Google Pixel 3 XL deals and reviews

The latest in Google's flagship line builds on the already-decent Pixel 2 XL, with an improvement to its predecessor's troublesome screen and some fantastic new camera functions.

The Google Pixel 3 XL, the bigger brother of the Pixel 3, boasts almost identical features to its smaller sibling — which is no bad thing — but with a larger display and a notch on the top of the screen.

Reviewers liked

• Excellent cameras
• Beautiful 6.3-inch OLED display
• Great AI features

Reviewers disliked

• The notch in the display
• Battery life could be improved

Google Pixel 3 XL: in more detail

The Google Pixel 3 XL marks another step up for the Pixel range with a number of improvements on its predecessor, including arguably the best big-screen camera on the market.

It comes with a more modern look, ditching the previous metal/glass combination on the back and opting for an attractive all-glass look. The OLED display, which reportedly suffered issues in the Pixel 2 XL, is now much clearer and the camera is one of the best around.

Tom's Guide said "among big-screen phones, the Pixel 3 XL is the one to beat when it comes to camera performance and AI'. Digital Trends added 'it has the absolute best software experience on any Android phone, period."

Design

The Pixel 3 XL is a modern-looking phone with a similar, yet slightly larger, design to its predecessor. For this latest model, Google has opted for an elegant all-glass two-tonal finish on the back, which provides good grip without showing fingerprints.

The most noticeable difference between the Pixel 3 XL and the smaller Pixel 3, however, is the opinion-dividing notch.

While some may find this an eye-sore, the notch allows for a large 6.3 inch screen while still accommodating the two market-leading selfie-cameras and one of the phone's excellent front-facing speakers.

Display

After reported issues with the Pixel 2 XL's display, Google has made excellent improvements to its latest model.

The Pixel 3 XL comes with a sharp 6.3-inch OLED display, 18:9 aspect ratio and a 1,440 x 2,960 resolution, offering clear, vibrant and accurate colours.

It also comes with Android 9 Pie's nifty Adaptive Brightness, which learns how you set your brightness slider in different lights, and then automatically adjusts it for you.

Performance and battery

The Pixel 3 XL is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 chipset and 4GB of RAM — powerful enough for the majority of users.

It's the same processor you'll find in most flagship Android phones in 2018 and the result is a smooth and speedy experience.

The Pixel 3 XL also comes with a 3,430mAh battery, which is actually smaller than the Pixel 2 XL's 3,520mAh. However, don't let that put you off. Efficiency improvements come with increased use thanks to Android Pie's Adaptive Battery technology, which limits power usage to rarely-used apps.

Camera

The Pixel 3 XL's most exciting feature is probably its amazing camera, which is undoubtedly one of the best on the market.

On the rear you will find a single 12.2MP camera with an f/1.8 aperture, while on the front you get two 8MP cameras, one with a f/1.8 aperture and the other a wide-angle lens with a f/2.2 aperture.

However, the upgrade truly comes with the new software features that will help users to produce excellent shots. One highlight is the new Top Shot mode, which captures a burst of photos and automatically highlights the best. It eliminates the chance of a ruined photo thanks to a mis-timed blink or a sneeze.

Elsewhere, the Super Res Zoom mode reduces noise when the user digitally zooms in, making up for a lack of second telephoto lens.

Android Authority said "what matters most is consistency, and the Pixel 3 is the most reliable camera I have."

Interface

Like its smaller sibling, the Google Pixel 3 XL comes with Android 9 Pie already installed, which means a new set of navigation gestures. It might take some getting used to but that shouldn't take long.

That's a small price to pay, however, with the new OS bringing plenty of exciting new features to users. One useful addition for those looking to cut down on screen time is Digital Wellbeing; with this feature, users can track how often they check their phone every day. They can then set App Timers that limit time spent on each app and block out all notifications for a period of time with a Do Not Disturb function.

Release date

The Google Pixel 3 XL was released in the UK on 1 November 2018.

What the critics say (scores are out of 100)

100	Alphr | Vaughn Highfield That said, just like it's smaller sibling, the Pixel 3, Google has gone and made a thing of beauty with the Pixel 3 XL. It should really come as no surprise that the Google Pixel 3 XL is a great phone. Read full review
100	The Guardian | Samuel Gibbs The Pixel 3 XL is a great smartphone, but unlike last year's XL offering, it isn't necessarily the best Google phone – the smaller, cheaper Pixel 3 is in many ways a better phone. Read full review
92	TechAeris | Jack Holt Two months in and I have to say the third generation Pixel devices are nothing short of amazing... Google has done well with the Pixel 3 devices. Read full review
92	ZDNet | Jason Cipriani ... the Pixel 3 XL is the Android phone to beat. Google delivers a complete experience with the Pixel 3 XL. Read full review
90	The Mobile Indian | Rohan Pal If you are one of those who want a pure Android experience along with some good camera performance, then Pixel 3a XL is best suited for you. Read full review
90	Wired UK | Matt Burgess Pixel 3 XL is one of the best phones you can buy. But Google's still mostly interested in your data to improve its AI and the future of Android. Read full review
90	NotebookCheck | Florian Scmitt The Google Pixel 3 XL is too expensive at full price to convince us of its many great features. It just does not do anything to set itself out from the crowd. Read full review
90	Tom's Guide | Mark Spoonauer The Pixel 2 XL was the ultimate big-screen camera phone, and we're crowning the Pixel 3 XL the new king... Get it. If you want a big screen, a pure Android experience and the best camera on the market, you've come to the right place. Read full review
90	Pocket-lint | Chris Hall In many ways the experience of the Pixel 3 XL is enough to keep its rivals at bay. While other flagships get cluttered and overcomplex, the Pixel 3 is serene by comparison, acting as the Android poster phone. Read full review
90	TechRadar | Matt Swider The Google Pixel 3 XL is the best big-screened camera phone you can buy today, one that's able to capture stunning photos that your friends won't believe came from a smartphone. Read full review
90	phoneArena | Corey Gaskin For the Android purist, the Material Design appreciator, and the camera buff – these are the Android phones to get right now. Read full review
90	Android Authority | Kris Carlon The Google Pixel 3 takes what's good about the iPhone and applies it to Android. It is one of the best Android phones you can buy right now and quite possibly has the best camera available. Read full review
90	Wired | Lauren Goode The Pixel 3 phone, more than any other Google-designed phone before it, is an example of what sophisticated software can do when the hardware it runs on is incrementally improved. It's not perfect, but that's the thing about a phone that's driven by its software. Read full review
90	TheEffect.Net | John Reilly Having spent some time with the new handset, we can see why owners of previous generations are such big fans. Google's take on hardware and the operating system it helped create is one of the best we've seen in a modern day smartphone. Read full review
90	PCWorld | Michael Simon The Pixel 3 XL doesn't have the best specs, the best design, or the best price. But it has a stellar user experience you can't get in any other Android phone. Read full review
90	Neowin | Rich Woods I think that unless you're a special interest case that really wants the best of one specific feature, you're going to love the Pixel 3 XL. This phone is a solid buy, although you might end up turning off the notch. Read full review
90	NDTV Gadgets | Roydon Cerejo Overall, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are a marked improvement over last year's models and from what we can see, they don't really have any deal-breaking flaw other than very high price tag. Read full review
90	Mobile Syrup | Igor Bonifacic The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL improve on their predecessors in all the ways that count. There's not been a moment where the Pixel 3 hasn't surprised or delighted with some aspect of its user experience. Read full review
90	Android Central | Andrew Martonik I will have no hesitation in recommending the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL to anyone who asks me what the best Android phone is. I can recommend them without qualms or caveats, because they're just so good at doing the things everyone wants from a modern smartphone. Read full review
89	Engadget | Cherlynn Low The Pixel 3 XL would be a superb big-screen phone if its notch weren't so polarizing. If you don't like the fact that this notch is bigger than rival phones and don't want to use the software fix to mask it, the Pixel 3 XL isn't for you. But if you can live with those caveats, the Pixel 3 XL is a long-lasting, powerful flagship with a brilliant display, capable cameras and the best of Google's software smarts. Read full review
85	India Today | Javed Anwer If you want a phone with the best camera, get the Pixel 3 XL. If you want a phone that will get the latest Android updates, and will get the clean Google's Android, get the Pixel 3 XL. If you want the best Android phone, get the Pixel 3 XL. Read full review
85	The Verge | Dieter Bohn The Pixel 3 and 3 XL are superb phones that attempt to address nearly all of the complaints people had about last year's Pixels. Read full review
84	Pickr | Leigh Stark The only thing doing that is the clean edition of Google's Android 9.0 "Pie", undoubtedly the other best feature next to that impressive portrait camera. And if that's what will do it for you, the Pixel 3 XL will make a more than acceptable great daily phone. Read full review
84	Tech.co | Tom Fogden If you're looking for a new Android phone, buy the Pixel 3 XL. You won't be disappointed. Read full review
80	What Mobile | Manny Pham Overall, this device is fantastic. Read full review
80	TechPP (Technology Personalized) | Nimish Dubey The Pixel 3 XL is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to get into phone photography at the very deepest end Read full review
80	Gadgets Now | Robin Sinha If you want a camera smartphone, the Pixel 3XL will be our first choice. Read full review
80	Mr Phone | Ershad Kaleebullah Should you spend that kind of moolah on a Google phone? If you want the best camera performance, then the answer is a resounding yes. If you are okay with compromising, slightly – mind you, very slightly on the camera performance, then every other flagship phone – including the Note 9 and the iPhone XS Max – look like better options. Read full review
80	The Indian Express | Shruti Dhapola The high price tag aside, there's no denying that Pixel 3 XL is an excellent premium phone, though the hardware might not impress all. Read full review
80	Expert Reviews | Nathan Spendelow, Jonathan Bray What's surprising about the Pixel 3 XL is how underwhelmed I feel about the hardware. Although there are plenty of new features to play around with, I'd like to have seen a bigger leap forward in battery life and in the camera hardware...It leaves me with the feeling that Google could have done a whole lot more with the Pixel 3 XL and, while it's surely a great smartphone, it isn't quite as amazing as it should have been. Read full review
80	Ars Technica | Ron Amedeo Google software deserves better than this hardware. The best camera ever, really great performance, and dated, greasy hardware...Amazing performance. No one optimizes Android like Google...A massive sound improvement now makes the front-facing speakers a justifiable tradeoff....4GB of RAM makes me wonder what the longevity of the Pixel 3 will be like. Recently 6GB seems to be the new normal, with some OEMs shipping 8GB of RAM. The notch on the Pixel 3 XL means you don't have a lot of space for status bar icons. Read full review
80	Australian PC World | Fergus Halliday The Pixel 3 XL will sate your hunger for a clean and modern smartphone experience with solid hardware, exceptional software and little fat to speak of. Read full review
80	AndroidPit | Luca Zaninello As happened last year, it is unlikely that another smartphone will be able to steal the place of the Pixel in my pocket, and it's just as unlikely that we will see manufacturers present cameras with better results. Read full review
80	T3 | David Nield From the camera and OS perspective, the Pixel 3 XL is hard to beat, and it's right up there as one of the best smartphones you can pick up in 2018. Read full review
80	What Hi-Fi? It may not be a step change in performance, but this is an excellent Android phone nonetheless. Read full review
80	SlashGear | David Nield From the camera and OS perspective, the Pixel 3 XL is hard to beat, and it's right up there as one of the best smartphones you can pick up in 2018. Read full review
80	Trusted Reviews | Max Parker A stunning camera makes this one of the smartphones to beat in 2018. Read full review
80	The Inquirer | Roland Moore-Colyer The Pixel 3 XL is all about: smart tech neatly presented. It's a fabulous showcase for what Android really should be like and it feels like a smartphone that's genuinely smart. Read full review
80	Firstpost | Sheldon Pinto It's all about that camera. If it's a great deal you're looking for, I'd suggest the Pixel 2 XL instead. It's selling for half the price of the Pixel 3 XL and will soon be getting the bulk of the latter's camera features. Read full review
80	Digital Trends | Julian Chokkattu Google's Pixel 3 XL has speed, fantastic software, an excellent camera, and unrivaled A.I. features you can't find anywhere else. Read full review
80	Android Headlines | Nick Sutrich If you want a no-nonsense phone that just works, this is what you buy. There's very little here that makes sense to get over just about every other flagship phone that has been released this year. Read full review
80	91mobiles | Nitansh Rastogi All said and done, if you do choose to spend the kind of money Google wants you to on a brand-new Pixel 3 XL, you'll be rewarded with a phone that delivers the best photos in almost all conditions, works well as a daily driver, and most importantly, adapts and learns over time… Read full review
80	Stuff | Andrew Williams It's not a dramatic revolution but the latest Pixel is still one of the best Androids, and a great Android 9 showcase. Read full review
80	Mashable | Raymond Wong Google's Pixel 3 and 3 XL are showcases of how AI can improve the hardware and software in significant ways not immediately noticeable at first. Read full review
80	IT PRO | Alan Martin The Pixel 3 XL is one of the best phones around, with a spectacular camera and some great software under the hood. Unfortunately, it doesn't do enough to justify its high asking price - especially not in the face of such stiff competition from other brands. Read full review
80	Coolsmartphone | Julian Chokkattu Mediocre battery and a big notch slight Google's otherwise perfect Pixel phone. Buy this phone if you prize software and camera over everything else, and you want a big screen. You'll learn to forgive the notch. Read full review

Compare Google Pixel 3 XL specs side-by-side with other phones COMPARE SPECS

Dimensions & Form	Form factor: Touchscreen bar Dimensions 158 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm (6.22 x 3.02 x 0.31 in) Weight: 184 g (6.49 oz)
Screen	Size: 6.3 inches diagonal Resolution: 2960 x 1440 pixels Screen Density: 522 ppi Screen-to-Body Ratio: 83.1 % Display Type: P-OLED
Runs
Performance	Chipset: Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) CPU: Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.6 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) GPU: Adreno 630 RAM: 4GB
Camera	Main Camera: 12.2 megapixels dual pixel with LED flash Secondary Camera: 8 megapixels wide-angle + 8 megapixels telephoto
Storage	Built-in Storage: 64GB, 128GB Expandable Storage: Not Available
Battery & Charging	Capacity: 3430 mAh Removable Battery: No Wireless Charging: No Quick Charge: Fast battery charging 9V/2A 18W
SIM standard	Nano SIM Compare SIM Only deals
Water & Dust Resistance	IP68 Rating: Protection from contact with harmful dust, and protection from immersion in water up to a depth of 30m for up to 30 minutes
Fingerprint Reader	Rear
References & More info	Official website GSMArena specs page

Photos taken with the Google Pixel 3 XL

We've used Flickr to find a selection of pictures taken by the Google Pixel 3 XL camera. Here is a selection of photos taken by users from around the world so you can see what kind of picture quality you can expect from real-world use of the Google Pixel 3 XL.

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All images shown are used under the rights and terms specified by the Creative Commons.