Google Pixel 2 review: not quite 'pixel perfect' but damn close

Design

Like most things about Google Pixel phones, the design of the Pixel 2 manages to impress in spite of its familiarity. Even an Android smartphone made by Google is still just another Android smartphone. The plastic band returns and all the buttons are where you expect them to be. The rear-mounted fingerprint sensor works about as well as it does anywhere else and - regardless of whether you go for the smaller display of the standard Pixel 2 or the more-lavish POLED of the Pixel 2 XL - the feel-factor of both phones is really distinct and inviting.

Google have also dropped the headphone jack. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL come bundled with a dongle-adapter but unless you’ve already made the jump to purely wireless headphones, this will probably sting a little.

Credit: Google

Both devices share the same camera and processor, so it's mostly a matter of aesthetics. The Pixel 2 is mostly plastic, the Pixel 2 XL is mostly metal. Pick your flavor / texture. Your mileage may vary here, so it’s well worth trying to get some hands-on time with the devices at a JB Hi-Fi or Telstra store to see which texture and size suits you better.

Personally, I found the smaller form factor and weight of the standard Pixel to be much more appealing. Plus, I liked the idea of taking Google up on their offer of providing just as much flagship magic in the smaller phone as the larger one. That said, if you’re planning on watching much video content and don’t mind the added baggage, the XL is way to go. The difference between the two displays is pretty night and day. One offers a good but not especially impressive level of display quality, the other is markedly-better (as you’d expect from OLED) but still far short of the gorgeous displays found in devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Make your choice.

Speaking of the displays, a lot of debate has been raging since the two devices launched over two separate issues with the displays Google have deployed here. The first is that the screen on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL carries a very noticeable blue tint whenever titled. While I can absolutely understand how this might irk some purists, it honestly didn’t affect, sour or infringe upon my experience with the device too much. It’s one of those things that’s tricky to un-see once you notice it - but even then it’s hardly that much of a deal breaker when the Pixel 2’s display is already somewhat-unimpressive.

Credit: Google

Other reports online have cited a burn-in problem with the Pixel 2 XL’s display. Our review unit has yet to exhibit these qualities. However, we did spend the majority of our time with the smaller Pixel 2. We’ll update this review if we encounter it.

Regardless, when it comes to the display, it feels like this is the one area that a potential Pixel 3 needs to make huge gains in. In motion, everything is silky smooth but when the dust settles, it feels like just another display. There’s little to write home about it on a technical level - and that does take away from the technological “magic” that drives the Pixel experience. .

That said, the Always On Display here is definitely one of the better incarnations of the feature. It display time, notification icons and will also detect and automatically “Shazam” / identify music - even when you’re offline -  using a nifty feature called Now Playing. This feature is off by default but it definitely feels like one of those inclusions that, if successful here, will probably become standard quality of life improvements in the same way that water resistance and fingerprint readers have quickly become.