what foss phone OS do you use and why?

GrapheneOS is probably the best option out there.

As you said, it's only for Pixels currently, because

They are more secure than most other phones. They have some kind of chip built in that makes them superior. I don't know the specifics, but other commentators might add some information if needed. Something with encryption if I remember correctly. The GrapheneOS team is a bit ...picky... when it comes to security, and most other phones don't reach their requirements for a secure device.
Google is one major contributor to Android, and their phones are fine tuned to work perfectly with it. Other manufacturers' phones feel less polished.
It's easier to maintain one line of devices that are very similar, instead of keeping hundred phones up to date and secure. Pixels are similar to iPhones, they get updated almost simultaneously and are similar. If you now add a phone from a different line, e.g. a Fairphone or Nothing Phone, things get more complicated. If you look at Calyx (more onto that later), the FP4 caused quite some headaches for the dev team.

Pixels are cheap(ish) for what you get, and I believe Google makes them so cheap because 99% of users don't care which ROM/OS is installed. Those are the advertisment-cows that will get milked. If you buy a Pixel and install a custom ROM on it, they will loose money.

My experience with GrapheneOS has been great. My Pixel 5 hit EOL a while ago and still gets maintenance updates almost weekly.
Many security additions are overkill for me, but quite some make a lot of sense.

I used CalyxOS for a year too, but now that I don't get full updates anymore, I don't feel safe anymore with it.

I think GrapheneOS is technically superior to Calyx, especially due to the sandboxing they do. MicroG has full root privileges and can do with your phone what it wants, while also breaking some apps due to missing dependencies. If you choose to enable Play Services on GrapheneOS, they are user level and heavily restricted, and only you decide how much access you want to give them.

Regarding Calyx, since they don't limit themselves as much in terms of security, they also offer a ROM for the Fairphone. Maybe check that out too.

DivestOS also seems to be a good option. AFAIK it's based on LineageOS and supports a lot of devices, while being more secure than LOS.

Regarding Linux phones, I don't have any experience with them. I tried Phosh (Mobile Gnome) on an exhibition a while ago, and it felt great and interesting, but from what I've heard, they are nowhere as good as Android.

My personal ranking:

GrapheneOS on a Pixel. Get an used/ refurbished device if you don't want to support Google. Best price-performance ratio, great OS, and very good hardware (battery life, camera, etc.)
CalyxOS on a Fairphobe. Modular device with good repairability. Nowhere near as good in terms of what you'll get for your money. Better security than 95% of other phone ROMs, oh, and you can just swap your battery in seconds if you want that :D
DivestOS on a random supported phone, e.g. a China device. Nowhere near as sustainable (short lived update support, no spare parts, etc.)
Linux phone. Only a good option for a tinkering device right now imo.

Great synopsis!

The cool thing about GrapheneOS: It provides basically all the comforts and usability as any Android (stock) ROM minus some compatibility issues with a portion of Google Apps and services (Google Pay doesn't and probably will never work, for example) while providing state-of-the-art security and privacy if you choose to utilize those features. A modern Pixel with up-to-date GrapheneOS, configured the right way, is literally the most secure and private smartphone you can get today.
Same here, I have an old Pixel 4a that still gets security updates from GrapheneOS. Banking apps and Amazon don't seem to like it, but I don't mind just doing those on my laptop anyway.
- Banking apps and Amazon don't seem to like it
  
  Try going into the app's settings and toggle Exploit protection compatibility mode. That let me use my banking apps that didn't work before.
- The pixel 4a is end-of-life. I recommend switching to something newer.
Linux phone. Only a goof option for a tinkering device right now imo.

Honestly not sure if you mean "good" or actually meant "goof" there lol
- Typo, sorry. Corrected. Thanks for letting me know.
DivestOS also has longer somewhat-support for Pixels. But GrapheneOS still ships some updates to my 4a so not sure about that
Also, as for reasoning for choosing a Pixel, Pixels are not really a product for Google but rather a device for Google employees to test things on but as a consequence can be sold as well. This makes them perfect for hacking

I use LineageOS because my phone is not a Pixel and it works fine for me. If you don't want to pay Google for a Pixel, buy a used one. Other than that LOS is fine. It doesn't have anonymization features like /e/OS or something like that but it doesn't force nor promote any apps or ecosystems (except for Seedvault but it's not a big deal) and it is FOSS

I'm using /e/ os for more than 3 years on different devices (with some customizations) and it works like a charm. An important aspect is that you can install e on any phone that has the bootloader unlock and supports GSIs - theoreticaly any device that runs Android > 9

/e/ has a gsi image which is neat!

I don't use nor promote any banking apps or other G**gle/proprietary dependendent apps.

Why nobody talks more about e.foundation /e/ OS?

Enlighten me please 🙂

+1 for /e/OS! Brilliant combo of user friendliness with open source and privacy
why do you mention banking apps ? are they particularly difficult to run ?
- Banking (and some digital ID) apps are notoriously difficult to run on degoogled custom ROMs because they will often check for Google services and bootloader lock/root status at startup. I've jumped through so many hoops to hide root, spoof GSF etc. In the end I resorted to just using my bank's website...
- So long as the browser login still works 🤷‍♂️
- yes, most will not work as they relay on G**gle ecosystem...
I would love to try /e/, but for some reason there is no support for the Sony Xperia 1 iii.

In fact, LineageOS is my only option, and after a bunch of time spent learning how to set it up and tweaking it to meet my needs, it's mostly fantastic. My biggest complaints are missing camera features and no easy way to do OS updates while maintaining root.

If anyone knows of a way to automate the process of regaining root after updates, please tell me!
- Are you using Magisk?
Any chance to use Whatsapp on /e/ ?
- You can, but the question is why would you contribute to their data collection? Try: signal.org

There isn't any Foss phone. Graphene os and everything else requires proprietary software for the modem to operate at a minimum.

If you are ok with some proprietary software go with Lineage OS.

For devices that support Lineage OS go here: https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

I've read some lemmy users dislike this OS due to perceived misleading advertising and the pixel 7a you're supposed to install graphene on because it's from google

There is no misleading advertisement. Go with Graphene if you own a Pixel (from Pixel 5 up) or you can find a cheap second-hand one.

there is so much false information about this OS, namely compatible phones that simply don't work

Care to share which devices are you talking about? If a device is officially supported by the latest LineageOS version, it works.

Calyxos user here. I like it so far. Half a year into it. I can live with microg instead of gms. And it also works on moto g32, 42 and 52 so you don't need Google hardware.

I've used Lineage on multiple devices, Calyx, and Graphene. Graphene by far has the least issues (basically none), and the best compatibility in my experiences. Being able to relock the boot loader is perfect for a mobile device too.

GrapheneOS is perfect. Pixel phones are Google hardware yes, but works like a dream once GOS is installed. NO MORE GOOGLE !!! Frequent OS updates, love it

I loved it too until I forgot my wallet one day. It's the one thing I had to go back to stock Android for because I forget everything but my phone constantly.
- Low-tech solution: keep your bank card in your phone case
- You can't pay with the phone with GrapheneOS?

I use Calyx on a Fairphone 4. It's not totally degooglified, since it comes with MicroG which is used to connect to Google services. I use Aurora Store and a couple of original Google Apps like Gboard too (none of my Google apps can access the internet, since they're behind the built-in firewall). It works well except call functionality which can be wonky and there's the issue that a lot of apps from Play don't work well with MicroG. I only use a small selection of Play apps though, so it doesn't bother me too much.

What about banking appss?
- I was about to answer this, but decided I didn't want that information in public.
  
  However, the bank I use, which is a largish one, has an app that I've installed with the aurora store without microg or google play services on divestos and it complains that it won't work without gsf, but it works fine after clicking ok.
- Depends on the bank's app. I have CRDroid (LineageOS fork I think) and my local bank apps have either full support or no support for biometrics (everything else works).
- This is what stops me from leaping to phone Foss.
- My banking apps work fine on Calyx.
  
  Banking apps normally check for rooted phones as the thing they don't like. Because pixels come with an unlocked bootloader, you don't need to root the phone to install a custom ROM, and so banking apps are still okay.
- I never bothered with banking apps. (Outside of the virtual debit card app from my bank. That one did install successfully. However, I never got try out in store because it deleted my virtual card after a few days and I didn't care enough to set it up again.)

Using GrapheneOS on a pixel 8 pro bought for this. Never used the stock OS. Coming from iOS it is a breeze of fresh air to feel "private". I tried lineage some times ago but it isn't as polished as graphene, and it feels like a classic android OS, I didn't feel " private".

I've had calyxOS on this phone now for about 2 uears now. Its pretty good. It comes with microG to simulate the google apis.

Calyx. It just works. I've honestly just used it like stock Android, using as many private apps as possible. It's so fun seeing all the cool little projects not on iOS! I just recently discovered Petals, which helps with measuring THC intake.

GrapheneOS is fundamentally better, if CalyxOS didnt fix up their mess in the past months.
- I also use calyx but I'll agree that graphene is technologically superior of the two. I'm more comfortable with the idea of using MicroG as opposed to sandboxes google play but that's not to slant the implementation in any way.

I've been using Graphene since the pixel 4a, have never considered going back. It works wonderfully.

Not sure why GrapheneOS is getting down voted so much here, did I miss something recent that happened?

I've been using GrapheneOS on my Pixel 6a for around 2 years and really like it.

If I couldn't use GOS though, I would probably go with DivestOS. I haven't looked deep into other alternative Android ROMs.

I use phones that are at least 5 year old and cost 100€ max. Graphene supports only new pixel phones, so I never got to use it. I put LineageOS with MicroG on every phone and I'm super happy with it.
- Fair point, Pixels aren't flagship expensive, but they definitely aren't cheap either.
The reason why GrapheneOS is hated here is because one single user who spreads constantly misinfo about the project.

Used pixels are surprisingly cheap for how well they hold up over time, and graphene works well.

I totally agree. Used pixels are superb with grapheneos. Syncthing is what i use ad a backup. I think the problemi is that google stops releasing updates after 5 yearss old units don't get updates I think. I have the 5th June build and it reports a security update of December 2023.
Which generation would you recommend? As used.
- I like the 7. IIRC, the 6 had reliability issues, and the 5 was only available in a smaller size.
- If you want updates, may be go for gen 6/7. 5a won't be receiving updates after August 2024.
  
  See: https://grapheneos.org/faq#device-lifetime
If you don't live in the EU. Here you get a better new phone from xiaomi/motorola/oneplus than a pixel for the same price. Yes, I get grapheneos and relockable bootloader, but used things are too expensive here. If you need a cheap phone, buy a cheap phone (fuck EU's import regulations).
- I don't know what you are on about, but if brand-new Pixels are too expensive for you (although their price is uniformed to the US one), you can easily find them second-hand.

Can you elaborate on being misled there?

As for google devices - yes, there's irony in the notion that the most de-googleable phones are theirs, sure. They're often sold at a loss around the holiday season, though.

I use GrapheneOS. Can't go back!

PostmarketOS, pinephone, using phosh (sxmo is good too, but no support for dvorak keyboard :( :( :( ). Very jank, but I would never go back to Google/Android (or derivatives) after tasting what could be. Might try to switch to Void Linux or base Alpine since PostmarketOS is shipping systemd by default next release ("optionally, with openrc still being supported", but we all know openrc is being pushed to the side, especially since it needs recompilation to switch back). Hope to boot OpenBSD on it some day.

Not next release, the one after. And even then probably not by default yet. And SXMO will not even support systemd at all. Yes OpenRC will remain an option.

systemd is good software and people should find proper reasons for disliking it for once instead of just following the hate train.
- systemd is good software and people should find proper reasons for disliking it for once instead of just following the hate train.
  
  Are "breaking portability with non-linux unix systems (and even linux systems that don't use systemd)" and "overly complex codebases inherently being more bug-prone and systemd having a poor security track record" good enough reasons for you?
While I really want the pinephone to be good, I just could not use it for daily use given its extremely poor battery life. I ended up getting a oneplus 6 and running postmarketOS before switching to DivestOS for camera support. I might switch back given that updating packages is much easier on linux compared to android.

No OS is perfect, as you likely do have to use a proprietary modem and some proprietary apps, but CalyxOS works well for me on my Fairphone 4. I like the base install being as free as realistically possible on a modern Android phone, especially replacing Google apps with microG. Just don't enable SafetyNet if you don't want it to run (sandboxed) Google blobs. That API is deprecated anyways.

The experience is smooth, free and I get a repairable phone without having generative """AI""" shoved down my throat. A win on all fronts in my opinion.

Not in my ideal spot but tolerating Android via LineageOS for microG on a Sony Xperia 5 III as their ROMs make microG painless & hardware-wise I get a fast-enough CPU, OLED, a headphone jack, & microSD.

I wish the modern xperia phones were more popular and got more love. Hardware-wise they are amazing, i just wish they had easily-replaceable batteries.

I just replaced the battery in mine. I had to get a heat gun to take off the back plate, as well as a new seal for the back plate. I'm not 100% convinced it is still water resistant, and I don't plan on finding out.
- The hardware is good & you can get phones under 6".
  
  They have 2 big flaws: price & years of continued support. The catch 22 is you can get a good price on them after the support window (2 years, but looks like 5 will be going forward). Luckily LineageOS always picks up after the support window if willing to take on possible firmware vulnerabilities knowing software will continue to be updated—but the camera requires the proprietary apps/libs or it looks low-end.
I used to do that then I discovered that I didn't need MicroG
- Oh? I've been completely off Google services and apps for a decade but I still find that MicroG is nice to have for spoofing a few apps that checks for GSF to run. I'm curious how you managed to disentangle yourself to the point of not even needing MicroG.

Ι use Murena's e/OS, I like the iphone-likeness of it. It works.

@merompetehla
Such question I like to answer with this link from a security specislist.
privsec.dev/posts/

Please check the category Android.
Graphene seems the best possible custom rom.
I use Lineageos because I got an old phone for free.

a security specislist.

I like how you highlight one of my pet peeves there.

Docs like this should be living so they can be fixed.
- @corsicanguppy
  Could you elaborate what you mean with that?

I personally prefer Lineage OS

just so everyone is aware grapheneos only support's pixels because it is specifically designed for taking advantage of the hardware security features found in google's tensor and titan chips. and thus installing it on another phone would kinda miss the point (and vastly increase the scope of the project)

google is also basically the best company when it comes to phones for custom roms, as they provide stock images, a simple bootloader unlocking process (that doesn't void your warranty as far as i can tell), and generally the aosp and software support that comes from being the phone of the developer of android.

Also because the google pixel its bootloader can be relocked without much trouble. that is a big part of why GOS only supports pixel phones.

I am on a pixel 7 with graphene OS. Been great. Ive been using this phone for about a year or so now.

Also posting from a Pixel 7 running Graphene for abouta year. No issues, I use Fdroid for most apps and Aurora when I have too. Only bummer is I haven't found a good FOSS keyboard with swipe. Really miss gboard for that and gif insertion.
- Have you tried Heliboard? You'll need to download a (proprietary?) library for it though. https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard

GrapheneOS on a Pixel 8 Pro. I've been super happy with it since I switched from iOS.

Graphene on Pixel 8 here, also pretty happy with it. Previously had a Pixel 3a with Graphene.

I run LineageOS for microG, on LOS for more than 5 years now. I am not willing to pay for Pixel phones, even the used devices are to expensive for me. I do not really care about an unlocked bootloader, so that's alright.

As of the latest release (21), you can simply install microG on regular LOS and no longer need to install LineageOS for microG since it now includes the necessary signature spoofing support.
- Shorty after release it still had no support for UnifiedNLP, which I rely on for a decent location. That's basically the only reason I use LineageOS for microG, as I am kind of an OpenStreetMap power user.

I like grapheneos, very close to stock android without google shit

you got bonus settings like the sensors toggle

Lineage is kinda bad privacy and security wise, from the little I know its not fully degoogled

Lineage is kinda bad privacy and security wise, from the little I know its not fully degoogled

My understanding is kinda the opposite:

GrapheneOS ships with a sandboxed, FOSS Google Play Services which can optionally do a bunch of Google things (use their APIs, login to Google etc.) plus they have some hosted services that can substitute Google services (like geolocation).

LineageOS basically doesn't ship with any Google Play style API/frameworks at all. It's a pure AOSP experience. Any apps on F-Droid work but third party apps (like ones found on Google Play) are hit and miss. If you can just use F-Droid for all of your apps then LineageOS is probably a much more private and secure offering.

LineageOS for microG is an unofficial fork of LineageOS which includes a FOSS Google Play Services compatibility layer, a bit like GrapheneOS. As far as I know it doesn't have the same level of sandboxing as Sandboxed Google Play on GrapheneOS.

Both GrapheneOS and LineageOS publish monthly updates with upstream security patches for all supported devices.

Both GrapheneOS use network-provided DNS by default.

Apparently both GrapheneOS and LineageOS connect to connectivitytest.gstatic.com via http as a Captive Portal test by default,althoughh this was as of 2019-2020 and both might have changed since then.
- Most of this is right, but needs some things corrected.
  
  LOS is kept up by individual maintainers of the devices, and so it can cover more of them. But that also means you expand your attack surface to lineage, maintainer, microg, etc. And that's just on supported devices. Unofficial devices are even more wild-west, having much delayed releases, OS updates, security updates, everything.
  
  Not only that, but Lineage requires that you unlock your bootloader and often have your phone rooted to be able to do everything. This introduces special points of insecurity and possible issues in the future.
  
  GOS is from a single source, for a single line of phones, and uses a designed method to load cryptographically signed ROMs onto the device, and then validate updates using the same method. The Play Services are sandboxed and disabled by default, so you can just never use them if you want. Overall, this makes for a more cohesive device. One that is more private and more secure. Especially so, when you can buy a new Pixel device and have guaranteed updates for as long as Google will do so for the same device.
- GrapheneOS ships with a sandboxed, FOSS Google Play Services which can optionally do a bunch of Google things (use their APIs, login to Google etc.) plus they have some hosted services that can substitute Google services (like geolocation).
  
  GrapheneOS doesn't ship with any Google services by default. We do provide an easy and safe way to install the Google Play components if desired, they are run under the same sandbox and constraints as any other ordinary app you install. Because they expect privileged access that they don't get on GrapheneOS, we add a compatibility layer that essentially teaches them to work under the normal circumstances that is the sandbox. If you don't want them you don't have to do anything, they are not present in that case.
  
  LineageOS basically doesn’t ship with any Google Play style API/frameworks at all. It’s a pure AOSP experience. Any apps on F-Droid work but third party apps (like ones found on Google Play) are hit and miss. If you can just use F-Droid for all of your apps then LineageOS is probably a much more private and secure offering.
  
  LineageOS does make connections to Google by default, as does AOSP. GrapheneOS changes those connections while LineageOS doesn't. They can be viewed here:
  
  https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm
  
  Keep in mind, that table isn't exhaustive. It lists the regular connections AOSP makes and how each OS handles them, but doesn't include information on any additional connections that occur.
  
  You can absolutely download apps from F-Droid on GrapheneOS, what makes you think you can't, and how did you conclude that LineageOS is more private and secure?
  
  Both GrapheneOS and LineageOS publish monthly updates with upstream security patches for all supported devices.
  
  LineageOS is pretty commonly behind on updates. As an example, it seems that LineageOS 21 (based on Android 14 QPR1) came out in February of this year.
  
  https://9to5google.com/2024/03/12/lineageos-21-review/
  
  You cannot ship the full security patches without being on the latest version of Android, which is Android 14 QPR3 now. Of course, if the device is EOL, that's doubtly the case, and no OS can fix that.
  
  Apparently both GrapheneOS and LineageOS connect to connectivitytest.gstatic.com via http as a Captive Portal test by default,althoughh this was as of 2019-2020 and both might have changed since then.
  
  I don't know if this was the case in 2019, but it certainly isn't the case now. On GrapheneOS, you have the choice of using the GrapheneOS server for the internet connectivity check, changing it to Google's server or even disabling it altogether.

https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm This is a nice overview

CrDroid... Use it mostly because it's stock android with a few extra options...

And you can have micro g if you need cloud messaging or google apps.

For me LineageOS is a good baseline. I don't have anything against "privacy" OS's but they're not really for me. I just use F-Droid to get apps and don't care about compatibility with proprietary stuff so neither microG nor the GrapheneOS sandboxed Play services are of interest to me. I don't use GrapheneOS because I don't have or want a Pixel phone.

LineageOS significantly increases the lifespan of devices it supports and that's important to me. Planned obsolescence is cancer.

My ideal mobile OS would be something like Mobian (or even better, a GNU Guix based distribution) but it should be noted that AOSP is also a Linux based operating system and thus anything derived from that is a Linux mobile OS.

Went with lineage since I grew up on cyanogenmod.

I'm currently running GrapheneOS on a Pixel 8 Pro. I use the provided sandboxed google services because of some apps (banking, etc). I use F-Droid for most of my needs. I don't understand what you mean by misleading advertising.

I'm fairly happy with LineageOS myself

but there is so much false information about this OS, namely compatible phones that simply don’t work with this OS and no support.

I think you're overreacting a bit calling it "false information". LOS is a FLOSS project that many individuals have ported to their device — and either at some point they buy a new phone and drop that development, or they realise what a massive project it is to maintain it. That's just a general bummer with open source, especially when people volunteer their free time.

PureOS

Btw, is there a stripped down from AOSP custom rom around? I only want to use my old phone as alarm clock but standby holds only a week, despite the battery being rather big. My old Galaxy S3 with custom rom and BBS optimized held a month at least.

Lineageos with no apps is light enough, I think.
- But that's what i did. Still only a week.

Crdroid with microg is what I use Getting rid of google services altogether is a huge mess. Its hard for me tbh. Lineages for microg (lineageos4microg) is also something that I wanna checkout. Grapheneos is fine only if you want to pay for it.

GrapheneOS as well with profiles

grapheneos on a secondhand pixel 5 which was about 280$AUD. though i probably should have gotten a newer model considering the 5 is nearing end of life for GOS

Same mistake I made. But I'll probably keep using it until the battery is completely dead.

Been using /e/OS on a OnePlus 6T for the last ~2 years and love it. The built-in ad tracker blocker works well. GoS works for the best part and if it doesnt, heading over to the website usually works.

Graphene OS users, what options are available for backing up your phone? I tried looking for an answer but wasn't able to find anything recent on this topic.

I want to try it but this is the one thing holding me back.

I just use nextcloud as a target for backups (Aegis, Signal, QkSMS). Apps such as KeePassDX I have load the file via nextcloud. My contacts and calendar go through it as well, photos are just set to auto upload along with a few other directories.

As for the home screen layouts, I just take screenshots once I have it how I like and try to remember to take them again if I change stuff.

It's not a full backup but I'm back up and running fairly quickly (Pixel 5A died on me 3 times in under a one year lifespan per device).
Syncthing is my answer though I appreciate it doesn't get to the root of your question.

There are local backups that include your system settings, text messages, contacts, call history and (optionally) apps. The one thing I want is the ability to pick a directory for the local backup so I can make it work with syncthing without jumping through hoops.

It's also compatible with Nextcloud and WebDAV if those are options for you.

I put lineageos on my old OnePlus, which had started to lag so much that even the password prompt would take a minute to register my key presses. The moment I put lineage on it, it started working as if it was new and finally had security updates for the first time in 2 or so years. I now use it as a backup device, and also as a webcam for my pc using scrcpy.

I use proprietary AOSP because I require online banking :(

Couldn't you use the website?

It really depends on what you want from your phone and what matters to you.

I recently got a refurbished OnePlus 9 and put lineage on it. I would have gone with a pixel and graphene, but pixels with more storage are hard to come by and expensive.

Find which roms are available for your phone and choose from there, or if you want to change the Asus phone, look at your target specs and which phone ROM combination you can find

Stuck on a relatively new Galaxy rn, but if I could install a custom ROM, it would be GNOME shell mobile

CrDroid on Poco F3, it just works and it's on latest Android version.

i have calyx on a pixel 7a since it's easy to use

I am very happy with my moto g42 and Calix OS. The phone is reasonably priced (around 120.- euros).

Only downside is you have to register online to get full root access and I also had to wait like three days till everything unlocked. Otherwise I found the process very easy even for a caveman like me.

Would like to know too! I use a proprietary OS for now and want to jump ship with my next phone.

I use CRDroid /CRAndroid, because it was the only de-Googled ROM for my specific model of phone (S20 FE Exynos), also (I think) it's a fork of LineageOS.

Ran LineageOS on a OnePlus 6T for a couple months. Overall, it was perfectly usable, but also lacked some of the polish of my daily (Galaxy S23), which was totally to be expected.

I’m looking at getting a new phone this Christmas. I’ve been fucking with fedora on my main and Garuda on a cheap mini pc in the garage. So I’d like to swap my phone over too. What is a good model to look into or a good model to await?

Pixel 6 or 7 any variant, not carrier locked. I use a 6a

Stock AOSP shipped on Pixel.

I use Graphene on my phone and DivestOS on my tablet

DivestOS on my tablet

Cool, there are supported tablets now?

I've used LineageOS in the past, and have nothing to complain about it, but realistically I only root and change the OS of my phones after warranty is over and I could potentially lose it without being a problem.

I’ve never tried it out but I want to install nethunter if I had a chance because it can run terminal emulators

https://www.kali.org/docs/nethunter/