Pixel 2 Reviews: Iterative Update Lacks 'Wow Factor' But Still 'Best Android Phone You Can Buy'

[jamesrick80]

Terrible display? It lacks the eye candy (and side damage prone) edge display, but curious your thoughts as to why it is bad otherwise. Since you apparently have reviewed it yourself, I am curious how a display with a higher pixel density than the Note 8 could be considered grainy (you mentioned that in an earlier post) ?



Funny thing is, more Android devices are developing silicon to do on device machine learning, to essentially take the cloud, and some of the security concerns off the table. Something that Apple has been working to do, and a selling point for some.

At the end of the day, they all learn from each other.

Go read the reviews for yourself. The Pixel XL 2 has a terrible grainy display with washed out colors. The Note 8 display is flawless so please go read the reviews. The small S8 has the highest galaxy pixel density but that's not how you judge a good display even though the S8 has higher ppi than any Google pixel device. Go back to the drawing board......

 

[44267547]

Terrible display? It lacks the eye candy (and side damage prone) edge display, but curious your thoughts as to why it is bad otherwise. Since you apparently have reviewed it yourself, I am curious how a display with a higher pixel density than the Note 8 could be considered grainy (you mentioned that in an earlier post) .

Others on here apparently say read reviews about the Pixel display. Reviews are highly subjective and critical. All that matters is what you like and how you perceive the display and the phone overall. I personally have heard very good things about the display with the new Pixel. Enjoy it for what it is and let us know what you think when you receive it.

 

[Col4bin]

Funny title to this article...the same could be said for every single iPhone that came after the original version's 2007 debut. The current mobile phone market is saturated with similar devices. Still waiting for the next polar shift to occur in this market.

 

[jamesrick80]

Go read the reviews for yourself. The Pixel XL 2 has a terrible grainy display with washed out colors. The Note 8 display is flawless so please go read the reviews. The small S8 has the highest galaxy pixel density but that's not how you judge a good display even though the S8 has higher ppi than any Google pixel device. Go back to the drawing board......

Hmm so-called best PURE android phone but grainy display....

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/10/pixel-2-and-2-xl-review-the-best-android-phone-you-can-buy/

 

[RickInHouston]

My how times have changed - now it's Android users paying full price for a phone that's literally half the speed of iPhones.

Good times.

Is this fake news?

All I know is when it's time to take an 'important' picture... Son's first Coltilion dance... My wife says, "You take the picture (Pixel), mine look so washed out (iphone 6S, maybe, I've lost track because nothing really distinguishes them, so much, to an unapple eye)."

 

[Col4bin]

Go read the reviews for yourself. The Pixel XL 2 has a terrible grainy display with washed out colors. The Note 8 display is flawless so please go read the reviews. The small S8 has the highest galaxy pixel density but that's not how you judge a good display even though the S8 has higher ppi than any Google pixel device. Go back to the drawing board......

Like the basic iPhone (non-X) LED display? I have to punch up the color saturation on my 7S Plus to compete with other high-end Android devices more saturated tones. It's all a subjective matter of personal preference.

 

[Radon87000]

Plenty of people here on this very forum with 5s'. To answer your question more directly, people who want to, and actually receive software updates.

Every iDevice I own is extremely slow after 3 years. Best keep it fast on the version it can actually run rather than slow it down on a version it clearly can’t handle.

Also most of the stuff which iOS updates bring can be done through the Play Store on Android so OS updates just aren’t important enough there which is why not many buy the Pixel in the first place despite its iPhone like experience and get a Samsung which is slower to provide updates.

One last thing. Only enthusiasts are going to be interested in this niche phone and if you consider the support of custom ROMs , it’s support will even outlast that of the iPhone.

 

[840quadra]

Go read the reviews for yourself. The Pixel XL 2 has a terrible grainy display with washed out colors. The Note 8 display is flawless so please go read the reviews. The small S8 has the highest galaxy pixel density so that's not how you judge a good display and higher ppi than any Google pixel device. Go back to the drawing board......

FYI, Telling someone to google something, or search, doesn't really fly here on MacRumors. .

Hmm so-called best PURE android phone but grainy display....

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/10/pixel-2-and-2-xl-review-the-best-android-phone-you-can-buy/

Thanks, that's all I asked for.

I had assumed it had something to do with LG sourced model, but hadn't read more than a couple reviews since they went up today. I assume we will see some detailed reviews from places like Displaymate or others going forward.

It's a shame, because the phone has some great potential, and the screen is something that is hard to ignore, no matter how good cameras and pixel density of the display itself.

 

[Andreas56938]

Strictly for nerds and losers.

These new Pixels (could Google have come up with a dumber name?) will flop too.

Laughable. Hang it up, Google!

Fail.

 

[Feenician]

Every iDevice I own is extremely slow after 3 years. Best keep it fast on the version it can actually run rather than slow it down on a version it clearly can’t handle.

Also most of the stuff which iOS updates bring can be done through the Play Store on Android so OS updates just aren’t important enough there which is why not many buy the Pixel in the first place despite its iPhone like experience and get a Samsung which is slower to provide updates.

One last thing. Only enthusiasts are going to be interested in this niche phone and if you consider the support of custom ROMs , it’s support will even outlast that of the iPhone.

The 5s runs 10.3.3 beautifully and will run 11.x very well, as it's optimized, with many reporting its already running very well on the 10.1 beta. 5 years. I guess iPhone is just a better value proposition.

 

[Radon87000]

The 5s runs 10.3.3 beautifully and will run 11.x very well, as it's optimized, with many reporting its already running very well on the 10.1 beta. 5 years. I guess iPhone is just a better value proposition.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/09/ios-11-on-the-iphone-5s-slower-but-not-quite-slow/

-The iPhone 5S is slower with iOS 11

-it’s only as good as a budget or a hand me down phone. It’s not a daily driver.


The Pixel also has downgrade support which means I can downgrade to any version i want if it’s not fast enough.

I would rather have a faster phone than a newer OS which runs like a pile of crap.

 

[Feenician]

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/09/ios-11-on-the-iphone-5s-slower-but-not-quite-slow/

-The iPhone 5S is slower with iOS 11

-it’s only as good as a budget or a hand me down phone. It’s not a daily driver.


The Pixel also has downgrade support which means I can downgrade to any version i want if it’s not fast enough.

I would rather have a faster phone than a newer OS which runs like a pile of crap.

That's from a month ago and everything was slower on the initial release of iOS 11, it simply was not fully baked. 11.1 is shaping up far better and .2 and .3 releases will restore speed, fluidity to all supported handsets. This happens every year and every year you goldfish on it and act like you don't understand. This has been pointed out, with extensive quotes from yourself, many times now.

 

[pilotpat]

LULz, Android fanboys slamming Apple for removing the headphone jack and then charging for an adaptor. Google does the same and then charges $20, more than twice as much, for their adaptor.

Actually they got bashed for the price and dropped it to $9 a few days ago.

 

[Dominican]

Strictly for nerds and losers.

These new Pixels (could Google have come up with a dumber name?) will flop too.

Laughable. Hang it up, Google!

Fail.

Apple X

Laughable. Hang it up, Apple

 

[Radon87000]

That's from a month ago and everything was slower on the initial release of iOS 11, it simply was not fully baked. 11.1 is shaping up far better and .2 and .3 releases will restore speed, fluidity to all supported handsets. This happens every year and every year you goldfish on it and act like you don't understand. This has been pointed out, with extensive quotes from yourself, many times now.

Will it be as fast as on iOS 10? No. That’s the point. I just want a fast and snappy phone. I couldn’t care less about which OS I am running

 

[fairuz]

So is that supposed to be a pro or a con?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/battery-issues-since-update.2069726/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/constant-spinning-wheel-with-ios-11.2071994/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-11-0-3-bug-fixes-changes-and-improvements.2077044/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-11-1-beta-3-bug-fixes-changes-and-improvements.2078209/

Etc., etc.

Better than going out of support and getting hacked through known vulnerabilities. That is the single only reason I update.

 

[Feenician]

Will it be as fast as on iOS 10? No. That’s the point. I just want a fast and snappy phone. I couldn’t care less about which OS I am running

Weird because you were in a frenzy here trying to upgrade to the gm when it leaked. Seemed like you cared.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Actually they got bashed for the price and dropped it to $9 a few days ago.

As I said previously, the point was that fanboys slammed Apple for this, then Google does the same and tries to bend them over on the adaptor. They took what Apple did and took it up a notch.

 

[The Game 161]

Better than the note 8? Nah

 

[avanpelt]

The smartphone has essentially become a necessary appliance for most people; and most people don't get excited or "wowed" by their stove or refrigerator, either. Also, I think for some of us who get excited about technology (myself included), gadget fatigue is a factor with smartphones these days.

 

[vartanarsen]

Why is no one talking about Google's software approach? Its all about the software anymore

 

[Osxguy]

I just dont trust google. I mean why should i trust apple any differently. I just feel that Apple on the surface says its customer’s data is its number one priority and google really makes money on selling people’s habits and interactions with the web online. I may be crazy but trusting google with something that I use as hardware basis just doesn’t seem safe.

 

[MH01]

No headphone jack. Mistake

 

[44267547]

Why is no one talking about Google's software approach? Its all about the software anymore

I agree with this. Hardware is superficial and eventually wears off. It ultimately comes down to users experience with the software. If the software experience is poor for the user, they're not going to care about the hardware at all. Because ultimately what we are doing is being immersed by iOS or Android.

 

[Kabeyun]

The smartphone has essentially become a necessary appliance for most people; and most people don't get excited or "wowed" by their stove or refrigerator, either. Also, I think for some of us who get excited about technology (myself included), gadget fatigue is a factor with smartphones these days.

This. I’d quibble semantically with the term “fatigue” but this is probably the same thing as becoming accustomed. I remember when we got our first microwave, and my father was in ecstasy for months over baked potatoes in five minutes. Then they got features like “Minute +” and food-specific settings and rotating trays. After a while they were everywhere, as were the features. How many ways can you make a box with buttons on it? Are we looking for a microwave with a wow factor?

Same thing with smartphones, although more intimate. Necessary tools in the First World. In the end, “wow” looks are meaningless. It’s what they let you do that matters, which means the following are necessary and the rest will be forgiven:
- Security
- The “Connectivity Rainbow” (cellular, WiFi, BT, NFC)
- Ease of use
- Quality camera
- Quality screen
- Robust app ecosystem
and the following are helpful but not critical to the Masses:
- Durability/waterproofing
- Sensors
- Money transfer system

Want “wow”? Get a case with Swarovski crystals on it. We’re a ways away from mobile holographic projectors (as cool as that would be) so let’s just get used to a period of refinement. “Wow” will look like FaceID and other less glitzy advancements.