When it comes to Android, I've been a Pixel user since the launch of Google's first smartphone in 2016.

It offers the cleanest take on Android, features excellent camera performance, and, more recently with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 series, actually useful AI camera features. It also remains one of the sleekest devices out there, especially after the recent switch from a visor-style rear camera bump that spans the width of the back of the phone to a cooler-looking, center-set oval island (I didn't like this look at first).

Fast-forward to 2026 and several Pixel releases, and there's still nothing like it in the Android space. Samsung's Galaxy Ultra line, particularly the Galaxy S25 and S26 Ultra, has grown on me over the years, but as much as I like Samsung's smartphone hardware, I still find One UI a confusing mess of jumbled features, which is in stark contrast to the Pixel's stripped-down approach to Android.

The Pixel's take on Android can't be beat

There's an elegance in its iPhone-like simplicity

A key reason I'm locked into the Pixel world and always return to Google's devices after I finish reviewing whatever smartphone I'm using at the time, is its elegant operating system. It's simple, easy to navigate, doesn't take itself too seriously, and features fun animations and bright colors — Android 17's Material 3 Expressive just looks fantastic.

I'd even go so far as to say I prefer the Android version on my Pixel 10 Pro to iOS 18's Liquid Glass, which is more than a bit of a mess at times. Additionally, I know that as soon as the latest version of Android drops, I'll have access to it on my Pixel, since it's Google's flagship smartphone. While Samsung's One UI is often updated relatively quickly to the latest version of Android, it can sometimes take a few months for the latest version to arrive, and the situation with other Android phones from companies like OnePlus, Nothing, and Motorola is often worse. With Pixel smartphones, I don't even need to think about getting the latest update — I know it'll be there on day one, including public and developer betas.

Google's smartphones feature Android's most balanced take on photography

The AI camera features are actually useful

Over the years, my smartphone has slowly become my go-to camera because it's the device I always have on me. The days of blown-out, grainy images have long since passed, as long as you're using a relatively recent mid-range to high-end device, whether it's Samsung's Galaxy S26, the iPhone 17, or a Pixel 10 Pro, leading to me leaving my DSLR at home far more often than I used to a few years ago.

I've always appreciated Google's focus on offering a more grounded take on photography with the Pixel line. The images are arguably truer to life than the iPhone's photo processing. Colors might have a bit more vibrancy, but generally, every Pixel has shot great-looking images that don't look like they're from another planet, unlike Samsung's more out-there, highlight-filled take on photography.

Additionally, more recent Pixel smartphones, including the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro, offer AI camera features that are useful and go well beyond adding stickers and random objects to photos. For example, Add Me lets you add yourself to a group shot by combining two separate shots. The first time you use Add Me, it'll feel silly and like it won't work, but it's great and surprisingly useful. Another useful feature is Best Take, which analyzes similar images and merges them into a single photo. For example, when you take a group shot and one person has their eyes closed while everyone else looks great, and then their eyes are open in the next image, Best Take combines both photos using AI.

The Pixel has the sleekest design in the Android space

PixelSnap is a great addition, too

I know there are a lot of great-looking Android smartphones out there, and I've always appreciated Samsung's S series, but the simple elegance of the Pixel line just can't be beat, dating back to Google's first smartphone and its two-tone brushed aluminum-and-plastic back and squared-off sides.

For example, the Pixel 10 Pro's matte rear is chilled-out and understated, while its oval camera island gives the device a unique, instantly recognizable look in an industry full of identical slab-like smartphones that all look the same (I felt the same way about iPhone 17 Pro redesign and its sizable camera bump).

It's a simple aesthetic that's basic yet fun, especially when you look at some of the more vibrant colors, like the Pixel 10 Pro's Jade or my personal favorite, the Lemongrass Pixel 10. This isn't design-related, but I've also found that I really appreciate the Pixel 10 series' magnetic PixelSnap accessory ecosystem. MagSafe is one of the best things about the iPhone, and I continue to be baffled that other manufacturers haven't created their own magnetic accessory ecosystems now that Qi2 wireless charging is available (I'm looking at you, Samsung).