I'm not going to pretend the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are perfect phones. The removal of the headphone jack is lame, and the smaller Pixel 2 still has too much bezel. I'd also like more control over Active Edge. If you already have always-on "OK Google" configured, the squeeze is a bit redundant.

Performance The Pixel 2 and 2 XL are consistently fast with impressively low touch latency; Build quality Solid aluminum construction with IP67 water-resistance; Battery life It's solidly above average; Software This is Google's vision of Android.

Design again The 5-inch Pixel 2 has rather large bezels; There are front-facing speakers embedded in them, but the device just looks a bit clunky, Headphone jack There isn't one on either phone, Camera again This is a minor one, but portrait mode is buggy.

While the Pixel 2 XL is certainly a solid all-round smartphone, there are a few little niggling issues here and there that drop it some vital points. We love the slick performance and fantastic battery life, while the funky design means it's certainly a desirable handset.

Premium performance; Two-day battery life; Slick design; Perfect photo capture

You'll want the Google Pixel 2 XL if you're looking for the purest, most elegant Android experience possible in a 6-inch phone. You'll want the Pixel 2 XL if you're looking for a stunning display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, amazing portrait photography, and a ton of surprise-and-delight features made...

Blazing-fast speed and a brilliant camera, all in a futuristic, edge-to-edge design. The Pixel 2 XL is the best Android phone around.

Gorgeous design; Blazing fast performance; Brilliantly reliable camera; Excellent software experience; fast updates; IP67 water-resistant

No headphone jack; Display has blue tint when viewed from sides

The Pixel 2 XL is an incredible phone that grafts device experiences to life experience in simple, intuitive and smile-provoking ways.

Pure; glorious; pristine Android Oreo; Amazing camera experience; First phone to receive Google Lens; Beautiful new display and physical design,...

Some key features aren't exclusive; Not a monumental upgrade over original Pixel XL; No headphone jack; no manual camera controls; meh speakers

Welcome to year two of Google Hardware. In 2016, Google jumped into the Android hardware space with its first self-branded device, the Google Pixel . Google's software prowess shined on the Pixel 1, offering up exclusive features like the Google Assistant, the best Android camera thanks to advanced...

Stock Android means you get a cohesive, unified interface in the OS, the Google apps, and the third-party apps, Google's optimizations mean you get unbelievable performance; This is the smoothest Android phone ever, The aluminum body feels great, and it's more durable than glass, Squeezing to open...

No 3.5mm headphone jack; On the Pixel 2 XL; you get a grainy display that looks bad in the dark and in VR; Why bother with front-facing speakers when the iPhone does just as well with a bottom-firing speaker; The smaller Pixel 2's design is downright embarrassing in 2017

The search giant takes aim at Samsung and Apple's finest smartphones

Fresh; attractive yet practical design; The best take on Android Oreo around; Powerful hardware

Atrocious screen viewing angles; Poor colours on the display; Bad 4K video compression

In fact, the Google Pixel 2 XL is arguably the best Android smartphone on the market right now thanks to its blazing-fast performance, slick Oreo OS and 12MP single-camera that, somehow, manages to outperform even its highest-specced competitors.

Great design; gorgeous OLED display; blazing-fast performance; market-leading camera; decent battery life; Android Oreo

No headphone jack; Active Edge is gimmicky; poor viewing angles; the price

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.

Dual front speakers; pure Android experience No headphone jack; smaller Pixel 2 still looks clunky and has mediocre battery life

No headphone jack; smaller Pixel 2 still looks clunky and has mediocre battery life

There is no question that the Google Pixel 2 XL is the best Android experience money can buy. It is the fastest-feeling, slickest and smoothest Android has ever been, putting it well on par with the quality of iOS.

very fast; long battery life; great screen; squeezable sides; latest version of Android and rapid updates; interesting built-in AI; water resistant; fantastic camera; unlimited photo and video backup

expensive; no expandable storage or removable battery; no headphone jack; no wireless charging