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Pixel 3 Review

anandtech.com

71–80 of 81 posts

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#71
As a Pixel 1 owner, I'm a bit disappointed by this new version. It just does not seem worth it to spend that much money on what looks like a small incremental improvement.

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#72
post #68
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

B&H for 600: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1406055-REG/samsung_s...

That's an international model. Who gives a warranty, B&H? The NA model is still $720.

Oh, right. I've missed that, thanks.

At the same time - yes, B&H gives it their own warranty.

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#73
post #43

I see a bunch of numbers, a bunch of graphs, 10,000+ words analyzing them, and a bunch of photos that all look perfectly fine to me. The top two comments here say that Google and Apple, respectively, are clearly the best. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was in audiophile territory.

I'm using a Pixel 2XL currently... previously an One Plus One, Nexus 4p, and I don't recall exactly before that. Mostly following the google developer line. This will probably be the last Google recommended phone I use. Mostly because of ongoing bluetooth issues since Oreo, fixed briefly in the late P betas, but broken again in P release.

I just can't justify the price tag. At $250-400, I'd buy almost every year. At the current price tag, I want 2-3 years out of it. In the end, I'm probably going back to mid range pricing territory after 2019 unless there's something really compelling. All I feel looking at the results is, "meh."

I buy a super cool top end phone, then I wrap it in an otterbox, and in the end, I'd rather have that be closer to the mfg case with a bigger battery. The round to the edge screen makes it harder to use without a case. I think it's a time to take a step back and re-evaluate the place of function with form.

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#74
post #56
post #43

I see a bunch of numbers, a bunch of graphs, 10,000+ words analyzing them, and a bunch of photos that all look perfectly fine to me. The top two comments here say that Google and Apple, respectively, are clearly the best. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was in audiophile territory.

Personally, I buy cheap Motorola G4/G5/G6, etc phones. $150 or less, new. They are fast enough, and work well enough for me. And, cheap enough that buying next year's model when it comes out isn't a problem. And no anxiety about dropping it.

I have a Oppo a37 for 3 years now. Except the rather shitty camera I don't see a single reason why I would want anything more from a phone.

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yah, I've been doing the - buy a generation or two back of the flag ship release. Just bought the LG g5 which was their flagship 2 years ago, amazing phone.

I wouldn't mind doing that but the security update patch problem for Android phones that suddenly stop getting them is a nightmare.

If you go with that strategie you usually buy community supported or open phones. Everything with a locked bootloader is pretty much worthless after the 2-3 year update window.

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#76

Anybody bothered by the Google's evil privacy flaws and deep integration of software?

Yeah. Everyone seems to miss the fact that in addition to your messages and emails, the always on microphone, google is now going to listen to your calls as well. Why everybody seems so delighted by that feature when it seems to be the root of a new evil is beyond me.

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#77
post #19

I really appreciated the critical honesty here. With a Pixel you're getting an 8 month old SoC. The reason this detail is important is because the 8 month old Galaxy S9 is now selling far below MSRP. You can get them new for around $500. That makes the Pixel FAR more expensive than it's SD845 brothers. Also, it's crazy to me that Apple has such a huge lead in single threaded CPU performance. They've been ahead for ye…

> the 8 month old Galaxy S9 is now selling far below MSRP. You can get them new for around $500 I am only seeing them ~$800 (not plus or note which are obviously even higher), e.g. from AT&T [0] and Verizon [1]. That's quite the difference from $500, can you link where you are seeing this or do you mean second hand or when you switch carriers or something? 0 - https://www.att.com/cellphones/samsung/galaxy-s9.html#sku…

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Samsung-Galaxy-S9-SM-G960U1-64G...

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#78
post #19

I really appreciated the critical honesty here. With a Pixel you're getting an 8 month old SoC. The reason this detail is important is because the 8 month old Galaxy S9 is now selling far below MSRP. You can get them new for around $500. That makes the Pixel FAR more expensive than it's SD845 brothers. Also, it's crazy to me that Apple has such a huge lead in single threaded CPU performance. They've been ahead for ye…

Consider that by the time a phone arrives in your hands that the SoC has been in development for at least a year or two, and the phone has been in development for up to 18 months. The SoCs in all modern phones are years old, even if someone shipped one sooner than others. And there's much more to the phone than the SoC. Single threaded performance is one number that's easy to point to and say "up == good; down == bad…

What I was saying was, if the SoC is 8 months old (8 months since it began selling in retail devices), then the 8 month old device will likely be on sale. Getting a device that just launched (but contains the same 8 month old SoC) likely won't be on sale.

In this example, a Galaxy S9 is 8 months old. It retailed for $720 8 months ago. Now it sells for $520.

The Pixel 3 (with the same SoC) sells for $800. So it's not just $80 more. It's really like $280 more.

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#79
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Consider that by the time a phone arrives in your hands that the SoC has been in development for at least a year or two, and the phone has been in development for up to 18 months. The SoCs in all modern phones are years old, even if someone shipped one sooner than others. And there's much more to the phone than the SoC. Single threaded performance is one number that's easy to point to and say "up == good; down == bad…

What I was saying was, if the SoC is 8 months old (8 months since it began selling in retail devices), then the 8 month old device will likely be on sale. Getting a device that just launched (but contains the same 8 month old SoC) likely won't be on sale. In this example, a Galaxy S9 is 8 months old. It retailed for $720 8 months ago. Now it sells for $520. The Pixel 3 (with the same SoC) sells for $800. So it's not…

OEMs have different release cycles to maximize their sales; you see the same thing with blockbuster movies releases and television programming.

If there's one high end CPU from your favorite CPU manufacturer that comes out each year, guess what?

I guess it seems $280 more expensive for the same SoC, but consider that Pixel has plenty of custom silicon in it to justify a higher price (than simply the SoC). The camera literally relies on it.

Re: Pixel 3 Review

#80
post #69

It looks like a decent phone and I would love to use a Google phone for that clean-Android experience. Unfortunately headphone jack is still the dealbreaker for me.

Get a Nokia. Clean Android experience and my Nokia 8 had a headphone jack. I'm on Android 8.1, 9 should arrive later this month so it's not too far behind. Only £260.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nokia-SIM-Free-Smartphone-Tempered-...

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