Google Pixel 3: Is it worth the upgrade?
Google Pixel 3: Is it worth the upgrade?
The Pixel 3 is here, is it worth the extra money though?
The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL have recently been announced, they tout a new glass back design with some new features. If you own a Google Pixel 2, is it really worth the upgrade?
I will be doing a run-down of the new Pixel 3 and comparing it to the Pixel 2, here, you will be able to make a judgement call if the extra £300+ is worth it.
Hardware
The main hardware differences start with the screens; the new Pixel 3 screens are bigger but stay at the same dimensions of the Pixel 2’s. The Pixel 3 features the same bezel style that was on the 2XL, giving it more screen real-estate while keeping the small form factor (5.5-inch). The new 3 XL does feature a massive notch and a large chin; it doesn’t affect the usage of the device as much as photos make out though. The 3 XL has a 6.3-inch panel (up from 6-inch), it is a dramatic upgrade compared to the Pixel 2 XL’s shocking P-OLED panel.
The colours are great, viewing angles are better and it is much brighter. You may not spot a difference if you have used the smaller Pixel 2; this is because the screen was quite good on that device too.
The new devices also feature fast wireless charging capabilities, which is great for people who use/want wireless charging on their phones. The Pixel 3 family also feature dual front-facing cameras, one wide, one normal. It gives you more choice with front-facing photos; you can fit more people in with the new wide angle lens, not sure if it’ll be used all the time though.
Battery
The Pixel 3 features a bigger battery than the Pixel 2, the 3 has a 2,915mAh battery. Compared to last year’s 2,700mAh battery, it will definitely make the phone last longer. The 3 XL, on the other hand, has a smaller battery than last year’s XL model, it has a 3,430mAh battery. The Pixel 2 XL had a 3,520mAh battery.
There are concerns that battery life will be an issue but from what I have tested, the battery life is on par with last years model. The battery life increase on the XL is due to the new processor and Android Pie software updates. The 3 XL is not on Huawei P20 Pro levels but it will still last the full day.
Camera
To put how good the Pixel 2’s camera was into perspective, it is still better than the iPhone XS’s camera and is a year older. The Pixel 3 does have the same 12.2-megapixel camera on the back, but it has improved on the camera though.
It seems to have a new style of rendering of its photos, giving you more natural colours and detail in the images. The photos will definitely not disappoint, there is a definite improvement. The selfie camera has also been improved, giving your selfies more natural colours and better quality. The new wide-angle front-facing camera also gives you more flexibility, being able to get a wider shot allows you to fit more into the frame.
It does also feature new features such as top shot and night mode but they are coming to the Pixel 2 family as well. There is definitely an improvement to the camera though; it looks set to be the photography powerhouse of the next year again.
Other noticeable points
The stereo speakers on the Pixel 3 have been improved, the Pixel 2 speakers sound awesome already but Google claims the 3 has 40% louder sound. I don’t really think they’re that much louder but there is no doubt that they sound better though, they sound great when watching multimedia on the device.
The Pixel 3 has the same 4GB of RAM that’s on the Pixel 2, while software makes it less important, more RAM would have probably been better on this device. The Pixel Visual Core has also improved on the Pixel 3, giving better photo rendering and better quality through the dedicated chip.
Is it worth the upgrade?
The pixel 3 reminds me of the iPhone ‘S’ updates, it is a better phone with some of the shortcomings fixed but it isn’t a massive game-changing device. The Pixel 3 essentially fixes all of the issues from last year’s models and expands on what makes the phone great, making the camera better and fixing all of the screen issues.
The Pixel 3 XL does feature that massive notch on the front if that bothers you; the pixel 3 has all of the same features (except battery size). The notch is not as bad as it looks though, while I don’t see the point of it, it does give you that extra 0.3-inch of more screen.
The Pixel 2/2 XL are still great phones and options though, if you want a refined and updated version of the Pixel 2 then it does make sense to buy the newer version. If you want to save around £300 though, the Pixel 2 is still a great shout.
What do you think?