Pixel 3 XL Has a Samsung Screen (iFixit)

I have the Google Pixel 3 XL here — the comprehensive review is coming very soon — and one of the first things that struck me was the display. Well, after I got past the notch. It looks richer and fuller with highest contrast compared to last year’s Pixel 2 XL. Well, it turns out that Google sourced a Samsung screen for this year’s flagship.

The team at iFixit are back at their dismemebering ways with a teardown of the new Google Pixel 3 XL. It probably won’t surprise too many of us to learn that the sealed phone is hardly the easiest thing to take apart. You have to “painstakingly un-glue (and later re-glue) the glass rear panel” in order to service any of the internal components. There is a lot of glue.

Thus, it’s not surprise that iFixit arrived at a repairability score of just 4 out of 10. They say that repairs for the display in particular are “much more difficult than previous models, requiring complete disassembly of the phone.” And

Oh, and that display? It’s a Samsung screen, at least on the model that iFixit tore apart. At this point, it’s unclear whether Google has stopped sourcing screens from LG altogether or if they’re doing a blended supply. Either way, the display appears to be an improvement.

Check out my Pixel 3 XL unboxing video for now, and look for the full review here in a few days. Is there any specific you want me to test?