Got my Pixel 2 XL delivered!
I've set it up and re-installed all my apps - I'm so, so, so happy to be back on the Pixel again. UI is gorgeous - clean, not cluttered with stuff. Again, I have to say, this is the fastest phone I've used. Super smooth and consistent, scrolling is extremely fast and fluid. Once you're used to this level of speed, I found it hard to go to something that wasn't at this level. These two things (UI design and speed) are the two things that I couldn't get used to on the Note 8. And the screen on my 2 XL looks fine. Both of the phones in front of me with the Pixel 2 XL on 'saturated' colour mode - there's really not that much of a difference between the two. Wouldn't say one is 'better' than the other. Maybe in tests and specific circumstances the Note 8 screen is superior, but in the hand using the P2XL, the screen looks great.
While the Pixel 2 XL certainly isn't as pretty as the Note 8, I do like the coating on the body to give it that extra grip. Feels more secure in the hand and I'm less worried about dropping it. Still think Google need to up their game in hardware design next year. Don't like how the 2 and 2 XL have different designs.
This all sounds silly because I've already had the Pixel 2 XL before, but now it's like a re-awakening. I've come to appreciate it much more now that what I want out of a phone it does, and does it extremely well.