Google's Pixel 4 XL review: Flawed but genius

We test Google's latest iPhone rival, the Pixel XL 4, to see if a new screen and dual lens camera can transform it into a smartphone mega-seller

Even in an era of ridiculously good phones, last year's Google's Pixel 3 was a class apart. Thanks to an incredible camera, svelte design and first dibs on the latest Android innovations, it was the best handset of 2018. At least, among the people who really know about smartphones. As for everyone else? They didn't buy it.

That's not an ideal turn of events when you’ve done your utmost to show Apple's iPhone 11 and the Samsung Galaxy handsets what for. It also goes a long way to explaining why Google's Pixel 4 is so... curious.

To be clear, the Pixel 4 XL we've spent the last week with is a very good phone. Mainly in the same ways the Pixel 3 was a great phone. And in many of the same ways that a lot of phones are good right now.

Trouble is, it's just not that much of a leap forwards from what came before and actually represents a step backwards, thanks to a few shortcomings, such as biometric security features that aren’t especially secure. When you needn't settle for less than perfection from your next phone, the Pixel 4 XL amounts to something of a flawed genius.

Silky smooth scrolling

For as much as the Pixel 4 XL can be a bit of a head-scratcher it's not without its considerable charms. Chief among these is a new 6.3in OLED display with a 90hz refresh rate.

What does that 90hz refresh rate mean? Well, most phones refresh their displays 60 times per second. As a result if you quickly swipe down your Instagram feed or a news story you're likely to see a fair bit of juddering as you roll through the status updates. In contrast, both the Pixel 4 XL and Pixel 4 can refresh their screens 90 times per second, depending on the app you’re using. So scrolling is smoother, both text and motion are noticeably sharper and the end result is an exceptional screen that's a delight to live with.

Honestly, it might be a tad better than the iPhone 11 Pro's Super Retina XDR Display from a day-to-day perspective, although both will do the job for your usual routine of Netflix, YouTube and assorted memes. Still, switching from one screen to the other is a bit like changing channel from BBC One to BBC One HD. You’ll notice the difference immediately and won’t be too inclined to make the step backwards.

Whereas the Pixel 4 XL has a bigger 3,700mAH battery to compensate for this increased onscreen activity and still deliver a solid day’s usage. In stark contrast, the standard Pixel 4 (which we haven’t tested) has a smaller battery compared to the Pixel 3 and that could well prove detrimental.

Seeing double

If Pixel phones are famous for anything, it's their cameras. Where other rivals were opting for double and even triple lens contraptions last year, Google's algorithmic smarts meant it could deliver stunning results with just one camera lens. This ability to do so much more amounted to quite the power play.

So the double lens camera on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL represents a volte-face. Housed in a chunky, raised glass square on the back of these phones is a standard 12MP lens and a 16MP telephoto lens for 2x optical zoom. So when you pinch into a shot on the Pixel 4's camera app, your close-ups are sharper and have a greater amount of detail.

Google reckons this is a more useful second lens than the ultra-wide angle lens seen on the iPhone 11 and we're inclined to agree. In the last month with the new iPhone we've taken far more zoom shots than we have ultra-wide ones.

Where the Pixel does definitively let itself down when compared to Apple's latest and greatest is in its camera app, which bizarrely seems to obscure features on a "need to know" basis. There's no obvious prompt to jump into a 2x zoom shot, so the whole ability feels hidden away. At least there's no obvious signposting towards a new way to take photos.

It's a similar story for Google's excellent Night Lens camera mode, which uses a longer exposure to capture dramatically more colour and life in low-light shots. Given the Pixel 4's camera is pretty decent in dim conditions and is still one of the best point-and-shoot snappers going, there's a good chance users will forget to swipe over to Night Lens. And it's one of the Pixel 4's best features. Madness.

Eyes wide shut

In essence, the Pixel 4 feels like a Mo Salah in the midst of a minor goal drought. Some things about this phone don't seem thought through enough and others seem overanalysed. It's a strange mix.

Case in point, the Pixel 4's redesign, which all but renders it an iPhone 11 Pro clone. One the one hand, the iPhone's matte glass back and tall thin build is very nice indeed. On the other, previous Pixel phones had this charming two-tone design on their backside that felt unique and distinct.

That's gone now and so is the notch on the front of the Pixel 3 XL that so many tech bloggers seemed to get in a tizz about. Instead, it's been replaced with a sizeable black forehead (much better!) that houses the Pixel 4's last major innovation called Motion Sense, Google’s answer to Face ID.

You might have heard about Motion Sense in the news last week. It’s the facial unlocking feature that works via infrared and doesn’t require your eyes to be open to work, which is not an ideal turn of events. Why? Well, you can technically be unconscious and the Pixel will still "open sesame" to your texts, emails and photos. Also the Pixel 4 and 4 XL are the first Android phones to allow for mobile payments via facial recognition and the fingerprint scanner that used to be on former Pixel phones is gone now. In other words, Google has replaced one biometric security method with a seemingly inferior one. Likely for the sake of being a bit more like the iPhone.

In fairness, the Pixel 4’s facial recognition and the phone unlocking is supremely speedy. You barely have to raise this phone to your face before it’s ready to go. Also, Motion Sense allows you to use several gestures to control your Pixel (for example, wave your hand to skip tracks on Spotify). But... there is the overriding feeling that this phone has prioritised gimmickry over security for a cute line in a press release.

A good deal better

If this year’s Pixel doesn’t seem like a particularly huge leap forward, then this is all for a good reason. Both of these phones are significantly cheaper than their equivalents last year. If you buy the Pixel 4 outright, you can do so for £70 less than last year’s Pixel 3.

If you get the same phone on contract it’ll cost you the same price as an iPhone 11 or Samsung Galaxy S10 and come with a complimentary HP Chromebook 14. That’s right, buy this phone on contract and you’ll get a free laptop. The same goes for the Pixel 4 XL. You don’t need us to tell you that is a good deal.

So by embracing conformity and making a few welcome changes, Google is hoping the Pixel 4 will distinguish itself by the way of value for your money. There’s also a little bit of cost cutting going on with the use of the perfectly speedy Snapdragon 855 processor as opposed to the more recent Snapdragon 855+. This is a similar play to the one it made with the excellent budget-friendly Pixel 3A earlier in the year and it turned out to be a wildly successful move.

Google Pixel 4 XL verdict

When you really overthink your analysis of the Google Pixel 4 XL, it turns out this phone is a lot like Grease. Yes, the high school musical extravaganza.

Only instead of doing an Olivia Newton-John and donning a pair of leather leggings at the end of the movie, Google’s latest smartphone has aped the iPhone with a few small differences. Why? Because Apple’s alternative is the most popular kid in the class. And that is what the Pixel ultimately wants to be.

So while the Pixel 4 is undoubtedly a better value proposition than its predecessor, it doesn’t feel so much like a "Google phone" as it does another well-made Android phone, one with an admirable screen and camera combo and a couple of other underlying flaws. Which is all to say that we understand its moves towards the smartphone mainstream, but can’t help but feel a little of the old Pixel charm has been lost in translation.

Read more

Best smartphones for the ultimate upgrade

Best tech gifts for Christmas

Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 Plus is 2019's ultimate Android phone

GQ Recommends


OnePlus’ 7T Pro McLaren Edition brings supercar speed to a smartphone


Best smartphones for the ultimate upgrade


Amazon’s Echo Studio is a Sonos-beating smart speaker