What's up, hype-hunters!
So there's been a lot of hype surrounding the release of three new phones -
the iPhone X, the Samsung Note 8 and the Google pixel 2 XL.
And we have all three phones of us here today
so we're gonna pit them against each other to see if they're worth the hype.
But before we begin, just a disclaimer.
We are so not tech experts so if you're watching this review
expecting us to ramble on about tech specs and all that stuff
this is just not the right review to watch.
We're just two regular but beautiful girls
fiddling with three phones and giving our opinions on them.
That's right, so should we begin? Let's get started.
Okay so we've got the three phones here we've got the iPhone X
we've got the Samsung Note 8 and we've got the Google Pixel 2 XL.
First impressions, the iPhone 10 is the smallest of the lot
and the Note 8 is the biggest by a tiny margin.
And, um...
That's all she has to say about the phone size and design, so moving on...
The Pixel and the Note 8 have 'Always On Display'
so you can see the time without even touching it
but the iPhone is just sleeping.
The biggest differentiating factor I feel is the fact that the Note 8 comes with a stylus
so it's put at the bottom of the phone and you can just pop it out
and once you pop it out immediately the menu for the stylus comes up.
For me, I think that's like a big thing for me because I love to be able to draw my photos and
I'm a freelancer so if people send me contracts I want to be able to sign and send it right back
so this is like amazing for me.
So let's talk about accessories - so I think
clearly, because the iPhone is the most widely used
so the number of accessories you can get is probably the most varied.
You can get like a lot of cases for the iPhone.
I've seen a bunch of Note 8 cases around as well cases around as well.
I think it's safe to say that the Google Pixel 2 will have the least options for cases?
Yeah because you don't see a lot of people using it.
I don't think it's a deal-breaker but it's just a minor thing that might be annoying.
We're gonna try testing the phone out.
First up, let's try the phone assistants.
Each one comes with its own assistant -
the iPhone X comes with Siri,
the Samsung Note 8 comes with Bixby
and the Google Pixel 2 XL comes with Google Assistant.
All of them are voice-activated so for example you can be like "OK Google"
How do we get to Orchard ION?
The best way to get to ION Orchard mall by car is via Fort Canning Road.
OK Google, how do we get to Orchard ION via public transport?
The best way to get to ION Orchard mall
by public transport is to catch 175 departing at 12.06pm from SMU.
Let's try it with the Samsung Note 8.
Hi Bixby.
How do we get to Orchard ION?
"Hey I'm how do"
How do we get to Orchard ION?
Okay, there we go.
It appears we can't do that in the context.
Google Map me to Orchard ION.
Well it just brought up Google.
Alright so Google Assistant actually picked up speech pretty quickly and it
pulled out results really quickly and it was very accurate.
And for the Bixby
I would've probably gotten better results if I had just pulled out Maps myself.
Alright so we're gonna try it with the iPhone X now.
Hey Siri, take us to Orchard ION.
Which Orchard ION?
Okay so that's an extra step.
Okay so it automatically uses Apple Maps.
Take us to Orchard ION via public transport.
Which Orchard ION?
Getting transit directions to ION Orchard.
It's still showing me via driving.
It doesn't tell us anything about how to get there by public transport.
It doesn't learn from previous attempts.
So we chose the first option for Orchard ION and it still kept asking us.
So that's one thing and also it doesn't give public transport directions.
So far Google Assistant was the most...
what do you call it...
Accurate? It was the most accurate in understanding what our intention behind the command was.
Yeah it was the most efficient.
Okay Google.
Tell me a joke.
This might make you laugh.
How many teenagers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Whatever.
Wow! Google Assistant has attitude!
It was like "whatever!"
Well, I mean it was lame but it was pretty funny.
Hi Bixby.
Tell me a joke.
What's the best way to carve wood?
Whittle by whittle.
I've to say the jokes on both phones are really lame.
For iPhone X...
Tell me a joke.
I can't. I always forget the punchline.
That's not funny that's like...
I'm gonna give you one more chance.
Tell me another joke.
What did one iPhone say to the other iPhone?
I used to know this one.
That's not funny...
Who's making these jokes?
Tell me a really funny joke.
If I told you a joke in my language, I'd have to explain it.
Okay this phone is cold.
It's not just cold, it's condescending.
We're trying to make friends here.
And it's like I don't tell you a joke 'cause I don't want to explain it...
I forget the punchline...it just doesn't wanna hang out!
So lame, lame...
don't want to be friends.
Unfriendly.
Okay so now we're gonna test the cameras.
We're gonna look at the portrait photos that I took of Roz using the back camera of all phones.
So first we started the Apple.
The bokeh's pretty good.
Your skin looks great.
Although you notice how the shine peaks.
Once you have a bit of oil you completely lose detail at that area.
It's just white, like overexposed.
Yah and then your fingers in the foreground?
Blown also.
So details are gone. Compare that to the Google.
Oh!
I do have to say that the Pixel 2 photos are a bit dark
but it's easily brightened up.
Jem: I can still see the shine but it's retained the detail. Roz: Looks natural, yah.
The photo is definitely more blue.
For the Samsung,
it's got this like glowy faded-out look.
Right now I think the Google has the photos that are most true to real life.
Yup. For me I like the Google Pixel 2 colour.
It's just nicer.
Not so yellowish.
Here is the Apple selfie that we took.
Let's go on to the Google selfie.
My goodness!
Jem: Wow it's so sharp I can see all my pores! Roz: When you zoom in
you can see all my foundation just puffing up on my pores
which also means I need to do a good exfoliation when I go home tonight.
If you technical aspects of the photo it's really good.
Like the bokeh is very consistent so it looks great
but then our face is super sharp then you can see all our imperfections.
I still think it looks great.
Then the last one is the Samsung picture.
It's like warmer so it's more yellowish.
It does beautify us I think, a little bit?
I still like the one on the Google Pixel 2.
Yeah I think the Pixel has the best pictures so far.
So obviously we take photos at night as well
so that's another way of telling whether or not a camera is good
so we have our special correspondent Rebecca from Hack It to help us with this.
Let's check out what she's taken.
Her crotch says 'kaviar'.
That is true.
Okay moving on.
The light at the neon sign's just totally blown.
The colour and all that is not bad.
So this is on the Google.
I can make out the words on the signboard.
And this is the Samsung.
The sign behind is blown and you can't read anything.
So I think it's quite clear that the Google Pixel 2 has the best dynamic range.
It's the only one with a neon signboard didn't blow.
Okay so for this one,
Becs took a picture of herself in the car in a carpark.
It's a bit dark, it's pretty grainy.
Ooh. The one from the Pixel 2 is pretty bright.
You can see detail and she looks very nice as she always does.
And with the Samsung it's also brighter than the iPhone
and it's beautified, look!
It looks like her eyes have become a bit more smoky and her skin's a bit smoother.
These are photos that were taken of her with the back camera just on the streets at night.
She actually looks great in the Samsung because it is very sharp for a low-light photo
and her skin looks super smooth.
But the light is very evenly distributed so her skin tone looks amazing.
But I don't feel like it's too much so it doesn't look unnatural
you just look very nice.
So if I'm gonna compare the day photos and the night photos
I would say in the day I do like the Google Pixel 2
but for the night photos I prefer the note 8 best.
Now we're just pulling out all the videos from all three phones.
I would say the iPhone's video colour is not as nice.
Like parts where Jem walks under the light you can see some are overexposed
and some are really dark
so lighting wise it's not good but for Samsung it's really good!
Jem: The Samsung video is fantastic Roz: It looks really good,
Jem looks great and even when she walks under the light it kind of evens everything out
so the contrast of the good light and the bad light isn't that bad.
When you see we walk into where the elevator area is,
it changed the balance for you immediately automatically.
But for the Google Pixel 2 - she went dark for a bit.
What we're testing for now is stabilisation.
Everything is actually pretty stable!
I really expected it to be moving around
but maybe it could also be because I'm a really good camera man
Uh...al-alright.
Think about the fact that you're holding it and you're walking down the stairs
so already there's like a bump there but it doesn't reflect at all.
It doesn't give you a headache at all watching it.
So I guess for all three phones for video stabilization
they're pretty on par but for overall video quality I will pick the Samsung Note 8
because it just looks aesthetically nicer,
I wouldn't have to edit too much in post.
I agree. I think the 8 is really really good at handling the differences in white balance
when you move from one lighting condition to another.
Okay so now we're gonna look at low-light video on all three phones.
In generic low light in the car, the Google Pixel 2 is the only video where you can see Bec's face.
The other two are like just no-go.
Hmm, interesting.
HA! JINX!
Samsung looks good
Her skin tone looks great and it's well-lit.
The Google Pixel 2 looks washed out.
It doesn't just look washed out it looks yellow.
If you look at the part where she's standing in front of Asanoya,
and you look at the details,
the iPhone is overexposed
the Google Pixel 2 is so yellow
and the Samsung one just looks very nice.
Okay so we've kind of reviewed the camera quite thoroughly I would say and
and the conclusion is that in the day time
the Google is better. In the night time the Samsung is better.
For video, the Samsung is better
but overall all three have pretty solid cameras I think
it's just how they differ and what you prefer in a photo or video.
Let's talk price.
The Google's the cheapest, the Samsung Note 8 is the medium one
and then the Apple iPhone X is the most expensive.
Okay so we don't have the price for the Google Pixel 2 in Singapore dollars
because you can only get the phone under contract with Singtel.
When it comes to camera it's a very very close tie between the Google and the Samsung Note 8.
I think it depends on what your personal preference is
because we think the photos on the Pixel 2 are better
yup, but the the videos on the Samsung we both like that better.
Yeah. The strongest point that Apple has going for it is the fact that it has access to the Apple App Store
which has the most range of apps.
Also it has decent video editing apps.
In my experience there are no good Android editing apps so
if you do know any good Android editing apps please let us know.
For video, for video.
So I think before we go on and pick which phone is our favourite
I think it's prudent to say that all the phones are very very good phones.
Right now it's really more of which phone has little differences that you like
so I think comes down to personal preference at the end of the day.
Out of the three phones which one do you like the best?
That's a tough one.
Yeah it's a really tough one.
Can we agree both of us are not choosing the Apple?
We are not choosing the iPhone.
Goodbye iPhone. You're too breakable and you're too expensive.
So I think it really really comes down to hardware versus AI.
I can't live without a stylus so I have to pick the Note 8,
but the Google Assistant on the Google Pixel 2 XL is just fantastic
and you can download Google Assistant on the Samsung Note 8 but the voice recognition is just not as good.
Things pull out really fast on the Pixel 2 and it's not as fast on the Note 8.
For me I find it really hard to pick because picture wise
I definitely do like it on the Pixel 2 but for video I like it on the Samsung
Is it ok to see I can't pick?
Roz: They're both worth the hype. Jem: Yah we think they're both worth the hype.
Okay so is Apple iPhone X worth the hype?
NO!
We're gonna get a lot of shit for that, you know right?
You know the fact is that if someone is a diehard Apple fan,
they don't care even if your Samsung can launch a rocket
they still think their Apple is better.
I don't know if it's appropriate to add
but I'm just gonna say that we were both Apple users for a long time and we both converted to Android
because it's just a better user experience I think.
We think we did a pretty good job talking about all the basic functions of all three phones.
It was so much for my brain, it was so techie but we hope you enjoyed the episode!
Yup and all three phones can download the Clicknetwork app so you have no more excuse!
Download the Clicknetwork app so you can watch all our videos right when they come out.
Till next time, bye!