The latest prototype smartphone to be put through
the paces of GFXBench is Google's upcoming Pixel XL 2, the successor for the
original Pixel XL from 2016. This device should launch alongside the Pixel 2 at
some point this fall, perhaps with a third model joining them. They've all been
rumored to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 chipset, and the
aforementioned benchmark run confirms that.
GFXBench's info listing also tells us that the next
Pixel XL will feature a slightly bigger screen than its predecessor. For some
reason, the benchmark's only taken into account the size and resolution of the
display excluding the software Android navigation buttons - that's why the
listed resolution is the odd 2,560x1,312. Add in the navigation bar and you
arrive at 2,560x1,440 or QHD, the same resolution used in last year's Pixel XL.
If we factor the navigation bar into the size calculation too, we think the
Pixel XL 2 tested in this benchmark actually has a 5.7" panel.
That would make it even more of a phablet than its
predecessor. Let's hope that Google and HTC have managed to trim those huge
bezels somewhat and will deliver this bigger screen while keeping the handset's
overall footprint the same as the first Pixel XL.
Otherwise, the Pixel XL 2 seems to be pretty much
identical to that model, with 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 12 MP main
camera, and an 8 MP selfie snapper. The prototype ran Android 7.1.1 Nougat but
the final device should launch with Android 8.0.0 on board.
