Had a Samsung Galaxy S9 before the Pixel 3. Liking the Pixel a lot more. Samsung phones are just full of redundant apps with way more settings than I need on a phone. Took me forever to find settings to change them, even with the Settings search. And the Samsung/Google/Verizon updates were, in a word, irregular. Got the November security update for the Pixel right on the usual date, Nov. 5.
The Samsung had a great screen, so does the Pixel. The Samsung was a fast phone, the Pixel feels even a little faster with the same chip set. Most likely because there aren't a gazillion redundant apps on a Pixel phone. The S9 is a nice phone, but Samsung makes it too painful to use, in my not so humble opinion

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Glad to have the Pixel phone, and very happy with it.