Review: Six months later, the Pixel 2 XL is a worthy sequel. by Ruling Ranks

As part of my wacky collection of consumer electronics, which also includes the Pixel itself, AirPods, an Apple Watch, and a Jacquard jacket, it has been a reliable companion. Even though Ben did a fantastic job summarizing it in his original review, I believe it is now time to delve deeper into what makes the Pixel 2 XL so excellent and why it has, as he noted, dethroned its predecessor.( Pixel 2 XL Used)

Google went all in with the Pixel at its hardware launch in the fall of 2016, following years of developer-focused Nexus phones that sated a demand for outstanding software but otherwise left much to be desired. Maybe you

don’t want to hear this, but after that occasion, I was more enamored with Google (and by extension, my job) than I had ever been before. In terms of hardware, Google was at last taking things seriously. Rick Osterloh came back to Mountain View victorious. Exciting times lay ahead, and that’s exactly what’s happened thus far.

After only a short time with the initial Pixel phone, I confidently declared it to be among the best mobile devices ever. Now, nearly two years and a few Pixel successors later, I feel like I’ve spent enough time with these four phones to provide a thorough assessment of their merits and shortcomings. Let’s speak about the Pixel 2 XL and how things have been going for it since it was released last year. Good news: everything turned out fine. It’s a decent cell phone.

I still prefer the original Pixel in several respects to the subsequent models, and Abner and I discussed these preferences in a recent Alphabet Scoop article.

The fact that even its admittedly dull design was given so much care was one of them. The phone may seem and feel ordinary to the uninitiated, but it marked the introduction of Google’s in-house hardware design approach to smartphones and, more crucially, to the masses via

initiatives like the Chromebook Pixel. The phone was barebones, focused on utility, and unabashedly antiquated at first appearance, but it was also the first to include a topthird glass back, came in a gorgeous shade of lightning blue, and managed to be high-end without being over the top.

In my opinion, Google did well to keep things basic from the outset. Absolutely spot on.

Behind its apparent simplicity, however, lay a wealth of originality and care for detail, the likes of which had never been seen in the bland Nexus phones of yore. The Nexus 5 has a rather straightforward design, for instance. However, its apparent ease of use made it seem unimaginative rather than inventive. My personal favorite Pixel has a “wedge” shaped rear that keeps the camera bump-free. It was something that, unless pointed out, you probably wouldn’t even realize was there, but nonetheless served a useful purpose. There won’t be any scratching or swaying of the phone as a result of an uneven surface.

Before I get into what I think makes the Pixel 2 XL amazing, I need to emphasize one of my only complaints about the predecessor by praising the first Pixel. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, from Google, feel very different from one another. The original Pixels, however, did not have this problem. And in their own ways, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are disappointing upgrades over their predecessors. After Google introduced these smartphones, I commented about the design flaws almost immediately. Surprisingly, they seem even less reflective than their dull forerunner.

I want you to understand that I am not comparing my preferences for different physical forms. I think it goes without saying that I prefer the aesthetics of the Pixel 2 XL to those of the original, that the thinner bezels bring the

experience into 2017 (rather than, say, 2013), and that I generally approve of many of the design choices Google made for the Pixel 2 XL. The textured back feels great in the hand, the front-facing stereo speakers are a nice perk, and I can live without a headphone port because the phone’s design otherwise improves the user experience. That panda button, which is orange. Stylishness is unquestionable.

Consequently, many of the design choices Google made for the Pixel 2 XL are excellent, and I wish they had been implemented in the Pixel 2. Yes, that difference still needs to be highlighted despite the fact that this is a review of the larger phone. The smaller version seemed like a regression from the first’s design, which tarnished my impression of the 2 XL, which I otherwise adore. Collaborations with third-party manufacturers and the need for the Pixel 2 XL to resemble its smaller sister gave the impression that

design was being held back. Some things were taken away, like your favorite wedge.

I’ve stated it before, but I believe that tradeoffs in display components and Google’s determination not to wait another year before offering a modern-looking design are to blame for the peculiar aesthetic of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. In actuality, Google's first Pixel 2 designs comprised both the smaller Pixel 2 and a larger Pixel 2 with identical bezels. They were able to give the XL a more modern appearance in time for its release, but for some reason they were unable to do the same for the smaller model.

After 7 months, how well has the layout held up? All right. The Pixel 2 XL keeps its tried-and-true exterior design even as the rest of the market rushes to add notches to increase screen real estate relative to device size. However, I still think the Pixel 2 XL is a handsome device that can compete with the likes of the iPhone 8 and the Galaxy S9. Not like I was carrying around a prehistoric relic with the original Pixel. In spite of its oddities, I find the Pixel 2 XL to be an upgrade and a complete package. Let’s ignore the strange little one and keep our fingers crossed that Google sorts itself out.

When comparing the Pixel 2 XL to its predecessor, the display is the most striking visual difference. If you’ve been paying attention, you know that the screen is worthy of its own section in this in-depth evaluation. It’s an understatement to say that the Pixel 2 XL’s display was a point of contention for both myself and other reviewers.

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For the benefit of those who may have missed it, here’s a quick rundown of the issues: blue tint/discoloration at an angle, weird problems with green lines and overall graininess, burn-in, black smear problems that are unusual for most high-quality OLED panels, and people receiving phones with an entire line of dead pixels. The colors on the screen were another issue. Some users complained about the screen’s lack of color, which may be traced back to Google’s decision to optimize the display for the more neutral sRGB color space. For the latter, Google released an updated piece of software.

The blue tint problem, which is more pronounced at moderate than extreme angles, was the most frustrating to me. I was aware that there were other options for my phone, but I ultimately decided to just live with the blue hue. While the blue tinge is more pronounced on the Pixel

2 XL I’m using now than on the initial review unit I had,

it’s still tolerable. It was so bad that I phoned for a recall of the first stock because I mistakenly thought everyone was experiencing the same problem (out of annoyance, I admit).

After 7 months, I can say that my first assessment, that this display is a major concession (indeed, another compromise that felt like an odd step back in some aspects), was correct but that I have since changed my mind. I was correct in my assessment, as Google did indeed release two sizes of smartphones, one with a superior display and the other with a subpar one. That’s aggravating, to say the least, and completely inappropriate, full stop. However, it turned out that most of these faults, despite adding up to what seems like a deal breaker, turned out to be manufacturing quality problems, so I was mistaken. There are a lot of phones that don’t have any issues.

Not every Pixel 2 XL screen is terrible. For some, the irritating blue shift is absent. pic.twitter.com/p8RgkEbztF

Some Pixel 2 XL devices appeared to come with displays on the verge of being terrible, while others appeared to ship with displays that were practically flawless. Even though the phone was made by LG and the screen was sourced from LG, I still hold Google responsible for the problems. Many of the reported problems with the Pixel 2 XL have been resolved, and the company has responded to concerns about the device’s lack of color saturation by updating the software.

Google’s approach to these issues has been proactive, swift, straightforward, and honest, which should give smartphone buyers peace of mind. Many people, in similar situations, would have done nothing.

However, I was also incorrect in that a Pixel 2 XL with a less-than-ideal screen doesn’t necessarily ruin what is, in my opinion, the best Android phone now available. In my own experience, this is true. I’ve been using a Pixel 2 XL with a blue tint for the past seven months. It’s wonderful, and I’ve already forgotten how poor the screen is. To cut a long tale short, I’ve come to like the visuals.

As far as long-term reliability goes, the Pixel 2 XL has impressed me. Even if it makes some people uncomfortable, I don’t treat my phone like a baby. Sometimes I carry around two or more phones in the same pocket, without any sort of protection for the screens or the phones themselves. It’s part of my work to review phones, so there’s a part of me that just likes to use it the way the maker intended.

To that end, thank you. I put my everyday driver through hell so you wouldn’t have to. After 7 months of everyday use, during which time my phone was treated more like a tool than a priceless gem, here is what it looks like:

The phone has held up quite well considering it has been subjected to the rigors of everyday living without any form

of protection. Considering that I had two phones in one pocket sans cases throughout CES 2018, even the deeper display scratches that you can see above are quite minimal to me. It could have been far worse, as any CES participant would tell you. To be sure, I am a monstrosity.

Unfortunately, I’m already on my third Pixel 2 XL due to some initial teething problems. The first one needs to be replaced because of a broken screen, the third one has been my primary device for the better part of the past seven months, and the one in the center… well, I dropped it. When I broke the glass panel on the top of the back, I figured it was time to get a new one anyway. Clearly, glass can break if it was dropped from that height onto a hard floor. To avoid damaging your phones, avoid dropping them. But in my opinion, that means absolutely zilch. From a design perspective, the upper third to fifth of the Pixels are made entirely of glass, which I adore. Dropping a phone with glass on both the front and back increases the likelihood that something will be broken. Fortunately, I haven’t experienced any issues with my screen breaking, even after a few drops. I’ve been quite rough on the phone, so I’m giving it a pass in this category.