Pixel 2 (NON-XL) Owners Club Reviews

[vzwuser76]

After receiving the phone last night and playing around with it:

- I do have the faint ticking, only mildly annoying and I'm willing to see what they do with a possible software fix.
- Set up on Project Fi with eSIM was super smooth, I'm liking the service so far. Project Fi is half the reason I wanted this phone.
- I'm happy with the screen in all aspects including viewing angles, I wish it was about 5% wider and had a 2:1 aspect ration with small bezels.....but hey there is always next year. I'm coming from a 5.2" screen and it sounds dumb but I do miss that 0.2" diagonal.
- Camera is so good in low light such as inside at night with lamps on.
- Phone call quality is great, but my last phone was pretty bad so for all I know it is average.
- Bluetooth seems good in my car (2015 VW Golf), no problems and seems quick to connect.
- Phone was awesome when I just used Android Pay, it paid faster, smoother, and from further away than my old phone.....it surprised me how fast it completed the transaction. It seems like better NFC plus the faster processor in general.
- WiFi seems good but I haven't done any in depth testing.
- Speakers are ok but definitely "bright" sounding....they will get the job done when I want to watch a quick YouTube video on the phone instead of Chromecast. They are speakers in a thin light weight phone so I don't expect any miracles here, you can't beat physics.
- Ambient display isn't as good as the "Moto Display" from my 2014 Moto X....I wish Google would have kept the rights to copy that when they sold off Motorola to Lenovo (for Lenovo to ruin the Moto brand). For all I know maybe they could copy it and just choose not to.
- In general the phone is really great and I'm glad that I bought it. Next year I hope they make the minor form factor tweaks to make the smaller phone even better (more screen, less bezel)

I agree with you that Google should've either kept the software for Moto's enhancements, or at the very least made an agreement with Lenovo to be able to use them on their Nexus/Pixel lines. Like Moto Voice for example allowed you to change the hot word to start voice actions instead of limiting it to OK Google. Moto Actions/Assist had a few things to customize settings based on your location (in car, at work, or at home).

But on the subject of the Always On Display vs Moto Display, they are two fairly different animals. Moto Display kept the display off for the majority of the time, and only awoke it if it was moved (on the first gen) or you waved a hand over it (on the second gen after Moto added IR sensors to the face). Moto added Moto Display as a battery saving/convenience feature. They used a separate low power chip to handle their add on functions (Moto Display along with Voice and Actions) to save power but still adding functionality. From what I've seen from AOD, I think it uses less battery than having the chip register movement and turning on the display. It may not show things as well as Moto's implementation did, but I think it's actually more power efficient just leaving it on on low power.

But either AOD or Moto Display are far better implementations than what Google previously used, Ambient Display. On that it worked similar to the original Moto Display in that you had to move the phone from a lying down position to an upright position to display info. In my time with both the 6p and the Pixel 1, I found Ambient Display to be pretty hit and miss. Sometimes it took a few tries to get it to work. At that point, it would take less effort to simply turn on the display, and it probably took less power as well.

Myself, I'm happy with AOD. The icons are small but I can figure out what they're supposed to be. Notifications still show up when they come in and are readable. And most of the time I used Moto Display's touch to expand, I ended up turning on the display so I could read the entire notification anyway, so this isn't a big step back IMO.

 

[DoctorOctagon]

^ I'm sure part of the issue is my muscle memory from using the first Moto X and then the 2014 model for the past four years. I was so used to the screen swipe to unlock after picking up the phone, I just need to get used to the fingerprint sensor instead. One thing with AOD though is that it's pretty dim most of the time, and I can't figure out what action temporarily brightens it. Pulling it out of my pocket it seems to brighten a lot of the time, but I can't seem to repeat that if I'm holding the phone and move it around.

One other miscellaneous note, checked a grey full screen image in a dark room at low brightness and the display looks totally uniform. No image retention or blotches etc.

 

[vzwuser76]

^ I'm sure part of the issue is my muscle memory from using the first Moto X and then the 2014 model for the past four years. I was so used to the screen swipe to unlock after picking up the phone, I just need to get used to the fingerprint sensor instead. One thing with AOD though is that it's pretty dim most of the time, and I can't figure out what action temporarily brightens it. Pulling it out of my pocket it seems to brighten a lot of the time, but I can't seem to repeat that if I'm holding the phone and move it around.

One other miscellaneous note, checked a grey full screen image in a dark room at low brightness and the display looks totally uniform. No image retention or blotches etc.

The only display that was having issues was the one on the P2 XL.

 

[DoctorOctagon]

Does anyone else happen to have a "hidden" WiFi network that doesn't braidcast the SSID? My Pixel 2 doesn't seem to connect automatically and I have to open the Wifi selection interface, then it will find it and connect without me having to select it. My Moto X 2014 would connect right away before I was even inside when coming home.

 

[Ca_lvn]

12days now I had my pixel and enjoy it more every day , and I'm also liking and more impressed with the colors too , they are exceptional.

 

[gregg37]

Had the 2XL for a week and then "downgraded" to a Pixel2 (three days as of this post).
Who'd have thought that the downgrade would be this huge of an UPGRADE?!?!?!?

 

[cbreze]

Starting my 4th full day with my P2, non XL and couldn't be happier. Glad I decided to get it.

Had the 2XL for a week and then "downgraded" to a Pixel2 (three days as of this post).
Who'd have thought that the downgrade would be this huge of an UPGRADE?!?!?!?

Yeah, whoda thunk ?? Glad I chose the smaller one right from the get go. Enjoy your "upgrade"

 

[gregg37]

Starting my 4th full day with my P2, non XL and couldn't be happier. Glad I decided to get it.



Yeah, whoda thunk ?? Glad I chose the smaller one right from the get go. Enjoy your "upgrade"

THANKS! I got the White one, 128G. Happy happy happy.

 

[anon(10271520)]

- Speakers are ok but definitely "bright" sounding....they will get the job done when I want to watch a quick YouTube video on the phone instead of Chromecast. They are speakers in a thin light weight phone so I don't expect any miracles here, you can't beat physics.

This is why I don't understand why they gave the phone such huge bezels and try to justify it with speakers. These tiny front facing speakers are not worth such a dated look imo. I know we all have our opinions on this, but for me, it's why I sent mine back. When I opened the box, I felt like I just went back in time to 2015. To each their own.

 

[cbreze]

This is why I don't understand why they gave the phone such huge bezels and try to justify it with speakers. These tiny front facing speakers are not worth such a dated look imo. I know we all have our opinions on this, but for me, it's why I sent mine back. When I opened the box, I felt like I just went back in time to 2015. To each their own.

It does seem like they could have reduced the bezel size while retaining the speakers. The XL shows it can be done. Maybe next year. I don't pay any attention to them and they don't bother me.

 

[sixty_four]

This is why I don't understand why they gave the phone such huge bezels and try to justify it with speakers. These tiny front facing speakers are not worth such a dated look imo. I know we all have our opinions on this, but for me, it's why I sent mine back. When I opened the box, I felt like I just went back in time to 2015. To each their own.

While I do think that in general smaller bezels look better, the Pixel 2 bezels make one-handed operation easier for me.

I can honestly say that they don't bother me at all. But you're right - to each their own. It's all a matter of personal preference.

 

[vzwuser76]

Well, I hit my best battery life yet yesterday. By the time I put it back on the charger, I had 19hrs 27mins off the charger, 19% remaining, and 6hrs of SOT. It's weird that I've owned phones with larger batteries ranging from 3400-3900mAh in size, none of which made anything notably over 3hrs SOT. But the two Pixels, both with batteries right at 2700mAh, that hit up to 4hrs SOT (Pixel 1) and up to 6hrs SOT (Pixel 2). Definitely worth the price of admission!

 

[neil74]

Bezels never bothered me, overall screen size more so. Still on the fence re getting another P2 (and hoping for no ticking) or taking a gamble on the 2XL which still seems like a questionable buy. Tbh.

 

[vzwuser76]

Bezels never bothered me, overall screen size more so. Still on the fence re getting another P2 (and hoping for no ticking) or taking a gamble on the 2XL which still seems like a questionable buy. Tbh.

The November security patch released yesterday included a fix for the ticking sound on the Pixel 2. I never had it on mine so can't say if the fix did cure it or not, but maybe someone else can chime in.

 

[psteve2005]

The patch has fixed the (albeit very feint) ticking on my UK Pixel 2 as promised.

 

[DoctorOctagon]

Bezels never bothered me, overall screen size more so. Still on the fence re getting another P2 (and hoping for no ticking) or taking a gamble on the 2XL which still seems like a questionable buy. Tbh.

Just a heads up, the November software update completely solved my ticking both on phone calls and with just the screen "awake" if I put my ear up to the phone.

Agree on the screen size. Going to 5" from 5.2" doesn't sound like much but I do notice it. I feel like 5.3" would be the Goldilocks just right screen for 16:9 aspect ratio.

 

[neil74]

Just a heads up, the November software update completely solved my ticking both on phone calls and with just the screen "awake" if I put my ear up to the phone.

Agree on the screen size. Going to 5" from 5.2" doesn't sound like much but I do notice it. I feel like 5.3" would be the Goldilocks just right screen for 16:9 aspect ratio.

This actually worries me, not all P2s have the ticking which IMO makes it a hardware issue that they have ‘patched’ via software, probably just switching off the NFC chip more often. Not sure it actually solves the problem though?

YMMV

 

[vzwuser76]

This actually worries me, not all P2s have the ticking which IMO makes it a hardware issue that they have ‘patched’ via software, probably just switching off the NFC chip more often. Not sure it actually solves the problem though?

YMMV

Well, if turning off NFC is a bona fide remedy, why not set it to turn off when a call is initiated and back on when the call is ended? Does anyone use NFC during a call?

 

[Ca_lvn]

Mine never had the tic ,but the phone app is buggy as far as connecting and speaker not having sound, happened a few times now

 

[vzwuser76]

Mine never had the tic ,put the phone app is buggy as far as connecting and speaker not having sound, happened a few times now

Haven't run into either of those. In regards to the phone app, does that just apply to dialing a number or everything including calling from contacts? Because most of my calls are made using the stored numbers in my contacts list.