Google Pixel 4 XL review

Hats-off to Google for continuing to innovate with Motion Sense, great new camera features and technology (as well as shot quality), and top-notch general performance as always with a whistle-clean Android 10 OS setup. And there are further refinements and features forthcoming for Pixel 4 / 4 XL early adopters as well. As is typically the case with Google Pixel devices, you'll also get the latest Android software and platform innovations before virtually any other Android device manufacturer, if you decide to rock a Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL.

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While the camera is mostly excellent and the phone is a top-notch performer (not to mention the new Google Assistant, which works more rapidly than ever before and is a worthy rival to Siri and Bixby), there’s disappointment to be found in the weak Pixel 4 battery, the lack of storage, the missing wide-angle camera and fingerprint scanner, and finicky Motion Sense.

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Make no mistake, we adore the Pixel 4 XL. However, there are just way too many asterisks holding it back from greatness. It's got a great camera (but there's no ultra-wide... unlike every one of its rivals), the 90Hz display is gorgeous and smooth (but it steamrollers the battery life to the point that you can't count on it to last your entire 9-to-5), and the Oh So Orange colour is fun (but the front of the Pixel 4 looks like a flagship from five years ago and the lack of symmetry is a slap in the face).

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There's no denying the Pixel 4 XL has one of the best cameras around, but its shortcomings don't justify its high price. Instead, consider the Note 10 or the OnePlus 7T. The Pixel 3 XL is another great candidate and is discounted at $600 now.

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Really, this phone will test what Pixel fans truly value. If all you care about is photography with your smartphone, it’s a great phone. But if you need a multitasking phone with all-day battery life and the flexibility to handle hardcore gaming, I’d look elsewhere.

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There is a lot to love about the Pixel 4 XL, such as the display or the extra camera, but our favourite addition is the motion sensor which could play a big role in its future. However, it doesn't do enough to recommend it, we're Soli to say.

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There will be a time when the Google Pixel 4 XL might be a great phone, but that time isn’t now. Once Google fixes the problems and apps have been updated, the only thing really holding the phone back is below-average battery life. If that’s something you can live with, and you trust Google to fix things, then by all means buy the Pixel 4 XL.

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Despite some shortcomings, the Pixel 4 XL is a fantastic phone that’s super enjoyable to use. That is because it prioritizes what matters most to most people – usability and camera.

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The Pixel 4 duo is off to a rocky start. Reports of the company's shortcomings have been making headlines in tech news. The 90Hz display doesn't always render at 90fps while Google's new Face unlock works with the user's eyes closed when it shouldn't. These features have one thing in common - they are going to be addressed in a future update. The Google Pixel is supposed to be Google's own interpretation of Android. Given the state of incohesive features, poor battery life, and half-baked Motion Sense, perhaps this is how Google feels about its own platform: It needs other OEMs to make its own platform better.

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The Google Pixel 4 XL delivers on the promises set out by Google at the phone's launch event, with a beautiful new 90Hz display, the fastest and most robust Google Assistant experience ever, plus impressive and eye-catching camera abilities from its new dual-sensor setup. However, everything that the Pixel 4 XL brings to the table each comes with a notable caveat that you'll have to consider before you make the decision to live with it.

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