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The Pixel 3 XL.Ron Amadeo
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Miles of notch.
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The back. The top is glossy and hard, the bottom is matte and soft-touch.Ron Amadeo
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The soft-touch back stops before it hits the sides.Ron Amadeo
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There’s still a fingerprint reader and a two-tone color on the back.Ron Amadeo
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The camera sticks out just a bit.Ron Amadeo
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The volume and power are on this side.Ron Amadeo
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A USB-C port and no headphone jack on the bottom.Ron Amadeo
We’re on the lookout for the mid-range Pixel, which is expected to bring some of Google’s flagship smartphone goodness to a lower price range. If you;’re in the market for a device like that, why not skip the mid-ranger and just buy the full flagship smartphone? Today only, Google is running an exceptional deal on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL: they’re available for half price as a way to celebrate Google Fi’s birthday. So instead of $800 for the Pixel 3, you can pick up Google’s smaller flagship for $400. The bigger Pixel 3 XL drops from $1,000 (for the 128GB version) to $500.
Buying the Pixel 3 for half price does come with some caveats. First, it’s through the Project Fi site, and the terms of the deal say you have to “activate” the phone with Google Fi. Fi doesn’t have a contract though, so assuming you use 0GB of data, that just means you’ll be on the hook for one month of $20 service. The deal is good until 11:59pm PT today only (April 22) or while supplies last. It is only open to US residents.
We’ve complained about the limited amount of RAM in the Pixel 3 and 3 X and the idea that it’s not competitive in price or design with devices like the OnePlus 6T. For half-price, though, this sale represents a pretty sweet deal. You’re getting a great stock Android device with the fastest Android updates that will arrive until October 2021. It has one of the best mobile cameras on Earth, and if you’re the crazy type that likes to play with beta builds of Android, the Pixel 3 gives you the earliest access. This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen for the device, so it seems hard to go wrong with a purchase here.
Listing image by Ron Amadeo
https://arstechnica.com/?p=1494329