This year’s marathon of smartphones releases has entered its final stretch, with Apple seeing increased competition for its enviable market share. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9, released in August at the beginning of the season, attempts to woo savvy users by cramming laptop specs into a handset. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 3, released earlier this month, leverages the power of A.I. to make its great camera even better. But will that sort of competition be enough to loosen Apple’s grip? The Cupertino, California-based company launched the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR with its new A12 Bionic chip processor making the trio more computationally capable than any of its predecessors. As of July, Apple dominated 40 percent of the American market, with second-place Samsung coming in at 25 percent, according to Counterpoint data. The iPhone XS, to the right, next to the XS Max, to the left. For those embedded in the Apple ecosystem, picking up an iPhone XS Max might be a no-brainer. But when Apple has settled for an “S” Year, all of the Android heavy-hitters have come out swinging with specialized smartphones and features that might just give Apple’s triad a run for their money. Best Smartphones 2018: iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR This year, Apple debuted a roster of iPhone X’s doppelgängers. The iPhone XS is the identical size of the X with improved internals, while the XS Max touts a display that is 0.7-inches larger diagonally. Both have notched, OLED screens with facial recognition capabilities. A newly introduced A12 chip offers powerful and efficient processing power. The XS starts at $999 and XS Max at $1,099. The XR is the budget-friendly version of the three, but don’t expect a slower phone stuck with last year’s specs. Even though the XR starts at $749, it packs the A12 chip, capable of 5 trillion operations per second, compared to the A11 chip’s 600 billion. Apple chose to downgrade the hardware of the phone to make it slightly more affordable. Instead of an OLED screen, the XR comes with a 6.1-inch LCD screen and it houses a single, 12-megapixel rear camera compared to the dual setup of the XS and XS Max. All of the iPhone XR's color options, which will hit shelves October 26. Apple Across the board, a lot has stayed the same. In fact, playing back the announcement could make it seem like it was more about the chip than anything else. This makes the XS, XS Max, and XR ideal for Apple users who have been waiting to upgrade for a few years now. Still rocking the 6S? Any of these phones will blow you away. But if you picked up the X, it might be worth waiting another cycle or two or risk suffering from tech déjà vu. Best Smartphones 2018: Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note 9 Samsung unveiled a treasure trove of smartphones this year, but the S9, S9+, and Note 9 were the company’s answer to Apple’s lineup. The S9 and its larger variant came out early in 2018 as an appetizer for the Note 9 announcement in the summer. The Galaxy Note 9 comes with a Bluetooth-powered stylus, called the S-Pen. Flickr / TheBetterDay Starting at $720 and $840, the S9 and S9+ come with specs and features akin to those of the iPhones. The S9 has a 5.8-inch OLED display, just like the XS, and the S9+ has a 6.2-inch screen, which is slightly smaller than the XS Max. The S9 comes with one rear camera, while the S9+ has two. Both are capable of 12 MP, exactly like Apple’s releases. The only difference is that the S9 and S9+ have an 8 MP selfie cam, while all of the iPhones are 7 MP. The Note 9 takes all of these features and levels them up with stellar use of hardware. Samsung’s answer to the XS Max, has a 6.4-inch OLED screen, a Bluetooth enabled stylus, and can hold up to 1-terabyte of storage capacity. This perfectly complement’s the company’s “DeX” feature, which enables users to plug their phone into a monitor and use it as a handheld PC. Designers can use it as a small sketch tablet and photographers can take over 100,000 before having to move images to another drive. All of the currently available Samsung Galaxy S9+ color options. Samsung The Note 9 starts at $999 and is best suited for the smartphone power user. Its 4000 mAh battery is the largest out of any of the previously mentioned phones, at almost double the milliamp hours of the iPhone XS. This gives it the ability to become an all-in-one tool for productivity, creativity, and communication without worrying about running out of juice. Best Smartphones 2018: Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL The dark horses in all of this are the Pixel 3 and 3 XL. Google has struggled to compete against Apple and Samsung in the smartphone market simply because the Mountain View firm is a software company before anything else. But this has proven to be its biggest asset. Google has meshed its A.I. prowess into every aspect of its new flagship handsets. The phones both only come with a single, 12.2 MP rear camera, but machine learning makes for the even more stunning images compared to last year’s Pixel 2. They can use the Google Assistant to screen a suspicious call to weed out if its spam or not. Finally, the camera comes with integrated Google Lens capabilities letting users Google items by simply pointing their camera at them. The Pixel 3, on the right, next to the Pixel 3 XL, on the left. Danny Paez These are just three of the most notable A.I. enabled features, but there are an array of more subtle details that could give the Pixel 3 and 3 XL the spot for best software experience of the year. That’s due to the fact that Google makes the Android operating system that powers many smartphones worldwide. In terms of hardware, the 3 XL will have the most notable difference in the form of its loathed, top notch.<doc-sep>Check out CNET's full reviews of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, now! For lovers of large-screen phones, the game is on. Google lifted the lid off the new 5.5-inch Pixel 3 and 6.3-inch Pixel 3 XL on Tuesday, tossing the 3 XL into the mix of supersize phones ripe for holiday competition. The talent here runs deep, with the Pixel XL boasting camera prowess and raw internal power to rival the iPhone XS Max, Galaxy Note 9 and LG V40 ThinQ. The LG V40, which is available to preorder now, in particular can wag its three rear cameras at the Pixel 3 XL's single rear lens. It's worth noting, however, that the Pixel 3 XL takes a cue from LG by adding a second 8-megapixel, front-facing, wide-angle lens good for selfie shots with multiple people. Sarah Tew/CNET Google's Pixel phone series is a lynchpin in the software giant's strategy of putting Google's services in more people's hands. Although Google still relies on hardware partners worldwide to propagate the Android platform, issuing its own phone gives Google the ability to control a high watermark experience from head to toe. Meanwhile, these high-priced phones, which inch close to or have already leaped into $1,000 territory, are feeling pressure from cheaper-but-good phones from OnePlus, Motorola and Nokia. So far we've reviewed every phone in this lineup except for the Pixel 3 XL (that's ongoing now), so we have to hold off final judgment until our testing is done. For now, here's how the specs line up. Scroll to the end for a full specs comparison chart. Read: Everything about the Pixel 3 and 3 XL you need to know Screen size and clarity Does this surprise you? The iPhone XS Max has the largest screen of the four, with a 6.5-inch display. The V40 and Galaxy Note 9 come in at 6.4 inches apiece and the Pixel 3 XL has a 6.3-inch display. But it's the LG V40 that has the highest pixel density, edging the others. We'll scrutinize them further in a number of lighting conditions, but all should excel at watching videos, reading stories and keeping up with social networks. Now playing: Watch this: iPhone XS vs. Pixel 3: What's the difference? 3 rear cameras vs. 1 Our mega camera comparisons are still to come -- they take gargantuan effort, but are worth waiting for. What we can tell you is that the LG, iPhone and Galaxy phones are muscle-bound with camera options and tools. The LG V40's three rear cameras are especially braggadocious. For example, you can take a photo from each rear camera at the same time to either use individually or to stitch together. All four of these phones lean on AI camera software. The V40 and Note 9 change your settings when it senses one of almost 20 scenes, such as pets or blue sky. And the V40 and iPhone XS Max take dramatic photos with digital lighting effects. The Pixel 3XL can take wide-angle selfies and promises clean, crisp low-light photos that never need a flash, and excellent digital zoom. Now playing: Watch this: Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL's cameras aim to raise the bar... Later on, Google will also add a tool that picks your best shot for you when the motion setting is turned on -- so even if the photo you snapped is a complete blur, the Pixel 3 may have still captured something better. At stake here is the importance of the multicamera trend. Google's single rear lens throws down the gauntlet against phones with multiple rear cameras, like the V40's (and Huawei P20 Pro's) three rear cameras apiece. Are they really necessary for producing terrific shots or mostly window dressing to impress buyers and set the phone-makers apart? On the other hand, Google seems to think that a second lens does make a difference on the front-facing camera. We'll need to test these phones pretty exhaustively to see what the camera results tell us. Josh Miller/CNET The storage space wars Even just a few years ago, a 64-gigabyte repository of storage was pretty standard. Now, times have changed. LG and Google offer you 64GB just to start with. Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 ups the ante to 128GB at its lowest price, or you can pay more for 512GB. That doesn't even include the 512GB of external storage you can add with a microSD card. Apple, meanwhile, gives the iPhone XS Max three storage options: 64GB, 256GB and 512GB, with no expandable storage. So although LG's V40 ThinQ does let you expand up to 2 terabytes (in theory; the microSD card market tops out at 512GB right now), the total falls behind Samsung's largest capacity. Google, meanwhile, maxes out at 128GB total, though it gives you unlimited photo storage online with Google Photos. Total storage capacity: Pixel 3 XL vs. LG V40, Note 9, iPhone XS Max Pixel 3 XL LG V40 ThinQ Samsung Galaxy Note 9 iPhone XS Max Highest onboard storage capacity 128GB 64GB 512GB 512GB Expandable storage capacity None 512GB 512GB None Total possible storage 128GB 576GB 1TB 512GB Read also: iPhone XS vs. Galaxy Note 9: What a $1,000 phone buys you Battery life Comparing battery run-time on a single charge is tricky because there are so many factors at play. Battery life isn't determined by just the size of the battery (the capacity, measured in milliamp hours, or mAh). There's also an interplay between the processor, how efficient the phone's base level software is in managing resources, and, of course, what you're doing with the phone. The LG V40's battery has a smaller capacity than the Pixel 3 XL and Note 9. However, in real-world usage, LG's flagship phone is more than capable of taking you through your normal day. Battery life testing Pixel 3 XL LG V40 ThinQ Samsung Galaxy Note 9 iPhone XS Max Battery capacity 3,430mAh 3,300mAh 4,000mAh N/A, but Apple claims it will last 90 min.<doc-sep>Size, the final frontier. In an age of large phones, packing everything from the titans into a smaller form factor is often a better choice for many. The Google Pixel 3 confirms what the iPhone also showed and that is a smaller phone can be a more desirable companion. For years I have always selected bigger phones since I have big hands, and being over six feet tall and 250 pounds, I have big pockets on my pants, so larger phones were not really an inconvenience. However, I discovered pure joy earlier this year after using the small Apple iPhone X for four months, and the small form factor phone is extremely appealing to me now. But a small phone also compromises in areas that I just may not be able to accept. Let's take a closer look at the Pixel 3 and see if it really is a device for me. Also: Google Pixel 3 XL review: Constant surprise and delight The Google Pixel 3 is slightly taller -- by 2mm -- than the Apple iPhone X/XS, but it is also 2.7mm narrower. Narrow phones are much easier to hold in your hand, and as much as I love holding the Apple iPhone X/XS, the Google Pixel 3 feels even better. If I could get the same long battery life that I see in the Note 9 and Huawei P20 Pro in the Pixel 3, I wouldn't hesitate to make it my daily driver. Physics just doesn't currently allow this with our existing battery technology. Google Pixel 3 Specifications Processor : Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 2.5 GHz quad-core : Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 2.5 GHz quad-core Display : 5.5 inch, 2160x1080-pixel resolution OLED (443 ppi) : 5.5 inch, 2160x1080-pixel resolution OLED (443 ppi) Operating system : Android 9 Pie : Android 9 Pie RAM : 4GB LPDDR4 : 4GB LPDDR4 Storage : 64GB/128GB internal : 64GB/128GB internal Cameras : 12.2-megapixel rear f/1.8 dual-pixel camera with OIS. Dual 8-megapixel f/2.2 wide-angle (97 degrees) and f/1.8 standard front-facing cameras : 12.2-megapixel rear f/1.8 dual-pixel camera with OIS. Dual 8-megapixel f/2.2 wide-angle (97 degrees) and f/1.8 standard front-facing cameras Water resistance : IP68 water and dust rating : IP68 water and dust rating Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 BLE, GPS/Galileo/Glonass, and NFC : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 BLE, GPS/Galileo/Glonass, and NFC Sensors : Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyrometer, Magnetometer, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Active Edge Sensor : Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyrometer, Magnetometer, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Active Edge Sensor Battery : 2,915mAh non-removable with 18W wired and Qi wireless charging : 2,915mAh non-removable with 18W wired and Qi wireless charging Audio : Dual front-facing stereo speakers and included wired Pixel earbuds : Dual front-facing stereo speakers and included wired Pixel earbuds Dimensions : 145.6mm x 68.2mm x 7.9mm and 148 grams : 145.6mm x 68.2mm x 7.9mm and 148 grams Colors: Just Black, Clearly White, and Not Pink Compared to the small Pixel 2 from last year, we see a 0.5-inch larger display, dual front-facing cameras, bump up to the Snapdragon 845 processor, 215 more mAh in the battery, and wireless charging. Hardware The Google Pixel 3 has a nearly perfect form factor for a "smaller" modern smartphone with a width that makes it easy to hold in one hand and a smooth glass design that easily slips into your front pants pocket. It disappears in my hand and can easily be held while running around town. The display is an OLED variant with colors that look great and a brightness that satisfies my needs. There is no notch on the Pixel 3, but there are top and bottom bezels where we find the stereo speakers and dual front-facing cameras. There are small side bezels with a display that has curved corners to match the Pixel 3. Also: 17 ways to recycle or sell your smartphone TechRepublic The power button and volume button are on thethe right, with the Clearly White model having a mint power button. The USB-C port and SIM card slot are found on the bottom with a mic opening on the top. The aluminum edges are glossy white with the back glass being primarily frosted white glass (actually glass that has been etched with a fine texture) that looks and feels much like the white OnePlus 6. The frosted part of the glass starts just about the central rear fingerprint scanner and helps provide some grip to the phone. Glossy white glass is found above this around the single rear camera and flash assembly. You can also squeeze the sides to launch Google Assistant or double-tap on the display to see your notifications. A double press of the power button launches the camera, too. Given that I have never been that pleased with Apple cellular reception in weak signal areas, I like to test out phones along my Sounder commuter rail route. I was extremely pleased to see that the Google Pixel 3 kept giving me nearly identical dBm readings as the Note 9, which has been my best performer all year. The hardware isn't that special or unique, but it is well constructed and a very clean and serious design. Software The Google Pixel 3 is powered by Android 9 Pie and has the Sept. 5 security update. The camera app is currently missing the Night Shot feature that should be coming in a November update. This was shown during the announcement and looks quite impressive. While the camera hardware is nothing special (most others have two or more rear cameras on flagships today), the camera software yields fantastic results. Check out my weekend with the Pixel 3 XL to see just a sample of my photos. I've not captured hundreds of shots with the Pixel 3 XL and Pixel 3 and have yet to be disappointed. Improved HDR+, Super Res Zoom, and Top Shot are a few ways Google is using software to help you get arguably the best photos from a smartphone.<doc-sep>Google’s Pixel 3 is one of the best camera phones you can buy, but the competition is stiff. The iPhone XS can take equally great photographs — sometimes even better — than the Pixel 3, while the Note 9 often excels in low light. Can you really tell the difference? See for yourself. We’re comparing a handful of photos from the Pixel 3 XL, iPhone XS Max, Galaxy Note 9, and the Pixel 2 XL (for those of you thinking about upgrading). If you have an iPhone XS or a smaller Pixel 3 or Pixel 2, expect the same image quality because the cameras are the exact same between the smaller and larger phone. A few notes: These smartphones all take excellent photographs, and we’re going to be nitpicking to find the best. We used the automatic settings for every shot, because that’s how most people take photos in real life. You also may not agree with some of our winners here, and that’s completely OK. There are technical reasons to like a photograph over another, but it’s also a very subjective choice. This also isn’t the most scientific of tests, but we tried to do our best. Either way, if you have one of these phones, you absolutely won’t be disappointed with the camera. Daytime You can expect almost any smartphone — even most budget phones — to take killer photos in broad daylight. All of these phones excel here in this photo of the downtown New York City skyline, but there are differences. It’s incredibly tough to pick a winner, but our least favorites are the iPhone XS Max and Note 9 photographs. The iPhone photo has a bit too much of a blue hue throughout, making the sky look a little unnatural and the buildings a tad washed out. The Note 9 photo has warmer toned buildings, but everything is slightly overexposed — look at the clouds, and you’ll see a lack of definition compared to the other photos. That being said, the iPhone XS photo has the best detail. Take a look at the Venmo billboard on the bottom left corner. You can read the Venmo logo on the card easiest on the iPhone XS. But the Pixel 2 XL and Pixel 3 XL photos have good contrast, which is why we like them the most. We like the Pixel 3’s blue sky, and it has the best-looking clouds. We also like the Pixel 2 photo’s buildings, which are slightly brighter. If we had to choose a picture to share, we’d go with the Pixel 3 XL photo. Again, this is a very close test, and judging them alone, we’d share all of them. Winner: Pixel 3 XL It’s a little easier for us to choose a winner here, and it’s the Pixel 3 XL again. The Note 9 and iPhone XS Max photos have too much of a yellow hue, taken from the walls, that extend to every part of the photo. Even the skin tone of the girl is unnatural, and the clothes have a yellowish hue. Zoom in on the face, and there’s some visible noise. The Pixel 2 XL loses out because the photo is blurry overall. We’re not sure if it was due to camera shake or something else, but the optical image stabilization in the phone should have compensated for slight movement. That brings us to the Pixel 3 XL. The subject sharply sticks out from the background, thanks to the more natural colors in the photo. There’s excellent detail from the denim jacket to the subject’s face — and while some noise is still visible, it’s not as noticeable as the Note 9 or iPhone XS photo. Winner: Pixel 3 XL In this portrait photo — which wasn’t captured with Portrait Mode — we see how each of these phones handle several components, from skin tone and depth to detail and color. The most detailed photos comes from the Pixel 2 XL and Note 9 — zoom in and the evidence is clear. The most natural colors are in the Pixel 3 XL photo; the subject’s skin tone is too red in the Pixel 2, iPhone, and Note 9 photos. The photos with the best natural depth are from the Pixel 2 and iPhone XS Max, but the Pixel 2 XL photo has too much of a red tone throughout. Overall, we like the iPhone XS Max photo the most. The colors aren’t as natural as the Pixel 3 XL photo, but it does a better job than the rest. It has good enough detail, but the natural blur and the background are the best out of all the photos. Winner: iPhone XS Max Indoors This is a tough one. Once again, we love the Pixel 3 XL photo the most. It’s incredibly detailed with great white balance, very little noise, and the lights are well exposed. The Pixel 2 XL photo isn’t as sharp, and the Note 9 photo feels flat because it lacks punchy colors and the lights are overexposed. That brings us to the iPhone XS Max photo. It’s the most representative of what the store’s ceiling actually looked like, but it goes overboard in making everything look a little too orange. The glasses on the bottom right shelf, for example, were more white in reality. Look back at the Pixel 3 XL photo now, and it looks a little too cold. It’s not as festive or fun as the iPhone photo. Our favorite would be somewhere in between, but since we have to pick a winner, we’d go with the Pixel 3 XL photo and edit it to warm it up a bit before sharing it on social media. We’d prefer to do this than tone down the iPhone photo because the Pixel 3 XL photo really has more detail — zoom in on the single large light in the middle left of the photo. Look at the steel bar. There’s more detail and less grain on the Pixel 3 photo. It’s the best one to edit. Winner: Pixel 3 XL<doc-sep>
Samsung was one of the first phone makers to embrace big screens, making display real estate a focal point in its Galaxy Note lineup. It's a move that smartphone shoppers have also embraced, and one that competitors have tried to ape with phablets of their own. Google is the latest to come at the king, with its 6.3-inch Pixel 3 XL. That's the biggest display ever featured on one of Google's phones, and the company had to make some design changes from previous Pixels to fit in all that screen space. But is it enough to knock the Galaxy Note 9 off its perch? Let's see how these two massive smartphones measure up. Note 9 vs. Pixel 3 XL Specs Phone Note 9 Pixel 3 XL Starting Price $999 $899 Screen (Resolution) 6.4-inch Super AMOLED (2960 x 1440) 6.3-inch OLED (2960 x 1440) CPU Snapdragon 845 Snapdragon 845 RAM 6GB, 8GB 4GB Storage 128GB, 512GB 64GB, 128GB MicroSD Yes No Rear Camera Dual 12-MP (f/1.5-f/2.4) 12.2-MP (f/1.8) Front Camera 8-MP (f/1.7) 2 8-MP (wide: f/2.2; telephoto: f/1.8) Battery Size 4,000 mAh 3,430 mAh Battery Life (Hrs:Mins) 11:26 9:30 Water Resistance IP68 IP6X Size 6 x 3 x 0.34 inches 6.2 x 3 x 0.3 inches Weight 7.1 ounces 6.5 ounces Colors Lavender Purple, Ocean Blue, Midnight Black, Cloud Silver Clearly White, Just Black, Not Pink Design Both phones opt for expansive, full-screen views that offer displays with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. They just take different routes to getting there. In the Note 9's case, it retains the Infinity Display that Samsung introduced with the Note 8. The curved 6.4-inch screen goes from edge to edge with minimal bezels at the top and bottom. The Pixel 3 XL uses a notch to fit in more screen space on its 6.3-inch display, and it's a fairly chunky notch as well. There's also a bit more bezel on Pixel's chin than what you get with the Note 9. Even so, the 6.2 x 3 x 0.3-inch Pixel 3 XL is not as tall as the 6.3 x 3 x 0.34-inch Note 9, and it weighs less, too (6.5 ounces versus 7.1 ounces on the Note 9). The Note 9 is basically unchanged from the Note 8, with the exception of its fingerprint sensor, which moves to a more accessible location on the back of the phone. Meanwhile, Google has made a big change to the Pixel 3 XL's design so that it could add wireless charging. The Pixel 3 XL has a glass back, but Google still managed to give it a matte finish to retain the Pixel's distinctive two-tone look. We like how that design feat not only makes the Pixel 3 XL easier to grip, but also how it resists fingerprints, too. MORE: Pixel 3 XL vs. iPhone XS Max: Google's Big Phone Could Win Neither phone is really known for its bold use of color, though Samsung has shaken things up a little bit with the Note 9. That phone debuted in Lavender Purple and Ocean Blue and it's since added Midnight Black and Cloud Silver options. The Pixel 3 XL features the same-old black and white options, while adding a new shade that it's dubbed Not Pink. (Spoiler alert: it's pink enough.) Winner: Note 9 Display On paper, the Note 9 and Pixel 3 XL have matching 2960 x 1440 resolutions on their OLED panels. In the lab, however, the Note 9's display performs a little bit. It reproduces 224 percent of the sRGB color gamut, and those vibrant colors are pretty accurate, too. We recorded a Delta-E score of 0.34 for the Note 9. (A score of 0 is ideal.) The Pixel 3 XL doesn't capture as many colors — 170.2 percent of the sRGB gamut by our testing — though its colors are about as accurate as the Note 9's based on its 0.35 Delta-E rating. Where the phones' displays really diverge is brightness. The Note 9 maxed out at 604 nits when we measured it with a light meter. The Pixel 3 XL could only reach 362 nits. That's not just dimmer than the Note 9, it also falls short of the smartphone average. The Note 9 is noticeably brighter in day-to-day use, but the Pixel screen compares favorably in other aspects. We watched the Aquaman trailer on both phones with their adaptive display modes turned on and boosting colors.