Pixel 3 XL Full Review - Don't Buy It! | The Tech Chap

Google Pixel 3 XL Review - Faster, Better Camera, New Design - is the Pixel 3 XL vs Pixel 2 XL a big upgrade, how does the Camera compare to the iPhone XS Max - and should you BUY the new Google flagship phone?
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[@Thetechchap]

Hi chaps! So I hope you liked the video - I just want to reiterate the Pixel 3 XL is a terrific phone, but I wouldn't buy it as I think it's not a huge upgrade over the Pixel 2 XL. The Pixel 3 is a cheaper alternative and I'm looking forward to reviewing that. I guess some people would see it as a harsh review, but I do sing it's praises. I just simply conclude given the competition, it's not worth buying right now (maybe when low light camera mode, more nifty Google software features become available and the price drops - that'll change). I'd love to hear your thoughts though! 😊

[@marco.pereira]

Maybe your video title should be don't buy it if you own a Pixel 2 XL. Title is misleading.

[@Laura98423]

Love your reviews. I bought the 2 XL after yours and Matthew Moniz' review last year and it made me a huge pixel-fan. I appreciate that you are honest with the negative aspects. It doesn't make any sense to sugarcoat something that costs several hundred dollars/pounds/euros. I don't want to spend the money first and then rergret it after a few days. However- even after your review- I still think the pixel 3 is amazing. Most of the negative aspects aren't on the smaller one so it might be a really good deal. I would just like to hear what you think about the smaller one's battery life . How much SOT do you get? Better than the 3XL? edit: btw, I'm from Germany so I'm already sorry for every grammar mistake and every awkward word choice.

[@MayankKawli]

Clickbait ☠️☠️☠️

[@stevenlowe5313]

You've obviously never used a pixel if you think the battery is average...

[@_Mourning_]

In other words, if you've never owned a Pixel phone, but you want to, buy this one. Otherwise, if you own a Pixel 2 or XL, don't bother because it's only really an upgrade to the camera.

[@AgentZero037]

I like the fact that you state your opinion without following the herd of other youtubers , please stay that way , keep reviewing phones the way you are whether its Apple , Google , Samsung , Huawei , htc , oneplus or even Sony .. never change ! just stay honest and to the point , great video

[@pantloaded]

he waits to release his videos slightly after other's so he can pick the other opinion - for views. If you don't realize that this is his career, and his page is a business- you're silly

[@jasonroberts5288]

There's a reason why he don't follow other KZbin because he's full of shit

[@calvingreen7197]

Ugh, people are so sensitive about...nothing! When Lew waits and gives a dissenting opinion it’s all good, but anyone else...Nah.

[@clarencemerritt5003]

Bold title mate. I like a person who thinks on his own and doesn't follow like what everyone else is saying. Appreciate your honesty. good review.

[@imranhq13]

tbh nobody is really recommending this phone lol

[@clarencemerritt5003]

@@imranhq13 some are. Some ain't. It Depends which youtuber you're watching.

[@TechThusiast]

Hats off for giving a non biased review

[@weiqianhee7885]

@IRIE4IPIER it was fair. He brought up fair points and wasn't a yes man

[@matthiasrambally1899]

Excellent review mate 🙌👍

[@HoldMeForever]

Companies received lots of complains about the notch and removal of the headphone jack, they should really start listening to customer feedback.

[@xypleth]

I think people will get used to it, and for the less popular companies it would be risky not to look similar to Apple. Risky as in people not choosing them because there is less screen space. But I don't believe that the notched design is actually Apple's idea, they just adopted it more quickly, because they thought they needed a design change from their nasty big bezels. And right they were to do it.

[@lamurcribb985]

Idk who these people are. I never once complained about either of those things. The only effective complaining is to not buy a product and people are buying these products because THEY DON’T CARE

[@LanceBradshaw]

Get use to it, apparently even Samsung will be removing the headphone jack

[@GunsAndRoses871]

@@LanceBradshawthose are just rumours man. They have been circulating since s8 was released.

[@robyrandom1148]

switch to samsung

[@brkova]

Thanks for the great review. I’m actually wondering about the new digital zoom feature on the pixel 3. Could you add this feature to the iPhone XS vs Pixel 3 comparison video. It’d nice to see how this new feature stack up against the telephoto camera on the iPhone.

[@tolmoli27]

Another amazing video! You are one of few youtubers that make me watch a video untill the end, really good work!

[@madting9228]

Can you do a review on the smaller pixel 3? I'm planning to upgrade

[@Thetechchap]

I hope to soon! I think that will be a better option

[@lubosgombos582]

@nicegoodspeed1 I don't think you will be disappointed because many features (including camera which are coming on sale day not sure) are just for pixel 3 im definitely going for regular pixel 3 not now I'll wait for all improvements like night sight and ai etc. it's too early for camera comparison i think but it's just my opinion

[@madting9228]

@nicegoodspeed1 I don't own the pixel 2,I own the samsung note 4😂

[@anujpanghal3743]

I would go for the smaller one, Pixel 3 is big enough for me and don't have that ugly notch.

[@adamnevis7636]

1st time watching your review and it was wonderful! Great review! I subscribed and look forward to seeing more reviews!

[@ylgurbani]

Thank you! You literally said all the points I had in my head. Finally relieved to hear an unbiased review on KZbin. Even though there are improvements, they cannot justify the absurd price. Keep making such quality videos mate! Cheers!!

[@danielquevedo5064]

It's a notched camera, with a phone attached to it

[@saikonakoshi4334]

But the real question is......How does hentai look on it?

[@swishpronoob]

@Sagars51 so....does Hentai look good or not?

[@ryanasazaki1291]

I think it still looks decent enough, but the big notch might cause a distraction while you're fapping to it.

[@clarencemerritt5003]

Very satisfactory if you don't mind the hideous notch included!

[@Nobody-yi8nu]

@@clarencemerritt5003 Im pretty sure you can hide the notch

[@Dimitar_Berbatov1]

How in hell I haven’t heard about you just when you things you already subscribe to all the best tech KZbinr I come across you great review you my friend just earned a new subscriber

[@divyapurohit3804]

Heyy, bring the camera comparisons soon !!!!! Can’t wait

[@siraunser]

I am switching from iPhone 6 to Pixel 3 (not XL). Should be an improvement overall.

[@lamurcribb985]

siraunser I have a 6 and I’m getting a x

[@nimrodiny]

You'll be extremely happy with your new Pixel!

[@siddharthk.sekher1960]

You will have a serious upgrade

[@himanshuchamoli8269]

I would recommend Note 9/mate 20 pro/6T

[@SH3player]

Nah...get iPhone Max XS and then Pixel 4

[@supercakefish]

Street, Somerset! I recognise it from the video. Near my hometown.

[@alarak2159]

Ditto!

[@ublftij]

Thanks for the great review! BTW, are you sure it doesn't have any face unlocking..? Even previous pixels have ones as Trusted Face in Smart Lock setting.

[@ryandeery6930]

Upgrade due in 2019 and think that’s a good thing as I’ll wait for the pixel 4. Great vid as always

[@jpxdude]

Hey there! I agree with everything about the review except your assessment of the camera. Even from your test shots, Pixel 3 clearly has much better dynamic range than iPhone XS and more detail overall. iPhone shots were a touch too ‘blue’, lacking maturity in HDR. Detail in distances is also lost on iPhone as it aggressively tries to keep everything in focus making highlights appear a little overblown. Totally agree from a value for money perspective. Pixel 3 has priced itself out...from itself lol...I am thinking of getting iPhone XR myself! It looks great in red. Thanks for the video.

[@jctoyou]

jpxdude you want the cheaper iPhone and criticise the Xs camera ! That makes no sense at all!

[@jpxdude]

John Cotton I made a comparative assessment between the Pixel 3 and iPhone XS, where’s the criticism? I didn’t say the iPhone pictures were bad, just not as good as the Pixel. Regardless, an outstanding camera doesn’t make the phone better either. iPhone XR seems to strike the best balance of available devices for me personally, especially concerning battery where all Pixel phones are concerned (I have a Pixel 1 currently). You need to look beyond your tech bias if you think I care about the brand over the tech itself.

[@supertigerman013]

jpxdude iPhone XS does have a clear advantage over Pixel 3 in dynamic range, though. At 5:18 you can clearly see how much shadow details Pixel 3 are losing while also blowing out highlights aggressively, and it's also putting strong purple tint all over the image. iPhone XS manages to keep the green of leaves on the tree and has more controlled, contained highlights. 5:28 again shows Pixel is losing the information on the top section of the image. Pixel has a lot bluer light sources at night as shown in 5:25 as well, and IMO it looks quite unnatural. It feels like Pixel 3 is trying to make the image as pop and dramatic as possible - tons of contrast, added saturation, defog + clarity boost etc... whereas iPhone XS is keeping it natural in terms of contrast and colours (though to be fair iPhone XS has a tendency to use warmer white balance which some people dislike). I honestly prefer more neutral approach of iPhone, but that's just my personal opinion.

[@jpxdude]

I looked back over the shots in 4K (KZbin compression sucks!), and I completely disagree. To me the Pixel shots are warmer and more natural, but the iPhone has a bluer tint that makes it looked washed out. This is quite a subjective point, however I'm not the only person to come to this conclusion.

[@Itzhennessy]

Pixel > Xs max end the talk..

[@RameezRazaRiaz99]

All the reviewers praising the oneplus 6 for double the ram and Great camera. But no one mentions that 8gb ram is not even utilised. A pubg match on my 8 gig op6 is enough to make all the other apps reload so. And there is a second delay on the camera pp from when the button is pressed and the shutter closes. So much for speed and the shutter speed is slow. Most photos taken with one hand like group selfies and all come out shaky.

[@derekcarter2645]

Android caps out at 16 or so open apps

[@DaveWestMedia]

May be worth reaching out to OnePlus as the camera shutter should be instant with the latest software build. Definitely doesn't sound right. Don't forget it's not just about PUBG, phone manufacturer's need to factor in a huge number of other things. It's up to your game developer to ensure their game is optimised correctly 👍

[@VersedNJ]

It's also not only about the camera. I've seen reviews where all they talk about on a 28 min video is 25 mins on camera functions. Or another 10 min review on how the notch sucks, well it's there. And the same people who curse it out, find no problems on the Poco F1. In otherwords, nitpicking. The Poco and op6 are great phones, not perfect phones.

[@DaveWestMedia]

@@VersedNJ This, for days. You win the internet friend 👍

[@lgmarquez5469]

And who plays PUBG anymore? That game sucks ass

[@Sidsaraiya]

with the iterative updates from Apple and Google this year I'd love to hear what you think about last year's phones compared to this year's phones especially with the prices on the second hand/ refurbished market for those older phones.

[@NikiVaghela]

The first non-biased & honest review - it's so refreshing compared to most Pixel 3 reviews I've seen You've got a new subscriber!

[@eatatjoecs]

I'm impressed with the Pixel 3's camera, especially the low light wizardry it has, but that's about it. The Pixel 3 "Notch" is ugly as can be, uncentered video looks cheap, and it's overpriced.... And lacks a headphone jack. When the Pixel 3 XL is upgraded to 128 GB, it's $999, the same price as the new 128 GB Note 9, which gets you 6 GB of RAM instead of 4, a much better screen, balanced speakers, a MUCH bigger battery, a headphone jack, and the Bluetooth SPen, which allows you to remotely operate your phone (great for photos when you get your phone down for a group shot). The only thing the Pixel 3 has over the Note 9 is quicker updates from Google and possibly a slightly better camera (not sure on that so can't say for certain). In terms of lag you could argue Pixel is Google, therefore less lag, but the Note 9 has 2 GB or 4 GB more RAM (depending on version of Note 9), so they're about equal when it comes to speed. If the XL was $200 less I'd say it would be a phone to choose, but you can get a lot more phone for the money with the Note 9.

[@ghj290]

Unfortunately the Note 9 also comes with the horrible Samsung Skin that causes slower operation of the OS, and will result in slower updates and upgrades.

[@LoverOfTech]

The best review of the Pixel 3 XL. Agree with everything you said and the fact is the in the Uk you can get the Note 9 new for £849 which is cheaper

[@eatatjoecs]

Yeah, Note 9 is much better value. In the US, the 128 GB Note 9 is $999, the same price as the 128 GB Pixel 3 XL, and considering what the Note 9 can do and it's amazing screen, I don't see each reason to get a Pixel 3 XL over the Note 9.

[@TheWaruiSama]

Stock Android and camera over any Samsung phone , Samsung experience is horrible.

[@alterateawful6709]

@@TheWaruiSama do you even own one???

[@alexd3411]

Samsung has a horrible software. Never again! I bought Pixel 2 and I can say that this is the best Android phone I ever owned (even though it doesn't have the best design). Can't wait to get my hands on Pixel 3!

[@eventusvantos2770]

TheWaruiSama lmao stock Android is pathetically boring and light years behind samsung software. Samsung has the most features, customizability, personalization and freedom of any other smartphone. Period.

[@privaatsak]

Tom.. are you planning on reviewing the non-phablet version? some of us still like 'normal' sized phones! ;)

[@alenkiu9886]

Thank you for the honest review. The internet needs more people like you that states the real truth. It will also be incredibly helpful if you can make a comparison video between pixel 2 xl vs pixel 3 xl, elaborating more on why pixel 2 xl is the better value phone right now, and also which pixel 3 features are actually coming to older pixel phones and which features are exclusive to pixel 3. thanks again!

[@Chokkan]

I can't buy the Pixel 2 or the OnePlus phones. I'm still using a Nexus 5. My choices are this, or wait for the Galaxy S10, which is a very long way off.

[@SibiDominic]

almost similar situation, has a nexus 5x and so far my plan is to skip this one and wait for pixel 4! Hope they trim down on that notch

[@YoungDen]

I came from a Nexus 5 to a Pixel 2 and best phone I ever had. Unlike the Nexus, the Pixel hardware is built to last and better optimized for phone updates.

[@njegosstojanovic1095]

I am waiting for Note 10. Started saving money for it.

[@KalarMar]

Buy the s9. Its a 1 hand smartphone and the price is just right. If you want more power however you should just get the note 9.

[@njegosstojanovic1095]

Buy Mi8 for 399$ like me and enjoy great phone until S10

[@YgorCortes]

Very cool video, as I expected, the Pixel 3 camera isn't that much of an upgrade over the already amazing Pixel 2. Funny how you tell people not to buy the best Android smartphone of the year. It's expensive as sh... but so are almost every other flagship smartphone. I agree the Pixel 3/XL isn't enough of an upgrade if a person already owns a Pixel 2/XL, but if they own another smartphone, why not buy the on with the much better display? Also, the Pixel 3 does support face unlock as every Android phone since Android 4.0 (2011).

[@christmg4682]

The thing is that Pixel 3 XL costs as much as other high end phoned from Samsung and Apple but isn't as good. Google messed up this time.

[@cosmingosav]

I agree with the replies to this comment (Chris and Fenomeno) and i will add that face unlock you talk about is utter garbage compared to face id.

[@charmanderkingthe2nd810]

The screen was one of the largest complaints for the pixel 2

[@cosmingosav]

" samsung lags" even mkbhd said pixel has become garbage to use. Also no one complained about s9 having performance issues in the tech yt community. Pixel line is kinda garbage, better off with oneplus tbh.

[@YgorCortes]

@ElFenomeno92 I refuse to buy an expensive phone from a company that refuses to update it properly. When Google and Apple users are receiving the current major OS update, Samsung users are receiving the one launched one year before. This is just unacceptable to me.

[@aaron4820]

I own the Pixel 2 XL, and during the keynote the way I felt was that I wasn't abandoned of as an older Pixel owner, almost all the features that interested me are coming later to older Pixel owners, except for the wireless charging and wide angle extra lens, it does make it a lot less competitive to want to have to upgrade. Having gone from iPhones to Samsungs and now to Pixel, it's definitely the best experience I've had so far, I think whatever phone I upgrade to next year / after, It'd have to be some sort of Android One phone, provided they catch up with Pixel's picture taking quality.

[@just.relaxing2074]

Nice review as always good job bro 👍 Support you😃

[@cliffallen2663]

Tom: This is a very very good review on the Google Pixel 3 XL ...... I agree with your review 100 % ....... As far as purchasing it ...... NO ..... I would not ...... I find like you have ..... really the only thing on the phone is the camera and in comparison to others the Google Pixel 3 XL is lacking considerably........ GREAT FRICKIN REVIEW ..... 100 % 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 ✌

[@Thetechchap]

👍

[@kyleweltle8059]

Mine comes friday!

[@leviolson]

There wasn't a single picture you showed that I preferred the iPhone Xs picture... call it saturation or shadows... either way, the Pixel looked WAY better... 5:13 and 5:30 and 5:35 are a few of the times

[@MellFromYouTube]

Levi Olson cool camera. I give you that. But it’s still a shit phone.

[@leviolson]

MellFromKZbin Have you used it? I'm curious why you think that is all.

[@bizler69]

@@leviolson notch

[@Johnnyiswhere]

@@leviolson dated, ugly design... Huge nasty notch. Do I need to use it to get that? All for nearly $1000. SMH

[@lamurcribb985]

The iPhone CS has the better camera this year no doubt

[@alihussaingondal258]

I love honest reviews. Keep it up tom 👍 stay honest all the time !

[@antonyshort6481]

Good review, Looking forward to the iPhone S versus Google pixel 3 camera test

[@himanshuchamoli8269]

Pixel even less exciting than last year Low battery,low ram,single sim,no extra features Samsung for me anyday

[@oldradio4036]

low battery? low ram? is it? enjoy that skin on your Samsung.

[@himanshuchamoli8269]

@@oldradio4036 Skin? It runs fast Enjoy your lag and poor battery life

[@oldradio4036]

@@himanshuchamoli8269 fast? yes, for first few months. lol.

[@himanshuchamoli8269]

@@oldradio4036 Yeah and after that you can do wipe cache in advance mode right You must be knowing about cache issue on android

[@oldradio4036]

@@himanshuchamoli8269 it won't help you brother. am saying this based on personal experience with Samsung devices!

[@rubeng5418]

Pixel 3 camera is far superior to iPhone xs max

[@TheM275]

Ruben G wouldn’t say far superior it’s better but pity it runs android

[@walid6329]

I love video u keep it real and super honest on your reviews.

[@rjose610]

I'm planning on upgrading from my Google pixel to the Google pixel 3 ( smaller one ) can't wait for a review on that

[@HoldMeForever]

Ugly notch, no headphone jack, small battery, no monochrome camera, google telemetry and location/data tracking... and its pretty expensive.

[@regoat]

For what you need monochrome camera ?

[@yousufabdelrahman2538]

regoat more artistic and more detail pic

[@BoltRM]

I'm betting there's an app for that 😁

[@F0rgiv3r]

personally im not buying a phone unless it has a thermal camera

[@shaurya3009]

Small battery who told u so ?😂

[@sniuchi2549]

So now copying unbox therapy titles brings more views?

[@markroberts1604]

Crybaby bitch.

[@user-so4ow2jb4l]

actually that's why i clicked this video

[@johnnycampos1760]

Good review! I'll still be picking it up!

[@AdaSauce]

Where do you live!? That town you walked through looks amazing!

[@PremiumID]

The Pixel 3 XL is most certainly a better buy over the 2 XL. This is an extremely biased review. The camera improvement, a new IP rating, a screen that is miles better, the battery is better, you CAN HIDE the notch. Every phone has a notch, get over it. The Haptic Feedback is better than its predecessor, it comes with headphones now, the speakers are better, the feeling itself of this phone is miles better & more premium than the 2 XL. The video cropping stuff can be fixed with software. Why do we care about facial recognition? Fingerprint sensor is not only more convenient, but it’s much quicker. This phone is miles better than the 2/2 XL in every way, it’s most certainly a better buy. Especially if financing.

[@yoshatabi]

Yeah I wanted to get the 2 XL but really don't want to risk it. High chance of the phone screen messing up

[@boomson3082]

Many of the camera improvements are going to the Pixel 2XL as well. Screen is an improvement and minor spec improvements. Obviously it is a better buy but you saying it is miles better is just laughable and is the true biased comment on this video.

[@PremiumID]

@@boomson3082 the camera on the Pixel 3 is still better. Some of the camera features will be going to the Pixel 2, yes. However, the overall build, wireless charging, better speakers, a more reliable USB-C included, a far better screen, this is indefinitely a much better upgrade from Pixel 2 to Pixel 3 rather than iPhone X to iPhone XS. It isn't biased, it's facts.

[@boomson3082]

Finest You can get much of what the Pixel 3XL offers on the Pixel 2xl for half the price. Your miles better argument is wrong. Tell me how big of a percentage upgrade is the RAM and Processor from the Pixel 2xl to the 3XL. Then tell me the difference on the X and Xs. I’ll wait for your facts. Wireless charging and the screen are only big improvements. The X to Xs had a huge processor bump, increased RAM, better camera, esim, increased LTE band support. The Pixel has a minor camera boost, no RAM upgrade, processor bump was minor, and a better quality display that still has some blueshift. It is a sweet phone but get real

[@PremiumID]

@@boomson3082 you can get wireless charging, a better screen, a better camera, a better processor, better speakers, all on the Pixel 2? You're looking for excuses to shit on the Pixel 3 because you're butthurt that I said there's literally no difference from the iPhone X to the iPhone XS. The Pixel 3 has much more to upgrade to from the Pixel 2 as opposed to the iPhone X to the iPhone XS. The speed tests you watch brainwash your mind. They literally have no effect on real world usage, you will not notice ant difference. Want to know why? Because all flagship smartphones are already incredibly fast. Get your head out of your ass. Continue supporting a company that you pay more for to get less. Enjoy your dongle & fast charging out of the box along with the ability to plug your $1200 phone into your $2000 laptop which were made by the same company. Oh wait, you can't. Need another dongle for that. You're an idiot. Everything you just said about no RAM upgrade & hardly any processor upgrade is what Apple has been doing for years.

[@yohanlobo4767]

I didn't like the video. Pixel 3 is great phone. Only bad thing is the notch but that is not a deal breaker. If your only motive is to show off the world that hey look how beautiful my phone looks then you should better buy Oppo find X or note 9. Pixel 3 is the most helpful phone & that should be enough to buy it. This guy totally misleading his viewers.

[@spa33meister]

His misleading statement is that getting the Pixel 2XL is better. It isn't. The Pixel 2XL has huge bezels and a shitty screen.

[@zain3668]

I am sorry but right now the only good thing about the phone is its camera. Other phones have better performance for a lower price, pixel is the iphone of android.

[@MicrominiX]

The quality of your videos have increased. They were good to begin with but now they are even better.

[@saurabhdhaul9623]

You are such a good reviewer and now i know you are a humble one.

[@jdiggy807]

I'm still on the fence picking up the Pixel 3 XL but great honest review! I just subscribed to your channel

[@jacobvaughan1643]

Already pre-ordered my Pixel 3 Not Pink color variant and I couldn't be happier with the phone after holding it in Best Buy the other day. I love the P3. This is a damn good review though.

[@anmol3457]

I was just about to bash you on the title when you said "slightly clickbait-y" .

[@danielfasano1307]

Great review, and honest. I was waiting for the Pixel 3 for like forever... But seeing how it ended up I got the 2xl. I couldn't justify the fact it was nearly £1,000 . You get almost the same with the 2xl at half the price

[@manlikei8272]

No hype, not biased. Just areview that tells it like it is. Nice work.

[@blumurray8598]

Good video bud like your honesty which is rare people tend to be with a certain brand and praise there brand they like even tho it's crap keep up the good work

[@jonathansuttles8091]

I currently have a Pixel XL and been considering upgrading. I might wait till the Pixel 4 XL comes out since my original Pixel XL still runs great.

[@mikestevenson1334]

You and Ironman hanging out, was the highlight of my day :D

[@IJanI]

Okay, so you can disable the notch but something that I could nowhere find an answer to is whether the weird off-center thing the Pixel 3 XL does in, for example, the KZbin app is fixed by turning off the notch in the developer settings. I do have a PC and I prefer to watch movies/series/videos on a proper monitor but every now and then I like to watch videos or even Netflix on my phone when I'm for example just chilling in my bed or when I'm on the go, on the train, plane, whatever. And this off-center video playing is something my OCD just can't handle. But no one addresses this in any video or article I could find... Also, the Screen of the Pixel is supposed to be 18.5:9 but I'm not sure whether that .5 is the same as the notch. Is it still true 18:9 if I disable the notch? It seems like it when you look at the 2 XL and the 3XL next to each other but as I said I'm not entirely sure. Edit: A little update on the "turn off notch to fix off-center video playback" thingy for anyone interested: In Jonathan Morrison's video "The Pixel 3 XL Doesn't Suck - 24 Hours Later!" he briefly shows the phone playing a video properly centered at around the 4-minute mark. He previously showed how to disable the notch so I'm assuming the video was playing with the notch disabled or otherwise it would've probably been off center. But he didn't specifically mention anything about it so I'm just guessing... Edit II: Well, looks like I finally found what I looked for. While he, again, doesn't explicitly says it, Joshua Vergara shows in his "Further thoughts on the Pixel 3 XL..." video at the 1-minute mark how he uses the YT-app with the notch turned off and voila: It is perfectly centered and there's no notch or anything when he zooms in. I also think that those .5 in the aspect ratio really are the height of the notch. Wouldn't really make any sense otherwise and with the dimensions of the P3XL being basically the same as the P2XL and even the bezel/notch height being pretty much identical I think we can assume that the notch-off aspect ratio is 18:9. Anything else would just be odd. So I guess I've got all the answers to my questions now... Kinda weird that no one talks about these things. I mean the biggest issue with notches, at least to me, is, besides being ugly, that they asymmetrically cut into any content displayed in landscape mode. Be it games, videos, movies or whathaveyou. Although some games and apps do cut it off. But thanks to the trend of rounded corners on displays you then have one side rounded and the other not. Not really helping my OCD very much... I mean I even don't like it when the navigation bar turns black and I then have rounded corners at the top but square ones at the bottom. But whatever, those are just some very much first world problems...

[@luisme20]

Great review!

[@mkh656]

Hi mate, great video. Unfortunately, still not sure whether to get this or not....

[@JonathanMango]

Great review man. Touched on some good points.

[@richardtrowbridge2303]

Decent review, what's worth thinking about is the contract customer base. I got the first Pixel XL when it came out on a 2 year plan and the Pixel 3 XL is what I'm looking at as an upgrade not the 2 XL. In that case it's a no brained but I was tempted at the 2 XL as it's down to £499 in some places. Too many decisions!

[@MrDwayneLITE]

So pick 3 xl over priced and the iPhone XS isn’t? Just wanna understand. Because the price range is still around the as the iPhone R right?

[@PawPawStudios]

great video review as always...my go to channel.......question for you....if you had to choose , would change to Pixel 3xl or keep a Galaxy S8 Plus ... ive had samsung phones for years and have no experience withPixel phones.....

[@Carolyne_games]

Totally agree with you. The Pixel 3/XL are by no means bad, but the biggest selling points (stock Android, camera) still hold true for last year's Pixel 2/XL with nearly identical designs (unless you love the notch staring at you). Due to the way Android works the Pixel is supposed to be the simplest representation of Android, and Google should therefore not be charging it for prices of, say, the Note 9, which has much much better hardware specs. The philosophy and price point of the Nexus line was what they should have stuck with for the Pixel line. Google thinks they're competing with iPhones with the Pixel, but in the end it's an Android phone and what is offered just doesn't quite justify the price when placed in the Android family with dozens of brands and thousands of phone models.

[@johncaban4310]

I waited to watch the grand unveiling of this phone. I have own Nexus 5, Nexus 6P, Pixel, Pixel 2/XL. After seeing the price increase up $150 from last year and didn't really see why the increase I bought the Huawei P20 Pro 3 days ago and have NO REGRETS!!!! Awesome battery life, great screen, and the CAMERA= 3x zoom, real monochrome, silky water, light streaks, AI if you want or disable it. I like to tinker with phones so this is great. If you want to just take a picture to post and not to think about it then an Iphone or Pixel are Great! But I am really liking the Huawei......Good video, keep it up...

[@VersedNJ]

I bought then gave my daughter the Mate 10 Pro, got it on a good deal and sale on Amazon, very good camera (not the p20 level) fast and fantastic battery life and quick charging.

[@mean1979Just]

Wow, challenging review Tom! I'm with you on this one. Don't dislike notches, but this one is a no-no for me. I've got the pixel 2 (non XL) and struggling to work out the benefits of upgrading... For a few extra tweaks that are mostly software, it's really not worth it. Thanks for putting this together.

[@panathatube]

A balanced unbiased review with all the pros and cons of the device. A breath of fresh air really.

[@JeffreySutton]

Great video! Would you say the video is better than the Galaxy S9 plus and the iPhone Xs?

[@stimsonromano2580]

Great review... Thank you

[@FakeDadRealFriend]

You mentioned the stereo speaker split being very uneven, with only one of the speakers being particularly loud. I wonder if the Pixel 3 is better in this regard, since lacking a notch lets it have even-sized speakers on both sides of the screen. It might have the better performance in that regard.

[@XCFleming]

Now that's a very honest review, every other youtubers are having a positive one, and tbh the latest iPhones have a very competitive camera upgrade as well.

[@Gaagaagoogoo677]

1st time here and I got to say perfect review. Dont listen to those negative people. You gave us your honest opinion and what you think, not what people want to hear 🙌🤙

[@miguelagawin]

Itʼs true that in the end, many of the Pixel 3ʼs shortcomings could be forgiven with a good value price. When you charge at a flagship rate this becomes harder to do. You kinda have to deliver a home run when you're asking a lot.

[@mendellalvarado4285]

Very insightful recommendation. Great video!

[@Android_jimmy]

Yup, agreed. I have the Pixel 2 XL and I can't think of a single reason to update to the 3XL. I'm holding out for the OnePlus 6T or I may even hold onto the 2XL for another year.

[@romainloinvoyant9154]

Thanks a lot for this honest review. I was interested by this phone at first but now i'm reconsidering it

[@stuff6181]

For the camera's, the white balance seems to be better with very slightly less noise, and the colors seem more Vivid without being oversaturated if you know what I mean.

[@Luchon20082010]

I think Pixel is the better choice for night due to its light mode, but XS Max shines when it comes to daylight , be it in a dark day or a brighter one. Absolutely brilliant review as always!

[@AmrinLong]

Valid point! Most people will forget that value is the new arena.

[@JJModelMaking]

Nice video! I have a first gen Pixel, not the XL version. Worth upgrading to a Pixel 3?

[@PopcornSimulationGaming]

Awesome video thanks

[@Massredd]

I’ve been itching for the pixel since it came out and you can buy them here in the UK from various outlets for £500 now may have to invest.....

[@voteDC]

I genuinely don't understand the push to bezel less phones if the trade off is a notch, of any size, cutting into the screen real estate. It seems to be a solution to a problem that really didn't need to exist in the first place.

[@townsjim]

I'm sticking with my 2XL for another year, it's starting to lag a bit but I'm happy to wait to see what Google does with their phones next year. This year's phone is just a slight improvement.

[@mlm0143]

The first honest review I've seen so far of the pixel 3 and 3xl

[@shah4Ever]

Glad to see some one is honest about his review.

[@AsitorCorporation]

I managed to get the 3XL, a Home Hub and a 2 year phone contract with 26gb a month for about £1050, so I think as far as the pricing goes, I totally won on that. Plus, I'm coming from an iPhone 5s so I needed the upgrade, I wanted to get something as far away from it as I could and I'm fed up of tiny keyboards (Yes, I know that even the regular Pixel 3 is still pretty big in comparison). Maybe I made a mistake, but I'll know for next time if I want something so big, I guess.

[@FoxxFire]

The single best feature is that tap to auto focus on a subject. I wish iphones had that. Otherwise I'm not really jealous of any other feature (well, I'm still jealous of the floating youtube player, but I think that's been around on Pixel for a year now...that one I'm jealous of as well)....Great video Tom.

[@AmitRawat-mi3bs]

I agree with you , for such a price jump the improvements it offers are not a big leap forward.

[@MalcolmREBORN]

This is one impeccable KZbinr. Go on you’re good!

[@nickkuhn708]

Thanks for being critical in your review! I'm not sure if other KZbinrs don't want to deal with the fanboys, if they genuinely have no criticism, or something else but this is what I'm looking for in a review. I am due for a new phone, my s7 is beat to hell. I will most likely purchase the pixel 3 not the XL however this is the first time I've considered the larger version of a phone seeing as they have done just about everything right and it is nice having the bigger battery

[@DeSousm]

Hands down thought your review was the best. Why? Not sure, there's something about what you had to say. It was genuine and I appreciate that. I don't think I'll be upgrading to the 3XL but that's the benefit of my 24 month contract. I'll keep my 2XL and get the 4XL when and if that happens. Great review and you're definitely my first stop for tech from now on.

[@LikeAXavy]

I'm currently using an iPhone 6s plus. What should I upgrade to? XS Max, Pixel 3 XL, OP6T or Huawei Mate 20 pro?

[@jejunamja]

Yeah... I think u are spot on with the review.

[@bluaway30]

Nice video! I own a pixel 2 XL and simply love it. I like the larger size for flying my drone, front facing speakers are a must, and watching content with others, on occasion, makes things easy. If Google has improved these things with the new phone, along with the camera, I'm all in for the purchase of the 3Xl. I would love to get my hands on a mate pro, but they don't ship to the United States, so Google devices are my choice.

[@pkbreeze08]

One thing I would like for reviewers to consider is the fact that a lot of people won't be buying new devices outright, they will be getting them on a contract, which have a fixed terms of 18-24 months (the latter being the apparent standard). That being said, for those of us that are due an upgrade at the end of a 24 month contract, with a 2 year old device at present (the Pixel XL for example), is the Pixel 3 / 3 XL worth the upgrade?

[@raymonddurazno8796]

It seems like the picture in the bar has been switched because that picture, that supposedly the Pixel 3 XL took, seems to have that beauty gate. Only the iPhone XS and X's Max do that, not the Pixel's.

[@b0n3zy]

Not a big fan of the looks but I like the new features and the fact that you get updates first. Thinking about switching from my iPhone X but I will hold off any decision until I see the One Plus 6T presentation on October 30th. If One Plus nails the camera quality (especially low light) this year round, it's gonna make for a sweet all around deal.

[@guylloyd200]

Down to the point, honest. Subscribed

[@SK-lt1so]

Fair enough, always a good idea to buy last years top phone this year. But coming from Nexus 6P wanted a camera upgrade, and wanted latest/greatest and was willing to pay. Care less about the "notch" (a big bezel is "bad", but then a smaller notch is "horrible"?!). Not a huge upgrade from 2XL, but enough .