The Google Pixel 4 XL Review: Stuck In The Past In 2019
by Andrei Frumusanu on November 8, 2019 11:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Mobile
- Smartphones
- Pixel 4
- Pixel 4 XL
Video Recording
Video recording on the Pixel 4 is a relatively simple topic as Google hasn’t changed much to the formula other than the inclusion of the new telephoto module. Even this one addition isn’t quite fully supported by the cameras as Google’s 60fps recording mode is only available for the main camera sensor. Another omission, is the lack of a 4K60 recording mode. It’s quite unfortunately that Google still hasn’t been able to expand the recording features over the past few years.
In terms of video quality, it’s relatively ok. Stabilisation and bit-rates are competitive. I would strongly recommend to switch over to HEVC recording in order to save storage space. Dynamic range of the capture on the other hand isn’t really up to par with what we see from the competition, and the Pixel 4 largely falls behind in this aspect.
What’s really unfortunate is the audio recording quality. Unfortunately, the phone doesn’t seem to have any good wind noise cancellation. It wasn’t particularly windy when I was recording the samples, yet the wind noise is particularly distinct in the recordings.
Speaker Evaluation
The speaker setup on the Pixel 4 has changed substantially compared to the Pixel 3. Google is no longer using two front-facing speakers, opting for a more traditional earpiece + bottom firing speaker setup.
This does cause some problems and represents a downgrade for the new Pixel. While last year the Pixel 3’s stereo bias was actually biased towards the earpiece speaker as the stronger and louder unit, this year it’s very much extremely biased in favour of the bottom firing speaker. Volume isn’t an issue as the phone gets plenty loud.
The audio quality of the phone isn’t bad, however there’s a notable lack of mid-range and especially lack of lower mid-range which unfortunately leads to a less “full” audio playback and the phone doesn’t really compete with either Samsung or Apple’s devices in terms of audio playback ability.
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Andrei Frumusanu - Monday, November 11, 2019 - link
We don't have the Note10's and we'd have to buy them to review; I don't feel the phones have any major differentiating factors over the S10 to be that much worth it.SirKronan - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
Andrei, thanks for your response! I was afraid of that. Would you be willing to do a review if I could arrange for a loaner to be sent to you?ithehappy - Sunday, November 10, 2019 - link
So far all the reviews I have seen has showed that the loudspeaker loudness (or maybe even quality) of the Pixel 4 is better than the iPhone 11, this review says on the contrary! Also those reviews showed the Pixel 4 performing better for day to day tasks (like app opening etc.) faster than the iPhone 11.Was the reviewer here let down even from before reviewing the device or something? Astrophotography mode was not even tested! If the iPhone 11 had that feature would you cite the pretty nonsense reason of poor weather to skip that part? I don't think so. Not sure what went here.
In any case, Google could have done so many things right with this phone. But they chose not to. Withdrawing the original quality upload was one of the terrible decisions, so was the terrible battery capacity on the Pixel 4 non-XL model. There is no doubt for 2019-2020 the iPhone 11 is a much better choice than the Pixel 4, but this review has some unnecessary and uncalled negative bias towards the Pixel 4.
Andrei Frumusanu - Monday, November 11, 2019 - link
> So far all the reviews I have seen has showed that the loudspeaker loudness (or maybe even quality) of the Pixel 4 is better than the iPhone 11Loudness isn't an issue, the P4 gets very loud. Quality is on par to lesser than the i11.
> you cite the pretty nonsense reason of poor weather to skip that part? I don't think so. Not sure what went here.
I'm not sure what exactly you expected want me to do here, take pictures of clouds?
ithehappy - Monday, November 11, 2019 - link
I expected you, the reviewer, to use that mode. It's not only for taking photos of clouds is it now? It's just something which lets the shutter open for much longer time compared to Night Sight even which would have led to some astonishing shots no doubt.PenGunn - Sunday, November 10, 2019 - link
Just bought a Huawei Mate 20 Pro from Virgin in BC Canada. I'm getting good at this phone change negotiation and got a smoking deal.Stunning phone. For some reason, here, Google crap works fine.
raju516 - Monday, November 11, 2019 - link
Andrei,U said many vendors have displays calibrated better than Google . Can you name one vendor and the phone model other than Apple?
Thanks
Andrei Frumusanu - Monday, November 11, 2019 - link
Samsung, OnePlus and Huawei on some devices.peevee - Monday, November 11, 2019 - link
HOW have they managed to make Pixel 4XL work slower than Pixel 3? Wow, have Google lost ALL of its good and even decent engineers?yetanotherhuman - Tuesday, November 12, 2019 - link
I'm dissatisfied with basically all the new phones on the market. Bleh.