Should You Buy: Google Pixel XL - A RoXolid Review
13Google has been in the smart phone game for some time, dating back to the original G1 and man, has it come a long way. In the past Google has partnered with other manufacturers to design and release their annual flagship Nexus devices. While these were the purest implementation of Android regarding software sometimes the hardware was finicky, had performance issues or simply weren’t readily available in a retail environment. In a time when people still preferred signing contracts with their providers and didn’t want to “pay” for their phones the Nexus devices, while great phones, often struggled to gain mind share.
Enter the Pixel and Pixel XL by Google, two new handsets designed to power Google and Android into the next generation of smartphones. With both devices they have taken what has made the Nexus series so defining and reinvented them for greater mass appeal. We’re not saying the Nexus phones were unpopular, far from it, but they never achieved the critical mass of something like an iPhone or Galaxy device. There are some gambles made, one or two corners cut and a bevy of new and exciting features that, when combined, make for one of the best mobile devices we’ve ever used.
This review is a bit different than others you may watch. I purchased the Pixel XL online and if I didn't like the device I was going to return it and return to using my Samsung Galaxy Note 5. The Pixel XL is not an inexpensive device so for me to make a commitment to it this phone needed to wow me. And wow it did as this is now my daily driver.
Why it RoX!
- Fast, Fast, Super-Fast and Snappy!
- Excellent build quality
- The camera is damn good
- Phenomenal Battery Life
- Category-defining ear piece fidelity
- Google Assistant is a great evolution of Google Now
- UNLIMITED Cloud backup of photos
- Available through carriers and Google Play world-Wide
What Could Make it Better
- Phones this expensive need waterproofing
- No micro SD Card Slot
- Stock Android Apps are meh at best, such as dialer and contacts
- No Induction Charging
- The Pixel Launcher is good but no option to folder items in your app drawer
- Android Pay doesn’t match Samsung Pay