Google Pixel 3 / 3 XL 2018

[Mike Dee]

I told you it was 4 GB and SD 845 a month or two ago. We have photographic evidence of both of those specs. This isn't a surprise or news and it's definitely not a problem.

Just wait till someone puts out a phone with 8GB of RAM and sinks all existing flagships.

I'm suprised mexapixels haven't been brought up yet because more is always better.....lol

 

[onthecouchagain]

I don't think anyone is saying 4GB is a "problem."

It's just that it's not competitive. These are predicted to be priced in the premium space and for premium prices, you expect a certain level of future-proofing and competitiveness. It's no longer insane to wish for 6GB in a flagship phone because of the fact that it's slowly becoming more standard in a handful of great smartphone options, namely the S9+ and OnePlus 6.

Also, specs do matter. Ask MKBHD:

He says the 6GB of RAM specifically makes a real world difference.

I don't see anything wrong with being disappointed that Google is planning on staying with 4GB for a late 2018 premium flagship device. It should at least be in the 3 XL model.

 

[Mike Dee]

I don't think anyone is saying 4GB is a "problem."

It's just that it's not competitive. These are predicted to be priced in the premium space and for premium prices, you expect a certain level of future-proofing and competitiveness. It's no longer insane to wish for 6GB in a flagship phone because of the fact that it's slowly becoming more standard in a handful of great smartphone options, namely the S9+ and OnePlus 6.

Also, specs do matter. Ask MKBHD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_5zZnuB71w

He says the 6GB of RAM specifically makes a real world difference.

I don't see anything wrong with being disappointed that Google is planning on staying with 4GB for a late 2018 premium flagship device. It should at least be in the 3 XL model.

Negligible difference in the video. The only edge 6 over 4 gives you is how many apps are stored in memory. The amount of RAM does not impact speed directly unless there isn't enough RAM. I would credit the speed difference to the processor not the RAM.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Negligible difference in the video. The only edge 6 over 4 gives you is how many apps are stored in memory. The amount of RAM does not impact speed directly unless there isn't enough RAM. I would credit the speed difference to the processor not the RAM.

I know what RAM does.

 

[anon(661246)]

so pixel 3 will not be a high end device yet it'll be priced like one. can't believe only 4gb of ram.

 

[Mike Dee]

I know what RAM does.

I never said you didn't know what RAM does.
This is an open discussion and felt I should clarify for the benefit of those who come here and don't know the difference since you mentioned that in the video MKBHD claims 6GB of RAM specifically makes a real world difference.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I never said you didn't know what RAM does.
This is an open discussion and felt I should clarify for the benefit of those who come here and don't know the difference since you mentioned that in the video MKBHD claims 6GB makes a real world difference.

That's cool, but what exactly are you clarifying for people? Explaining what RAM does for people doesn't debunk MKBHD's comment on RAM.

Anyhoo, my point still stands... there's nothing wrong with being disappointed that Google isn't being as competitive at the same premium price points in a late 2018 flagship, especially for the XL model.

We're all Pixel and Android fans. I want to see Google compete on all fronts, not just the camera and software. This means better design, better speakers, better screen, better features, and yes, even better specs like RAM. It's not uncommon to find 6GB of RAM in Android devices these days. Why shouldn't we expect Google to stay on par?

To be disappointed by 4GB of RAM isn't the same as saying 4GB of RAM is a "problem." We all know it's not a "problem" per se, but we also know it's lower than some of the competition.

 

[Mike Dee]

What exactly are you clarifying for people? Explaining what RAM does for those people doesn't debunk MKBHD's video. Or are you saying 6GB vs 4GB doesn't make real world difference?

Im not trying to debunk MKBHD's video. He has an opinion like everyone else.
Yes....I'm saying it doesn't make a real world difference. There is a negligible difference in speed in the video and I'm saying the credit belongs to the processor not the RAM.

 

[Mike Dee]

That's cool, but what exactly are you clarifying for people? Explaining what RAM does for people doesn't debunk MKBHD's video.

Anyhoo, my point still stands... there's nothing wrong with being disappointed that Google isn't being as competitive at the same premium price points in a late 2018 flagship, especially for the XL model.

We're all Pixel and Android fans. I want to see Google compete on all fronts, not just the camera and software. This means better design, better speakers, better screen, better features, and yes, even better specs like RAM. It's not uncommon to find 6GB of RAM in Android devices these days.

To be disappointed by 4GB of RAM isn't the same as saying 4GB of RAM is a "problem." We all know it's not a "problem" per se, but we also know it's lower than some of the competition.

It's OK to be disappointed... truthfully I would prefer 6GB and 256 storage but I'm not sweating it. I'm more concerned with the glass back.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Im not trying to debunk MKBHD's video. He has an opinion like everyone else.
Yes....I'm saying it doesn't make a real world difference. There is a negligible difference in speed in the video and I'm saying the credit belongs to the processor not the RAM.

We are talking about RAM. Here's what MKBHD says about RAM in that video:

"You can also see after multitasking for a while, it starts to drop apps from memory faster and that makes a difference when you're using a phone all day when you have to keep reloading apps all the time and waiting an extra bit. This is a real world difference between actually 4GB of RAM and 8GB of RAM."

He goes on to say RAM might not have mattered as much before, but "now I'm actually observing it makes a real world difference."

In a late 2018 flagship device with a premium price tag, expecting 6GB RAM is not asking a lot. And if RAM can bring apps back up faster and without needing to refresh, that is being faster in speed that you can see and feel in every day use.

 

[Mike Dee]

But we're not talking about performance. We were talking about RAM. Here's what MKBHD says about RAM in that video:

"You can also see after multitasking for a while, it starts to drop apps from memory faster and that makes a difference when you're using a phone all day when you have to keep reloading apps all the time and waiting an extra bit. This is a real world difference between actually 4GB of RAM and 8GB of RAM."

He goes on to say RAM might not have mattered as much before, but "now I'm actually observing it makes a real world difference."

In a late 2018 flagship device with a premium price tag, expecting 6GB RAM is not asking a lot.

He' not telling most of us much because that's a known that more RAM makes a difference in multi-taskung. Honestly, the difference I saw wouldn't make a functional difference in the real world.....but that's just my opinion. I would prefer more RAM but since it wont impact my life I'm OK with less.

 

[anon(10092459)]

We're all Pixel and Android fans. I want to see Google compete on all fronts, not just the camera and software. This means better design, better speakers, better screen, better features, and yes, even better specs like RAM. It's not uncommon to find 6GB of RAM in Android devices these days. Why shouldn't we expect Google to stay on par?

The iPhone X is the top selling phone right now and it has 3G of RAM. Wouldn't it better for Google to continue to improve the optimization and efficiency?

I hate using car analogies, but isn't it better to make a car more fuel efficient through technology instead of just adding a bigger fuel tank to cover the same distance?

I guess I don't see the case for adding more RAM, and more cost along with it btw, if there are other means to accomplish the end goal of the device running smoothly.

 

[osubeavs728]

That's cool, but what exactly are you clarifying for people? Explaining what RAM does for people doesn't debunk MKBHD's comment on RAM.

Anyhoo, my point still stands... there's nothing wrong with being disappointed that Google isn't being as competitive at the same premium price points in a late 2018 flagship, especially for the XL model.

We're all Pixel and Android fans. I want to see Google compete on all fronts, not just the camera and software. This means better design, better speakers, better screen, better features, and yes, even better specs like RAM. It's not uncommon to find 6GB of RAM in Android devices these days. Why shouldn't we expect Google to stay on par?

To be disappointed by 4GB of RAM isn't the same as saying 4GB of RAM is a "problem." We all know it's not a "problem" per se, but we also know it's lower than some of the competition.

You think 75%+ of the people that buy phones care about what the spec sheet says? Or care that it just works and works smoothly?

I'm betting it's the latter. So, seeing as how the pixel does and will continue to just work better than most of the phones out there with 6gb of RAM, I'd say that qualifies as being competitive.

The new iPhones have 3gb of RAM, does that mean those phones aren't competitive?

 

[onthecouchagain]

Oh, I expect Google will optimize the software well -- they have to. The competition is fierce as ever.

In my original post, I'm pointing out no one is really calling 4GB of RAM a "problem," and that people are justifiably disappointed that spec isn't as high as some competitors especially for a flagship device in a late 2018 at premium prices.

Also, I don't understand why you can't achieve both good optimization + top of the line specs; we can't even hope for both as Pixel/Android fans?

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

The amount of RAM does not impact speed directly unless there isn't enough RAM.

This is exactly the crux of the whole argument. The way that Android works, adding RAM only helps if one or both of two criteria are met: 1) your resource management sucks and isn't using Android's native dynamic management properly 2) the tasks you're trying to accomplish require more RAM than is available, but bear in mind Android is designed to run on 2 GB RAM as a minimum recommended spec for Android O and P.

Now, I can't speak directly for Android P running official final software on the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL - but traditionally, Android on Pixels has never met either one of those criteria.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

so pixel 3 will not be a high end device yet it'll be priced like one. can't believe only 4gb of ram.

Unless your definition of high end device is based on the quantity of RAM, then this is false. It will be a high end device and will be priced like one and that will include having 4 GB of RAM.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

It's not uncommon to find 6GB of RAM in Android devices these days. Why shouldn't we expect Google to stay on par?

Mixture of the concepts of value add and opportunity cost. Adding additional RAM will provide very little, if any added value tot he consumer yet will cost more for Google. That money can be better spent on a variety of other areas, such as improving other aspects of the phone, R&D, keeping the price as low as they can manage to and still meet budgetary constraints, etc. As an example, maybe the difference in price on RAM is enough for them to have been able to hire two additional software engineers for their camera, etc.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I'm not here to argue with fellow Android and Pixel fans.

I want Google to be competitive. This spills past just the RAM. Will they source better quality screens this time around? Could they have designed the 3 XL better? That deep notch is still a big mystery to me. Will it have better dual speakers if they insist on keeping it on the front which leads to thicker bezel in the regular Pixel 3 and a terribly imbalanced design in the 3 XL? Will they include USB-C earphones this time instead of a dongle that has been, in my experience, incredibly unreliable? Will we see a higher water and dust proofing certification? Etc.

I want Google to be putting their best foot forward, not just in camera and software.

 

[anon(10092459)]

I'm not here to argue with fellow Android and Pixel fans.

I want Google to be competitive. This spills past just the RAM. Will they source better quality screens this time around? Could they have designed the 3 XL better? That deep notch is still a big mystery to me. Will it have better dual speakers if they insist on keeping it on the front which leads to thicker bezel in the regular Pixel 3 and a terribly imbalanced design in the 3 XL? Will they include USB-C earphones this time instead of a dongle that has been, in my experience, incredibly unreliable? Will we see a higher water and dust proofing certification? Etc.

I want Google to be putting their best foot forward, not just in camera and software.

Fair enough. I don't want you to feel that we can't have an open discussion. Your opinion and preferences are as valid as anyone elses.

So to your points. I view the Pixel through the views of how Sundar explained it to Osterloh. In this order... AI, then software, THEN hardware. So with those parameters, I continue to expect the approach to the design of the Pixel with that exact level of priority in mind.

To me, that means make the phone smart as we can first and foremost, use the AI and ML to make the software experience the best we can, build functional hardware that highlight's the first two priorities.

If we stay with that line of thinking, if they're posed with an issue (efficiency in this discussion), they'll try to tackle it through the software engineers before turning to hardware to "fix" it.

I think Google wants to flex their prowess in AI and software, through ever increasing efficiency throughout the device. If they crutch on increasing hardware specs, like RAM or bigger battery, that mission gets lost and engineers get lazy.

Hardware will always be a lower priority, but still a priority.

 

[anon(661246)]

unless the pixel is priced considerably lower I don't see how this can really stack up against the Note 9 that will have more ram, a better screen, a bigger battery, the stylus, a flagship level camera and a more premium feeling device.