The Only 7 Things You Need To Know About The Google Pixel

Since the first Android phone, Google's offered up its smartphone operating system that rivals Apple's to phone manufacturers like LG, HTC, and Samsung while letting those companies handle the hardware. The Nexus line of devices were destined to serve as the titular Android experience but Samsung phones remained dominant in terms of popularity and outright sales. So Google not only made a de-facto Android phone, the company even put its name on it.

So in 2016, we finally have a Google phone. Or more accurately, Pixel: Phone by Google. The Alphabet-owned company wants to position this device as the iPhone of Android phones--a premium-made device at a premium price. But if Google is taking on Apple and Samsung with the Pixel, how does it fare?

It Looks Thick, Why So Big?

In recent years, phone makers have placed a priority on thinness. Even though a bigger phone tends to lead to a bigger battery, handset manufacturers like Apple prioritize the depth of the device--even if it means a camera lens that's sticking out from the back of the phone. Google eschews this thinking with its Pixel phone.

The phone isn't a monstrosity, but it does look beefier than the other 2016 phones on the market. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S7, for example, the back of the Pixel is one even surface. The phone's camera (more on that later) stays tucked beneath the surface and there's a good chance Google was able to fill the extra room with more battery (more on that later, as well). The Pixel XL we tested has a 5.5-inch screen, the same diagonal screen-size as the iPhone 7 Plus, but felt much more comfortable to hold than the sometimes unwieldy larger iPhone. Using the large Pixel feels like holding a smartphone. Using the large iPhone feels like handling a lunch tray.

How’s The Camera?

Google's quick to tout the prowess of its rear shooter on the Pixel phone. The 12.3-megapixel camera is comparable to rival smartphones on the market with one standout metric: Google's phone receives a DxOmark rating of 89, better than any other smartphone on the market.

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