Customers recognize the Pixel XL 32GB's superior camera quality, excellent battery life, and fast fingerprint reader as significant strengths. Many also appreciate its ease of use and the helpful Google Assistant. However, some users express concerns about the limited internal storage and lack of expandable memory. The absence of water resistance and some design preferences were also noted as potential drawbacks.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 6 Showing 101-120 of 463 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Camera quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Love it!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I love everything about this phone. The camera, the sound, the ease of use and the total look if it. I wish mine had more internal memory but for now it's fine. With Googles unlimited storage I really shouldn't have to worry about storage space.
This review is from Google - Pixel XL 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone (Verizon)
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Camera quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great phone
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Best phone I've ever had. No problems at all and it handles all my apps fast without ever glitching or anything like that. I don't normally take pictures with my phone but this phone can take some great looking pictures I was really impressed.
This review is from Google - Pixel XL 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone (Verizon)
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Camera quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
best phone battery I've had
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
the bare bones of this phone is great, there is not a bunch of cap stored on here you can't get off. The camera is great and unlimited storage of pictures. The Google assistant really comes in handy and Google will even remember where you park the car. Phone stays charged over 2 days and I use Pandora all day at work.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Processor speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent phone
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Super fast phone and great camera. Team Android all the way
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Processor speed
Cons mentioned:
Storage
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best Android
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
By far the best Android device I have yet and have been with Android from the beginning. Super fast and responsive, wish it had more memory but who needs more memory when all your photos are stored for free in HD in Google photos
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Camera quality, Processor speed
Cons mentioned:
Design, Storage
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Impressive Phone
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Google Pixel XL phone looks ordinary and bland on the outside. The thick white front bezel resembles the famous white phones from another well known phone maker. The back of the phone is smooth except for the upper third which has a glass plate. Within the confines of the glass plate are the fingerprint reader, the rear facing camera lens, flash, and sensors. The right edge has a nicely textured power button to differentiate it from the volume up and down buttons located along the same edge. Google retains the headphone jack along the top edge for those of us who still haven’t gone totally wireless yet. The usb-c charge port and the speaker are located along the bottom edge.
However, the phone’s interior hardware belies the pedestrian exterior. Inside the phone is some serious muscle: Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, 4GB of RAM, 12mp rear/8mp front-facing cameras, dual band wifi supporting 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.2, and more. See the product specs for more details of what can be found under the hood. Internal storage is limited to either the 32gb, or 128gb if you are willing to pony up the extra cash. I find it disappointing that Google continues to omit the micro-sd storage on its phones. While I understand Google is encouraging us to use its Cloud, I do not feel totally comfortable having my precious memories and private digital information stored in Google's servers.
Performance wise the Pixel XL is a champ. The Snapdragon 821 chip makes everything fly at lightning speed on the phone. Swipes are very fluid and responsive. Apps open nearly instantaneously. And with 4GB of RAM, the phone can handle a number of apps simultaneously without slowing down. However, I noticed that when the phone was downloading files or when the camera app was being used, the phone would get very warm. I figure the processor was generating the heat which was being dissipated through the back of the phone. Not a big deal, but something to take note of.
The Google Pixel's defining feature, besides the pure android experience, is the Google Assistant, a virtual assistant that will respond to your questions and commands. I'm still experimenting and learning to use it, but in the limited time I had with it, I can tell you the Google Assistant is quite advanced and impressive. It got most of my queries correct, and I can have a conversation with it. As a sample of things I had the Assistant perform which included opening apps, dictating and sending e-mails, looking up restaurants and driving directions, and inquiring on the weather forecast.
I found the camera on the phone to be very good. The camera handled outdoor daylight pictures well. Pictures are vibrant, sharp, and vivid. The HDR mode is good at balancing the exposure to control highlights and dark shadow areas. The camera also performed well indoors with low lighting. Keep in mind that the camera does not have image stabilization so when taking those indoor, low light photos, keep your hand steady to reduce motion blur. The camera's burst rate is very fast. I held the button down for burst mode for ten seconds and was able to take 90 pictures. In another trial run, I was able to take 84 photos. I am guessing from my simple testing, that the camera can take between 8-9 photos per second in burst mode. While you can use the burst mode to take action shots, this camera neither tracks the subject nor re-focuses between frames. Keep your expectations in check and don't expect dslr quality burst action shots. I briefly shot some videos, and they were also very good. The phone can shoot video in 4K.
In my testing, I used the phone to browse the web, take pictures, watch some youtube videos, and listen to music with bluetooth connection. I was able to use the phone pretty much all day without needing to re-charge. Of course battery drain will be different for each user since this will be dependent on how bright you adjust the screen, whether you're downloading and watching videos, and using processor intensive apps. So if you are planning to use the phone like I do, then you should be good to go for the day with a re-charge overnight.
In summary, besides the bland exterior, this is one of the best phones, if not the best one, available on the market today. Combined with the latest state-of-the-art hardware and the pure android experience, Google pulls ahead of its competition, at least for the time being. The latest Android 7.1 is a joy to use and the Google Assistant proves to be a promising addition to the Google line up which will one day be as essential as Gmail and Google Maps are today.
Finally, I compiled a brief list of what I thought are the Pros/Cons of the phone:
Pros
+Very responsive; blazing fast
+No lag opening apps
+Even though it is Verizon, it is unlocked and can be used with other carriers
+Headphone jack (I am glad that Google did not eliminate the headphone jack)
+Effortless pairing and connection of Bluetooth v4.2
+Textured power button
+Very good camera
+Night Light – tints screen red to make it easier to read in dim light.
Cons
-Large bezel
-Ordinary design
-Gets warm when downloading files and using camera
-No micro sd slot
-Not water resistant
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Fingerprint reader
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Nice Google Product
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Coming from a stretch of Samsung Galaxy devices. I thought I'd try out Google's flagship phone over the alternative Samsung device, the Note 7 (for obvious reasons).
The physical difference is the lack of home button and the placement of the finger print sensor on the back of the phone. It took some getting used to, but I now prefer it set up this way. The software buttons are always there when you need them, so I don't miss the Samsung setup.
Overall, it performs well. No lag or software issues other than a bluetooth connectivity problem I've had with trying to connect with my 2015 Mercedes. It is not being recognized as a Media Device. So I cannot stream music audio. Phone calls work. It seems to be a bug in the Android OS. Hope its fixed with an update.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Camera quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best phone ever
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Loving my phone better than my g6. I would recommend
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Processor speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Pixel
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
After much research, I opted for the Pixel XL. It was a nice change from the Samsung UI and the battery life is incredible. Speed/function and never needing to charge your phone mid-day...not much more I could ask for.
This review is from Google - Pixel XL 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone (Verizon)
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Camera quality, Fingerprint reader
Cons mentioned:
Water resistance
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Amazing Phone
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
First and foremost, this phone is amazing. Performance and quality exceed my expectations from Google.
Pro’s:
- Build Quality
- Phone Performance
- Google Assist
- Unlimited photo storage
- Battery life
- Camera!
Con’s:
- Cost
- Lack of some “flagship” features (i.e. IP67 rating, wireless charging, removable storage)
Build quality: This phone is solid in your hand from the moment you pick it up. The aluminum body feels solid and the phone has enough weight behind it to sit comfortably in your hand. I was concerned about the glass portion of the back panel, as I cringed every time I put the phone down on a solid surface, but it has endured very well so far and beyond adding a little flair it helps to quickly identify the top from bottom of the phone as I bring it out of my pocket. The front screen is probably the best screen I have ever used on a smart phone, colors are vibrant, the blacks are deep, and I would put it up against any screen that Apple or Samsung produce. It would really be nice if this was IP 67 rated for water resistance and dust resistance.
Performance: The new Qualcomm 821 processor doesn’t seem leaps and bounds above the older 820 model, but there are times where it is noticeable. Transitions are smooth, scrolling is faster and more responsive, and the phone overall just seems more fluid. The finger print reader is very quick. The camera does load faster than my old phone, but isn’t instant.
Software: The new launcher is very smooth. Took a little bit of time to get used to the “pull up” for the app drawer, but it seems much more natural than the old app drawer button. The Google assistant is nice, but seems to be a slightly more powerful Google now… I expect this will get better over time, but right now seems to be a little basic. Verizon did a great job with the phone’s “bloatware”. I haven’t “noticed” the applications and it seems that they can be uninstalled if I want to. (good job guys). Everything seems to work really well, and the 3D touch is really nice for the applications it works with right now (mostly google apps) but as with most of the software, it will just get better with time.
Camera: This is hands down the best camera I have ever used on a phone. I was worried about the lack of OIS (optical image stabilization) but after seeing how well the EIS performs, it really isn’t a concern anymore. Photos look amazing, the stabilization is awesome, and the HDR+ mode is so fast, I do not even know it’s on. Combined with the unlimited Google photos storage, I really don’t mind the 32GB storage size. Low light photos are amazing and the autofocus is fast. Colors look amazing. I really can’t say enough about this thing. I do wish it had OIS to cover those situations where EIS struggles (lose some details in low light with HDR+ and shaky hands) but I do not think it’s needed overall.
Battery: bottom line, rock solid. I run my phones hard, and normally have to charge them in the car to and from work. (sometimes even at work). But no issues with this Pixel XL. The Qualcomm 821 processor combined with the OLED screen seem to have really helped battery life out. I am looking at 18 hours of life today alone and that’s with about 7 hours of screen time on.)
If you are in the market for a phone, and you have the money, this phone will not disappoint.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Camera quality, Fingerprint reader
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Google Pixel XL is a Performance Champ!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Pixel XL by Google is a performance champ. In my 48 hours with the phone I've only had two instances of freezing or lag, both issues I believe where within the apps themselves and not the system software. Swiping through menus and loading apps is nearly instantenous and the new double tap recents to switch apps is quite handy.
The XL also has enough screen real estate to make the split screen function useful rather than a novelty. The screen is nice, providing good color, and the pictures are gorgeous. I appreciated the double press power key option for quick launch, and while I didn't really use it, the wrist flick to switch between cameras is also pretty neat. The camera did have a rare auto focusing issue once, but it resolved itself after I panned away and then back again.
Setup from my existing device was seamless and painless. Two USB cables are included, one for charging the phone; which is type c to type c and the other for the transfer; which is traditional type c to usb. I had a couple other type c to usb cables as well and all of them worked without issue, just be aware that you'll have to use a different wall adapter since the offical one only accepts a type c input. Speaking of which, that's the only charger I've tested so far that will get the phone to say it's charging rapidly. Battery life has been pretty strong so far, easily making it through the day with some juice left at night, so fast charging hasn't been an issue thus far.
Screen mirroring via Chromecast was very smooth with no perceived lag. The fingerprint scanner rests on the back of the phone and is pretty easy to find with your index finger. It's very accurate and there is not a delay in unlocking the phone. A nice touch is that you can enable it and use it sort of like a back touch screen so you can pull the notification shade down a little faster than reaching with your thumb.
The phone itself is a little plain with a 'me too' kind of feel. There isnt much that separates it visually from a moto g4 headon, however the aesthetic isn't offensive. Niether ugly, bold, or iconic, it's just kind of there. It's incredibly safe, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's not heavy to hold and had a satisfying weight to it. But it may not be for everyone's taste.
I did have one issue with the data transfer I mentioned earlier, my wifi passwords did not sync. Having setup a few devices this year it was strange that this was the first time this happened to me but it did give me the chance to try out the built in tech support. If you go to settings support, there is always a swipe left away and to call 24/7 or chat during the day. I chose the chat option and was receiving help within 5 minutes. Unfortunately there was no way to restore the passwords without a reset and being short on time I elected to just enter the passwords in as needed instead. The system software is cool if you're into the google services.
The google search app is on the left most screen, allowing me to quickly get access to weather and news at a glance and on the go and there are recent apps at the top and has a search option to keep things moving quickly.
The Google Assistant is awesome. You can adjust any setting on your phone via voice, play a game with the feeling lucky command, and generally get things done with less fuss just by saying "okay google." This is especially helpful when you've forgotten or can't find a setting. It just really adds a degree of convenience to the experience that makes you wonder why it wasn't always there, however at the outset you will have to remind yourself that the option exists since it kind of fades into the background. And that's kind of a good way to describe the phone as a whole. A powerful piece of tech that seamlessly blends with your lifestyle; sometimes to the point that you forget about the device itself and focus on living and doing and using. There may be other phones with slightly better screens, subjectively better cameras, more ergonomic or striking desgins, but I have yet to find a phone that outperforms the Pixel. And honestly it comes down to what means more to you: performance or beauty.
I wholeheartedly recommend anyone to try the phone out for themselves. It's not really a phone that's going to wow you in a quick demo (outside of its camera) but after really using it you'll notice a night and day difference between a phone that really gets out of your way, allows you to live your life, without a right in your face approach, but is there when you need it. This Google Pixel XL phone is a performance champ that I'm rating 4.8 stars out of 5.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Camera quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Love this phone
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Switched from an iPhone, so this is my first Android and I LOVE IT. Takes beautiful pictures and is very easy to use...the transition didn't take long at all. Plus, it was way cheaper than the new iPhone.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Camera quality, Processor speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great phone
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was debating between the iPhone and the Google phone. I'm glad I picked the Google phone, it is a really high quality phone and charges super fast. It takes is some of the best pictures I have ever seen.
This review is from Google - Pixel XL 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone (Verizon)
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Camera quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Fantastic phone, not so fantastic build quality...
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I love this phone. Almost every aspect of it. From the buttery smooth OS, to the new Google AI, to the quality cameras. My only complaint that I would have is the build quality. After just 3 days with the phone, I've dropped it twice. The first resulted in a few chips around the edges, the second in a broken screen. This phone is super slippery. My first suggestion would be to put a skin/case on it. Both falls were from it sliding out of my hand and slipping out of my pocket when sitting down. Now that I have both a skin and a case on it, I haven't had a single issue. (other than now I have to cough up 200 bucks for a screen replacement)
The irony behind it all is that I ordered both the skin and the case before the phone, but I got the phone first.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this phone. It has such a clean, fluid, easy to use OS that is just a joy to play with. But I definitely recommend using protection!
This review is from Google - Pixel XL 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone (Verizon)
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Camera quality, Processor speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best Phone Ever
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is by far the best Android phone I've ever owned. (Phone history: OG Droid, Photon 4G, HTC M7, HTC M8, Pixel XL). It's fast and the camera is great. This is how Android phones are supposed to be!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Camera quality, Fingerprint reader
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Fast and Slick - Google FTW
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Pixel and Pixel XL are being celebrated in the media as great alternatives to the iPhone and to the exploding Samsung Galaxy Note 7’s - but since I have never owned an iPhone or a Galaxy, I can only react to my new Pixel XL as it works for me.
Setup for my Pixel XL was very simple and straightforward. And the phone updated itself completely using my wifi as soon as I had entered my basic information.
The Android on the phone runs faster than I’ve seen Android work on any device before. The hardware handles the interface with no problems - all the applications I have used load immediately and quit immediately. And that shouldn’t be a surprise since Google designed both the phone (with help from HTC) and the software.
The fingerprint detection/unlock mechanism was very easy to setup and is extremely fast. I scanned four different fingers during setup and the phone unlocks immediately as soon as I touch the sensor in any direction using those fingers - the reading and reaction are instantaneous.
The much anticipated camera is remarkable. The sensor was made by Sony and the device depends heavily on AI (in some cases combined cleverly with multiple camera shots) to generate very sharp pictures. It takes good pictures in low-light (I mean LOW-light) - and in normal lighting the pictures are outstanding. From what I’ve read, the Pixels even use AI to produce stabilized pictures as opposed to using the optical image stabilization algorithms used in most other phones and cameras.
The camera is capable of taking video in 4K but I lowered my default setting to 1080 x 30 so the videos would take up less space - but it’s cool that the camera is capable of taking 4K videos. The camera also sports a few specialty modes: slow motion, panorama, photo sphere, and background blur. If you’re interested in macro shots, the camera will focus as close as about 2” away from your subject.
My specific phone was made for distribution through Verizon (my service is through Verizon). But the Pixel and Pixel XL phones are all unlocked (even mine, I believe) and can be used with any contract or pre-paid service provided you have your own SIM card.
My Pixel XL has a higher-resolution display (2,560 x 1,440) than the smaller Pixel (1,920 x 1,080 ) - it is bright and very clear (and exceeds the resolution of the latest iPhone 7!). But it’s big. I like the size of my Pixel XL, though - I have kinda big hands and the phone fits comfortably in my palm in a way that positions my index and middle fingers right under the fingerprint sensor. It has a slim profile but feels well made and not flimsy or breakable.
The Pixels sport a rapid charging feature that has worked well for me so far. While a full charge (from dead) takes several hours, Google is advertising that the phones will charge enough for 7 hours of use in 15 minutes - I’ve been getting by with short daily charges with no problem.
The Pixels also have a Google Assistant feature that I have only used a few times - it’s like a Google version of an Amazon Alexa (or a smarter version of Apple’s Siri) - the phone wakes up and goes into verbal assistance mode by just speaking “Ok Google” into it and telling it what you want. I haven’t seen this feature on any other Android device. It’s really slick - it trained on my voice during phone setup and will only wakeup the phone with my voice. Tell it to set a timer. Tell it to lookup something. Ask it about the weather. Get directions. Yeah…I know that sounds kinda pedestrian but you really need to see the feature in action - it really is slick.
I know I used a lot of superlatives in the review above but I’m genuinely delighted with my new Pixel XL.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Good so far
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I'm a little nervous that I won't get the promo I expect. My receipt states nothing regarding the promo advertised at the Time of purchase. I've spent an hour or so on the phone trying to get confirmation and no piece of mind yet between verizon/best buy reps. Happy with the product, there could be a clearer idea of how the promo will be honored.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Processor speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great phone!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Have had this phone for over a month now. No issues whatsover. It's fast, easy to use and no extra apps pre-installed makes this phone awesome. Would definitely buy again!
This review is from Google - Pixel XL 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone (Verizon)
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Camera quality, Fingerprint reader
Cons mentioned:
Design
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Amazing Android Experience
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Pixel XL is a great fast android smartphone that will not disappoint.. It comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a flagship smartphone; premium build, amazing screen, quick charging, fingerprint reader, all day battery life, and a really great camera.
Google did a great job with their first smartphone. The camera is great for sure. It takes great photos in any lighting situation and while it doesn't have optical image stabilization, Google pulls some really cool software magic to make videos extremely steady. If you're looking for a phone to shoot pictures, this is the phone to get.
From the software side, you get the latest and greatest android and Google really packed in some great features here. It's crazy smooth and the new Google Assistant recognizes your voice better than any other voice assistant, including Google Now.
One of my favorite features on this phone is unlimited storage on Google Photos for all photos and videos taken with the phone. Google will save them at full resolution for ever. So if you don't mind all your photos being on the cloud, this saves a tone of space on hte phone.
My biggest complaint about the phone is the hardware. I really think it's kind of a boring design. There wasn't any risks taken. But, it still feels great in the hand so I'll let that one slide.
Overall the Pixel XL is great smartphone that works very well and takes amazing photos. Hopefully Google will continue to add more software features to this phone and continually improve the Google Assistant.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Camera quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
All around good phone
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The battery lasts all day with excessive use and even if you manage to drain it, the quick charge is great. The camera is one of the best. The voice recognition is perfect.
This review is from Google - Pixel XL 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone (Verizon)