1y ago

Discussion: What Android devices are you using?

Greetings, Android aficionados! 📱👋

Today, let's take a moment to get to know each other better. We'd love to know:

Which Android devices are you currently using?
What do you love most about them?
What do you dislike?

Whether you're rocking the latest flagship or cherishing a reliable budget device, we want to hear about your experiences. Share the brand, model, and any standout features that make your phone shine. Who knows, you might inspire someone to discover their next Android companion! 🌟💬

Remember, let's keep the conversation friendly and inclusive. Everyone's perspective is valuable, no matter the device they use. We're here to celebrate the diversity within the Android ecosystem and learn from each other.

197 comments

Pixel 4a. The perfect size phone and though the battery is losing its life a little bit, I'm going to keep it as long as possible.
- I loved the size of my Pixel 3a! It's a shame they're hard to fix in my country; I'd rather have a phone that size than the huge ones that seem to be default now.
  
  The smaller ones are just so much more comfortable to use. I think the Pixel 8 looks like it's going to be a similar size, which is good.
  Obviously the drawback is a slightly smaller battery, but Pixel software is pretty good at optimising.
- I still have a 3a, and the battery is definitely losing it. Have you thought about replacing the battery in yours? I'd love to hear your considerations.
  
  I've thought about it, but to be honest, I'm more likely to trade the phone in and get money off a new one.
  But hopefully that shouldn't be until next year.

Pixel 7
Great value for money, excellent camera, no bloatware and great battery life for my use case.
Best Android phone I've owned to date.

Fairphone 3
Likes: The community, closest modern analog to the Galaxy S5 (my previous device), ability to open, configuring fast charge/PD speed, good custom ROM support, can be flashed with full Linux (PostmarketOS)
Dislikes: Android OS in general. The newer versions have removed so much capabilities that used to be present. I've got some features and feeling of ownership back by rooting, but it's honestly a sad sign of things to come IMO. Stuff is being watered down, removed or restricted to appeal to the masses.
- What things are you missing from old Android versions?
  I had a realisation recently that I haven't had the requirement to root and customise my FP4. I don't have a terminal app and I've probably forgotten the majority of the ADB commands I used to use!
  Maybe I'm just being assimilated into the Google/android eco-system.
  
  Most users don't need to root their device TBH, the stock experience is perfectly fine for the overwhelming majority of people. The ecosystem generally works too, but I personally don't really want to depend on it, given Google's track record of shelving good products, and some of their behaviors I find intrusive.
  My few main complaints would be...
  Apps can no longer be moved to an SD card easily
  The changes made to the file storage API has made accessing SD card data much slower, so things like map apps and games take much longer to load if they have stored their data there (FP3 is 64GB, installed a 512GB sd card, so most apps tend to use the SD card if I haven't manually)
  Developers disabling ADB backups for their apps, making it difficult to migrate apps and data to a new device using something like Helium Backup (Google's cloud-based solution works, but only transfers data for apps that save them to Google's cloud. For all other apps just the application itself is transferred)
  Call recording is no longer a thing, only system-level apps can do that now (root required)
  Google moving my photos to the new device without asking first - I find it kind of creepy TBH, especially when the previous device doesn't have Google Photos or save photos to Google's cloud. On older Android versions this wasn't a thing
  Some changes were made in Android 12/13 to fingerprint scanner requirements, and sadly it is no longer possible to authenticate into most banking apps on the FP3 after updating the OS. This change will likely affect all FP owners in the future, as Google's certification prevents the scanner from being used in secure contexts after its manufacturer drops support
  By rooting, I have...
  Scheduled backups to the SD card, allowing me to rollback an app+data if an update breaks something (this has saved me a few times already 😅)
  Slowed down my fast charge speed from 13W to around 2.5W, I still boost it back up if I'm in a hurry
  Charging stops at 91% (Most phones have this in the settings, however the FP3 doesn't)
  Syncthing uses root access to get around some limitations (I forgot what these are exactly, I think it's the ability to watch the SD card for file changes)
  Disabled/removed google apps that I don't want (root not needed, this can also be done over ADB)
  Disabled location access for the remaining Google apps... until they force-pushed a Play Services update to hard reboot the device when you do this
  A few more things that I can't recall at the mo. Generally I don't interact with root functionality on a daily basis, it's handled in the background by the apps that use it

What Android devices are you currently using? Pixel 6 w/ GrapheneOS
What do you love most about them? That I got it used on a dirt-cheap price, supports GrapheneOS, has really great cameras and I like the unique of it
What do you dislike? It's made by Google and compared to other phones, the Pixel 6 has a sorta meh battery life. Also GrapheneOS isn't really featureful (it's understandable tho), for example it doesn't provide ultra energy saving mode and the feature which shows in a nice graph how many hours you wasted on certain apps.
- Isn't there an open source apl you can download that accesses the activity API and shows how much you use different apps?
  
  Great question tbf, I haven't looked into it, since it's not that huge big of a deal because I replaced it with the battery usage page.

Galaxy note 9. It's the peak smartphone, no holepunch nonsense, every useful feature, still plenty fast. The only drawbacks are that the battery is starting to wear out, which is fixable with a bit of fuss, and the screen has a little bit of keyboard burn in, only visible on all black screens.
- Hopefully you don't get a grouping of dead pixels like my Note 8 developed last year. Ended up with a hole punch style, but on the right-hand side of the display!
  
  Kinda hoping to stretch it until tablet style foldables get reasonably reliable and affordable

Pixel 7 running GrapheneOS.
Good camera, 5 years updates and it is affordable for an flagship smartphone.

Fairphone 4
The physical keyboard (https://github.com/Dakkaron/Fairberry)
The buggy software

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. It's fast, reliable, has amazing battery life and IMHO it's handsome as hell.
The last phone I had was a Pixel 3A which was amazing for what it was, so I got myself a Pixel 7a to see if it was comparable.
I love the fun software on the Pixel 7A, it is great as a work phone [the Google assistant interfaces with phone calls in ways that are mind-blowing] but I mostly find myself on the S22U.
Zero complaints on either, but if I had to choose just one, I'd stick to the S22U if I could afford it.
- Nice! I'm on an S23 Ultra and my only complaint is the lack of an unlockable bootloader on the North American variant.
  
  Yeah that's been almost my only complaint for my last 3 Samsung phones... Damn north american models!

Guess I’m the only one with a Sony Xperia phone.
Got a 1 iii, love the display and candy bar shape, tiny bezels and headphone jack with expandable storage.
Dislike the limited brightness range outdoors on sunny days, and how the battery dies after four hours of heavy use, lol. (Though I do multitask it hard, so it’s understandable)
- I'm just waiting for the shipment email for my Xperia 1 V.
  For me it's the rectangular front display, no notches, no hole punches, no nonsense. Just some small bezels which also house front facing speakers. Everyone has gotten so acclimatized to "bezel-less" displays for the sake of not just being last years model that you lost stereo speakers, and added a literal black mark to accompany lost display area.
  Then you throw in a 3.5mm audio jack AND expandable storage
  <insert fry take my money gif here>
  
  I'm in the camp that you don't need to refresh a design over and over again, especially "just for the sake of it."
  PS: I'm not particularly happy to pay the price I did for the phone which has, in my mind, basic features. However, the other option is to pay for a phone with less capabilities than my current phone.
- I would actually love a Sony, since Hardware and feature wise they seem great. Good form factor, SD card and headphone jack.
  But the high price and especially the short software support just turn me off.

Samsung Note20Ultra. My favorite phone to date. Fell in love with Spen, smart select, and Samsung Notes!!

Pixel 5. I love it. I really don't want to update because this is the last phone with the fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone
- Using a Pixel 5 as well. Before that I had the OnePlus 6 for 6+ years before I decided I wanted a smaller phone again. While it at times still seems a little slow, it still works great. I replaced the battery about 3 months ago and it has a great battery life again. Running Lineage.
- Same. Google's design has taken a step backwards since the pixel 5. Worse battery life, less ergonomic due to fingerprint sensor being in the screen vs the back, and their custom socs have very poor efficiency.
  Unfortunately most phones are doing the in screen fingerprint thing now since it's the cool thing to do.

Currently rocking a Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. Bought this to replace my old shattered Xiaomi Redmi Note 8.
I've been using Android phones since a long time. Started out with a Galaxy Y, loved those small phones with TouchWiz 3!
My most favorite phones I've owned over the years have to be my most beloved Xiaomi Mi A1 (probably the best clean stock Android experience I've had), the Pixel 3a, Sony Xperia M, and the Moto G2 2014 (again, with the cleanest Marshmallow experience).
My A53 is good, mainly got it because I've kind of gotten old tired of experimenting with new ROMs lol. I don't plan on upgrading for 4 more years...this phone does everything I need it to, and it's decent enough to last it's promised update life cycle.

Pixel 5 because it hasn't died yet. Will probably continue to use it until 2025 or until it dies. Which ever comes first.
I pretty much can only use pixel devices these days because of the software. Flagship Samsung devices may be better hardware wise but their software is so bad and bloated it erases most of the benefits.
Honestly the biggest negative I can think of is the lack of a headphone jack. Yes I still want one. I still remember the time Google launched an ad campaign mocking iphones lack of a headphone jack only to remove it themselves one hardware update later.
I own like 3 dongles but it's just not the same.

A Samsung Galaxy A50, it's my beloved treasure! It was my first phone that I bought with part of my own saved money.
It's pretty usable, to this day. It runs Android 11 but only recently got axed for security updates, so I may get a new phone soon. There's really nothing not to love about it.
The battery has deteriorated though, I can barely get 4-5 hours SOT without using 80-90% of the battery. Also, the adhesive that holds the back plastic panel to the phone keeps coming apart so it doesn't hold anymore, which is kinda nasty. I've re-applied back panel adhesive two times but it keeps happening, presumably due to heat. Never seen this happen to any phone other than the A50.

Z fold 4 here.
Likes: the folding obviously lol but I also like samsungs software.
Dislikes: fragile and the camera is shit.

OnePlus 9pro
Like: it is fast, clean, it has a Silent/Vibrate/Ring switch, good screen.
Dislike: no headphone jack, the Snapdragon 888 isn't efficient, it heats quickly and it isn't good for the battery life.

Samsung M51
Bought it mainly for the 7000 mah battery and this thing can go on for days and charge other devices as well. Overall decent specs for the pric and the long aspect ratio is nice for scrolling lemmy and fits well in hand.
But the biggest problem is its a Samsung bloatware infested mess with minimal user control. I did remove a few really annoying ones with adb commands but I really want to root it or run a custom rom soon. They made the rooting as difficult as possible and formatting everything with backups to root is a tedious task. Samsung isn't what it used to be, I miss the good old days of early galaxy ones I had.

Which Android devices are you currently using?
Pixel 5A
What do you love most about them?
Great performance, battery life, and camera for the price. No complaints about my current device.
What do you dislike?
The first one black-screened on me, so this is my second one.
Would also like SD card support, though Jellyfin + Symfonium is a great alternative.

Galaxy Note 10+.
I'm a big dude, with massive hands and it's the first phone I've used that doesn't give me finger cramps after extended use.
It's still a snappy phone with a good load of ram(12gb), great for multi tasking, has the pen (reduced my sticky note habit by a ton haha) and removable SD storage.
Wish it had an aux port still, have some old pairs of headphones I'd like to use without a dongle. Battery life is starting to go a bit on me, but I did buy it day one. Thankfully I can just replace that myself when I need to ( electronics repair background). I do miss having an IR blaster like my S4 had, used it for all sorts of remotes.
- Yeah, Ah pretty my other comment, I reckon it was the ideal sized large phone.
  Moved to an S23 Ultra this year, which is an awesome phone, but is a bit too hefty at times.

Nothing Phone 1 8/256. A really great phone with a lot of horsepower when needed. Great looking screen, and the design is also really good. Looks like iPhone 13 with its flat screen and sides. I get asked a lot "Is that an iPhone?", to which I reply "It is the new iPhone 15 prototype." :)
Got it on sale on Amazon for 325 euros, best money I have ever spent on a phone with these specs.
Screen fingerprint reader works great, also has real proximity sensor.
I don't use the Glyph lights much as I don't really put my phone face down.
I don't game much, but it had no problem running Genshin and the like.
- Same phone here. Love the look and feel, both the device and the software (really waiting for the nothing os 2.0 tho).
  Glyph light is a cool gimmick but for me too that's about it. Wish there was a program to fully customize it's behaviour for different notifications.
  For me it's a solid smooth runnin every-day phone which I plan to keep as long as it receives security updates.

Right now LG G7. Insane value for the money.
- Used to have one. That was a solid phone.

Pixel 6 pro: my main day-to-day device, degoogled
Pixel 4a: previous phone that I still keep around, mostly because I like the small form factor, also degoogled
Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: for videos and movies, sometimes for doodling, lineageos
ZenPad 8: previous tablet, for games

Pixel 7 Pro, altho the Zenfone 10 is very tempting, I miss smaller phones.
- If the Zenfone 10 is not available where you live, the base S23 should also be a pretty good contender. I have pretty great battery life on mine (about 10%-15% per hour, (but more often than not its around 10-12%) on regular usage like web browsing videos etc). It will also get basically twice as many updates as the zenfone. I had imported a Zenfone 8 in Canada, and I kind of regret doing that, not only was the phone pretty expensive, but I also had no warranty at all, and the repair support is basically inexistant if you import it. The S23 with a slim case is very one handeable and even though it has a smallerbattery than the zenfone 8, it has basically twice the battery life thanks to the better SoC. I got my S23 for about 700$ CAD with taxes included, so pretty great price IMO

PH-1 by Essential. I really like the minimalistic aesthetic of the phone. When I bought it, it satified all my needs. Good performance, enough memory for me, not too pricey, it's small and fit in my pockets. It has crappy speakers but I didn't care. An ok camera with good performance in black and white pictures. Even today I really love it except for these big points and why I will change it really soon: The company doesn't exist anymore and the phone doesn't have updates since some years now. I Could run a different OS but I don't want to dabble in that yet. I changed the battery not so long ago but even new, it has a really small capacity. I wish to keep it until really broken despite of that (and bescause i'm a bit lazy) I like to keep my things during a really long time...
- Such a shame that phone didn't do better. The design was really unique at the time.

Pixel 7 Pro with GrapheneOS. I really appreciate the extra security, privacy, and toggles.

Which Android devices are you currently using?
Oneplus 7 Pro
What do you love most about them?
Having a pop-up camera probably, clean uninterrupted screen.
Having an unlockable bootloader and non-oem roms is pretty nice too.
What do you dislike?
Probably the rounded glass screen edges.
Stock roms are utter trash.
Have 256gb storage, but microsd expansion would be nice.
Would love to run CalyxOS or GrapheneOS, but understandably there's no build for this phone.
Edit: Detail. Also probably won't consider changing phone until Google foldables get good and can de-google with a aftermarket rom.
- I also have the OP7P! Easily the best phone I've ever owned, but the pop-up camera broke for me last year. I'm thinking my next phone might be the Nothing Phone 2, but it does hurt getting a phone that's 4+ years newer and STILL has some downgrades (Screen PPI, hole punch, and no telephoto camera).

A pixel 3a XL, and I'm not upgrading until they make one with a headphone jack again
- I upgraded from a 3a to a 6a. I miss the headphone jack, but mostly I miss the great fingerprint sensor on the back.

Samsung S23 Ultra. Been using Samsung phones the past few years, since the S10 Ultra, and I've enjoyed using them. One UI isn't the bloated garbage it used to be, and Samsung has added some nice tweaks and features. Also, the Good Lock tweaks are fantastic and I'm surprised some just aren't baked into One UI. Battery life has been stellar too.
The weight is probably the thing I don't like most. Makes a difficult to use one-handed sometimes.
- I stopped using Samsung because the bloat. But my last one was a Note 4. I'm really interested in the Fold 5 because the stylus, but hesitant because the OS. If Pixel Fold had a stylus, it would be a no brainer for me.
  
  Samsung has really come a long way since the Note 4. The overall experience is arguably better than Google's at this point in a number of ways.

Galaxy S20: I have not found a compelling reason to upgrade
- Same. Need the micro sd

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
With the exception of a headphone jack, this phone is the last Samsung "flagship" to have "everything." MicroSD card is a critical feature for me, and until Samsung brings it back in their upcoming flagships, I'm eyeing the Sony Xperia I V, although this device is still chugging along fine. A few slowdowns every now and then, but quite manageable.
Edit: Also forgot to include the Samsung Tab S8 Ultra, which has been a delight as a media consumption device! I managed to make it a laptop replacement, but extra work or altering your routine is necessary. If they managed to include Windows 11 on this thing, it would be unparalleled! But that's just wishful thinking. I also wish the keyboard cover had the fluidity and features of a Macbook's keyboard and track pad, but again, more wishful thinking.
And Nvidia Shield Pro, if that counts. Best streaming device ever, and has a robust app selection from the Playstore!

Samsung S23+ Because I don't want any Chinese brand.

loving my Poco F3 but I recently had to bend the knee to google services and get rid of my lineage OS and install miui.eu.
Most of the apps I use are open source but I still have the need to use banking apps (Gcash especially) that will just not work even with root and microg (the gcash app is bugged itself already).

Samsung Galaxy A31, running Android 12. Its far from the latest or most high end tech but its a tough old bird, and does all I ask of it without complaint. Good screen even with a few cracks, 128Gb memory which I've supplemented with a 500Gb SD card for all the music I have downloaded from Deezer. Battery usually lasts two days or more at a stretch. Camera is frankly better than I need. And best of all its got a headphone jack, an absolute necessity. Only downsides are that it wont upgrade to Android 13, 12 is as far as it'll go, and the USB-C socket is getting a bit knackered. Not bad for an almost three year old phone, hope to get another couple of years out of it
I also have a small budget phone I bought overseas to use as a Wifi hotspot, thing called a Dash L4 LTE. I'm now going to press it into service as a music player when swimming. Its small and light, but grossly underpowered, and only runs Android 7, doubt it'd be capable of more. I've put a 64Gb SD card in it again for music, it'll do the job, but i certainly wouldnt want to use it as my primary phone

Pixel 6. Best phone I've owned. Takes great photos, is fast. Looks good. Very happy with it. Worst thing is I guess the fingerprint scanner, but honestly it's such a minor gripe.

Google Pixel 7 Pro
Love the performance, the battery life, the camera and the amazing display, but most all I love GrapheneOS.
What I hate is its massive size, 5.8" is more than enough for me.

Redmi Note 10
It was cheap
OLED screen, lack of Notification LED and real proximity sensor

I drank the Samsung Kool-Aid. Pretty tasty.
Samsung s22 Ultra
Samsung Watch 4
Samsung s6 tablet
The only thing I don't like is the lack of Root on my Samsung devices. I spent several years as a Lineage OS user and having root access was amazing.

Which Android devices are you currently using? Pixel 7a and Galaxy Watch4
What do you love most about them?
Pixel: Lag-free experience, ability to root/change rom, momthly security updates, Fingerprint sensor
Watch4: Sleek, durable, decent skin
What do you dislike?
Pixel: Heat management, No headphone jack/μSD card slot, (I switched from the S10e here are the feature I miss from OneUI: Ability to run multiple apps in resizable windows over top another app, Per app volume control, Device Control [Device battery widget in Notification panel], Swipe Sidebar, Samsung notes ability to lock notes)
Watch4: No ability to silence some apps only, limited 3rd-party keyboard options

Pixel 7 because its slim OS and good camera. Would love a stylus though. I've made peace with the lack of headphone jack.
Originally had Samsung since Galaxy S, then left at Note 4 because the bloat was bad. Then Sony Xperia X5 Premium, but the camera was bad. Now Pixel since Pixel 2XL.
For watches, had LG Watch R, then LG Style, Galaxy Watch 4, but ditched Android Wear for a Amazfit Bip S that lasts for days which allows me to track sleeping.

Z Fold 3 - because it friggin folds open. I've been team Nexus/Pixel right up until this phone went on the used market for $900. It's the best I've ever had except for missing a headphone jack. Showing off photos, navigating, reading, and split screening are the main reasons to use the inner screens. Primary complaints are crappy apps like discord and Plex that don't work well on the front screen, and I make more typos on the skinny screen's keyboard.
Samsung Tab A 8.0 with S Pen (the Euro one) because it was cheap and I needed a device to watch movies and read books on the airplane, and a Home Assistant dashboard mounted next to my desktop. I don't use it enough to dislike anything about it.

Pixel Fold. I had a lot of concerns about durability with the scare stories the media has reported but everything about it is fantastic. Big fan of the giant viewfinder and using the rear cam for selfies. The reading experience unfolded feels like reading a paperback. Side-by-side apps unlock a whole new productive side.

Still hanging onto my Pixel 2 XL. The recent Pixel 6 and 7 looked good before launch but I've read of nothing but issues.
Trying to hold out for as long as I can but not sure what to get next. Somewhat limited as I'm on Google Fi.
- I went from Pixel 2XL to Pixel 4a 5G to Pixel 7.
  I've had no software issues except maybe WPA3 auth.
  It's all the same really, but the improved camera is probably worth it. I got a decent pair of Bluetooth headphones now so headphone jack doesn't bug me so much. But I literally only listen to music on my phone when traveling.
  
  The only thing that's killing me now is bad battery life and the low RAM on the pixel 2 XL, so apps get reloaded frequently when multitasking. Battery is easily replaceable though.
  I've just seen a lot of overheating and connection issues with the 6/7.

I'm still rocking a Mi 9T, and I'm going to keep using it as long as I can find new batteries to put into it. Or until notchless phones with headphone jacks come back.

Nokia 7.2 it's pretty solid with Android One. I would move to a different OS but I need android for my work and banking.

Im using a 'Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4'. Nothing comes even close to be as good as it is when it comes to productivity, consuming media, playing games and surfing the web.

Phone is pixel 7, Work phone is Samsung A52, Kitchen has hub-thinking of upgrading this to the new tablet, 2 nivida shields in the house, Chromecast with Google tv modulated around the house and I bring on trips, Kids have tablets for trips only,
Love the photos from the pixel
Atm i hate 2 things. I'm worried more and more about privacy, and my pixel can't chat lock whatsapp chats yet but my Samsung can for the last 2 months!!!

Poco X3 NFC
I got the 64/6 variant for ~$130. I mainly love the good custom ROM support. Has IR blaster, SD card, and headphone jack. Good camera especially with gcam. Great battery life.
Stock MIUI sucks so you really should have a custom ROM. US cell coverage isn't great.

Motorola Moto Edge (2021)
Pros: Moto's classically lite skin with sensible additions that can be turned off if you don't want them, great battery, great performance, really just a well rounded device.
Cons: I think I legally have to mention the update cadence, and lack of long-term support, but honestly it doesn't bother me. Android versions haven't mattered much past, what, Jelly Bean? Though longer security support would be nice. Also, the camera can be a little soft, but I don't take a ton of photos so I'm rather ambivalent on it.
Honestly, I paid a good price for an unlocked device that still holds up amazingly well. I'm very satisfied.
- I feel the same way about my Moto G Stylus 2020 (called Moto G Pro outside of America,) except I'm a big fan of the cameras, especially with the Google Cam mod...but I've only ever had super cheap, old, super-budget phones before this one that I keep for years until they just don't work anymore. This one I bought when it was less than a year old and is a much higher tier of 'budget phone' than my previous ones. So my love of this camera is compared to relatively shitty ones I've had in the past. I have no idea how the cameras would hold up compared to flagships. I'm super happy with it! It's still going strong and I plan to keep it until it dies. Motorola's got some great phone options!

Galaxy S23 Ultra
Best things: long battery life and versatile camera (zoom options open up some great creativity)
Worst thing: size and weight. Top tier phones have gotten just a bit too big now. My old Note 10+ was ideally the biggest comfortable size.
BTW my summary on the S23U would be: it's a great all-rounder. You might find a phone that does this one thing better or that other thing better, but the S23U seems to do a very good job of everything. It's definitely by far the most enjoyable user experience of any phone I've ever owned.

Device: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G
Loves: The inner screen, the comfort of holding it folded-up one-handed, and having a tablet anytime, anywhere.
Dislikes: wish it was waterproof like later models, price is high, no aftermarket roms, built-in Samsung apps are blah

What android device are you using?
Pixel 6
What do you love the most?
The software is great, with all of the little quality of life features. Great camera and decent battery, inexpensive compared to other phones.
What do you dislike?
Video kinda sucks, however the Pixel 7 series fixed that. I also dislike how material you is biased: greens are extremely bright while blues are quite dull. The bezels are also insanely chonky.

197 comments