Despite being open source, Android brands vie to be first among equals, especially Google, which leads with a new version of the system and guides the look, feel, and features every year, as well as with its Pixel phones which also contribute.
The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are set for 7 years of support covering both software and hardware (not guaranteed, but parts will be available until 2030). The Pixel 8 Pro is the better of the two with a 6.7” LTPO display (1,344 x 2,992 px), a 48 MP 5x periscope, and a 48 MP ultra-wide camera.
The smaller Pixel 8 (that’s small, not tiny) has a regular 6.2” OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution. It loses the periscope lens and its ultra-wide is also downgraded to a 12MP sensor. It also has a smaller battery (4,575 mAh vs. 5,050 mAh). However, it has the same Tensor G3 chipset as the Pro.
If the 8 series is too expensive for you, consider the Pixel 7a. It uses the older Tensor G2 chip and will only receive two more OS updates, having already got Android 14, and security patches for 5 years. It has a 64MP main camera with OIS and a 13MP ultra-wide, plus a 6.1” FHD+ OLED display with 90Hz refresh rate. These features are big upgrades over the 12MP main camera and 60Hz display of the 6a.
However, if the Pixel 8 isn’t too expensive for you and you’re just not happy with the feature set, consider the Samsung Galaxy S23. While lacking an LTPO screen, it is a few millimeters more compact and has the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which gives it a noticeable advantage in battery life despite a smaller capacity. It supports the DeX desktop environment over USB-C and has a telephoto camera – a 10MP 3x module.
Shifting over to the iOS side of the fence, the Apple iPhone 15 Plus is a big phone with excellent battery life. The 6.7” 120Hz OLED screen (1,290 x 2,796 px) is as big and as bright as the 15 Pro Max screen, despite the latter being an LTPO panel. However, this year the Plus has a Dynamic Island instead of a notch and a main camera of 48 MP. These factors help balance the lack of a telephoto lens on board, at least a little.
And we’re back to Android. Both the Xiaomi 12T and 12T Pro are quite similar. The question is, Dimensity 8100 Ultra or Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1? Also 108MP main camera (1/1.67”) or 200MP (1/1.22”)? And, of course, how much are you willing to pay? Both phones have the same display, a 6.67” 12-bit 120Hz panel with 1,220 x 2,712 px resolution, the same basic 8 MP ultra-wide camera, and the same 5,000 mAh battery with 120 W only wired charging.
If you’re leaning towards the 12T price tag, compare it to the Nothing Phone (1). The screen is a little less impressive, a 6.55” OLED with FHD + resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. But it possesses the Snapdragon 778G+ chipset, which is more efficient and has a longer battery life, these being coupled with a smaller 4,500mAh battery (which is 33W wired and 15W wireless charging). For cameras, the main module is less impressive (50MP 1/1.56”), but the ultrawide has a 50MP sensor. Xiaomi promises 4 OS updates for the 12T and 5 years of software support, while Nix only committed to 3 OS updates for the phone (1) (both phones started with Android 12).
If you’re on the lookout for new headphones, the Google Pixel Buds Pro have a small discount. They offer good sound quality and excellent battery life, although the ANC is not perfect.
But if you chose an iPhone, consider the Apple AirPods Pro 2. These offer much better integration with Apple devices (and very poor for Android devices), excellent sound, ANC, and battery life, but note that this is the older version with a Lightning port for charging.
If you don’t want to choose a side between Android and iOS or just want over-ear headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is still a good choice. The XM5 offers better ANC in the mid and treble range, but their new hinge design is not as flexible. Either way, the XM4 is a good choice for the money.
Lastly, we turn to two tablets – specifically two iPads. The vanilla Apple iPad from 2021 has less than half of what the 2022 model does. It has a similar screen (10.2” vs. 10.9”) and while its chipset is a year older (A13 vs. A14), it should be fast enough for most daily tasks (it’s the chipset of the iPhone 11 generation). Note that the 2021 model has a Lightning port, while the 2022 model has switched to USB-C.
