Google’s new Pixel phones are coming this month, and while the Pixel 2 XL has a bigger screen, slimmer bezels, and a starting price that’s $200 higher… for the most part anything you can do on the Pixel 2 XL you can also do on the Pixel 2.
That’s because both phones have the same processor, memory, storage, cameras, software, and other key features. But that doesn’t mean they’re identical.
Here are some of the key differences between the new phones:
Feature | Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 2 XL |
---|---|---|
 Display |  5 inch, 1920 x 1080 AMOLED |  6 inch, 2880 x 1440 pOLED |
 PPI |  441 |  538 |
 Aspect ratio |  16:9 |  18:9 (2:1) |
 Battery |  2700 mAh |  3520 mAh |
 Length |  5.7″ (145.7mm) |  6.2″ (157.9mm) |
 Width |  2.7″ (69.7mm) |  3″ (76.7mm) |
 Thickness |  0.3″ (7.8mm) |  0.3″ (7.9mm) |
 Weight |  5.01 oz (143 g) |  6.2 oz (175 g) |
 Colors |  black, white, blue |  black, white |
 Price |  $649 and up |  $849 and up |
Now for some of the similarities. Both phones have Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processors. Both have 4GB of RAM and come with either 64GB or 128GB of built-in storage.
There’s no microSD card slot, but you do get unlimited high-quality photo and video cloud backup using Google Photos.
The two phones have the same 12.2MP rear and 8MP front-facing cameras. Both have stereo front-facing speakers, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, and an eSIM as well as a SIM card slot.
The phones have Active Edge support, which means you can squeeze the sides to launch Google Assistant. There’s a Pixel Imprint fingerprint sensor on the back, and a USB 3.1 Type-C port on the bottom.
Google’s new phones have an aluminum and glass case and Google says they’re both IP67 water resistant.
One feature that you don’t get with either phone is a 3.5mm headphone jack. But Google does include a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone adapter in the box.
I thought the Nexus/Pixel phones existed to push the Android ecosystem forward. What happened? Who is the market for these phones?
I think it may be just people who want timely updates and/or who want to root.
It is nice that they are offering a full spec phone with a “smaller” screen size, but it would also be nice if they offered these phones with the Snapdragon 630. The batteries seem a bit light for a high end system.
I just see no microSD, no headphone jack, ridiculous elongated screen, poor battery pushing over the top PPIs and not user serviceable friendly for $900.
Front-firing speakers should have been standard on all phones by now. Good cameras on a flagship… also standard. There’s something very ‘meh’ and ‘me too’ about these phones with suspect support, questionable security and non-existent privacy.
They could be so much better in a different reality with features people could actually use and look forward to.
I’m currently using a ZTE Axon 7 and love the front-firing speakers, but I get the feeling they’ll be a lot more rare going forward. With the trend seeming to point towards all-screen phones, there’s nowhere to put speakers except on the sides or back.
I really like the Pixel 2 XL. I currently have an S7, and I’m looking at the S8 Plus, but I REALLY don’t like the ‘edge’ screen on the S8. The pixel sounds like a great alternative.
There’s also the SGS8 Active, the LG G6, and LG V30.
Pretty much superior hardware to the Pixel 2/2 XL, with greater availability, accessories, and mindshare…. all at lower prices.
Google’s support of Pixel has been quite poor compared to their previous record, and these other OEMs have shown slightly better software support than they did in the past. So the software delta is coming to a decrease, making the Pixels less desirable and the iPhone more attractive.