Google Pixel 2: 1 Year Later By Alex Hong

Hey there, Alex here. I know that most of you are probably more interested in the Pixel 3 at this point, but today I want to talk about the Pixel 2. If you’ve seen my review of the phone last year, you probably know that this was one of my favourite phones. So before the Pixel 3 gets announced, I want to do a quick revisit of the phone. The design of the phone was never great to begin with, and at this point, the large front bezels makes it look older than it really is. But in day to day use, the bezels actually makes it a lot easier to reach all parts of the screen.

So meaning, it’s nicer to use one-handed, even if it’s not the best looking. The other thing I’m not a huge fan of are the materials used. Despite being a metal phone, the Pixel 2 has a sort of plastic coating. It does feels quite nice, but comparing it to the older Pixel, I actually prefer the metal finishing. Anyway, you probably notice that I’ve covered mine up with a dbrand skin to protect the phone from wear and tear, so it’s not a big deal.

I also have a popsocket as well that makes using the phone one-handed even easier. Not sponsored by the way, I just happen to really like these accessories. Pixel devices has always been about software, and it’s the same for the Pixel 2. When you look at the specifications of the phone, there isn’t really any stand out features. No insane amount of RAM, no bezel-less QHD screen, no dual camera setup, no variable aperture, you get the idea.

It’s all still really good, but just not great. There is no wireless charging as well, it’s only rated at IP67 instead of IP68, and even though it has stereo speakers, it doesn’t really sound that amazing. However, because of the software, this is still my favourite phone to use, even today. It runs Google’s vision of Android, which is almost like stock Android but with some extra features. Things like telling you what song is playing in the background, and the ability to squeeze the phone to launch Google Assistant.

I don’t actually use any of those features, but what I do like though, is the clean Android experience, and being first in line for the latest software updates and security patches. It still feels extremely snappy even today, and battery life is actually still decent, easily lasting me a day of use with around 4-5 hours of screen on time. There is another unique feature of the Pixel lineup, the unlimited Google Photos uploads in original resolution. I take a lot of photos, so having the ability to upload all of them without taking up any of my Google Drive storage, is a godsend for me. The only downside is that unlike the first Pixel which seems to provide this feature for the entire lifespan of the phone, the Pixel 2 will only have this feature till the beginning of 2021, which is just slightly over 2 year from now.

So for folks who are planning to use the phone for as long as possible, just take note. Anyway, you’ll still get the unlimited high resolution option after that, which is slightly compressed, but still excellent looking. Phonearena did an excellent comparison a few years back, I’ll put a link in the description below so you guys can check it out if you want to. This photos backup feature is perfect for the Pixel 2, simply because of how good this camera is. Over the past year, I’ve tested newer and more expensive phones, and I still like the images taken by the Pixel 2 more.

The way it processes details, colours, and dynamic range, just looks more appealing to me, and I’m not the only one who thinks that. Here are just some photos I took with the phone, and I have a link below to more of them in the description below.1 year later, this is still one of my favourite phones around, and if your needs are like mine, I think it’s still a great option, especially if you’re not looking to spend too much on a brand new phone. It’s not perfect for sure, but the user experience is good enough that I can overlook some of its shortcomings. I’m pretty excited to see what the Pixel 3 has to offer, but I’m still so contented with the Pixel 2 that it’s going to take a lot more from Google to convince me to upgrade. Thanks for watching this quick revisit of the Pixel 2.

If you’ve enjoyed it, be sure to leave a like, and subscribe to the channel for more content in the future. Thanks again, and see you guys on the next one.

Source : Alex Hong