I bought the most boring Pixel 11 Pro color, and it's the best decision I've ever made

I like bright and colorful tech when I can get it. The red Nexus 5, Prism Green Galaxy S10 Plus, and Jade Pixel 10 Pro are just a few of the best-designed phones I’ve owned over the years. There’s nothing wrong with a black phone; I just think they’re boring.

Yet, I’ve bought one this year. As much as I loved my Jade Pixel 10 Pro, I hated the shiny, slimy rails, and I couldn’t live with that for another year. Thankfully, Google finally gave me the option to forgo them with the Pixel 11 Pro.

Everything should be matte

Aside from finding the color boring, the Obsidian Pixel 11 Pro is a joy to use. In the two weeks I’ve owned this phone, I haven’t once needed to use a cloth to wipe down the sides, which was something I had to do several times a day with my Pixel 10 Pro. You can see the difference in the photos above. The shiny finish on my Pixel 10 Pro gets covered in smudges and skin oils within seconds of picking up the phone. The 11 Pro shows no smudges and looks infinitely better than the alternative.

It’s more than an aesthetic preference, though. The matte finish feels better every time I pick up the phone. Nobody wants to pick up a phone that feels dirty and slippery every time they do, and the matte finish is easier to hold on to. My 10 Pro would often be so slippery that I had trouble holding onto it unless I wiped it down, which is a sensory nightmare. The Pixel 11 Pro feels grippy and secure at all times.

I know I could use a case. Most people do — but I shouldn’t have to. A phone should be comfortable and easy to hold on its own without slapping a case on it. Usually, the only time I ever use a case with my device is when I’m going to a concert or anywhere else where there’s a higher risk of having my phone knocked out of my hand. I had to break that habit and use a case with my Pixel 10 Pro more often, and I’m glad I can go back to my old ways with my new phone. Of all the Pixels I’ve used, which is most of them, the Pixel 11 Pro in Obsidian is my favorite to hold since the Pixel 4.

A great start, but I want more

The way my phone feels matters more than its color, so choosing the Obsidian Pixel 11 Pro over Olive, Fog, or Canyon wasn’t a difficult choice for me. Even so, I wish it were a choice I didn’t have to make. So many companies release Pro or Ultra models of their phones in boring, muted colors, and Google is one of the few that’s adding a splash of saturation and color to its lineup. Making the vibrant models less comfortable to use and less durable is a real shame. That shiny finish will only ever look worse with time.

I’m hoping that this will all change next year. Anecdotally, everyone I know got excited when they saw the matte finish for the black Pixel 11 Pro and was more than a little bit disappointed that it was the only version to come this way. Maybe the Pixel 12 series will have a matte finish across all versions. I know I shouldn’t hold my breath, but I’m an optimist, so I’m going to get my hopes up anyway. I’ve decided that the Pixel 12 Pro will be colorful, matte, cheaper, have more RAM, and outperform every other phone in every metric, including gaming. I can’t be wrong all the time, can I?

Until that “realistic” vision for the next Pixel becomes a reality, I’m going to pair my Pixel 11 Pro with a colorful dbrand skin to enjoy the best of both worlds.