I’m currently on the market for a new phone and I see stores selling a Pixel 8 for $500.
It’s on the higher end of what I want to pay, but I see it has extended support over the Pixel 7.
I also see the Pixel 8a is $400, which is a nicer price for me, but since my plan is to use the phone long term, I figure the mainline model has sturdier build quality. There is also the upcoming Pixel 9a for $500, if I’m willing to wait and get the cheaper model branch but with the most modern features.
Can someone with experience using these phones help me pick something? I’ve never owned a pixel and looking online it seems like they each have their own issues to contend with. But I like the custom rom support I see for these phones that would give it a far extended lifetime over most other brands out there.
EDIT (Dec24):
Thank you everyone for your opinions. I saw the support for the Pixel 7 and decided to buy one on swappa over the Pixel 8. And since support for the pixel 7 ends in less than 3 years, I’ll probably install GrapheneOS right off the bat. I also did research on Sub-6 vs mmWave as I saw both models were offered and decided on Sub-6 as the more practical technology. Looking forward to this.
If you don’t mind looking at photos and putting a little trust in sellers, man, you can find some deals on swappa.com. I bought a brand new, sealed-in-box Pixel 7 Pro the month it came out for $650. Google offers trade-in deals, people take advantage of it, then flip the phone on Swappa. You can also buy used phones. A Pixel 7 Pro in good condition is like $260 now.