Why is this phone getting crapped on so hard? - Google Pixel 4 XL Questions & Answers

Every forum or YouTube videos I watch, all I see is people hating on this phone. I am actually pretty surprised, but how much negativity there is for the Pixel 4 line.
Android police poll, is heavily in the "hell no not buying" as #1
Two big tech forums I belong too, it's like 70% saying no way.
What's the deal?
I have a 64GB Clearly White 4XL on order. I go back to owning, the Nexus-One, Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Motorola Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, Pixel 2 XL, and Pixel 3 XL. And yes I agree, the Pixel 4 XL could have been better, for the price at least do better than OnePlus, give us 8GB RAM, a larger battery of at least 4,000mAh, a brighter display for outdoor use, go easy n the large forehead bezel, like have the thickness if possible. But saying that, I buy the Nexus Pixel line for the software and monthly security updates.
I am interested in seeing the full blown real reviews this week.

For a few reasons:
1. Not priced like a Nexus / 3a
2. No fingerprint sensor
3. Lack of Ultrawide 3rd camera
4. Small battery
5. Removal of Ultrawide front facing camera
6. Removal of front facing speakers
7. Big top bezel for Soli
8. Soli gimmick
9. Removal of unlimited original photo upload
10. No big leap in camera hardware
11. No surprises since it was leaked all over the place
12. Only 6 GB of RAM (finally)
13. Only Snapdragon 855 instead of 855+ processor
Having said all that, I still have one on preorder.
Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Kusanagi Fire said:
For a few reasons:
1. Not priced like a Nexus / 3a
2. No fingerprint sensor
3. Lack of Ultrawide 3rd camera
4. Small battery
5. Removal of Ultrawide front facing camera
6. Removal of front facing speakers
7. Big top bezel for Soli
8. Soli gimmick
9. Removal of unlimited original photo upload
10. No big leap in camera hardware
11. No surprises since it was leaked all over the place
12. Only 6 GB of RAM (finally)
13. Only Snapdragon 855 instead of 855+ processor
Having said all that, I still have one on preorder.
Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
3,9, and 12 are the disappointment for me. But that price thooooo, they could have gotten more attention if only they priced it right.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Kusanagi Fire said:
For a few reasons:
1. Not priced like a Nexus / 3a
2. No fingerprint sensor
3. Lack of Ultrawide 3rd camera
4. Small battery
5. Removal of Ultrawide front facing camera
6. Removal of front facing speakers
7. Big top bezel for Soli
8. Soli gimmick
9. Removal of unlimited original photo upload
10. No big leap in camera hardware
11. No surprises since it was leaked all over the place
12. Only 6 GB of RAM (finally)
13. Only Snapdragon 855 instead of 855+ processor
Having said all that, I still have one on preorder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
4 may be an issue for me but everyone's usage is different so I'll wait to see my personal results before I make a final judgement.
6 is a big one for me. Before the 4XL was officially announced, I was aiming to switch from my OnePlus 7 Pro so I could get front facing speakers. I always end up blocking the bottom speaker when watching stuff in landscape mode.
10 could be a reason for me but not too much since I know it's going to be better than my current OnePlus 7 Pro.
12 is similar to my point for reason 4 (wait until I can test myself). Users say Android 10 is RAM hungry so hopefully that 6 GB is enough.
13, Even though it's a slight upgrade, it would have been nice to get the + variant of the processor.
All other reasons I don't mind too much.
But yeah I do think the phone is getting a bit too much hate.

Honestly, just the fact that last year's Pixel 3 got discounted on Black Friday combined with the fact that the 4 isn't a massive leap in hardware / doesn't check some of the minimal requirements like 8 GB RAM, 855+, and Ultrawide camera (granted, there's not much more ground to cover these days) is reason enough for this phone to get tons of hate.
Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Today Flossy admitted that he's been using the 3XL all along. He complained about that one much the way he will complain about this one in the full review. He'll says it's too expensive and many other things. Despite that he'll probably end up making it his work phone just as he did the previous Pixels. I wrote about this elsewhere but a search on Youtube will probably be able to find the dude from Unbox Therapy doing a pertinent video. He was in a suite in Vegas with a bunch of other young millionaires, Brownlee for example. The whole video was what is everyone carrying in their pocket, what was the phone they chose to use. The Pixel tied the iphone with few other phones mixed in. Brownlee had both. It wasn't because they were reviewing it, that was well past review time. It was the phone that millionaires who have tried everything and can afford anything decided they wanted in their pockets. There's a message there.
I do get it, the phone is too expensive for the specs, only a mother could love the looks, it's missing feature X and Y. But I'm sure that I'll enjoy using it in the day to day more than any other phone I could buy. It's always been that way. I couldn't make friends with the 3XL, the notch just killed it for me so I got a 6T. Nothing wrong with that phone but the next thing I knew I was picking up a 3AXL, should have been a downgrade, it was by the numbers. Wasn't long before I realized I wasn't going to use the 6T anymore and gave it to one of my grand kids. I've been using the 3A since.
Let the haters hate and enjoy your purchase. Flossy begin his quick look with talk of giving it a fair trial before he hung it, 5 minutes later he was giggling like a schoolgirl. The Pixel does that...

I agree with most here, the Pixel 4 XL could and should have been better;
- 8GB RAM
- 4,300mAh battery ( like the Note 10+ )
- Brighter display on par with the Galaxy S10 line
- Reduce the forehead bezel, to like half the size if possible, or actually do the Note 10 hole punch, and forget the faceID stuff, and keep the fingerprint scanner.
But it's funny, recent phones that I kept the longest last few years has been the Nexus or Pixel. Yeah I'd get bored with them, then I pick up the latest Samsung Galaxy whatever, and within in a few weeks already regret not having the Pixel. One time I went for the iPhone 7 Plus, when it was the hot new phone, and I was bored with my Nexus 6P, wow what a bad decision, not even a month later ran back to the Nexus, mainly because iOS is a Fischer Price kids OS, and totally blows, feels like a decade old operating system. Or I got the Note 5 at launch, was so happy to have that badass phone, but then I tried to turn it into a Nexus, deleting all the Samsung stuff, and downloading every Google app and setting defaults, and tried to make the Note 5 a Nexus Note LOL, where the phone I traded in for the Note 5 was the Motorola Nexus 6, and that thing was just so smooth, so cool, I regretted getting the Note
Point, the Nexus or Pixel phones, may be ugly, and not have the wham bam cool features, but using it day in day out, I just find them most comfortable and a joy. They are simple, they are minimalist, but they just work, and have a special thing about them.

Unfortunately, Google will never win because nothing is ever good enough for people and they will always complain about something.

techrider6262 said:
Unfortunately, Google will never win because nothing is ever good enough for people and they will always complain about something.
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Click to collapse
This!
6GB RAM - My 3xl has 4 and I have ZERO problems running whatever. People need to learn that it's not necessarily about big specs, it's more about optimization. The 4's will run very smoothly with 6. Just because the S10 has 8, and the note has an option of 12 doesn't mean that does anything to speed up the phone.
128GB storage - This option is the same price as the s10 with that same storage. Maybe Google should add a third option with 256? Would that make some of you happy? It would be even more expensive though. But, again, same price as the s10.
Battery - My 3xl has a smaller battery and I get no less than 20+ hours with heavy use. Typically, I'll get 24+ hours on it. With the 90 Hz display being an as needed, I doubt the battery will last less than my 3xl.
Ultrawide camera - I DO have to agree here that it should have that. I know Google's camera's are amazing and this one will definitely be as good as the iPhone or Sammy's, but the ultrawide addition to camera shots would have been nice.
Removal of free original size photo backups - Sooo, Apple NOR Samsung, NOR any other OEM that I'm aware of ever offered this. I'm a system engineer and cloud architect. I'm here to tell you that the amount of storage and bandwidth required for unlimited originals for millions of users is INSANE. You have any idea how much this costs Google? There was no way that would ever last. It's $1.99 and $2.99 per month for the extra storage to keep original backups, plus you get other benefits. Also, grab Google Surveys app and you'll make more than the cost here by far every month. Get over it.
The front facing speakers - Definitely not happy about this. They could have fit the bottom speaker I bet. At least there's still stereo.
Anyway, anyone who wants to hate, please save us all from it and go elsewhere. This phone will be amazing and I'd put it up against ANY other smartphone. It'll be smoother and has release day updates and OS's.
Every year there are people trolling the new pixel (even the Samsung S7 edge though) threads for a couple months after release. It's incredibly stupid. If you don't like the phone, why are you here?

I haven't had time to watch the all reviews yet, but is the 4 XL battery life at least on par with the 3 XL's, or please don't tell me it's actually worse?
My Pixel 3 XL battery life is mediocre, not great, not horrible, I would like better, but certainly not worse, but could makedo with the same battery life. If the 4 XL has worse and less battery life than the Pixel 3 XL, then I need to cancel my preorder.

Zorachus said:
I haven't had time to watch the all reviews yet, but is the 4 XL battery life at least on par with the 3 XL's, or please don't tell me it's actually worse?
My Pixel 3 XL battery life is mediocre, not great, not horrible, I would like better, but certainly not worse, but could makedo with the same battery life. If the 4 XL has worse and less battery life than the Pixel 3 XL, then I need to cancel my preorder.
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Click to collapse
I'm trading in my 3xl for the 4xl and I believe the battery life will be the same or better.
It has a larger battery so even the smooth display shouldn't hurt it too much.
The reviews so far today have trashed the 4 but pretty much everyone agreed that the 4xl should be fine.
I'm excited even if the changes are not dramatic from 3xl.

Zorachus said:
I haven't had time to watch the all reviews yet, but is the 4 XL battery life at least on par with the 3 XL's, or please don't tell me it's actually worse?
My Pixel 3 XL battery life is mediocre, not great, not horrible, I would like better, but certainly not worse, but could makedo with the same battery life. If the 4 XL has worse and less battery life than the Pixel 3 XL, then I need to cancel my preorder.
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Click to collapse
From The limited reviews and tweets that I have seen, it seems to be holding its own. Averaging between 4 and 6 hours of sot, from the initial reviews. But I'm sure that that will get better, over time, as it learns your usage. Definitely getting through a whole day though, and that's all that's important

I suppose a rooted 4 XL with the Franco kernel and his app Naptime, would extend battery life too?

Zorachus said:
I suppose a rooted 4 XL with the Franco kernel and his app Naptime, would extend battery life too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, these days the only reason I root is for custom kernels, and adaway

If the battery optimization time is the same as the 3XL then none of the reviewers have attained their final screen on time yet.

First reviews are out and they say battery life is horrendous, especially on the 4. I'll pass. Too expensive for too many compromises.

I have Android 10 running on my OG Pixel XL and have zero problems with it on an older chipset and 4 GBs, but I'm sure the extra 2 GBs will be beneficial/noticeable regardless.
I suppose the people complaining the loudest fall into 1 of the following 2 categories: trolls/iphone fanbois or people who don't feel the upgrade from the 3 (or any of the last gen phones) -> 4 is worthwhile. While that's a valid concern, it's worth noting that in recent years the yearly revision has become less substantial in recent years. I've held off for 3 years so going from the OG XL to 4 XL will be a massive improvement and something I'm greatly looking forward to.

msaitta said:
I have Android 10 running on my OG Pixel XL and have zero problems with it on an older chipset and 4 GBs, but I'm sure the extra 2 GBs will be beneficial/noticeable regardless.
I suppose the people complaining the loudest fall into 1 of the following 2 categories: trolls/iphone fanbois or people who don't feel the upgrade from the 3 (or any of the last gen phones) -> 4 is worthwhile. While that's a valid concern, it's worth noting that in recent years the yearly revision has become less substantial in recent years. I've held off for 3 years so going from the OG XL to 4 XL will be a massive improvement and something I'm greatly looking forward to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every phone I've pre-ordered, it always starts the same way. Everyone has something to complain about before they even have the phone in their own hands. After awhile, the complaining, for the most part, dies down, and people realize they love the device. What boggles my mind is, why come to the forum to complain? Nobody forces an individual to buy the phone, let alone pre-order it. Instead of focusing on the negative, focus on the positives.

I'm going to vent a little bit...
I'm an older guy (48) and I've been doing tech and gadgets for over 20 years now. I love this site and have participated on and off for many years. There is a problem growing online and it is only going to get worse. The system here isn't equipped to counter a growing troll problem, so we all fall prey to the effects. Every aspect of the online consumer space is being manipulated by "troll farms" and it is obliterating the signal-to-noise ratio in everything from entertainment to personal devices. Across the board, every device is eventually portrayed to have some fatal flaw rendering it inferior. When in actuality, it can adequately perform the primary task and may only fall short in a single aspect depending on a very specific need that varies individually by consumer.
I used to participate here rather frequently, then I began to only stop by during a device's release to gauge anticipations and thoughts. Every year the noise has increased. Not just here though, almost every forum beyond a certain size has the same issue. Online sources and articles are not immune and are populated with extremely vocal "detractors" in the comment sections, they rally with a frequency and voracity that no ordinary working person could maintain. The methods used by professional trolls is complex, and unfortunately, PROFITABLE.
Without giving too much personal information, my wife WAS a partner in one of the largest PR firms in the U.S., and I can tell you that troll farms and bogus self-cross-referring review sources are real. Her firm never participated, but they could see it coming and now there's an entire "dark" branch of marketing and PR that has arisen (some would say re-emerged) that essentially has the ethics model of the old cigarette industry with the agility of a modern digital campaign.
So if you're wrestling with specs, don't kill yourself searching for the ultimate device. You can do three things and I promise you'll be as happy as you can be.
If you really care about what you're going to buy ,to the point that it may cause a devastating case of buyer's remorse you should:
- First, make lists. Make a list of what's important, make a list of what specs make your tech-feels tingle, make a list of devices and start prioritizing and crossing off.
- Second, do a one afternoon search (not one second longer) of trusted reviews and ignore very tilted reviews.
- Third, and this is crazy... Go to a store, look at the physical functioning device and play with it.
This should be an extra separate step, but whatever, I'm not going back to edit...
- Buy what you want and be prepared to return it within 30 days and pay a restocking fee. Don't like the fee? Too bad, that's life... If you don't like something you may have to pay to return it, it's the world we live in.
This should be one more step too. Damn, I really messed up.
- Unless you are doing ongoing development NEVER revisit the topic of purchasing and specs. Go and enjoy your device and every once and a while keep up with updates and new features. There's a whole life to live out there, so don't waste your energy spec-gazing or griping with trolls.
Online communities are becoming less valuable to me every day because of the noise, it's unfortunate.

Dusty Rhodes said:
I'm going to vent a little bit...
I'm an older guy (48) and I've been doing tech and gadgets for over 20 years now. I love this site and have participated on and off for many years. There is a problem growing online and it is only going to get worse. The system here isn't equipped to counter a growing troll problem, so we all fall prey to the effects. Every aspect of the online consumer space is being manipulated by "troll farms" and it is obliterating the signal-to-noise ratio in everything from entertainment to personal devices. Across the board, every device is eventually portrayed to have some fatal flaw rendering it inferior. When in actuality, it can adequately perform the primary task and may only fall short in a single aspect depending on a very specific need that varies individually by consumer.
I used to participate here rather frequently, then I began to only stop by during a device's release to gauge anticipations and thoughts. Every year the noise has increased. Not just here though, almost every forum beyond a certain size has the same issue. Online sources and articles are not immune and are populated with extremely vocal "detractors" in the comment sections, they rally with a frequency and voracity that no ordinary working person could maintain. The methods used by professional trolls is complex, and unfortunately, PROFITABLE.
Without giving too much personal information, my wife WAS a partner in one of the largest PR firms in the U.S., and I can tell you that troll farms and bogus self-cross-referring review sources are real. Her firm never participated, but they could see it coming and now there's an entire "dark" branch of marketing and PR that has arisen (some would say re-emerged) that essentially has the ethics model of the old cigarette industry with the agility of a modern digital campaign.
So if you're wrestling with specs, don't kill yourself searching for the ultimate device. You can do three things and I promise you'll be as happy as you can be.
If you really care about what you're going to buy ,to the point that it may cause a devastating case of buyer's remorse you should:
- First, make lists. Make a list of what's important, make a list of what specs make your tech-feels tingle, make a list of devices and start prioritizing and crossing off.
- Second, do a one afternoon search (not one second longer) of trusted reviews and ignore very tilted reviews.
- Third, and this is crazy... Go to a store, look at the physical functioning device and play with it.
This should be an extra separate step, but whatever, I'm not going back to edit...
- Buy what you want and be prepared to return it within 30 days and pay a restocking fee. Don't like the fee? Too bad, that's life... If you don't like something you may have to pay to return it, it's the world we live in.
This should be one more step too. Damn, I really messed up.
- Unless you are doing ongoing development NEVER revisit the topic of purchasing and specs. Go and enjoy your device and every once and a while keep up with updates and new features. There's a whole life to live out there, so don't waste your energy spec-gazing or griping with trolls.
Online communities are becoming less valuable to me every day because of the noise, it's unfortunate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely this. It's pretty darn clear that some people in the crowd are trying to spike the punch. Don't obsess over the minutiae, don't allow yourself to be herded just because it seems like sentiment is tilted one way. Figure out what you want out of a phone (is an ultra-wide camera REALLY make/break for you, or are you only thinking that because XYZ said to?). Put your hands on the device by visiting a Best Buy or carrier store. And lastly, recognize that software learns your habits (battery life after a few days won't tell you what long-term battery life means) and also gets updated (features get added, functionality becomes improved).
Be aware of the echo chamber effect and do your best to make up your own mind about the worthiness of a phone.

Related

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Google Pixel 2, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Google Pixel 2 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Now that I have one in hand I do truly love it it's an amazing phone it does what I want when I want. The screen is amazing it get so bright! The feed back for the keyboard is just right and the endless little things it does the software is so refined now and only going to get better. This is were Android is at.
I am so disappointed in this phone.
I'm in love with the Pixel 2. It's the 2017 version of the Nexus 5. I was missing too much a powerful Google phone with small size.
It's still expensive compared to the Nexus 5/5X but at least it has minimum 3 years of updates guaranteed (unlike the Pixel 1).
4 or 5 years would be optimal but I think Google is getting there.
Sent from my Pixel 2
I'm really happy with it. It looks like a shrunk Nexus 6P from the front.
Coming from the Nexus 6p general thoughts:
- The 6p from 2015 has a better screen, higher resolution aside it's significantly brighter @ maximum brightness
- In general use(I dont play games with it) it seems slightly faster but not alot.
- Its weird going back to a smaller phone, the 6p feels massive/unwieldy when I hold it now.
- I know the XL is popular but given the return to the 6p dual speaker Google should have used Huawei to make the XL, the y would have hit it out of the park (and I'd probably be an XL owner).
i'm very happy with this phone. way better than my pixel 1. battery life is unreal compared to what I used to get on my pixel wiht the same usage. I have no issues getting well over 1 day + with 3-4 hours SOT.
super snappy and responsive and love that I was able to unlock the bootloader and root in case I want to try out future developments.
I started using Android on the OG Motorola Droid then Droid X until Nexus phones hit the market & have owned nothing but Google phones since. When I was heavy into ROM & Play Store app development I often bought other popular phones for testing & as a writer for various Android sites was able to test several phones including Flagship devices from all the big name producers & have to say that the Pixel 2 is by far in my opinion the best iteration of an Android phone thus far. Performance, features, battery life, etc is top notch. I don't mind a bezel & if I were able to change something about the device it would be a removable battery & for Google to stand up to carriers like Verizon & say "Hey - if you want to be the exclusive carrier for this phone we will not lock bootloaders". Google is touted as pure Android and Android was built around the idea of freedom & community development. I hope to see Google add more functionality to the fingerprint sensor in the form of scrolling, camera shutter button, etc - all already developed by independent developers.
To close on a positive note, I am Glad to see Google taking steps towards rectifying the fragmentation problems with projects like Android One (Sprout) and Project Treble.
Trying hard to Love it
I love google andoid devices since my Nexus 5 (Which ended up very badly after 2 years though)
So I baught Pixel 2 again,
Battery 4 hours of SOT (with video call, LTE and Youtube usage
Heating issue when playing game or when on video call
No Headphone in box
No USB cable to connect to computer in box
If somehow I can ignore all this in coming days I wont return it.
Delivers on what I expected. Good value as I got a 40% discount.
Just got this phone late last week.
As a previous iPhone 6s user, the switch felt seamless as hardware wise I it didn't feel different to hold in the hand. Finger print reader location moved but felt more convenient and responsiveness and layout of the phone just felt right.
I got mine through Verizon with the $300 off promo which isn't a bad deal seeing as I sold my iPhone and was funding for a Gen 1 Pixel.
#teampixel
Definitely not worth the full retail price. Other OEM's have surpassed Google in hardware and design, and on top of that, the clean android experience is completely over-rated. The phone feels great in the hand, runs great, and the camera is top notch. But all of those features are commonplace among flagships in 2017. The only real advantage the pixel line has is the updates and the camera software (which will get ported to other devices again like last year).
Don't get me wrong, in a vacuum, the phone is spectacular. But it's also pretty mundane compared to everything else. My 2016 Honor 8 does more and costs less than the Pixel 2. Stock software is really holding this device back. A few more bells and whistles would have gone a long way.
ashokabs said:
Delivers on what I expected. Good value as I got a 40% discount.
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Click to collapse
I've been looking for deals on this phone, where did you find the 40% discount?
LostMyMarbles said:
I've been looking for deals on this phone, where did you find the 40% discount?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You won't find any deals like that for just the phone. Most deals are linked to a cellular service provider adding a line to your account
everything is perfect except for slow & easy to stuck...
zerowong said:
everything is perfect except for slow & easy to stuck...
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Click to collapse
Auto-correct typos?
LostMyMarbles said:
I've been looking for deals on this phone, where did you find the 40% discount?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for not replying earlier. In India it is available at Flipkart an online store for Rs 39999 against a list price of Rs 61000 which is a little more than 32%.
PuffDaddy_d said:
Auto-correct typos?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Find out the reason, it's some barely used apps always running in the background, after block them, everything is going well now.
But my NFC still not working......
Please google. Open your eyes.
vrda08 said:
Please google. Open your eyes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would love a Pixel 3 smaller and lighter than the Pixel 2 without loosing screen size.
Still...I used to throttle a lot the Nexus 5, also de 5X and the 6P just browsing...etc.
Pixel 2 is the first one that I can't throttle so I never suffer performance hits.
Sent from my Pixel 2
thesebastian said:
I'm in love with the Pixel 2. It's the 2017 version of the Nexus 5. I was missing too much a powerful Google phone with small size.
It's still expensive compared to the Nexus 5/5X but at least it has minimum 3 years of updates guaranteed (unlike the Pixel 1).
4 or 5 years would be optimal but I think Google is getting there.
Sent from my Pixel 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. I really loved (and still do) my Nexus 5 and the Pixel 2 is an awesome upgrade especially the power and camera, form factor.

Some Guys 24-Hour Review: Nokia 9 Pureview

PURPOSE
So 1st and foremost, the plan here is to give you my first 24-Hours experience with the Nokia 9 PureView compared to some other recent flagship phones I have tried. Granted, I have only used the Nokia 9 for about 24-Hours now and can say I have yet to fully break it in to find everything that may or may not be right / wrong with it. However, this will be a unbiased look and comparison. I'm neither a fanboy or sheep. No brand affiliation. Not a programmer either, just a pro-sumer Senior Member of XDA willing to get trolled, flamed, etc. for sharing a look at this phone. Hopefully, I can give "the everyday guy / gal look" without getting bogged down in stats, variables or benchmarks. Here goes...
MY BACKGROUND
No one special. Just a guy that likes the latest tech... phones being at the top of the list. I am a nerd. No doubt about that. I think anyone that knows about XDA probably is to some extent. No brand loyalty. I have had the privilege to try out the following phones:
1. Samsung S10 128GB / 8GB
2. Google Pixel 3 XL
3. Xiaomi Mi 9 Global Version 64GB / 6GB
4. iPhone XS Max
5. Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Transparent Global
And probably some more, but these are the most recent. Does that make me qualified to make a review... Maybe. It does make me an idiot that likes new phones, though. I am always looking for something that meets my needs but also is a good phone. Currently with TMobile but have been with ATT, Verizon & Sprint at some point 20 years of using cell phones.
MY NEEDS
I drive about 45 miles each way everyday to work (yes, my work week is currently 7 days a week with a few occasional days off). So, with this in mind and where I drive. I need the minimum requirements:
1. Can Stream Music
2. Android Auto / Apple CarPlay Compatible w/ My 2018 Honda
3. An equalizer of some sort since I have only switch out my new cars speakers for better ones and don't plan on changing or adding a better sound system.
4. Decent pictures when needed
5. Relatively not laggy - will sometimes do some ROM-ing or some customization but since I tend to get rid of the phones quickly I try not to void warranties or make it too non-stock
THE COMPARISON
I am looking at my experience with the Nokia 9 and the other flagships under/around these requirements and some normal stuff like battery, screen, snappiness, camera & software. Here goes:
BATTERY
This has been a hot topic as of late as the larger phones continue to dominate this field (duh... larger phone mean more room for larger battery), however 3340 - 3800 mAh batteries seemed to be the "standard" for phones the size of the Nokia 9. During setup, from 100%, I tortured it setting up all my apps from scratch while on AC-wireless connection... then after all the app downloading, logging apps in and setting up further. I would say a good 5 to 6 hours of heavy use on Wifi drained it to 56% battery... decent performance given the amount of hammering on it I was doing. If normal day away from home is 12 hours with normal use, I feel it goes the distance... Is it a battery champ like the iPhone XS Max, no. Is it one of the better phones in its group like the S10 and Xiaomi Mi 9... you bet. I feel Android One has everything to do with it... More on Android One later.
SCREEN
At a 5.99" OLED at 18:9 aspect, I do feel that the forehead and chin on the phone is a little circa 2017 - 2018. With that said, I do feel it is more pleasant than "Mein Fuhrer" mustache going on with the Pixel XL 3... so much so I had to toggle no notchiness in the developer settings. The "Little Mac" swing and a miss punch out on the Samsung S10 is definitely not my cup of tea ... I found it annoying for one and the fact that they have graphics to swirl around it to make that much more noticeable is even more unsettling. As for the actual screen itself, the colors, brightness and clarity is awesome albeit small especially if you toggle down the screen size in settings... with that, it is a little difficult to manage photos properly with the size of screen. Not impossible but it can try your patience... but the screen itself is definitely better than the Xiaomi Phones and the Pixel 3 XL... the S10 still has the nicest screen but Samsung is getting me annoyed with the continue elongation of the phone... soon it will have a 76:5 aspect ratio... and will look like a Hershey Bar... btw Samsung, don't take design cues from a candy bar company... just sayin'
THE FINGERPRINT SCANNER
Probably the most controversial item on the Nokia 9. Yes it is not great.... I would place it below the scanner in the S10 & Xiaomi Mi 9 but better than the Mi 8.... Pixel 3 XL , you don't count with your don't rock the boat rear sensor... which of course is super fast. Honestly, this tech is not ready for prime time on any of these phones. The S10 comes with a plastic screen protector that makes it hard at first to register the scanner. I felt like I pressing my finger through the display. It did start working decently at about a 90% success rate, after programming fingers a few different time. The Nokia 9 is definitely 75% at best with just one scan of each of my thumbs... as mentioned in different threads, going to add a second scan of each thumb to see of that improves... I feel though that Nokia HMD will patch it to make it slightly better. With facial recognition available, although not as secure, helps for getting into the phone and really the finger print is only needed for the different apps requiring. There's a learning curve for sure to get it to work well but the same goes for the S10... Definitely, not the "deal breaker" everyone's trying to paint... it's the price of new technology
SOFTWARE
Android One to me, besides the Pixel 3 XL and the iPhone XS Max, is in a class of android that Samsung and Xiaomi can't touch. Vanilla Stock Android (for the most part) is a breath of fresh air. Everyone is creaming in their pants that One UI is so much better TouchWiz for Samsung. When your yardstick is the garbage that was TouchJizz, saying One UI is better without qualifying it further is not a great state of affairs. I personally did not find it "that much better" and was immediately looking to replace the launcher with the pixel launcher or similar iteration immediately. I feel as soon as they take away the google assistant screen to the left on the homepage, its a failure... that's of course is a personal preference. Bixby blows... kill him/her off Samsung... and have Bixby take Siri with them... Google Assistant, the swipe left news screen should NEVER be removed... if it happens, then google and android lose a customer for life... just saying... can't wait for timely security updates that will never come to Samsung. Xiaomi on their own do a great job to update. not much to say about their interface other than like most Xiaomi phones... notifications can sometimes be a pain to get to work right due to aggressive battery savings. Xiaomi also does not have the assistant screen to the left :crying: replaced easily with pixel launcher... the S10 was not as easy... could not just use pixel launcher from apkmirror and had to buy action launcher to mimic. The experience of as close to vanilla android on the pixel 3 xl and the nokia 9 just can't be touched. The 6GB phone rocking the 845 performs IMO better than the 855 8GB S10. Even the Xiaomi Mi 9 feels faster than the S10, 845 or 855.
CAMERA
Ok, camera... or as you all know cameras when speaking about any of these phones except you, you "one-eyed monster" pixel 3 xl. Although I haven't put it through the regiment of use cases, The Pentacular camera explosion that is the Nokia 9 is something I'm digging. If your looking for a point and shoot and send master class phone, get the iPhone 8 XS Max, Google Pixel 3 XL or the Xiaomi Mi 9 in that order. For me, Samsung always supposedly has good cameras in their phones but being a person that went to photography school, shot professionally and still cares about the pictures they take... the software non-sense that the S10 does with pixel smoothing, HDR, etc., etc. makes everything no genuine. The other phones too suffer from this at times as well. Don't get me wrong... Night Shot on the Pixel 3 XL is a feet of software magic... quite frankly, google needs to share this tech with other OEMs to make the sustainability of Android that much better. But if your looking for a genuine picture with great image detail and the ability to adjust in-box, the Nokia 9 excels. Yes, you pay for it in processing time. Are you going to want to take this phone to Monaco to caught a F1 car in motion... hell no, but if you want on par caliber shots with a DSLR with RAW Images on outdoor, standard to semi-low light situations... I don't believe there's a camera that compares... for the price... and that leads to...
VALUE FOR YOUR DOLLAR
Although not the cheapest phone, at $600 USD (pre-sale pricing, $700 now), you get a lot of phone for the dollar. The only better value is you just want to go the point, shoot and send route is the Xiaomi Mi 9 at about $530 USD. As always, Samsung at over $800 is not worth it. Not worth it for camera, not worth it for software, design, etc. Samsung Pay to me is the only thing Samsung uniquely has that I wish every phone did. The Pixel 3 XL which I was able to get around $550 was a good value too, but is barely worth it north of $600 buying new. Yes it has the best single shooting camera of practically any phone in its class, but I feel it doesn't run as smoothly as the Nokia 9 with the extra 2GB RAM increase. Of course, Apple cost to value is in a different class... yes the phone is $1100... but you'll also be able to probably sell it in 2 years for $600 as well. Try that with an android phone and you'll get laughed at that it retains 60% value after 2 years. The Nokia 9 packs the right amount of stuff to make it a great value IMO. It would be a slam dunk of course if it had a SD 855 as opposed to 845 but it would be probably $100 more expensive without adding much value. Android One is wonderful and a great choice. Wireless charging (OnePlus, you can't add wireless charging, are you just dumb or what at this point?) The 5 cameras is a great gimmick and works as advertised. Everyone expecting the world out of a $600 phone... it has a better camera then phones $200 - $500 more than what it costs. Can you shoot in a pitch black room... no? Why are you? You creep... you spying on me... it is a little weird
OVERALL
The Nokia 9 is not the phone for everyone. It's the phone for a person that want great value in a phone capable of taking amazingly detailed photos in its price category. Can you point, shoot, send... sometimes. Does the fingerprint reader work ok? Sometimes. Is it a phone pushing some new hardware envelopes in a cost affordable package? Always! The fingerprint reader hate is just that... hate without a 100% justification. Is it an annoyance, it can be... does it overshadow the value of this phone for those of us wanting more from their phone cameras, absolutely not. It is also by no means cutting edge on design... but it doesn't have to be sporting 5 cameras... chins and foreheads are nice when done tastefully (look at Angelina Jolie... maybe not 2019 Angelina maybe circa 2005 Angelina :highfive: ) It not an ugly phone is all I'm saying. Can the big boys in the cell phone game learn something from the once dominate Nokia (actually HMD) is that innovation is needed to remain relevant... think if Apple put 5 cameras on its next phone (would never happen) but what if it did. They'd be like "The Job-biness is Back at Apple" "Apple, the innovators again" and a multitude of other stupid headlines. Lets face it, this phone has a gimmick, a fairly great one but gimmick nonetheless. Will it catch on? Is it years ahead of its time? It just maybe. As always, this is just Some Guys 24-hour Opinion....... :good:
Great first 24 hour impressions
Camera question
Thanks for the review, mine arrives March 18 and looking forward to the camera. The processing time has been mentioned all over the place but I am still unclear as to whether the processing time prevents you from taking the next shot. For example, I would most likely always shoot raw with the full depth turned on. I am more interested in being able to take the next exposure quickly than looking at the last shot on the phone's screen. So, wondering how quickly one can take the next shot.
Thanks!
jhw61032 said:
Thanks for the review, mine arrives March 18 and looking forward to the camera. The processing time has been mentioned all over the place but I am still unclear as to whether the processing time prevents you from taking the next shot. For example, I would most likely always shoot raw with the full depth turned on. I am more interested in being able to take the next exposure quickly than looking at the last shot on the phone's screen. So, wondering how quickly one can take the next shot.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From experience it doesn't keep you from taking the next shot... I haven't done it with say more than 2 or 3 shots though... don't know how far it will let you go and tell you it can't process anymore. The processing is not unbearable either.... its just kids nowadays, if it isn't ready in 1.5 seconds, time to troll Nokia on a phone that is at least trying to change things up.... :victory:

Help me convince myself to keep my Pixel 4XL

Hi everyone,
Like many people out there, I'm the proud owner of a Pixel 2 XL which I love. I pre ordered and received a Pixel 4XL last week, but I haven't opened it yet out of... doubt.
I have always liked Google's phone (have had one of them for the last couple years, since the Nexus era), and I was really looking forward to get the Pixel 4XL this year, however, as many of you know... we are missing:
A fingerprint scanner: I could just use the Mod to use Face unlock on all apps, so fine, I can live without it.
Photo/video backup: I don't mind paying, but backing up videos is not going to be a $2 a month deal...
A wide-angle lens: My Pixel 2 doesn't have it either... so ok?
A real 90hz screen support without killing battery by forcing it
I'm getting tired of trying to convince myself that I should keep it, specially after I started comparing it to the OnePlus 7 Pro... which has a similar price point.
Should I just give up? Help me find reason to keep it, I have always cared more about the experience more than the hardware specs but this time it's getting tough.
Kennyeni said:
Hi everyone,
Like many people out there, I'm the proud owner of a Pixel 2 XL which I love. I pre ordered and received a Pixel 4XL last week, but I haven't opened it yet out of... doubt.
I have always liked Google's phone (have had one of them for the last couple years, since the Nexus era), and I was really looking forward to get the Pixel 4XL this year, however, as many of you know... we are missing:
A fingerprint scanner: I could just use the Mod to use Face unlock on all apps, so fine, I can live without it.
Photo/video backup: I don't mind paying, but backing up videos is not going to be a $2 a month deal...
A wide-angle lens: My Pixel 2 doesn't have it either... so ok?
A real 90hz screen support
I'm getting tired of trying to convince myself that I should keep it, specially after I started comparing it to the OnePlus 7 Pro... which has a similar price point.
Should I just give up? Help me find reason to keep it, I have always cared more about the experience more than the hardware specs but this time it's getting tough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love mine, not concerned with reviews. It's fast, fluid and Android 10 runs as intended. Face Unlock is awesome. Soli gestures are cool and promising for the future I think. Camera is crazy good. 90hz works well, not sure why you'd say not real 90hz. You can force it on and it's sweet. New Assistant is awesome. It's the first phone I've ever enjoyed running stock. Everyone is different, but this is my favorite phone since Nexus 6 so far.
Can't convince you, sorry. I sent mine back. Honestly though I'm waiting till a price drop and by then maybe they will clean up the 90 hz and other minor issues ie apps not supporting face unlock.
As far as battery life goes, it lasted long enough for me. So not really concerned about that.
I would have opened that puppy, and run it through the ringer for a week. You have 2 weeks to return it...well maybe just a week now, but really, how else are you gonna know? I don't pay much attention to reviews, I buy what I like. I love my P2XL as well, but the experience for me is so much nicer than the 2, except for the FP sensor. But oh well, that's likely going to be the norm from here on out. As the saying goes.....fortis Fortuna adiuvat
:good:
Yeah you wasted a week with it just sitting in the box. Open and use it. How can you decide without giving it a try especially if you already have it right there.
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
With Pixel it's not about the specs, it's about how it works every day. Some people forget that, we use phones to get stuff done, not to attain the biggest number in stat columns. As said above, give it a try, send it back if your not feeling the love. Unless of course you know you could put the ching to better use and purchased only because you lusted your way into clicking the buy button after getting a few pints in your belly.
krabman said:
With Pixel it's not about the specs, it's about how it works every day. Some people forget that, we use phones to get stuff done, not to attain the biggest number in stat columns. As said above, give it a try, send it back if your not feeling the love. Unless of course you know you could put the ching to better use and purchased only because you lusted your way into clicking the buy button after getting a few pints in your belly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree here, what are some of the features that are Pixel-specific? I can only think of Soli support, better google assistant (but I feel like this will be brought to all devices later?) and better photos. But I'm assuming that there are ROMs out there that port most of the Pixel features?
Like I said, I have been using Google devices only, so I don't have a reference of what I would be missing, that's mainly the reason I posted this
I had the 3 XL and I'm not looking back. Sure I miss the fingerprint sensor at times but everything else is sweeter.
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
I had the 2xl and loved it but haven't doubted the switch to the 4xl at all. It's a far superior experience.
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
Kennyeni said:
Hi everyone,
Like many people out there, I'm the proud owner of a Pixel 2 XL which I love. I pre ordered and received a Pixel 4XL last week, but I haven't opened it yet out of... doubt.
I have always liked Google's phone (have had one of them for the last couple years, since the Nexus era), and I was really looking forward to get the Pixel 4XL this year, however, as many of you know... we are missing:
A fingerprint scanner: I could just use the Mod to use Face unlock on all apps, so fine, I can live without it.
Photo/video backup: I don't mind paying, but backing up videos is not going to be a $2 a month deal...
A wide-angle lens: My Pixel 2 doesn't have it either... so ok?
A real 90hz screen support without killing battery by forcing it
I'm getting tired of trying to convince myself that I should keep it, specially after I started comparing it to the OnePlus 7 Pro... which has a similar price point.
Should I just give up? Help me find reason to keep it, I have always cared more about the experience more than the hardware specs but this time it's getting tough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went with the 4xl over the OnePlus 7 pro, I honestly couldnt be happier. I am coming from the pixel 3a as well.
Photo and video back up is still free, its just not in original quality from what I understand.
Why is everyone blaming google for app developers not incorporating face unlock into their apps. Google literally has no control over who adds face unlock.
I agree about the camera, this is also my least looked at feature.
I have the 90hz forced and I have zero issue with battery life on my xl. Battery life is subjective to the user and all reviews have zero real world use of battery life after a single week.
This is an amazing device and I really wish people would stop paying attention to these youtube reviewers who make money based off of how many clicks they get. We all know bad press and harsh titles get the most clicks. People also need to understand that a reviewer who is paid to never put down the phone is not real world use, nor does it reflect actually battery life based on ones usage.
I guess if you want the internet to tell you how to spend your money, I would just send it back. Seems like youtube has already made up your mind for you, seeing as how its been in a box for a week. When you could have opened it and made the choice yourself already.
Kennyeni said:
Completely agree here, what are some of the features that are Pixel-specific? I can only think of Soli support, better google assistant (but I feel like this will be brought to all devices later?) and better photos. But I'm assuming that there are ROMs out there that port most of the Pixel features?
Like I said, I have been using Google devices only, so I don't have a reference of what I would be missing, that's mainly the reason I posted this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lets see; the easiest way might be to point out a few Pixel moments during my day today. This morning I needed to send a picture of a document as a PDF. I pulled out my trusty Pixel and took a picture of it with lens which will recognize a document and offer the option to create a pdf and send as such and I was done. Later I was getting driving directions from my daughter to a local cafe which had just opened and wasn't showing on Maps. She just moved into the place but hasn't got the road names down yet so I used the recorder to get verbal directions of the "turn right at the big yellow house" kind and referenced the recording on the way. I didn't help cook dinner which made me the dishwasher when the much maligned Soli stepped in to show that it does have a use case. I've recently discovered Electronica, mostly trance, some of it I love and some of it, well, I hate. While washing dishes I swiped away several songs of the uh uh variety without having to do the quick dry off of hands. Very convenient. A general thing; I used the assistant many times trying to keep up with the Seahawk game along with a few random tasks. I find the quicker response of assistant to be a big improvement which for me was unexpected, I never felt bothered by the delay before but I find I'm liking not having it now. I also took some shots of my fast moving grandkids and the motion shot did fetch me a couple shots that were better than what I would have got without it. I also didn't get a single spam phone call today which is just like yesterday and probably tomorrow, Goog is getting really good at blocking which is much appreciated. So that's what my Pixel did for me today.
Some of those features have trickled down to previous Pixel devices or were already there and some of them have been ported over to OnePlus. I own one of those so I keep up with that side. Take the camera, they already have a port but it doesn't work as well there. It didn't with the 7, didn't with the 6T, the 6, etc. There are always missing features or bugs or something, it never just works. Same with grabbing the dialer. You get some things to work, sometimes you get all of them to work but they never all work all the time. You really do get some of the goods to work properly but you wont be recreating a Pixel experience on the OP device of the day, it's been this way all along from the first Pixel till now. This isn't to say the OP isn't a good device or that you shouldn't buy it but you shouldn't buy it thinking you're going to grab all the Pixel stuff in the ROMs, that isn't going to happen. Some of it you'll get and it works, some you get and it's buggy and/or partially works, and some you wont get at all.
Going back to the start, it's about the experience with Pixel. It's nothing revolutionary or exciting, just the little things like hearing a song you don't like and swiping it away in the middles of dishes. Seeing your grandchild blink right as you press the button but you got the picture anyways. These Pixely things don't make great bullet points but they make for a satisfying device to own.
You'd be surprised. But there was a test out there with the OnePlus 7t with the Snapdragon 855+ vs the pixel 4 with the Snapdragon 855... processing video. And the pixel 4 killed the OnePlus somhow with a slower processor and less ram. It really isn't all about the specs. This pixel 4 feels very well optimized. And let's be honest, 1+ cameras aren't as good as the pixels... Plus I'm sorry but certain things on the OnePlus when I had it, completely sucked and made it feel cheap, like the microphones, the vibration motor.
Just open up your pixel 4 and enjoy it. If you had the 2, you will love it. Plus all these silly reviews about the phone having bad battery life is ridiculous, I have force 90 on and I'm getting a full day very easily, as are many others on here.
I have had the 4XL for just over a week now and I am conflicted myself. In the UK we do not get no questions asked returns (did not buy direct from Google) so I'd have to sell it on if I decide not to keep it, I am on the fence though TBH and I think there are 3 main things that are bugging me:
- The build, some seem to like the industrial design but every time I pick it up it just feels underwhelming. Honestly I think it feels a little cheap, maybe it is those plastic look edges.
- No ultra-wide
- Storage needs managing. I have the 128gb, it is just about enough but I have to think about what I put on there. With larger storage or an SD card I can have all of my music plus some local FLAC files, Netflix or Amazon for my commute and not even think about it. 256gb rather than 128gb solves this
The thing is that there still isn't a droid that ticks all of my boxes so for me at least it is pick your compromise, I also have a Mate 20 pro (resale so low I have kept it) and I really really like it even if the OS is a little rough around the edges and the camera slightly behind the Pixel and new iPhones now. Having had both of the Note 10s and the S10 I am leaning towards thinking that Samsung maybe still offer the best overall droid package. OnePlus are so so close now though!
Google have IMO had an open goal for the last 2 years, and just do not seem able to finish the job
Lets see; the easiest way might be to point out a few Pixel moments during my day today. This morning I needed to send a picture of a document as a PDF. I pulled out my trusty Pixel and took a picture of it with lens which will recognize a document and offer the option to create a pdf and send as such and I was done. Later I was getting driving directions from my daughter to a local cafe which had just opened and wasn't showing on Maps. She just moved into the place but hasn't got the road names down yet so I used the recorder to get verbal directions of the "turn right at the big yellow house" kind and referenced the recording on the way. I didn't help cook dinner which made me the dishwasher when the much maligned Soli stepped in to show that it does have a use case. I've recently discovered Electronica, mostly trance, some of it I love and some of it, well, I hate. While washing dishes I swiped away several songs of the uh uh variety without having to do the quick dry off of hands. Very convenient. A general thing; I used the assistant many times trying to keep up with the Seahawk game along with a few random tasks. I find the quicker response of assistant to be a big improvement which for me was unexpected, I never felt bothered by the delay before but I find I'm liking not having it now. I also took some shots of my fast moving grandkids and the motion shot did fetch me a couple shots that were better than what I would have got without it. I also didn't get a single spam phone call today which is just like yesterday and probably tomorrow, Goog is getting really good at blocking which is much appreciated. So that's what my Pixel did for me today.
Some of those features have trickled down to previous Pixel devices or were already there and some of them have been ported over to OnePlus. I own one of those so I keep up with that side. Take the camera, they already have a port but it doesn't work as well there. It didn't with the 7, didn't with the 6T, the 6, etc. There are always missing features or bugs or something, it never just works. Same with grabbing the dialer. You get some things to work, sometimes you get all of them to work but they never all work all the time. You really do get some of the goods to work properly but you wont be recreating a Pixel experience on the OP device of the day, it's been this way all along from the first Pixel till now. This isn't to say the OP isn't a good device or that you shouldn't buy it but you shouldn't buy it thinking you're going to grab all the Pixel stuff in the ROMs, that isn't going to happen. Some of it you'll get and it works, some you get and it's buggy and/or partially works, and some you wont get at all.
Going back to the start, it's about the experience with Pixel. It's nothing revolutionary or exciting, just the little things like hearing a song you don't like and swiping it away in the middles of dishes. Seeing your grandchild blink right as you press the button but you got the picture anyways. These Pixely things don't make great bullet points but they make for a satisfying device to own
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice explanations
Demolition49 said:
You'd be surprised. But there was a test out there with the OnePlus 7t with the Snapdragon 855+ vs the pixel 4 with the Snapdragon 855... processing video. And the pixel 4 killed the OnePlus somhow with a slower processor and less ram. It really isn't all about the specs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://youtu.be/PkVW5eSXKfw
Here's the video of anyone's curious.
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
arsenal74 said:
- The build, some seem to like the industrial design but every time I pick it up it just feels underwhelming. Honestly I think it feels a little cheap, maybe it is those plastic look edges.
- No ultra-wide
- Storage needs managing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. The build has been complimented alot this year for feeling more premium. Also do you slap a case on your phone? If so then that point is kind of out the window anyway. But I understand it is a subjective thing. There may even be way a way to strip that anodizing off the borders if you are the creative type.
2. Honestly even if it had an ultra wide, you cannot use it in anything but the best lighting conditions because of the aperture. Just look at the iPhone photos in anything but perfect lighting. You are much better off if you want wide angle shots using a moment lens on your main snapper to get a proper shot... Which is exactly what I have and do. This would apply to all phones with those different lenses. I do find the tele useful though because I can actually take tele on tele shots with my zoom lens and get about 4x optical zoom, which is absolutely fantastic.
3. Storage I agree you can get in to a dead end if you like large apps and music stored on your phone locally... But if you stream and use the cloud for photos it is very doable.
I'm not going to try and convince you, but I am happy with both the 2XL and the 4XL. Each for their own reasons. There's gains and losses no matter which one you pick. With that said, I'm content with my 4XL, and I made reasons to justify the 4.
My reasons for keeping the 4; my son gets my 2XL, and I get new hardware.
I went from 2XL to 4XL and won't look back at all. The Camera has gotten me several great shots already and it just feels smoother and faster.
I'm new to the pixel family. I was with Samsung Galaxy when I had my first major brand-name phone then went to lg. Now a happy owner of the p4xl to me this phone is great great camera but lg cam 8s better hardware wise but software wise p4xl has it. I think with all the complaints I keep hearing and reading about the cam, I feel Google focus on so and software more then anything and they did a great job. Plus you get updates faster then any brand out there.. I hear people complaining also about how cheap the phone feels but this phone feel heavier then I'm use too. I feel the ones who are really complaining are not appreciative of where Google's trying to go to in the future where just thinking about hardware and how each phone out me to another phone or another competitor but I feel good doing this right sore for it was hardware wise and it's just going to get better I think but that's for a first time Google pixel 4 user experience
If you need convincing I would say you don't want it. Just my opinion but I usually know when I want to keep or return something.

Buy a Pixel 5 now or wait for Pixel 6?

Hey guys,
I wanted your opinion regarding the Pixel 5. How happy are you with the aesthetics of the device? How does it feel on hand and how does it feel in the pocket?
This year I've tried a bunch of phones and I want to switch to something smaller and that has good camera and good battery life. Currently I have a s21 Ultra which is a good overall phone but this thing feels like a brick, it's heavy when you carry it and if you have a good case the phone is even bigger and heavier. Tried a regular S21 but that again was a bit bulky and heavy when used with a good thick case.
I've been reading about the Pixel 6 (all rumors at this point) but it seems like they are going to increase the size in the 6 series. The smallest upcoming Pixel 6 you can get will be 6.3~6.4 inches and even though it will have upgraded cameras and better specs I think I would just avoid buying it because of the size.
What do you recommend? Should I just buy the Pixel 5 now or maybe wait until the 6 series are released and then make a decision ?
Absolutely NOTHING wrong with the Pixel 5. I LOVE mine.
That being said, no XL version. I didn't like that. I came from P2XL. I like bigger screens. I'll probably get the 6XL
xunholyx said:
Absolutely NOTHING wrong with the Pixel 5. I LOVE mine.
That being said, no XL version. I didn't like that. I came from P2XL. I like bigger screens. I'll probably get the 6XL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im trying to stay at a maximum screen size of 6". And I want the weight to be reasonable. Another phone that's getting my attention is the asus zenfone 8. Seems like the ergonomic king of all androids powered phones right now. But it's a tough call between the regular supported software of pixel vs Asus.
paul_cherma said:
Hey guys,
I wanted your opinion regarding the Pixel 5. How happy are you with the aesthetics of the device? How does it feel on hand and how does it feel in the pocket?
This year I've tried a bunch of phones and I want to switch to something smaller and that has good camera and good battery life. Currently I have a s21 Ultra which is a good overall phone but this thing feels like a brick, it's heavy when you carry it and if you have a good case the phone is even bigger and heavier. Tried a regular S21 but that again was a bit bulky and heavy when used with a good thick case.
I've been reading about the Pixel 6 (all rumors at this point) but it seems like they are going to increase the size in the 6 series. The smallest upcoming Pixel 6 you can get will be 6.3~6.4 inches and even though it will have upgraded cameras and better specs I think I would just avoid buying it because of the size.
What do you recommend? Should I just buy the Pixel 5 now or maybe wait until the 6 series are released and then make a decision ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I'm someone who shares somewhat similar views / opinions. Just changed from an lg v40 to a pixel 3, very happy with a smaller screen and less weight.
It absolutely is an individual thing, of course. Some constantly use their device, gaming, video's etc etc, and a bigger screen (read heavy) outweighs (punny) other aspects.
But if yer like me, really only use the device as a phone, take good pics occasionally, facebook a little, etc... AND carry it in your pocket always, then size and weight become prominent in the choice.
Seeing as google is going the 'bigger is better' route, I'd say a 3, 4 or 5 is where I'll be for years to come (thanks!! Lineage!). Basically, I just don't do enough screen / face time to justify a larger heavier phone.
But a 5 now? Naaah, it won't be long, with 5a and 6 becoming available, the price will drop. buy then.
cheers
paul_cherma said:
Im trying to stay at a maximum screen size of 6". And I want the weight to be reasonable. Another phone that's getting my attention is the asus zenfone 8. Seems like the ergonomic king of all androids powered phones right now. But it's a tough call between the regular supported software of pixel vs Asus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you will more than happy with the Pixel 5. It's a great device
AsItLies said:
So I'm someone who shares somewhat similar views / opinions. Just changed from an lg v40 to a pixel 3, very happy with a smaller screen and less weight.
It absolutely is an individual thing, of course. Some constantly use their device, gaming, video's etc etc, and a bigger screen (read heavy) outweighs (punny) other aspects.
But if yer like me, really only use the device as a phone, take good pics occasionally, facebook a little, etc... AND carry it in your pocket always, then size and weight become prominent in the choice.
Seeing as google is going the 'bigger is better' route, I'd say a 3, 4 or 5 is where I'll be for years to come (thanks!! Lineage!). Basically, I just don't do enough screen / face time to justify a larger heavier phone.
But a 5 now? Naaah, it won't be long, with 5a and 6 becoming available, the price will drop. buy then.
cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The idea of switching to a smaller phone came to me after I was hiking and traveling with some friends for about 3 weeks and most of them had bought the Iphone Mini. I was surprised by how a tiny phone like that was pretty much on par with my s21U and some other top of the line expensive android phones that some other friends were using. It took good pictures, battery life was good, and even though I had a beast on me (the S21U) when we compared pics, battery life, browsing, app switching, etc, I saw very minimal differences. The damn thing feels like a toy when you hold it but it is such a good device. Now I can not use an Iphone as my daily driver, I don't hate their products, they're just not for me. The main criteria for me has always been
1. it has to be android OS,
2. must be root friendly
3. good battery and good pictures
Carrying the S21U around is kind of a pain in the butt lol. I can certainly use it with one hand as a tall person with big hands but it's so uncomfortable just carrying it around. And for the specs it has I was expecting more out of it... so far it has simply been a good device. I can't say I am impressed or wow-ed by it.
I think I'll wait for the 5a be announced and see it in person before making a decision but I am already 60% against buying it as it seems like they will up the screen size to 6.2 inches. The camera and processor will stay the same pretty much as the pixel 5 -> but it will be cheaper than a Pixel 5 so I'm not sure if that'll be enough for me to consider it. I'm definitely not waiting for the 6 series to be released though, at this point it seems "confirmed" that all the 6 series will be at the 6.3-6.4 screen size and up.
paul_cherma said:
The idea of switching to a smaller phone came to me after I was hiking and traveling with some friends for about 3 weeks and most of them had bought the Iphone Mini. I was surprised by how a tiny phone like that was pretty much on par with my s21U and some other top of the line expensive android phones that some other friends were using. It took good pictures, battery life was good, and even though I had a beast on me (the S21U) when we compared pics, battery life, browsing, app switching, etc, I saw very minimal differences. The damn thing feels like a toy when you hold it but it is such a good device. Now I can not use an Iphone as my daily driver, I don't hate their products, they're just not for me. The main criteria for me has always been
1. it has to be android OS,
2. must be root friendly
3. good battery and good pictures
Carrying the S21U around is kind of a pain in the butt lol. I can certainly use it with one hand as a tall person with big hands but it's so uncomfortable just carrying it around. And for the specs it has I was expecting more out of it... so far it has simply been a good device. I can't say I am impressed or wow-ed by it.
I think I'll wait for the 5a be announced and see it in person before making a decision but I am already 60% against buying it as it seems like they will up the screen size to 6.2 inches. The camera and processor will stay the same pretty much as the pixel 5 -> but it will be cheaper than a Pixel 5 so I'm not sure if that'll be enough for me to consider it. I'm definitely not waiting for the 6 series to be released though, at this point it seems "confirmed" that all the 6 series will be at the 6.3-6.4 screen size and up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can relate, for sure. Have never tried an iPhone but sincerely doubt it would work for me either. I hate the proprietary 'you're forced to do it this way, whether you like it or not'.
Agree, the 5a and 6's are going to be too big. Only reason I'd wait for them to come out is then, the p5 will drop in price. Then I'd get the p5
I really enjoy my pixel 5. Perfect size. I did really like the S20, however, I didn't want to give up root. Also, at the time it said that on Verizon I wouldn't get 5g with the Intl version, but I do believe that I would of gotten it (not that I've seen 5g even once in my area on the Pixel 5... but that's another discussion) As for battery/pictures, I haven't owned a Samsung in recent years, and this being my first Pixel, I am really impressed with the camera. And Battery for me is wonderful. I am not a heavy user, very minimal, not many apps, no social media, no gaming, etc. so my baseline wont be the same as yours, but the Pixel 5 fairs well considering its specs.
I can't imagine using a phone too much larger than the S21. My brother recently upgraded his S20. It's so, darn, heavy. I'd get used to it with time, but going from my P5 with a slim case, to playing with his S21 is difficult. I am considering the Pixel 6/S21/S22/others/ here soon, but if I am content with the P5, I'll be on it for as long as I can make it last..
I agree to wait for the 5a to be released, even the 6 if you can wait it out, as then the deals for a new one, or someone letting go of a lightly used one should be for a good price.
I usually get the latest phone each year but if the P6 is a millimeter over 6" I might have to skip it. The P5 at 5.7" is really the largest I'd like but 6 is max. It just won't fit in my running shorts or my saddle bag and would probably fall out of my pocket in the car. They really need to rethink the larger size or just go the standard/XL route so everyone is happy.
AsItLies said:
I can relate, for sure. Have never tried an iPhone but sincerely doubt it would work for me either. I hate the proprietary 'you're forced to do it this way, whether you like it or not'.
Agree, the 5a and 6's are going to be too big. Only reason I'd wait for them to come out is then, the p5 will drop in price. Then I'd get the p5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how much does google discount the older phone when they release new ones usually? I've never shopped for Pixel phones so I'm not familiar with their strategy. Right now Pixel 5 sells for $699 on their website
paul_cherma said:
how much does google discount the older phone when they release new ones usually? I've never shopped for Pixel phones so I'm not familiar with their strategy. Right now Pixel 5 sells for $699 on their website
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not positive but it should be discounted 100 to maybe 150, initially. So think about the cycle of the pixel 4, and where it is now. It was originally 799, but it's at 400 now and a 4a is 350.
Those are much more reasonable prices for the phone, imho. I have a pixel 3 and with lineage available, more than happy to use it until the price drops.
cheers
Pixel 6 is going to be a major jump in terms of design and camera hardware. I would totally wait for it.
svetius said:
Pixel 6 is going to be a major jump in terms of design and camera hardware. I would totally wait for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And, playing devils advocate here, some would say the 'major jump' in design is a major jump backwards (they will be too big). Camera hardware is changing, that's a good thing always. But it's worth asking yourself; are u unhappy with the pics you get now? I mean, if you're not taking photos professionally, is this a difference (assuming there is one) that would matter to you?
cheers
svetius said:
Pixel 6 is going to be a major jump in terms of design and camera hardware. I would totally wait for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd agree with the specs and design improvements, however, the OP didn't really seem that concerned with better this or that. He was concerned about the size and bulkiness of the device, which I am in the same boat. At 5.7" the P5 is simply the right size for a lot of folks. In the 9 months I've had it I've been totally satisfied with everything about it including battery life. Looking at 6.3 is a big difference. Now if they can keep the weight down and perhaps max it at 6.1 well that's a different story. And then there's the price. One caveat is the $699 price now of the P5. That needs to go on sale for $599. Then it's a buy without waiting imo. The next couple of months should be interesting as leaks are released.
It would have been nice if they kept the screen size for one of the 6 series phones to 6.1" maximum. Looks like they are upping that to 6.4". The big screen size alone is keeping me away from wanting to get one. Also Wonder if there will be a huge difference for point and shoot or daytime pictures between the 5 and 6... we'll see when they do the comparisons.
paul_cherma said:
It would have been nice if they kept the screen size for one of the 6 series phones to 6.1" maximum. Looks like they are upping that to 6.4". The big screen size alone is keeping me away from wanting to get one. Also Wonder if there will be a huge difference for point and shoot or daytime pictures between the 5 and 6... we'll see when they do the comparisons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And just like that I get an alert on my news feed that the P5 is out of stock across the board. I wonder what's going on. I'm hoping that there is a P6 and a P6 XL.
bobby janow said:
I'd agree with the specs and design improvements, however, the OP didn't really seem that concerned with better this or that. He was concerned about the size and bulkiness of the device, which I am in the same boat. At 5.7" the P5 is simply the right size for a lot of folks. In the 9 months I've had it I've been totally satisfied with everything about it including battery life. Looking at 6.3 is a big difference. Now if they can keep the weight down and perhaps max it at 6.1 well that's a different story. And then there's the price. One caveat is the $699 price now of the P5. That needs to go on sale for $599. Then it's a buy without waiting imo. The next couple of months should be interesting as leaks are released.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm really hoping that they keep the screen size to a maximum of 6.1. From the leaks so far it seems that they are going for the big screen though. I'm using a s21U now, I like the camera, not exceptional but it's better than good imo. I really like the zoom capabilities of it also, they come in handy if you want to zoom to far away objects. But I'm getting tired of these big screen and heavy phones. It's sad that there's not many Android operated devices that have a good size and good specs and are root friendly.
paul_cherma said:
It would have been nice if they kept the screen size for one of the 6 series phones to 6.1" maximum. Looks like they are upping that to 6.4". The big screen size alone is keeping me away from wanting to get one. Also Wonder if there will be a huge difference for point and shoot or daytime pictures between the 5 and 6... we'll see when they do the comparisons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree. Google will no doubt make improvements to the camera ability. Believe I've read the high res zoom will go from 2x to 6x. Great of course. But the closer you zoom in, the steadier you have to be, thus the exposure has to be quick, meaning the ISO has to be high (grain). During a bright sunny day it will probably work well.
Me personally though, I'll stick with my 40x zoom Canon pocket camera, if I'm going out to shoot birds or something. While sure, it would be nice to have a phone with more zoom power... do you need it? how often u gonna use that?
realistically speaking, it's a 'nice to have', but certainly not something I've ever thought I needed.
cheers
An alternative suggestion - get a 4a super cheap for now and see how the 5a and 6 pan out.
I have owned 4a and 5, moving to them from the S20. Both are excellent and while the differences between 4a and 5 might look significant on paper, they are barely noticeable in use. The 4a is quite the bargain.
What I liked:
-Size. Though I personally prefer a 6.2" screen (the OP6 was perfect), having it smaller was actually really nice instead of the giant bricks most phones have become.
-Camera. Even though the hardware isn't the greatest, the software makes the Pixel 5 take some damn fine photos for the price.
-Root!!!
There's some downsides to the Pixel 5 in my opinion.
-Under glass speaker (who in engineering thought this was okay?) This is insanely annoying and I can't fathom how anyone could deal with this, and is the main reason I returned mine.
-Piss poor hardware (it's slow, and noticably so).
-God awful Haptics.
-On mine, sometimes it would actually butt-dial people even though I had a finger print set up. Or it wouldn't answer calls even if I got answer 50 times (this doesn't mean this happens to every one, I firmly believe mine was possessed)
Your mileage may vary, and you may be okay with my gripes, but if it were me, I'd wait for the 6.

Question Upgrade, yes no?

Good evening,
I have been using the Google Pixel 6 for more than a year and am basically satisfied with it. However, I think that an upgrade is necessary. Would the Pixel 7(a) be recommendable here? The only thing that has bothered me about Pixel 6 is dark scenes in videos. Black pixels are lit up in a funny way and yet you can't see much in the videos. Otherwise, I am also open to other brands with good price-performance ratio.
I am grateful for any advice and opinion!
Welcome to XDA.
In general the improvements from year to year aren't that much; not much bang for the buck unless you get a really good trade-in deal.
I'm still using my Note 10+ and in many ways it's superior to the newest Samsung's and not much slower in actual normal usage. Nitpicking over a couple pixels for a cam upgrade isn't worth all that trouble. Pro cam shooters rarely upgrade their cam every year or two...
Bottom line; depends how deep your pockets are.
If you don't upgrade expect to replace the battery soon, routine maintenance, no big deal.
blackhawk said:
Welcome to XDA.
In general the improvements from year to year aren't that much; not much bang for the buck unless you get a really good trade-in deal.
I'm still using my Note 10+ and in many ways it's superior to the newest Samsung's and not much slower in actual normal usage. Nitpicking over a couple pixels for a cam upgrade isn't worth all that trouble. Pro cam shooters rarely upgrade their cam every year or two...
Bottom line; depends how deep your pockets are.
If you don't upgrade expect to replace the battery soon, routine maintenance, no big deal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your opinion!
In the Google Telegram channel I got recommended that I wait until October for the Pixel 8. Let's see what that brings, except for the unnecessary built-in fever thermometer.
I replaced my P6 with a P7 after it was accidentally damaged beyond repair. I can barely tell the differance. The phones seem to drop in price quite a bit about 3 or 4 months after their release, so if you can wait til the end of January most of the early bugs will have been worked out and the price will have dropped by at least $100.
poit said:
I replaced my P6 with a P7 after it was accidentally damaged beyond repair. I can barely tell the differance. The phones seem to drop in price quite a bit about 3 or 4 months after their release, so if you can wait til the end of January most of the early bugs will have been worked out and the price will have dropped by at least $100.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You benefit by waiting not only in a reduced price but by seeing if any unsolvable hardware bugs are present. I would give it 6 months. Use independent reviews here, on utube and Reddit to better guage the actual performance and any issues that crop up with the device.
Look at the mess some of the S23U owners are having with the banana shaped optical blurring with their main cam. It's not just Samsung, both Android hardware and firmware are more shake & bake then ever. When people are in a big bad hurry... mistakes happen. Sit back, observe then pick the device that will best fullfill your mission if you have that luxury. A good flagship should last you many years.
Just upgraded to the Pixel 7 from the 4xl. Only real improvements I see is less bezel, updates install faster, and slightly better camera. May return the 7 and stick with the 4xl a bit longer.
PuffinNugz said:
Just upgraded to the Pixel 7 from the 4xl. Only real improvements I see is less bezel, updates install faster, and slightly better camera. May return the 7 and stick with the 4xl a bit longer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do the Google phone vs phone vid search. A 2019 flagship can hold up well to the newer phones. Replace battery as needed and keep rollin.
PuffinNugz said:
Just upgraded to the Pixel 7 from the 4xl. Only real improvements I see is less bezel, updates install faster, and slightly better camera. May return the 7 and stick with the 4xl a bit longer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never used the 4xl but I like its lens spec. With newer Pixels I'd rather not resort to digital zoom for avoiding distortion. 7 Pro answers that but only if prices drop enough.
SmilingPeace said:
Good evening,
I have been using the Google Pixel 6 for more than a year and am basically satisfied with it. However, I think that an upgrade is necessary. Would the Pixel 7(a) be recommendable here? The only thing that has bothered me about Pixel 6 is dark scenes in videos. Black pixels are lit up in a funny way and yet you can't see much in the videos. Otherwise, I am also open to other brands with good price-performance ratio.
I am grateful for any advice and opinion!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a Pixel 6 since they were announced and was very happy with it except for the fingerprint reader. I work with wood a lot and it seems to screw up my fingerprint mightily. I basically abandoned the fingerprint reader and just used a PIN. When the Pixel 7 arrived, I traded-in my Pixel 6 and got a Pixel 7. I am very happy with face unlock and that I don't have to deal with the fingerprint reader anymore. I can't say anything about the 7A, but the Pixel 7 screen is very much like the Pixel 6. In fact, I think of my Pixel 7 as a "Pixel 6, refined." There might not be enough difference in the screen to make it worth it. Same with the cameras. Again, this relates only to the Pixel 7, not the Pixel 7A.
I went from the 6 to 7. It was a lateral but very needed upgrade. Much more stable.
I plan to get a 7 real soon as I found a nice deal on it. Leomgrass color
LLStarks said:
I went from the 6 to 7. It was a lateral but very needed upgrade. Much more stable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No need to wait I guess if I found a good deal yea? I mean wait till later this year for the new one

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