Introduction
Bringing the small Pixel into the now with a tall display and less wasted space, we have this year's Google Pixel 3. Updated glass build and a couple of selfie cameras mark the other key changes compared to the 2017 vintage.
This being Google's hardware vehicle for Google's own software, the Pixel 3 comes with the latest Pie OS, almighty Assistant, and a main camera that makes up with machine learning and math for what it lacks in specs - an actual second module.
Google's aversion to the specs race continues and the Pixel 3 is one of few top-end handsets to make do with just 4GB of RAM and the 128GB storage maximum is where some current models start at. No memory card slot either - instead, it offers you unlimited cloud storage for a few years to come. Neat, but not quite the same thing, we reckon.The Snapdragon 845 goes without saying, and as with RAM, Google's taken a conservative approach - clock speeds are lower than what you'd find on competing models. So be it.
The slight increase in battery capacity to match the bump in display size is welcome, naturally, and so is Google's continued effort to adopt and promote Power Delivery as the universal charging standard to rule them all. The addition of wireless charging, now that the glass back allows it, is also a nice development.
Google Pixel 3 Unboxing
That would be the lack of a 3.5mm jack. To make you feel better about the missing port, the Pixel 3 comes with a pair of USB-C Pixel earbuds, a nice addition given the lack of a headset in the previous two generations.
You'll only be able to get to those after disposing of several layers from the inside of the plain white cardboard box that is unmistakeably Google's. Remove the lid and the phone greets you from its tray. Underneath, a sleeve holds the documentation and the SIM pin, and covers another tray where the Pixel earbuds live.
Get that out of the way and even more stuff shows up. There's a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter and a USB-C to A adapter in a shared tray of their own, plus a USB-C to C cable. Another dedicated sleeve holds the charger - a Power Delivery unit rated at 5V/3A and 9V/2A. Mind you, the fabric case doesn't come in the box - you need to buy that separately.
Design and 360-degree spin
Google Pixels were never really beauty pageant winners. The first-gen models almost had more bezel than screen, and while last year's XL was more in keeping with the trends, the small Pixel 2 looked dated. Well, this year the small one is no ugly duckling, while the big one... well, that notch is the subject of another discussion.
One of the main changes is the display - in both size and proportions. While last year's model with its classic 16:9 aspect stood pretty much alone in a world of 18+:9 handsets, the Pixel 3's display is a tall one. And stretching it up and down has increased the diagonal to 5.5 inches, compared to the Pixel 2's 5 inches. All this has resulted in a much more balanced front - for a change, not dominated by the chin and forehead. In fact, the Pixel 3 is the first small Pixel with a reasonable screen to body ratio.
That said, it's not remotely what you'd call 'bezelless' - the Galaxy S9, for example, still makes better use of what is essentially the same footprint. What's a bit irksome, more so than the large-ish top and bottom bezels is the fact that the top one is actually a millimeter thicker - as in, it's subjectively top-heavy.
The top does have to be large enough to accommodate the pair of cameras, so at least the size is warranted. And it's infinitely better this way than cutting out a notch the size of the 3 XL's in a phone as small as the 3. The list of top bezel stuff continues with the earpiece that also doubles as a second speaker and next to it are the ambient light and proximity sensors. Don't go looking for a status LED - you won't find one. Below the display is the grille for the other speaker.
A tall,5.5-inch P-OLED
Last year's Small-sized Phone by Google was out of touch with industry trends with its 16:9 display that was also a tiny 5-incher. For the Pixel 3, on the other hand, Google's gone with an 18:9 screen, and it's one without a notch - yay! Then again, the Pixel 3 XL has enough of a notch for both of them.
Anyway, the Pixel 3 has a 5.5-inch FullHD OLED panel with a pixel density of 443ppi. In our testing it reached a peak brightness of 426nits - a fairly typical maximum value for modern OLED displays. However, a lot of other makers allow for a boost in auto mode, which the Pixel 3 doesn't. The Galaxy S9 can go as high as 660nits when the ambient light sensor says so, and the iPhone XS can go as high at your own request with the slider. So, a good showing by the Pixel, but not class leading.
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