I am looking to buy a Pixel just to install Graphene. My most recent Pixel is the OG from 2016 so its been a while. In my country, these are the available models: 9, 9a, 9 pro, 9 pro xl, 10, 0 pro and 10 pro xl.
These are my criteria:
- good battery
- i dont like big phones. So the XL models are out.
- storage not an issue. I’m fine witht the small 256 from 9a or even the 1tb from Pro.
- Easy to repair. I was 90% for the 9a until JerryRig’s video showed how the battery is almost impossible to take out. So if phone is dead => time for a new phone.
For 1) on paper, the 9a has the largest battery. But recently I saw a post from the Graphene discord, where someone got a 10 Pro (XL?) running Graphene with like 3 days SOT. Absolutely insane. Couldnt find that message anymore though.
I have a 7a I bought new for 320 EUR last december. I find it too small, need 6.7". I charge it werelessly and consider it a disposable.
I got an 8a. Almost the same exact features as the 9a but for much less money. Battery lasts all day easily for me, and runs smooth as butter. Storage is something I have to personally get used to as I only got 128gb and came from a 256gb s23 ultra but I’ll be ok.
Cameras are okish but you aren’t getting this for the cameras in the first place, but its more due to the lack of ai tuning in the cameras with graphene as I took some test shots with both my phones and they where on par with each other.
I bought my 8a used in immaculate conditions for $280 and its great for me.
I might upgrade to a 10 pro if I can get one with a sim tray later and can run graphene
I also got a refurbished 8a for cheap and stand by that choice.
Google hasn’t released Pixel 10 binary blobs with Android 16 AOSP, so unless they can be reverse-extracted out of Google Android and backported, Pixel 9 series will be the last to run Graphene.
Graphene devs said that they’re working on it and have made progress. Just that it’ll take longer than previous phones. I wouldn’t fearmonger about Pixel 9s being the last yet.
I remember back in the day when i was muckimg around with my HTC Desire Z, there were loada of custom ROMs out there and I don’t think there were device blobs back then? If that could be done back in the day, it should still be do-able now? Unless Android has become so much more complicated now that it is a very big task?
Graphene may have specific requirements due to their security requirements
Good point.
damn thanks, i didnt research the fact that GOS team is still trying to release for Pixel 10.
Pretty much all phones are difficult to replace the battery. Unless you need 3 cameras or 16GB RAM I would recommend 9a.
true i have a pixel 4a, just have to make sure the battery is still good
pixel 8a there cheap battery lasts all day fits my hands well (i have bigger hands however) and there easier to repair then the 9a i think
I’m using Graphene on a 9a. I can’t speak to repairability, but I also wanted a smaller phone. Performance is great. I charge daily so I don’t know exactly, but the battery can definitely last. I only charge up to 80% and have plenty of life for a full day.
any over heating issues? What about fingerprint? I saw videos comparing the Pro’s ultra sonic vs the one on 9a. It showed the ultra sonic works all the time but the 9a’s can be cumbersome.
Don’t use a fingerprint sensor anyway, law enforcement everywhere basically can force you to put your finger on it, they more often can’t force you to give out a password.
You can use the wrong finger three times, then it falls back to PIN entry. Which can be a duress PIN.
No heat issues. I don’t love the fingerprint scanner because it flashes a light which can be annoying, especially at night. My previous phones with fingerprint scanners didn’t do that. That said, it has never given me any real trouble.
Pixel 10 ifixit break down was able to open the phone without heat being required and access to battery was pretty quick.
I recently upgraded to the 9 pro (non xl) with 1tb. Honestly I think it comes down to budget and desired years of remaining support. I found the 9 pro appealing since it’s the first non-xl pro, and because the spec jump is larger than usual.
Some of the reasons I picked 9 pro over 8 pro:
- 16 GB of ram instead of 12. (Increased for AI background stuff but on graphene we can use it all)
- 25% boost in screen brightness
- one gen newer processor of course
- again, it’s not massive but still has all the cameras
I will say I hate the rounded corners. And as others have pointed out the a series are still great, and used ones can be a bargain with the 7 years of support.
Unfortunately none of them have easily replaceable batteries. I wouldn’t get anything below the 9 due to the terrible, terrible optical fingerprint sensors on the others. The 9 and up use proper ultrasonic fingerprint sensors.
I sadly can’t put Graphene on my pixel because I bought it through Verizon before I knew about their bootloader locking, but I have a 7 pro and the fingerprint sensor works completely fine.
The optical sensors are blinding in the dark and unreliable in my experience (I had a Pixel 7 non-pro). Also I do think you can get Verizon to unlock it for you, could be wrong though.
I’m going to try to get it unlocked once it’s paid off later this year. As for the sensor, it definitely can be blinding but I’ve never had issues with it not working. Good to know newer ones don’t have the blinding problem!
Pretty sure if you paid off the contract with the phone Verizon will unlock it for you.
It’ll be paid off later this year and I’m going to give it a shot, but I’m pretty sure from the research I’ve done they’ll unlock the carrier so you can use it with a different network. The bootloader they refuse to unlock for any phone purchased through them.
There’s no need for fingerprint sensor gimmick
I mean, that’s fair, but I use it for the two factor feature in Graphene.
Found the guy without fingers!
I say get the pixel 9 or if you have the patience wait for pixel 10 support so their battery is slightly easier to get out
That is what I’m waiting on.
