REVIEW: GOOGLE PIXEL 3 XL (UPDATED 2023)

Being one of the flagship phones of 2018, Google Pixel 3 XL has a lot of exciting stuff to offer and still represents the best smartphone models available at the time. If you were wondering if this phone is right for you then wonder no more, we'll take an in-depth look at this Google Refurbished phone in Australia and let you know if it's worth it or if you should upgrade to the Pixel 4 XL or Google pixel refurbished 4a 5G.

DESIGN:

The design is pretty similar to the Refurbished Pixel 2 we had but there's are small improvements. It's now all glass two-toned look from top to bottom. The bottom half of the glass has a soft-touch matte finish which only shows up from certain angles. The only portion of metal is the aluminium frame which combines the front and back pieces of glass. The glass back is matte and is resistant to fingerprints. The actually available colour names are just black, clearly white, and not pink. The coloured power button is still trendy. The white has a mint-coloured power button, not pink has the bold orange power button and the black one has a black power button. The all-glass design is beneficial because LTE signals are faster in a smartphone than in an aluminium backed smartphone just like the Samsung Galaxy S9 and all other Samsung flagships. This means that it already has a superior 5G compared to other smartphones. The phone has a flat structure with smooth corners and no curves. Its design does not stand out compared to other flagship phones such as iPhone XS or Samsung Galaxy Note 9. If you currently have the Pixel 2 and wondering if you should go for a refurbished one then Spoiler Alert, you should definitely buy a refurbished Google Pixel 3.

SCREEN:

The most buzzed-about part of this phone is the screen and the notch. The notch is present on the 3 XL while the regular-sized one doesn't have it. It has a higher quality 6.3 inch OLED display with an 18:5:9 aspect ratio, a QHD + resolution, and HDR sup

port. Although there is more display and less bezel, the deep notch is one setback that is difficult to ignore. Its presence can be annoying when watching videos or browsing websites. The refurbished Pixel 4a is equipped with the same P-OLED display but with a 90hz refresh rate which means the screen refreshes 90 times per second making the scrolling and other supported content smoother. The Pixel 4XL also supports the high refresh screen, head on over here if you'd like to see our comparison.

CAMERA:

Google's phones are known for having an amazing camera and the 3 XL is no exception. Low light photography is on par with the iPhone 11 if not better and it has a bunch of great features that give its camera an edge over other smartphones. Starting from the basics, there is one camera on the back with a 12.2-megapixel sensor. A major improvement can be identified by the presence of a wide-angle selfie camera on the front and a flicker sensor on the rear. The secret behind the high-quality camera is Google's HDR+ which gives the pixel its incredible dynamic range. Instead of taking one phone, it takes several shots and then combines them into one image. With the release of 3 XL, portrait mode has improved and edge detection has gotten better. There's Google lens for product, text, and location recognition. It's one of the best mobile phone deals for those who into smartphone photography.

The night sight feature is the most impressive one as it allows you to take photos in low light without a flash. The results are a lot brighter compared to images taken by other phones. There is another new feature known as ‘ Top Shot' which lets you take motion photos. Instead of having a digital lens, pixel uses software to improve the quality of digital zoom using data from a handshake. The Playground feature lets you add characters and stickers to your photos. The Photo Booth feature automatically takes selfies when you are smiling. If you're a camera enthusiast who loves shooting RAW then Pixel 3 XL is the perfect phone for you. It allows you to save RAW files alongside JPEGs directly in the main camera application. The ultrawide selfie camera lets you zoom out on the front-facing camera to get more people in your frame. Both 3 and the 4 feature an 8mp camera for the selfie shooter but with varying apertures.

FINAL VERDICT:

Google Pixel 3 XL is the best phone if you want stunning pictures and an unforgettable Android experience. It has solid battery life compared to the Pixel 3 released earlier. You most probably won't have to carry a battery pack with you. However, it is more expensive just like all other flagship phones. The price of a best Google Pixel Phones starts at $219, whereas, the price of a refurbished Google Pixel 5 128GB starts at $479 in 2023. A refurbished version of Pixel 3 XL is available at Phonebot at cheaper rates so that you can live a trendy life without overspending.

If you know more about the Refurbished Google Pixel unlocked and if they are worth it in 2023 then, head on over here.