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Google Pixel 3 and 3XL are flagship android phones from Google which was originally released in 2018. Pixel 2 and Pixel 2XL (especially the Panda version of 2XL) became very popular among android enthusiasts. Google Phones are known for its stellar camera and smooth android performance. According to me, Pixel 3 was priced on the higher end which was priced at $799 during its release. But the price came down eventually over the years.
How does Google Pixel 3/XL perform now in 2022?
I’m going to share my personal experience in this article. Most of my thoughts I’m sharing in this article are applicable for both Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL.
Pixel 3 – Hardware Specs
Google Pixel 3 and 3XL are very similar phones in terms of specifications and only differs in it’s display and battery size. Oh, one more difference is the weird long camera cutout in Pixel 3XL which was discussed a lot on its reviews. But in my opinion, you’ll get used to it over a period of usage and it doesn’t really bother.
It’s powered with the infamous Snapdragon 835 chipset, 4GB RAM and 64GB or 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. One could easily guess that the Pixel’s selling point is its stellar camera and its smooth clutter-free vanilla android experience.
As these phones are selling very cheap in the used Market currently, it’s security updates are almost stopped by google. It may get one or two more security patches but still its worth for its camera and the price point it sells for. Pixel 3’s form factor is one that I really loved and also the front firing speakers are killer features. It had some display issues on some lot but Google was offering a replacement for those defective units.
Pixel 3 Build and Design
Front firing speakers are great in Pixel 3 and its one of the main reason I used it for a long time. One handed usage and the perfect placement of its fingerprint scanner (the natural way of placing when you hold the phone) are some of the great features. It has IP67 rating, decent display and an average battery life. Cameras are the selling point of most pixel devices and Pixel 3 is no exception.
It’s image capabilities are exceptional and the google features like night sight, Call Screening and squeeze to search are really impressive and compete with most recent flagship phones. Android OS is well optimized for Pixel devices and you’ll get consistent security updates from google for 3 years. For Pixel 3/3XL we can expect one or two security patches in 2022.
Update on Google pixel 3
Starting Feb 1,2022 Pixel 3 will be losing an important feature. Google Pixel 3 had free unlimited original quality storage in Google photos till Jan 31, 2021. This free unlimited storage has been ended now. Starting Feb 2021, all original quality images will be counted towards your Google Photos storage free limit of 15GB. Original quality backup images taken before Feb 2022 will still be available in your backup. However you will get unlimited google photos storage in “Storage Saver” quality.
Final Thoughts
Pixel 3’s 4GB RAM makes it feel a bit slow and that may be the reason it may not get the next version of android. But for an average user it will not be a deal breaker. Pixel 3 in 2022 is still a good option and very much usable if you are not very concerned about the security patches and android updates.
Check out my other article on Pixel 7 here.
Below is my video blog about Pixel 3 published on Youtube, check out:
3 thoughts on “Is Google Pixel 3 a Good Buy in 2023”