What's your experience one year in?

[ultravisitor]

Hey peeps. I was with Android until the release of the iPhone 6s Plus, but after the release of the Pixels last year, I've been tempted to come back with the Pixel XL 2. I really like what Google has been doing with Android on the Pixels, particularly since I'm a fan of a more pure Android experience (I will not touch a Shamsung, LG, HTC, etc. with a skin).

What I'm wondering, though, is how is your experience after a year?

Has there been any degradation of experience as your phone has aged? Are there any glaring problems that you wish would be fixed?

 

[matty032]

I hate skinned phones as well. Battery is probably not as good as it was on the early version of Nougat. Other than that it's running as good or better than ever. I will be waiting on the Pixel 3 before upgrading.

 

[muzzy996]

Stock rooted user here. I'm still on 7.1.1 with an old security patch and baseband. Love the way my phone is right now and how it performs. Haven't had to factory reset it or anything ever. I pulled it out of retail box 9 months ago and I love it just the same today - still plenty fast and reliable. I'm not even sure when or if I'll update it to Oreo - if a clean and reliable method to install Viper4Android on Oreo doesn't materialize I'll happily stay on 7.1.1 until the phone dies.

 

[Yuvalhad12]

Stock rooted user here. I'm still on 7.1.1 with an old security patch and baseband. Love the way my phone is right now and how it performs. Haven't had to factory reset it or anything ever. I pulled it out of retail box 9 months ago and I love it just the same today - still plenty fast and reliable. I'm not even sure when or if I'll update it to Oreo - if a clean and reliable method to install Viper4Android on Oreo doesn't materialize I'll happily stay on 7.1.1 until the phone dies.

How's the battery life? Did it degraded since you first used the phone?

 

[ainfinity]

No need to root this phone, the experience has been awesome, no reinstall through the betas and back to the general release all the way to Oreo. Could not be happier, but will not do a one year upgrade cycle, too expensive... the Pixel XL great phone.

 

[muzzy996]

How's the battery life? Did it degraded since you first used the phone?

Not that I noticed. My typical day results in a couple of hours of screen on time with half battery remaining which is good enough for me. I only find the need to top off in the middle of a day when I am doing mobile hotspot for extended periods of time (more than an hour) and that's only because I don't like having my battery dip down below 40%. I always charge nightly and leave the phone on the charger overnight.

 

[Gdraft#WN]

Got 2 xl's on day 2.

By FAR the best phones I have ever had. Even better than the old ones that hung on the wall AND just as reliable.

Every phone I have had starts to crap out after a few months. Gets slow, starts lagging, batter takes a dump.

But not this phone. It is as good today as the day I bought it.

I see people posting issues with Oreo, but I wonder if those aren't G8 trolls as I have never and any issues with either XL that I have

 

[Mhd 1999]

Regular pixel here on Oreo, simply the best phone I've ever used. I'm using it since March, speed is still the same, the camera is the best u can get, and battery is awesome ( it degraded a little right after Oreo update, but now I'm impressed again). So the whole 6 months experience can't get better, happy user here.

 

[vzwuser76]

Got 2 xl's on day 2.

By FAR the best phones I have ever had. Even better than the old ones that hung on the wall AND just as reliable.

Every phone I have had starts to crap out after a few months. Gets slow, starts lagging, batter takes a dump.

But not this phone. It is as good today as the day I bought it.

I see people posting issues with Oreo, but I wonder if those aren't G8 trolls as I have never and any issues with either XL that I have

I will ditto your comment, and add that after the Oreo update, I'm still getting right at 4hrs SOT.

The only post update issue I've had was my phone disconnecting from my truck's infotainment system (Bluetooth). I've had both the Nexus 6p and the Pixel, both of which had quite a few complaints about Bluetooth issues with vehicles, but up until now I've never had the issue. Hopefully the next patch (or 8.1) fixes it.

But this is the fist phone I've had with no real discernible degradation in battery life or performance. Some were worse than others (I'm looking at you Samsung) but the Pixel just seems to run like it did the day I got it. Definitely be looking at the sequel, if only for dual speakers and waterproofing. The rest is just icing on the cake.

 

[anon(10092459)]

I'm Day 1 with this Pixel and I can echo what's already been said. Absolutely, the best device I've ever owned. I'm pleasantly surprised things have held up so well since day 1. Phone is as smooth as it was a year ago. Battery life is surprisingly still solid.

I know there may be more aesthetically pleasing devices out there, but for users that are more interested in function over form, Pixel will always be top of my list.