Announced earlier this month, the Pixel 2 XL is Google’s flagship smartphone for the calendar year and it’s certainly one of the best Android devices you can currently get your hands on. Powered by top-of-the-line hardware including the best-in-class smartphone camera, Pixel 2 XL has all the potential to be the smartphone of the year. However, the device has been plagued with issues since its launch, which might even force you to look elsewhere for alternatives. Several users have reported blue color shifting and burn-in issues in their displays. Some others have also complained about a clicking sound issue while making phone calls using the earpiece. Problems like these on a smartphone that costs well above 800 bucks is not acceptable at all in any way. So, if you’re worried about these issues and want to look for other options that are currently available in the market, here are the top 8 Google Pixel 2 XL alternatives you can buy:
Top 8 Google Pixel 2 XL Alternatives
1. Samsung Galaxy Note 8
This is the smartphone that people have comparing the Pixel 2 XL with, just to realize how poor the Pixel 2 XL’s LG-made P-OLED display looks in person. In all honesty, Samsung makes some of the best smartphone displays out there, and they’ve set an industry standard. It’s highly possible that LG’s panels are just not as good as the ones made by Samsung, so if you want the best smartphone display right now, don’t look anywhere else other than the Galaxy Note 8. It sports a stunning 6.3-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels for all the eye candy that you’ll ever need. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s cutting edge Snapdragon 835 chip which is coupled with 6 GB of RAM to provide exceptional multitasking performance at all times.
Moving on to the camera, the Galaxy Note 8 also features one of the best camera setups ever in a smartphone. In fact, it’s the first Samsung Galaxy phone featuring a dual-camera setup. That’s right, the dual-12 MP camera setup with an f/1.7 aperture for the primary lens and the f/2.4 aperture for the secondary lens lets you take some breathtaking portraits with shallow depth of field that can be adjusted according to your preferences. The secondary 8 MP front-facing camera with an f/1.7 aperture is also does a great job when it comes to taking selfies even in dim lighting conditions. Lastly, the 3300 mAh battery on the Note 8 should just be good enough to last you through the day under moderate usage.
Buy: ($949.99)
2. Apple iPhone X
Next on the list, we’ve got the most awaited flagship smartphone of the year, and it’s none other than the radically redesigned iPhone X from Apple. This is the first time that the Cupertino-based company is incorporating an OLED display in one of their smartphones and it’s manufactured by Samsung, so we’ve got no worries regarding the quality of the panels, unlike the Pixel 2 XL. The iPhone X sports a gorgeous 5.8-inch OLED display with a resolution 1125 x 2436 pixels, which is the highest resolution that we’ve seen in any iPhone. It’s powered by the Apple A11 Bionic chip, which is also the fastest chip ever in a smartphone, managing to crush the Snapdragon 835’s performance by a long mile. That being said, the device packs 3 GB of RAM, which is ample to perform almost any task on iOS without breaking a sweat.
Moving on to the camera, we’ve got a dual-12 MP camera setup with an aperture of f/1.8 and f/2.4, that lets you take some breathtaking stills and portraits even in low-light situations. Moreover, it’s one of the highest-rated smartphone cameras on DxOMark, so there are no doubts regarding its potential. The secondary 7 MP camera with an f/2.2 is also able to take portrait selfies with shallow depth of field, thanks to the TrueDepth camera system that’s designed for Face ID security. Lastly, the battery on the iPhone X is rsted at 2716 mAh which should be good enough to last you all day regardless of its smaller size in comparison to the competition. This is made possible by the energy-efficient A11 Bionic chip and optimizations in iOS 11.
While the iPhone X is certainly a great Pixel 2 XL alternative, the price difference is pretty large and if you think so, you can also check out the iPhone 8 Plus, which although lacks a bezel-less display, has some great specs and features.
Buy: (Starts at $999)
3. Google Pixel 2
The new Google Pixel 2 offers everything that its bigger brother, the Pixel 2 XL has to offer, except for the display, which might be a good or bad thing depending on the way you put it. Sure, the smartphone has a huge chin & forehead and doesn’t really look like a 2017 smartphone from the front unlike the near bezel-less Pixel 2 XL which is a bummer, but the good thing here is the fact that you don’t have to deal with all the display issues people have been reporting. This is mostly due to the fact that the device sports an AMOLED display manufactured by Samsung rather than the LG-made P-OLED display. The Google Pixel 2 sports a 5-inch Full HD AMOLED display and is powered by the same top-of-the-line Snapdragon 835 chip and 4 GB RAM that’s found on its elder sibling, so we’ve got no complaints regarding its performance.
The Pixel 2 also sports the same 12.2 MP camera with an f/1.8 aperture that’s found on the Pixel 2 XL, making it the highest rated smartphone camera ever on DxOMark. By making use of dual-pixel technology, the Pixel 2’s camera is able to create the “bokeh effect” without the need of a secondary lens. Additionally, the secondary 8 MP camera with f/2.4 aperture is also able to take portrait selfies by making use of a software-based technique. As far as the battery life is concerned, the 2700 mAh battery on the Pixel 2 should be just good enough to last you through the day under very moderate usage. All in all, this is the best alternative you could go for, especially if you were originally planning on getting the Pixel 2 XL.
Buy: (Starts at $649)
4. LG V30
LG’s latest flagship smartphone has been designed to take on all the latest phablets that are currently out there in the market. The glass and metal design gives a premium look and feel to the device. The LG V30 flaunts a 6-inch P-OLED display with a resolution of 1440 x 2880 pixels for all the eye candy that you’ll ever need. It’s worth noting that the display on the V30 looks noticeably better than the Pixel 2 XL, although it still suffers from poor visibility. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s bleeding edge Snapdragon 835 chip coupled with 4 GB of RAM to handle almost any task without breaking a sweat.
Moving on to the camera department, the LG V30 sports a top-notch dual 16 MP + 13 MP camera setup, consisting of standard and wide-angle lens. The primary lens has an industry-leading f/1.6 aperture that has all the potential to set a benchmark when it comes to low-light photography. The front-facing camera rated at 5 MP does a fair job when it comes to handling all your selfies. As far as the battery life is concerned, the V30’s 3300 mAh battery should be good enough to last you through the day under moderate usage.
Buy: ($800)
5. Huawei Mate 10 Pro
The Mate 10 Pro is the best smartphone that Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has to offer right now, and it’s exceptional in its own ways. For starters, the device sports a beautiful 6-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels, which is just decent for the device’s asking price. The device may lack the new Snapdragon 835 chip, but it’s no slouch when it comes to performance. It’s powered by the the company’s own HiSilicion Kirin 970 octa-core processor that offers performance similar to Snapdragon 835. It also packs 6 GB of RAM to handle all your multitasking demands without breaking a sweat.
Whats most impressive about the Mate 10 Pro is its dual 20 MP + 12 MP camera with Leica optics which received a score of 97 by DxOMark, second only to the Pixel 2 XL. Thanks to the sensor’s f/1.6 aperture, this setup should be a beast when it comes to taking stills in low-light situations. The secondary 8 MP camera should also be good enough to take some high resolution selfies and groupies with your friends. Lastly, when it comes to battery life, the Mate 10 Pro’s 4000 mAh battery crushes the competition, as it’s good enough to last you all day or even more, even under heavy usage.
Availability: November (~$920)
6. Samsung Galaxy S8+
Next on the list, we’ve got yet another flagship smartphone from Samsung that was released earlier this year. The Galaxy S8+ is still a great smartphone with a stunning display panel that’s comparable to the one on the new Note 8. To start things off, this rounded bezel-less beauty features a 6.2-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels that makes it a multimedia powerhouse. The device is powered by Snapdragon 835 chip coupled with either 4 GB or 6 GB of RAM depending on the storage you’re opting for.
Although the Galaxy S8+ lacks the dual-camera setup that’s found on the Note 8, it’s single 12 MP sensor with an f/1.7 aperture is still one of the best ones out there, and performs exceptionally well even in low-light situations. The secondary 8 MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture also does a stellar job in preserving all the details in selfies, so we’ve got no gripe in this department. When it comes to battery life, the 3500 mAh battery should be good enough to last you all day under moderate usage.
Buy: ($724.99)
7. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
If you can’t afford to spend over 800 bucks on a flawed device like the Pixel 2 XL, the much more affordable Mi Mix 2 will certainly be a worthy investment. In fact, you’re not missing out on a whole lot, as it still offers top-notch hardware. To start things off, the Mi Mix 2 sports a 5.99-inch IPS LCD bezel-less display with a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels, which is quite impressive for the price point. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s most powerful Snapdragon 835 chip and it works in tandem with 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM for intense multitasking.
Speaking about the camera, we’ve got mixed thoughts, as the 12 MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture doesn’t really do a great job when it comes to still photography, especially in low-light. Noise levels will be something that you’ll find hard to work with due to the aperture. The secondary 5 MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture is decent enough to take some selfies and groupies with your friends. As far as the battery life is concerned, the 3400 mAh battery will be good enough to last you all day as long as the usage is moderate, so this is not something that you should be concerned about.
Buy: ($550)
8. Essential Phone PH-1
Last on the list, we’ve got a phone from Essential Products, a startup formed by Andy Rubin, the co-founder of Android Inc. Being the company’s very first phone, it’s nothing short of impressive to say the least. The Essential PH-1 boasts a 5.71-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1312 x 2560 pixels and is powered by Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 835 chip. It works in tandem with 4 GB of RAM to handle all your multitasking needs, so this phone is no slouch when it comes to performance.
Now, let’s talk about the camera department where we have mixed opinions. The dual-13 MP sensor with an aperture of f/1.9 doesn’t perform quite as well for its price tag. The results get worse when it comes to low-light situations, as noise levels become unbearable. The secondary 8 MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture does a decent job in delivering sharp selfies. Lastly, when it comes to battery life, the Essential PH-1 is still average in comparison to the competition as the 3040 mAh battery barely manages to give an all-day battery life under very moderate usage.
Buy: ($499.99)
SEE ALSO: Top 7 Google Pixel 2 Alternatives You Can Buy
The Best Pixel 2 XL Alternatives You Can Buy
If you were keen on getting the Google Pixel 2 XL, but you’re now having second thoughts on purchasing the device, just because all the display issues that early adopters have been facing so far, we suggest you to either wait for everything to get fixed or look for other options. Well, we’re glad that we could help you out in listing out some of the best alternatives that you can go for instead of the new Pixel 2 XL. So, if you’ve lost your patience already, which one of these alternative options are planning to go for, and why? Do let us know by dropping your valuable opinions in the comments section down below.
Abubakar Mohammed
