Google Pixel 4 review – a powerful super-snapper that’s almost perfect
GOOGLE is back with a pair of brand new smartphones to take on your iPhone or Samsung – and they’re seriously impressive.
The new Google Pixel 4 (£669) and Pixel 4 XL (£829) have all the trappings of smartphone greatness and deserve your cash, but they’re not quite perfect.
Google Pixel 4 – what is it?
Google has been peddling its own-brand smartphones for four years now, and the Pixel 4 is the latest attempt to dethrone its mobile rivals.
The handsets are renowned for having high-quality cameras, pure and feature-packed versions of Google’s Android software, and simple but effective designs.
But the smartphone industry is collectively struggling to invent new features that will tempt you to upgrade.
Can Google set itself apart from the pack? Just about.
Google Pixel 4 design – does it look good?
There’s little to say about the raw Pixel 4 design.
The handset is attractive, averagely sized and simple – with few bells or whistles. It doesn't feel as physically premium as an iPhone 11 Pro, but its minimalist exterior definitely grew on me.
Both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have large bezels compared to a recent iPhone or Samsung, but they look fine and feel modern enough.
The Pixel 4 has a fairly standard 5.7-inch OLED display, which 444 pixels per inch.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 4 XL has a larger 6.3-inch display with a higher resolution, resulting in an impressive 537 pixels per inch.
Both handsets use a high refresh rate (90Hz versus 60Hz) on the display, which is designed to make scrolling looking and feel more smooth.
It’s not an essential feature, but you’d miss it if you switched to another device.
The higher refresh rate is definitely cool, but it also puts extra drain on your battery life. So buyers will want to consider switching it off if you’re struggling with charge.
Google has added a garish Oh So Orange colour coating for the Pixel 4.
It’s eye-catching and fun (a bit like a flashy Monzo card), but most will probably prefer the usual black or white paintjobs.
Google Pixel 4 specs and features
Both handsets are powered by Qualcomm’s impressive Snapdragon 855 chipset.
It’s a fast processor that powers the greatest Android phones available right now, and there’s no better alternative for Google to use.
However, its successor will likely launch in the coming weeks, so expect even faster phones to debut early next year.
Google has also added a proper Face Unlock system (a bit like iPhone’s Face ID, but using different technology).
It works fine, although proved controversial at launch after a bug let the Face Unlock work with your eyes closed.
Privacy boffins warned over suspicious spouses scanning your face while you slept to snoop on your mobile habits. But Google fixed the flaw with an update, so it’s a happy ending for all.
A slightly stranger new feature is Motion Sense.
It uses a radar system to let you control your phone without touching it – through gestures.
Waving your hands above the phone can pause music or skip tracks, among other things.
It’s mildly handy, but I found myself largely forgetting Motion Sense existed. And when I did remember, the thought process of using it took longer than pausing or skipping music manually.
I’m sure it’ll get easier and more practical over time, and treadmill fanatics or greasy-fingered chefs will probably get better use out of it than me.
There are also some neat Google perks worth taking into account.
You get Google Lens, which lets search for things you’re seeing through the camera viewfinder – and even translate foreign language text in real-time.
Google also offers unlimited ‘High Quality’ storage for your pictures through Google Photos.
And there’s a new Recorder app that automatically transcribes (and make searchable) your audio recordings.
Sadly, battery life is least impressive aspect of the Pixel 4.
If you’re frugal with your usage, you’ll make it through a day without charging. But power users will find themselves needing to plug in.
It’s a worrying sign, given that the battery will only get worse over time.
Battery life is a bit better on the Pixel 4 XL, though it doesn’t match the Galaxy Note 10 or iPhone 11 Pro.
Finally, it’s worth bearing in mind that Pixel phones have a huge advantage over Android rivals: Google.
Google owns and operates the Android ecosystem, so Pixel phones get the latest features before everyone else.
And Android is largely built to work best on Pixel phones, so you’ll always get the exact experience Google intended.
Rival Android blowers can often wait months or years for major Android updates – and many older phones will lose update support after just a year or two.
That’s a huge selling point for the Pixel phones, and should definitely be considered when deciding on a new mobile.
Google Pixel 4 camera – is it the ultimate snapper?
What really sets the pair of Pixels apart from their rivals is the impressive camera.
Smartphone photography has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, as Apple and Google increasingly rely on “computational photography” – using software tricks to enhance your snaps.
They’re also the first Pixel phones to feature two cameras on the back.
The main shooter is a 12.2-megapixel wide-angle camera (77-degree field of view), which has a reasonably large f/1.7 aperture – letting lots of light in for detailed photos.
This is paired with a new 16-megapixel telephoto lens, with a lower f/2.4 aperture and a narrower 52-degree field of view.
It’s designed for better zoom, and is used for portrait photography in particular.
As with previous Pixel phones, the camera is plainly excellent.
You get great detail, well-balanced exposure and brilliant colour resolution.
The new Dual Exposure technology has a lot to do with this: you can separate the highlights and shadows controls for the background and foreground, which can produce some very impressive results.
And the Night Sight mode is still a spectacular feat of engineering, allowing you to take well-lit photos in very dark conditions.
Another impressive addition to the Pixel 4 is a new Astrophotography mode.
The Pixel 4 lets you take long exposure shots of up to four minutes – although you’ll need a tripod (cheaply bought) to avoid ending up with a blurry mess of a photo.
This lets you take spectacular snaps of the night sky, capturing stars and even the Milky Way if conditions are right.
Apple has a similar offering, but its exposure only goes up to around 30 seconds – and is largely outclassed by the Pixel 4.
The elephant in the room is the lack of an ultra-wide lens.
It was popularised by Huawei and Samsung, and bundled in with the new iPhone models too.
Ultra-wide angle shots offer amazing scope and bring some scenes to life in ways that telephoto or wide-angle lens simply can’t.
Adding this lens would’ve been easy and it’s a huge shame that it was left out.
It’s arguably one of the iPhone 11’s killer features – and the price difference between the two phones is only marginal.
Google Pixel 4 review verdict – should you buy it?
The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL are hard to fault.
Aside from battery life and a few other minor niggles, Google’s latest blowers are the cream of the Android crop.
The pure Android software and support combined with a very impressive display and camera setup will disappoint few.
In a straight shoot out, Apple has probably won here.
The £729 iPhone 11 is absolutely a better buy than the Pixel 4, despite its slightly higher price tag. That’s largely down to battery life, sadly.
It’s a closer match-up between the Pixel 4 XL and the iPhone 11 Pro, so it’ll come down to personal preference on design and the ecosystem.
If you’re already an Android user, it makes more sense to simply stick an Android blower.
And when it comes to Pixel versus Android rivals, the Pixel is probably the one to go for.
Huawei’s top models are impressive, but they miss out on Google’s Android chops – and are increasingly suffering from the US-China trade war.
Samsung also has very impressive handsets, but the Google phones will get new features first – and the Pixel camera is superior.
Google Pixel 3 owners probably shouldn’t upgrade to the Pixel 4.
There aren’t enough groundbreaking differences, so you’re better off waiting for what ever the Pixel 5 has in store.
The Sun says: Google has nearly perfected the smartphone formula with the Pixel 4, but battery life holds it back from absolute greatness. The Pixel 4 pair are still a top buy for Android fans, and offer great value for money overall. 4.5/5
- Pixel 4 at Google Store from £669 –
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In other news, Apple recently released the very impressive iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.
The pair of phones were just updated with a "Deep Fusion" feature that improves your photos.
And check out our review of the brilliant (and potentially live-saving) Apple Watch 5.
What do you think of the new Google Pixel 4? Let us know in the comments!
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