How is Pixel holding up in 2018?

[KLit75]

I was considering 2 phones: Pixel 2 xl or OP5T
The price tag for Pixel 2 is really giving me pause.
The lack of project treble and supposed poor customer service is making me rethink OP5T.
So judging on value and developer support, the original Pixel might be the way to go.
Is there anything I should know about this device from people who have owned it for a year or more?
I'm especially cautious when it comes to battery degradation. I'm sure I'd still be using my Nexus 6p (happily) if the battery wasn't garbage. Switched to S7 Edge in July and HATE it. Bootloader locked and root only if you use a laggy engineering kernel. I can't wait to ditch it but having a hard time deciding which device to buy.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance guys!

 

[Elixir_]

I actually switched from an S7 edge (exynos) to a Pixel XL last year and I can say that I don't regret it.
To resume, the Pixel XL is still a great phone. It still has a solide performance (never had an issue when it comes to that), the camera is still better than most of the cameras of 2018 smartphones and its constantly getting support and updates from Google (until fall 2018).
However, when it comes to battery life I noticed an important degradation. I was getting more than 8h of SOT in about 1d and 1/2 when the phone was new, now I'm having a hard time to reach 6h on stock firmware (you can always fix this with root).
One other downside compared to the S7 edge is the heating. The temperature of my my S7 edge never exceeded 38° C even when playing graphic hungry games in summer, with the Pixel XL it can go much higher than that which causes fast battery drain when gaming.

I hope this can help you

 

[KLit75]

I actually switched from an S7 edge (exynos) to a Pixel XL last year and I can say that I don't regret it.
To resume, the Pixel XL is still a great phone. It still has a solide performance (never had an issue when it comes to that), the camera is still better than most of the cameras of 2018 smartphones and its constantly getting support and updates from Google (until fall 2018).
However, when it comes to battery life I noticed an important degradation. I was getting more than 8h of SOT in about 1d and 1/2 when the phone was new, now I'm having a hard time to reach 6h on stock firmware (you can always fix this with root).
One other downside compared to the S7 edge is the heating. The temperature of my my S7 edge never exceeded 38° C even when playing graphic hungry games in summer, with the Pixel XL it can go much higher than that which causes fast battery drain when gaming.

I hope this can help you

It does help. Thanks!
As for battery degradation, you can run an app called accubattery. It needs like 24 hrs or so to get a proper reading but will measure your battery's total capacity.
My Nexus 6p was at 50% after only 1 year. I was 2 days out of warranty and Huawei refused to do anything.
This is why Huawei Mate 9 is not on my shortlist of phones to buy.
Thanks again for the info!

 

[ithehappy]

If you can't get the Pixel 2 then definitely go for the Pixel 2016. It's holding up very good for me too. Great camera still, fantastic smoothness still, and it will be supported for next six months too. I will be using mine for another year at least.

Just those infamous hardware problems you pray that you never face, like that microphone issue.

 

[hijax2001]

I switch phones regularly, and had an S8+, then an iPhone X, and now a Pixel XL (that I picked up in like new condition for less than $300 on eBay...). And while I would prefer the taller, more modern display of the Pixel 2, this was a great bargain. I agree with a prior reply, that it's comforting to receive all of the latest updates. Battery life seems as good as any other Android I've had recently. I also agree that it's still an excellent camera for its age. Live wallpaper was a pleasant surprise. If you're a case fan, there are more brand name cases available for the Pixel 2 XL...

 

[tekanina]

If you can't get the Pixel 2 then definitely go for the Pixel 2016. It's holding up very good for me too. Great camera still, fantastic smoothness still, and it will be supported for next six months too. I will be using mine for another year at least.

Just those infamous hardware problems you pray that you never face, like that microphone issue.

We should still get security patches til Oct 2019 though still. Hoping they keep major updates rolling too with treble and all would be a waste to only support this device for 2 years. Hopefully with treble though we can still get unofficial updates even if it just aosp for a good while and there's always lineage and other custom ROMs.

 

[Vlad Gluhov]

I just picked up new Pixel XL for £200 to replace my OP3. It's great. Love it as much as I did my Nexus 6p back then it released.