Google Pixel 3 XL notch compared to those of other popular flagships, is it all that bad?

The notch of the Google Pixel 3 XL is not that wide. In fact, it is considerably narrower than that of the iPhone XS Max, but it is also longer, so to speak. In the Pixel's defense, however, it houses two front-facing cameras, rather than one, but there's a lot of people out there that don't see this as an adequate excuse for what many have called the ugliest notch in the mobile world.

When notches became a thing (or at least became mainstream) with the introduction of the iPhone X last year, people were up in arms about the concept. Now, as more companies have introduced their version of the notch, opinions have warmed a bit, especially when it comes to waterdrop-style notches. In fact, in one of our recent polls, where we asked for our readers' opinion on the matter, the overwhelming majority said they were A-OK with the waterdrop notch. But Pixel 3 XL's notch is no waterdrop.

What's a bit misleading when it comes to notches, is that phonemakers like to advertise their "bezel-less" phones with lively, colorful wallpapers that really show how the image on the screen spills over to the sides, almost over the bezels themselves. This really changes your perception of the notch, because you're wowed by the rest of the screen. But what happens when you're looking at the actual user interface of the phone? You know, like you'll be doing 90 percent of the time when you're using the phone.

This is a question that popped into my mind after I saw a recently leaked hands-on photo of the Google Pixel 3 XL next to a OnePlus 6. What was different about this photo was that it showed both phones running Google Chrome, whereas the vast majority of Pixel 3 XL before that showed the phone's home screen, where the notification bar is transparent. In this leak, however, you can really get a good idea of how big the notch is, thanks to the solid, white notification bar that goes from the top bezel, down to the bottom edge of the notch.

The funniest part about the picture was how many more notification icons there were on the OnePlus 6, despite its visibly smaller notch. Now granted, the Pixel 3 XL will be able to show more icons than what was shown in the picture, but this side-by-side really gives you a good perspective on just how big the notch is.

All said and done, however, I'm still going to refrain from bashing Pixel 3 XL's notch until I see it for myself. It looks rather unsightly in pictures, yes, and I can't imagine it will be that great for looking at content in full-screen, but who knows, maybe the expanded notification area will make up for the looks.

And here's how the notches of the Google Pixel 3 XL, the iPhone XS Max, and the OnePlus 6T compare directly to one another:

But what do you think about Pixel 3 XL's notorious notch? I'm not expecting love letters, but I bet some of you don't mind it. Are there other things you dislike about the Pixel 3 XL, or is the notch the main offender? Tell us in the comments below!