I want to be a Pixel fan, but I think I’m cursed
Source: Android Authority
*Adamya Sharma / Android Authority*
I’ve been a fan of Google’s vision for Android since the early days, investing in multiple Nexus and Pixel devices along the way. While my experience with the Nexus family is remembered fondly, my time with the Pixel series is a bit more complicated.
As much as I want to love the Pixel family, they just don’t seem to love me back. While part of me would love to give Google another try, I can’t help but feel like I’m cursed. Here’s why.
#### Have you had good luck with the Pixel series?
**23 votes**I Was a Pixel Loyalist for Years, but Bad Luck Ruined Me
I personally owned the original Pixel and received the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 family of phones through work. The first three generations of the Pixel line were all great, yet each developed boot‑loop issues during my time using them as daily drivers or testing devices. None of those early Pixels lasted me more than about a year.
Then came the Pixel 4 XL, which remains my favorite phone ever. It was smooth to use, had a great camera, looked fantastic, and was stable in a way many of the early Pixels weren’t. The only real issue was the battery life.
The Pixel 4 XL was easily my favorite and most reliable Pixel in the early days, but even it eventually failed. I loved my Pixel 4 XL, and while I tested many other devices, I kept it as my personal phone for two years, then as a testing device and secondary phone until late 2021. One day it simply wouldn’t turn on. I confirmed it wasn’t the battery—it was a motherboard failure.
After that, I dabbled with various devices but ultimately settled on Samsung as my main brand of choice. It isn’t that I prefer Samsung’s One UI; it’s simply that my luck with Samsung products (outside of foldables) has been much better.
The Google Pixel 7 Was My Last Attempt to Reconnect with My Roots
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
After picking up a Pixel 6 for my wife at a deep discount in early 2023, I started thinking about Pixels again. It was nice to play around with my wife’s phone and get refamiliarized with Google’s vision for Android after nearly two years away.
In late 2023 I finally decided to bite the bullet and try the Google Pixel family “one more time,” buying a discounted Pixel 7 as a way to test the waters. I immediately fell in love with the phone—it felt as comfortable and reliable as my Pixel 4 XL did during its heyday, and it even had decent battery life!
The fun lasted about three days, though. One morning I dropped the phone out of the blue. For context, I pretty much never drop phones, and when I do I always have a case and screen protector. As is my luck with Pixels, the case and protector I ordered on Amazon were late to ship. I figured it wouldn’t be a big deal to go a few days “naked” as long as I was careful. Obviously, I was wrong.
I don’t remember exactly what caused the drop, only that it hit a corner barely enough to leave a visible crack, yet the display shattered. Ironically, my case and protector arrived later that same day.
If I’m totally honest, the Pixel 7’s failure was just bad luck on my part. That said, Google did have some reliability issues in the early days—something many colleagues and sources like Reddit can affirm1.
Of course, for every person who has had issues, you’ll find someone with a perfect track record on the Pixel family. Our very own Rita comes to mind; she even switched her entire family to older Pixels because of the reliable experience, noting that even her Pixel 2 XL is still ticking along just fine2.
What About Newer Pixels?
While you’ll still hear about occasional problems, Google’s reputation for reliability is now similar to any other modern flagship, including the Galaxy S series. That means you’ll have occasional issues, but most of the time the experience will be great.
After my wife’s positive Pixel 6 experience and the few good days with the Pixel 7, I knew this was true, but I still felt better off keeping away. By that point I had also become less interested in Android’s OS evolution, so beta testing, super‑timely updates, and other Pixel advantages mattered less to me.
Since the Pixel 7, I’ve stayed away from the Pixel family and stock Android. That doesn’t mean I don’t miss the Pixel experience and Google’s vision for Android—it’s just not a priority for me right now.
Part of me wants to give the Pixel family another try, but should I?
Android 16 is the first version of Android to truly excite me in years. While I initially didn’t pay much attention to it, the constant release of quarterly betas with genuinely useful features has me tempted to consider the Pixel family again. After all, I’m rational enough to know you can get a few lemons, and that doesn’t mean the experience will always be bad… unless I’m really cursed.
I’m not sure I’m ready to jump back into owning a flagship Pixel, but I do know which model I’d get if I do. The following options could be the perfect way to test the Pixel waters without risking too much money:
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Google Pixel 9a – $499 on Amazon
Review: Android Authority -
Google Pixel 10a – $499 on Amazon
Comparison: Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10
Will I pull the trigger? I guess we’ll just have to see.
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