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Google Pixel 3: The Best Smartphone Camera, Yet

The Google Pixel 3 is the most anticipated smartphone of 2018 after the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max. It is set to be released on November 1 2018 after the Google Pixel 2, which was said to have the “best smartphone camera” on the market back in 2017. With an established title to outdo, we will go through the notable features of the Google Pixel 3 to decide if it deserves a prestigious spot among these high-end premium smartphones.

Design

Pixel 3 Review: Wireless Charging

It is apparent that the Pixel 3 is now nearly made of glass, marking the end of an aluminium era in previous versions of its flagship phone. The Pixel 3 has retained its two-tone design previously seen on the Pixel 2, with a matte finish and an all-glass body at the top and lower parts of the smartphone. And with its new all-glass body, wireless charging is now possible! While the Pixel 3 features a high-quality overall finish, there is nothing drastic of a change in its aesthetics.

Display Screen

The OLED display on the Pixel 3 appears to be more striking juxtaposed with a larger display. If you have read up anything on OLED displays, you would know that it is a necessity for users who value the aesthetics and prolonged smartphone use, since OLED displays save a lot of battery, as compared to LCD displays that can be found in earlier smartphone models such as the iPhone 8 and below.

Pixel 3 Review: Display Screen

On the not-so-bright side, the Pixel 3 has a huge notch as compared to the Pixel 2. Initially, it comes off as an eyesore, but the software of the Pixel 3 blends and hides the notch perfectly that it just becomes invisible after a while. Contrary to popular opinion, I prefer smartphones with a notch as it looks more revolutionary and ‘next-gen’. The elimination of buttons from the smartphone’s front make these smartphones seem nearly bezel-less, which gives off an absolutely minimalistic look that is absolutely gorgeous. Just to name a few, flagship phones like the iPhone XS and Huawei P20 Pro look stunning even with a notch.

Camera

Pixel 3 Review: Camera

The back camera on the Pixel 3 is fantastic and possibly still one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. However, it feels almost identical to last year’s model, less the problem of the blue hues on the Pixel 2 screen display. Well, as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

With that being said, the possibly best smartphone camera on the market has improved with its new features. For one, you can now retain that outstanding photo quality even without turning your flash on in low-light settings. On top of that, group selfies are now a breeze thanks to its wide angled dual-lens 8 megapixel front-facing cameras – no more squeezing for group selfies!

Not only does the Pixel 3 have a fantastic camera, it also comes with many amusing and entertaining features, such as being able to add your favourite superheroes, animated stickers and fun captions to your photos that make your photos come to life. For the selfie lovers, the camera now uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify smiles and funny expressions as a cue to snap a photo. Although the Pixel 3 has retained the same 16-megapixel camera, it definitely made a huge jump in its camera software with the help of AI capabilities to maintain its title among top smartphone cameras in the market.

Battery Life

Pixel 3 Review: Battery Life

The Pixel 3 now comes with a 2915mAh battery instead of a 2700 mAh battery on the Pixel 2. With a larger battery capacity, the smartphone is also able to maximise the battery usage by prioritising battery power depending on the apps and services you use more regularly via its AI capabilities. In addition to the battery upgrade and its adaptive battery feature, it now only takes 15 minutes of charge to give you 6 to 7 hours of battery life. There were days when I could even go 2 days without a charge; I can imagine that this would be important for those who are constantly on the go.

Software

The software on the Pixel 3 is fast, efficient, and a complete joy to use. Daily activities such as opening apps and switching back and forth between apps feel almost instantaneous as it happens in the blink of an eye. You can access your recently used apps simply by swiping up, and access the latest news and weather reports with a right swipe – zero bloatware, and you own complete freedom to customise.

The software has a small upgrade from the Pixel 2 with the new Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845. Coupled with the seemingly everlasting battery and vibrant OLED screen display, this phone felt nearly perfect.

Audio Quality

Pixel 3 Review: Audio

Like its predecessor, it is unfortunate that the Pixel 3 requires an adapter (provided in the box) should you choose to use a wired headset for your headphones. However, it can be observed that the absence of the headphone jack has now enabled Google to install its larger capacity battery. Furthermore, with the rising number of quality Bluetooth-enabled wireless headsets, the absence of a headphone jack is not too big of an issue.

Verdict

With the Pixel 2 doing so well from last year, the Pixel 3 is not a major upgrade and it is just difficult to top its predecessor and impress the majority. Aside from that, the Pixel 3 is a fantastic phone and does not fall short as Google’s flagship smartphone. The Google Pixel 3 has, without a doubt, corrected the problems of its older models and perfected what’s essentially already an amazing phone.

Pixel 3 Review: Verdict

If you are looking for a top-of-the-line Android phone, the Pixel 3 will remain a highly recommended phone. As for everyone else that’s looking for the best smartphone camera – this is it.

Photos by Brandon Neo of the DANAMIC team.

Lee Jin Keng

The name's Jinkeng but you can call me Jake! I love the fashion, know the technology and appreciate cinematography. I guess you can call me the 'jake' of all trades? Without the less flattering ending of the saying...

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