I’ve been utilizing a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE for greater than three years now, and whereas the telephone’s tremendous basically, I don’t plan to remain a part of Samsung’s ecosystem any longer. It’s time for a change, and after deliberating for months, I’ve decided to modify to one of many Pixel 10 fashions. Right here’s why.
I’m Disenchanted With Samsung’s High quality Management
I bought my S21 FE in August 2022, and I hadn’t observed any points for some time.
However a few yr and a half into proudly owning the handset, I had observed a niche forming between the again panel and the remainder of the machine. One swift net search later, and I spotted that is a known flaw of this model, with some homeowners noticing the again peeling off lower than a yr after shopping for the telephone.
Worse nonetheless, it looks like a number of different Samsung telephones suffer from the same issue, which is a large high quality management oversight that should not occur even as soon as, not to mention on a number of fashions. But right here we’re.
The kicker is that I personal the Snapdragon 888 model of the telephone, which shouldn’t warmth as a lot because the Exynos 2100 variant. I don’t play video games on my telephone, don’t report prolonged movies, nor binge TV reveals. In different phrases, I don’t do something that will trigger the machine to warmth up excessively. Regardless of that, the again of my telephone began to separate from the remainder of the physique, and over time, the problem has solely worsened.
As you possibly can see, the adhesive securing the again panel to the remainder of the telephone has virtually utterly failed. The rear panel is hooked up to the remainder of the housing solely on the high and backside, with the edges peeling away utterly.
So as to add insult to damage, I had inquired with the native Samsung service about repairing it, and so they needed to cost me for reapplying the adhesive, regardless that my telephone was nonetheless beneath guarantee on the time. I refused to ship the telephone in for restore and determined to experience it out for a pair extra years, then abandon Samsung for good. That’s, except liquid permeates the telephone, which fortunately hasn’t occurred but.
At the least I haven’t encountered the infamous green line issue…
Bloatware Is Nonetheless an Challenge on Samsung Telephones
Regardless of Google Messages changing into the default messaging app on Samsung telephones some time in the past, and even supposing new Samsung telephones have not included the Samsung Messages app for greater than a yr now, my Galaxy S21 FE nonetheless has Samsung Messages put in with no choice to delete the app. Even the Android 15 replace that landed this Could didn’t delete Samsung Messages. The app’s nonetheless there, and I can’t take away it, solely disable it.
Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek
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Samsung Messages isn’t the one pointless Samsung app that resides in my app drawer. Samsung Information, Samsung Retailer, and Gaming Hub, three apps I’ve by no means even opened, additionally reside on my telephone, and I can’t delete any of them. The Android 15 replace put in some further bloatware, equivalent to AR Doodle and Deco Pic, that, fortuitously, I used to be capable of delete.
The telephone hosts much more bloatware not discovered within the app drawer. Stuff like Samsung Cross, Galaxy Avatar and Avatar Editor (why would I want these?), Bixby and its entourage, Galaxy Themes, Hyperlink to Home windows, OneDrive (this one haunts me even on my Android telephone!), Samsung Cloud, Samsung Checkout, and Samsung Youngsters.
I’m positive I’ve neglected some, however even this (doubtless) incomplete checklist is worryingly lengthy. Each single a type of apps takes up cupboard space, and whereas I can disable most bloatware infecting my telephone, I can’t delete it, which is bonkers to see in 2025. I believed Samsung diminished the quantity of bloatware it crammed into its telephones in comparison with the notorious TouchWiz days, however I suppose I used to be mistaken.
I’ve Gotten Jaded by One UI
Whereas I couldn’t use TouchWiz for greater than half an hour when enjoying with my buddies’ Galaxy telephones of yore, I discover One UI greater than respectable. I like its design, efficiency, and the choice of options, however after three years, I’ve gotten jaded by it.
The latest One UI 7.0 replace wasn’t as transformative as I had hoped it could be. The truth is, I am not keen on nearly all of the brand new options it launched.
Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek
The Now Bar is meh at finest (I don’t like having to faucet it to get playback controls when listening to music as an alternative of getting the controls accessible instantly on the lock display); I’ve been utilizing a vertical app drawer for years due to Good Lock, and I disabled the function that separates notifications and fast settings as quickly as I might because it solely provides further steps to entry both one as an alternative of with the ability to entry each with one downward swipe.
In different phrases, I’ve gotten jaded on One UI. It’s tremendous basically, however the latest slew of recent options doesn’t do it for me, in any respect. I concern Samsung will proceed to introduce new modifications only for the sake of change, not as a result of new options truly enhance the general expertise of utilizing One UI. It’s time to maneuver on.
I Need to Lastly Attempt Out the Pixel Expertise
I settled on the choice to maneuver away from Samsung just a few days after the Android 15 and One UI 7 replace. Since then, I’d mulled over which model to embrace subsequent for months. The selection finally got here right down to Nothing and Google, however after the discharge of the Nothing Cellphone 3, I made a decision to both get the bottom Pixel 10 or the Pixel 10 Professional.
Gavin Phillips / How-To Geek
Don’t get me mistaken, the Nothing Cellphone 3 is a fairly completed Android handset with distinctive seems to be and clear and authentic UI. Nonetheless, what finally swayed me in direction of Google and Pixel is the loaded stack of (principally) software-related options Pixel telephones deliver to the desk.
I like what Google’s doing with the UI, the best way it frequently brings new options to its telephones independently of main Android updates within the type of Characteristic Drops, and the truth that Pixel telephones are the primary to get new variations of Android. I need to check out Pixelsnap, the primary correct MagSafe various on an Android telephone, and to search out out whether or not all these AI options Google is touting left and proper are price it or not (in all probability not, however we’ll see).
There’s additionally the truth that the Tensor G5 is made on TSMC’s 3nm course of node, which ought to lead to higher thermal efficiency. I had an opportunity to play with a Pixel 8 Professional, and boy, would that factor get scorching after only some minutes of recording 4K footage. I do not thoughts the diminished efficiency in comparison with Snapdragon SoCs since I don’t play video games on my telephone, and the general efficiency and responsiveness stay near-perfect even on older Pixel handsets.
And hey, if I find yourself upset with the Pixel, I’ll be capable of promote it and buy a Nothing Cellphone 3 with out spending further money because it’s extra reasonably priced than even the bottom Pixel 10 mannequin. I’ve been on Android since early 2010, however someway, I have not owned a Google telephone; it’s time to vary this.
There’s One Factor I’ll Miss From My Present Samsung Cellphone
Now, I don’t actually like Samsung’s app ecosystem, however the firm has among the finest apps I’ve ever used, Good Lock.
Goran Damnjanovic / How-To Geek
My Samsung S21 FE was the primary telephone I didn’t use a customized launcher with as a result of Good Lock packs an immensely highly effective assortment of customization choices. Because of Good Lock I modified my dwelling display format, custom-made icons, performed with the app drawer format and design, and tweaked the heck out of my telephone in the course of the three years of proudly owning it.
Fingers down, probably the most useful function in Good Lock is a part of its Sound Assistant module that allowed me to tweak the quantity slider steps to extend (or lower) quantity by solely 2%, matching the granularity of Home windows quantity management, lastly permitting me to set the right quantity degree when utilizing earbuds. Whereas Pixel units have 25 quantity steps in whole, that’s nonetheless solely half of what I’m utilizing on my present telephone (50 steps in whole). I’m barely fearful the Pixel’s 25 steps gained’t reduce it, however we’ll see.
The one factor left to do now could be determine which Pixel 10 mannequin to get. The bottom Pixel 10 seems to be like a strong choice, however I don’t like the truth that its digicam sensors are a downgrade in comparison with the Pixel 9, regardless of getting a telephoto lens. I’ll must examine extra picture comparisons to determine, however proper now, I’m gravitating in direction of the Pixel 10 Professional. Whichever I find yourself selecting, I can not wait to lastly use a Google telephone; it’s been lengthy overdue.
