Do any pixels have more or less smooth GOS experiences than others?

greed_exe

Sorry if this post could've been shorter, but i'm just excited to join the GOS community and I guess I'm partly making this post just because I want to yap with y'all :D

I got a (verizon locked) Pixel 6 Pro shortly after its release, and it's support will be ending this October. I was on the fence about upgrading to the 11 when it's released, but after learning about GOS last month I decided I'd be totally happy with that upgrade + GOS. Then I heard about the Motorola partnership and wished my current phone had one more year left in it so I could wait, and for whatever reason if I'm not excited about the Motorola phone I would just go for the 12 if I can have GOS on it.

In the meantime I was thinking of getting the 10a in October to hold me over until next year. However, the more I think about it I think I'd be perfectly fine picking up one of the older models so I'm not spending too much on a temporary device. So my question is are there any GOS related issues with older models that I should be aware of, or can I expect a smooth experience on a model as old as the 7?

Johnnyloans

greed_exe

You'll get 2-3? More years of support on a 8 than a 7

10s have gpu driver issues 11 months after release.
I'd compare the different pixel 8s and decide how much ram you want and how strong the glass is. The 8 pro doesn't slip out of my hand, seems like that'd be a slippery case issue.

DeletedUser996

greed_exe Preferably a 9/10 series, except for the 9a. The 10, for example, has more RAM, newer radios/better modem. That's real quality of life improvements.

I use a 10a. No issues.

Carrousel7956

greed_exe You can get a new 10 for $400/$370 from USMobile. But apparently the regular 10 has slightly worse main and ultrawide cameras than the 9 but it has the telephoto camera which is an improvement. I haven't used the 10 so i can't say for sure.

Carrousel7956

I would get an 8 or older because that's recommended in the FAQ.

I would look at the cost per year because an older device will likely end up being similar or higher price per year supported compared to a newer device.

9 and 10 pixels have a nicer design than 8 and below imo.

No consistent issues on specific afaik but some devices may be more prone to certain problems.

de0u

Carrousel7956 I would get an 8 or older because that's recommended in the FAQ.

8 or newer.

https://grapheneos.org/faq#recommended-devices

subwoofer

Carrousel7956 they feel terrible to hold compared to the 8 and 8pro with their hand shaped curved backs.

MrLinux

I bought a 9a new last August from bestbuy no issues so far I only use mine mostly calls and few texts not much else.

Handlebar6933

MrLinux I do have one issue with 9a and that is the fingerprint sensor while using a screen protector. I often get locked out more than once a day. Furthermore, I feel like GOS benefits from having more than 8 GB of RAM if you want to use secure app spawning and secondary profiles, especially if you want to keep the phone until 2032.

skully373

I was rocking a 9 Pro XL for a year but I just decided to start using my brand new Pixel 7 that I had and there's only a very slight difference in loading times for certain things. It's every bit as buttery smooth as the Pixel 9 Pro XL is. Worth the trade off for me because I was getting tired of lugging around that monster of a phone.

tired-creating-those-usernames

subwoofer harshly disagree. Had 8, 9a and 9 pro xl.
The 8 was one and only of my 50+ devices through lifetime that fell from my hands so frequently.
Even monster-sized 9pxl is easier to handle because of those sharp egdes of form factor.
And the 9a is majestic in hand.

router99

subwoofer they feel terrible to hold compared to the 8 and 8pro with their hand shaped curved backs

OtterBox Defender case solves that problem and makes the phone look more substantial, too. I can't imagine having used this phone without it.

skully373

tired-creating-those-usernames I just hate the ultra round corners of the 9 series. I just retired my 9 Pro XL for the 7 and it has the rounded sides too and I love it.

skully373

skully373 Me too. That's another reason why I'm using my pixel 7 instead of the 9 Pro XL. I can't stand the super rounded corners of the newer pixels.

TrustExecutor

I would go for an 8a, 8 or 8 Pro. They have MTE, are cheap, quite good and have years of support left.

IndigoMizumi

TrustExecutor I got an 8 myself on more or less those merits.

spring-onion

@greed_exe Please send me a message via either one of the chat platforms listed on my profile here on the forum or send an e-mail to contact@grapheneos.org so we keep this thread nice and tidy.

greed_exe

Thanks for all the replies, folks! Looks like I'm leaning toward one of the 8 models, but may even go for one of the 7s. Either way it looks like I can be comfortable not needing to spend a bit more for a later model :]

skully373

DeletedUser996 I just setup a 9a for someone the other day, it was great. And they are super cheap used. He paid $275 for it and it only had 71 cycles in the battery.

skully373

Holy crap, I just noticed that I replied to myself earlier lol. That's what no sleep does.