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Hands on with Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone

I WRITE ABOUT gadgets, which means everyone asks me what laptop or dishwasher or whatever to buy. I struggle with this, because the answer often starts with, “It depends.” Unless you ask about a phone. In that case, I usually say get an iPhone.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Android. But the phones can be… frustrating. Clever features too often seem overwrought or poorly designed, or they’re buried beneath 15 Verizon apps on the homescreen. The iPhone is the Default Phone, the one you buy when you want a phone, not a project.

The Google Pixel changes that. It offers the look and competence of an iPhone, with a truly great camera and loads of innovative software and services. It changes my answer to the question I hear most often: What phone should you get?

You should get a Pixel.

Specs Comparison

Google Pixel
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iPhone 7
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Size143.8 × 69.5 × 7.3 mm (5.61 x 2.74 x 0.31 in)138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm (5.44 x 2.64 x 0.28 in)
Weight5.04 ounces (143 grams)4.87 ounces (138 grams)
Screen5-inch AMOLED4.7-inch Retina HD LED backlit screen
Resolution1,080 × 1,920 pixels (441 ppi)1,334 x 750 pixels (326 ppi)
OSAndroid 7.1iOS 10
Storage32, 128GB32, 128, 256GB
MicroSD card slotNoNo
NFC supportYesYes
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 821A 10 Fusion with 64-bit architecture, M10 motion coprocessor
RAM4GB2GB
Connectivity4G LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi4G LTE, GSM, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
Camera12.3MP rear, 8MP front12MP rear, 7MP front
Video4K at 30fps, 1080p at 30, 60, or 120fps4K at 30fps, 1080p at 30 or 60fps
BluetoothYes, version 4.2Yes, version 4.2
Fingerprint sensorYesYes
Other sensorsBarometer, gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensorBarometer, gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor
Water resistantYes, IP53 rateYes, IP67 rated
Battery2,770mAh1,960mAh
PortsUSB Type-CLightning
MarketplaceGoogle StoreApple App Store
Color offeringsBlue, silver, blackBlack, Jet Black, gold, rose gold, silver
AvailabilityVerizon, Google FiAT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
Price$650$650

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