After years with Samsung, these Pixel exclusives finally convinced me to switch

My time with a Samsung Galaxy phone was mostly positive—it was the first device I’d owned that had received more than a few Android updates. However, when it was time to upgrade, I ended up going with a Google Pixel 10 Pro instead of another Samsung handset, and these Pixel-exclusive features were a major reason why.

Brand

Google

SoC

Google Tensor G5

The Pixel 10 Pro offers an upgrade over the base model with the powerful Google Tensor G5 chip, more RAM, and more storage (if you need it).

Google’s software update cadence is second to none

Pixels are always first in line to get fresh versions of Android

Credit: Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek

Don’t get me wrong, Samsung is one of the best Android brands when it comes to the frequency and promptness of software updates. My S21 FE received new security updates on a regular basis, along with the occasional One UI update. Major Android updates became less timely as the years went by, but the phone still got new Android versions sooner than most other devices. Pixel phones are, however, in a league of their own when it comes to software updates.

I love that monthly Pixel Drops bring not only security updates and bug fixes but also new features, such as Comfort View and Notification Summaries. Pixel phones are also first in line for major Android releases, with Android 17 already available on the Pixel near you, as long as it’s supported. Another thing that swayed me toward Pixel is how easy it is to install Android beta versions. Better yet, I don’t need the latest and greatest Pixel phone to do so.

Samsung remains one of the best phone brands when it comes to the timeliness and frequency of software updates, but Google operates on another level. That’s hardly surprising, considering the company is, after all, helming Android development.

Pixel UI looks and feels fantastic

And comes with almost zero bloatware

Again, One UI Home is one of the best Android launchers out there, especially when paired with Good Lock. But I wanted to try the “stock” Android experience available on Pixel phones, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The tight Material You integration results in an attractive and cohesive user experience across the entire system, whether we’re talking about the Settings app, Home screen, or Quick Settings panel. Then there’s the unmatched fluidity, a bright and colorful design language that never feels overbearing, and a ton of handy features sprinkled throughout the OS, such as the ability to take screenshots and extract text from the Recent Apps menu.

Last but not least, Pixel phones come with only a handful of preinstalled apps. Samsung phones aren’t nearly as bloated as they used to be, but the situation is still less than ideal. I have to admit, I love Google’s vision of Android, with the only exception being the fairly limited Pixel Launcher.

I wanted to try out the coveted Pixel camera experience

And I wasn’t disappointed

Credit: Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek

Pixel phones haven’t held a clear edge in smartphone photography over other Android flagships for years, but I still wanted to see what the famed Pixel camera experience was all about. More than three months into owning a Pixel, I’m pretty satisfied and can confidently say I prefer it to the camera experience on Samsung phones.

The combination of a wide, ultrawide, and telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom is exactly what I was looking for. I also love the range of exclusive features, such as Add Me and Camera Coach. The fact that Pixel phones take fantastic point-and-shoot photos is also important to me, since I’m not particularly comfortable standing around tweaking camera settings for what feels like an eternity every time I want to take a photo in public. I also appreciate my Pixel’s nighttime photography performance and the seamless photo-editing workflow.

Back when I tried a friend’s Pixel 8 Pro, the phone that made me covet the Pixel camera experience in the first place, I didn’t think I’d end up liking it this much, but here we are. The only negative thing I have to say is that Google needs to redesign the Camera app because too many useful features are buried in menus or tucked away in odd places.

Pixelsnap didn’t end up being the game-changer I thought it would be

That said, I still find it handy

Credit: Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek

Another Pixel-exclusive feature that made me trade my Samsung Galaxy for a Pixel was Pixelsnap. It has turned out to be fairly useful, but not quite the game-changer I expected. I find the magnets handy when cooking, allowing me to snap my Pixel to the fridge and easily follow recipes or control Spotify playback, but that’s about the only thing I regularly use Google’s version of MagSafe for.

I don’t need a wireless power bank because the phone easily lasts until bedtime on a single charge, no matter how hard I push it. I also have little use for wireless charging since I charge my phone overnight. That said, I reckon Pixelsnap will come in handy once the battery loses some of its capacity, or when traveling, where a wireless snap-on power bank has clear advantages over a traditional wired one.

Brand

Google

SoC

Google Tensor G5

Display

6.3-inch Actua OLED, 20:9

RAM

12 GB RAM

Storage

128 GB / 256 GB

Looking to upgrade to a Pixel but not sure if you need all the bells and whistles of the more expensive models? You won’t be disappointed with the standard Pixel 10 model. Coming in striking colors, Gemini features, and seven years of updates, you can’t go wrong with this purchase.

I’ve also discovered a number of other Pixel exclusives that will make it hard to move on to another phone brand

Aside from the features I’ve already mentioned, I’ve discovered a bunch of Pixel exclusives that I now rely on daily. For instance, Pixel’s AI-powered call-assist features aren’t what made me take the plunge, but I ended up loving them nonetheless.

Now Playing and Comfort View have become indispensable parts of my routine, and I love the accuracy and ease of use of voice typing. Lastly, Pixel Screenshots has become one of the most valuable tools on my phone, turning screenshots into the most convenient way to save things for later.

These features, along with the ones that convinced me to switch from a Samsung Galaxy to a Google Pixel in the first place, will make it quite hard to leave the Pixel ecosystem when the time comes to replace my Pixel 10 Pro.