GoKawiilRobert Triggs / Android Authority
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I switch phones for a living, so I don’t say this lightly: Google makes great phones. But “great” and “the phone I’d actually buy and recommend to friends” are two very different things. I’ve used Galaxy and Pixel phones for years, and I always come back to a Galaxy.
And no, this has nothing to do with foldables, the S Pen, or any of that stuff that only matters to a small group of users. It’s because of the experience that actually counts when you’re living with the same device for two or three years. Samsung just gets more of that right, at least for me. The Pixel 11 lineup hasn’t changed that.
What matters most when picking a phone? 29 votes Camera and clean software 28 % Customization and better apps 14 % Performance and reliability 52 % The ecosystem around it 7 %
I prefer Samsung’s apps over Google’s
Let’s start with something that isn’t talked about enough in the whole Galaxy versus Pixel debate. Some of Samsung’s apps and features are way better, and that matters in day-to-day use.
Samsung’s Secure Folder is a great example here. I know, I know, Pixel has Private Space too, but if you put them side by side, Secure Folder just does more. It’s more feature-rich, it doesn’t force you to use a secondary Google account, and you can hide it from the app drawer entirely. Samsung DeX is another underrated gem. I personally use it as a laptop replacement while traveling, and it gets the job done. Pixel’s Desktop Mode is barebones by comparison. Heck, it doesn’t even work wirelessly yet, which means you can’t use your phone freely for something else while the Desktop Mode is running.
These are just a couple of examples, but the pattern holds. Modes and Routines beats Pixel Rules thanks to a longer list of triggers and actions. Samsung Notes beats Google Keep with features like note summarization and easy PDF annotation. Samsung Gallery beats Google Photos because of its ease of use and a search tool that works for every photo, not just those backed up to the cloud. The list goes on.
Of course, Google also makes great apps that are hard to beat — Photos, Drive, Calendar, Gboard, and Gemini. But here’s the thing. I can use every single one of those apps on my Galaxy if I want. That’s not true the other way around.
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