Pixel 2 XL or LG V30?

[I Can Be Your Hero]

You're going to get more responses saying the Pixel 2 here and more responses saying the LG V30 in that forum.

You'll just have to weigh up what's important to you in a phone and decide from there. For me, my decision between the two is pretty easy:

- I'm a real stickler for speed, fluidity and consistency and I've found the Pixel 2 XL the fastest, most smoothest android phone out there. I weigh this very highly in my priority list. Little hangs and frame stutters in phones really irritate me, which is why I'm not big on phones by companies who don't make their own software.

- Software. Again, another one that's up high on my priority list. I know android is about customisation etc, but I can't be bothered with that. I want something out of the box that's clean, well designed, consistent and functional, and the Pixel 2 is exactly that. The UI imo is excellent. I don't run a 3rd party launcher, I don't tweak the phone at all and I don't have to. Everything is laid out well and doesn't have annoying features that is fighting for your attention.

- Updates. Pretty self explanatory. I like having the latest version of android software and I like having the latest security updates. From my understanding the V30 still doesn't have Oreo rolled out and who knows what security patch it's up to.

- Camera. The camera on the Pixel 2 is nothing short of amazing. It takes excellent shots in any condition (for a smartphone) and your first picture is typically a winner. You don't have to take multiple shots to hopefully get one that was good. Again, I have no time/need for a 'pro' mode. I want a camera that I can whip out, snap a pic and the phone does its own calculations to get the best picture. Again, I'm not going to waste time tweaking pro mode settings on a phone to take a photo - if I wanted to do that, I'd carry a dedicated camera and get better shots than any phone could do.

Though there are some advantages that the V30 has over the Pixel 2:

- 3.5mm jack and quad DAC. If you're really big on music, then the V30 is no question the better device. Dedicated 3.5mm port and quad DAC sounds excellent for a smartphone and they bundle headphones in the box (I have no idea why Google doesn't bundle headphones with their phones).

- MicroSD. I personally have no need for a microSD, but others out there might. More local storage on you and won't have to deal with using data to listen to music/view video/images is a bonus I guess.

- Wireless charging. Again another thing I have no care for but the V30 has it and the Pixel 2 doesn't. If you have wireless chargers laying around it will make use of them and people swear by the convenience of wireless charging, but having used it in the past, I'd much rather plug a phone in, have it fast charge than put it on a pad and have it slowly charge.

That's the way I see it anyway. You might not care for some of the points that I found important and you'll need to determine what's important to you.

 

[atakin77]

I had the V30 for a few weeks but went back to the 2XL. Key items I liked about the V30 over the 2XL include (i) headphone jack, (ii) smaller footprint with same size screen, and (iii) better battery life.

I like the 2XL because it's closer to pure Android, so that's why I'm using it instead of the V30. If the V30 ran the same software as the 2XL, I would choose it over the Pixel.

 

[djdougd]

Just wanted to thank all for their feedback... Still a tough choice... May boil down to $$...

 

[Mike Dee]

Right now, yes. I do think it is temporary though as 8.1 did make battery worse on the pixel.

My v30 sat on my desk today (and on) when I was in a meeting,. Almost 3 hours and still 100%.

I've had great battery life regardless of 8.1

 

[TraderGary]

I have an additional reason for having my Pixel 2 XL that I didn't see anyone mention.

Google Project Fi

 

[LeoRex]

My v30 sat on my desk today (and on) when I was in a meeting,. Almost 3 hours and still 100%.

This has been a little quirk in the way LG reports battery percentage for years now. I had a G3 and my wife's G4 did this. It might look like its holding at 100%, but if you actually look at the raw battery stats (such as voltage), you'll see that it is indeed draining.

I can only assume it's purposeful, to give the appearance that the phone isn't discharging.

Don't get me wrong, I had a V30 for a few weeks and it was probably the most efficient flagship that LG has ever produced... they are usually power hogs.

 

[neil74]

I had not ruled that out and thought the same about iPhones for a few years now.

 

[chriskwarren]

I have both and it is a tough call.

Pixel - updates, camera, support, speakers, feels less fragile, slightly zippier in places

V30 - same size screen/noticeably smaller footprint, wireless charging, SD card, audio, headphone jack, less blueshift (on mine ymmv) right now with the p2 on 8.1 standby battery is better on the v30

I had both as well and I can say I agree with your assessment.

Battery life was great on both, but better on the V30. Screen was a bit better on the V30 (especially the 2nd V30 I got). I liked the power button in the fingerprint scanner better.

The camera difference can't be understated though. In auto mode, the 2XL is miles away better if you don't want the widescreen pics on the V30. I thought the V30 was 'fine' but the 2XL was incredible. I became the pictures guy this past Christmas.

Warranty is two years on the Pixel 2XL too. That might be important if you plan on keeping it.

Its also easier finding accessories for the 2XL too, if you enjoy trying different cases, etc.

V30 is a very nice phone and I would have been happy with it if it were not for some issues I had with it (that seem to have been fixed now via software). But the 2XL has been a better device for me since I swapped. As a geek I love playing around with the updates and seeing all the fun stuff you can do over at XDA. But that might not be important for everyone.

edit: you are also asking the Pixel forum and most of the folks who hang out here will almost assuredly be biased towards the Pixel.

 

[neil74]

The point re accessories is a good one. Cannot even find a decent case I like for the v30.

 

[neil74]

I think I need help as I do keep switching back and forth, I keep coming back to the V30 as it just feels much nicer in the hand (imo) and is a better size, the 2XL is bigger than it needs to be for me I do not really need the front facing speakers.

The Pixel is slightly quicker for sure but only noticeable if you compare them side by side but there is a part of me that just likes being on the latest OS, oh and the camera is better for sure, but then when on the 2XL I do miss wireless charging and the SD card.

I really need to sell one of these things and be done with it!

 

[LeoRex]

The camera difference can't be understated though. In auto mode, the 2XL is miles away better.

Yep... I basically test drove a V30 for three weeks and put the camera through the ringer. In some situations, it was as good as my Pixel, but in far too many it fell flat on its face... Long exposures coupled with brutal processing choices led to just downright bad pictures. I need a 'target of opportunity' camera ... Something I can take out if my pocket and capture a moment quickly and accurately the first time because I probably won't have another chance. The 2XL is pretty dominant in that category... It's lightning quick to focus and the nature of HDR+ means it's taking quick snaps to begin with.

So that was my great differentiator... They other things, like SD, or wireless, or a 3.5mm port, don't really register on my list of things to care about, but even if they were, I can't see how they could cover that canyon sized camera quality gap.

I took this they other day just to show how easy it was to take a great looking shot with the 2.. I literally took it out, double tapped the power to launch and snapped a pic without bothering to take a second to frame it

 

[LeoRex]

 

[BCWARE]

I bought the 2 XL.... encouraged my wife to get the V30...updates and bleeding edge is not as appealing to her as the LG skin was...go figure. Both very happy with our choices

 

[Mike Dee]

I bought the 2 XL.... encouraged my wife to get the V30...updates and bleeding edge is not as appealing to her as the LG skin was...go figure. Both very happy with our choices

Nothing wrong with that

 

[Aithan]

I'd just choose the 2 xl directly from Google. The 2xl is already being plagued by LG's infamous bootloop of death and it's only a matter of time before the v30 is hit with it. At least Google has a decent warranty.

For what it's worth, LG is offering a 2 year warranty on their V30 series. I just finished registering for it.

 

[bchandler02]

Interesting timing on this article as I am going through the same dilemma right now. I'll be coming off a Z Play, but prior to that had the S7 edge, G4, G3, etc. I'm also considering the smaller p2, as I don't necessarily need the bigger size. Size excluded, I feel the arguments for or against the Pixel are the same between the P2 and P2XL.

One of the main things I do with the camera on my phone is shoot video clips at concerts. It's my understanding that the V30 has a special mode and enhanced audio capture capabilities that other phones do not, can anyone comment on that?

Other then that, this is what I am debating:

P2XL:
++: Better updates, pure Android, better stock auto camera mode
--: No SD card, potentially less optimized for concert video recording

V30:
++: DAC, SD card slot, slightly smaller size, seems like users are saying slight better battery compared to P2 on 8.1 (wonder how 8.1 will impact the V30)
--: Slower updates, LG skin on Android

 

[Morty2264]

To be honest, I'd been debating between these two phones off and on for the past few weeks; when I had been contemplating getting my first phablet. I finally settled on getting a Pixel 2 device; which meant that I'd be looking at the Pixel 2 XL or the smaller Pixel 2.

I knew I'd be happy with either phone - they are both awesome - but I found that I really craved a stock Android experience. The V30 has great specs and features; but I was sold on the look and feel of the Pixel 2 XL as well.

I also liked that the Pixel 2 devices had the option to do AOD or LED notifications; which was one of the things that swayed me over the V30 - while I've never tried AOD before and want to, it's nice to know I can toggle between either notification setting. Little things like that will make my experience even richer. I like the little things in life.

But, IMO it would be like comparing a cupcake to a butter tart. Both are super good and tasty snacks and you couldn't go wrong either way.

 

[Mike Dee]

To be honest, I'd been debating between these two phones off and on for the past few weeks; when I had been contemplating getting my first phablet. I finally settled on getting a Pixel 2 device; which meant that I'd be looking at the Pixel 2 XL or the smaller Pixel 2.

I knew I'd be happy with either phone - they are both awesome - but I found that I really craved a stock Android experience. The V30 has great specs and features; but I was sold on the look and feel of the Pixel 2 XL as well.

I also liked that the Pixel 2 devices had the option to do AOD or LED notifications; which was one of the things that swayed me over the V30 - while I've never tried AOD before and want to, it's nice to know I can toggle between either notification setting. Little things like that will make my experience even richer. I like the little things in life.

But, IMO it would be like comparing a cupcake to a butter tart. Both are super good and tasty snacks and you couldn't go wrong either way.

What kind of cupcake?....and what's a butter tart?

 

[sn0warmy]

Prior to ordering my Pixel 2 XL, I picked up the V30 from T-Mobile. The phone itself feels fantastic. It's very "premium" and just about the perfect size. However, LG's take on the Android UI ruined the whole experience for me. Even with the high end specs, the phone just lags/stutters all over the place in normal usage. This is the case with most apps, including the built-in ones.

I tried a few methods of disabling many of LG's background apps/services but nothing fixed the issue. In fact, if you get a file browser and take a look at the amount of background apps LG added to the software, you'll be amazed at how many B.S. background services LG adds in. It's ridiculous and worse than what Samsung did with my S8 (which ran buttery smooth, BTW).

I ordered the 2 XL about 2 months ago and haven't looked back since. The 2 XL is everything the V30 should have been with none of the lag/stuttering issues. The sad part is that if LG just left the pure Android experience untouched then it would have been the perfect phone and I would have had no reason to switch to the 2 XL.

 

[neil74]

I think to say it stutters all over the place is harsh but yeah it is not as quick as the pixel, but then other than maybe the OP5t I have not seen a droid that is.