What phone are you using?
What phone are you using?
So, I thought I'd kick things off here with some community building.
Quote this post with answers to the below!
What phone are you using?
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
Pixel 7 Pro.
I'm generally happy with it, but the battery has been rather bad in that I have issues getting a full day out of it. I've also finding overheating issues when in 80+ degree F weather.
Google Pixel 6. I upgraded from an iPhone 8 a year ago. I love how open the os is, letting me do a bunch more then what's on the app store.
For headphones I have Soundcore Q30. They're decent Bluetooth headphones, that were pretty cheap when I bought them.
I use Windows with WSL. I tried switching to Linux for over a month, but I had too many issues with Windows only apps.
I also love usb-c. Almost all my devices can charge using the same cords. The only exceptions are my laptop with a 200W brick, and my diabetes pump. Nothing I can do about those.
What phone are you using?
I have a Pixel 7, Obsidian Color
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
I love the phone. Its my first non low-end android, and I can't see myself going back to an iPhone. I love the assortment of emulators available for Android, and the pixel 7 main camera is very good. The selfie camera could use some work, but picture taking is not what I got this phone for anyway.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
My previous phones were an iPhone 11 and an iPhone 5C before that. I have a Moto G pure (low end android) for a little bit, although it was more of a secondary phone instead of something to switch to, as it is very sluggish to use. The iPhone 11 was a good phone, the selfie camera is still better than my current pixel phone. I definitely craved the feeling of freedom I got from my Motorola though, despite its shortcomings. So I went ahead and got my pixel.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone? Very rarely, I might be upgrading more often now though due to pixels having shorter security update Windows than iPhones.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
None at the moment, although I am planning on getting Pixel buds.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
For now I am android all the way. I have a Lenovo Thinkpad with Windows 11 on it, I have tried to switch to Linux but my laptops display needs fractional scaling as the dimensions of the screen are different from the resolution. So until fractional scaling gets better on nvidia cards I'll have to stay with Windows.
Dang I wrote a lot 💀
The pixel 7 pro. I have been so disappointed with Google phones in the last few years. I like not having bloat, and as a developer it is good to have a generic phone.
The 7 really raised the bar. I couldn't live without face ID. I don't know if I could go back. It is so much easier now.
Pixel 6!
I honestly want a phone with snapdragon 8 gen 2, but I don't want to go back to getting spam calls all the time. Pixel software is just too good.
Asus ZenFone 8.
I love it, it's a nice bit of kit, and the few gimmicks it has are useful: scheduled charging for better battery life, digital well being stuff to stop me being glued to my phone.
Battery would be a problem for a super power user, but lasts me all day with commuting, reading the web etc. Camera is not on a par with flagships but I rarely take pictures.
Prior to this I had a Huawei until the battery died on me. I upgrade when I have to, I hate consumer upgrade cycles.
I have zero android ecosystem products.
I'm Android/Linux all the way unless work force me to use a Mac, which happens periodically, as part of the great cycle of life.
I'm on the Galaxy S23.
My previous device was a Realme GT, I really wanted to experiment with these Chinese "flagship killer" devices that offer pretty impressive specs for lower prices. It had some amazing aspects, but also deep deal breakers. I'm happier with the S23.
Though Samsung absolutely burned me twice with their Exynos processors, so if a device is got an Exynos chip I'm not getting anywhere near it.
Just made the change to a Pixel 6a from my really old Samsung Galaxy.
My only requirement was about size. I wanted something "smaller", first I thought about going with a newer Samsung from their mid-range 'A' category, but after seeing how big those things were, I decided to look outside the Samsung ecosystem.
I discovered GrapheneOS and as an open-source enthusiast, I really liked the idea. The professionalism of the dev team and the bloat free aspect of the OS made me get a Pixel.
The size is not that bad, but I wish it would be a bit smaller. So far I'm really liking it. I love the camera of this thing (even without GCam). The physical button placement was a bit weird for me at first, but I've gotten used to it.
I usually abuse my phones till they die, so I was looking for something that would last and I really think that I will be able to go for 5 years with this phone without an issue.
S22+. Got an insane deal on a like new refurbished model, so it seemed like a no-brainer.
It's a phone. Most nondescript phone I've ever used. Nothing about it is amazing, but no major complaints. Even the battery is fine for me, despite a lot of people complaining about poor battery life on the S22 series.
I'm currently running the Pixel 6 Pro with Graphine OS.
Worst thing about this phone is the curved display. Everything else is good enough for me, which is saying a lot. I've had many phones over years and only a few have really been awesome.
In no particular order:
- HTC EVO Shift, EVO 4G LTE, EVO 3D
- Some ZTE Phone with android 2.2
- Oneplus One, 3T, 6T
- Pixel 4, Pixel 6 Pro
- Nexus 4, 5, 5x, 7
- iPhone 4, SE, 7, 12
Edit: format and a device
Samsung galaxy S21. I really enjoy it and has worked perfectly. I like Samsung rendition of Android, I feel like it gives me a larger overview of settings and so forth. I've had an iphone 6 and Huawei Mate 20 lite. My problem with the iphone was that i didn't really understand it, and the app library was limited. The Huawei became slow fast, but that might just be because of it being the lite edition. In edition to the Samsung S21 i also own a Samsung galaxy watch 5 and a pair Samsung buds 2. Both these works great, and i really enjoy Samsungs health app wich is how the watch connects to the phone. The buds are even compatible with my windows computer :)
What phone are you using? Huawei P50 Pro
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities? Absolutely love the phone, I'm not big on voice assistants or ecosystems so I don't need Google to be connected across all devices and have everything linked together.
As a phone it started out rough, loss of connection very frequently, dropping calls every day. After a few months these issues resolved on there own, which may have been a carrier issue and not the phone itself. Browsing and interacting with it is seamless, games run fast, apps rarely shutdown. The Camera is spectacular, the only rival is my gfs Iphone 13 but both are amazing. The only limiting factor is small amount of unavailable apps due to the lack G.P.S. but I'm not effected I just go to the mobile site instead.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot? Huawei Nexus 6P Huawei P20 Pro
How often do you upgrade to a new phone? Every 3 - 4 years
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc. Not sure if they count but I have a TicWatch Pro 3 and EVA Earbuds
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.) Nope, no apple for me, Windows 10.
Pixel 7 Pro w/GrapheneOS. Being able to control what my phone is sending or not sending + the battery life gain from everything not phoning home is amazing.
I use a Pixel 5 with MicroG Lineage OS. I like it quite a bit: it's fast, has good battery life, and thanks to Lineage OS, it doesn't spy on me (as much). I do miss having an SD card slot and headphone jack, but those are hard to find anywhere these days, unfortunately.
I don't have a specific upgrade schedule: I upgrade phones when the need arises. My last phone (Nexus 6) was showing its age: it was slow, the battery struggled to hold a charge, and the USB port was worn out. Switching to Lineage OS and a wireless charger helped with these problems somewhat, but it was still time for an upgrade. My phone before that (Droid Razr M) was stuck in a boot loop, so had to upgrade that, as well.
I have an iPad 3 sitting around somewhere, but otherwise, not much of an Apple person. I try to use Linux whenever possible (I know Android isn't a traditional GNU/Linux system, but with Lineage OS and Termux, it's close enough for me).
Pixel 6 Pro I'm happy with it, but looking forward to the next upgrade too. The size is slightly larger than I'd like, and I think they oversold the telephoto lens. Regular pictures are great, performance is good, battery life works for me. I usually upgrade every 3 years or so. My first phone was one of the Nokia candy bar free phones that came with a contract. I had Blackberries through work for years and thought they were cool at the time, switched to iPhones when those were new, then the Nexus and Pixel lines from Google. I usually use Android and Windows, but I've been thinking about getting some sort of Apple laptop.
S20 ultra. My SO got it for me at launch because he thought I deserved a nice phone after getting me a 150 dollar one that lasted me a few years. I have tiny hands yet I have no issue with the size of this phone lol.
Best qualities? Still runs great, unlocked so no bloat, real cameras instead of the fake one on my old phone, Samsung dex, oled screen, not a scratch on it and I haven't used anscreen protector in for years now. Has a large battery.
Worst? Hmm... at first finding cases that protected the screen properly because of the edge was hard. It took getting used to the whole curved edge though now I think it's weird to use one without it. It gets hot when gaming so I avoid anything too intensive. It's older and I don't know how much longer it will be supported.
I previously owned a Huawei honor 6x lol... Before that it was just a flip phone and before that an iPhone 4s which I still use as a clock.
My current phone is the best as it does everything I need, the worst is the iPhone mostly because it came with almost no memory and no way to expand it and every os update caused it to run more and more out of memory. Also it was tiny.
I upgrade when the phone I have isn't worth keeping. My last phone had a spicy pillow and even though I tried to replace it the phone was so horribly glued together it was impossible to open up with regular tools. It was cheap anyway.
I have a portable Nvidia shield that is so out of date its unusable. The battery is dead. I might repurpose it though. I don't own any apple products beyond my initial iPhone as they're too expensive. I have have had the same fitbit since 2019 or so and I got a certificate from work that paid for some belkin wireless earbuds, beyond that and a pair of skullcandy wireless earphones I don't have much else.
My windows devices are all computers.
What phone are you using?
I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Fold 4. My phone service provider upgraded it from a Fold 3 because the plastic screen protector on the inside screen was peeling off from the center.
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Yes, I'm happy with this phone, or else I wouldn't be using it. I love that it's a small phone, and when I want a device with a bigger screen, I can just open it up.
The worst part of this phone has already happened: the screen protector (or something) separated from the screen. I changed my phone to an iPhone when I went to a trip with snow, but I somehow still got problems with the screen using the phone in a tropical place. I don't know if it's because the screen has thin glass, or something else, but folding phones aren't as durable as their slab counterparts.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
I had several Samsung Galaxy phones, starting from the S1 to every other phone (I think S3, S5, S6 Edge, Note 8, S10+, Fold 3, Fold 4, S23+, Asus Zenfone 9 and Google Pixel 6. The latter four phones are the ones I currently switch between when I feel like it, but my main phone is the Fold 4.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
I try to upgrade my phone every two years, but the pandemic changed something in me and I recently went on a phone purchasing spree (hence the recent phones with the same SoC in a generation).
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 (as my bed tablet) and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra as my main Youtube viewer/laptop.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
I have a 2019 Apple Macbook Pro 16" laptop, a 13" 2015 Macbook Air with an upgraded 1TB of storage, and an iPhone 13 Pro Max with 1TB of storage.
For my desktop computer, gaming laptop and a 2-in-1 laptop, I use Windows 10. I've been using Windows OSes since the 3.1 days, so I guess I'm used to how the Windows OS works.
I try to dip my toes in every ecosystem there is, since I'm a geek, but I don't like Apple's locked down ecosystem. There's days I'll swap my SIM card to my iPhone to see what Apple is doing nowadays, but the last time I did that was earlier this year.
OnePlus 7 Pro. I've had it for 4 years. Previously had a OnePlusOne and 5 I like their phones but will probably move to a Pixel next. I'm not in any rush given that my phone is working perfectly fine. I wouldn't want another curved screen since I like using glass screen protectors. Charging is great. Almost 80% in 15 minutes I have a Samsung S6 tablet too and I really like it. Im all Windows and Android.
OnePlus 7T
I love this phone. I thought it'd take longer than it actually did to get used to not having a home button anymore, but I adapted in less than an hour. Love how OxygenOS is very close to stock Android. The glass on the back is super slick. Everything is super slick to me. My hands are chronically dry. So I hate all these glass-backed phones.
I've previously used a OnePlus 3, OnePlus One, Samsung Galaxy S4, Motorola Photon 4G, and a Motorola RAZR ve20. I loved my Galaxy. It was my first OLED experience. My OnePlus One felt like kind of a downgrade, but it also allowed me to stop having to sign contracts to get an affordable phone in 2015. Plus, back then, it felt like being a part of something new and exciting. Man I miss Cyanogenmod.
I upgrade basically whenever I need to. The phone I have now is ~3½ years old. The back glass is busted and the battery is starting to lose its life. They will repair it and so I'm thinking of sending it in. I can picture myself using this phone on another 3-4 years barring some kind of carrier stupidity.
No other Android devices. I'm an otherwise Windows/Ubuntu person. Started trying Mint recently. I do have a Fitbit.
I used to have a 4th gen iPod Touch circa 2011 before I got my Photon 4G. iOS 6 ran like crap on it and I was around the corner from building my first PC. I had started using my Android phone for my games and music and such so I just didn't have a use for it anymore. Sold it off and I haven't owned an Apple product since.
Samsung Fold 4. I like it a lot, but it's already been through 2 warranty repairs, and my warranty is up next month. Never before have I regretted not opting for an extended warranty as much as with this phone. These things just break from regular every day usage. After using the phone, I would really miss the screen real estate if I decided to go back to a regular candy bar shaped phone. But seeing as how prone they are to breaking means I think I pretty much have no choice.
Pixel 6, still waiting for face unlock :))))
But also using Samsung Buds and a M1 Macbook Air for work.
Best phone I've ever owned, had mostly Pixels, iPhones and Samsung's in the past.
Currently have a Pixel 7 Pro with a Pixel Watch
Owned in the past a pixel 4a5G, an OG pixel (still use it to upload to my Google photos in original quality for free), a One Plus 6T, a Nexus 4/5/6
For tablets the only Android one was the Nexus 9 and I'm now using an Acer ChromeTab which runs Android apps (also have a Surface Pro 3 running on ChromeOS)
For watches I owned the moto360, the LG Watch Urbane, the Huawei Watch and the Fossil gen 5
Pixel 6 Pro rooted w/ Magisk
Samsung Galaxy S7, international Exynos variant. LineageOS 20.
It used to be my dad's phone until I got to have it. It went through a slew of problems so I had to replace most of the phone with spare parts. It is no longer waterproof but I still love it. An exercise on giving planned obsolescence the middle finger and avoiding further polluting the planet with electronic waste.
I love it for its small size and crisp 1440p AMOLED display crammed into a 5.1 inch diagonal, it has both headphone jack and SD card support and it is so comfortable to use with one hand. Newer phones have changed mostly for the worse, with each year devices are more locked down and more useful features are being taken away.
I'm using Poco X3 Pro. So far it's a great phone with good specs. Gonna be using it for the next 5-6 years.
im using a Samsung a53 5g, its pretty good i like it but i really dont need the 3 cameras
Pixel 4a 5g. Overall, still works and performs well enough for what I do.
I did start running into an issue a few months ago where it would just drop signal and have to be rebooted to get service back. I think it may have been after an update and also might have been resolved with a more recent update as last couple weeks it hasn't happened.
It has also survived a couple drops without breaking 😀
Sorry for the my previous post, I hit 'publish' instead of exiting preview, lol.
What phone are you using?
Samsung Galaxy A11, Android 12/One Ui Core 4.1. I bought it in November 2020, amid a problem with not accessing Whatsapp and communicating with my schoolmates.
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Yeah. I don't know how to say exactly about the best and worst things about it, I'll just say that at least it's satisfying me.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
Samsung Galaxy J2 Prime and Motorola G6 Play. About the first one, it had terrible storage: 16GB, which was small even back then and it was one of the reasons I switched phones. About the second one, it lasted a few years, but as I used it a lot, it ended up with the battery becoming addicted and it stopped working during the pandemic. I still kept it, waiting for some repair, but then I had to give it to another relative.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
I use it until it is very old or with some defect. Yes, I know it's kind of weird to do that, but the wages here don't help much in the exchange for a decent phone.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
None.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
I have a tablet (Galaxy Tab A, 2019 version. Android 11), two cell phones that belonged to my parents (Galaxy J7 Prime and Galaxy A10, the latter being with the screen broken) and a notebook with Windows 10 that I also bought in 2020 (Samsung Essentials E20). Yes, I'm technically kind of a Samsung fan.
One plus Nord. Didn't have to much money to spend then, so bought this one, has pretty good support, so running on Pixel experience since more than a year. Pretty satisfied, planning to shift to a Pixel phone next year
Well, to be honest, I'm using an iPhone 6S. I want to switch to an Android phone, but I really want one with a headphone jack, an easily-replaceable battery, /e/ support, and good enough specs to last several years with multiple major OS updates. The Fairphone 4 looked great until I found out about the headphone jack being absent. Well, that and if anything was wrong with it, I'd be screwed. I've read about enough Fairphone defects to not want to have one imported.
I came pretty close to buying a Sony Xperia 5 III about six months ago, but I decided against it due to the battery being annoyingly difficult to replace.
Pixel 6a. I really like the pixels but when they are rooted.
S20 Fe 5g, with SD865, 8GB RAM and 256GB Storage
Asus ROG Phone 5. Damn powerful, perfectly shaped for movies, I can play Wii and PS2 games!
Samsung S21+ 5G
What phone are you using? Pixel 7 Pro Hazel
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities? Happy so far but I've only had it for two days! Best qualities are definitely battery life, camera and control I get with an Android phone.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot? iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro Max, S21 Ultra, iPhone 11, iPhone XR, Pixel 3XL Pixel 2XL, Pixel.
Best: iPhone 12 Pro Max and Pixel 3XL Worst: iPhone 12 Mini and S21 Ultra
How often do you upgrade to a new phone? I used to upgrade very 6mo - 1yr because I had a connection. The iPhone 12 mini was the first time in a long time that I went a complete two years before upgrading.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc. None
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.) I'm using Airpod Pros simply because I don't want to pay for another pair of buds but wouldn't mind if I got the Pixel Bud Pros as a gift or something.
Edit: Added the best and worst phone experiences
OnePlus 6T
It's been around for a while now but it's still got decently strong specs for a phone even by today's standards. Normally replace phones every 3 years but I've had my 6T for 4 so far and it's still a brilliant phone, easily the best I've owned. Only thing I dislike about it is the lack of a micro SD slot
Not really a fan of iPhones tbh I think they're very overpriced for what they offer in comparison to Android. I do use an iPad pro, but that's about it for my iOS usage. I run Windows on PC plus Windows and Ubuntu on my work laptop
Current daily driver is a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Pretty happy with its compact size when folded, and it serves as a mini-tablet of sorts when unfolded. It's also the first phone I've owned that I've not needed to worry about running out of juice midway throughout the day. Though I find its quite hard to find a suitable table stand for it, especially if using it unfolded.
My Android journey began in January 2014 with a Sony Xperia Z1, upgraded from an iPhone 4S with a busted home button. It was a pretty great introduction to the Android world with Sony's near-stock interface (when compared with the dark days of T**chwiz bloatware and whatnot) and lasted until January 2016 when I upgraded to a Sony Xperia Z5 Premium. The lack of an SD card slot of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 made me hold my nose and get the Z5P despite its Snapdragon 810 SoC, and I endured its abysmal 3.5 hour SOT until 20 months later I upgraded to a red Sony Xperia XZ Premium. This was a really good looking phone and its SD835 SoC was definitely a far cry from the 810 with 5.5 to 6 hours SOT. 28 months of use later and the XZP unfortunately started lagging, which prompted me to try out Samsung. The Note 10+ impressed me with its nearly bezelless screen and s-pen, but the Exynos 9825 SoC was pretty meh at battery life. So another 28 months later and I've upgraded to the SD 8+ Gen 1 Fold 4.
I'm using Huawei Mate 20 x.
Yes. But there is always room for improvement.
I will use this phone as long as I can.
I had a samsung phone for a short time but my main 2 phones before Huawei was Xiamoi Redmi 9t and LG.
None.
Android all the way.
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Current phone is Poco F2 Pro
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I'm okay with it. Performance is nice but there is a lot of bloatware. Battery could last longer but I guess everyone wants more battery am I right? The price per hardware was very good, don't regret buying it.
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I had One Plus 3T, Nexus 5, Samsung Galaxy S2... I'm sure I'm forgetting one. Best one was probably the One Plus 3T, back then the One Plus prices were so nice. Sad.
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I try spend an average of 100 euros a year on smartphones. I bought my phone for 400 euros, must last at least 4 years. Never in a rush to swap, I only do it when the battery no longer lasts me a full day.
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No other Android devices. I constantly try to come up with use cases to justify buying a smart watch but honestly I just can't an actual good use to justify constantly having to charge it.
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I have a 10 year old MacBook that is on its last legs. Battery time is pretty miserable right now. Other than that I just use Windows. I dabbled with a couple of Linux distros but I'm just not into it. I like Windows.
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4XL, works great still
Only regret is not getting the larger, 128gb model
Motorola Edge 30 Pro (aka Motorola Edge+ 2022 for the North Americans here), which I got back in early November last year. I did research for a while before buying it (and got it with a huge discount) and I'm mostly happy with my purchase, it's a nice phone with a clean near-stock Android experience (although I've since changed launcher to Kvæsitso) and it's extremely fast, although I must say I'm not a heavy smartphone user.
Worst things are that the Android 13 update took nearly three months long than planned to come (and here in Italy apparently we were among the first to get the update) and Motorola is not that fast with security updates; while the only really annoying thing is that sometimes it stops the internet connection usually after giving the command to download/update apps, whether from the Play Store or from F-Droid; the connection somehow is still there as it's enough to cancel and tell do download/update again and everything works.
This is my first Android phone: my first smartphone was a Nokia X6 running Symbian which I got in 2011 and then I used iPhones for a decade (while having been a Mac user all the time), first an iPhone 5C in 2013 and then an 8 Plus which I got in 2018. Clearly the newest was the best of the bunch as it was a quite major upgrade from the 5C, which in turn came when Symbian was an abandoned OS; the last two phones both lasted me just short of five years, and I changed back in November mainly because I could hand it down (refurbished) to my mom, otherwise I would have waited perhaps another year.
This time I decided to leave iOS for good as I was increasingly unsatisfied and worried with Apple's walled garden ecosystem - for the same reason I had already left macOS for Linux back in 2020 (never had any other Apple products nor subscriptions except for a few iPods over the years) - and even after the novelty has worn off I vastly prefer Android. Right now I have this Android phone and my laptop I'm writing from, which only runs Linux, specifically EndeavourOS, although my old 2009 iMac still works - thanks to a SSD swap back in '17, although it hasn't gotten newer updates since High Sierra - and I tinker with it from time to time. At work I use Windows 10... but that's not my choice.
Recently got a Samsung Galaxy S22. Pretty bummed about the lack of headphone jack, since my previous Samsung had one.
I use the Pixel 7 Pro
I love it. The cameras are unparalleled, the software is excellent, and the experience is pure. Battery life isn't nearly as bad as people say, but it could be better.
Last few phones: iPhone 5c, Galaxy S5, Nexus 6P, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 5, Pixel 6 Pro
Worst was the 6P, because it bricked itself (though I got a few hundred dollars back in the class action lawsuit), but it was excellent aside from that. iPhone got a dead pixel within a month, but they replaced it, Galaxy was sturdy but software was awful. Best was Pixel 2 XL, I still use it as a backup sometimes.
I get a new phone every year if the trade-in deals are good.
I have the Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds. I mainly use the Sony XMs though for headphones.
I have a 14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro. Got it for the insane battery life, but I'm mostly a Windows/Linux user still.I have an iPad, it isn't bad, but I miss the affordable Android tablets of old (Nexus 7 rocked). I don't have any desire to move to iOS.
Pixel 7 user here, battery could be better but that's about it - super satisfied otherwise. Also have the pixel buds pro, and use a Mac + iPad (although I'd take a look at the pixel tablet if I didn't). Super satisfied!
Used to use Samsung Galaxy S22, and there's a lot of small software features missing there which added up. Ex: volume control for cast device did not work on samsung (had to control volume manually from the app rather than volume buttons). All the calling features (call screen, hold for me, etc), astrophotography, slow camera shutter speed (on default settings), and general UI/UX I prefer on Pixel over Samsung.
I've got the Galaxy S22 standard and I like it quite a bit. I've used the Galaxy series primarily since 2012 and my most recent was the S20. It was definitely an upgrade in terms of camera quality, which is one of the main reason I got it. I can take so many more pictures now, but never do. So that says a lot about me :)
I usually go 2-5 years between phones, so this one was quicker than some I've held onto. I don't have any other Android devices and have only once before owned a Macbook Pro (2015 Core 2 Duo, I believe).
Currently, I'm using a Motorola moto g100 and I'm happy with it. Good battery life, nice big screen, much improved performance compared to my last phone. Best phone I've ever owned. The main inconvenience is the location of the fingerprint sensor: I'd have preferred if it was on the front of the device somehow (definitely not on the back -- I often have it lying flat on the table).
I also dislike the fact it can only remember five fingerprints while I have 10 fingers. Who thought that was a good idea? :þ
Previously I had a Moto G5+ and a Moto G. I guess you could say I enjoyed the quality and relative lack of bloatware of these Motorola phones, while being more affordable than some of the alternatives I was considering at the time I bought them.
Going further back, I had a HTC Desire Z (with a slide-out physical keyboard). I picked it as my first smartphone because I was hesitant to get rid of physical keys, but as it turned out I hardly ever used them. Looking back, this one was clearly the worst value for the money.
Since I switched to smart phones I've been upgrading every 3 or 4 years.
Before the smart phone era, I had an Alcatel device (can't remember the exact model). I used that tiny near-indestructable thing for over a decade, only charging it about once a week. It was mostly an "in case of emergency" though, not nearly as heavily used as later phones, because it wasn't really usable as a miniature pocket-computer (like smart phones are). Still, I was pretty happy with it at the time: the only reason I got rid of it was because the '0' button broke, and in my country all phone numbers start with 0.
I also have an LG G Watch (Wear OS). A relative worked at Google when these were handed out to employees but didn't actually want it, so I got it as a gift. It's pretty old now: I've replaced the bands a few times and it won't charge past 70%, but it still mostly works and the battery still lasts all day. I'm not sure if I'll get another smart watch if and when this one finally breaks, though.
No Apple products, and my laptop runs Linux Mint. These days, I only use Windows at work or when helping relatives with tech problems (sigh).
Currently using an LG Wing
I'm really happy with it and the only thing I don't like is that there will probably never be another phone like it. It's a nice change of pace from the same boring smartphone designs we've seen the last 5 years or so.
I started with an iPhone 3G, then Galaxy S2 and then the first phone I bought myself was the Galaxy S4 which I flashed LineageOS on. After that I had two more iPhones again before getting sick of Apple's shenanigans and switching to Android.
I usually upgrade my phone every 3 years or so. The Galaxy S4 I had the longest at over 4 years.
I also have an Android E-Reader from Onyx and a Redmi Note 10 Pro with an AOSP ROM mostly used for development purposes.
I used to also own an iPad but I sold it and now don't own any Apple products and never plan on doing so again.
Samsung Galaxy S20.
Pretty happy with it. I just wish it wasn't a glass back. I have already shattered in even with a beetle case on.
I have previously used an S8, and a window's phone (forgot the model). The windows phone wasn't that great because i couldn't use most of the apps I wanted to use. It was decent though for its price since I needed it primarily for call + texting.
I upgrade usually once software updates and security updates are no longer supported on the phone.
I have an iPad and a macbook. Apple has a very nice hardware but I dont think i'll ever use iOS as my daily driver though.
Phone I'm Using:
Samsung A50
Am I Happy with it:
Yes, it has been fully capable of performing the daily tasks that I throw at it. Only downsides really is that it no longer receives support from Samsung.
What Phone Did I have Previously:
My previous phones were a LG Q6 and I believe an iPhone 6 or 7. Honestly as much as I love Android, the iPhone was leaps and bounds better then what the LG Q6 was able to provide. That's mainly more a statement of how bad LG was at making actually interesting phones that were good.
How often do I upgrade:
My A50 is a hand-me-down so atm I don't really decide when I get a new phone lol.
What other Android Ecosystem Devices do I have?
If it counts, Google Home Mini (have had it for quite a few years)
Do you have any Apple products and/or Microsoft, Linux, etc...
No, I don not own any Apple products of any sort. I own an Xbox Series X, a Windows Laptop from Asus, a Google Home Mini along with a Amazon Alexa (well technically that wasn't mines originally I'm just "borrowing" it because it was just left disconnected.) Lastly I have a pair of Jabra Elite 3's which have been pretty good.
I'm on an S22U right now. The device is excellently built and the S Pen is really handy, but I do miss my OnePlus 6T's notification system. It did a much better job with conversations, categories and grouping. I had a Nexus 5 before, which was nice, but the 16GB of storage was pretty limiting.
I also have the Buds Live (the beans!) and those are awesome. They're the only earbuds I've found that stay in my ears, even when running or shaking my head around. I used to have a LEMFO watch (the huge one), but the digitizer flaked out on me.
I used to have a Lenovo Yoga C940 (which had all sorts of problems), but I've since switched to a Mac
Pixel 5a with CalyxOS. Battery life is absolutely insane, probably because it's de-googled. Solid 2-day phone. Plus, has a headphone jack.
Previously had a Nexus 5 and Oneplus 3 with LineageOS. I held onto that OP3 until Lineage dropped support, so nearly 6 years, and plan to do the same with my 5a+Calyx.
Have the earbuds that come with Samsung phones (plus Sennheiser HD598s for when I really want to listen to something), and own no apple devices. Have a linux gaming desktop (Pop!_OS) with KDE connect, which is awesome, and a Steam Deck. Used to have a smartwatch, but didn't get enough use out of it to justify buying a new one.
Been using a pixel 5 for a couple of years now but damaged the screen under the glass a couple weeks ago.
Thinking of upgrading to a pixel 7. Other than the camera set up is there much difference between the 7 and 7 pro?
Bought a used Pixel 4a 5g, running LineageOS microg (I like having root which goes against Graphene) and I'm a Linux user so that's my "ecosystem" I guess. I snatched Skullcandy Sesh ANCs off eBay for 12 bucks refurbished, if that matters.
OnePlus 9 5G. Prior that, OnePlus 7T, OnePlus 3, and three BlackBerry OS phones.
Galaxy S10e. I love the small size of it and the fact that it still has a microSD slot and headphone jack. Its starting to show its age when it comes to battery life and the USB C port not working as good.
I like the Samsung android software with the customization that you get with Good Lock so I will probably stick with Samsung flagship for my next phone. The biggest thing I dislike with Samsung is the amount of bloatware they ship, the out of box experience is terrible and I usually have to spend a day researching what apps to disable with adb to get the phone usable. I will probably upgrade to an S23 next year. I usually buy my phones used when the model has been out for about a year. At a year old its still new enough to have plenty of support left, but its no longer the current model so it sells for less. Its a better value IMO then buying a new mid range phone, especially as there isn't as much advancement year to year in hardware these days. A year old flagship will have better cameras than a new mid range phone typically.
My first smart phone was a Samsung S3 (?). I upgraded to a OnePlus 7T--which was an awesome phone. Next was a Pixel 6--which I liked enough to get the 7 Pro the day it was available.
I love it! Reliable, nice photos, good battery life. 👍
Probably won't get the Pixel 8--unless it get's ecstatic reviews or something. Will likely upgrade to the Pixel 9 when it comes around.
Nokia 6.1 from 2018
Very good built quality, battery life and software updates. Not so good camera.
I previously owned a Sony Xperia M7 Aqua.
Upgrading cycle is basically when is needed - that means when they break, battery dies and cannot be replaced, OS becomes deprecated, etc.
The phone is the only Android device I use.
Not an Apple fanboy here: too overpriced for what they are offering and I don't get any value from showing off some logo.
The rest of my universe is built around Windows , Linux and some embedded applications.
iPhone 14 Pro I’m happy with it. Best features (in my opinion) are the cameras and screen quality. Worst qualities are probably the locked down nature of iOS, the outdated lightning port, and it’s a little heavier than I would like. I always had Android phones before my first iPhone which was a Xr. They were usually budget phones and they always had issues from being slow, bad cameras, low res screens, etc. Since switching to the iPhone Xr I’ve been upgrading every two years, sometimes every year depending on if I really like the newest model. My only other Android devices are a few tablets. Other Apple devices I own include Apple Watch Series 5, AirPods Pro 2nd gen, and MacBook Pro M1 14”.
Huawei P20 Lite, stuck on Android 9 (yeah, I need to change that someday).
For.. idk.. 5 years maybe? Before that, I had an.. IPhone 3, I think?
No watches, headphones, earbuds.
I'm using a pixel 4a 5g, before that it was a pixel xl, before that a nexus 5x, before that IDK some dirt cheap Samsung smart phone running 4.0, but before that was an LG env3.
I usually update once the phone I'm using starts dying or is broken.
I dig my current phone but the camera is different in some noticeable ways around trees when the sky is really clear and blue. They get kind of like little halo thing going on.
Personally I'm thinking about upgrading to the newer Pixel 7A, but I really can't justify it when my current phone still works.
Basically all I go for is camera on a phone and a big enough screen to read ebooks comfortably.
Asus Zenfone 6 and xiaomi K20 pro premium because I don't use front camera.
Pocophone f1 and I have a xiaomi note 8 as a backup ; because I tend to drop my phone due to carelessness (¯ ¯٥) i have had my screens change twice this year.
I'm using Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Exynos version). I bought it in december 2021 after one year suffering with Xiaomi device, which had sooo many inconviniences , and I could not be any happier! Main reason I bought it is the size (6.2" vs previous 6.7") and camera. Battery life could be better though, but it's not a dealbreaker to me.
Next phone will probably be one of the foldables, but I'm in no rush to buy a new device any time soon.
I'm currently using HTC U11. I'm okay with it though except for one drawback, which is the camera wouldn't open when I want it to (I rooted it via magisk and somehow I broke it). BTW now I'm currently planning to buy Pixel 7. Is it good?
I've got a Pixel 7 Pro and I've been very happy with it. The camera is fantastic, which is probably my favorite thing about it. I love all of the little features included in the Pixel software, the call screening feature being one of the best. The Pixels usually aren't trying to beat the other flagships in specs, but I haven't had any complaints with the hardware. I usually update to a new phone about every 3 year.
I'm using a trusty Samsung Note 9! It's definitely showing it's age but it remains sturdy enough for me to use. Really not liking the performance drops, especially in rhythm games and my keyboard where inputs suddenly don't get registered.
Before this phone, I had a Note 5 that was traded in for this phone. In some ways I miss the home button but in others the new pen features are quite nice.
As you can probably tell, nothing has moved me to do another upgrade but it's really tempting. Like the performance drops are quite bad but I think I just need to reset my phone.
I have a portable touchscreen monitor exclusively for emergency monitor space and rhythm games. Paired with my Linux laptop it's been pleasant, especially with some tools to sync my notifications and messages in any network.
OnePlus 10 Pro 5G.
But if they are pushing colorOS on all, that will have been my last OnePlus.
Google Pixel 6a
Samsung S22 Ultra
Overall I like the phone. The camera is good, it's speedy, battery lasts the whole day. I'm not a fan of the Samsung added software, and I usually change the launcher. I absolutely hate the curved screen, and I intend for my next phone to have a flat screen, whatever it is.
I've always been android, and I've shifted between the Samsungs and Pixels. My last pixel was the 6 pro, and it had hardware issues that frustrated me and sent me back to Samsung.
I upgrade every 18 months or so.
I have pixel ear buds and a galaxy watch.
My computers are all Macs, so I've considered switching to the iPhone. I feel that I'll miss the customizations on Android, and the camera on the iPhone doesn't seem quite as good. Is the integration really that big of a deal to make the switch worth it? Given that I'm not accustomed to it now, I'm not sure it's enough to make me jump from Android.
I'm using an LG V40 and I love it. The best phone i've ever owned. Love the dual screen case, love the headphone jack and it's incredible DAC, love the rear fingerprint sensor. it's the perfect phone for my use case. I've previously owned the LG V30, and the LG V20.
I basically only ever upgrade if my phone breaks. The only other android device I own is my NVIDIA shield that runs plex etc.
No apple devices for me, except i guess my work laptop but that's not really mine, and i certainly wouldn't buy a macbook if i was in the market for a laptop.
What phone are you using? Samsung Note 9.
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Fairly happy with it. Best part is that it's got a headphone jack, stylus, and doesn't have hole punches. Downside is that the bezels can be close, so if you're not careful with how you hold it with a thin/no case, then the pad of your hands ends up constantly touching the screen.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
Not very often, except when it's been stolen, etc. I only tend to upgrade when the phone itself is either starting to not work due to insufficient system resources, or some part is failing (like the battery).
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
A Samsung smartwatch. I had a Garmin one that I preferred more, but the frame broke, and I was hoping that the metal frame on the Samsung would make it tougher, although I personally think that it's a bit overkill software and hardware wise, preferring the simpler watch interfaces of both Pebble and Garmin. I don't really need to text or anything on my watch, and it would be basically impossible with that tiny screen.
I also use Sennheiser HD 4.50BTNC (Gen 1) bluetooth headphones, and KZ ZSN PRO X earbuds, for when the headphones are out of battery, and/or I need a wired connection (the one on the headphones no longer works).
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
For my computer, I tend to use Windows. Linux every so often on a Live USB or something if I want to poke around on it.
I have an iPad Mini 2, since Android's tablet experiences aren't very good/rather limited (judging by how some of them work in Samsung's DeX mode), and because having a hook into the Apple ecosystem can be handy for some things, like trying to pin down an issue, or see how Apple does things compared to Android.
Galaxy S21 5G, Snapdragon. Yep I've been happy with the phone throughout the 2+ years I've owned it.
I'd say its best quality is its screen, with the battery being the worst.
Before this I had a Galaxy S8, another great phone.
Rarely, I don't see myself upgrading this phone.
I own a Galaxy Watch and a pair of Galaxy Buds.
I have an iPhone that I basically use as an iPod touch, I also plan to get an iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil.
What phone are you using?
Samsung Galaxy s22 Ultra
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Best of the camera. It's insane. Worst is the locked bootloader.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
- Nexus 4
- Nexus 5
- OnePlus 3t
- OnePlus 5t
- Samsung Galaxy s21 Ultra
Best was Nexus 5
Worst was OnePlus5tHow often do you upgrade to a new phone?
Whenever I feel something is missing.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
- Samsung Watch 4
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 6
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
All my daily drivers are either Android or Linux. I own a Chromebook but don't really use it very often.
What phone are you using?
Realme GT Neo 2 5G, Android 13.
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Yep. It's silly, but I like green back colour. Decent storage(256gb), enough RAM(12GB), good battery. Maybe little bit better camera. But for that price, I'm happy with it.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
Nexus S, HTC One M7, Xiaomi Mi4C, Nexus 5x, TCL Plex. I liked HTC, front face stereo, aluminium body. Worst was Xiaomi. I hated that phone, MIUI was (still is) bad, SoC was bad, battery didn't last long.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
Until there are some defects (battery and display on TCL for example) or destroyed (Xiaomi) or it was simple too weak on performance for me(Nexus 5X)
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
Not clearly only Android devices. Yes. Headphones and watch
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
Windows on laptop. That's all I use.
Samsung S22.
Samsung is the one manufacturer with the best camera in a small form factor. Everyone else sacrifices the camera in their smallest model.
The fact that One UI's quick toggles now look better than Android's is a bonus. I still can't get over the ginormous rectangles that the quick toggles became.
Pixel 6
I'm using Motorola One 5G. I'm pretty happy with it.. It's great for a midrange. Worst quality it has is that due to having it 76% full, it's a little laggy and slow when switching apps. I had a lot of phones previously, the best one was an LG G3 in 2015. I usually upgrade every 3 or 4 years. I have a android tablet but I don't use it much. I don't have any apple products. I hate apple.
I'm using Motorola One 5G. I'm pretty happy with it.. It's great for a midrange. Worst quality it has is that due to having it 76% full, it's a little laggy and slow when switching apps. I had a lot of phones previously, the best one was an LG G3 in 2015. I usually upgrade every 3 or 4 years. I have a android tablet but I don't use it much. I don't have any apple products. I hate apple.
I am using a Nokia XR20. I'm pretty happy with it I was excited about the new XR21 coming out but they dropped the wireless charging for some stupid reason.
The S23 Ultra. The stylet help me a lot with my job, and it's a beast with emulation. Also, I love taking photography so I use all the cameras at their max capacities
I'm using an Oppo Reno. The first one, with the motorised front camera, for four years now. I'm thinking of upgrading now to the Find X6. I've been using oppo close to a decade now and I have to say, they earned themselves a lifelong user if they keep this up. I started with the R7plus, then the R9s, then the Reno. All beasts for their time and price.
I had handled the Samsung S9+ and iPhone 14 from my partner. Good lord I hated them. The photos they took of people were horrendous and the software is just unpleasant. After using my phone throughout the years, she was a complete Oppo convert without much convincing. Tbh I quite like ColorOS.
I'm using an Mi 11x a.k.a Poco F3
This is my first Android with a flagship processor solovinhg the snappiness of it even 2 years in. Plus 120hz and Amoled at this price point was an amazing deal. Its battery is not greatnoew, 2 years in, and the camera is okay, and not amazing.
I've had a Galaxy 5, Galaxy SL, Galaxy S4, then Redmi 2, Note 3, 5, 7 (all pros) and lastly, the Mi 11x.
The best, for its time, was probably the Redmi Note 3 Pro, a great upper midranger at a budget price point. The Note 7 Pro had a great camera at the same price point as well. On the performance front, and overall, Mi 11x is easily the best.
I have an Mi Pad 5 as well, great for watching shows and movies on the bed.
I have a Macbook Pro from the office.Its's good but I don't see myself purchasing into their ecosystem due to price and closed garden concerns.
What phone are you using?
Currently have my SIM card in the S23 Plus. I go back and forth between that and my Pixel 7. I have an iPhone 8, Sony Xperia 5 II, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone SE 3rd Gen on reserve for testing.
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Pretty happy for the most part. I upgrade and try new phones all the time, so honestly, only so many devices excite me anymore. The S23 Plus and the Pixel 7 have been much better experiencing for me than the S22 lineup and the Pixel 6 lineup in terms of overall software stability and battery life. Both devices are buttery smooth with a slight edge going to the Pixel in terms of smoothness. I like the Pixel because I'm in the US and I can root the Pixel and take advantage of a few things like Unlimited Google Photos backup. For the S23 Plus, I like that it pairs seamlessly with my laptop, but that's not a huge deal to me.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
I've had almost every phone you can think of that sells in the American market. I've owned all the Pixels since the Pixel 2. I've owned every iPhone since the 3gs. I've owned every Samsung S and Note device since the S3 and the Note 2. For OnePlus devices I've owned everything since the 7 Pro. I've also owned every Z Flip, Z Fold, Surface Duo 1 & 2, and the Nothing Phone (1). The only ASUS device I've owned is the Zenphone 9. Shit, I've even owned the RAZR (2019).
Regarding the best, my absolute favorite phones are the iPhone 5c and the Pixel 2. I used the shit out of both of those devices.
The worst would have to be the Surface Duo (1), Z Flip 3, and iPhone 12 Mini. I had high expectations for each of those 3 and was tremendously disappointed by each device. Honorable mention goes out to the iPhone 14 Pro. I regretted that purchase since the return period ended.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
Usually, every time a new phone comes out.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
The only devices I have that are directly tied to the Android Ecosystem are my Pixel Watch and Galaxybook3 Pro 360. I have many other devices and headphones, but they aren't a part of the Android ecosystem.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
I like to keep a diverse ecosystem. I have an Apple Watch Series 7, AirPods Max, iPad Pro 12.9" M2, and MacBook Pro 14" M2. On the other hand, I have a Legion 7 Slim gaming laptop, Samsung Galaxybook3 Pro 360, ASUS ROG Ally, Surface Headphone II, Bose QC II, and Galaxy Tab S8.
I have a Moto g7 power running lineage os
What phone are you using?
OnePlus 9 Pro 5G, I've got a fold coming in 2 weeks though.
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Yeah I like it, no drawbacks I can think of.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
OnePlus One was the best phone I've ever had. Mainly for the dev environment.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
Every 2-3 years
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
Android TV and a Mobvoi TicWatch 5. This watch has crazy battery life for a full android wear 3 watch.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
Nah I only have phones and watches, but I do like the new MacBooks.
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I'm using the Pixel 7.
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I'm happy with it. Best qualities are the camera and the worst is charge time.
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I've been using Xiaomi devices, main label as well as Pocophone and Redmi labels. Worst was their data hoarding which I blocked with a pi-hole and vpn always on. Best is their hardware and price. Was great fully charing a 5000+ mAh battery within 30 minutes.
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When it breaks or when there's a good deal and I have the current phone for over a year.
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I still have a huami watch but don't use it anymore. Nothing else.
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No apple golden cage shit for me hehe. Windows 11 on my desktop and have a home server with unRAID on it. So both windows and Linux I guess.
Thanks for this initiative.
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Nothing Phone 1.
For a mid-range phone, it's fantastic. Really would recommend it.
Sony Xperia 1 III. I updated every 2 years until last year when I bought this one at a severe discount. Got fed up with Chinese phones and their severe lackluster software. Also into cameras so this one was a right fit. Has many issues but I like it. Been doing this since my iPhone 4 and I don't miss Apple at all. I love the openness of android and the ability to tinker.
Also have the Sony earbuds which I much prefer over the Galaxy Buds Live I used to own (came for free when I bought the S21 for the missus). Apart from that, only an android tablet (S7+).
@mikestevens I currently main a Sony Xperia 1 iii, but for work reasons I have an iphone 12 Pro Max and a pixel 6a kicking about too. Both solid devices, just a different experience.
Blu F91 5g
I currently use a Pixel 6. It's my first Pixel phone (previous was on a Galaxy S10e and before that, OnePlus 5T).
The software has been not bad and I like the lack of bloatware. However, the Pixel 6 is too wide and very heavy, which means my wrist gets tired from holding the phone while I'm reading.
I hear the Pixel 8 will be more compact (and hopefully lighter as well), so I will consider that, a Pixel 7a, or perhaps an iPhone later in the year.
Fairphone 4. It's very good.
S21 Plus
Oneplus 7 Pro
Overall I like it, had it for about 2 years now and bought it used. I usually buy 1-2 year old flagship phones since they get so cheap.
Plusses:
- It was cheap
- Battery easily lasts me a day
- Feels nice to hold
- Screen is huge
- It's still very fast/responsive
- Charges fast
Negatives:
- The curved edges on the screen can make it hard to hold, and cause random touches sometimes
- Fast charging is their stupid proprietary VOOC thing, finding any chargers that support it is hard
- Screen washes out contrast when in 90hz mode and looks bad
- Camera often looks really over sharpened and artificial, while having way too much noise reduction applied, video is pretty poor with the same issues. Just normal smartphone camera things.
Other phones I've had were an Essential PH-1, LG V10, Samsung Galaxy S3, and HTC Dream. By far the worst was the Samsung, their OS has improved since but back then it was absolutely awful. Favorite was the LG V10, that was such a great phone and felt like you could chuck it at a wall without any damage.
I tried an iPad once but their OS is really frustrating, trying to do any normal stuff like just have access to a filesystem to store/sync items is impossible.
Pixel 7 Pro
My main PC is on Pop!_OS, Ubuntu based distro based on rolling kernel releases
Fold 4.
I don't have buyers remorse because it's different from the usual phones, just that I barely use it unfolded. The outer screen is good enough for most purposes.
Redmagic 7s pro
Was the same price as most of the flagships, has triggers for my action games such as punishing gray raven and honkai impact. And even has active air cooling so it doesn't melt in your hands when playing said games.
Pixel 6a
I'm using the OnePlus 9 Pro right now, and I'm really happy with it. I switched from iPhone X to OnePlus in August 2022. I thought iPhones were better for 5 years, and I was wrong. I had iPhone 5, 5s, 6 and 7 before. Usually I upgrade to a new phone every 2 or 3 years. My Nothing Ear(1) and PC on Linux fits into the android ecosystem very well
Reminds me of the olden days of r/Android where threads like this were a blast!
What phone are you using?
Following in the footsteps of Captain2Phones, I am simultaneously using a Google Pixel 6a and a OnePlus 7 Pro.
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Pixel 6a is the best phone I've ever used, including flagship iPhones. I love the camera bar design and the whole look of the phone's rear while I don't particularly like the chunky bezels and the hole punch. I have been spoilt by the fantastic uninterrupted curved display (yes, you read it right. I like curved screens) of the OnePlus 7 Pro. It's smooth and the cameras are great. I love the animations and the overall look of Material You. It's a really good phone.
As for the OnePlus 7 Pro, it was the best phone I had ever used until they ruined it all with their subpar software updates which made the phone literally a chore to use. I still use it and like it, but the experience it heavily marred by the atrocious software experience of the new OS which is nothing like OxygenOS.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
Have had flagship iPhones for several years until I got the OnePlus 7 Pro. The Pixel has to be the best phone, a shitter Micromax that I had a decade ago has to be the worst.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
Every 2/3 years.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
Not a big fan of smartwatches. Well, a big fan of the smartwatch tech, but not a big fan of wearing one over a traditional watch. Have several fitness bands made by Android OEMs (though none of them run Android) and several true-wireless earphones and headphones by Anker and Soundpeats that I use with my Android devices as well as my Windows devices.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
Not at the moment. But my next computer will be an MX Macbook Pro.
- Motorola G30
- very happy! battery life (2.5 days) and weight (prolly due to the big battery)
- a string of Motorolas (I like the fact that it has the purest of the Androids)
- as soon as it shows it is ageing (around 2 years)
- none
- ChromeOS on 2 chromebooks: Lenovo Flex5 and HP 11a na0120nr
edit: typo
What phone are you using? Pixel 7
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities? Love it. Works really well and great camera. No issues I've had so far after a year. Would've been nice to have a headphone jack, but not a big issue.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot? Moto Max, pixel, pixel 3a, lots of others
How often do you upgrade to a new phone? Every few years recently
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc. Shield TV, Fitbit, pixel buds pro, fire tablet
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.) My kid has an iPad for speaking but that's it. Everything else is android and the PC is Windows 11pro
What phone are you using?
One Plus 8
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
I am happy with the phone. I've had it for the past almost 3 years and it has served me well. The thing I love the most about this phone is the specs and the custom ROM community. 3 years later and this phone still holds up very well. It handles everything I throw at it; even the occasional Genshin Impact. The custom ROM community is also very active. My phone is still in good condition after three years. Battery is still holding up. I get about 5-7 hours SOT wifi on light usage. When using data and heavier usage (maps, spotify, max brightness) I get around 3-4 hours of SOT which isn't that bad for a three year old phone. I plan on replacing the battery and using custom roms to extend my phone's life.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
s5, j7 prime My s5 was a hand me down from my mother. The phone worked fine but the the display would glitch out and turn off. The j7 prime was just garbage after about 6 months of usage. It was laggy as hell and I'm not sure how I survived with that phone for three years. It was definitely the worst out of the two.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
I don't upgrade phones until the one I am currently using cannot handle my daily usage, or breaks. When my phone is no longer usable, then I am considering either going back to samsung or going pixel depending on if the charging and efficiency gets better.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
I have a galaxy watch active 2 and galaxy buds plus.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
I do not currently have any Apple products. I am using a windows pc and my laptop is dual booting windows 10 and ubuntu (windows just in case I have software that doesn't work on linux).
What phone are you using?
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Best is screen. Worst is battery. 3-4.5 hours of SoT. Also, it stutters all the damn time. I know most people using it will say it doesn't, but for me most animations stutter. Every 3rd time I open the Edge panel, and about a third of the times I interact with the device.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
Galaxy Wonder, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S7, Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Galaxy Wonder was pretty bad at the time, and has not stood the test of time. It quickly became unusable. Galaxy S7 was pretty solid but nothing special.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
2-3 years.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
I have the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds which got the infamous battery drain due to a software update one month after warranty ended and I can't wait to replace them. They don't last over 5 minutes on one charge. If it wasn't for the battery drain, I would keep using them for a very long time. Superior noise cancellation and sound quality.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
I have an ancient iPad that is unusable at this point, and an Apple TV that I received for free many years ago. Very recently, I started using Android TV almost exclusively. The only feature I really miss is AirPlay.
Im on my Pixel 6 with calyxOS, which is really great. I really like the fact that i can use android without a google account.
What phone are you using?
Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
Absolutely love it. It's only the second Galaxy model to be sold with the Snapdragon chip in 🇦🇺 Australia, after the S22. I had an S21 Ultra (Exynos) and decided to wait for the S23, because of the rumours that the cameras would be improved.
Glad I waited, and also very glad to have an included stylus, because I'm a photographer and designer, so the stylus is bloody useful!
I honestly can't think of an downsides to this phone, I'm so damn satisfied with it.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
As noted above, I had the S21 Ultra previously. I actually bought a Pixel 7 Pro when it was released, but after about a month I decided that while it was a great phone with some clever new features, I still preferred my S21 Ultra — so I sold the Pixel 7 Pro and went back to my Samsung!
Other previous phones, let me think... First modern smartphone was the iPhone 3G, followed by iPhone 4, iPhone 5S, HTC Desire, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Sony XPeria V, LG Nexus 5X, Google Pixel, Google Pixel 2, iPhone 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10, iPhone 13 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, S23 Ultra.
Not sure if that order is exactly right... haha.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
Usually every year, to be honest, which obviously isn't super responsible either financially or in terms of e-waste, but it really is my number one addiction. 😂
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
Galaxy Watch 4, Pixel Watch, Galaxy Tab S4 (now my son's), Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (now my daughter's), and a Galaxy Tab S8.
Oh, and the Chromecast with Google TV.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
I have an iPad Pro A12X (pre-M1, annoyingly) for drawing with Procreate, and I still have my iPhone 13 Pro — mostly just for shooting videos for work, since phone gimbals integrate better with iOS than they do with Android (or maybe just Samsung). I also have a work-supplied MacBook Pro 14" M1 Max.
Lastly, I also have a pair of AirPods Pro that I bought for my iPhone but now mostly only use with my Macbook, and a pair of Beats Fit Pro that I absolutely love using with my S23 Ultra. I was tempted by the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, but I really prefer buds with winglets for a more secure fit.
- S23 Ultra
- Best is everything, worst is size.
- Xiaomi and Samsung. I can't compare since they were at completely different price brackets.
- Usually every 3 years.
- Watch, buds.
- Windows but i miss linux
Pixel 6a. Was using pixel 4 before I washed it with my trouser, best phone I have owned. I miss headphone jack. I don't have any Apple products other than a iPad.
S10. It's older, bought refurbished, but probably technically the "best" phone I ever had and it's all I really need tbh.
Currently using a Nokia 7.2
Best qualities:
- Cheap
- Has a heaphone jack
- Does smartphone things
- Fell like 5 times from more than a meter of height into a stone floor and is somehow still fine (more luck than skill probably)
Worst qualities:
- Not the fastest
- No more updates :(
- Randomly turns off about once every month at night while charging, which forced me to buy a backup alarm
Before this I was using a Moto G5 plus, which was a bit of a quirky phone. Before that I used my Nexus 5, which ultimately started suffering the power button issues. My Nexus 5 is still a backup phone that I use sometimes, and every time I touch it I wish that they'd release a new Nexus 5 just like the old one but with with newer hardware specs and a better battery. I love how light and small it is, I still love the screen, and I love how it looks.
From this you can probably gather that I don't upgrade phones too often. I also don't have any other Android devices. I did at one point dabble a bit into Android development and made a few silly apps, but that's many years ago at this point.
For my PC's I usually use Linux where I can, and Window$ for gaming and music production (because sadly that's the only way to make these things work reliably).
I'm using a Pixel 7 pro right now, coming from a Pixel 6 before this and OnePlus products before that. Prior to this phone my OnePlus 7 pro was my favorite phone ever and is a very close second to my current pixel. My least favorite phone was my Samsung Galaxy 7 edge, I hated that piece of garbage, it lasted less than year before the cpu was glacially slow.
I refuse to use any apple products, use windows on my work PC and my gaming PC, but use Linux on everything else (and will probably put my gaming PC on Linux soon as well).
I do admit that the Apple watch is a nice bit of tech, but I use a Garmin Fenix 6s pro since I mainly need a watch for tracking my running and cycling.
I've had my oneplus 8t for the last couple years and am very happy with it
Only interest I have in switch off of it would be for a folding phone, but those are just way too expensive atm
What phone are you using? POCO F3
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities? Works and does everything i need, the camera is decent so i am happy about that.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot? Hard to remember, however I will never forget my old OnePlus One... basically started this whole path of Android customization I took.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone? Honestly whenever my old one dies. I am not rich and phones are quite costly these days.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc. Just my phone
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.) Just my phone, however I do have a server at home running Debian 12 and my desktop running Windows 11
What phone are you using?
Xiaomi Note 10 Pro
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?
For the most part, yes! It's got an extremely good price to performance ratio and has great battery life, great high resolution screen. But it's got some extremely annoying bugs... For instance, sometimes it just randomly reboots, or worse yet, turns off and then takes several minutes to boot. There's seemingly no discernible pattern to it. Sometimes the touch screen seems to get jittery as well, although it doesn't majorly affect usability. Some recent update also messed up apps colors for certain elements, so yeah, not great software wise. If it wasn't for the rather major issue with crashing I would have no problem recommending it wholeheartedly though.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?
I had a Redmi phone before that, before that I had an iPhone SE, iPhone 5, 4 etc. The Redmi phone was great for the price, similar to this one. The SE was also great, but all of my iPhones died in the same, bizarre way. They all started to crash with weird black and white stripes, eventually becoming unusable because of frequent crashing.
How often do you upgrade to a new phone?
When the old one breaks, basically!
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.
None that I would call "ecosystem"y. It's all intercompatible.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)
Windows as desktop OS.
Moto G9 Power.
Dirt cheap less than 200$ new as of 2 years ago! Has all the features I need, stock Android, without 3rd party crap-ware.
Best Android phone I ever bought, despite it's also by far the cheapest.
I bought this cheap phone, because I was kind of disappointed by my earlier Android phones. Always something wrong.
I've been using this one for 2 years without cover, no scratches on the screen. ;)
Pixel 4a here. Been running fine for the most part. I do want to upgrade eventually because I like newer shiny tech but what's holding me back is losing the fingerprint reader on the back. My wife has a 6a and loves it (I do too) but the hassle of the fingerprint reader is just so off-putting. I've seen the same concerns with a couple other devices with the in screen reader, so we'll see. Might upgrade to the 7a in the future when it's on sale or something.
Hey y'all, first post for me here ^^ Currently I am using a Galaxy S23. I really love that this phone is an awesome allrounder with quite a nice size for today's standards, that doesn't really have many weaknesses. Coming from an S10e (Snappy version from Hong Kong) I miss the microSD slot though and the size was better but my battery gave up so I needed a new phone (no, replacing the battery is not an option imo since IP rating and end of support). What I really hate on phones nowadays are that close-up shots of objects like documents are horrific compared to earlier phones but the world needs bigger sensors and that seems to be a drawback, I get it. To anyone with the same issue: Just use 2x zoom and your closeup should look a bit better at least. My best phone was definitely the S10e with the Snappy 855 - only drawback was that the battery was a bit small but it was manageable for me. Except for a 90hz panel and telephoto lens, it had quite everything that you could wish for. I only use a pair of earbuds (Comfobuds 2) with my S23 and I only use Windows 11 on my PCs (still think that Windows 7 was the best OS but here we are). Apple isn't really an option for me when it comes to smartphones since the customizablity and the whole eco system doesn't work out for me but I wouldn't say it is a bad system. It has its advantages and disadvantages like any other tech product out there. Have to admit though, their Macbook Airs are mighty impressive. If you have that much patience and read till this point, thank you for reading. Also have a wonderful day and stay safe =)
I am typing this on my Pixel 7 (recommend me a Lemmy app please :D )
I had a 4a before this, I liked the finger print reader way better on the 4a but other than that my 7 is better, its the best and most expensive phone i've ever owned.
Before the 4a I had some random Honor and Huawei phones and I used to upgrade phones almost yearly which I felt was kinda depressing so I figured I should "invest" in a phone I could use for ~3 years.
The only Apple product i've had was some kind of iPod that I asked my uncle to copy cd's onto, it was kinda cool i guess.
I am using a Pixel 2 XL running LineageOS 19. I have the 128GB storage model, and the RGB LED for notifications and charging status are useful.
I used to have a Pixel 3 64GB, but it fell victim to the EDL bricking issue. I bought the Pixel 2 XL after that and its been working great.
I don't have any "ecosystem" devices as I don't want to be bound to one workflow.
The only Apple product I have are Earpods and the USB-C to 3.5mm jack adapter. They are the best non-IEM-type earbuds I've used.
Samsung S22. Got it for super cheap on an offer. It's great. I have two issues with it.
- The battery can be better. It can last a day on normal use, but if you play videos etc. it runs out pretty fast.
- You can't disable the clipboard history. Have to manually clear it once in a while. It's the one thing I hate about OneUI.
What phone are you using? Motorola Edge
Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities? I love it! None of the Motorala apps are aggressively integrated and launching by themselves, and they are actually useful.
I am not sold on curved screen. I use a case so I don't really benefit from it. Some apps extend inro the curve and get awkward to use.
Just a clean Android experience.
Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot? Before I was using Samsungs. The earlier ones were solid but they eventually become unusably bloated and hostile with their own apps. It advertised to me the way Microsoft Windows does, which I hate.
Had some iPhones. Nothing to complain about. It used to feel limited compared to the tweakability of Android, but I am not much of a power user. Plus, I actually buy stuff from the iOS App store, the quality is better, and I trust Apple infinitely more than Google.
Best phone I ever had was a Blackberry. I adored that thing. I miss physical Qwerty keyboards. I would give up my large high rese screen to get that back.
Blackberries were as tweakable as Androids too!
How often do you upgrade to a new phone? I try to keep my phone as long as possible. Phone technology is not progressing like it used to, it is all slabs of metal, glass, and plastic. I don't take a lot of pictures, so the camera is not a concern.
What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. Felt it was the most economical option for a good Android tablet at the time. I like it. It has Dex which I only used once... gonna try it out again.
Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.) Got a few Apple iPads, the best being the iPad Pro. The big screen is gorgeous and nothing beats reading PDFs on it, especially text books. I also bought like every synth on the App Store, which is still a FRACTION of the price for a single analog synth, even a cheapo Behringer clone.
I'm using the OnePlus Nord (the first one) and I am still very happy with it.
I used to have a Blackberry Key2 (and the Key1 before that). Those were awesome Android phones too, and much easier to code with using the physical keyboard. I kept the Key2 and use it for when I need to do some typing but don't want to use the laptop.
I used to own an iPhone (6s was the last one) but I ended up switching because of the Blackberries. I like how I can just install Termux and turn my phone into a device that I can work on. Also Android just seems way ahead in terms of software features with their OS.
My current phone:
- Xiaomi POCO X4 Pro
- Android 12
- MIUI 13.0.4
I'm quite satified with it(UI is improved with custom launcher), minor hitch is accelerated battery drainage (came with 2+ years of use).
Previous phones: POCO F1, ULEFONE S1, Nokia Lumia 520, Sony Xperia Go, ... Loved my Go, ulefone was definately worst of bunch.
My upgrades are attached to battery health and/or OS upgrades support from manifacturer. My upgrade track to current phone is about 3 years.
I'm Android and Windows all the way.