The Pixel 2 is all-around more expensive (though the base model includes more storage than the original).
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- $549 for Pixel
- $669 for Pixel XL
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- $649 for Pixel 2
- $849 for Pixel 2 XL
You can buy the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL unlocked through Google (which means it works on any carrier) or through Verizon.
The Pixel 2 has a new feature called Active Edge, but still has most of the same sensors as the first-generation Pixel.
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- Fingerprint scanner
- Accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer, barometer, proximity sensor/ambient light sensor, and more
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- Active Edge, which lets you squeeze the sides of the phone to bring up Google Assistant
- Fingerprint scanner, which Google claims is the fastest of any smartphone on the market
- Accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer, barometer, proximity sensor/ambient light sensor, and more
Both the Pixel and the Pixel 2 have a long battery life and can charge up quickly.
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- 2,770 mAh battery/3,450 mAh battery
- Up to 26 hours of talk time
- Up to 7 hours of use from 15 minutes of charging
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- 2,700 mAh battery/3,520 mAh battery
- Up to 26.7 hours of use time
- Up to 7 hours of use from 15 minutes of charging
Pixel 2 phones are missing one key feature when it comes to audio.
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- Single, bottom-firing speakers
- Standard 3.5-mm headphone jack
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- Stereo front-firing speakers
- No headphone jack
And there are new colors!
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- Quite black
- Very silver
- Really blue
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- Just black
- Clearly white (Pixel 2)
- Kinda blue, with an aqua side button (Pixel 2)
- Black & white, with an orange side button (Pixel 2 XL)
The new Pixel phones are a slightly different size than their predecessors, so you'll need a new case if you upgrade.
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- 5.66 inches long x 2.74 inches wide (Pixel)
- 6.09 inches long x 2.98 inches wide (Pixel XL)
- 5.04 ounces (Pixel) and 5.92 ounces (Pixel XL)
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- 5.7 inches long x 2.7 inches wide (Pixel 2)
- 6.2 inches long x 3 inches wide (Pixel 2 XL)
- 5.01 ounces (Pixel 2) and 6.2 ounces (Pixel 2 XL)
The base storage option got an upgrade on the Pixel 2.
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- 32 GB and 128 GB
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- 64 GB and 128 GB
Pixel 2 has a slightly faster processor.
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor
The camera on the Pixel 2 is almost identical to the camera on the first generation phone — except for one key feature.
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- 12.3-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front camera
- f/2.0 aperture
- 4K video capture
- Lens blur (Google's version of Apple's portrait mode)
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- 12.2-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front camera
- f/1.8 aperture
- 4K video capture
- Optical and electronic image stabilization
- Lens blur for the rear and front cameras (this is a big upgrade from last year, and one feature the iPhone 8 doesn't have yet)
The display didn't change much with the Pixel 2, but the good news is that all Google phones have beautiful OLED displays.
Pixel/Pixel XL:
- 5-inch/5.5-inch AMOLED full HD display
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- Gorilla Glass 4, Corning's ultra-durable glass display
Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL:
- 5-inch AMOLED/6-inch pOLED full HD display
- 16:9/18:9 aspect ratio
- Gorilla Glass 5, the newest version of Corning's glass display
- An "always on" display, which means the screen always displays the time, date, and song title playing (if any) without eating up the battery
