Google Pixel is a Top-Notch Android Phone

The Google Pixel is Google's flagship phone release for 2016, replacing the Nexus lineup. As before, these high-end Android handsets are meant to showcase the Android experience with Nougat, the latest major update to Android. We've already reviewed the Pixel XL, the larger of the two Pixels, and found it to be one of the best Android phones currently available. If you're curious about the less expensive, 5-inch Pixel, though, here's what tech reviewers and owners are saying about that phone. Who is it for? The Google Pixel is designed for consumers who want the very best of Google, including a version of Android that isn't loaded down with UI overlays or "skins" provided by other Android phone makers. Some customers view Google's smartphones as the very best Android offers, because they come with the latest in Android and receive new updates and security patches directly from Google if purchased unlocked. In years past, carrier-locked versions of Google smartphones experienced some delay with updates as compared to Google Store-bought handsets. But even then, Google smartphones still received the latest updates weeks ahead of buyers of other Android handsets. The $649 Google Pixel is a carrier exclusive with Verizon, though smartphone buyers can purchase an unlocked model from the Google Store to use with other carriers or Google's own Project Fi wireless service. Expect to pay $27.08 a month by way of Verizon's installment plan or $27.04 per month if you use Google's financing plan. Key Specs and Features The Google Pixel features a 5-inch, AMOLED display with Corning's Gorilla Glass 4 and a full-HD resolution of 1920 x 1080p (441ppi); Qualcomm's high-end quad-core Snapdragon 821 SoC; 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM; 32/128GB of storage; an 8-megapixel front camera and 12.3MP back camera; and a 2,770-mAh battery. Really, the only differences between the Pixel and the larger Pixel XL are the screen resolution (the Pixel XL's 5.5-inch display boasts a 2560 x 1440 display) an d battery size (the XL has a 3,450-mAh power pack that lasted more than 11 hours on our battery test).The Pixel's AMOLED panel has been supplied by none other than Samsung (a change from last year's LG-built Nexus 5X that featured an LCD panel). If you're familiar with Samsung displays and their inky blacks and deep colors, you'll find yourself in familiar territory with the Pixel's display. The Snapdragon 821 inside the Pixel is an incremental SoC update compared to the Snapdragon 820, but it offers a minor speed bump over the Snapdragon 820; more importantly, it also makes the Pixel compatible with Google's Daydream virtual reality platform and the Daydream View VR headset. The Nexus 5X that the Pixel replaces featured only 2GB of RAM, so it's noteworthy that the Pixel doubles that amount to 4GB. Google has traded in the 16GB and 32GB storage configurations of the Nexus 5X in favor of 32GB and 128GB storage capacities on the Pixel. The Google Pixel will run Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, with an update to 7.1 that the search engine giant has already released for the handset, along with Android Pay compatibility and the usual Google services. As usual, Google phone buyers have access to the latest OS updates and security patches before the rest of their Android-phone-toting brethren. What Reviewers Say About the Google Pixel Our earlier Pixel review focused on the XL, so here's what other tech reviewers think of the smaller Pixel. TechRadar says the Pixel has "mediocre" battery life, an uninspiring design and a "very good" camera, but the camera isn't as great as mobile photography experts deem it to be. (Our camera face-off came to a different conclusion.) Meanwhile, The Guardian says that while the Pixel is Google's best smartphone yet, it isn't good enough to topple Samsung's Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge in areas such as battery life and expandable storage. TechnoBuffalo says that the Pixel is an Android phone for those who want Google-only software, bu t that the high price sticks out when assessing the phone's "boring" hardware. VentureBeat also criticizes the design, saying "Google's design is flimsier" than the build quality of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. What Owners Say About the Google Pixel Based on user reviews at Amazon and Best Buy, many Pixel owners like that Google offers unlimited photo and video cloud storage of photos at full quad-HD resolution (a first for Android). They also view the camera as one of the best parts of the phone, along with the AMOLED panel that provides deep, vivid colors. The Pixel Imprint fingerprint reader, the presence of few carrier-specific apps, the guarantee of fast Android updates and the 24/7 chat support in the event of a device emergency are noteworthy advantages for Google's phone. Other Pixel owners take issue with the lack of software features in the Pixel, noting that the Google app suite is what you find on every Android smartphone with Play Store access. Some owners criticize the smaller phone's battery life and its lack a microSD card slot, which prevents them from expanding the Pixel's storage. Additionally, the similarity of the Pixel's design to that of the iPhone is hard to escape: One owner notes that his friend believed the Pixel was an iPhone when seeing it for the first time. Other sources of frustration include the position of the fingerprint sensor on the back of the Pixel, the phone's lack of wireless charging and the lack of included headphones. Upshot We think very highly of the Pixel XL, and it sounds like the Pixel is just as solid a choice if you prefer a 5-inch phone. The Pixel's camera is considered one of the most fantastic parts of the experience, with basic Google apps and services, along with a pure Android experience, thrown in. Be prepared to accept a lower resolution and less battery life if you opt for Google's less expensive Pixel, though.

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