Finally arrived Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL by Google

Here you have the so waited smartphone of Google: Pixel 4. The Mountain view company demonstrated already to be able to realize competitive and attractive smartphones, but with Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL it did a big further step. Speed and performances are the top ones even in this case, but there are other surprises.

Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL

Let’s start from the design, which is much more modern compared with its predecessors, even if there is still the notch very visible, the style is really improved. It’s easy to handle even in the XL version, we can’t say the same about other smartphones that, while becoming bigger, they become even difficult to manage (like for example the OnePlus 7T). The screen of the Pixel models is infact 5,7 inches in the basic version and 6,3 inches for the XL version. About the screen too there is another positive thing, the refresh of 90 Hz which makes the watching of the animations much more fluid.

The technical characteristics don’t change between the Pixel 4 and the XL version: this means that if we take the smaller model we don’t any to sacrifice any function.

Great the photographic apparatus. There are two back camera of 16 and 12 MP with focal opening 2.4 and 1.7, while the front camera is 8 MP with focal 2.0. They might not seem record numbers, but we still have to talk about the software. Infact thanks to the functioning Night Sight it’s possible even to take pictures of the night sky, like the Milky Way. But we still have a doubt about the second lens, which is used for the zoom and not for the wide angle lens, therefore the zoom arrives to a modest x2 and even if the software arrives to compensate sometimes, in other cases the results is rarefied.

Always about the software a positive point is the Live HDR+ and the double exposition controll. With these systems it’s possible to regulate the exposition of the picture before it’s being taken, which is perfect in case of pictures against the light. About the videos Pixel 4 XL supports the filming in 4K, but unfortunatelly only at 30 fps when the competitors arrive to 60.

The absolute new is surely the function Motion Sense that allows to innovatively manage the telephone (change song, switch off the alarm, etc). It’s enough a gesture of the hand and the phone reacts, without even touching the screen. Due that the system is a real radar, it works even upside down, with a range of about a meter around the phone. Even if at the moment the functions are really few, this technology can be used by other external applications too.

Pixel is listening

The function to manage the smartphone through the vocal command has been improved. Infact it’s now possible to switch on the phone with the voice even without an internet connection. It will be then possible to set the alarm, to add an appointment on the calendar, to do researches and create copy and paste on the documents.

Another function which is now available is the Live Caption. This function gives the possibility to transcribe in real time a recorded speach, but it isn’t all: it is even possible to do a research inside the registration with a word.

The weak points of Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL

Surely the already mentioned lack of the wide angle lens is a weak point for this smartphone. To it we have to add the battery that, even though it arrives at the end of the day, it is right at the limit with a most intense usage.

The memory then isn’t expandable and it is available only with 64 and 128 GB, Google ensures the possibility to unlimited space of storage on Google Photo. There are, so, few defects for a great phone, but it can be still improved.

This post is also available in: Italiano