Google Pixel 11 Pro XL

At this point, phones have been boring for long enough that even calling them boring feels a little passé. The days of smartphones feeling like the cutting edge of technology are long gone, replaced with iterative updates and a big focus on software-as-a-service. Disconnecting from your smartphone might not seem too difficult on its face, but from rideshare apps to mobile payments, today’s solutions tend to leave a lot more gaps in your life than you might otherwise expect. 

The Pixel 11 lineup has earned its reputation as a safe upgrade — or boring, if you’re looking to be a little less generous to Google — but it’s delivering one thing I’ve been begging for literal years: Camera Looks. Google’s take on the iPhone’s Photographic Styles have been a long time coming, and appear to be set to play a big role in shaking up the conversation around the Pixel’s evenly-lit, HDR-heavy processing. I’ve been experimenting with them while working towards my eventual Pixel 11 Pro XL review, and I have to say, I’m mostly satisfied. Mostly.