If I were to buy an old flagship phone, this is what I would buy

I am always asked who should buy which phone. It’s not always phrased that way – sometimes the question is which phone is my favourite, but the end goal is always the same. And in such cases, it’s easy to recommend the latest and greatest from Google, Apple or OnePlus. However, most people don’t need a new, high-end device with all the bells and whistles.

So when I was asked, I began to dig deeper the best phones from recent years. I’ve found that there’s one older flagship that I recommend more than any other, and that I’d like to buy for myself: Google’s Pixel 8 Pro. Here’s why.

My love for Google’s camera bar design has been well documented since its launch Pixel 6 series. I immediately noticed that it made the Pixel feel different from other Android flagships with its corner-mounted camera bumps. Since then, Google has learned a thing or two about building its flagships. This made them lighter, softening previously sharp corners and staying ahead of the curve while giving up a curved display.

Now, when you look at the Pixel 8 Pro, it’s a phone that’s a little ahead of its time. It launched with a flat screen at a time when waterfall displays were still the norm for most Android flagships, and most competitors (and later) kept the comfortable circular bezel. Pixel 9) slid straight to the sides like an iPhone. Google also imbued its previous Pixel flagship with a textured back of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which, unlike most glossy glass devices, wears no fingerprints.

Everything I loved about the Pixel 8 Pro in 2023 still rings true more than a year later. That flat, 120Hz OLED still looks great, the curved side rails are still more comfortable to hold than the newer, square bezels, and the Pixel 8 Pro offers better color options than most competitors. Honestly, I’d take the vibrancy of Bay or Mint over the soft creams, grays and blacks that often come with premium phones.

Sure, the Pixel 8 Pro has a few design quirks — okay, just one major quirk. Yes, Google provided it temperature sensor On the Pixel 8 Pro, it’s confusing everyone. It’s an extra circle that lives on the camera stick, and I can still count the number of times I’ve used it on one hand. Conveniently, it’s not an integral part of anything, so you can easily buy your old Pixel 8 Pro without touching it.

When I started thinking about old flagship phones to recommend, I thought about going back even further than 2023. Ultimately, it’s not the Pixel 8 Pro in the grand scheme of things. that old. But then I remembered Android software update obligations it only really rose to Apple’s level in 2023. So if I were to recommend an older Android phone you could own by the end of the decade, it would be 2023.

Plus, if you’re looking for a phone that will get both lots of updates and timely updates, you can’t beat the Google Pixel. Before the Pixel 8 series, the Android flagship standard for software updates stuck around for about four or five years — good, but not on the same level as the iPhone.

Then, internally at Google Tensor as the chip matured, Google was finally able to extend its warranty, jumping right to six years and moving to seven-year Pixel Updates that cover Android versions, security patches, and feature drops several times a year. It might not get the same AI-powered features as the new Pixels, but it’s hard to argue with Google’s all-around expertise.

Both Google and Samsung now promise seven years of updates for their respective flagships, but I’m still willing to put the Pixel 8 Pro ahead of its Galaxy rivals for one simple reason: Speed. As the lead developer of Android, Google can push updates to its Pixels faster than other OEMs. Buy it Android 15for example. Google was able to push its latest major update to the latest Pixels in October 2024, while Samsung’s Galaxy S24 and Z Flip and Fold 6 are still waiting for it — and probably won’t be until 2025.

Of course, there are other older phones that offer slick designs and impressive upgrade commitments, but I’d still take the Pixel 8 Pro. I’d turn to its nimble, Tensor-powered cameras, light, slick software, and reliable overnight charging long before I’d consider anything else. Can I get more power from a phone with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2? Of course I could. I was also able to find an older phone that charged faster than the Pixel 8 Pro. However, I have yet to find another older flagship that feels as fresh and new as the Pixel 8 Pro, and it will continue to do so as it receives update after update for years to come.

Yes, of course there are other older flagships that I can buy outside of the Pixel 8 Pro. While Google’s device is my personal favorite — and our internal pick for the phone of 2023 — I know some people prefer Android over iOS, some prefer One UI over Pixel UI, and some prefer their first device. maybe later. folding phone. So, for those people, I’d still recommend any of the older flagships below (each voted our editor’s choice at the end of the year in 2023).

• iPhone 15 Pro ($999 on Amazon): If you’re willing to give iOS a try, this one iPhone 15 Pro is probably your best bet. Yes, its titanium frame is heavier than the featherweight iPhone 15, but if you want to try Apple Intelligence at all, you should go for the Pro. Combine the extra camera flexibility and excellent video capabilities from the telephoto lens, and you might find yourself trapped in Apple’s walled garden.
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 ($999.99 at Samsung): For a while, I hesitated to recommend flip phones so long after they were launched, but Galaxy Z Flip 5 it changed everything for me. It got a much-improved Flex Window as the cover screen, and Samsung finally made the screen bendable. basically a thing of the past. I’d also take the Z Flip 5 over Motorola’s original Razr Plus, as the fifth-generation hinge is a bit sturdier than the Razr’s.
• OnePlus Open ($1,699.99 at Amazon): If you’ve been waiting a long time to try out a book-style foldable phone, it’s going to be hard to pass up OnePlus Open. It offers the fastest charging of any foldable phone available in the US and the most interesting approach to multitasking, Open Canvas. It’s also worth watching because it’s exactly what I thought it would be the best camera currently on a foldable phone.
• Motorola Edge Plus (2023) ($699 on Amazon): You were probably expecting me to pick Motorola’s Razr Plus as one of my recommendations, but hear me out. Since the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s hardware holds up better, I thought it would be more reasonable to go with one of Motorola’s more traditional offerings. After all, Edge Plus (2023) 67W wired charging has taken Motorola’s flagships to a new level, with vastly improved materials compared to the previous generation and better cameras to boot.
• Xiaomi 13 Pro (£1099.99 at Amazon): If you’re outside the US, it’s another older flagship to consider Xiaomi 13 Pro. No, it’s not as ambitious as Xiaomi’s Ultra-level camera phones, but it has a remarkable Leica-equipped build that adds classic Leica color science to your shots. The software may take some getting used to (and you won’t find great group support in the US), but the cameras are worth it.