I currently have an iPhone 14 Pro Max and I want to switch to an Android phone.
First of all, I eliminated all Chinese phones. Since Samsung has limited custom rom support, I gave up on that too. At the end, I decided to get a Pixel because of its GrapheneOS support.
But right now I’m stuck between Pixel 8 and 9. There’s a big price difference with small improvements. I can afford both but not sure if Pixel 9 is worth it. What do you think?
I’m on a Pixel 8 Pro and I am sticking with that for now. I don’t think the iterative upgrades the 9 series offers justifies the price. And naturally, a lot of places are putting the 8 series on sale, so it’s an even better deal if you can find one. The 9 series internals are barely upgraded over the 8 series. And in typical Google fashion (if you end up sticking with the stock OS) many of the exclusive 9 series features will come to the 8 series eventually. The only real reason to get a 9 series phone is if you really like the hardware design. The increased ram on the 9 is mostly for the Gemini stuff they are pushing, and the rest of the general specs are almost the same as the 8. Yes of course it’s a new generation so the processor is “better” and whatnot, but not to a degree where in real world use, would you notice the difference between the 8 and the 9. Again, most of the internal improvements are targeting the AI stuff that all companies are pushing for.
TLDR: Save your money and get an 8. It’s mostly the same.
I went from a 7 to a 9 Pro and honestly the ultra sonic fp reader (thats new to the 9) is worth it alone imo.
I have a pixel 8, and really don’t have a desire to upgrade.
I have a pixel 7 and I don’t have a desire for upgrade either. There hasn’t been a substantial enough change to justify a change in a while. The ability to run GrapheneOS is the main attraction.
I’d say save your money. When (if) they finally release a phone worth switching for you won’t have wasted that money.
I have a Pixel 6 and no desire to upgrade.
Anyone still rocking a 5?
If anyone is, I hope they’re running a third-party ROM like GrapheneOS, because Google ended software support last year.
Google increased their support window after the 5, so the 6 is still good for another couple years of security updates.
Are you running Graphene? I stopped using my 6 because Google stopped security patches. Fortunately the newer Pixels now have 5 years of updates.
No, the Pixel 6 still gets regular updates until October (so I’ll probably get Android 15) and security updates for another two years.
https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705
Those ones get 5 years. Newer ones get 7.
Oops! I confused my old Nexus 6 with Pixel.
The main difference between the two to me is that the 9 pro is no longer larger than the regular version. Instead there’s now a 9 pro XL. Now you can have the better camera without trying to fit a mini tablet in your pocket. If you’re staying with the non pro version, most of the recent pixel models are very similar.
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If you don’t mind using Meta services, you may have some luck with big discounts. I’ve seen BNIB Pixel 9’s for as low as $475 on Facebook Marketplace, though most of them are $500-$550. I’ve purchased my last two Pixels through Marketplace and haven’t encountered any issues.
That being said, I like my Pixel 8 Pro and the performance has been great, so I’m not sure the price difference for a brand new Pixel 9 direct from a retailer as opposed to a Pixel 8 is worth it unless you really like the squared off design of the 9.
