Google Pixel 3 / 3 XL 2018

[onthecouchagain]

This is what I meant when I said "you lost me". I don't understand what you mean by "screen experience" in this context. I am willing to grant that this is probably a failing on my part rather than something you didn't explain properly. Not trying to be obtuse on this, I just don't think we have a working definition of the terms and so it makes it difficult to figure out if we agree or disagree, and if we do disagree, on what exactly it is that we disagree. Sorry

I hear ya. Sorry I wasn't clear.

To me, screen experience is just the overall experience of the front of the device and how that affects interaction. Both the front of the design and the display panel affects this overall experience.

However, even if we were strictly talking about the display panel (strictly everything in between the bezels), then even that is something worth raising concern over. For example, will Google source better panels this time around so we don't have a repeat of the 2 XL display oddities?

 

[onthecouchagain]

Frankly, the speakers on the Pixel 2 aren't that great to begin with, front-firing or not. They're tinny and rather unclear.

I genuinely find my S9+ and iPhone X speakers better, clearer, and louder across the board. For music, driving navigation, and certainly for speaker calls.

 

[Mike Dee]

P L A S T I C allows wireless charging and is sturdier than glass. With glass you need a case anyway so what's the dif? Carbon fiber looks nice too. Using glass on the back is a silly fad. How many laptops are made of glass? It's nuts. Phones are pocket computers. Make it sturdy and put a REALLY nice bright flat screen on it. The screen is the pretty part!

Agreed but the premium feel camp seems to feel otherwise. BTW glass doesn't just break easily, it scatches easily too. Just ask my daughter who's iPhone X got scratched by two grains of sand between the phone and the case.

 

[recDNA]

Agreed but the premium feel camp seems to feel otherwise. BTW glass doesn't just break easily, it scatches easily too. Just ask my daughter who's iPhone X got scratched by two grains of sand between the phone and the case.

U don't feel it if it is in a case! Almost everyone puts them in a case! They ARE more fragile than carbon fiber or even plastic in fact I have read many accounts of people removing cases only to find a cracked back without any recollection of even dropping the phone.

 

[Mike Dee]

I'll bet if you were to ask the average consumer about screens, bezels, speakers, jacks, external storage or whatever floats your boat you would get a big......who cares?
That's not to suggest that they aren't important things to talk about.
Me personally...I'm learning to look at the total package and have decided that for myself there are very few deal breakers. I do have preferences but have admitted to myself that certain features are not as must have as they used to be.

 

[Mike Dee]

U don't feel it if it is in a case! Almost everyone puts them in a case! They ARE more fragile than carbon fiber or even plastic in fact I have read many accounts of people removing cases only to find a cracked back without any recollection of even dropping the phone.

We are in total agreement....the feel thing is irrelevant unless you go caseless which is a bad idea. The only good thing about Google putting glass on the back is it looks like they are going with a finish that is less likely to show prints.

 

[vzwuser76]

Frankly, the speakers on the Pixel 2 aren't that great to begin with, front-firing or not. They're tinny and rather unclear.

I genuinely find my S9+ and iPhone X speakers better, clearer, and louder across the board. For music, driving navigation, and certainly for speaker calls.

A crappy speaker in the open is better than a great speaker that's covered. Yes, I can hold it another way, but the problem was, with my Pixel which was the only device with a bottom mount speaker, I'd have to restart the video because I forgot the speaker was on the bottom. Then, to get a decent sound out of it, I had to cup my hand around the bottom speaker to direct it to me, or live with it being quite a bit quieter. I made a promise to myself that if the Pixel 2 came with a bottom firing speaker, I was going to look for something else, that's how much I didn't like it.

You asked me earlier what did I do before I had dual front facing speakers, well it's pretty simple, I used what I had, because there was no other options. From the way you talk you want a screen that goes edge to edge, from side to side and top to bottom for that full screen experience, so what did you do on previous devices that didn't have that available? Personally, I don't want a device without bezels, mainly because you'd have to be careful not to trigger touches simply by holding it. And it's not like the phone is unusable if it has a bezel around it. Would it look sleek and cool if it didn't have them? Sure. But if I have to worry about how I hold a device to use it, no screen experience in the world will make up for that.

 

[Mike Dee]

A crappy speaker in the open is better than a great speaker that's covered. Yes, I can hold it another way, but the problem was, with my Pixel which was the only device with a bottom mount speaker, I'd have to restart the video because I forgot the speaker was on the bottom. Then, to get a decent sound out of it, I had to cup my hand around the bottom speaker to direct it to me, or live with it being quite a bit quieter. I made a promise to myself that if the Pixel 2 came with a bottom firing speaker, I was going to look for something else, that's how much I didn't like it.

You asked me earlier what did I do before I had dual front facing speakers, well it's pretty simple, I used what I had, because there was no other options. From the way you talk you want a screen that goes edge to edge, from side to side and top to bottom for that full screen experience, so what did you do on previous devices that didn't have that available? Personally, I don't want a device without bezels, mainly because you'd have to be careful not to trigger touches simply by holding it. And it's not like the phone is unusable if it has a bezel around it. Would it look sleek and cool if it didn't have them? Sure. But if I have to worry about how I hold a device to use it, no screen experience in the world will make up for that.

Great points.....actually I find the sound is decent. Yeah there may be some that are better but let's get real.... It's a device not soley built on the merits of it's sound signature. There isn't a perfect phone out there that does everything well. My advice to anyone who has concerns with sound or other features is to try before you buy or make sure returns are not an issue. I can't see how someone buys a device and then hates it but lives with it.

 

[vzwuser76]

Great points.....actually I find the sound is decent. Yeah there may be some that are better but let's get real.... It's a device not soley built on the merits of it's sound signature. There isn't a perfect phone out there that does everything well. My advice to anyone who has concerns with sound or other features is to try before you buy or make sure returns are not an issue. I can't see how someone buys a device and then hates it buy lives with it.

Normally if I don't like a phone, I'll get rid of it. With the first Pixel, I didn't really test out watching video during my 14 day trial. I didn't get a chance to check it out prior to getting it because I'm 90 miles from my nearest Verizon affiliate, and in the Pixel's case I was 200 miles away from the nearest store carrying one. Life in the sticks.

From what I can see the 3rd Gen Pixels have FFS, but now I'm worried about the glass back, especially after one of the posters here talking about his wife's S9 glass back cracking in a case. And I don't even use wireless charging.

 

[neil74]

I'd agree also that the speakers on the 2XL are not really any better than the S9+ although I do get it is easier to cover up bottom firing speakers whilst holding.

If the 3XL will indeed top out at 128gb then I am out. I get that google is pushing people to the cloud but 128gb is too close for comfort for me, do not necessarily want an SD card but 256gb internal would be fine.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

The 2016 device with the best speakers was the original Pixel, followed by the Axon 7. The 2 & 2 XL are better than that, with an increase of over 20 dB (up to 98 dB) without any noticeable loss in clarity. I believe that the new Razer phone surpasses the Pixel 2, and the S9 goes head to head with the Razer phone on music, while the Razer soundly defeats it on video, games and calls. Dolby enhancement goes a long way to improving the sound experience. Samsung gets louder than the Razer, but distorts sound.

All that said, the biggest issue with the statement you're making is that it's making the false claim that just because something isn't the best, don't mean that it isn't good, or even great.

First, decibels aren't be all, end all of sound.

Second, I'm not saying that it something isn't the best that it can't be good/great. No where did I say that.

What I am saying is that Google is so focused on going with dual front facing speakers, when the speaker's aren't even very good. They sound tinny and distort at high volumes - I don't consider that good or great. Apple and HTC have had superior sound out of their devices for a couple of generations and now Samsung has also joined the front + bottom speaker setup whilst having smaller bezels.

So we have the Pixel 3 XL with a very large front bottom bezel and a very, very deep top notch. Google are pushing for a dual front speaker setup again, despite the previous phone not having great sound with a dual front speaker setup. If they're going to sacrifice design/aesthetics to have front facing speakers they really should be the best speakers on a phone this time around.

Personally, I think they'd be better off moving to the front + bottom setup that HTC, Samsung and Apple have. Reduces the bottom bezel size and can still have great sound quality.

Frankly, the speakers on the Pixel 2 aren't that great to begin with, front-firing or not. They're tinny and rather unclear.

I genuinely find my S9+ and iPhone X speakers better, clearer, and louder across the board. For music, driving navigation, and certainly for speaker calls.

You're right. The position of the Pixel 2 speakers make it seem like the speakers would be great, but as you said, the sound actually being output isn't that great. Mine are also tinny and distort at high volumes.

I'd agree also that the speakers on the 2XL are not really any better than the S9+ although I do get it is easier to cover up bottom firing speakers whilst holding.

If the 3XL will indeed top out at 128gb then I am out. I get that google is pushing people to the cloud but 128gb is too close for comfort for me, do not necessarily want an SD card but 256gb internal would be fine.

I'm hoping the base model will be 6gb ram 128gb storage with a 256gb option.

128gb is fine for me, but if the phone again has a base model of 4gb ram, 64gb storage, it's a very hard value proposition to be honest. Plenty of other phones are coming out with base 6gb/128gb option, 2 or 3 cameras at the back with great speakers and smaller bezels.

 

[anon(10092459)]

I mean, value is in the eyes of each individual consumer. personally, I don't see the need for the base model to come out at 128, mainly because I've never even come close to using that much. Right now on my 2, I've only used 25G. So me paying for an additional 100G is just a waste and actually isn't worth the value for someone like me.

I'm no audiophile, so the speakers are good to me. Maybe some people use the phone as THE device in their lives and that's how they engage technology. In a case like that, I can see why premium sound may be important to them. For every day use like listening to a quick video on YouTube or something, they're great.

I own Pixel phones because they are Google's interpretation of the best Google experience. Improvements with the AI and ML are what I want most as time moves forward and a phone that brings that UX to the forefront. Everything else is just packaging, IMO.

 

[osubeavs728]

I mean, value is in the eyes of each individual consumer. personally, I don't see the need for the base model to come out at 128, mainly because I've never even come close to using that much. Right now on my 2, I've only used 25G. So me paying for an additional 100G is just a waste and actually isn't worth the value for someone like me.

I'm no audiophile, so the speakers are good to me. Maybe some people use the phone as THE device in their lives and that's how they engage technology. In a case like that, I can see why premium sound may be important to them. For every day use like listening to a quick video on YouTube or something, they're great.

I own Pixel phones because they are Google's interpretation of the best Google experience. Improvements with the AI and ML are what I want most as time moves forward and a phone that brings that UX to the forefront. Everything else is just packaging, IMO.

You are totally and completely wrong. As you can see from all the repetitive posts about this phone, if it doesn't have 128gb of memory, 6gb of RAM and a Samsung panel, it's crap and not worth anything to anyone. Google shouldn't even put out the phone this year if it doesn't come with that stuff because in order to be a good phone it has to copy what everyone else is doing.

/S

 

[Mike Dee]

You are totally and completely wrong. As you can see from all the repetitive posts about this phone, if it doesn't have 128gb of memory, 6gb of RAM and a Samsung panel, it's crap and not worth anything to anyone. Google shouldn't even put out the phone this year if it doesn't come with that stuff because in order to be a good phone it has to copy what everyone else is doing.

/S

Everyone is different and can have an opinion. I like a lot of built in storage but many prefer less. Doesn't make me right and others wrong. As far as repetive posts, this forum is a small representation of reality.

 

[osubeavs728]

Everyone is different and can have an opinion. I like a lot of built in storage but many prefer less. Doesn't make me right and others wrong. As far as repetive posts, this forum is a small representation of reality.

I was being sarcastic, that's what /S(arcasm) means.

 

[Mike Dee]

I was being sarcastic, that's what /S(arcasm) means.

I always miss those and emojis at the end. Yeah, it didn't sound like one of your posts come to think of it.

 

[vzwuser76]

First, decibels aren't be all, end all of sound.

Second, I'm not saying that it something isn't the best that it can't be good/great. No where did I say that.

What I am saying is that Google is so focused on going with dual front facing speakers, when the speaker's aren't even very good. They sound tinny and distort at high volumes - I don't consider that good or great. Apple and HTC have had superior sound out of their devices for a couple of generations and now Samsung has also joined the front + bottom speaker setup whilst having smaller bezels.

So we have the Pixel 3 XL with a very large front bottom bezel and a very, very deep top notch. Google are pushing for a dual front speaker setup again, despite the previous phone not having great sound with a dual front speaker setup. If they're going to sacrifice design/aesthetics to have front facing speakers they really should be the best speakers on a phone this time around.

Personally, I think they'd be better off moving to the front + bottom setup that HTC, Samsung and Apple have. Reduces the bottom bezel size and can still have great sound quality.



You're right. The position of the Pixel 2 speakers make it seem like the speakers would be great, but as you said, the sound actually being output isn't that great. Mine are also tinny and distort at high volumes.



I'm hoping the base model will be 6gb ram 128gb storage with a 256gb option.

128gb is fine for me, but if the phone again has a base model of 4gb ram, 64gb storage, it's a very hard value proposition to be honest. Plenty of other phones are coming out with base 6gb/128gb option, 2 or 3 cameras at the back with great speakers and smaller bezels.

See, it's all about degrees. You say the speakers on the Pixel 2 don't sound good, or not as good as the S9 or iPhone X. But to other people, the speakers on the S9 or X still aren't good enough either. I'd even argue that unless you go to an outside product, like separate speakers or earbuds/headphones, you're not going to get a quality sound either.

But that's not what I was advocating for in my posts. I want something I'm able to hear without having to do hand gymnastics to accomplish it. If I want something with quality sound, I'll either use my Anker Soundcore BT speaker or BT earbuds/headphones, or maybe I'll cast it to my flatscreen and run the sound through my home theater. But for the times when those options aren't available to me, I just want something I can hear and is intelligible. Would I like a richer sound? Sure, but if I have to do as I've said in previous posts (remembering to not cover the speakers and/or cupping my hand around the speaker to get a bit more volume) I'd rather stick with something that works and requires as little effort on my part to make it happen. And for me, FFS accomplish that. If they didnt, I wouldn't care if they were present or not.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

https://ausdroid.net/2018/08/03/pixel-3-xl-shows-benchmarking-site-snapragon-845-4gb-ram-android-p/

Pixel 3 XL has leaked on Geekbench touting 4gb ram and Snapdragon 845.

So every other android flagship this year runs 6gb ram, even phones a lot cheaper RRP than the Pixel 2/2 XL, but Google seems like it's decided that more ram isn't better.

 

[Mike Dee]

So far the only thing wrong with the Pixel 3 series for me is the glass back. It's almost a deal breaker for me but I can get past that because a case will help with most of my concerns. I will still cringe if it drops. I wouldn't trust it in a low profile case though. I do like the matte finish because for those that don't want to case it, it should be fingerprint resistant.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

https://ausdroid.net/2018/08/03/pixel-3-xl-shows-benchmarking-site-snapragon-845-4gb-ram-android-p/

Pixel 3 XL has leaked on Geekbench touting 4gb ram and Snapdragon 845.

So every other android flagship this year runs 6gb ram, even phones a lot cheaper RRP than the Pixel 2/2 XL, but Google seems like it's decided that more ram isn't better.

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.