[Dws51]

So mine went back yesterday. Very tough decision as I really like the phone. Here are my reasons for the return.

1. Upcoming discounts from Black Friday on. One preview shows me where I can save $200.

2. Going to try the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

3. My issue with leaving iMessages. While I could care less about which messaging app I use, my family and most friends use it. This has caused me grief in the two weeks of trying the Pixel 5. Someone or company should sue Apple for having a messaging service that causes so many problems when trying to leave it. AND believe me I have spent many hours trying to find a good solution which would allow me to stay with Android, but none worked.

I think Google has a real winner with the Pixel 5. I hope to return to it in the future.

[Mike Dee]

The type of lawsuit you mention would never fly. It's their proprietary system so they allowed to keep it within IOS.

[sulla1965]

I'm selling mine while the market is good. Excellent little phone, with an emphasis on little. Just too small for my liking. If they sold an XL version, I might return to it. Right now my Pixel 3 is fine as my backup phone. I just can't replace my s20 plus with the pixel 5. And at $699 its too expensive to keep as a backup.

[Dws51]

You might be surprised. Just look at what Microsoft has had to do with Windows. Also both Google and Apple are being examined very carefully by our very own Government. Even though I tend to agree with your statement, our legal system feels differently. When companies come up with products that seem to stop competition, our legal system system steps in.
Without iMessage I would bet more buyers would leave Apple.

[elvee68]

Without iMessage I would bet more buyers would leave Apple.

I don't believe this would be the case.
Half my friends and family are iPhone and the other half are Android. We all converse together on FB Messenger.

Sorry no disrespect but I think no one is choosing or are being stuck on one platform because of an app.

[mustang7757]

Keeping my pixel 5 , think its a great phone !

[Dws51]

But you see all of you have to be on FB messenger. I personally will never be on that platform. So what I am saying is if I choose to use Google messenger, or Samsung messaging, that text should reach me, and yet if you have left iMessage it may not. In the "old days" if I used Sprint, Att, or some other land line the call always reached the end user. It should be mandatory that a text message does the same. If not, they are using their service to keep you with them. I feel that is not fair in our communication environment.
Just my opinion.
Thank you for being so respectful in your response.

[Dws51]

Totally agree, it is a great phone.

[mustang7757]

But you see all of you have to be on FB messenger. I personally will never be on that platform. So what I am saying is if I choose to use Google messenger, or Samsung messaging, that text should reach me, and yet if you have left iMessage it may not. In the "old days" if I used Sprint, Att, or some other land line the call always reached the end user. It should be mandatory that a text message does the same. If not, they are using their service to keep you with them. I feel that is not fair in our communication environment.
Just my opinion.
Thank you for being so respectful in your response.

I use android and apple and both great platforms, never had issues with iPhone users texting my android phones , and I use Samsung, Google, One Plus phones.

[buzzy3970]

You'd be very surprised. FaceTime and iMessage account for a good 40% of why people stick with Apple. The younger generation has also tied their parents and grandparents into the ecosystem to make it as they would call it "easy to communicate".

I don't believe this would be the case.
Half my friends and family are iPhone and the other half are Android. We all converse together on FB Messenger.

Sorry no disrespect but I think no one is choosing or are being stuck on one platform because of an app.

[elvee68]

I use android and apple and both great platforms, never had issues with iPhone users texting my android phones , and I use Samsung, Google, One Plus phones.

See I do too and never had a problem between platforms.

[elvee68]

You'd be very surprised. FaceTime and iMessage account for a good 40% of why people stick with Apple. The younger generation has also tied their parents and grandparents into the ecosystem to make it as they would call it "easy to communicate".

I'm glad to be part of the 60% then.

[Morty2264]

I can understand your hesitation and also why you would want to head back to iMessage. My husband's entire family (save him, his brother, me, and one uncle) all have iPhones - so whenever iMessage happens, we are out of the loop. It's a very difficult situation to navigate. We've done well with Facebook Messenger family group chats - but when everyone has iPhones, why use a separate messaging app?

[stevehopman77]

edit

[stevehopman77]

1. Upcoming discounts from Black Friday on. One preview shows me where I can save $200.

Wondering where you see the $200 preview? Thanks!

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Yeah I'm selling it and moving to the iPhone 12 Pro Max which arrives on Friday for me. Reasons why I'm selling the Pixel 5:

1. It absolutely does not feel like a premium phone - no matter what people want to say. The phone has an aluminium build covered in a plastic coating (which the Pixel 2 had) and it feels like cheap plastic. They can try to sugar-coat it by calling it 'bio-resin' all they want, but it's plastic. Looks, feels and functions as a low-end plastic phone that's excessively light and feels hollow when the haptics vibrate the phone. Worst build/feel for a Pixel phone.
2. The top speaker is abysmal and I find it hard to hear calls from it even at max volume. If there's any background noise, then good chance I won't be able to hear the call properly. I have no idea why Google didn't just put a speaker grille at the top of the phone, so the sound has somewhere to come out from rather than trying to push through the sealed front glass. Really bad design choice.
3. The vibration motor is not good and feels worse than the ones in previous Pixel phones. The vibration no longer feels like a 'tap' like it used to and feels like a low quality vibration. The haptics was a victim of the cost cutting unfortunately.
4. The camera has seen no upgrades whatsoever since the Pixel 2. The computational photography hasn't gotten any better and the hardware obviously hasn't gotten any better. Back in 2017, the Pixel 2 camera was amazing and way ahead of the competition, now in 2020 the competition has surpassed the Pixel and it is no longer the camera king. The iPhone holds that crown, and it also has much, much better video. The camera was the single best feature on the Pixel and because Google have become complacent, has done nothing to see tangible improvements, it's now no longer in the 'best camera' discussion.
5. The phone ditched the telephoto camera (which I liked) for ultra-wide, except the ultra-wide isn't even that wide (only 107 FOV compared to 120 FOV in the iPhone and Galaxy phones). Would have been nice if they included all 3 lenses.
6. The processor does feel slower to me than other phones I've owned. I've noticed multiple times now the phone hang and lag and take a few seconds to catch up, which isn't something I'd experienced before on Pixels.
7. The phone heats up and stops recording 4k/60fps video after a few minutes which is extremely frustrating.
8. Android 11's design choices to me feel like a backwards step and I find quite buggy.

On first impressions, I thought the Pixel 5 was better than the Pixel 4/4XL, but now that the honeymoon period has well and truly worn off, considering its price, I think it's the worst Pixel phone Google have made. The only truly positive thing I can say about it, is that it has great battery life. Other than that, Android 11 is extremely buggy, the hardware is overpriced and I don't see any reason to purchase this phone over its competition.

Google don't have a strategy with the Pixel line. Every year is a 'reset' year with the new phones having drastically different design/features than its predecessor with features randomly popping in and out every generation. Now they're going with this overpriced mid-range phone 'strategy' which has cut so many corners, when other phones in this price range haven't.

The Pixel 4a makes sense, as it's ~90% of the phone for half the price. The Pixel 5 doesn't make sense. I don't even know why Google are continuing with the line - seems to me they could not care less about it and just churn one out every year because it's a tradition or something.

So I'll be glad to get rid of it and move to the iPhone. At least one company out there knows what they're doing.

[daveandcori]

Love my Pixel 5 - great performance, perfect size, does everything I want and more. I have Samsung Galaxy S10 for work and I do not like the Samsung skin or features. Barely use it at all.

The coating on the Pixel 5 makes it easier to hold and less slippery, the camera is amazing, love the wireless charging and I've charged my Pixel Buds with it. Super fast and smooth performance. No issues at all. Runs better than my work phone.

And I love pure Android vs a skin from Samsung or others.

[mustang7757]

Yeah I'm selling it and moving to the iPhone 12 Pro Max which arrives on Friday for me. Reasons why I'm selling the Pixel 5:

1. It absolutely does not feel like a premium phone - no matter what people want to say. The phone has an aluminium build covered in a plastic coating (which the Pixel 2 had) and it feels like cheap plastic. They can try to sugar-coat it by calling it 'bio-resin' all they want, but it's plastic. Looks, feels and functions as a low-end plastic phone that's excessively light and feels hollow when the haptics vibrate the phone. Worst build/feel for a Pixel phone.
2. The top speaker is abysmal and I find it hard to hear calls from it even at max volume. If there's any background noise, then good chance I won't be able to hear the call properly. I have no idea why Google didn't just put a speaker grille at the top of the phone, so the sound has somewhere to come out from rather than trying to push through the sealed front glass. Really bad design choice.
3. The vibration motor is not good and feels worse than the ones in previous Pixel phones. The vibration no longer feels like a 'tap' like it used to and feels like a low quality vibration. The haptics was a victim of the cost cutting unfortunately.
4. The camera has seen no upgrades whatsoever since the Pixel 2. The computational photography hasn't gotten any better and the hardware obviously hasn't gotten any better. Back in 2017, the Pixel 2 camera was amazing and way ahead of the competition, now in 2020 the competition has surpassed the Pixel and it is no longer the camera king. The iPhone holds that crown, and it also has much, much better video. The camera was the single best feature on the Pixel and because Google have become complacent, has done nothing to see tangible improvements, it's now no longer in the 'best camera' discussion.
5. The phone ditched the telephoto camera (which I liked) for ultra-wide, except the ultra-wide isn't even that wide (only 107 FOV compared to 120 FOV in the iPhone and Galaxy phones). Would have been nice if they included all 3 lenses.
6. The processor does feel slower to me than other phones I've owned. I've noticed multiple times now the phone hang and lag and take a few seconds to catch up, which isn't something I'd experienced before on Pixels.
7. The phone heats up and stops recording 4k/60fps video after a few minutes which is extremely frustrating.
8. Android 11's design choices to me feel like a backwards step and I find quite buggy.

On first impressions, I thought the Pixel 5 was better than the Pixel 4/4XL, but now that the honeymoon period has well and truly worn off, considering its price, I think it's the worst Pixel phone Google have made. The only truly positive thing I can say about it, is that it has great battery life. Other than that, Android 11 is extremely buggy, the hardware is overpriced and I don't see any reason to purchase this phone over its competition.

Google don't have a strategy with the Pixel line. Every year is a 'reset' year with the new phones having drastically different design/features than its predecessor with features randomly popping in and out every generation. Now they're going with this overpriced mid-range phone 'strategy' which has cut so many corners, when other phones in this price range haven't.

The Pixel 4a makes sense, as it's ~90% of the phone for half the price. The Pixel 5 doesn't make sense. I don't even know why Google are continuing with the line - seems to me they could not care less about it and just churn one out every year because it's a tradition or something.

So I'll be glad to get rid of it and move to the iPhone. At least one company out there knows what they're doing.

You always had a love/Hate relationship with Google but I agree with some things and disagree on others.

[flumdog]

Returned due to my disappointment with the top speaker. Otherwise, it was a nice upgrade from my P3.

[bhatech]

Definitely a keeper, best Pixel to date for me after owning every Pixel. Will be my main backup phone since iOS is my current daily driver. I always prefer the pixel experience even though I own multiple android phones. Pixel is the only android phone which I keep the longest.

[cindylike24]

I had a Samsung Galaxy S20 and returned it for a Google Pixel 5. I just couldn't get used to the Samsung OneUI environment. I prefer the way that Google Pixel's way of doing Android and timely updates.

Cindy

[The_Woo]

I was on the fence. But the form factor and the simplicity of the P5 ended up being the deciding factor. Really enjoying this phone, plus I was able to sell my N10+ on Swappa for 535.... Not bad

[bkdodger2]

You always had a love/Hate relationship with Google but I agree with some things and disagree on others.

Yeah he loves to hate it.. Lmao

I don't have one to experience first hand but I can see some of the points... Most definitely... Guys on the other forum having issues with overheating... Overall I think more will be okay end of day...

Definitely a keeper, best Pixel to date for me after owning every Pixel. Will be my main backup phone since iOS is my current daily driver. I always prefer the pixel experience even though I own multiple android phones. Pixel is the only android phone which I keep the longest.

Nice and great to hear ya... I'm going with the 4a 5G as my backup... I'm giving away wireless charging and the 90hz and RAM but for a backup I think it will be just fine... I'm even thinking unlock bootloader and have a little fun...

[mustang7757]

Yeah he loves to hate it.. Lmao

I don't have one to experience first hand but I can see some of the points... Most definitely... Guys on the other forum having issues with overheating... Overall I think more will be okay end of day... Nice and great to hear ya... I'm going with the 4a 5G as my backup... I'm giving away wireless charging and the 90hz and RAM but for a backup I think it will be just fine... I'm even thinking unlock bootloader and have a little fun...

For me they left out too many things on the pixel 4a for my liking.

[bkdodger2]

For me they left out too many things on the pixel 4a for my liking.

I hear ya and totally see from your side ...But other than 90hz I like the other trade offs....plus got one for $400 ..