![]() Swipe up a little further and all of your apps are visible.Ĭall Screen is another handy new feature. Now, if you swipe up on the homescreen, you’re presented with a scrollable list of your recently used apps, as well as a selection of five of your most-used applications. The way the app drawer works has changed slightly. Instead, Google’s own Pixel Launcher makes another appearance, which slightly tweaks the UI and brings with it a handful of Pixel-specific features. However, this isn’t a stock Android experience. The Pixel 3 also launches with the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system, Android 9 Pie, straight out of the box. That’s certainly not an abysmal score by any means, but you will be topping up your Pixel 3’s battery much more often than last year’s flagship. Sadly, it looks like the more demanding chipset has taken its toll on the Pixel 3’s stamina, which was only able to reach 12hrs 22mins on a single charge during our in-house battery-rundown test. This octa-core, 10nm chip is clocked at 2.8GHz, powers the majority of 2018’s fleet of flagships and is certainly no slouch in the performance department.Īn area where the Pixel 3 doesn’t outperform its predecessor, though, is in battery life. Surprise, surprise, the Pixel 3 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest top-end mobile processor, the Snapdragon 845. Google Pixel 3 review: Performance and battery life Preorder the Pixel 3 now from Carphone WarehouseĬrucially, however, the Pixel 3 doesn’t suffer from the same blue-tinted screen-flickering issues that afflicted last year’s Pixel 2 XL. A circular polarising layer also helps reduce screen glare. The screen is also capable of reaching a maximum brightness of 398cd/m ² with the auto-brightness setting engaged, which isn't quite good enough for watching Doctor Who in the autumn sun. Colours are practically faultless, too, with an average Delta E of 1.25 (with 0 being perfect).Ī perfect contrast ratio of infinity:1 helps make text look pin-sharp, and movies and photos benefit from plenty of pop. ![]() On the Pixel 3’s “natural” display profile – “adaptive” and “boosted” modes are a touch too oversaturated for me – our X-Rite calibrator recorded a total sRGB coverage of 94%. Instead, you’ll have to invest in a good pair of Bluetooth headphones if you haven’t already or, alternatively, get familiar with the supplied wired USB Type-C Pixel earbuds or dongle adapter. Like its predecessor, the Pixel 3 doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack. It will display the time, notifications, pictures from Google Photos and even show who’s at the door if you have a Nest Hello fitted to the front of your house. Basically, your Pixel 3 is transformed into a smaller, and more expensive, Home Hub. Launching for £69, it charges your phone and, much like the Show Dock for Amazon’s Fire HD 8 tablet, it also turns the Pixel 3 into a smart screen. What good is wireless charging capabilities without a charger to put it on? That’s where the Pixel Stand comes in. ![]() The Pixel 3 is also IP68 dust- and water-resistant and supports Qi wireless charging for the first time. The USB Type-C charging port and SIM tray are found on the bottom edge, with the power button and volume rocker on the right. The circular fingerprint reader is still on the back of the phone for secure unlocking. The solitary rear camera unit has also shifted slightly more to the left, and the top glass panel is ever-so-slightly thinner this time around, but the differences end there. Instead, the Pixel 3’s all-screen frontage looks more like the Galaxy S9 and Xperia XZ3, with forehead and chin bezels sitting above and below the display, surrounding the pair of front-facing speakers.įlip the phone over, and you're treated to a similar-looking mash-up of matte and glossy glass. The normal Pixel 3 doesn’t include a chunky notch creeping into the top of the screen. Both the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL don’t differ too much, though, and are near-identical in terms of specifications and design, aside from one obvious difference. Google Pixel 3 review: Design and key featuresĪcting as a double act (like Laurel and Hardy, but in phone form), there are two Pixel handsets launching this year. Huawei’s upcoming Mate 20 Pro will make a last-minute appearance, too, although we don’t know how much that will cost yet. Then there’s the Samsung Galaxy S9, which has recently dropped to a mere £500. Apple’s recently launched iPhone Xs is your Apollo Creed to Google’s Rocky Balboa and starts at £999. Because at that price, well, you can expect the Pixel 3 to face competition from all corners of the flagship arena.
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