I think the only real advantage for the Pixel (and Nexus) series was they came with stock Android – no worrying about manufacturer overlays and carrier overlays adding their own levels of bloatware and delaying updates

Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Pixel, Pixel 5, and now Pixel 8 user.

For the most part the hardware is fine but what really sets them apart is pulling it out of the box. Clicking the build number until I'm a developer, turning on USB debugging and OEM unlocking, rebooting and installing my own choice of OS or ROM.

I hope graphene starts making oem devices. That's the only reason I would want a pixel anyway. And after all the stuff I've been hearing about battery fires with them, I am quite concerned.

I owned the Nexus 6P and loved it. I owned the Pixel 1 and loved it. I owned the Pixel 3A and loved it. But now I'm just extremely concerned about the way the hardware has gone recently.

Currently I am using a OnePlus Nord N200 5G

To be fair, the a models are the "sucks" versions of the real phones. But I would agree that if a lower quality model just sucks, then it shouldn't be sold at all.

I've had a 1,3, and 7 since the original pixel launch.

I mean, 7A was never a flagship, so it isnt shocking the thing doesnt impress. IMO, the A Pixels are just adequate. And that is how they are positioned. They are literally "midrange" for a reason.

My partner liked her 6A well enough, but she isnt a techie with a bazillion things going on it. And now the battery is nerfed a bit, but I guess that's the breaks with older devices.

I like my 8 Pro well enough. I do wish it weren't so thick, but that is mostly battery so it feels worth it. Other than that, I could wish it had a removable battery, headphone jack, IR, hell even a stylus. But again all those things would add up to being way less battery life, huge, etc.

All that said, if I felt like I had better choices, I would ditch Pixel and never look back. I am really only on this thing for GrapheneOS and the relockable bootloader. I require control over my own device. Everything else is way lower priority.