Google unveiled the new Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones today, and both follow closely to their predecessors in terms of dimensions and shape, with a 5-inch 16:9 display with stereo speakers.
The Pixel 2 XL diverges a bit, going with a taller 6-inch 18:9 display very similar to the LG V30’s. The smaller phone is flatter in the front with larger bezels, while the larger adopts the curvaceous glass and smaller overall bezels of the V30.
Both screens are AMOLED and compatible with Daydream VR, but the Pixel 2 XL’s is using a slightly different P-OLED technology from LG with a quoted 100% DCI-P3 color space.
Despite their size differences, the phones have near-idential spec sheets and the exact same hardware features. They run on a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64 or 128GB of storage. Matching the different screen sizes, they have different resolutions, 1920×1080 for the smaller and 2880×1440 for the larger, and different battery sizes of 2700mAh and 3520mAh.
The Pixel XL 2 does ditch the headphone jack (a USB-C to headphone adapter is included in the box), and it also comes in 64 and 128GB storage options. Pixel 2 XL also features a ‘squeezable’ body, another feature reported prior to its release, which allows a user to simply apply pressure to the sides of the device in order to trigger Google Assistant. It also has front-facing stereo speakers, and an aluminum body.
The smartphone offers a front-facing camera with an 8 megapixel camera, and a rear-facing 12 megapixel camera with an f/1.8 aperture. The camera hardware is actually unchanged from last year, but it’s made better thanks to software advances by Google as well as the inclusion of optical image stabilization, for both photos and video. Google got a score of 98 from camera evaluation firm DxOMark, which beats the iPhone 8 and Samsung Note 8.
It also has a portrait photo mode similar to the iPhone’s but it uses two sensors in close proximity gathering data from the single lens, since there’s only one on the camera. It works on both front and rear facing cameras, and Google says it’s available instantly, unlike the portrait mode on iPhone which requires a few seconds to perceive depth and frame the subject.
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are up for pre-order, with the former landing at £629 and the latter a smooth £799. Add £100 each to bump the storage. Preorders kick off today in six countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, India, the UK and the US.
For a limited time, pre-orders also come complete with a free Google Home Mini thrown in.
Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL Specifications
| Category | Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 2 XL |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 8.0 with Google UI | Android 8.0 with Google UI |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Display | 5-inch 1920×1080 AMOLED Gorilla Glass 5 2.5D glass, 441ppi 95% DCI-P3 color space |
6-inch 2880×1440 pOLED Gorilla Glass 5 3D glass, 538ppi 100% DCI-P3 color space |
| Rear Camera | 12.2MP f/1.8 1.4μm pixels OIS, EIS PDAF, LDAF |
12.2MP f/1.8 1.4μm pixels OIS, EIS PDAF, LDAF |
| Front camera | 8MP, 1.4μm pixels f/2.4, fixed focus |
8MP, 1.4μm pixels f/2.4, fixed focus |
| Video capture | 4K @30fps, 1080p @120fps, 720p @240fps | 4K @30fps, 1080p @120fps, 720p @240fps |
| Battery | 2700 mAh Non-removable |
3520 mAh Non-removable |
| Charging | USB-PD, 18W rapid Charging | USB-PD, 18W rapid Charging |
| Connectivity | USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.0 | USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes, on rear | Yes, on rear |
| Additional features | Active Edge sides, eSIM | Active Edge sides, eSIM |
| Storage | 64 / 128GB | 64 / 128GB |
| Water resistance | Yes, IP67 | Yes, IP67 |
| Colors | Kinda Blue, Just Black, Clearly White | Black & White, Just Black |
| Security updates | 3 years | 3 years |
| Platform updates | 3 years | 3 years |
| Dimensions | 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm | 157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 143 g | 175 g |
