Pixels historically have a lot of weird hardware issues, like the modem underperforming, bad antennas, poor fingerprint sensor, overheating, and so on.
I don’t know if the Pixel 8 lineup has them too, but I would search around pretty heavily on that and see first.
I love my Pixel and would always choose it over Samsung, but yuuuup. Lot’s of wierd Software issues too.
Can’t forget the time when they shipped a PIN recovery mode that allows you to enter the PUK for whatever SIM card is inserted … while also allowing you to hot swap sim cards. 😂
The Pixel is like any other Google product, half-assed and supported only when they feel like it. My Pixel 6 was vulnerable to an attack needing no user input because Google waited a week past the disclosure deadline to put a patch out from a vulnerability their own security group originally found. The phone also maybe couldn’t have called 911 for a few weeks. The phone looking dated and having a slow as hell finger print sensor are on me, but the former are Google being shitty.
Yeah I thought really hard about getting a Pixel 6a as my next phone (on a budget), but the specs aren’t that great for the price, plus all the bugs I keep reading about are turning me away from Pixels in general.
I bought an iPhone a few weeks before the Pixel I have for work and at this point two years later the iPhone feels brand new and the Pixel feels old. Idk why but the os feels sluggish, I have more frequent app crashes and worse cellular service despite being on the same carrier for both, although that could be AT&T 5G which the pixel has but my iPhone plan doesn’t not.
Pen to me means a lot. Signing documents, annotating screen shots, remote control of the device, etc. Another thing that Samsung is superior at is servicing your device after warranty is out. I still have a pair of S7 Edge phones looking and working like new. At some point (5-6 years of use) screen developed a purple line. It cost me 160€ to replace screen and Samsung authorized center replaced metal body, battery, buttons as well, all for free. So I got a new phone basically. My parents are still using my now 7 year old phone. And Samsung still offers spare parts for them although they have to be ordered now so there’s a slight delay. Bloatware is not a problem for me as most can be uninstalled and the rest can be disabled. Sure it’s not pristine but it works and there’s no garbage I don’t want. Samsung also makes it very easy to move to another Samsung device. Literally all of your settings, wallpapers, files and applications are moved to another device. This is a no brainer for me. Maybe Pixel devices have this as well, but I haven’t used it. I do know in my country Google doesn’t have authorized service centers so finding parts might get difficult.
So all in all, you have to be frank with your about what is it what you really want. If you want closer to stock, Pixel is probably better in that. Samsung on the other hand has a lot of features I’ve grown to like that Google doesn’t offer, pen being the huge part of it.
If you like lots of customization options out of the box, then Samsung. If you like using a pen to write (or convert handwriting to text) or draw, then Samsung. If you want barebones Google and don’t want extra features or customizations, then Pixel. It depends what you like.
I’ve just recently switched from a Galaxy S10 to a Pixel 7 as I wanted to see the “vanilla” experience, as well as be closer to upstream for software updates. My S10 still works great, though the battery needs replacement (at the time, it had already broken the glue on the back glass and was still expanding – didn’t realize until I took it out of the case for cleaning)…
With my S10, I had to really fight to get it to let me use Google’s apps over the Samsung ones; which whole annoying is doable. So far, the only things I really miss from Samsung (and notably the UX):
The sidebar/panel with an additional set of predefined apps
Am not really sure what you mean by “had to really fight to get it to let me use Google’s apps”? I’ve been a Samsung user for years and I have never even once ran into situation where wrong application would start. Not only that, I started using Samsung’s Email application last year because GMail stopped downloading attachments, a known issue they never fixed.
Part of the difficulty may have also been because it was my first foray into Android… at the moment I don’t have a specific example, but I seem to remember setting defaults was straight-forward; but either they were not always respected by certain interaction prompts, or some similar behavior.
As for GMail, I’m also no longer using the app and instead have opted for Spark (personal mailboxes) & Outlook (exchange, work)…
If you are able to get the the Pixel with a deal, go for it. Pixels don’t retain much resale value, like Samsungs. For example, the Pixel 6a launched at 450, now it’s in the Google Store at 250.
I have an S23 Ultra and it is a nice phone but I wouldn’t recommend Samsung to anyone because my last several Samsungs “mysteriously” got issues right before the 2 year plan ended. I won’t be getting another Samsung after this one. I really wanted the pen and it is great but I’m starting to care more about longevity.
The hardware of Samsung feels really solid. It’s definitely more customisable. The pixel though just has everything already built in. It was a joy to use. Plus the camera is just so reliable. Far better than the base s23.
The Samsung isn’t quite bad enough that I want to sell it and get another pixel when it comes out, but I’m definitely not sticking with Samsung in however many years time when I do replace it.
I went from Samsung S10+ to a pixel 5 which was a huge upgrade. Pixel 5 to pixel 7 pro was a considerably bigger downgrade. After my experience, I’m at least a few generations and a lot of reviews between my next pixel or tensor phone.
P7P:
overheats with light use
between 1/2 and 1 days battery life
persistent screen glare
worst android UI I’ve seen since maybe my galaxy s3? Genuinely so long I can’t even really be sure.
terrible build materials. Mad slippy and will break if dropped even a small distance
worst fingerprint sensor I’ve used.
most limited customization of any android in recent memory, combined with awful stock ux
I got it in-store from best buy not long after launch, seems unlikely it would be a fake, especially when all the advertised exclusive features work (call screen, magic eraser etc).
The Pixel is the far superior product as far as I am concerned: Faster, more stable, no bloatware and the best camera around.
But, and this might be a big but for some, if you need repairs or service outside of insurance you are SOL. There’s not a lot of companies doing Pixel repairs and if they do the parts are insanely expensive. I needed a screen replace and it cost almost as much as the phone itself in parts and labour. And the end result is a screen that gets dirtier and a non-functioning fingerprint sensor. Not optimal.
Ah, also as a professional photographer I can promise you the cameras are better on Samsung devices.
Thanks your your feedback, that is interesting.
The one thing pixel is better at in my expeirence is the digital zoom, I can get insane detail at 20+ zoom levels that I could never even approximate with a Samsung.
Also, battery life on the 7 series is pretty bad. My old 3a had awesome battery life, but since then Google started making their own SoC. They still use some third-party chips which they don’t control, and it’s affecting power efficiency. I’ve heard rumors that they’re expected to have better control of power consumption around the 9 series.
All that being said, I love my Pixel 7a, but I frequently have to top it off to last me a full day. I can handle that, but if you don’t have access to a charger during the day I’d consider other options.
The last time I tried a Samsung phone I returned it the same day I got it. The competing OS elements from Samsung’s ROM and the standard Android UI were really really off-putting to me. I can get an app having a unique style, but this was different OS elements looking and working differently.
If you are planning to do many photos and videos go to Samsung it’s pretty good specially in low light condition. The pen is cool, it’s more resistant and it is definitely faster. I think the design is better too but it’s my opinion only.
I’ve been using Pixels for a while and have been happy with them. Tried some of the other phones and didn’t like the UX. Most of them have a ton of bloatware. I have enjoyed the stock android experience and the camera.
I think the Pixel 8 Pro has a slight price increase, so you’re starting to get up there in price. If possible, I recommend going into a store and using the phones and such.
I have a pixel 6 personal phone and a Samsung s21fe work phone and the software on the Samsung is garbage. Bloatware you can’t uninstall, weird default settings, “features” nobody wanted that I can’t disable, and more bloatware.
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Pixels historically have a lot of weird hardware issues, like the modem underperforming, bad antennas, poor fingerprint sensor, overheating, and so on.
I don’t know if the Pixel 8 lineup has them too, but I would search around pretty heavily on that and see first.
I love my Pixel and would always choose it over Samsung, but yuuuup. Lot’s of wierd Software issues too.
Can’t forget the time when they shipped a PIN recovery mode that allows you to enter the PUK for whatever SIM card is inserted … while also allowing you to hot swap sim cards. 😂
The Pixel is like any other Google product, half-assed and supported only when they feel like it. My Pixel 6 was vulnerable to an attack needing no user input because Google waited a week past the disclosure deadline to put a patch out from a vulnerability their own security group originally found. The phone also maybe couldn’t have called 911 for a few weeks. The phone looking dated and having a slow as hell finger print sensor are on me, but the former are Google being shitty.
Yeah I thought really hard about getting a Pixel 6a as my next phone (on a budget), but the specs aren’t that great for the price, plus all the bugs I keep reading about are turning me away from Pixels in general.
I bought an iPhone a few weeks before the Pixel I have for work and at this point two years later the iPhone feels brand new and the Pixel feels old. Idk why but the os feels sluggish, I have more frequent app crashes and worse cellular service despite being on the same carrier for both, although that could be AT&T 5G which the pixel has but my iPhone plan doesn’t not.
Pen to me means a lot. Signing documents, annotating screen shots, remote control of the device, etc. Another thing that Samsung is superior at is servicing your device after warranty is out. I still have a pair of S7 Edge phones looking and working like new. At some point (5-6 years of use) screen developed a purple line. It cost me 160€ to replace screen and Samsung authorized center replaced metal body, battery, buttons as well, all for free. So I got a new phone basically. My parents are still using my now 7 year old phone. And Samsung still offers spare parts for them although they have to be ordered now so there’s a slight delay. Bloatware is not a problem for me as most can be uninstalled and the rest can be disabled. Sure it’s not pristine but it works and there’s no garbage I don’t want. Samsung also makes it very easy to move to another Samsung device. Literally all of your settings, wallpapers, files and applications are moved to another device. This is a no brainer for me. Maybe Pixel devices have this as well, but I haven’t used it. I do know in my country Google doesn’t have authorized service centers so finding parts might get difficult.
So all in all, you have to be frank with your about what is it what you really want. If you want closer to stock, Pixel is probably better in that. Samsung on the other hand has a lot of features I’ve grown to like that Google doesn’t offer, pen being the huge part of it.
If you like lots of customization options out of the box, then Samsung. If you like using a pen to write (or convert handwriting to text) or draw, then Samsung. If you want barebones Google and don’t want extra features or customizations, then Pixel. It depends what you like.
You should try both in person before deciding.
You’re mostly right, but I’m told that Pixels have features that no other Android phones have. So, in a way, Pixels also have “extra features.”
Plus for some people, “barebones” here is actually a good thing.
Pixel will have longer term support because of wide varieties of custom roms
This is a good point, as long as people make sure to buy versions with unlocked bootloaders.
Mine has an unlocked bootloader. I got it at Best buy unlocked
I’ve just recently switched from a Galaxy S10 to a Pixel 7 as I wanted to see the “vanilla” experience, as well as be closer to upstream for software updates. My S10 still works great, though the battery needs replacement (at the time, it had already broken the glue on the back glass and was still expanding – didn’t realize until I took it out of the case for cleaning)…
With my S10, I had to really fight to get it to let me use Google’s apps over the Samsung ones; which whole annoying is doable. So far, the only things I really miss from Samsung (and notably the UX):
Overall, I’m happy with the experience so far; though I dunno if the “Pro” model of anything is really worth it.
Am not really sure what you mean by “had to really fight to get it to let me use Google’s apps”? I’ve been a Samsung user for years and I have never even once ran into situation where wrong application would start. Not only that, I started using Samsung’s Email application last year because GMail stopped downloading attachments, a known issue they never fixed.
Part of the difficulty may have also been because it was my first foray into Android… at the moment I don’t have a specific example, but I seem to remember setting defaults was straight-forward; but either they were not always respected by certain interaction prompts, or some similar behavior.
As for GMail, I’m also no longer using the app and instead have opted for Spark (personal mailboxes) & Outlook (exchange, work)…
If you are able to get the the Pixel with a deal, go for it. Pixels don’t retain much resale value, like Samsungs. For example, the Pixel 6a launched at 450, now it’s in the Google Store at 250.
I have an S23 Ultra and it is a nice phone but I wouldn’t recommend Samsung to anyone because my last several Samsungs “mysteriously” got issues right before the 2 year plan ended. I won’t be getting another Samsung after this one. I really wanted the pen and it is great but I’m starting to care more about longevity.
I’m using the S10e which is 4.5 years old. Still strong. Too bad there is no small phones like it…
Maybe Asus Zenfone 10 is the way to go.
I went from pixel 5 to Samsung s23.
The hardware of Samsung feels really solid. It’s definitely more customisable. The pixel though just has everything already built in. It was a joy to use. Plus the camera is just so reliable. Far better than the base s23.
The Samsung isn’t quite bad enough that I want to sell it and get another pixel when it comes out, but I’m definitely not sticking with Samsung in however many years time when I do replace it.
I went from Samsung S10+ to a pixel 5 which was a huge upgrade. Pixel 5 to pixel 7 pro was a considerably bigger downgrade. After my experience, I’m at least a few generations and a lot of reviews between my next pixel or tensor phone.
P7P:
overheats with light use
between 1/2 and 1 days battery life
persistent screen glare
worst android UI I’ve seen since maybe my galaxy s3? Genuinely so long I can’t even really be sure.
terrible build materials. Mad slippy and will break if dropped even a small distance
worst fingerprint sensor I’ve used.
most limited customization of any android in recent memory, combined with awful stock ux
Are you sure you didn’t buy a knock off Pixel 7 Pro?
I got it in-store from best buy not long after launch, seems unlikely it would be a fake, especially when all the advertised exclusive features work (call screen, magic eraser etc).
Either.
Both are programmed to harvest every single bit of information you input into it, including access other devices on your network if you use wifi.
Buy the one with the nicest camera I guess.
If you care about privacy, get a Pine phone.
Pixel with Graphene OS seems to be a good choice tbh.
Are the camera features still accessible? Or is it a downgrade on available hardware and software in exchange for privacy?
The Pixel is the far superior product as far as I am concerned: Faster, more stable, no bloatware and the best camera around.
But, and this might be a big but for some, if you need repairs or service outside of insurance you are SOL. There’s not a lot of companies doing Pixel repairs and if they do the parts are insanely expensive. I needed a screen replace and it cost almost as much as the phone itself in parts and labour. And the end result is a screen that gets dirtier and a non-functioning fingerprint sensor. Not optimal.
Awesome phone, but pray you do not need service.
I’ve had so many problems with pixels it’s not even funny. Never had an issue with Samsung. I think Google makes poor quality devices.
Ah, also as a professional photographer I can promise you the cameras are better on Samsung devices.
Thanks your your feedback, that is interesting.
The one thing pixel is better at in my expeirence is the digital zoom, I can get insane detail at 20+ zoom levels that I could never even approximate with a Samsung.
Also, battery life on the 7 series is pretty bad. My old 3a had awesome battery life, but since then Google started making their own SoC. They still use some third-party chips which they don’t control, and it’s affecting power efficiency. I’ve heard rumors that they’re expected to have better control of power consumption around the 9 series.
All that being said, I love my Pixel 7a, but I frequently have to top it off to last me a full day. I can handle that, but if you don’t have access to a charger during the day I’d consider other options.
The last time I tried a Samsung phone I returned it the same day I got it. The competing OS elements from Samsung’s ROM and the standard Android UI were really really off-putting to me. I can get an app having a unique style, but this was different OS elements looking and working differently.
If you are planning to do many photos and videos go to Samsung it’s pretty good specially in low light condition. The pen is cool, it’s more resistant and it is definitely faster. I think the design is better too but it’s my opinion only.
You probably can’t go wrong with either one.
I’ve been using Pixels for a while and have been happy with them. Tried some of the other phones and didn’t like the UX. Most of them have a ton of bloatware. I have enjoyed the stock android experience and the camera.
I think the Pixel 8 Pro has a slight price increase, so you’re starting to get up there in price. If possible, I recommend going into a store and using the phones and such.
I have a pixel 6 personal phone and a Samsung s21fe work phone and the software on the Samsung is garbage. Bloatware you can’t uninstall, weird default settings, “features” nobody wanted that I can’t disable, and more bloatware.
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