Google - Pixel 11 Pro XL 512GB (Unlocked) - Obsidian

Was a huge Nexus fan and owned all the Nexus phones from the Galaxy Nexus through the Nexus 6P. Didn't like what Google did with Pixel early on, I skipped out entirely until I tried the Pixel 7 and it just wasn't quite on par with the bigger contenders, I went back and forth between Samsung, Apple, Motorola, and lastly OnePlus. But I have to say with the Pixel 11 Pro XL, with the new modem, the AI and Efficiency focused chipset, Pixel is finally where it needs to be for me to be very satisfied with a phone for a few years! Bought the 512GB+16GB RAM model for longevity and got it in ever so clean Canyon color. Love this thing!

This phone is strong and generally well-optimized, and the photos it takes are incredible (the video is less so). That said, it needs to be $200-$300 cheaper to justify its price. Tensor G6 has less than half the performance of A20 Pro, and the GPU in particular needs work. You especially notice that it's a beat behind the competition in gaming and other graphically-intensive apps like Google Maps. With a starting price more expensive than that of the 18 Pro Max, it is very hard to recommend this phone to anyone without a significant discount. Would have preferred if Google used a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for this one.

It's a great phone with an excellent camera, and the battery life is good. There are a couple of issues with apps—for example, TikTok (echo in guest mode)—but I hope they'll fix everything with a software update.

I debated HEAVILY on whether or not I upgrade from the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL to the 11 Pro XL. There weren't a lot of new features and they basically look like the same phone, but my Pixel 9 Pro XL frequently got warm when doing basic tasks, battery would drain quickly for no reason, and eventually part of the back would make a slight tapping or clicking sound when I would hold it without a case on. The new battery management, pixel snap, all around matte finish, and the cooling management all were enough for me to upgrade and I'm glad I did. My battery lasts significantly longer each day without out massive, unexplainable drain, the charging is faster and more consistent, the magsafe is dope for rocking no-case (I sometimes like to live dangerously) and it's cool to the touch. I noticed it gets hot sometimes when updating apps while charging, but it almost never gets warm when off the charger so that's much better. I wish there was more innovation with these phones, but the fine tuning was worth it for me and I'm glad I made the purchase.

Having used Pixels and other flagships in the past, I'd say this is a very good phone, but too expensive for what you get. It's a refinement that fixes a lot of weaknesses of older Pixels but doesn't bring anything groundbreaking. PROS: +Clean, relatively non-bloated software with lots of convenient AI features +Runs very fast and smooth for most tasks, noticeable step up from older Pixels. +Camera is outstanding. Takes photos with great detail and natural colors. +16 GB RAM on 512 GB or higher storage +New modem brings more stable cellular reception and data speeds CONS: -CPU is underpowered compared to Snapdragons found in rival phones -GPU is very outdated and struggles with some games that rivals handle easily -The Pixel HiLight feature is a gimmick and less useful than the thermometer was -The price is way too high. Several cheaper phones match or beat this spec wise -Must get 512 GB or higher to get 16 GB RAM, which was standard across 10 Pros This phone is great for those who don't like all the bloatware and clutter on competing Android devices, take a lot of photos, and enjoy the useful AI calling features. However, it's tough to recommend at full price.