Google Pixel 2 vs Google Pixel 3
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Pixel 2 and the Google Pixel 3, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Price | £75 | £85 |
| Our rating | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 2,700 mAh | 2,915 mAh |
| Wired charging | 18W | 18W |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | — |
| Storage (max) | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Screen size | 5 in | 5.5 in |
| Main camera | 12.2 MP | 12.2 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 143 g | 148 g |
| Released | Oct 2017 | Oct 2018 |
Summary: Google Pixel 2 is ahead on our rating, weight (lower is lighter). Google Pixel 3 is ahead on battery, screen size.
★ Which should you buy? Specs are close to an even split here, so Google Pixel 2 is the better buy — the extra cost of the other one isn't matched by a clear spec advantage.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Type | AMOLED | P-OLED, HDR |
| Size | 5.0 inches, 68.9 cm2 (~67.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.5 inches, 76.7 cm2 (~77.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~441 ppi density) | 1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~443 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Features | Always-on display | — |
Platform
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| OS | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 11 | — |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) | Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.6 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) |
| GPU | Adreno 540 | Adreno 630 |
Memory
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Card slot | No | — |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM | — |
| Type | UFS 2.1 | — |
| RAM | — | 4GB LPDDR4X |
| Internal Storage | — | 64GB or 128GB |
| Card Slot | — | No |
Main Camera
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Single | 12.2 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS | 12.2 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, Night Sight | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Visual Core, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@30/60/120fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@240fps (gyro-EIS) | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@240fps |
Selfie Camera
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.4, 27mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.4µm | — |
| Features | HDR | Auto-HDR |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Dual | — | 8 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), PDAF; 8 MP, f/2.2, 19mm (ultrawide), no AF |
Battery
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 2700 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 2915 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0 | 18W wired, PD2.0; 10W wireless (Qi) with Pixel Stand, 5W with other Qi chargers |
| Wireless Charging | No | — |
Body
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Dimensions | 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm (5.74 x 2.74 x 0.31 in) | 145.6 x 68.2 x 7.9 mm (5.73 x 2.69 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 143 g (5.04 oz) | 148 g (5.22 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM | Nano-SIM and/or eSIM |
| Water & Dust Resistance | IP67 certified (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
Comms
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | — |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| Positioning | — | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
Launch
| Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Announced | October 4, 2017 | October 2018 |
| Status | Released 2017, October 19 | Available. Released 2018, October 18 |
| OS at Launch | — | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Google Pixel 2 or Google Pixel 3?
Google Pixel 3 — 2,700 mAh for the Google Pixel 2 versus 2,915 mAh for the Google Pixel 3.
Which is lighter, Google Pixel 2 or Google Pixel 3?
Google Pixel 2 — 143 g for the Google Pixel 2 versus 148 g for the Google Pixel 3.
Which is newer, Google Pixel 2 or Google Pixel 3?
Google Pixel 3 — Oct 2017 for the Google Pixel 2 versus Oct 2018 for the Google Pixel 3.
Is the Google Pixel 2 or the Google Pixel 3 rated higher?
We rate the Google Pixel 2 8/10 and the Google Pixel 3 7/10.
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