PC World - USA (2019-12)

DECEMBER 2019 PCWorld 67

And while Google has
finally admitted that 4GB
of RAM just doesn’t cut it
for a high-end Android
phone anymore, 6GB isn’t
so great either. Compared
to the Pixel 3, my Pixel 4
kept a few more apps in its
Recents carousel, but
neither holds a candle to
the dozens that were
visible on the S10+. And
while we’re at it, why is
Google still charging
$100 for an extra 64GB of
storage? Even Apple
charges half that.
Somewhat
surprisingly, Google
shines in its new display game. Pixel phones
have had long-standing issues with their
screens, from OLED burn-in to flat colors, but
the Pixel 4 is the first to get it right. It’s still not
quite as bright as the Note 10+ or as vibrant
as the iPhone 11 Pro, but the display on the
Pixel 4 is easily the best Google has
delivered. The blacks are deeper and the
colors are more vibrant than the Pixel 3, and
the oleophobic smudges that plagued earlier
models are nowhere to be seen (so far,
anyway). And I really liked the new Ambient
EQ feature that adjusts the white balance
based on the light in the room. Similar to
Apple’s True Tone display, it makes the screen

much easier on the eyes without the often

jarring auto brightness adjustments.

The Pixel 4 also introduces Smooth

Display, which ups the refresh rate to 90Hz for

smoother and speedier scrolling and swiping.

It’s one of only a few devices to boast such a

feature, but the difference here isn’t as

immediately obvious over the Pixel 3 or even

switching between 60Hz or 90Hz in the

settings. That’s somewhat due to the Pixel’s

natural hardware-software integration, but it’s

also because it actually only turns on if your

brightness is set to greater than 75 percent

(go.pcworld.com/75pc), another limitation

that Google fails to advertise. Still, there were

Wireless charging on the Pixel 4 XL has been greatly enhanced.