Does the Pixel 4 Live up to the Hype?
The brand-new Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL were officially introduced by Google on October 15, 2019 at their annual Made by Google event. The smartphone has generated lots of buzz in the past by consistently being named the best camera available in a smartphone. It has also been a favorite of Android enthusiasts looking for Google’s version of Android. Now that the Pixel 4 and 4 XL have hit the shelves, prominent tech reviewers have been letting the community know their thoughts on this device.
The Best Android Experience
The Verge’s Dieter Bohn delivers some very high praise for the Pixel 4, calling it the best build quality that Google has ever had in a phone. While some reviewers expressed concern over the larger ‘forehead’ on the phone, Dieter had no issues with it. Despite some of the gestures with the Soli radar chip being flaky, he expressed the value of the Motion Sense detecting your presence to make the fastest face ID. He noted that you can absolutely find other Android phones with better specs and battery life, but you won’t find a phone better suited to run Android 10 than the Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL.
MKBHD’s Disappointment
YouTuber MKBHD is known for his past praise of the Pixel line of phones and called the Pixel 4 one of the phones he was looking forward to the most in 2019. While Marques praised the overall design of the Pixel, you don’t need to be an expert to hear the disappointment in his voice. He noted the gimmicky nature of the Soli radar chip and dismal battery performance as negatives, while praising the impressive 90 Hz display and the camera.
Mr Mobile’s Concerns
Another noted fan of the Pixel line is Mr. Mobile. Again, the gestures with the Soli radar chip come up as a gimmick that isn’t really necessary. He was unable to get a full day of battery out of the Pixel unless he turned off features like the 90 Hz display.
Camera Comparison
Throughout the past several years, the Google Pixel lineup has been known for having the best camera available in a smartphone. This year, competitors like Apple and Samsung made massive improvements, leaving many to wonder if Google could retain their crown. With the above camera comparison from Mrwhosetheboss, it becomes pretty clear that it all comes down to personal preference. Sure, you can pixel-peep on certain images, but at a glance, each of the major smartphones are creating very impressive images across the board. The Pixel does still lag behind the competition in video as it lacks the ability to shoot 4K 60 FPS.
Overall, it seems that many prominent reviewers find this year’s Google Pixel 4 to be okay, but not as great as they had hoped. Did you make the upgrade to the Pixel 4? Let us know what you think of it in the comments!
