Some of you have been wondering if the Pixel 4 series ships with UFS 2.1 or 3.0 flash storage. Google failed to mention this detail on its official website, or during the press conference.
The Pixel 4 & Pixel 4 XL come with UFS 2.1 flash storage
Well, unfortunately, both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL ship with UFS 2.1 flash storage. We can confirm that, as we’ve tested storage speeds on our own review unit. This probably won’t bother many of you, but it’s kind of disappointing Google didn’t include the latest and greatest storage in its flagships.
The Galaxy Note 10 series devices utilize it, the same goes for the OnePlus 7 and 7T series devices. On top of that, some other phones include it as well, like the ASUS Rog Phone 2.
UFS 3.0 flash storage is much faster than UFS 2.1. That is probably not something you will feel during your everyday usage of the Pixel 4, but it sure would be a nice addition when it comes to file transfers. It’s also a nice addition for future-proofing as well.
The UFS 2.1 storage supports sequential read speeds of 850MB/s, while UFS 3.0 ups that to 2,100MB/s. Write speeds have been improved from 260MB/s, to 410MB/s.
That’s not all. Random Read (IOPS) has been boosted from 45,000 to 68,000, while the same goes for Random Write (IOPS), as it has been boosted from 40,000 to 63,000.
As you can see, the difference is not exactly negligible, not at all. UFS 3.0 is a mobile version of a really good SSD, and it has the potential of keeping your phone smoother for a longer period of time.
The difference between UFS 3.0 and UFS 2.0 is even more pronounced, so it’s a good thing Google included at least UFS 2.1 in the Pixel 4.
The exclusion of UFS 3.0 was expected, but it’s still disappointing
Rumors prior to the Pixel 4 series launch suggested that UFS 3.0 won’t be included. Unfortunately, those rumors were spot on. This is not something that should prevent you from buying either device, of course, but if you want the latest and greatest in that regard, it’s worth noting.
It’s especially disappointing given the price tags of these two phones. The Pixel 4 series starts at $799, and the most expensive model costs over $1,000. Given such price tags, one would think Google will include the latest tech.
The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have been introduced earlier this month. The two devices look the same, and share most of their specs. The difference is in their sizes, both their footprint, and sizes of their display and battery. The Pixel 4 also has a lower-res display, on top of that.
Google also didn’t really do well in terms of battery capacities. The Pixel 4 XL offers average battery life, while the Pixel 4’s battery life is… well, not good at all. If you’d like to know more about Google’s latest flagship, check out our full review.