The Pixel 2 series is Google's second go at their own branded smartphones. It's been out for a few months now and has since received an update to Android 8.1. Our Google Pixel 2 XL review takes a look at the larger of the two recent smartphones released by the tech giant to see how it stacks up with...

Solidly built smartphone; Clear; crisp screen; Great battery life; Fantastic camera; Stock Android getting more useful functionality; Active edge useful; IP67 rated

Not a fan of the fluorescent orange power button; Fairly stock/bland design; Active edge can't be remapped to other programs

The Google Pixel 2 XL is available for £629 for the 64GB version sim-free, which is in line with other large screen premium smartphones. The Pixel 2, with its 5inch screen, and £559 sim-free price seems expensive in comparison, without the "Wow" factor of a curved and almost borderless screen.

6inch 18:9 screen, Optical Image Stabilisation, Dual front speakers, On-line backup till 2020, Portrait mode works well, Easy to use camera

No headphone socket, No MicroSD slot to expand memory, A little expensive

Unlimited photo storage and quick charge battery

Haven't found anything yet

I was late on getting a XL. When sent one over for me to check out for a bit, I was hype and skeptical at the same time. I heard great things about the camera and horrible things about the screen.

A bigger, sharper screen and thinner bezels make the Pixel 2 XL the more desirable Google phone, but some early units have been dogged by screen issues.

The Pixel 2 XL perks up the already excellent Pixel 2 with more screen space; It has a fantastic camera, waterproofing and the Google Lens feature that helps you learn more about the world around you

The camera's Portrait Mode doesn't work as smoothly as its competitors' dual camera; Its battery doesn't last as long as others in its caliber and the phone has no headphone jack or wireless charging; The displays on some handsets have irksome screen problems

Switched over from about a decade of iPhones, was a little nervous at first, but after a couple weeks I'm very satisfied with my decision. I recommend this smartphone, the Android system is a pleasure to operate, very intuitive, and user friendly.

Amazing camera, super-fast, stock Android software, Google Assistant is consistently useful, unobtrusive

Expensive, no headphone jack, Pixel 2 looks dated, Pixel XL 2 POLED display not as good as OLED

Since its inception, Android has served as an affordable alternative to the iPhone. Being open and scalable, Android runs on a variety of hardware. Android portfolio includes budget, mid-range, and premium phones, which is a great thing.

The Pixel 2 XL is an interesting smartphone. We would sum it up as an all-around decent smartphone that has the best camera and software performance you can find on an Android phone today.

This is where the Galaxy S8 Plus comes in: it's cheaper and has both of those features and matches the Pixel in just about every area.