62 PCWorld DECEMBER 2019REVIEWS GOOGLE PIXEL 4 XL
the iPhone 11 despite its size, the Pixel 4’s
camera bump feels like an afterthought
that was tacked on after the phone’s
design was already finished.
That said, the Pixel 4 has the nicest hand
feel of any phone I’ve ever used. From the
frosted glass back to the polished aluminum
sides, there isn’t a speck of gloss apart from
the front and the “G” logo, and the visual and
tactile contrast is palpable. The back is
practically silky to the touch, giving the Pixel 4
an even more luxurious feel than the iPhone
11 Pro, and it’s remarkably resistant to scuffs,
smudges, and scratches. But my favorite
design element continues to be the colored
power button, which is orange on the white
model I tested. It’s subtle, but it adds a bit of
whimsy to an otherwise staid and, ahem,
buttoned-up design.
The Pixel 4 doesn’t include a headphone
jack, which isn’t a surprise, but it also doesn’t
come with a pair of USB-C earbuds or a3.5mm adapter, which is a bit
shocking. The Pixel 3, Galaxy
S10, and iPhone 11 all come
with an audio contingency plan,
so I really don’t understand the
decision here. It makes it feel
like Google is nickel-and-diming
its customers, and coupled with
a not-great design, it gives the
Pixel a cheap vibe.FACE UNLOCK:
QUICK AND ACCURATE
WITH LITTLE SUPPORT
The Pixel 4 brings a handful of new features
that set it apart from both the Pixel 3 and
Google’s 2019 competitors, and they’re all
designed to enhance your daily
smartphone routine without much
adjustment or re-learning.
Let’s start with Face Unlock. Where virtually
every other Android phone relies on a
fingerprint sensor to keep your phone locked
from prying eyes, the Pixel 4 has a 3D camera
for secure facial recognition. It’s something no
other U.S. Android phone has, and only the LG
G8 with its time-of-flight sensor has something
similar. That means after more than two years
there’s finally an Android Phone that can rival
Apple’s TrueDepth camera and Face ID, an
overdue milestone that will hopefully spur
other phone makers to follow suit.
And it works really well. While Face
Unlock on the Pixel 4 requires more preciseThe orange power
button on the Pixel
4 XL is my favorite
design element.