My first smartphone was a Droid and I’ve been an Android user ever since. I have always had an iPad alongside my Android phone. I have always been a “many platforms” and “many operating systems” kind of person. I also get to avoid the pain of knowing that the app I really want to try just isn’t available.
I was very happy with Samsung phones for many years. Google released the first Pixel phone at the time I was looking to replace my Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (the phone that the TSA banned). I have been using Pixels ever since and I remain mostly happy with them.
| Phone | How I feel about it | When I got it | Why I stopped using it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixel 10 Pro | 🌟 | Late autumn 2025 | N/A |
| Pixel 9a | my least favorite ‘a’ | Summer 2025 | N/A |
| Pixel 7 Pro | 🌟 one of my favorite phones | Summer 2023 | |
| Pixel 3a | |||
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | September 2021 | ||
| Pixel XL | October 2016 | ||
| The table above is a work in progress. |
I have flitted between the standard Pixel line and the a series for years. I have always found the a series to be great value options. I liked the 3a more than the 9a.
I prefer a phablet for the larger size.
I am increasingly interested in minimalist phones focused on doing way less, specifically: