Pocophone f1 or Pixel 2 xl?

[Gdourado]

Hello, how are you? 

 

I am looking to get a new phone before Christmas. 

I am hearing a lot of buzz about the Pocophone f1. 

I can get the 64gb version for 265 euros here. 

I really like stock android so if I get the poco I would flash LineageOS to it. 

 

On the other hand, I can also get a pixel 2 xl for 420.

It is a difference in price, so I am wondering what is the best option. 

 

From what I can tell, the pixel has the better camera and is the official Google phone, so it has perfectly integrated stock Android. 

But it also has issues and reading about it online is scary as there seems to be multiple issues with the display, with the speakers and with the phone loosing performance after a while. 

 

The poco has a better and faster soc, more ram and a bigger battery. 

But I would have to flash lineage os, then the bsg pixel camera port and the gapps from open gapps to have it perform like stock android and that could go wrong in many ways. 

 

So, based on this, what do you consider the better option and why? 

 

Thank you. 

[aisle9]

The Pixel 2 XL screen is garbage. For that reason alone, I'd go with the Pocophone.

 

Now, if the Pixel 2 (not the XL) is an option, well, I love mine to death and wouldn't trade it for anything.

[kelvinhall05]

2 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

The Pixel 2 XL screen is garbage. For that reason alone, I'd go with the Pocophone.

 

Now, if the Pixel 2 (not the XL) is an option, well, I love mine to death and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Plus, maybe it's just because I have small 13 y/o hands, but the Pixel 2 XL is too big.

[Gdourado]

2 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

The Pixel 2 XL screen is garbage. For that reason alone, I'd go with the Pocophone.

 

Now, if the Pixel 2 (not the XL) is an option, well, I love mine to death and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Why do you say that?. Because the issues said online of blue tint at angles and risk of burn in? 

[aisle9]

4 hours ago, Gdourado said:

Why do you say that?. Because the issues said online of blue tint at angles and risk of burn in? 

It uses a crappy LG panel. The panel suffers from poor color, the blue tint you mentioned and the well-known burn in. Basically, if it used a better panel, the Pixel 2 XL would have been godmode. Because it uses a crappy panel prone to problems, it's not worth the price you pay.

[Darkseth]

And the Pocophone uses a crappy LCD panel.. Hows that any better? 

Even the iPhone Xr with it's "low resolution" is a much better Panel.

There is literaly almost no screen out there, that is noticeably worse than the Pocophones (and other cheap Android LCD panels).

Probably those <100€ 720p panels only but yea.

 

I would prefer a tinted Oled screen over an LCD anytime.

 

And newer Pixel 2 XL Models don't suffer as much as the first batch did.

 

 

@ Thread: Considering you will install LineageOS and GCam port like Linus showed in his Video, the Pixel 2 XL will provide:

 

- Still a better camera. It has an OIS, and the Camera software works perfectly. The ports are often behind. Not far, and better than stock often, but it won't be as perfect as on the original.

- Still 2 years of all kind of Updates. Android 11 will be delivered

- Should still be a better Google Assistant Integration.

- Much better build quality / premium feel

- Oled > LCD. Even with a slight tint, you won't notice that much after a few days (and probably will get a unit with less problems)

 

However, with LineageOS + GCam, the Pocophone won't be much behind. The Pocophone F1 will give you:

- Much bigger Battery

- Headphone Jack

- You don't HAVE to use stock android (not everyone prefers it, for good reasons), you can also stick to MIUI.

- It is still, significantly Cheaper (Doesn't matter how perfectly well the Software on the Pixel is optimized... Pixel phones are overpriced - however worth if you NEED "the best camera + purest android experience there is" over anything else. Priorities etc. ^^

- Face Unlock (with infrared).

- Higher specs. newer Snapdragon 845, 6gb Ram (even the Pixel 3 XL comes with only 4gb Ram), and 128gb option (expandable with Micro SD Slot) comes for a low additional Price.

 

Tbh, even tho i personally would never prefer LCD over Oled anymore at all, it is really really hard to justify the higher price of the Pixel, espeically if you DO get the "stock android experience" with LineageOS (which is btw an even better stock android than stock android itself).

 

 

I would say: Get the Pocophone F1, and see how you like it.

Or simply use it for a year, and see if Oneplus 7/7t come around with a good option, see if the Pixel 4 (XL) will finally come with more than 4gb midrange-spec-Ram, or any interesting AndroidOne devices.

But the Pocophone's specs would allow it easily to serve you for the next 2-3 years without any Problems.

[kokakolia]

I have had a miserable experience flashing ROMs on my Zuk Z2. I just wouldn’t recommend it. 

 

- Unlocking the boot loader was a challenge

- Flashing a ROM with TWRP was relatively painless the first time. Some ROMs are terrible though. They glitch. 

- 7 months later I tried to flash another more updated ROM using the same method and I bricked my phone. 

 

If it were me personally, I would get a refurbished iPhone 7/8. 

 

Otherwise, OnePlus 6. 

[Gdourado]

3 hours ago, Darkseth said:

And the Pocophone uses a crappy LCD panel.. Hows that any better? 

Even the iPhone Xr with it's "low resolution" is a much better Panel.

There is literaly almost no screen out there, that is noticeably worse than the Pocophones (and other cheap Android LCD panels).

Probably those <100€ 720p panels only but yea.

 

I would prefer a tinted Oled screen over an LCD anytime.

 

And newer Pixel 2 XL Models don't suffer as much as the first batch did.

 

 

@ Thread: Considering you will install LineageOS and GCam port like Linus showed in his Video, the Pixel 2 XL will provide:

 

- Still a better camera. It has an OIS, and the Camera software works perfectly. The ports are often behind. Not far, and better than stock often, but it won't be as perfect as on the original.

- Still 2 years of all kind of Updates. Android 11 will be delivered

- Should still be a better Google Assistant Integration.

- Much better build quality / premium feel

- Oled > LCD. Even with a slight tint, you won't notice that much after a few days (and probably will get a unit with less problems)

 

However, with LineageOS + GCam, the Pocophone won't be much behind. The Pocophone F1 will give you:

- Much bigger Battery

- Headphone Jack

- You don't HAVE to use stock android (not everyone prefers it, for good reasons), you can also stick to MIUI.

- It is still, significantly Cheaper (Doesn't matter how perfectly well the Software on the Pixel is optimized... Pixel phones are overpriced - however worth if you NEED "the best camera + purest android experience there is" over anything else. Priorities etc. ^^

- Face Unlock (with infrared).

- Higher specs. newer Snapdragon 845, 6gb Ram (even the Pixel 3 XL comes with only 4gb Ram), and 128gb option (expandable with Micro SD Slot) comes for a low additional Price.

 

Tbh, even tho i personally would never prefer LCD over Oled anymore at all, it is really really hard to justify the higher price of the Pixel, espeically if you DO get the "stock android experience" with LineageOS (which is btw an even better stock android than stock android itself).

 

 

I would say: Get the Pocophone F1, and see how you like it.

Or simply use it for a year, and see if Oneplus 7/7t come around with a good option, see if the Pixel 4 (XL) will finally come with more than 4gb midrange-spec-Ram, or any interesting AndroidOne devices.

But the Pocophone's specs would allow it easily to serve you for the next 2-3 years without any Problems.

You make some valid points. 

The thing is that when I start reading, there are issues everywhere... 

The poco f1 with LineageOS can be buggy because it is a custom non official rom. 

I go to the xda thread and of course many issues there. 

The Pixel camera port can also be hit and miss and can have issues with buffer, lag and such. 

 

But then, the Pixel can also have bugs. 

There are numerous reports of slowdowns and bugs on pie updates. 

 

Then the poco can also have latency issues with the touch... 

 

I just don't know. 

An iPhone 8 plus is dam expensive at 575 euros, but those seem to work and have a great software experience. 

[Nena Trinity]

Pocophone F1 has better camera, lost only to the Mate 20. (blind test by MKHB guy)

[Gdourado]

11 minutes ago, Nena360 said:

Pocophone F1 has better camera, lost only to the Mate 20. (blind test by MKHB guy)

Poco has better camera than pixel 2?

[Nena Trinity]

2 minutes ago, Gdourado said:

Poco has better camera than pixel 2?

By the community voters at MKHBs test yeah it lost only to Mate 20 pro! But then again is the community voting reliable?

[Darkseth]

2 hours ago, Nena360 said:

Pocophone F1 has better camera, lost only to the Mate 20. (blind test by MKHB guy)

You did watch the entire video, did you? ^^

Or did you simply not understood the whole content of the Video? ^^

 

This blind test does NOT show which camera is better. It shows, what people vote more. This is a HUGE difference.

 

 

Edit:

 

It really helps to watch it untill the end. Or even just the Middle, instead of just the first 2 Minutes

And it should be clear, why these results are worthless.