4 reasons why I'll always buy Samsung Galaxy phones over Pixels

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.

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.

One UI is more flexible and fun than Pixel UI

One of the big talking points for Pixel is the “clean” or “pure Android” experience — and sure, it is. But that only carries you so far. After a few weeks, that same minimalism starts feeling less like elegance and more like Google just didn’t bother.

I’m someone who fell in love with Android for its flexibility, and One UI delivers that. There are enough options that I can make my Galaxy look and behave exactly how I want. In fact, Good Lock is the single biggest reason I’d never switch to a Pixel. I know it can feel like a lot — overwhelming, even, if you’re new to it. But that’s exactly why Samsung keeps it separate from One UI. Being able to redesign the keyboard, hide certain status bar icons, change the recent apps layout, set custom timeouts per app, create your own gestures, or build a DIY homescreen — these are the kinds of things that are hard to give up.

I know not everyone cares about these things. Still, I’d rather have all these options and never touch them than not have them at all. It’s the same argument I made earlier with apps. I can absolutely set up a clean, minimalist experience on my Galaxy if I want. But on a Pixel, I can’t go the other direction.

Galaxy phones still have the performance advantage

Enough about software. I know a lot of Pixel fans genuinely don’t care about anything I just talked about, and that’s fair. So let’s talk about something that does affect literally everyone, which is performance. Most flagship Galaxy phones in the US ship with Snapdragon chips, and they outperform Google’s Tensor chips in raw power. Sure, Tensor has never been about chasing benchmark numbers, but that doesn’t mean Snapdragon chips don’t have a real edge here.

Even if I ignore all of that noise, it still doesn’t change the fact that Pixels have some persistent issues that make them less reliable — and we’ve talked about those many times. Overheating is the biggest one, and there’s no hiding it. These aren’t one-off complaints either. They’ve followed nearly every Pixel in the last few years. Then there are network-related issues, bugs like incoming calls not showing up, inconsistent battery life, and so on. These are all issues I’m just not ready to deal with on my primary device.

Samsung phones obviously have their own problems, but not at this scale. If I’m paying flagship prices, I want a phone that works, and works reliably. Right now, that’s still a Galaxy.

Samsung gives me more reasons to stay loyal

There’s one more thing that makes me want to buy a Galaxy, and that’s the ecosystem. I’m not exactly a fan of companies using it to lock us in, but I can’t ignore it either. When I buy a phone, I’m naturally more inclined to buy other products from that same brand. And this is another area where Samsung has a clear edge.

The Galaxy Tab S lineup is the closest thing Android has to an iPad, while Google’s tablet situation is basically nonexistent at this point. The same goes for laptops. Say what you want about Windows laptops in general, but they are the only practical option for anyone who doesn’t want a Mac. Samsung’s Galaxy Books are a great pick here because they sync beautifully with Galaxy phones.

For instance, I love how Phone Link lets me easily mirror and control my Galaxy phone from any PC while also syncing the clipboard between the two. I also like Samsung’s Multi Control feature, which lets me use the same keyboard and mouse from my Galaxy Book to control my Galaxy Tab or Galaxy phone. This even lets me drag and drop files between them.

My Galaxy Buds can also automatically switch between all my devices depending on what I’m doing, which is another benefit of a strong ecosystem. All of this might not matter to everyone, but it sure does to me since I spend most of my day in front of a screen.

Beyond that, Samsung can also match Google’s ecosystem product for product, with Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Ring. There’s nothing missing.

Pixel phones are better in some ways, but that’s not enough

Look, none of this means Pixel phones are bad or don’t have an edge over Galaxy phones in specific areas. They absolutely do. I’m a fan of Google’s camera processing, bloatware–free experience, faster updates, cleaner hardware designs, and all those Pixel-exclusive features. In a lot of ways, Pixel feels like an iPhone that just wants to keep things simple and focused.

But for me, none of these advantages are big enough to outweigh everything else I’ve just talked about. So yes, even if Pixel wins on a few specific things, it’s not enough to change my mind. At least not yet.