GOOGLE PIXEL 2

GOOGLE PIXEL 2 SMARTPHONE WAS LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER 2017. THE PHONE COMES WITH A 5.00-INCH TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAY WITH A RESOLUTION OF 1080 PIXELS BY 1920 PIXELS. GOOGLE PIXEL 2 PRICE IN INDIA STARTS FROM RS. 58,500. 

THE GOOGLE PIXEL 2 IS POWERED BY 1.9GHZ OCTA-CORE QUALCOMM SNAPDRAGON 835 PROCESSOR AND IT COMES WITH 4GB OF RAM. THE PHONE PACKS 64GB OF INTERNAL STORAGE THAT CANNOT BE EXPANDED. AS FAR AS THE CAMERAS ARE CONCERNED, THE GOOGLE PIXEL 2 PACKS A 12.2-MEGAPIXEL PRIMARY CAMERA ON THE REAR AND A 8-MEGAPIXEL FRONT SHOOTER FOR SELFIES.

THE GOOGLE PIXEL 2 RUNS ANDROID 8.0.0 AND IS POWERED BY A 2700MAH NON REMOVABLE BATTERY. IT MEASURES 145.70 X 69.70 X 7.80 (HEIGHT X WIDTH X THICKNESS) AND WEIGH 143.00 GRAMS.

THE GOOGLE PIXEL 2 IS A SINGLE SIM (GSM) SMARTPHONE THAT ACCEPTS A NANO-SIM. CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS INCLUDE WI-FI, GPS, BLUETOOTH, NFC, USB OTG, 3G AND 4G (WITH SUPPORT FOR BAND 40 USED BY SOME LTE NETWORKS IN INDIA). SENSORS ON THE PHONE INCLUDE COMPASS MAGNETOMETER, PROXIMITY SENSOR, ACCELEROMETER, AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR, GYROSCOPE AND BAROMETER.

ABOUT GOOGLE

GOOGLE IS AN AMERICAN COMPANY SPECIALIZING IN INTERNET-RELATED SERVICES AND PRODUCTS. THESE INCLUDE ONLINE ADVERTISING TECHNOLOGIES, SEARCH, CLOUD COMPUTING, SOFTWARE, AND HARDWARE. THE COMPANY OWNS THE ANDROID OPERATING SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR SMARTPHONE OS. GOOGLE'S IMPRESSIVE PORTFOLIO OF SERVICES INCLUDES GMAIL, YOUTUBE, AND GOOGLE SEARCH, MAKING IT ONE OF THE BIGGEST INTERNET COMPANIES IN THE WORLD.

WELCOME TO THE BEST GOOGLE PIXEL 2 REVIEW ON THE INTERNET. EVEN WITH THE TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT THIS ANDROID PHONE WENT THROUGH AT LAUNCH, IT REMAINS ONE OF OUR MOST RECOMMENDED FOR ONE REASON: IT HAS AN AMAZING CAMERA AND STARTS AT A NORMAL SMARTPHONE PRICE. ON TOP OF THAT, GOOGLE HAS SINCE ISSUED A PATCH FOR THE AUDIO GLITCH PROBLEMS, SO IT STAYS PUT AS ONE OF OUR FAVORITES. YOUR ONLY ISSUE MAY BE FINDING ONE IN STOCK, AS GOOGLE IN THE US AND UK IS SOLD OUT. LUCKILY, IT'S READILY IN STOCK AT VERIZON AND VIA GOOGLE PIXEL 2 DEALS.

THE GOOGLE PIXEL 2 IS HERE TO PROVE THAT TWO REAR CAMERAS AREN’T ALWAYS BETTER THAN ONE ON A PHONE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU FAVOR PHOTO QUALITY OVER THE LATEST ALL-SCREEN DESIGNS. WE HAVE THE PICTURE PROOF BELOW.

IT’S GOOGLE’S SUPERIOR SOFTWARE THAT PUSHES THIS ANDROID OREO PHONE TO SNAP THE BEST-LOOKING PICTURES WE’VE SEEN, TOPPING THE CAMERA ON LAST YEAR’S IMPRESSIVE PIXEL AND PIXEL XL DEBUT.

WHAT’S MORE, THIS YEAR'S UPGRADE IS FASTER, WATER-RESISTANT AND ADDS A NEW WAY TO CALL UP THE GOOGLE ASSISTANT: SIMPLY SQUEEZE THE PHONE’S SIDES TO LAUNCH YOUR NEW AI BUDDY. IT SOUNDS LIKE A GIMMICK, BUT IT’S EASIER THAN ACCIDENTALLY HITTING ANOTHER (BIXBY) BUTTON.

THE PIXEL 2, WITH ITS 5-INCH SCREEN, DOESN’T LOOK LIKE THE FUTURE OF SMARTPHONES, EXCEPT FOR ITS LACK OF A 3.5MM HEADPHONE JACK – YOU'RE GOING TO WANT A PAIR OF OUR BEST BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES FOR THIS ONE.

UNLIKE THE PIXEL 2 XL, WHICH HAS AN EDGE-TO-EDGE 6-INCH DISPLAY AND TALL 18:9 ASPECT RATIO, THE PIXEL 2 IS BEZEL-HEAVY. OF COURSE, WE NOW KNOW IT HAS MORE VIBRANT COLORS AND NO SIGNS (YET) OF SCREEN BURN-IN PROBLEMS LIKE ITS LARGER COUNTERPART. DEPENDING ON HOW THE XL SCREEN PERFORMS IN THE LONG RUN, THE PIXEL 2 MAY ACTUALLY BE A CASE OF "BETTER SMALL THAN SORRY."

·         WANT SOMETHING LARGER? CHECK OUT OUR GOOGLE PIXEL 2 XL REVIEW

THE BEZELS WON'T BOTHER YOU IF YOU WANT A PHONE THAT’S A GREAT SIZE, RUNS SMART SOFTWARE AND HAS A FANTASTIC CAMERA THAT WILL MAKE YOUR FRIENDS – EVEN YOUR SAMSUNG-OWNING FRIENDS – JEALOUS. THE PIXEL 2 IS FOR PEOPLE WHO FAVOR FUNCTIONALITY OVER FASHION.

PRICE AND RELEASE DATE

·         STARTS AT $649 / £629 / AU$1,079 FOR 64GB MODEL

·         ANNOUNCED OCTOBER 4, SHIPPED THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19

·         IN THE US, TRY VERIZON IF THE GOOGLE STORE STILL HAS DELAYS

THE GOOGLE PIXEL 2 PRICE DIDN'T INCREASE YEAR-OVER-YEAR, SO LIKE ITS DATED DESIGN, IT ISN'T KEEPING UP WITH THE COMPETITION. THIS IS SURPRISING FOR A PHONE ANNOUNCED ON OCTOBER 4, AND A RELEASE DATE OF OCTOBER 19.

IT COSTS $649 / £629 / AU$1,079 FOR THE 64GB VERSION, AND $749 / £729 / AU$1,229 FOR THE 128GB CONFIGURATION. IN THE US, THIS PHONE IS SOLD ON-CONTRACT THROUGH VERIZON ONLY AMONG CARRIERS, BUT WORRY NOT, ORDERING IT FROM THE GOOGLE STORE WILL MEAN IT WORKS ON ALL NETWORKS, INCLUDING AT&T, T-MOBILE AND SPRINT.

FOR A LIMITED TIME YOU CAN GET A FREE GOOGLE HOME MINI WITH YOUR PURCHASE OF THE NEW PIXEL 2 IF YOU'RE IN THE US, UK, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR GERMANY. HOWEVER, EXPECT LONG WAIT TIMES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE DELAYED WHITE VERSION OF THE PHONE.

NEW PIXEL 2 AND PIXEL 2 XL PHOTO EXAMPLES 

THE PIXEL 2 AND PIXEL 2 XL HAVE THE SAME CAMERA, AND OUR VERY OWN CAMERON FAULKNER HAD BOTH ON HIS HONEYMOON TO GIVE US EXAMPLE OF PHOTOS PEOPLE TAKE OUTSIDE OF A TESTING LAB. CHECK OUT SOME OF THE SHOTS BELOW, THEN CONTINUE TO READ OUT REVIEW.

DESIGN

·         GREAT SIZE AND LIKABLE DESIGN

·         SQUEEZE THE SIDES TO LAUNCH GOOGLE ASSISTANT

·         WATERPROOF, BUT NO 3.5MM HEADPHONE JACK

THE GOOGLE PIXEL 2 HAS A LIKABLE SIZE AND AESTHETIC, IF YOU CAN LOOK PAST THE FACT THAT THE PHONE WON’T WOW YOU WITH AN ALL-SCREEN FRONT. IT HAS A FUTURISTIC CAMERA, BUT THE DESIGN HAS A DISTINCTLY LAST-YEAR FEEL TO IT.

IT EASILY FITS INTO ONE HAND THANKS TO ITS PALMABLE DIMENSIONS AND LIGHT WEIGHT. A FEW YEARS AGO THIS WOULD’VE BEEN CONSIDERED A PHABLET, BUT TODAY, NEXT TO THE NOTE 8, IT’S A NORMAL-SIZED ANDROID PHONE. MOST WILL BE ABLE TO MANAGE ONE-HANDED OPERATION OF ITS 5-INCH SCREEN, SOMETHING THAT'S LITERALLY A TALL ORDER WITH THE 6-INCH PIXEL 2 XL.

BOTH NEW PIXEL PHONES ARE NOW IP67 WATERPROOF (MEANING THEY CAN SURVIVE UNDERWATER UP TO 1M OR 3.3FT DOWN FOR AN HOUR) AND RETAIN A GLASS-AND-METAL DESIGN ON THE BACK, ALBEIT WITH LESS GLASS TOWARD THE TOP COMPARED TO THEIR PREDECESSORS.

THE FINGERPRINT SCANNER HAS BEEN MOVED – DON’T WORRY, IT’S NOT OFF-CENTER, AS ON SAMSUNG’S NEW PHONES – ONTO THE TEXTURED ALUMINUM PORTION OF THE BACK, WHILE THE CAMERA REMAINS ON THE GLASS PART, AND HAS A PROTECTIVE RING AROUND IT NOW.

YOU WON’T FIND A HEADPHONE JACK ON THIS PHONE, NOR EVEN USB-C EARBUDS INSIDE THE BOX – IT COMES WITH JUST A SIMPLE 3.5MM-TO-USB-C ADAPTER. GOOGLE MAY HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FIGURED OUT THAT YOU PROBABLY OWN BETTER HEADPHONES THAN THE ONES IT USUALLY SUPPLIES FOR FREE – PLUS, IT’S ALL THE MORE REASON FOR YOU TO BUY INTO THOSE PIXEL BUDS THAT JUST LAUNCHED, RIGHT?

MUSIC ON THIS PHONE SOUNDS GREAT THROUGH HEADPHONES, AND WE EVEN LIKED LISTENING TO MUSIC THROUGH THE DUAL FRONT-FACING STEREO SPEAKERS. YES, THERE'S AN ODD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM SOME PIXEL 2 SPEAKERS, BUT GOOGLE PROMISES A SOFTWARE FIX FOR THIS ISSUE.

FRONT-FACING STEREO SPEAKERS HAVE BECOME RARE AMONG SMARTPHONES, WHICH TOO OFTEN FIRE ONBOARD AUDIO OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE PHONE THROUGH A SINGLE SPEAKER. HAVING THEM INCREASES THE SIZE OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM BEZEL, BUT STEREO SPEAKERS ARE PART OF THE FUNCTIONALITY-OVER-FASHION TRADE-OFF WE’RE TALKING ABOUT.

THE PIXEL 2 ALSO ACQUIRES A FEATURE FROM THE HTC U11 CALLED EDGESENSE. SQUEEZING THE PHONE’S SIDES LAUNCHES THE GOOGLE ASSISTANT, WHICH IN OUR EXPERIENCE HAS COME IN HANDY, AND IS WAY BETTER THAN ADDING A DEDICATED AI BUTTON – SAMSUNG USES SUCH A BUTTON FOR ITS BIXBY ASSISTANT, AND WE CAN’T STOP ACCIDENTALLY PRESSING IT ON THE GALAXY S8 AND NOTE 8. OUR ONLY COMPLAINT IS THAT GOOGLE WON’T ALLOW YOU TO CUSTOMIZE THIS SQUEEZABLE FEATURE TO OPEN UP THE CAMERA OR ANOTHER APP OF YOUR CHOICE.

THE PIXEL 2 XL COMES IN FOUR COLORS: JUST BLACK, CLEARLY WHITE, KINDA BLUE AND BLACK & WHITE. IN THE US, THE CURRENTLY SOLD OUT KINDA BLUE VERSION IS A VERIZON-EXCLUSIVE.

SCREEN

·         FULL HD 1080P SCREEN IS BRIGHT AND COLORFUL

·         THICK BEZELS MAKE IT FAR FROM AN ALL-SCREEN PHONE

·         NOT THE BEST CHOICE FOR GOOGLE DAYDREAM VR

THE 5-INCH GOOGLE PIXEL 2 DISPLAY LOOKS SUPERB FOR FULL HD, BUT IT’S ALSO UNINSPIRING AT THE SAME TIME. IT’S BRIGHT AND COLORFUL, THOUGH NOT AS RICH AS A BEST-IN-CLASS SAMSUNG SMARTPHONE SCREEN.

WHAT’S DISTRACTING IS ITS SCREEN-TO-BODY RATIO, WITH LARGE BEZELS FLANKING THE SCREEN ON ALL SIDES. THIS IS EVEN MORE NOTICEABLE IN 2017 WITH SO MANY ALL-SCREEN ANDROID PHONES AROUND, INCLUDING THE BIGGER GOOGLE PIXEL 2 XL – AND IT'S ESPECIALLY DISTRACTING WHEN THE STANDARD TRIO OF ON-SCREEN BUTTONS ARE SOMETIMES DISPLAYED WITHIN A BLACK BAR THAT EATS INTO YOUR PRECIOUS SCREEN SPACE.

THE DISPLAY WORKS OKAY WITH GOOGLE DAYDREAM, BUT IT’S LESS THAN IDEAL GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU CAN SEE INDIVIDUAL PIXELS AT 1080P. THE HEADSET REALLY CALLS FOR THE QUAD HD DISPLAY FROM THE PIXEL 2 XL.

WE DID LIKE THE NEW ALWAYS-ON DISPLAY, WHICH SHOWS THE DATE, TIME AND NOTIFICATION ICONS, AND THE OVERDUE DOUBLE-TAP-TO-WAKE-THE-SCREEN FUNCTIONALITY. IT’S NOW A LOT EASIER TO SEE WHAT’S GOING ON WITH YOUR PHONE BEFORE YOU WAKE IT UP. 

YOU JUST HAVE TO GET BEYOND THE BEZELS, AND THE FACT THAT PUTTING YOUR GOOGLE PIXEL 2 IN A CASE MAKES THE OUTLINE SEEM EVEN MORE PRONOUNCED.

NETWORK	TECHNOLOGY	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE

LAUNCH	ANNOUNCED	2017, OCTOBER
	STATUS	AVAILABLE. RELEASED 2017, OCTOBER

BODY	DIMENSIONS	145.7 X 69.7 X 7.8 MM (5.74 X 2.74 X 0.31 IN)
	WEIGHT	143 G (5.04 OZ)
	SIM	NANO-SIM CARD & ESIM
		- IP67 CERTIFIED - DUST AND WATER RESISTANT - WATER RESISTANT UP TO 1 METER AND 30 MINUTES

DISPLAY	TYPE	AMOLED CAPACITIVE TOUCHSCREEN, 16M COLORS
	SIZE	5.0 INCHES, 68.9 CM2 (~67.9% SCREEN-TO-BODY RATIO)
	RESOLUTION	1080 X 1920 PIXELS, 16:9 RATIO (~441 PPI DENSITY)
	MULTITOUCH	YES
	PROTECTION	CORNING GORILLA GLASS 5
		- ALWAYS-ON DISPLAY - 95% DCI-P3 COVERAGE

PLATFORM	OS	ANDROID 8.0
	CHIPSET	QUALCOMM MSM8998 SNAPDRAGON 835
	CPU	OCTA-CORE (4X2.35 GHZ KRYO & 4X1.9 GHZ KRYO)
	GPU	ADRENO 540

MEMORY	CARD SLOT	NO
	INTERNAL	64/128 GB, 4 GB RAM

CAMERA	PRIMARY	12.2 MP, F/1.8, 27MM, OIS, PHASE DETECTION & LASER AUTOFOCUS, DUAL-LED FLASH, CHECK QUALITY
	FEATURES	1/2.6" SENSOR SIZE, 1.4 µM PIXEL SIZE, GEO-TAGGING, TOUCH FOCUS, FACE DETECTION, HDR, PANORAMA
	VIDEO	2160P@30FPS, 1080P@30/60/120FPS, 720P@240FPS, CHECK QUALITY
	SECONDARY	8 MP, F/2.4, 27MM, 1/3.2" SENSOR SIZE, 1.4 µM PIXEL SIZE, 1080P

SOUND	ALERT TYPES	VIBRATION; MP3, WAV RINGTONES
	LOUDSPEAKER	YES, WITH STEREO SPEAKERS
	3.5MM JACK	NO
		- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION WITH DEDICATED MIC - TYPE-C TO 3.5 MM HEADPHONE JACK ADAPTER

COMMS	WLAN	WI-FI 802.11 A/B/G/N/AC, DUAL-BAND, WI-FI DIRECT, DLNA, HOTSPOT
	BLUETOOTH	5.0, A2DP, LE, APTX HD
	GPS	YES, WITH A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
	NFC	YES
	RADIO	NO
	USB	3.1, TYPE-C 1.0 REVERSIBLE CONNECTOR (POWERDELIVERY 2.0)

FEATURES	SENSORS	FINGERPRINT (REAR-MOUNTED), ACCELEROMETER, GYRO, PROXIMITY, COMPASS, BAROMETER
	MESSAGING	SMS(THREADED VIEW), MMS, EMAIL, PUSH MAIL, IM
	BROWSER	HTML5
	JAVA	NO
		- FAST BATTERY CHARGING (CAPPED AT 10.5 W) - MP4/H.264 PLAYER - MP3/WAV/EAAC+ PLAYER - PHOTO/VIDEO EDITOR - DOCUMENT EDITOR

BATTERY		NON-REMOVABLE LI-ION 2700 MAH BATTERY

MISC	COLORS	KINDA BLUE, JUST BLACK, CLEARLY WHITE
	PRICE	ABOUT 800 EUR

TESTS	PERFORMANCE	BASEMARK OS II: 3387 / BASEMARK OS II 2.0: 4131 BASEMARK X: 38794
	DISPLAY	CONTRAST RATIO: INFINITE (NOMINAL), 4.023 (SUNLIGHT)
	CAMERA	PHOTO / VIDEO
	LOUDSPEAKER	VOICE 70DB / NOISE 77DB / RING 81DB
	AUDIO QUALITY	NOISE -93.3DB / CROSSTALK -66.2DB
	BATTERY LIFE	ENDURANCE RATING 75H