Google Pixel 2 XL vs LG V30

Since it's a Google phone and since it runs stock Android, it's the first device to get an update once a new Android version hits.

The 1440p pOLED display does not disappoint and is probably one of the best hardware-related features for this phone. The colours are warm and true to life. The blacks are also very inky and quite nice.

The Pixel 2 XL is one of the last flagship phones not to go with a completely bezel-less design. Instead, the top and bottom bezels are home to two front-facing speakers that produce excellent audio (for a smartphone).

The Pixel 2 XL has a sturdy aluminium body that adds a lot of durability while still keeping the phone thin and comfortable to hold.

The camera on the Pixel 2 is one of the best cameras on the market. It takes amazing pictures both on low and well-lit conditions.

The camera software is where it truly shines though. It's able to automatically adjust the focus and lighting so you never end up with photos that are too lit or too dark. It also manages to find out where the edges of an object are and blur them accordingly.

Google uses the Pixel line as a platform to show off their operating system instead of treating the software as a second-class citizen and it shows. The Android ecosystem, starting from Google Assistant is perfectly integrated with the hardware. By using the same technology as HTC which lets users squeeze the sides of their device, you can bring up the smart assistant at any point, even with a locked screen (of course, you have to unlock the phone to give the assistant any commands). This is a welcome change for people who disliked the "Ok Google" command.

The 16MP primary camera offers an impressive f/1.6 aperture that on paper and somewhat in reality puts this phone's camera above most of the competition for pictures in low-lighting conditions. However, it does not provide the best results in low-light conditions, that title belongs to the S8 and Pixel phones.

Where V30's camera truly shines though, is providing the correct balance for lighting and contrast for dim shots, like for example taking pictures at dusk.

The V30 comes with a great QuadDAC connected to its 3.5mm headphone jack and with some clever software to bring the most out of it. Most of the time the built-in software intelligently deciphers the kind of headphones you are using in order to deliver the best sound possible to you, but if you want to, you can manually configure the sound settings in the software yourself as well.

The V30 has a gorgeous 6-inch OLED with a 1440p resolution. It displays rich, lifelike colours and the overall contrast offers a great degree of depth to the images displayed on the screen.

The 4GB of RAM paired with the Snapdragon 835 offer an excellent performance. There's virtually zero lag when switching apps or when playing games or doing any other heavy activities.

The 3300mAh battery performs excellently. Watching a 90-minute HD movie only makes the battery drop to 87% (other smartphones drop by at least 20%). By the end a typical day you can expect the phone to have 40%-50% battery left.

LG have managed to increase the size of the screen by half an inch compared to the V20 without changing the overall size of the phone. They managed to do this by decreasing the size of the margins like so many other flagships nowadays.