via Google

It’s a beautiful day in San Antonio and as the press embargo for Google’s newest flagship devices finally lifted I decided I’d give my hands-on impressions a go. So as I sip a little of my preferred whiskey I figured I’d distill the thoughts that jumped out at me in handling the two devices.

First of all they look much better in person than they do in any renders or online.

The somewhat prominent bezels on the XL seem much less egregious in the hand than they do in photos. Are they still too big for 2017? Probably, but the irritation is tempered by the utility offered by the (pretty great) front facing speakers flanking the display. Even the diminutive, smaller Pixel is more charming in person. The bezels are clearly a painful vestige of yesteryear, but the reachability of the device’s 5" display is much better than its larger 6" sibling so it still makes a compelling case for being given a pass. In fairness though I wasn’t quick to condemn the bezels on the previous generation either. Suffice it to say they won’t age well, but for now they’re fine.

Speaking of those displays lets get the good news out of the way. While the XL borrows much from LG’s V30, the device after which it was most closely modeled, concerns that it would suffer from the same tragically bad production run can be laid to rest. In my time handling the devices the screen doesn’t seem to have the same level of gradient issues when it should be displaying a uniform color but the good news ends there.

It’s simply true that LG is a few years behind its Korean rival Samsung when it comes to its mobile OLED production. The XL’s screen has some off-axis color shifts that trend blue-green and though the display isn’t outright blotchy it is noticeably grainier than comparable Samsung panels, including the one found in the smaller Pixel 2. If you used a Samsung device from a few years ago you can extrapolate the disparity that exists between Google and Samsung’s current flagships. I would most favorably liken the Pixel 2 XL display to one found in a Galaxy Nexus or Galaxy SII, only far sharper because of the higher resolution. I wouldn’t call it a deal-breaker as you’re likely not to notice unless you compare them side-by-side or at extremely low brightness settings, but it’s a little disappointing to be sure.

Fit and finish seems pretty great as well. The details are meticulously managed, but I wish the front glass met the metal edges a little more tightly and smoothly. On the other hand the glass pane on the back blends and curves effortlessly into the aluminum body of the device. The tactile transition is very obvious, but it isn’t sharp or rough merely a different material on one end than the other. While those materials are aluminum and glass, table stakes in today’s smartphone market, Google has opted to do something slightly different with it’s treatment of the aluminum.

As was the case with LG’s G5, Google has decided to coat the aluminum in an attempt to hide unsightly antennae bands. This gives the metal portion of the phone a different texture than you might expect, something that was polarizing for customers in the past. Google seems to be aware of this though and has dialed in the texture so that to my fingers it doesn’t feel nearly as light nor tacky enough to evoke plastic like the G5. Of interesting note the sensation seems to differ depending on the colorway you end up selecting with the Verizon exclusive ‘Kinda Blue’ variant erring on the side of smoother whereas the ‘Just Black’ model was grippier and less prone to sliding.

Whether you like the overall design of these phones, and indeed all of Google’s hardware aesthetics, will depend on a per person basis but I’m personally a fan. While Apple and Microsoft may have design ethos rooted in the evocation of jewelry or tools, Google has decided to be very approachable and playful akin to the original rainbow iMacs. I find that to be less intimidating and that’s important if Google wants to convince people to put them in their pocket. Plus that stormtrooper colorway.

The phones are blazing fast and Google is definitely showcasing Android at its best. I only spent a limited time with them, but I was impressed in the same way I was with the original Pixel. If Google is capable of producing a build of Android this polished I can’t imagine why it sometimes proves difficult for Samsung or LG. That extends to the way you use the phone. Google Assistant can be launched immediately with a squeeze of the phone, and I was able to quickly dial in a pressure for it that felt natural to me. Swiping down on the fingerprint sensor pulls down the notification shade for you. The camera can be called upon without delay and from anywhere simply by double tapping the power button. These are all small details, but they’re thoughtful shortcuts that simplify the experience without adding confusion.

Speaking of the camera…actually no. I’ll reserve most of my judgement there. It seems primed to be every bit as impressive in 2017 as the first Pixel was in 2016 which should put it at or near the top of the smartphone camera heap. The proof is in the pudding so start following #teampixel on Instagram and you’ll begin to get a sense for how they perform in the real world. The fact that Google has hidden an entire image processor in both Pixels that it has yet to turn on means there’s more to be seen with the camera prowess. I will say the inclusion of unlimited, full-resolution cloud backup on Google Photos is an incredible value-add and if you aren’t already using Google Photos you should be. What better time to start?

It’s still early days for Google hardware and these devices aren’t perfect, but for a sophomore effort it seems like they’ve largely nailed it. So who thinks they’re getting one of these bad boys?