller one handed device for now.

General Just got my pixel 7 pro. Here are my first impressions

Hey guys, received my pixel today and thought I'd share some first impressions for those interested or who haven't received theirs yet.
I use a 21ultra as my daily and run a 14 pro max for work so I have a broad spectrum to judge the new pixel against. I'll try and break my impressions into bullet points.
1. New pixels design is nice, feels good in the hand, I went for obsidian, looks good, the rear is a total fingerprint magnet.
2. The haptics are very good, different to the iPhone but not better or worse, which is impressive because iPhone haptics are usually the benchmark of good vibration for me.
3. One thing I don't love is the weight, both the iPhone and the s21 are quite a bit heavier at 229 and 240 and it makes the pixel feel less premium somehow. When you tap the screen on the pixel to type it almost feels and sounds hollow whereas the Samsung for example is much more firm. Its a personal preference but of the three phones the pixel feels the cheapest in the hand.
4. The camera are very good, coming from the exynos s21 where I always hated the video, pixel 7s new video is really impressive. Looking forward to getting to use it a bit more.
5. The speaker is good and loud but it's a little on the tinny side on comparison to the Samsung and the 14 pro. It crackles a little higher up the volume.
6. Looking forward to trying out some of the pixel features that are sprinkled throughout the ui, like the call screening, text to speech etc
Will report back once I use these for a prolonged period.
7. The pixel 7 pros sound and haptic integration is top notch and can be adjusted to your liking on the settings. Each activity that includes a vibration now let's you chose the intensity as well.
8. The screen is less curved which I love as I much prefer flat screens and this feels like a step in the right direction. The edges of the phone and indeed the screen are much less rounded too and makes the Samsung look a bit silly with its super rounded corners.
9. Fingerprint scanner being an optical one is another little disappointment for me, having found the ultrasonic in the Samsung to be unbelievably fast and reliable. Something about the white light under your thumb each time you try to unlock feels cheap and a bit silly when ultrasonic is an option.
10. Which brings me to the last feature I like, face unlock. While not quite as reliable as the iPhone it works well and is much faster than previous android phones I've used. Theres a nice little vibration and animation when it unlocks as well, which makes it feel well thought out and well executed. Hopefully it stays as reliable as its been so far.
Overall I'm pretty impressed. I'm a little disappointed at the over all feel, it's not bad, for me the iPhone still feels like a much more premium phone, and at about 350 quid more it ought to be I suppose. Software wise it looks promising and it has some of the best cameras and haptics of any phone. If anyone who hasn't gotten one yet would like to ask anything about it please feel free.
Bar

Nice review details! Kudos

Thanks for sharing, I find myself in a somewhat similar situation. I have an S21U for personal use and an iPhone XR for work that I traded in for the Pixel 7 Pro.
I can definitely relate to the weight difference. I didn't like it at much first but now I've noticed it's a bit easier to hold laying in bed on my back. I'm always dropping the S21U on my face
I've never used an optical fingerprint scanner before so right now the light is oddly amusing /fun for me, but it will probably get old after a while.
So did you keep your iPhone or did you trade it in?

early days here and teething problems I think will be worked out. screen is definitely an improvement over the 6. my main concern tho is the tele lens. so far i'm finding it not as good as the 6p tele lens, which I absolutely love.

Love your review thank you first one I read

does it do usb-c to hdmi output?

Bxperiaz3 said:
Hey guys, received my pixel today and thought I'd share some first impressions for those interested or who haven't received theirs yet.
I use a 21ultra as my daily and run a 14 pro max for work so I have a broad spectrum to judge the new pixel against. I'll try and break my impressions into bullet points.
1. New pixels design is nice, feels good in the hand, I went for obsidian, looks good, the rear is a total fingerprint magnet.
2. The haptics are very good, different to the iPhone but not better or worse, which is impressive because iPhone haptics are usually the benchmark of good vibration for me.
3. One thing I don't love is the weight, both the iPhone and the s21 are quite a bit heavier at 229 and 240 and it makes the pixel feel less premium somehow. When you tap the screen on the pixel to type it almost feels and sounds hollow whereas the Samsung for example is much more firm. Its a personal preference but of the three phones the pixel feels the cheapest in the hand.
4. The camera are very good, coming from the exynos s21 where I always hated the video, pixel 7s new video is really impressive. Looking forward to getting to use it a bit more.
5. The speaker is good and loud but it's a little on the tinny side on comparison to the Samsung and the 14 pro. It crackles a little higher up the volume.
6. Looking forward to trying out some of the pixel features that are sprinkled throughout the ui, like the call screening, text to speech etc
Will report back once I use these for a prolonged period.
7. The pixel 7 pros sound and haptic integration is top notch and can be adjusted to your liking on the settings. Each activity that includes a vibration now let's you chose the intensity as well.
8. The screen is less curved which I love as I much prefer flat screens and this feels like a step in the right direction. The edges of the phone and indeed the screen are much less rounded too and makes the Samsung look a bit silly with its super rounded corners.
9. Fingerprint scanner being an optical one is another little disappointment for me, having found the ultrasonic in the Samsung to be unbelievably fast and reliable. Something about the white light under your thumb each time you try to unlock feels cheap and a bit silly when ultrasonic is an option.
10. Which brings me to the last feature I like, face unlock. While not quite as reliable as the iPhone it works well and is much faster than previous android phones I've used. Theres a nice little vibration and animation when it unlocks as well, which makes it feel well thought out and well executed. Hopefully it stays as reliable as its been so far.
Overall I'm pretty impressed. I'm a little disappointed at the over all feel, it's not bad, for me the iPhone still feels like a much more premium phone, and at about 350 quid more it ought to be I suppose. Software wise it looks promising and it has some of the best cameras and haptics of any phone. If anyone who hasn't gotten one yet would like to ask anything about it please feel free.
Bar
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good info, shared. Thanks.
Could you crank up the brightness to the max, use the phone for some 15 mins like that and share the battery drain experience? Various reports like THIS ONE suggest that under direct sunlight the battery drains abnormally.

Bxperiaz3 said:
Hey guys, received my pixel today and thought I'd share some first impressions for those interested or who haven't received theirs yet.
I use a 21ultra as my daily and run a 14 pro max for work so I have a broad spectrum to judge the new pixel against. I'll try and break my impressions into bullet points.
1. New pixels design is nice, feels good in the hand, I went for obsidian, looks good, the rear is a total fingerprint magnet.
2. The haptics are very good, different to the iPhone but not better or worse, which is impressive because iPhone haptics are usually the benchmark of good vibration for me.
3. One thing I don't love is the weight, both the iPhone and the s21 are quite a bit heavier at 229 and 240 and it makes the pixel feel less premium somehow. When you tap the screen on the pixel to type it almost feels and sounds hollow whereas the Samsung for example is much more firm. Its a personal preference but of the three phones the pixel feels the cheapest in the hand.
4. The camera are very good, coming from the exynos s21 where I always hated the video, pixel 7s new video is really impressive. Looking forward to getting to use it a bit more.
5. The speaker is good and loud but it's a little on the tinny side on comparison to the Samsung and the 14 pro. It crackles a little higher up the volume.
6. Looking forward to trying out some of the pixel features that are sprinkled throughout the ui, like the call screening, text to speech etc
Will report back once I use these for a prolonged period.
7. The pixel 7 pros sound and haptic integration is top notch and can be adjusted to your liking on the settings. Each activity that includes a vibration now let's you chose the intensity as well.
8. The screen is less curved which I love as I much prefer flat screens and this feels like a step in the right direction. The edges of the phone and indeed the screen are much less rounded too and makes the Samsung look a bit silly with its super rounded corners.
9. Fingerprint scanner being an optical one is another little disappointment for me, having found the ultrasonic in the Samsung to be unbelievably fast and reliable. Something about the white light under your thumb each time you try to unlock feels cheap and a bit silly when ultrasonic is an option.
10. Which brings me to the last feature I like, face unlock. While not quite as reliable as the iPhone it works well and is much faster than previous android phones I've used. Theres a nice little vibration and animation when it unlocks as well, which makes it feel well thought out and well executed. Hopefully it stays as reliable as its been so far.
Overall I'm pretty impressed. I'm a little disappointed at the over all feel, it's not bad, for me the iPhone still feels like a much more premium phone, and at about 350 quid more it ought to be I suppose. Software wise it looks promising and it has some of the best cameras and haptics of any phone. If anyone who hasn't gotten one yet would like to ask anything about it please feel free.
Bar
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey there. Nice review. I totally agree with you on two points. I managed to fiddle with a 7 pro at a local target store (a day before launch if you can believe that they had the demo station set up).
The hollow feel while typing on it's screen is something I'd never felt before. It made me send back the 6pro last year and keep my OnePlus 8 pro as it felt like a more solid device. The 7 pro felt the same. I wonder why the hollow feel? Is it possible that it's a feature? Maybe the screen has more give so that it's less susceptible to cracking if dropped? Who knows...
Also agree about the speakers. I blared some YouTube music on the demo phone in the store like a weirdo (Motown) and wasn't exactly impressed. Especially when compared to the 14pro (wife's phone).
I want to love the new 7 pro but am shying away. OnePlus isn't exactly wonderful right now and my 8 pro is aging but I feel like I need more to make the jump

For me it was simply time to make a change from my Note 10 Plus. It's a 3 year old phone and it shows, particularly the camera which wasn't the best when the phone was released and is well behind the times now. I fully expect the feel of the 7 Pro to be less premium (one aspect in which the Note 10 Plus shines and still does) but it looks to me like this is the best Android device out there right now, especially for this price. And I hate iPhones.

Bxperiaz3 said:
Hey guys, received my pixel today and thought I'd share some first impressions for those interested or who haven't received theirs yet.
I use a 21ultra as my daily and run a 14 pro max for work so I have a broad spectrum to judge the new pixel against. I'll try and break my impressions into bullet points.
1. New pixels design is nice, feels good in the hand, I went for obsidian, looks good, the rear is a total fingerprint magnet.
2. The haptics are very good, different to the iPhone but not better or worse, which is impressive because iPhone haptics are usually the benchmark of good vibration for me.
3. One thing I don't love is the weight, both the iPhone and the s21 are quite a bit heavier at 229 and 240 and it makes the pixel feel less premium somehow. When you tap the screen on the pixel to type it almost feels and sounds hollow whereas the Samsung for example is much more firm. Its a personal preference but of the three phones the pixel feels the cheapest in the hand.
4. The camera are very good, coming from the exynos s21 where I always hated the video, pixel 7s new video is really impressive. Looking forward to getting to use it a bit more.
5. The speaker is good and loud but it's a little on the tinny side on comparison to the Samsung and the 14 pro. It crackles a little higher up the volume.
6. Looking forward to trying out some of the pixel features that are sprinkled throughout the ui, like the call screening, text to speech etc
Will report back once I use these for a prolonged period.
7. The pixel 7 pros sound and haptic integration is top notch and can be adjusted to your liking on the settings. Each activity that includes a vibration now let's you chose the intensity as well.
8. The screen is less curved which I love as I much prefer flat screens and this feels like a step in the right direction. The edges of the phone and indeed the screen are much less rounded too and makes the Samsung look a bit silly with its super rounded corners.
9. Fingerprint scanner being an optical one is another little disappointment for me, having found the ultrasonic in the Samsung to be unbelievably fast and reliable. Something about the white light under your thumb each time you try to unlock feels cheap and a bit silly when ultrasonic is an option.
10. Which brings me to the last feature I like, face unlock. While not quite as reliable as the iPhone it works well and is much faster than previous android phones I've used. Theres a nice little vibration and animation when it unlocks as well, which makes it feel well thought out and well executed. Hopefully it stays as reliable as its been so far.
Overall I'm pretty impressed. I'm a little disappointed at the over all feel, it's not bad, for me the iPhone still feels like a much more premium phone, and at about 350 quid more it ought to be I suppose. Software wise it looks promising and it has some of the best cameras and haptics of any phone. If anyone who hasn't gotten one yet would like to ask anything about it please feel free.
Bar
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No.3 I've noticed the same thing. When tapping the screen it makes this hollow sound as if you were tapping a plastic cup (thw white one to be precise). The screen on Galaxy Tab S8 makes the same sound but Galaxy S20 doesn't. Maybe the screen panels on Pixel & Tab S8 are of lower quality?!
No. 9 Fingerprint is really fast and more reliable than on S20 (I always had to try multiple times before it finally worked).
No. 10 Face unlock is very fast, even in dim light.
Here are other things I've noticed:
1. Status bar is extremely thick 0.6 mm and therefore unnecessarily wastes too much space when screen resolution is lowered.
2. When in standby screen often doesn't react to taps or the power button being pressed. Screen just doesn't wake up and you have to try 2-3 more times for it to lit up.
3. Sometimes the screen suddenly gets so dim that you can barely see anything but the position of the brightness slider doesn't change at all when it happens. No idea what's causing it.

innit said:
2. When in standby screen often doesn't react to taps or the power button being pressed. Screen just doesn't wake up and you have to try 2-3 more times for it to lit up.
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My Pixel 6 Pro did that all the time, its annoying.
One thing i have noticed it my P7P runs much cooler than my P6P did.

galaxys said:
Nice review details! Kudos
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Thank you!
grangermoch said:
Thanks for sharing, I find myself in a somewhat similar situation. I have an S21U for personal use and an iPhone XR for work that I traded in for the Pixel 7 Pro.
I can definitely relate to the weight difference. I didn't like it at much first but now I've noticed it's a bit easier to hold laying in bed on my back. I'm always dropping the S21U on my face
I've never used an optical fingerprint scanner before so right now the light is oddly amusing /fun for me, but it will probably get old after a while.
So did you keep your iPhone or did you trade it in?
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I used to have it on my one plus 7 pro and I loved that but after the speed of the s21 s sensor I'm a bit disenchanted with optical sensors for now. My iPhone is for work so that's staying but the main question is will I be upgrading from my s21 ultra or returning this new pixel. So far I'm not fully sure..
whatsisnametake2 said:
early days here and teething problems I think will be worked out. screen is definitely an improvement over the 6. my main concern tho is the tele lens. so far i'm finding it not as good as the 6p tele lens, which I absolutely love.
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I must check that out and see what it's like. What are the differences? Was the 6p wider?
liggerz87 said:
Love your review thank you first one I read
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Appreciate that thank you
apoklyps3 said:
does it do usb-c to hdmi output?
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Let me check it out and get back to you
Virgo_Guy said:
Good info, shared. Thanks.
Could you crank up the brightness to the max, use the phone for some 15 mins like that and share the battery drain experience? Various reports like THIS ONE suggest that under direct sunlight the battery drains abnormally.
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Yeah sure. I'll do that this morning
bacon612 said:
Hey there. Nice review. I totally agree with you on two points. I managed to fiddle with a 7 pro at a local target store (a day before launch if you can believe that they had the demo station set up).
The hollow feel while typing on it's screen is something I'd never felt before. It made me send back the 6pro last year and keep my OnePlus 8 pro as it felt like a more solid device. The 7 pro felt the same. I wonder why the hollow feel? Is it possible that it's a feature? Maybe the screen has more give so that it's less susceptible to cracking if dropped? Who knows...
Also agree about the speakers. I blared some YouTube music on the demo phone in the store like a weirdo (Motown) and wasn't exactly impressed. Especially when compared to the 14pro (wife's phone).
I want to love the new 7 pro but am shying away. OnePlus isn't exactly wonderful right now and my 8 pro is aging but I feel like I need more to make the jump
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Thank you that's a good question, oddly it's something I noticed on the iPhone too, it's like theres an air gap between the sreeen and the actual panel or something so maybe the more give thing is a good call. Either way it's a very small gripe but it's one that's honestly making me consider returning. That along with the weight does not make this feel like a 1k phone to be perfectly honest.
I too want to love it.. But I just don't so far and I don't see any good alternatives left if I send it back
Beefheart said:
For me it was simply time to make a change from my Note 10 Plus. It's a 3 year old phone and it shows, particularly the camera which wasn't the best when the phone was released and is well behind the times now. I fully expect the feel of the 7 Pro to be less premium (one aspect in which the Note 10 Plus shines and still does) but it looks to me like this is the best Android device out there right now, especially for this price. And I hate iPhones.
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Yeah I'm fully with you on that. Part of me wishes I didn't have the s21 ultra to compare as I'd probably be less disappointed. I absolutely hate Samsungs android software, but their phones are better build for sure.
innit said:
No.3 I've noticed the same thing. When tapping the screen it makes this hollow sound as if you were tapping a plastic cup (thw white one to be precise). The screen on Galaxy Tab S8 makes the same sound but Galaxy S20 doesn't. Maybe the screen panels on Pixel & Tab S8 are of lower quality?!
No. 9 Fingerprint is really fast and more reliable than on S20 (I always had to try multiple times before it finally worked).
No. 10 Face unlock is very fast, even in dim light.
Here are other things I've noticed:
1. Status bar is extremely thick 0.6 mm and therefore unnecessarily wastes too much space when screen resolution is lowered.
2. When in standby screen often doesn't react to taps or the power button being pressed. Screen just doesn't wake up and you have to try 2-3 more times for it to lit up.
3. Sometimes the screen suddenly gets so dim that you can barely see anything but the position of the brightness slider doesn't change at all when it happens. No idea what's causing it.
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Click to collapse
Good points! I'll be honest the status bar is also driving me mental. I'm used to full immersive everything on the Samsung so this status bar and tbh the ui in general really vexes me. The little black bar for the pill also does my head in. Why don't we have status bars that have a gradient so we know it's there but it's not a literal banner plastered across the top of the phone. Another point that I'm trying to decide if I can live with. Must check out points 2 and 3 and report back.
MrBelter said:
My Pixel 6 Pro did that all the time, its annoying.
One thing i have noticed it my P7P runs much cooler than my P6P did.
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That's a positive at least. I never had a P6P so I appreciate peoples input that ran them last year.
Apologies if it seems like I have a negative bias towards the phone having only had it a day. But the cost of smartphones Is so high these days that I don't expect perfection but there are certain things for me that are absolute deal breakers and unfortunately the pixel ticks quite and amount of those for me. Gonna run it for a few more days and see can I live with the aspects I don't like or is it time to return it and struggle on with the s21

Bxperiaz3 said:
Yeah I'm fully with you on that. Part of me wishes I didn't have the s21 ultra to compare as I'd probably be less disappointed. I absolutely hate Samsungs android software, but their phones are better build for sure.
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I had an S21 Ultra but, ironically given the subject at hand, it stopped working after a fairly innocuous drop and Samsung refused to fix it because I'd previously rooted it (despite removing the root and it being back to a factory image). As a result I swore I would never buy another Samsung and I'm sticking to that, the only reason I have the Note 10 Plus is that a friend upgraded to a iPhone 13 late last year just after my S21 broke and he let me have it on a deal that was too good to refuse (£200), especially given that Samsung had just replaced the screen and battery for him so it was effectively brand new. My son is now getting it to replace his crappy old Poco M3 but I'm done with Samsung and their hateful Knox e-fuse.
I've just gotten a notification from the Royal Mail that my 7 Pro is due for delivery today rather than Monday which is a bonus.

innit said:
No.3 I've noticed the same thing. When tapping the screen it makes this hollow sound as if you were tapping a plastic cup (thw white one to be precise). The screen on Galaxy Tab S8 makes the same sound but Galaxy S20 doesn't. Maybe the screen panels on Pixel & Tab S8 are of lower quality?!
No. 9 Fingerprint is really fast and more reliable than on S20 (I always had to try multiple times before it finally worked).
No. 10 Face unlock is very fast, even in dim light.
Here are other things I've noticed:
1. Status bar is extremely thick 0.6 mm and therefore unnecessarily wastes too much space when screen resolution is lowered.
2. When in standby screen often doesn't react to taps or the power button being pressed. Screen just doesn't wake up and you have to try 2-3 more times for it to lit up.
3. Sometimes the screen suddenly gets so dim that you can barely see anything but the position of the brightness slider doesn't change at all when it happens. No idea what's causing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The display on the 6Pro and 7Pro is edge bonded meaning it's attached to the frame underneath around the edge. This makes it easier to replace but it gives it that "hollow" feel. Most phones today, Samsung etc are mid frame bonded,they're bonded to the frame half way up the display as well as around the edge also, so they don't have that air gap underneath and feel more "solid". The edge bonded display despite being easier to replace have the disadvantage of trapping heat in the phone because of the air gap.

I too am coming from a S21U and noticed the give on the screen. At first I thought I left the keyboard clicks on when I was typing and heard the way the screen sounded.
The other thing I have noticed is when I am driving there are areas where the S21 had signal yet the P7P has no signal with the same sim card.
I too am debating keeping the device or not as these are pretty minor complaints but I'm not sure if it is a truly worthy upgrade for the money.

JamesR913 said:
I too am coming from a S21U and noticed the give on the screen. At first I thought I left the keyboard clicks on when I was typing and heard the way the screen sounded.
The other thing I have noticed is when I am driving there are areas where the S21 had signal yet the P7P has no signal with the same sim card.
I too am debating keeping the device or not as these are pretty minor complaints but I'm not sure if it is a truly worthy upgrade for the money.
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I'd say the Pixel 7 Pro is an upgrade on the S21 Ultra, but not a particularly big one. A better camera (minus the 30x zoom), a little bit faster in terms of SOC speed but overall no spectacular improvements. In short, I'm not sure I'd spend money on a 7 Pro if I had a working S21 Ultra. But for me it's an easier choice, as my S21 Ultra is long gone and the 7 Pro is a massive upgrade on the Note 10 Plus I'm currently using.
Where it wins big is in comparison to the competition here and now. £850 for a phone that easily competes for everyday use with an iPhone 14 Pro Max which starts at £1200 and a Samsung S22 Ultra that starts at £1150. It loses out on a couple of things with both (battery life for the iPhone, S-Pen with the Samsung, and raw benchmarking horse power with both), but it also has advantages in comparison to both. In short it's a bargain for what you get, and the Pixel 7 even more.
I don't understand what appears to have become an acceptance that flagship phones have to cost north of £1000. It's an absolute nonsense deliberately brought into existence by Apple and Samsung for their own ends. It's good to see Google thumb their nose at it.

Beefheart said:
I'd say the Pixel 7 Pro is an upgrade on the S21 Ultra, but not a particularly big one. A better camera (minus the 30x zoom), a little bit faster in terms of SOC speed but overall no spectacular improvements. In short, I'm not sure I'd spend money on a 7 Pro if I had a working S21 Ultra. But for me it's an easier choice, as my S21 Ultra is long gone and the 7 Pro is a massive upgrade on the Note 10 Plus I'm currently using.
Where it wins big is in comparison to the competition here and now. £850 for a phone that easily competes for everyday use with an iPhone 14 Pro Max which starts at £1200 and a Samsung S22 Ultra that starts at £1150. It loses out on a couple of things with both (battery life for the iPhone, S-Pen with the Samsung, and raw benchmarking horse power with both), but it also has advantages in comparison to both. In short it's a bargain for what you get, and the Pixel 7 even more.
I don't understand what appears to have become an acceptance that flagship phones have to cost north of £1000. It's an absolute nonsense deliberately brought into existence by Apple and Samsung for their own ends. It's good to see Google thumb their nose at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're not getting truly top hardware with the Pixel though, it's only an LTPO 1.0 display for eg so there's a trade off for price.

Beefheart said:
I had an S21 Ultra but, ironically given the subject at hand, it stopped working after a fairly innocuous drop and Samsung refused to fix it because I'd previously rooted it (despite removing the root and it being back to a factory image). As a result I swore I would never buy another Samsung and I'm sticking to that, the only reason I have the Note 10 Plus is that a friend upgraded to a iPhone 13 late last year just after my S21 broke and he let me have it on a deal that was too good to refuse (£200), especially given that Samsung had just replaced the screen and battery for him so it was effectively brand new. My son is now getting it to replace his crappy old Poco M3 but I'm done with Samsung and their hateful Knox e-fuse.
I've just gotten a notification from the Royal Mail that my 7 Pro is due for delivery today rather than Monday which is a bonus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah even with the better build most new phones can't handle any sort of a drop. Nice, let us know how you find it.
Batfink33 said:
The display on the 6Pro and 7Pro is edge bonded meaning it's attached to the frame underneath around the edge. This makes it easier to replace but it gives it that "hollow" feel. Most phones today, Samsung etc are mid frame bonded,they're bonded to the frame half way up the display as well as around the edge also, so they don't have that air gap underneath and feel more "solid". The edge bonded display despite being easier to replace have the disadvantage of trapping heat in the phone because of the air gap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That makes perfect sense, Thanks for clearing that up. Makes me like the pixel even less now that that's been confirmed
JamesR913 said:
I too am coming from a S21U and noticed the give on the screen. At first I thought I left the keyboard clicks on when I was typing and heard the way the screen sounded.
The other thing I have noticed is when I am driving there are areas where the S21 had signal yet the P7P has no signal with the same sim card.
I too am debating keeping the device or not as these are pretty minor complaints but I'm not sure if it is a truly worthy upgrade for the money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have a sim in mine yet but that would be another deal breaker. Similar to you I only have small complaints so far. But I have more than I was expecting..
Beefheart said:
I'd say the Pixel 7 Pro is an upgrade on the S21 Ultra, but not a particularly big one. A better camera (minus the 30x zoom), a little bit faster in terms of SOC speed but overall no spectacular improvements. In short, I'm not sure I'd spend money on a 7 Pro if I had a working S21 Ultra. But for me it's an easier choice, as my S21 Ultra is long gone and the 7 Pro is a massive upgrade on the Note 10 Plus I'm currently using.
Where it wins big is in comparison to the competition here and now. £850 for a phone that easily competes for everyday use with an iPhone 14 Pro Max which starts at £1200 and a Samsung S22 Ultra that starts at £1150. It loses out on a couple of things with both (battery life for the iPhone, S-Pen with the Samsung, and raw benchmarking horse power with both), but it also has advantages in comparison to both. In short it's a bargain for what you get, and the Pixel 7 even more.
I don't understand what appears to have become an acceptance that flagship phones have to cost north of £1000. It's an absolute nonsense deliberately brought into existence by Apple and Samsung for their own ends. It's good to see Google thumb their nose at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah in a way I agree, phones absolutely shouldn't cost that much. What's a shame though is the phone feels physically cheaper and that's a bit of a deal breaker considering it was still over 1000 euros.. My s21s camera system is so poor it still makes sense to upgrade, plus a few quid back when I sell the old phone and the pixel watch but I have to say I'm still a bit let down. I absolutely despise apple software but there's no denying when I unboxed the 14 pro I was far more impressed with the quality
Batfink33 said:
You're not getting truly top hardware with the Pixel though, it's only an LTPO 1.0 display for eg so there's a trade off for price.
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Yeah and it sort of shows tbh. If I could have the s21 ultra with the software advantages of the pixel 7p right now that would be the ideal hybrid.

Bxperiaz3 said:
Yeah even with the better build most new phones can't handle any sort of a drop. Nice, let us know how you find it.
That makes perfect sense, Thanks for clearing that up. Makes me like the pixel even less now that that's been confirmed
I don't have a sim in mine yet but that would be another deal breaker. Similar to you I only have small complaints so far. But I have more than I was expecting..
Yeah in a way I agree, phones absolutely shouldn't cost that much. What's a shame though is the phone feels physically cheaper and that's a bit of a deal breaker considering it was still over 1000 euros.. My s21s camera system is so poor it still makes sense to upgrade, plus a few quid back when I sell the old phone and the pixel watch but I have to say I'm still a bit let down. I absolutely despise apple software but there's no denying when I unboxed the 14 pro I was far more impressed with the quality
Yeah and it sort of shows tbh. If I could have the s21 ultra with the software advantages of the pixel 7p right now that would be the ideal hybrid.
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Click to collapse
I'd pay the extra for a truly flagship pixel with all the latest hardware. Yes phones are way overpriced but it would be nice to have Pixel software on a phone with the quality build of an iPhone or Samsung. An Sd8+ Gen 1 (or gen 2) Pixel would be amazing.

It's arrived, and it doesn't feel less premium at all. Maybe that's me and, being an engineer, I know weight doesn't equate to more premium. I love the feel of it, solid.
In terms of opinion, I've not got much else at the moment, still setting it up.