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
You know an Android device has a major RAM issue when posts like the above are made
Every 3-4years we seem to get to this point with a certain Flagship Android device, due to a manufacturer cheaping out on RAM, it's sad that this time it's Google themselves.
I remember how I had to literally ensure I closed apps on my Exynos Galaxy S3 when it got Android Jellybean. The JB update sucked a lot of the 1GB RAM from the Exynos Galaxy S3, to point where you had to manage it as it would simply close apps once you got more than 3 going at a time, meaning I could not Web Browse, WhatsApp and listen to Music, as the Browser (Google Chrome or Dolphin Browser) would close immediately if you left it.
The Pixel 3 XL issues sound very similar to that situation.
I am literally an obsessive closer of apps (ABC - Always Be Closing) and never knew this!!
You know an Android device has a major RAM issue when posts like the above are made
Every 3-4years we seem to get to this point with a certain Flagship Android device, due to a manufacturer cheaping out on RAM, it's sad that this time it's Google themselves.
I remember how I had to literally ensure I closed apps on my Exynos Galaxy S3 when it got Android Jellybean. The JB update sucked a lot of the 1GB RAM from the Exynos Galaxy S3, to point where you had to manage it as it would simply close apps once you got more than 3 going at a time, meaning I could not Web Browse, WhatsApp and listen to Music, as the Browser (Google Chrome or Dolphin Browser) would close immediately if you left it.
The Pixel 3 XL issues sound very similar to that situation.
I was explaining why force closing apps has no effect on battery life or performance. What you're talking about is completely different. And while 4 GB of RAM is not ideal, it's perfectly adequate for performance if their aren't any memory leaks or other software related issues. That's what it sounds like is the problem on the Pixel 3.
I know exactly what you are saying, however what I am saying is that these discussions almost always creep up when there is a RAM issue on a device.
All I am saying is that I have seen this discussion WAY too many times in Android (at XDA, at Android Central, at Android Forums, at Reddit etc etc...) even in iOS and each time it's been on a device that didn't come with the adequate RAM it requited.
I am not saying that is the case with the Pixel 3, but I am seeing a trend here that I have seen since I first got on to Android 8 years ago.
I will continue to observe this, but I think I can already see where this is going, but most people will only admit it when the Pixel 4 arrives.
I think it's more because in the early days of smartphone OS'es ram management and background app killing was really poor so it was justified. Many people hold on to that idea because it's familiar. It's the same way that everyone thinks TouchWiz is slow, laggy, and terrible. That's because it used to be but has improved and rather than acknowledge these improvements, it's easy just to stick with what you already know.
I went back to Best Buy to look at Pixel 3 again today. The demo unit has a weird defect in the top right corner that I didn't notice last time I looked at it. I've not been able to find anything online about others who have seen this issue. The corner of the screen looks deformed and the curve isn't the correct shape. I wonder if it's dead pixels maybe?
Attachments
My Pixel 3 XL shipped so if it gets here tomorrow as expected then I should be able to provide some feedback by Monday. With the Oneplus 6T looking like a good phone for $300 less, I’m not going to keep the Pixel if there are any glaring hardware issues. So, we’ll see...
I will check out the 6t but the 3XL gives me personally no reasons to return it. Excellent smartphone as far as I am concerned.
I did return the XS Max so ......
I did return the XS Max so ......
Yeah I'm personally very satisfied and just like my Pixel 3 XL, is it the greatest phone I've ever owned? No of course not. But it's a refined slightly nicer 2 XL.
And I'm just a huge fan of stock Android with direct updates from Google every month. I don't like Samsung or LG UI, and iOS sucks in my opinion.
And I bought my Pixel 3 XL from Google for $855, including Tax and shipping. So I think that's a good deal for this phone. Google had a $100 gift certificate waiting for me, which I never even knew bout, no idea why or how I got that?
And I'm just a huge fan of stock Android with direct updates from Google every month. I don't like Samsung or LG UI, and iOS sucks in my opinion.
And I bought my Pixel 3 XL from Google for $855, including Tax and shipping. So I think that's a good deal for this phone. Google had a $100 gift certificate waiting for me, which I never even knew bout, no idea why or how I got that?
Last edited:
The $100 in store credit is a promo they were running.
How'd you get a near $1000 phone for $855?
I bought the 64GB model. It was $955 w/Tax. And I had the $100 store credit, bring down to $855.
As someone with a Pixel Stand on its way, Google needs to fix this:
The Pixel Stand breaks ambient display notifications on the Pixel 3
https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/11/02/pixel-stand-breaks-ambient-display-notifications-pixel-3/
The Pixel Stand breaks ambient display notifications on the Pixel 3
https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/11/02/pixel-stand-breaks-ambient-display-notifications-pixel-3/
Well, it should be the best phone you’ve ever owned. Technology is smartphones improves each year. Phone this year are better than last, so on and so forth. So unless you have another phone from this year I would be upset if the Pixel 3 XL wasn’t better than all your previous phones.
Not sure about that. I'd still say for one of the top smartphones of 2017, the Pixel 2 XL is easily in the top 3.
- Best stock vanilla Android phone
- Smoothest UI for Android of 2017
- It's not an iPhone, which makes it great
- It doesn't run iOS thank God. It doesn't run Lagwiz, thank God. It doesn't run LG's UI thank God.
- The 2 XL has great battery life
- Monthly updates direct from Google like clockwork
- Smooth fast fluid OS
- Loud stereo speakers
- Easily rooted + ROM'd
I would say the Pixel 3 is one of the worse phones of 2018 though. I don't have hands on experience like you do but just from user feed back and what the competition offers, if the pixel 3 was the same price as the one plus I probably still wouldn't get it.
I've only had the XL for a day but so far...
- Performance is quick
- I haven't noticed any RAM issues but I haven't pushed it too hard.
- my speakers sound great. No distortion like I heard in the demo at a Verizon store a couple of weeks ago. The bottom speaker is definitely louder but it's not a big deal.
- Camera is really really good.
- Too early to say on battery life.
- Performance is quick
- I haven't noticed any RAM issues but I haven't pushed it too hard.
- my speakers sound great. No distortion like I heard in the demo at a Verizon store a couple of weeks ago. The bottom speaker is definitely louder but it's not a big deal.
- Camera is really really good.
- Too early to say on battery life.
I think if you did some hands on your opinion would change drastically.
we know you are a google fanboy, much to the degree of apple sheeps. out of 9 points you listed, 4-5 are about the OS, but honestly the difference isnt that big anymore, and some of them have some good features too. i mainly use apple, but have used friends and family's samsung, oppo and oneplus. you are just making a mountain out of a molehill.
smooth fast fluid OS? pixels have problems with ram management, saving photos, phone slowing down to an unusable speed after 1 year. this is totally unacceptable for a software company like google and the premium price it's charging. I wont deny it is one the best smartphones ON PAPER, but im not so sure in real life usage.
Last edited:
I should probably rephrase. Worst phone for the price*. Honestly, just seeing the XL 3 stacked up against the Mate 20 Pro seems like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Pixel camera is not drastically better than others now especially when it comes to video recording. So the only benefit of the Pixel I can see left remaining is fast updates. For me, fast updates is not such a big deal. So I am left with why? (for me).
I do agree with you. Nothing beats hands on experience.
So if the Pixel 3, was the same price as the 6T, you'd still take it even though;
- No IP68
- Worse camera
- Lower res worse display
- No wireless charging
- Slower monthly security updates
- Cheaper haptic vibration
Really?