In the days and weeks leading up to the Google October event, the Pixel and Pixel XL handhelds were making headlines. Now that the event has come and gone, the tech world finally knows that the smartphones look and feel like, as well as how well they run. Various first impressions of the device surely indicate that Google has not disappointed and has, in fact, completely lived up to the hype.

Design

As Android Authority notes, the design of Google's new Pixel and Pixel XL leave very little to the imagination. Much like the Google phones that came before them, the new devices are very straight forward. Both units sport a unibody metal design that is broken only by glass at the upper half of its rear portion.

Specs

Beneath the aesthetics of the devices is really where the Pixel and Pixel XL shine. The two devices differ only in screen size, battery size and pixel resolution. The smaller device, with its 5-inch 1080p screen sporting a 2770 mAh battery. Meanwhile, the larger 5.5-inch unit has a Quad-HD display and a 3450 mAh battery.

Both units are, however, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, which is arguably the best in the current market. Furthermore, the Pixel and Pixel XL run on Android 7.1 Nougat straight out of the box. They also have cameras that are 12.3 megapixels at f/2.0 aperture and sporting 1.55 μm sized pixels.

The Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL start with 32GB of internal storage. However, expandable storage is not an added feature.

Virtual Reality Compatibility

Another product that Google unveiled is the Daydream View VR Headset. Of course, as The Wall Street Journal notes, the Pixel and Pixel XL are the first two handhelds that can act as both the power and display of the new VR headset.

The Pixel is currently priced at US$649, while the Pixel XL is at US$769. Both units are currently available for pre-order.