Phones Google Pixel 2 / Google Pixel 2 XL

[jamesrick80]

Unfortunately I wouldn’t know. I am stuck using the Adapative display mode, because it’s the only one in which I can use the software update that allows me to get rid of the pink stain of my display.

I’m one of the unlucky ones who got one of the blotchy pink stain afflicted displays. Without the “fix” applied, if I try to use my display in any other mode, it looks like I drooled jelly donut filling all over my display. mmm...donuts... I hate it when I try to read through that nasty pink haze. Fortunately, Adaptive mode looks good. It’s a bit too saturated for my tastes, but it works.

The Pixel 2XL display looked fine to me.

You should sell a defected S8 Plus on Craigslist.

 

[Kiezpirat80]

Unfortunately I wouldn’t know. I am stuck using the Adapative display mode, because it’s the only one in which I can use the software update that allows me to get rid of the pink stain of my display.

I’m one of the unlucky ones who got one of the blotchy pink stain afflicted displays. Without the “fix” applied, if I try to use my display in any other mode, it looks like I drooled jelly donut filling all over my display. mmm...donuts... I hate it when I try to read through that nasty pink haze. Fortunately, Adaptive mode looks good. It’s a bit too saturated for my tastes, but it works.

The Pixel 2XL display looked fine to me.

You should have exchanged your s8+ and not crying about not being able to change display mode because of your pinkish display.

 

[AustinIllini]

Well, got the "on Hold" notification this morning, but I cleared that up, so I think I'm all good. Payment went through on my alternate card.

 

[AustinIllini]

Charge went through! Option to cancel shipment removed!

 

[jamezr]

Charge went through! Option to cancel shipment removed!

Great! Lets us know if you get a shipping label notice. Do you have MyFedex and MyUSPS accounts? They will let you know when a shipping label is created and about when to expect shipment.

 

[spinedoc77]

Don’t think it’s you wigeteer.
Pixel xl2 side bezels does look chunkier than the iPhone 8+.

No way, it's pretty apparent that the 8+ side bezels are thicker.

 

[FFR]

No way, it's pretty apparent that the 8+ side bezels are thicker.

 

[AustinIllini]

Great! Lets us know if you get a shipping label notice. Do you have MyFedex and MyUSPS accounts? They will let you know when a shipping label is created and about when to expect shipment.

I have both. I've ordered many an iPhone on launch day

 

[Cakefish]

I'm gonna unsubscribe from this thread for a short while. I can't be dealing with all these back-and-forth posts debating which phone's bezels are a fraction of a millimetre larger than the other. Not really a fan of how bezels have become the sole talking point surrounding 2017 phones, as if nothing else matters. I'll be back one I have my phone in my hands to share my thoughts

 

[5105973]

You should have exchanged your s8+ and not crying about not being able to change display mode because of your pinkish display.

I usually would completely agree with you, but at the time, the odds of getting an even worse unit were high. I went to several stores looking at display models and they were all afflicted to some degree or another. Some were worse than mine. Back then it was not clear to me this was a hardware issue. Samsung denied it was and promised a software fix and insisted phones didn’t need to be returned for this issue. While trying to figure it all out, the clock was ticking on my return period of 14 days. Nowadays I see perfect displays everywhere, which makes me think Samsung got a handle on how to build out the displays without the defect. But that wasn’t the case when I bought mine.

After days of trying to wait for AT&T to release the promised software fix from Samsung, I decided it was a big gamble so I tried to initiate their return/exchange process before my return period expired. (My return period did end up expiring weeks before AT&T finally pushed out the fix). However, there is just one customer service number that had hold times up to several hours because at the time there were several customer service issues going on simultaneously related to some preorder freebies fiasco and trade-in snafu and people were jamming the line for weeks. I tried calling them just to ask questions about how the exchange could be handled without my having to ship back all of my preorder freebies and could not get through. I went online as well, trying to reach a representative and had no luck.

It is what it is. I won’t deal with Samsung directly again, if I can help it. But I’m not thrilled with service through my carrier, either. AT&T likes to throw its weight around and tell me what I can and can’t own even when everything is fully paid. It was a 2 hour battle with them threatening to impose $500 of fees just so I could use my new Apple LTE Watch.

So that’s why Pixel is my last Best hope for a good Android experience. If Google fails me, I go back to Apple exclusively.
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You should sell a defected S8 Plus on Craigslist.

Like I said, I run it on Adaptive display and it works well enough for my purposes.

I’m not getting a Pixel because I’m unhappy with the S8+ display. Honestly, I want to expand my understanding or perspective of the Android environment and I can’t do that if I limit myself to just one brand. Especially since Samsung brings such a heavily customized version of Android and is almost completely duplicating everything Google does with its own versions.

 

[AustinIllini]

I'm gonna unsubscribe from this thread for a short while. I can't be dealing with all these back-and-forth posts debating which phone's bezels are a fraction of a millimetre larger than the other. Not really a fan of how bezels have become the sole talking point surrounding 2017 phones, as if nothing else matters. I'll be back one I have my phone in my hands to share my thoughts

I understand that people could be upset by the Pixel's large top and bottom bezels, but the side bezels are just so uninteresting.

Besides, iPhone X has little to stand on, considering it has the "notch" which is the design gaffe of the year.

 

[slitherjef]

Still no pending charge for me. But I think my order is in the October 25th slot.

*Finger tap finger tap finger tap tap tap....*

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Is it confirmed the display on the XL 2 is the same as the V30? Because the Verge destroys that display in their review out this morning.

 

[co.ag.2005]

Pending charge for me, I ordered the Black XL 2 to play with until my Panda one comes in November

 

[jamezr]

Pending charge for me, I ordered the Black XL 2 to play with until my Panda one comes in November

and I thought I had a smartphone addiction!

 

[co.ag.2005]

and I thought I had a smartphone addiction!

I'm right up there with ya, just not as bad... I haven't taken the plunge on the iPhone 8 Plus or V30...yet. But will likely at least try to pre-order an iPhone X

 

[spinedoc77]

No way, it's pretty apparent that the 8+ side bezels are thicker.

OK I have to go back and change my opinion on this one. I just got back from a Verizon store where I directly compared my 7+ to the XL2, I sat there for a few minutes staring at them both, I think the staff though I was some weirdo lol. Anyhow I actually found the XL2 side bezel to be a miniscule amount thicker than the 7+, but that was just eyeballing it. I have a feeling the slightly more curved edges of the XL2 contributed to that, so in reality it's probably more accurate to just say they are about the same. I also found myself moderately disgusted with the entire front design of the XL2, between the side bezels and the rounded corners it looks kind of awful. I didn't get that sunken in screen feel, but the design just somehow made the bezels "seem" to be larger than they are somehow. I know I sound nuts, but I actually prefer the XL1 screen setup with it's square corners.

The XL2 screen was only minimally larger than my 7+, which really surprised me. It was virtually the same width, but just a few mm taller. Screen itself was very nice, didn't notice any banding at minimum brightness. Brightness seemed about equal to the 8+ with them both at max, which is decent but not great in my book, probably sucks in sunlight like the 7+ (and XL1) does. The XL2 does have a noticeable blue tint to it, but it's not a big deal and you get used to it. I'm not a typical consumer that believes all that marketing truetone BS anyway, you get used to what you stare at all day.

Finally, the back of the phone felt cheap to me. I don't know why, I think it was just the contrast of the aluminum and glass really gave the feel of cheapness to the aluminum part to my hands and eyes. Coupled with the janky bezel setup in the front and I wasn't really impressed with an almost $1k phone. Having a "larger" screen wasn't anywhere as dramatic as say putting the Note 8 next to the iPhone 7+.

So I cancelled my XL2 order, I just can't see paying almost $1k for the design. They really needed to step up to the plate here if they are going to be charging so much for the phone. I'm going back to my original plan to try and get an iPhone X, and in the meantime keep my 7+ or if the X is delayed maybe get a 8+. Honestly I may not even stay with the X as that has it's own set of issues as well and wouldn't surprise myself if I just kept a 8+ until next year on the hopes of an iPhone x PLUS. I did get to compare the v30 to the XL2, wow the v30 just trounces all over the XL2 design, wow. So that's a contender as well.

 

[widgeteer]

OK I have to go back and change my opinion on this one. I just got back from a Verizon store where I directly compared my 7+ to the XL2, I sat there for a few minutes staring at them both, I think the staff though I was some weirdo lol. Anyhow I actually found the XL2 side bezel to be a miniscule amount thicker than the 7+, but that was just eyeballing it. I have a feeling the slightly more curved edges of the XL2 contributed to that, so in reality it's probably more accurate to just say they are about the same. I also found myself moderately disgusted with the entire front design of the XL2, between the side bezels and the rounded corners it looks kind of awful. I didn't get that sunken in screen feel, but the design just somehow made the bezels "seem" to be larger than they are somehow. I know I sound nuts, but I actually prefer the XL1 screen setup with it's square corners.

The XL2 screen was only minimally larger than my 7+, which really surprised me. It was virtually the same width, but just a few mm taller. Screen itself was very nice, didn't notice any banding at minimum brightness. Brightness seemed about equal to the 8+ with them both at max, which is decent but not great in my book, probably sucks in sunlight like the 7+ (and XL1) does. The XL2 does have a noticeable blue tint to it, but it's not a big deal and you get used to it. I'm not a typical consumer that believes all that marketing truetone BS anyway, you get used to what you stare at all day.

Finally, the back of the phone felt cheap to me. I don't know why, I think it was just the contrast of the aluminum and glass really gave the feel of cheapness to the aluminum part to my hands and eyes. Coupled with the janky bezel setup in the front and I wasn't really impressed with an almost $1k phone. Having a "larger" screen wasn't anywhere as dramatic as say putting the Note 8 next to the iPhone 7+.

So I cancelled my XL2 order, I just can't see paying almost $1k for the design. They really needed to step up to the plate here if they are going to be charging so much for the phone. I'm going back to my original plan to try and get an iPhone X, and in the meantime keep my 7+ or if the X is delayed maybe get a 8+. Honestly I may not even stay with the X as that has it's own set of issues as well and wouldn't surprise myself if I just kept a 8+ until next year on the hopes of an iPhone x PLUS. I did get to compare the v30 to the XL2, wow the v30 just trounces all over the XL2 design, wow. So that's a contender as well.

Same conclusions on my end. And keep in mind as you're comparing the XL2 to the 8+: only one of those phones is supposed to feature a "bezel-less design". Just the fact that you can't tell which one has thicker bezels tells you a lot about the Pixel's design. (I agree with an earlier poster that obsessing over bezels is kind of a waste of time but...it seems to be the context we're discussing 2017 flagships.)

I also go back and forth on the X vs the 8 Plus. I *think* I want the X but everything I've read suggests I really shouldn't. I'm sure I'll place an order all the same because of course I will.

 

[nospleen]

I am loving reading all of the different opinions! Keep them coming.

One thing I like about the XL2, and I just figured out why, is that the screen reminds me of the Palm Pre. I really like the rounded edges near the corner of the screen. The Pre was one of my favorite phones and I think the glossy black edges and curves reminds me a lot of that design. I wish they would make a modern version of that phone, the size was great.

 

[epicrayban]

The Verge's review had some damning things to say about the LG V30 display: https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/16/16457544/lg-v30-review-design


You may be wondering why I have left discussion of the LG V30’s display for last. Well, that’s because I wanted you to understand the essential strengths and weaknesses of this phone before I told you the ultimate deal-breaker for me. The OLED screen of the V30 is just bad. There’s no dodging this issue, and there’s no making excuses for it. This isn’t a good display, and if your phone doesn’t have a good display it might as well be a Nokia 5110.

Ars Technica encountered with a preproduction V30 device last month.

Every time I switched between the V30 and HTC’s U11 in my testing, the U11’s screen felt like a luxurious escape. It’s painfully apparent that LG’s so-called plastic OLED screens are multiple generations behind Samsung’s alternative — which graces the Galaxy S8, Galaxy Note 8, and the upcoming iPhone X — as well as significantly behind the best LCDs, as exhibited by the U11. If you’d asked me, before getting ahold of the V30, what most excited me about this phone, the bezel-deprived OLED screen would have been one of my top two or three features. I really do think LG nailed the dimensions of this phone, and I’m confident the screen technology contributes to the V30’s thinness (as well as making it compatible with Google’s budding Daydream VR ecosystem). But the V30’s desaturated, lifeless screen, addled with all of the foregoing issues, makes this a phone I find impossible to love, or even get along with on a daily basis.



Question: who is responsible for the Pixel 2 OLED screen? HTC?

 

[Mark316]

I think Samsung provided the displays for the Pixel last year? Hopefully it's the same for the smaller Pixel 2 cause the LG version sounds like a deal breaker.

 

[fjd726]

I'm also having second thoughts about the XL screen. Should be flawless for the amount their selling it for.

 

[spinedoc77]

Just to add to my mini review from looking at the pixels this morning at Verizon, the smaller pixel is a joke. I mean seriously, Google isn't really releasing this are they? I can't help but keep thinking it's just a big joke from Google and the phone will crack open, revealing the real pixel underneath. The bezels on it would have been big in 2011, much less 2017, and they have the cojones to charge a premium for it.

 

[FFR]

OK I have to go back and change my opinion on this one. I just got back from a Verizon store where I directly compared my 7+ to the XL2, I sat there for a few minutes staring at them both, I think the staff though I was some weirdo lol. Anyhow I actually found the XL2 side bezel to be a miniscule amount thicker than the 7+, but that was just eyeballing it. I have a feeling the slightly more curved edges of the XL2 contributed to that, so in reality it's probably more accurate to just say they are about the same. I also found myself moderately disgusted with the entire front design of the XL2, between the side bezels and the rounded corners it looks kind of awful. I didn't get that sunken in screen feel, but the design just somehow made the bezels "seem" to be larger than they are somehow. I know I sound nuts, but I actually prefer the XL1 screen setup with it's square corners.

The XL2 screen was only minimally larger than my 7+, which really surprised me. It was virtually the same width, but just a few mm taller. Screen itself was very nice, didn't notice any banding at minimum brightness. Brightness seemed about equal to the 8+ with them both at max, which is decent but not great in my book, probably sucks in sunlight like the 7+ (and XL1) does. The XL2 does have a noticeable blue tint to it, but it's not a big deal and you get used to it. I'm not a typical consumer that believes all that marketing truetone BS anyway, you get used to what you stare at all day.

Finally, the back of the phone felt cheap to me. I don't know why, I think it was just the contrast of the aluminum and glass really gave the feel of cheapness to the aluminum part to my hands and eyes. Coupled with the janky bezel setup in the front and I wasn't really impressed with an almost $1k phone. Having a "larger" screen wasn't anywhere as dramatic as say putting the Note 8 next to the iPhone 7+.

So I cancelled my XL2 order, I just can't see paying almost $1k for the design. They really needed to step up to the plate here if they are going to be charging so much for the phone. I'm going back to my original plan to try and get an iPhone X, and in the meantime keep my 7+ or if the X is delayed maybe get a 8+. Honestly I may not even stay with the X as that has it's own set of issues as well and wouldn't surprise myself if I just kept a 8+ until next year on the hopes of an iPhone x PLUS. I did get to compare the v30 to the XL2, wow the v30 just trounces all over the XL2 design, wow. So that's a contender as well.

Good man.
The mention of Bezels seems to strike a nerve in this thread.

 

[epicrayban]

Just to add to my mini review from looking at the pixels this morning at Verizon, the smaller pixel is a joke. I mean seriously, Google isn't really releasing this are they? I can't help but keep thinking it's just a big joke from Google and the phone will crack open, revealing the real pixel underneath. The bezels on it would have been big in 2011, much less 2017, and they have the cojones to charge a premium for it.

If you go back a few pages and read my early impressions of the Pixel 2, I echo similar frustrations. The phone felt dated the moment I picked it up.

And the Pixel 2 XL, I'm really not sure what happened here; it's simply a poor excuse for a bezel-less, edge-to-edge phone. As if this was some first-generation attempt at bezel-less screen design from years ago, except it's 2017 and is being released as the high-end flagship option.

I'm not here to simply hate on bezels. I genuinely think Google stumbled on the design of both Pixel 2 models. They look odd and feel cheap. Both models have questionable design decisions that should challenge the worth of their premium prices.

It looks like the premium price is purely about software and updates. Google hardware doesn't appear to be ready for prime time.