Why I Replace to a Samsung Phone After Using a Google Pixel for Years

After times of using a Google Pixel, I lately switched to a Samsung phone. This step was not easy, though — I had to part with my safe Pixel and its clean, stoner-friendly interface. So, what urged me to make the switch? Below are the reasons.

1: Tons of Customization Options

Yes, both Samsung and Pixel phones support dynamic themes, but they implement them in slightly different ways:

Samsung Phones:

1. One UI Dynamic Themes:
• Dynamic Lock Screen: Samsung’s One UI offers a dynamic lock screen feature that changes the background periodically. You can choose from various categories, like landscapes or art, and your phone will rotate through them.
• Themes: Samsung provides a wide range of themes through the Galaxy Store, including dynamic and interactive themes. You can change the overall look of your home screen, icons, and widgets, and some themes come with animated elements.
• Color Palette: Samsung’s One UI also features a color palette system where your phone can adapt colors from your wallpaper and apply them to system UI elements like icons and menus.
2. Widgets and Customization:
• Samsung offers extensive customization options for widgets and home screen layouts. You can add, resize, and customize widgets to a greater degree compared to some other Android interfaces.

Pixel Phones:

1. Material You:
• Dynamic Color: With Android 12 and later, Pixel phones feature “Material You,” which adapts the color scheme of your phone based on the wallpaper you choose. The system dynamically generates a color palette from your wallpaper and applies it to various UI elements like the notification bar, settings menu, and app icons.
• Themed Icons: Pixel phones offer themed icons that match the color palette generated by Material You, creating a cohesive look across the home screen.
2. Widgets and Customization:
• Pixel phones have a simpler, more streamlined approach to widgets and customization compared to Samsung. While you still have access to various widgets, the customization options are not as extensive as Samsung’s.

Comparison:

• Customization Depth: Samsung’s One UI offers more in terms of theme and widget customization. You have more control over the look and feel of your phone, and you can access a variety of themes and widgets from the Galaxy Store.
• Integrated Experience: Pixel’s Material You provides a more cohesive and automatic theming experience based on your wallpaper, offering a seamless look that adapts to your personal style without much manual input.

Both approaches have their strengths, so it really comes down to what you prefer in terms of customization versus a more integrated and automatic theming experience.

2: Voice Focus and Call Recording

Voice Focus and Call Recording are features that enhance your phone experience, particularly in terms of managing audio quality and recording calls. Here’s a look at how they work on Samsung and Pixel phones:

Samsung Phones:

1. Voice Focus:
• Functionality: Samsung’s Voice Focus feature is designed to improve audio clarity during calls. It helps reduce background noise and emphasizes the speaker’s voice, making calls clearer in noisy environments.
• Availability: This feature is available on select Samsung models and can typically be found in the call settings or through Samsung’s accessibility options.
2. Call Recording:
• Functionality: Samsung phones offer call recording functionality, although it can vary by region due to legal restrictions. When enabled, it automatically records calls and saves them to your device.
• Activation: You can usually find this feature in the call settings. Look for an option like “Call recording” or “Record calls,” which you can toggle on or off.
• Management: Recorded calls are typically saved in a dedicated folder in your phone’s storage, and you can manage them through the file manager or a specific call recording app if provided.

Pixel Phones

1. Voice Focus:
• Functionality: Pixel phones do not have a specific feature named “Voice Focus” like Samsung, but they do include features aimed at improving audio quality. Google’s call quality and noise cancellation are generally handled through the phone’s software and integration with Google’s services.
• Updates: Google continually updates its call-related features, and improvements to audio quality or background noise reduction might be included in software updates.
2. Call Recording:
• Functionality: Call recording is not natively supported on Pixel phones. Google has removed this feature from recent versions of Android due to legal and privacy concerns.
• Third-Party Apps: Users who need call recording can use third-party apps available on the Google Play Store. These apps often have varying levels of functionality and legality depending on your region.
• Built-in Features: In some regions and versions of Android, Google used to offer call recording through the Phone app, but this has largely been deprecated in favor of privacy and legal compliance.

Comparison:

• Voice Focus: Samsung offers a dedicated Voice Focus feature that actively enhances call quality by focusing on the speaker’s voice and reducing background noise. Pixel phones generally rely on built-in noise reduction and call quality improvements handled by the software.
• Call Recording: Samsung phones typically support built-in call recording, although availability depends on regional regulations. Pixel phones do not support call recording natively but offer third-party apps for those who need this functionality.

If you’re considering switching and call recording or enhanced audio quality are important to you, Samsung’s offerings might be more aligned with your needs.

3:Faster Charging and Long Battery Life

When comparing faster charging and long battery life between Samsung and Pixel phones, both brands offer notable features, but they approach these aspects differently. Here's a detailed look:

Samsung Phones:

1. Faster Charging:
• Charging Speed: Samsung phones, particularly their flagship models, are known for supporting fast charging technologies. For example, many recent Galaxy S and Note series models support 25W or even 45W fast charging. This allows for quick top-ups, with some models offering significant charge within 30 minutes.
• Wireless Charging: Samsung also offers fast wireless charging capabilities. Many recent Samsung phones support 15W wireless charging, which is among the fastest available. Additionally, they offer 4.5W reverse wireless charging to charge other devices like earbuds or smartwatches.
• Charging Accessories: Samsung provides its own charging bricks and cables optimized for their fast charging standards. Using these official accessories ensures you get the maximum charging speed.
2. Long Battery Life:
• Battery Capacity: Samsung phones often come with larger battery capacities compared to many Pixel phones. For instance, recent Galaxy S models come with batteries ranging from 4,500mAh to 5,000mAh, providing extended usage times.
• Battery Management: Samsung’s One UI includes various battery management features, including battery optimization modes, power-saving options, and app management to help extend battery life.
• Adaptive Battery: Samsung’s software includes adaptive battery features that learn your app usage patterns and prioritize power for the apps you use most.

Pixel Phones

1. Faster Charging:
• Charging Speed: Pixel phones generally support lower fast charging speeds compared to Samsung. For example, recent Pixel models like the Pixel 7 support up to 30W wired charging, which is faster than many other phones but not as quick as Samsung’s top speeds.
• Wireless Charging: Pixel phones also support wireless charging but typically at a maximum of 23W for recent models. This is decent but generally slower than Samsung’s 15W wireless charging.
• Charging Accessories: Pixel phones come with a USB-C charger that supports the specified fast charging speeds. Google’s charging accessories are designed to optimize the charging performance of Pixel devices.
2. Long Battery Life:
• Battery Capacity: Pixel phones usually have smaller battery capacities compared to Samsung’s flagship models. For instance, the Pixel 7 has a battery capacity of around 4,355mAh.
• Battery Management: Google focuses heavily on software optimization to extend battery life. Pixel devices run a clean version of Android with advanced power management features like Adaptive Battery, which limits battery usage for apps that are not frequently used.
• Battery Efficiency: Google’s software and hardware integration often result in efficient power management, meaning that despite smaller batteries, Pixel phones can still offer competitive battery life.

Comparison:

• Charging Speed: Samsung generally offers faster wired and wireless charging compared to Pixel phones. If rapid charging is a priority, Samsung might be more appealing.
• Battery Life: Samsung’s larger batteries and additional power management features often translate to longer battery life, though Pixel phones also benefit from excellent software optimization for efficient battery use.

Ultimately, if having the fastest charging speeds and the longest battery life is crucial for you, Samsung phones might be more suited to your needs. However, Pixel phones provide competitive battery performance with a strong emphasis on software optimization, which might be sufficient depending on your usage patterns.

I Prefer Samsung's Ecosystem

After switching to my Galaxy S23 in 2023, I snappily realized how well it integrated with other Samsung bias like my Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Book, and Galaxy Buds.

The experience is analogous to how Apple bias "talk to each other" For illustration, I can fluently copy and bury lines between my phone, tablet and laptop. And if I browse on my phone and also switch to my tablet, I can continue where I left off with the same webpage open. This convenience is inestimable when juggling multiple bias.

Likewise, Samsung Notes syncs across all my bias, so I can take notes on one and access them from another. The Samsung Galaxy kids connect seamlessly to my Samsung bias, automatically switching between music on my phone and calls on my laptop.

Also, I can use my Samsung laptop or tablet as a secondary screen for my phone. This is great for mirroring content during meetings or donations. Not only that, but I can also control my smartphone from my laptop or tablet using Samsung Flow. However, I can fluently lock and unleash my laptop with my phone when I return, If I am down at work. The Google Pixel ecosystem feels deficient.

In comparison. still, that is okay because it's still in its early days. I am sure the Pixel has a long way to go before it can match Samsung's integration situations.

Secure Folder

Secure Folder on Galaxy phones lets you create a separate Samsung account to access apps and files independently of your primary account. In other words, I can have two accounts for the same app, like WhatsApp or Instagram, with different login credentials and data.

To increase privacy, I can rename the Secure Folder to something generic like Documents or Tasks and change its icon to match other apps. Additionally, I can hide the Secure Folder from the app drawer, allowing access only through the notification panel.

By comparison, the Safe Folder app on Pixel phones just hides photos and videos like a normal Vault app. You can't expect Samsung's level of customization with Secure Folder. However, Private Space, one of the best features of Android 15, offers similar functionality.

Samsung DeX

Google Pixel phones and utmost Android bias only let you cast the screen to an external display. still, Samsung takes this functionality to the coming position with its DX( Desktop Experience) point.

DeX turns my Samsung phone into a desktop-class device. I can connect my phone to a TV or monitor, keyboard and mouse and use it like a fully functional computer. That way, I can access the same apps I use every day on my phone without needing a separate computer.

More impressively, DeX lets you run multiple apps simultaneously in a windowed format. Like a computer, I can close, maximize, or minimize these windows as needed. DeX also houses a Control Center in the bottom right corner, which displays important information such as battery percentage and time.

Likewise, the virtual touchpad on my phone allows me to control everything and even take a screenshot with just one tap. Even if your TV or monitor doesn't have screen mirroring or internet connectivity, you can use an HDMI to USB-C cable to enjoy the desktop experience on the big screen.

While Pixel phones may not have every feature of Samsung devices, they still excel in some key areas. There's a lot to admire about Pixel phones, from the smooth stock Android experience and early access to software updates to the top-of-the-line camera quality. Ultimately, it's not about missing features but finding what you want. So, do some research and choose the right phone for you.