what made you decide on the ph1?

dmateo

Well-known member
Feb 3, 2015
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Just wondering what made many of you choose the essential over any other stock Android device such as the pixel or pixel 2. Are price and aesthetics the two main factors? My pixel 2 xl should be arriving on Monday after numerous delays but I still keep thinking about the ph1. I had to send the one I had ordered back due to dead pixels and never really gave it (ph1) a fair shot.
 
Stock Android, great specs, build quality for half the price of the Pixel. And I like the company.
 
Stock Android, great specs, build quality for half the price of the Pixel. And I like the company.
I second that, but it's more the other way around for me...the Pixel seems way overpriced for the quality of the device. On the outside it feels like a plasticky midrange phone, even though the software experience and the interior components are quite good. So it seems like the premium you are paying is for the software support (and the unfair market advantage of the brand with full carrier support etc. LOL) On the Essential we get a better quality device with similar hardware and the same software commitment. And thanks to the price cut its a lot cheaper. Win win win.

And I agree the support form Essential is second to none. They are very attentive and helpful. Very satisfied with my Essential experience so far.
 
For me, it was a value proposition that has an incredible look and proper size. I was able to get flagship components at an incredibly low price. I also really like the nearly bezeless front. You get so much screen real estate with out the obscene size. For me the elegence and simplicity of the phone made it a no brainer.

Then, throw in the bare android experience with OS upgrades for 2 years makes it near perfect. Very happy with my decision.
 
For me, it was a value proposition that has an incredible look and proper size. I was able to get flagship components at an incredibly low price. I also really like the nearly bezeless front. You get so much screen real estate with out the obscene size. For me the elegence and simplicity of the phone made it a no brainer.

Then, throw in the bare android experience with OS upgrades for 2 years makes it near perfect. Very happy with my decision.
Yes good point...that screen! It's a big gorgeous screen with those slim bezels allowing for a much smaller device.
 
We'll I actually have both the essential phone and a Pixel 2 XL and I find I'm using the essential more often. The stock Android is nice on both but the form factor of the essential is second to none. The camera has gotten to the point that it's fine for 98% of what I need. Software continues to get better too. I'm trying to decide whether to sell the pixel so I'm committed to using the essential for a week straight and then I'll decide.
 
I personally wanted to go for it because of the beautiful aesthetics, price and screen.
 
I think at this point I'm not completely sold on the pixel and am reevaluating the essential..
 
I'd been interested in the Essential Phone for a while due to stock Android, unusual but visually appealing design, big screen with minimal bezel and flagship specs. Never seriously considered the Pixel 2. Didn't want a phone with 5" screen and huge bezels. Wasn't blown away by the Pixel 2 XL and didn't want the OnePlus 5T, so I decided to give the PH-1 a shot when the price went down to $399 on Amazon. Had to do a couple returns for various issues, but now I'm very happy with the phone running beta 3.
 
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it also appears that they just released an update to the camera app so this should definitely improve its stability (as per essential twitter page 1 day ago)
 
it also appears that they just released an update to the camera app so this should definitely improve its stability (as per essential twitter page 1 day ago)

I love almost everything about the PH-1, but the camera is still a dumpster fire.
 
It's because of the size of the phone combined with the size of the screen. I prefer smaller phones. Also stock Android.
 
The size of the phone and feel is incredible. I prefer it over my Pixel 2 XL in terms of real world use except for one thing, reception. In good reception area is a non issue but at work where reception is spotty it's much worse than my Pixel. I'm still keeping it hoping 8.1 makes things a bit better.
 
The size of the phone and feel is incredible. I prefer it over my Pixel 2 XL in terms of real world use except for one thing, reception. In good reception area is a non issue but at work where reception is spotty it's much worse than my Pixel. I'm still keeping it hoping 8.1 makes things a bit better.

Please let us know how you fare with 8.1!
 
Agreed: the Essential has a good size and I like how they have the bezels set up.

It's compact enough that it fits in virtually any pocket without adding any bulk despite having a screen that's relatively large considering the size of the phone.
 
It's compact enough that it fits in virtually any pocket without adding any bulk despite having a screen that's relatively large considering the size of the phone.

Agreed! I love phones that are so pocketable/easy to use one-handed and yet also have great screen real estate.
 

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