Please weigh in on your Note8 vs/and/or Pixel 2XL experience . . .

[revtech]

I know there are other places to get this input, but I am looking for fresh up to date perspectives. I have gone back and forth on these two devices 'at a distance' because of cost, but now my business account is offering the Note8 for 249 and the Pixel 2XL for 149. I know you can't make my decision for me, but sometimes I get myself tied in knots and it helps me sort out my own thoughts as I hear the opinions of others. Thank you!
(btw, I'm posting this in the Pixel forum as well to catch that crowd).

 

[jinxygrrl1]

I think that may be a tough decision. I carry 2 phones (iPhone for work and Note 8 for personal). Maybe get both? I really am still partial to the Note though.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

I know there are other places to get this input, but I am looking for fresh up to date perspectives. I have gone back and forth on these two devices 'at a distance' because of cost, but now my business account is offering the Note8 for 249 and the Pixel 2XL for 149. I know you can't make my decision for me, but sometimes I get myself tied in knots and it helps me sort out my own thoughts as I hear the opinions of others. Thank you!
(btw, I'm posting this in the Pixel forum as well to catch that crowd).

Note8 everyday.

- Better Display
- MicroSD Expansion
- Dual OIS Cameras - great for taking high quality videos and very low light images
- 6GB RAM - Multitasking is an endless breeze
- Samsung Pay
- SPen - The SPen sets the Note apart from anything else on the market and makes it a true productivity tool, from content creation to document editing.
- 3.5mm headphones jack
- Iris Scanner


If you can, maybe even wait for Note9.

I would avoid the Pixel 2 XL, it seems to be riddled with issues:
https://m.androidcentral.com/common-google-pixel-2-problems

 

[Chromium 4]

The Note 8 is so much more feature packed than the Pixel but where the Pixel really shines is with its camera set up. But I was able to port the Google Pixel's camera software to my Note 8 so now I have the best of both worlds.

 

[Telstar1948]

Although not an admirer of Samsung's policies toward its proprietary software (which admittedly has improved in the last several years), I have to say the Note 8 is the best phone I've ever used. Like someone else said one time, the Note 8 is Android with Samsung's useful software added plus the S-Pen hardware/software on top of that. Overall, the combination is killer. If you really focus on learning the many things the S-Pen can do, it's in a class all to itself. I've given thought to the Pixels because they're excellent phones. Each time, though, I still come back to the S-Pen's capabilities that I wouldn't have - there's just nothing out there that compares if you learn to use the S-Pen...

 

[Ryano89]

The Note 8 is so much more feature packed than the Pixel but where the Pixel really shines is with its camera set up. But I was able to port the Google Pixel's camera software to my Note 8 so now I have the best of both worlds.

Do you have a link?

 

[Carrie Greicar]

Do you have a link?

Ditto

 

[mgbosshogg]

Unpopular opinion, but I don't think the Pixel2XL is in the same league as the Note 8.

Especially as a work tool, there is the note and then there is everything else.

 

[dspeersrev]

I would tend to agree, the 2xl is not in the same league as the Note 8.

 

[diggy33]

Note8 everyday.

- Better Display
- MicroSD Expansion
- Dual OIS Cameras - great for taking high quality videos and very low light images
- 6GB RAM - Multitasking is an endless breeze
- Samsung Pay
- SPen - The SPen sets the Note apart from anything else on the market and makes it a true productivity tool, from content creation to document editing.
- 3.5mm headphones jack
- Iris Scanner


If you can, maybe even wait for Note9.

Agree with pretty much everything you've said. I have both devices - Note 8 for work, Pixel 2 XL for personal use. I think both devices are great in what they offer, but the addition of MicroSD card expansion, Iris scanner, and a real winner for me - wireless charging, takes the Note 8 over the top. I think both cameras are great, and to my untrained eye, in some instances the Note 8 has taken better photos than the 2 XL. I've not had one problem with either device, and will probably be using both of these until next year (as long as they hold up)

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

I know there are other places to get this input, but I am looking for fresh up to date perspectives. I have gone back and forth on these two devices 'at a distance' because of cost, but now my business account is offering the Note8 for 249 and the Pixel 2XL for 149. I know you can't make my decision for me, but sometimes I get myself tied in knots and it helps me sort out my own thoughts as I hear the opinions of others. Thank you!
(btw, I'm posting this in the Pixel forum as well to catch that crowd).

You're just going to get more confused asking that question online. On the note 8 forum you're going to get the note 8 rules, go ask same question in the pixel forum and, well you know.

I will say that those are great prices. The input I'll give you, do you want more of a basic true Android experience, then the pixel is that phone. If you want the extra add on's and eye candy as I call it, the now 8 will be your choice. I like changing the themes all the time, changing the look, so Samsung wins with me, but other's like the true basic Android experience as those phones usually run smoother according to them, that I don't know, just read.
.
Good luck

 

[revtech]

You're just going to get more confused asking that question online. On the note 8 forum you're going to get the note 8 rules, go ask same question in the pixel forum and, well you know.

I will say that those are great prices. The input I'll give you, do you want more of a basic true Android experience, then the pixel is that phone. If you want the extra add on's and eye candy as I call it, the now 8 will be your choice. I like changing the themes all the time, changing the look, so Samsung wins with me, but other's like the true basic Android experience as those phones usually run smoother according to them, that I don't know, just read.
.
Good luck

Well, that's exactly what I did, it's not confusing because it's the only way to get both points of view. If I was asking the forum to make my decision for me, then ya it would be confusing. But I'm looking for real world experience so it needs to come from both points of view. Thanks for weighing in with your experience

 

[Chromium 4]

Do you have a link?

Here ya go: https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/

I suggest Cstark 3.6 version for Snapdragon and Miniuser133 for Exynos.

 

[chyeo1979]

Pixel 2 removed headphone jack and Pixel 3 looks like will have the notch. Really feel shameful of this iPhone wannabe to be the "leader" of Android...

 

[jejb]

Wife has the Pixel 2 XL and I have the Note 8. She bought it to replace her older Note somewhat on impulse and somewhat so that she did not have the same phone as I do. She's regretting it a little now. Really misses the headphone port, has to watch/manage her internal storage more and misses the S-pen at times. I think if she had it to do again, she'd have gotten the Note 8.

I've played with her Pixel to set it up and for issues she has. It's okay and all. But I have zero Pixel envy over my Note 8.

 

[srgonu]

I did try pixel but had to come back to note in couple of days.

 

[ahiqar]

No pen, no headphone jack. Those issues really make it hard for me to want a pixel. There will probably be a day when I have to buy a phone without a headphone jack, but it is not this day.

 

[anon(7901790)]

@revtech It seems your stuck with a hard choice. You can get a damn good smartphone or you can get a damn good smartphone.

I have the Note 8 and I have never used a Pixel, so anything I say will be biased towards the Note 8.

All I can say is play with both. Try to use them both in the way you would normally use a phone and see which one works best for you. Either way you're getting a damn good phone and it isn't an iPhone.

Everybody here will recommend the Note 8 over the Pixel 2XL and the ladies and gents over in the Pixel forum would recommend the Pixel 2XL over the Note 8.

 

[Dooki]

The Note is like a fully loaded Lexus, it's got everything, all the bells and whistles, but can have some weird issues and might not be the best over the long haul. The pixel is like a Civic, always reliable, great fuel mileage, but no options, but it will run forever.

I have spent very little time with the pixel, and it is a very nice phone, fast, clean, excellent camera, and will do everything you want for a long period of time.
The note has AC and cruise control. It's one handed mode blows the pixel out of the water, as does it's picture in picture. Its those options as to why I prefer samsung.
Many of the samsung apps are better, the browser is far better, email is better as it the text app, and they can take theming and you can change the background on the message app, and have scheduled messages. It's calendar app is just as good and can change the background. However, google has many good apps as well. All those I mentioned are also just as good, and many find better. The samsung messages app doesn't have as good GIF support and Gmessages has web support. If you use Bixby the samsung apps integrate excellently and better than GA, google assistant uses everything well but not as good as samsung integrating with itself.
As for the screen, who cares. the pixel has it's issues and the note is a lot better, but unless you are doing something special, who cares.
Another issue. The pixel doesn't have a headphone jack, micro usb, wireless charging, pro mode on the camera. But the pixel has far better and longer security update and probably better customer service.

 

[Mike Dee]

I know there are other places to get this input, but I am looking for fresh up to date perspectives. I have gone back and forth on these two devices 'at a distance' because of cost, but now my business account is offering the Note8 for 249 and the Pixel 2XL for 149. I know you can't make my decision for me, but sometimes I get myself tied in knots and it helps me sort out my own thoughts as I hear the opinions of others. Thank you!
(btw, I'm posting this in the Pixel forum as well to catch that crowd).

In the end regardless of which forum you post this in, no one can make a valid claim that one is better than the other. It's a question of what's better for you. There is not some magical experience that you will get with either phone. They both do some things differently.

Let us know what you decide.