Hopefully I'll be able to shed some light on the Pixel 3 XL soon. I returned my XS Max today. Great phone but not worth the price IMO. I placed an order for the 128GB 3 XL. If all the reported problems are true on my device, it'll be going back. I might even cancel the order before it ships depending on early reviews of the OnePlus 6T. In the meantime, back to my Note 8.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Pixel 3/Pixel 3 XL
- Thread starter nviz22
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Samsung get a lot of hate but they are releasing some great phones from the S8 onwards. I personally think they do Android better than Google themselves in many cases, far more features and less bugs surprisingly.
The last few years with Samsung have been terrific. I always called the S8 and the s9 the most worry-free smartphones I've ever owned.
Plus, love their screen technology. It's in all major flagships. The Pixel 3 LG display is good, but I wish it were Samsung.
Samsung are leading the pack in the hardware category and frankly are starting to pull away. If they can tinker a little less with stock Android and out some effort into timely updates, they would be easy choices each year.
I have a Note 8 right now and it's easily the best phone I've ever used. The only drawbacks are subpar battery life and slow updates. If I didn't already have the 8, the Note 9 would be an easy pick as my new phone. It's the best Android phone currently available IMO.
I have a Note 8 right now and it's easily the best phone I've ever used. The only drawbacks are subpar battery life and slow updates. If I didn't already have the 8, the Note 9 would be an easy pick as my new phone. It's the best Android phone currently available IMO.
Google makes Android, the OS. They also made the OS specifically for the Nexus devices.
It’s sad, isn’t it? Samsung isn’t even a software company but they do software better than a supposed software company.
I think that’s personal opinion. Samsung software is the worst I’ve experienced. And I trialled an S9. Give me stock any day over Samsung’s efforts.
I do agree that they’ve done well marching to their own beat though which is refreshing seeing all these other notched androids about.
Samsung used to struggle on the software side because TouchWiz prioritizes extra features over stability and speed. They've figured out a better balance over the years and the software on Samsung phones is much better the past couple of years. A lot of people have bad memories of laggy Samsung software which really isn't a problem anymore.
Yeah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Samsung’s software has certainly improved (not exactly a high bar to clear) and even has some bright spots (Samsung browser is best available on Android, IMO) but placing their software capabilities ahead of Google is pure folly. One word...Bixby.
@jamezr isn’t wrong though when stating in ‘in a lot of ways...Samsung does Android smartphones better than Google,” but that’s more attributable to their hardware, not software. Think of these scenarios...would you rather have a Pixel with Samsung’s skin? Most would say ‘Hell No.’ Or how about a Galaxy S9 with Googles version of Android? How often have we seen a comment online wishing that Google had Samsung make their Pixel hardware?
Samsung has often then the way when implementing new features (i.e. multi-window for apps well before it was part of stock Android) and their software certainly has improved but most certainly wouldn’t proclaim they do software better than Google and its services.
Samsung Experience wouldn't exist without Android anyways, and Tizen has been in development for years to little or no avail. I wouldn't say that Samsung does software better than Google, but they certainly (in my experience, and in recent years) take stock Android and improve upon it.
Having long been a fan of stock Android, but having used the Note 9, I did not miss stock Android at all. As a matter of fact, I'd probably miss all of Samsung's software additions more if I was using stock Android. Much like Apple, Google is trending in the direction of restricting its own OS from reaching its full potential in my opinion.
Having long been a fan of stock Android, but having used the Note 9, I did not miss stock Android at all. As a matter of fact, I'd probably miss all of Samsung's software additions more if I was using stock Android. Much like Apple, Google is trending in the direction of restricting its own OS from reaching its full potential in my opinion.
I returned the XS Max as well. I got the Pixel 3 XL, we will see if it gets returned. So far I like it but it has only been a few days. I even had to return the first one I got. No fingerprint imprint option.
The reverse could be said as well.....would you want a Note 9 with the version of Android that shipped with the current Pixel 3? Some would....some would not...but as buggy as it is being reported....I would stick with the current Samsung Experience software that ships with the Note 9 to be honest.Yeah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Samsung’s software has certainly improved (not exactly a high bar to clear) and even has some bright spots (Samsung browser is best available on Android, IMO) but placing their software capabilities ahead of Google is pure folly. One word...Bixby.
@jamezr isn’t wrong though when stating in ‘in a lot of ways...Samsung does Android smartphones better than Google,” but that’s more attributable to their hardware, not software. Think of these scenarios...would you rather have a Pixel with Samsung’s skin? Most would say ‘Hell No.’ Or how about a Galaxy S9 with Googles version of Android? How often have we seen a comment online wishing that Google had Samsung make their Pixel hardware?
Samsung has often then the way when implementing new features (i.e. multi-window for apps well before it was part of stock Android) and their software certainly has improved but most certainly wouldn’t proclaim they do software better than Google and its services.
Screened my first call. Felt good!
[doublepost=1540395828][/doublepost]
Just curious because I'm not sure I follow... the first Pixel 3 XL you got had no fingerprint imprint option?
You know what's kind of funny? I see a lot of people with iPhone X and XS angling their devices toward their faces all the time on the train. I see people at work, too, doing the same.
I love the back FPS of the Pixel 3. While it's definitely odd and a missed opportunity for Google not to offer some face unlock feature as an option after installing two front-facing cameras, I still love me a good fingerprint scanner. I'm looking forward to it being back on front under the display when that technology gets good, but the back location is perfectly fine, too. I pull out my device and with muscle memory of my finger, my device is awake and ready to go when I pull it up.
One of the frustrating things about my X when I had it for a few months was face unlock was clearly slower than FPS.
[doublepost=1540395828][/doublepost]
Just curious because I'm not sure I follow... the first Pixel 3 XL you got had no fingerprint imprint option?
You know what's kind of funny? I see a lot of people with iPhone X and XS angling their devices toward their faces all the time on the train. I see people at work, too, doing the same.
I love the back FPS of the Pixel 3. While it's definitely odd and a missed opportunity for Google not to offer some face unlock feature as an option after installing two front-facing cameras, I still love me a good fingerprint scanner. I'm looking forward to it being back on front under the display when that technology gets good, but the back location is perfectly fine, too. I pull out my device and with muscle memory of my finger, my device is awake and ready to go when I pull it up.
One of the frustrating things about my X when I had it for a few months was face unlock was clearly slower than FPS.
Last edited:
Sounds a bit Apple like. Google/Android is slowly trying to become Apple/iOS.
I get it, not really an issue for me as I if I need to charge quickly, I plug it in. I wirelessly charge overnight.
Ah, a very Apple-like way of locking you into their product line. Google is focusing very very hard on being Apple, rather than being their own entity. That, at the very least, is one of the admirable things about Samsung. For better or worse, they at least try to be their own unique brand.
Agreed about Samsung. They are very much their own style. Google are trying to be apple when they will simply never be at that level. The whole pixel launch has been abit of a mess right now.
Agreed. I know not everyone likes Samsung, and that's understandable, but I've grown to really appreciate the brand and their products, if only for their unique differences from competing products, and Samsung's apparent unwillingness to bend on compromises. Now that won't last forever, and maybe not even much longer, but it's still refreshing. I thought I would feel that same way about Google's hardware moving into the future, but I'm slowly growing the same distaste I've grown for Apple as a brand. Anywho, don't mean to get the thread off-topic, just an observation.
For the Note 9, yep. I didn’t use that as a example because of the necessary customizing to make the most of the S-Pen. But I personally would love to try the Pixel software on Samsung hardware (with the visual core, of course). For me, the Google camera and accompanying machine learning, as well as Google Assistant integration alone make that the preferred setup.
But I get what your saying.
It's funny how OnePlus have taken the lead on better performing stock Android phones.
Clearly the 6T will be a smoother more fluid operating phone compared to the Pixel 3. Yet this is Google's thing, they created Android, they make vanilla Android. And they charge a much higher price for their Pixel vs a OnePlus, yet somehow OnePlus is besting them on developing a smoother better performing phone.
It's not rocket science what OPO is doing, Google can easily match and beat them in development of the Pixel OS, I just don't know why they aren't ?
Basically the OnePlus phones have taken over the old Nexus spot, and doing better at then Google did. And now Google can't even make their $900 flagship as smooth and fast as a $550 phone.
I'm thinking and hoping the Pixel 4 line will be a major jump for them. I think that will be the full HTC design team and also Android Q will be better and the Snapdragon 855 is supposed to be a major new processor. Plus all the criticism Google's getting on the Pixel 3, I expect next year's phones to be night and day better.
Clearly the 6T will be a smoother more fluid operating phone compared to the Pixel 3. Yet this is Google's thing, they created Android, they make vanilla Android. And they charge a much higher price for their Pixel vs a OnePlus, yet somehow OnePlus is besting them on developing a smoother better performing phone.
It's not rocket science what OPO is doing, Google can easily match and beat them in development of the Pixel OS, I just don't know why they aren't ?
Basically the OnePlus phones have taken over the old Nexus spot, and doing better at then Google did. And now Google can't even make their $900 flagship as smooth and fast as a $550 phone.
I'm thinking and hoping the Pixel 4 line will be a major jump for them. I think that will be the full HTC design team and also Android Q will be better and the Snapdragon 855 is supposed to be a major new processor. Plus all the criticism Google's getting on the Pixel 3, I expect next year's phones to be night and day better.
It's good and bad what OPO is doing. Their prices creep up each release and I think within a few years they will be right up there with Apple, Samsung, and Google.