The eternal outdated flagship vs new flagship vs new mid-range telephone debate…
Now, in case you’ve already determined to purchase (otherwise you’ve already purchased) a Galaxy S24 Extremely, a Pixel 8 Professional, or a distinct new premium flagship telephone, then this story isn’t meant for you, and that’s high quality. Congrats! Get pleasure from your new premium flagship – it’s superb, as a result of it’s costly, and it’s costly as a result of it’s superb.However what in case you’re in search of the perfect “bang for the buck” Android telephone in 2024? Then look no farther than the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Professional! I do know this feels like a paid promotion however I can solely want it was…
It’s simply that I’m somewhat bit obsessive about ensuring I get the perfect worth after I’m shopping for one thing, and I really feel the necessity to share this with the world..
As superb as they’re, premium flagships just like the Galaxy S24 Extremely and Pixel 8 Professional, or the less expensive, gorgeous Nothing Telephone 2a out of the blue appear overpriced subsequent to final 12 months’s Pixel 7 household.
Not satisfied but? Let me break it down…
Premium flagships from Samsung and Apple have gotten loopy costly, and the $350 Pixel 7 Professional is the easiest way to protest in opposition to that
A model new/refurbished Pixel 7 Professional is the one premium Android flagship you want in 2024.
I by no means obtained used to the thought of getting to shell out $1,000 for a brand new telephone. I purchased my iPhone 13 mini for $450 on eBay.
Take the $1,300 Galaxy S24 Extremely, which I’ve been utilizing for a couple of week now. Positive, it’s an superior telephone, nevertheless it doesn’t do something extraordinary. And it definitely is not “$1,000 higher” than the refurbished Pixel 7 Professional you should purchase from BestBuy (within the US) or eBay (in Europe).
Save for the anti-reflective show coating, and a few unique AI methods (which you may not even care about), the S24 Extremely is simply one other Android flagship below the solar, and the identical applies to the Pixel 8 Professional. How come? Nicely, smartphones are slowly however steadily reaching their peak.
- Model new for $500, or refurbished for $350, the Pixel 7 Professional provides top-of-the-line shows you may get at this worth level
- It additionally has the perfect digicam system you may get for this worth, with the longest zoom vary, due to a 5x optical zoom digicam, which takes 10x zoom pictures with “lossless” high quality – identical to the $1,300 Galaxy S24 Extremely
- Being a Google telephone, the Pixel 7 Professional comes with loads of AI options just like the Gemini assistant, Magic Eraser, and the model new Circle to go looking function (in any other case solely accessible on the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24)
- The Pixel 7 sequence is promised to get two additional OS updates immediately from Google (and quicker than some other Android telephone), and obtain safety patches for one more three years
- The Pixel 7 Professional may lack the stellar battery life you’d get from an S24 Extremely or an iPhone 15 Professional Max, nevertheless it’s completely able to lasting by way of a complete day of use
- It goes with out saying, being an “outdated however premium” flagship, the Pixel 7 Professional comes with IP68 score for water/mud resistance and wi-fi charging
Tremendous reasonably priced Google Pixel 7 makes 2024 mid-range and flagship telephones seem like a nasty deal
Model new or refurbished, the vanilla Pixel 7 makes the brand new Nothing Telephone 2 and Galaxy A55 look overpriced.
After which, if you need/must spend even much less, there’s the vanilla Pixel 7, which is now going for as little as $250 in case you’re OK with a refurbished gadget. And on the worth of a elaborate dinner in New York or Paris, I don’t see why you wouldn’t be.
What stands out in regards to the Pixel 7 (and from the time I’ve spent with it), the 6.3-inch show and lightweight physique are the right combo for most individuals on the market. Whereas the 90Hz OLED isn’t the perfect show on the market, it’s virtually pretty much as good as the perfect you may get for the value.
Then, in case you overlook in regards to the 5x zoom digicam, the Pixel 7 has the identical digicam system because the Pixel 7 Professional, and (simply!) will outperform any $250-400 telephone available on the market by way of pictures.
After all, being a Google telephone, the Pixel 7 will share the identical AI options with the Pixel 7 Professional; it will get two additional OS updates and three years of safety patches, and it has first rate battery life.
Once more, being an outdated flagship, the Pixel 7 provides you with IP67 score for water/mud resistance and wi-fi charging – one thing you merely can’t get with some other $250 telephone, or the $330 Nothing Telephone 2a, for instance.
Even in 2024, my Pixel 7 Professional’s digicam provides my $,1300 Galaxy S24 Extremely a run for its cash
For the report, the Galaxy S24 Extremely will completely take higher Portrait mode pictures and higher movies than the Pixel 7 Professional, which isn’t the perfect in these two classes. The Galaxy S24 Extremely additionally extracts higher element 9/10 instances, which isn’t stunning on condition that it’s virtually two generations newer than the Pixel. That apart, and particularly for social media use, the Pixel 7 Professional’s takes superior pictures and movies.
Keep in mind, a refurbished Pixel 7 goes for $250 and has the identical cameras because the $350 Pixel 7 Professional (other than the 5x zoom lens). The Galaxy S24 Extremely is Samsung’s newest $1,300 premium flagship telephone!
The $400 Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Professional make each the $1,300 Galaxy S24 Extremely and $350 Nothing Telephone 2 look overpriced, and that’s… loopy
Though Google’s telephones are nonetheless removed from fashionable/mainstream, they’ve managed to vary my notion of what a “nice worth telephone” is, and so they’ve finished that in a novel method I don’t suppose I’ve seen earlier than.
That’s due to Google’s willingness to promote premium telephones at decrease costs (than the competitors), but in addition, due to the truth that Google telephones depreciate in worth in a short time (just like most Android telephones).
In consequence, this creates a novel market position and placement for Google’s outdated flagships, the place they get to problem finances, mid-range, and premium flagship telephones all on the similar time.
A 12 months and a half after launch, the $250-500 Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Professional handle to make premium flagships just like the Galaxy S24 Extremely AND nice mid-range telephones just like the Nothing Telephone 2a appear overpriced. And contemplating the humongous worth hole between the $1,300 S24 Extremely and $350 Nothing Telephone 2a, that’s simply outstanding.
Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional might be even higher offers a 12 months after launch
For individuals who converse solely “Apple”, think about if there was a $300 iPhone so good that it made each the $400 iPhone SE and $1,200 iPhone 15 Professional Max appear overpriced. You’ll be able to’t… And that’s what makes the Pixel 7 sequence so particular in 2024.
Satirically, the one telephone that comes near giving you an identical worth because the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Professional is the mid-range Pixel 7a. Nevertheless, I’d argue the Pixel 7 Professional is well worth the improve, even when it’s important to pay some $50-100 on high.
That being stated, in case you aren’t in a rush, however (like me) you want getting the perfect deal potential, you may need to look ahead to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional to have their one-year birthdays. They’ll be even higher outdated flagship offers than their predecessors due to extra AI, higher cameras, and a whopping 6 years of OS updates even in case you purchased them on the finish of 2024!
