You can get a new Pixel 8 for ~500$, I would say that has a very decent price to value, and will be supported for longer.
you can also snag refurb'd Pixel 7s for $170 off eBay atm
I snagged a Pixel 8A for around 200 on ebay.
Re:Keep Android Open
by codedokode on Thursday October 30, 2025 @04:08AM
(#45757498)
It's hard to find. Pixel 8 costs $670 here, and the cheapest Pixel is 9a for $470. At this price, it is overpriced. Pixel 8 has 8 GB RAM, Samsung A16 with 8 GB costs just $230. It's almost 3 times cheaper. And Samsung supports 2 SIM cards, unlike Pixel, so you can have, for example, one SIM for Internet and another for calls.
Used or refurbished devices are typically much cheaper. It's what I would recommend.
You can also use 2 SIMs on a Pixel by using an eSIM.
As mentioned, second-hand is also an option. But my price was actually from Hungary with world-record VAT included, so not sure if you really couldn't find/order it for around that price.
Also, the basic premise is that you can buy a decent Pixel phone for an affordable price, not that it has the very best price/value out of any device. I would also wager that the Pixel 8 has massively better cameras than a Samsung A16, so not apples to oranges.
Re:Keep Android Open
by codedokode on Thursday October 30, 2025 @04:21AM
(#45757587)
The battery probably lost its capacity in 3-4 years since release.
If only things could be made so parts that wear out can be swapped at a repair shop...
More seriously: I believe many refurbished resellers do swap a new battery on the higher quality tiers.
The Pixel 5 isn't supported anymore. The Pixel 6a still has a little less than 2 years of support left. These have become pretty cheap.
The Pixel 8 and 8a aren't that expensive either. And keep in mind that they are supported until 2030 and 2031 respectively. [1] They not only receive security updates for 7 years, instead of the 5 years for previous Pixel generations, but also have stronger hardware security, by implementing the ARM memory tagging extension. [2]
You can buy a refurbished Pixel 5 for less than 200$. Great screen, great camera, 5G, the works. It's definitely not an "outdated" device, and it runs Graphene or Lineage with minimal hassle.