The Pixel 2 is a great phone with excellent hardware and performance, a relatively boring design, respectable (but not amazing) battery life, and the best camera available in a smartphone today (if you don't need dual cameras).

Google's Pixel phones are among the very few Android handsets out there to offer a clean, unfettered version of the OS, packed inside some premium hardware. You might not get much in the way of frills, yet the Pixel is a well-constructed smartphone that delivers dependable performance and solid...

Solid camera tech; Sharp screen with deep blacks; Strong performance

Takes amazing photos; Really fast; Packed with clever software touches;

Design feels dated; Screen isn’t quite flagship-worthy; Stingy with storage;

When Google released the Pixel last year, it was taking a stand. No longer would Google hardware be tainted with the brands and logos of other companies, even if behind the scenes, Google still needed help from those same companies to actually build its phones.

If there's a rockstar of the Android world in 2017, it's the new Pixel 2 . Google's own smartphones may not sell in as great a number as, say, Apple's iPhone or Samsung's Galaxy, but they're arguably no less important in their own way.

Pure Android Oreo experience is tasty; Excellent camera; Solid battery life; Speedy Snapdragon 835 performance

Pixel 2 bezels are huge; Pixel 2 XL pOLED is muted and blue-tinged off-axis; Can Google meet demand

Without fail, every person who has picked up the Pixel 2 XL has said virtually the same thing: "It feels like it's made out of plastic." I said it myself when I first held it. Of course, neither the Pixel 2 nor the Pixel 2 XL are made out of plastic.

Incredible camera; Great speakers; Best Android experience; Incredible camera; Great speakers; Best Android experience

Screen shows image retention immediately; Colors are muted; even compared to other sRGB screens; No headphone jack; Huge bezels around screen; No headphone jack; Lacks some customization in camera features

So should you buy one? As reviewed, the Pixel 2 XL with 64GB of storage on the Verizon network costs $849. The smaller Pixel 2 costs $649, and boosting memory to 128GB adds $100 to either phone.

Easy to handle and use; fast Android feature and security updates; Now Playing music recognition; Google Assistant is fast and accurate

Limited camera functionality; not as sexy as its competition

When we talk about last year’s Google Pixel, the conversation inevitably focuses on the device’s shortcomings: no dust and water resistance, no wireless charging, and no expandable storage. And its design was seen as uninspired and forgettable.

Distinctive color combinations mark the family, versus our Just Black test units.

The Google Pixel 2 shows Google now has clear vision for its flagship smartphones. The design is distinctive and has character, the camera continues to be outstanding, and the software it very intelligent. However, those bezels can't be ignored, so we'd go for the Pixel 2 XL .

Distinctive design; Leading camera; Intelligent software

Top and bottom bezels; Plastic-like metal