Recently, Google launched its brand new flagship devices – Pixel and Pixel XL. Both of them have attractive specifications. The XL variant has a bigger screen as well as a bigger battery. But the only downside is, it comes with a premium price tag. One phone that can stand in front of this ‘Made by Google’ behemoth is the OnePlus 3. The OnePlus 3 was launched in July and became an instant hit. Thanks to its unmatched performance coupled with insane specifications. But which one should you buy? There is only one way to find out. Alright then. It is time for the flagship showdown – OnePlus 3 vs Google Pixel XL!
First of all, have a look at all the specifications.
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Now, we are going to compare the two phones in length so brace yourself as this is going to an all-out war!
Comparision – OnePlus 3 vs Google Pixel XL
- Design
Both smartphones, Pixel XL as well as OnePlus 3, flaunt metal and glass bodies and an aluminium unibody. The Pixel XL is around 8.5mm thick whereas the OnePlus 3 has a slightly slimmer body at 7.35mm.
However, being slimmer is not always better. A slimmer body also means that there is lesser space inside Result? The OnePlus 3 has a big camera bump which is not there in the Pixel XL. Further, the Pixel XL comes with a twin-colour presets which definitely stands out. The OnePlus 3 looks dull when compared to the Pixel XL. It only comes in 2 colours whereas the Pixel XL offers 3 colours.
Winner: Google Pixel XL
- Display
Both the devices come with a 5.5-inches display. The difference is in the display’s resolution. The OnePlus 3 offers a FHD OLED screen (1920×1080) whereas the Pixel XL offers the better QHD (2560×1440) OLED. This means that the pixel density in the former is a decent 401ppi whereas the latter has a significantly higher 534ppi. Both also come with Corning Gorilla Glass 4.
Winner: Google Pixel XL
- Processing Power
This is the part for which most people are most excited for, isn’t it? This is the clash of Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and 821; the former flagship vs the current flagship processor. The OnePlus 3 has a two high-performance cores which max out at 2.15 GHz which is similar to that of the Pixel XL. Since there is a negligible improvement in the performance of 821 over the 820, we are going to call it even.
Tie
- Memory
The Pixel Xl comes in two storage options – 32 GB and 128 GB. One of these is too less (32 GB) whereas the other is way too much. On the other hand, OnePlus rolled out only one standard variant which has a decent 64 GB happy. None of the devices has an expansion card slot.
How could we forget about RAM? The Pixel XL comes with a decent 4 GB RAM which will be more than enough to give you a smooth performance. Ironically, it will sound puny in front of OnePlus 3’s monstrous 6 GB of RAM. It boasts 50% more RAM than the Google flagship which gives it a big edge.
Winner: OnePlus 3
- Operating System
Both of these are Android smartphones, however, the Pixel XL has the newer version i.e. Android 7.1 Nougat. The OnePlus 3 is powered by Android 6.0.1 based OxygenOS. However, OnePlus is also going to roll out the Android 7.0 update for its flagship users very soon.
Tie
- User Interface
If you want to have the stock android experience then you are in for a treat because OnePlus 3 comes with almost no bloatware to maximise performance. Similarly, the Pixel XL also runs on the stock android. We are going to call it a draw.
Tie
- Camera
Google made sure that the camera of its devices comes into the eye of the public and why shouldn’t they? DxOMark gave the camera a score of 89. This is the highest score ever by any mobile phone. It has a 12 MP camera with f/2.0 aperture, optical and electronic image stabilisation, phase and laser-detection autofocus, 1.55-micron sensor pixel along with the support for 4K videos at 30fps. However, it will be wrong to say that since it has been given top scores, it is undefeatable.
On the other hand, the OnePlus 3 has a 16 MP camera which also has f/2.0. This makes the OnePlus 3 better in theory but there is more to it. The OnePlus 3 too has phase detection but lacks laser autofocus. Apart from that, even it has optical and electronic image stabilisation, a smaller 1.12-micron sensor and the ability to shoot 4K videos at 30fps.
The competition is stiff but we believe that Pixel’s camera would outperform the OnePlus 3’s camera owing to all the tricks it has up its sleeve.
Winner: Google Pixel XL
- Battery
OnePlus has a 3000 mAh battery whereas the Pixel XL has a 3450 mAh cell. It seems like that Pixel XL will easily outperform OnePlus 3 in terms of juice they hold but that is not really the case. Earlier, when we were talking about the display, we said that the QHD screen of Pixel XL is the better one.
It is a better screen because it has lot more pixels tightly packed than the OnePlus 3. More pixels mean that it will produce crisper image which will also drain more battery. That is the sole reason why OnePlus did not opt for a QHD display for its current flagship.
Winner: OnePlus 3
- Extras
Pixel XL currrently has the exclusive rights over Google Assistant.
Both devices come with a fingerprint reader along with fast charging as stock. The Pixel XL also has Google Assistant (Assistant with A.I.) and many other things which are currently exclusive to the Pixel modes. OnePlus 3 has nothing of that sort.
Winner: Google Pixel XL
- Price
After this intensely close battle, it all boils down to the price in the end. The base variant of the Google Pixel costs USD 649 (INR 57,000) while the top variant, i.e. the Pixel XL 128 GB will set you back by USD 869 (INR 76,000). On the contrary, the standard variant of the OnePlus 3 costs a meagre USD 399 (Rs.27,999).
Price is an important factor in deciding because the smartphone market is very competitive these days. It plays a pivot role in a country like India because most people here prefer a phone that offers a good performance without making a big hole in the pocket. Google’s flagship devices fail with flying colours whereas the OnePlus gets a perfect ten.
Winner: OnePlus 3
Verdict
If we do a headcount, then the Google Pixel XL will emerge as the winner. But the mere fact that we are comparing Pixel XL with a device that costs a whole lot lesser than it is self-reflective of how amazing the OnePlus 3 is.
If you have the money and want a premium phone with good performance as well as added bits and bobs, you can purchase the Google Pixel XL without having a second thought. But if you do not want to spend so much money on a phone and are basically looking for more bang for your bucks, pick the OnePlus 3. You will not be disappointed.
However, if you are not able to decide, we would like to suggest you something. If you are in no hurry to buy a new phone then maybe you should wait for a few months. The OnePlus 4 is coming just a few months from now and OnePlus 3 would look like a toy in front of it. Check out its expected specifications, prices, features and release date. It will thrash all other phones in the market! With this, we would like to put an end to the war – OnePlus 3 vs Google Pixel XL. Stay connected for more updates.
