Google Pixel 3 review: a unique jewel

It is difficult to explain the pros of this smartphone just with words: it could look like a smartphone with good hardware and stock Android, that it is made by Google and thus has a premium price. But that’s not the case: the Pixel 3 is a smartphone with an unmatched user experience. The cherry on top is the camera that is simply amazing. The build quality and its compact size are also a real rarity in today’s flagship range of smartphones.

Package

Inside the box we find a 9V/2A power adapter, a USB-C/USB-C cable and two adapters: a USB-C to USB and a USB-C to audio jack. In addition, we find the new USB-C headphones from Google, which also offer Google Assistant integration.

Build and Ergonomics

The big difference between this smartphone and its bigger sibling is undoubtedly the ergonomics. Pixel 3 (Check on Amazon.com) is the smallest top of the range on the market and fits perfectly in hand. The Pixel 3 is a small gem and gives a quality feel that few other smartphones can currently match. It has a glass back with a glossy finish on top and a satin rougher bottom. It is really thin (at 7.9mm) and has IP68 water and dust resistance certification.

Hardware

The hardware is exactly the same as the bigger Pixel 3 XL (Check on Amazon.com). It sports the excellent Snapdragon 845 which is a 2.5GHz octa-core processor, paired to an Adreno 630 GPU, 4GB of RAM and 64 or 128GB of fast internal memory with unprecedented write speeds. We also find excellent connectivity: LTE up to 1Gbps, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC and USB-C 3.1, which unfortunately doesn’t support video output. It is missing the FM radio, the audio jack and the notification LED. The rear fingerprint reader, on the other hand, is one of the most accurate and fast on the market. The haptic feedback from the vibration is also excellent and unmatched by all other smartphones currently in circulation. The two front speakers offer stereo audio. The volume is even higher than last’s year model and the sound quality is also improved.

Read more: Google Pixel 3 XL review

Camera

The Pixel’s 3 camera module is a real show stopper. It is a single 12.2-megapixel ƒ/1.8 sensor with optical image stabilization. Photos are great in virtually any light condition. Night Vision in particular showcases the software elaboration done by Google and the photos are just amazing. The images have great detail and its almost mystical the way this phone can capture and then elaborate both light and color.

Videos are recorded in 4K at 30fps and are of good quality, also thanks to the excellent electronic stabilization that works in tandem with the optical one. The front camera consists of two 8 megapixel sensors for group selfies or “solitary” ones with brighter colors.

Display

The display of the Pixel 3 is different from the one on the XL variant, not only in size but also in shape since it doesn’t have a notch. It is a 5.5-inch P-OLED screen with an 18:9 format and an FHD+ resolution (1080×2280 pixels). The brightness is very good and in the settings, you will find various adjustments in order to calibrate it as you prefer. Always present the excellent adaptive mode, equivalent to an Always-On display.

Software

The user experience is something you must try for yourself. Many believe that this is the same user experience that you can find on any Android One device, but it isn’t. The user experience is different because it is enriched with various goodies. Just to name a few we have gestures on the fingerprint reader, intelligent storage that makes gallery back-ups to the cloud, an auto mode that recognizes if you are in the car and automatically starts Android Auto and digital well-being that monitors your usage habits and helps you detox from your smartphone. In addition, we have music recognition on the locked screen, flip to mute and the ability to activate the voice assistant by simply squeezing the smartphone.

In addition, the whole system is lightning fast (thanks to the new file system) and runs so smoothly that it will really amaze you.

Autonomy

The 2915mAh battery may seem undersized for a flagship model, but it is not if you consider the size of the device. It will last you a day with moderate use and if you need a top-off there is fast charging and also fast wireless charging.

Price

The Pixel 3 is available for (Check on Amazon.com).

Final Verdict

It is difficult to explain the pros of this smartphone just with words: it could look like a smartphone with good hardware and stock Android, that it is made by Google and thus has a premium price. But that’s not the case: the Pixel 3 is a smartphone with an unmatched user experience. The cherry on top is the camera that is simply amazing. The build quality and its compact size are also a real rarity in today’s flagship range of smartphones.