Is there a hardware spec level that is considered wasted on GrapheneOS?

I'm considering hardware for my first GOS experience. I want a daily driver. I like phone calls, map, messaging, artistic photography. I don't game or do mainstream social media.

Possible hardware selections are

  • Pixel 9 Pro XL - 256 or 128 GB? bigger screen, cooling system
  • Pixel 8A - affordability
  • Pixel 7A - dirt cheap

Are the advantages listed here lost when loading GrapheneOS?
https://www.wired.com/story/best-google-pixel-phone/

    guzr
    Hi guzr,
    GrapheneOS requires less power than stock Android, but enough memory, a larger battery and a large display = larger software keyboard (!) are always better.

    If you can afford it, I would choose the latest Pixel = Pixel 9 Pro XL with at least 512 GB, preferably 1 TB of storage.
    Then you don't need a cloud, you can save everything locally and that also saves data volume on mobile connections and is more secure.

    Also bear in mind that cloud providers like to scan photos and that false alarms can quickly lead to suspicion of illegal photos.

    Store maps, send and receive photos, greeting cards or screenshots via messaging may need much storage as artistic photography.
    That's why I would choose the Pixel in the colour Obsidian, because only this one is available with the maximum memory configuration = 1TB.

      In a list like that, you'll get the hardware features described but you may not get all the software features. eg the AI photo editing is tied to Google's software. You won't get that out of the box. It may be possible to install (some of) it by installing Google's apps, but you would need to confirm that.

      On a 7 Pro with the Google Camera app I get everything I would expect, but that predates the AI craze. Some AI tools do the work on Google's servers which isn't going to work if I don't have a Google account. For all this kind of thing you'd need to check support for the specific feature.

      Pixel 8a is the best investment if you plan to upgrade in the next few years. Its also just as secure as the pixel 9, which cant be said about the 7a. Pixel 10 will have google's tsmc made chip, so might as well get the cheaper one now and the expensive later.

      Thanks all, for your perspectives

      Eagle_Owl is it possible to get that 1TB with a cash transaction? Most inventory I see locally are 128gb or 256gb.

        guzr
        Perhaps the availability depends not only on the colour version (Obsidian), but also on the country.

        I just checked amazon.de and they still have the Pixel 9 Pro XL with 1TB storage.

        In addition, the demand for models with a lot of memory is not so high due to high prices, which is why some dealers do not even order any for sale.

        And because the majority of the population is too uneducated when it comes to privacy, they usually buy models with little memory and spend their money on expensive unlimited flat-rate mobile phone contracts to send all their data to the cloud (the NSA is happy and quietly says ‘Thank you, you stupid sheep!’).

        likely the NSA would also thank those that order from Amazon and have a machine with its identifiers delivered to a home address, imo