Looking back on 2019, I think it’s safe to say that the Pixel 4 series will be remembered for its controversial launch. Shortly after the 4 and 4 XL made their public debuts, complaints began ushering in about the phones’ short-lived battery life, lack of an ultra-wide camera, etc.
I fully understand and acknowledge the problems some folks have with these phones (especially the smaller Pixel 4), but as far as I’m concerned, the Pixel 4 XL has been one of the Android phones I’ve enjoyed using the most this year.
The Pixel 4 XL is typically a hefty purchase at $899 for its retail price, but for Black Friday, the price has been dropped all the way down to $699 — just about a month after the phone was released. Early adopters might be annoyed with such a sudden sale, but for anyone that’s yet to buy the phone, it means that you now have a perfect opportunity to buy one of the best Android phones the market has to offer (at least in my opinion).
The right price
Google Pixel 4 XL
It pays to wait on Google flagships
Some may complain about such big savings on a phone that was only released last month, but if you’ve held off on buying a Pixel 4 XL this long, now’s the time to take action. Google’s Black Friday pricing for the phone is hard to pass up, giving you an impressive $200 savings on what’s, overall, a really incredible phone.
$699 $899 $200 off
See at Amazon
I haven’t been shy about my love for the Pixel 4 XL here on AC, and I’ll continue to unabashedly shout my praise for the device. There are a few good reasons for that, so let’s dive in.
One of the main reasons I’m so drawn to the Pixel 4 XL is its display. You get a 6.3-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 3040 x 1440, meaning that everything looks outstanding. Text is sharp, colors are super vibrant, and blacks are deep and silky. Better than all of this, however, is the 90Hz refresh rate. Compared to most phones that have a 60Hz refresh rate, the 90Hz on the 4 XL makes everything look and feel noticeably faster. Whether you’re opening apps, scrolling through Twitter, etc., it’s all so much better on this phone. It’s one of those features you have to experience for yourself in person to really appreciate it, but once you see it, you’ll never want to go back to anything else.
Another highlight here is the Pixel 4 XL’s camera combo. You get a 12MP primary camera and 12MP telephoto camera, and while that may not sound very impressive when you consider that some other flagships have three, four, or more rear cameras, what helps the Pixel stand out is not its number of sensors, but image quality.
All of the pictures I’ve taken with the Pixel 4 XL look incredible. They’re detailed, filled with color without being over-saturated, and the end result looks consistently great no matter how bright or dark of a setting you’re in. The Astrophotography mode is especially impressive, allowing you to photograph the stars in the night sky for final results that look like they came out of a DSLR.
Then there’s the software. The Pixel 4 XL ships with Android 10, and since it’s a Pixel, you’re guaranteed to receive major updates and security patches for the next few years. It’s not as impressive as what you get with Apple’s iPhones, but in the Android space, that’s about as good as it gets.
Between the display, cameras, software, and more, the Pixel 4 XL is a joy to use.
There’s been a lot of talk about battery life for these phones, mainly regarding the smaller Pixel 4 and how it can barely get through a full day on a single charge. In my experience with the 4 XL, I haven’t had any major issues. I can get through one day per one charge just fine, and when you do need to charge up, you have the benefit of using either 18W fast wired charging or Qi wireless charging.
The Pixel 4 XL also treats you to its impressively fast face unlock system, Motion Sense hand gestures, automatic real-time transcriptions for all video/audio content, and more.
It might sound silly, but there’s something about using a Pixel that you just don’t get with other Android phones. Google’s melding of hardware and software creates for a seamless daily experience where everything just works how you expect, and it’s one of my favorite reasons to carry the 4 XL with me over any of the other Android phones I have.
With no ultra-wide camera, large display bezels by 2019 standards, and average battery life, I can understand why some people were put off by the Pixel 4 XL with an $899 sticker price.
However, at just $699 right now, there’s no reason not to pick it up. That’s still a fair amount of cash to spend, but considering everything you get with the 4 XL, it’s money well spent.
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