Google Project Fi phones, Fall 2018: Ranked for you
Today we're running down the five distinct phone models available with Google Project Fi. To begin, we'll talk about how each phone performs regardless of cost. Then we'll list the cost. Then we'll decide which phone is best for you, the end user. This is a current exploration slash guide for the prospective Project Fi user.
1. Google Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL
The Google Pixel 2 XL is currently my favorite smartphone on the market. I favor this phone because it has a camera that almost never fails to take a good photo. I also favor this phone because it's universally good – it has high potential for basically everyone I know, at work and at home and socially.
The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL start at $649 USD or $27.04 a month, and that's a pretty gosh-darned decent deal if you ask me. Just make sure you get some sort of insurance because that display glass will crack the moment it falls from your hand down to the pavement. OR just cover it with wood.
2. LG V35 ThinQ
The LG V35 ThinQ and G7 ThinQ are very, very similar devices. I only like the V35 better because it has a non-notched display and a slightly larger battery. This device also has an OLED display while the LG G7 has an IPS LCD. You're gonna pay for that privilege, though, at $899 or $37.46 a month (a bit more than the G7).
3. LG G7 ThinQ
If the slightly larger battery on the V35 doesn't seem like it's worth the extra cash, the LG G7 ThinQ is the clear winner between the two phones. I'm not a huge fan of the notched display trend in general, but I'm sure I could look past it for the amount of money this device is VS its V35 brethren.
Despite it having an IPS LCD screen, it has a Super Bright Screen feature which BLASTS the brightness up to 1,000 nits. The LG G7 also has a dedicated Google Assistant button (if that's something you're interested in), and a feature called Boombox speaker which makes its on-device speakers sound impossibly good.
The LG G7 ThinQ is available through Google Project Fi for $749 or $31.21 a month.
4. Android One Moto X4
This device is essentially a Nexus smartphone without the classic branding. Instead, it runs Android One, Google's newest higher-tier Android program that looks pretty good on most phones and is meant to allow Google to update Android as quickly and as seamlessly as possible.
The Android One Moto X4 has an LTPS IPS LCD at 5.2-inches large with 1920 x 1080 pixels inside it. This device has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 SoC and has a pair of cameras roughly equivalent to the Moto G6. This device has a very large battery for its display size: 3000mAh – that'll almost certainly last you more than a day at a time.
The Android One Moto X4 through Project Fi costs $249 right now on sale, where it's normally $399, or $10.38 a month.
5. Moto G6
The Motorola-made Moto G6 is a highly capable smartphone. It's meant to be a budget option, coming with a 5.7-inch display with 2160 x 1080 pixels across it, IPS LCD tech, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC under the hood. The back-facing camera setup is OK, but mostly baseline (for a 2x camera setup, that is).
If you don't need anything special, and are satisfied with the standard for "perfectly alright," the Moto G6 is the best choice. This device is currently available on a sale through Project Fi for $199, where it's normally $249 or $8.29 a month.