{"id":296280,"date":"2021-07-11T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-11T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2021-07-11T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-07-11T13:00:00","slug":"i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#I Gave Up My Pixel for a Galaxy S21 and I Hate It \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a407e9ccee13\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a407e9ccee13\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/#Prologue\" >Prologue<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/#The_Pixel_Part_I\" >The Pixel, Part I<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/#The_Samsung\" >The Samsung<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/#Hardware\" >Hardware<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/#Software\" >Software<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/#The_Pixel_Part_II\" >The Pixel, Part II<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it-review-geek\/#Lesson_Learned\" >Lesson Learned<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#I Gave Up My Pixel for a Galaxy S21 and I Hate It \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-91199 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/07\/691d2ff1.png?width=1200\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S21 face down on a wooden desk\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Kevin Bonnett\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Kevin Bonnett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Although Google\u2019s Pixel smartphones typically aren\u2019t<span class=\"htgeditornotesel\"> the most powerful<\/span>, they consistently pack the most intuitive and thoughtful software on the market. So, what on Earth was I thinking when I traded in my Pixel 4a for Samsung\u2019s terrible Galaxy S21?<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a few months since I bought the S21, and pretty much every day, it finds a new way to perplex, annoy, and dis<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>oint me. It is hands down the singular <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> purchase that I regret the most.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prologue\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_Prologue\">Prologue<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve been a fan of Google\u2019s gear for years now and am happily entrenched in its product ecosystem. Over the years, I\u2019ve purchased many of Google\u2019s Nexus phones and nearly every Pixel smartphone and I\u2019ve loved all of them. Heck, the Pixel was the first smartphone that really got me excited about smartphones in general and tech at large. It\u2019s what made me think about how tech could (and would) evolve in the future. What\u2019s not to love about that?<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-91200 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/07\/49274640.png\" alt=\"Google Pixel evolution from Nexus 6P to the Pixel 4\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/moscow-russia-2020-june-21-google-1764893165\" data-credittext=\"Mr.Mikla\/Shutterstock.com\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/moscow-russia-2020-june-21-google-1764893165\">Mr.Mikla\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>With a Pixel in my hand, I can\u2019t help but feel <i>at home<\/i>. To me, those phones do a perfect job of blending beauty, brains, and power. They\u2019re everything I could ask for in a smartphone, and they keep getting better with each new iteration. And sure, they haven\u2019t always been as flashy as newer iPhones, but the Pixels offer a vanilla Android experience bolstered by Google\u2019s thoughtful software, which makes my everyday life a little easier.<\/p>\n<p>The Pixel phones also aren\u2019t overly expensive. They offer a ton of phone for the price, and it never feels like Google is trying to push anything on you or strong-arm you into buying a thousand accessories to lock you into its ecosystem. Additionally, Pixels are never loaded with bloatware or find some way to, well, get in your way.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not to say that I haven\u2019t had my share of issues with the Pixel over the years. Little quirks\u2014like the reboot loop, myriad battery problems, and eventually my Pixel 4a only showing a black screen when I tried to open the app tray\u2014are perhaps what finally made me frustrated enough to (perhaps somewhat impulsively, in retrospect) switch to a different phone.<\/p>\n<p>But if I knew then what I know now, I would have just sucked it up and dealt with it.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Pixel_Part_I\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_ThePixelPartI\">The Pixel, Part I<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The real trouble began when my partner decided to buy a Samsung Galaxy S21. He was using a Pixel 5\u2014and before that, the Pixel 4XL\u2014and wanted a phone with a faster processor for cloud gaming and other activities. He liked the specs on the S21, so we ventured over to Best Buy to see one in person before ordering it.<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, I hadn\u2019t given the phone much thought to the S21 before we went, and if that was the phone he wanted, cool. But once we got in the store and I held the phone in my hand, I was hypnotized. It is so gorgeous. My brain started thinking, \u201cwe could ditch this boring, problematic phone right now and have this attractive new phone that\u2019s gorgeous and couldn\u2019t possibly have any problems whatsoever because it\u2019s brand-new and pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-91201 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/07\/c5dc51a5.png\" alt=\"Close-up of Samsung Galaxy S21 camera bump on desk\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Kevin Bonnett\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Kevin Bonnett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I know, I know\u2014what a stupid thought! But the fact is, the phone\u2019s irresistible siren call took me in, and it\u2019s all I thought about for the next few weeks. Once my partner\u2019s phone arrived, I spent the following few weeks watching him unlock it effortlessly with the under-screen fingerprint reader and customize every last little detail to his liking. The phone just looked so much cooler and exciting than the Pixel. And best of all? It wasn\u2019t having battery issues or failing to show the app drawer.<\/p>\n<p>So one evening, after my Pixel 4a was having an especially rough day (read: glitching a bunch), I finally snapped and put in the order for my very own S21. I\u2019d never been happier. Farewell, idiot phone. I\u2019m moving on to bigger and better things.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Samsung\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_TheSamsung\">The Samsung<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>I was so damn hypnotized by this phone that I even forsook my go-to plain-but-tough Spigen phone case for a flimsy transparent one just so I can look at it more. Plus, I am one clumsy moment away from throwing away a thousand dollars in a serious way.<\/p>\n<p>Only once I stopped drooling over the phone and actually started using it did I realize that the honeymoon was over. From there, it didn\u2019t take long for me to become fully disillusioned and to accept the fact that this phone\u2019s beautiful design was utterly useless to me and that that, in fact, is <i>not<\/i> a good reason to buy anything.<\/p>\n<p>My experience with the phone quickly pointed out some glaring (and annoying) issues. Let\u2019s take a look at a few:<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hardware\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_Hardware\">Hardware<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-91202 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/07\/6d996f4b.png\" alt=\"Mobile phone repair, shot of interior of phone next to exterior case on wooden planks\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/mobile-phone-repairing-391955659\" data-credittext=\"Abraksis\/Shutterstock.com\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/mobile-phone-repairing-391955659\">Abraksis\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I expect there to be software issues on a phone, but I\u2019m always bummed when there are issues with the hardware. The physical design and functionality should be rock solid and ready to go by the time it gets into the consumer\u2019s hands, so it\u2019s frustrating when things don\u2019t work or when the design is poorly thought out.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Under-Screen Fingerprint Reader:<\/strong>\u00a0This doesn\u2019t always work for me. On some days, it\u2019ll accept my thumbprint just fine, and on others, I end up having to click the physical power button, swipe up, and enter my PIN. How annoying is that? If I wanted to do that, I\u2019d opt for a cheaper phone without biometrics. The issue could partially be because I don\u2019t use the Always On display, but I know exactly where the sensor is, and it should be reading my print without issue. Meanwhile, the Pixel\u2019s dedicated <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">fingerprint sensor<\/span> on the rear of the device never messes around.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Button Configuration:<\/strong>\u00a0The power and volume buttons are switched from the Pixel, and I\u2019m still not used to it. I don\u2019t think it makes sense to have the power button below the volume buttons. It\u2019s the same kind of problem you have when switching between Nintendo and Xbox controllers, which is, admittedly, more of a personal problem, but it just doesn\u2019t make sense.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Non-Responsive Buttons:<\/strong>\u00a0Simple as it is, the volume buttons don\u2019t always work. I usually find this out when I\u2019m trying to watch a video quietly, and my volume levels are loud from something I was watching or playing earlier. Far too often, there is just no response from either of the buttons and the only way to get them to work again is by restarting the phone. While I\u2019m glad there\u2019s a fix for that, I shouldn\u2019t have to restart my phone so often just to get the volume buttons to work\u2014just another little quirk contributing to a negative experience.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Downward-Firing Speaker:\u00a0<\/strong>When I hold this phone, my pinky sits underneath the bottom of the phone, right where the downward-firing speaker is located. As a result, the sound is muddled, and I have to reposition my hand, which is never as comfortable. This is a design issue, as most folks are right-handed and put their pinky underneath on the speaker to prop it up. Remember the antenna-blocking issue with one of the earlier Apple iPhones? Same vibes <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">here<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While none of these issues are absolute deal-breakers, they do diminish the overall experience the phone attempts to offer. When I am left to deal with them, I can\u2019t help but question Samsung\u2019s design process and become wary about buying another smartphone from the company in the future.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Software\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_Software\">Software<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-91203 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/07\/933757dc.png\" alt=\"Top view of Google Pixel phone against light grey background\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/jakarta-indonesia-december-09-2020-top-1867392130\" data-credittext=\"ShiwaID\/Shutterstock.com\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/jakarta-indonesia-december-09-2020-top-1867392130\">ShiwaID\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As I mentioned above, a device\u2019s software is where I expect the bulk of the issues to lie. Between bugs and personal idiosyncrasies, this is the area that can really cause someone to feel disconnected from a device. And that is precisely the case with this Samsung.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Too Much Customization:<\/strong>\u00a0One of the big-ticket features that draws me to Android over iOS is the freedom to customize literally everything on the device. And although I was comfortable with the Pixel, I was excited to work with a Samsung (its devices are renowned for their customization options). However, to get the phone to a baseline usable point, it took <i>so much effort<\/i> just to set right so many things that should just be common sense. The setup felt like an everlasting chore, and I quickly realized that I didn\u2019t want or need half of the options I was afforded. While I love the idea of a blank slate, a good phone should still do some of the work for you as the Pixel does.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Samsung\u2019s Bloatware:<\/strong>\u00a0Few things in the tech world annoy me more than when companies install apps on their device and give you no option to delete them if you don\u2019t want them. No, I don\u2019t want to use Samsung\u2019s no-name browser, photo gallery app, calculator, or game launcher. On my mobile device, I need to use the apps I\u2019m already connected to on my other devices (mostly Google apps), not another separate group of apps that only work on one company\u2019s device. I ended up hiding all of the bloatware apps, but if you give me the option to hide them, why not just let me delete them? While the Pixel also comes preloaded with apps, they are mostly apps I actually use and that can work cross-device<\/li>\n<li><strong>Google Assistant Inconsistencies:<\/strong>\u00a0For no good reason, Google Assistant often fails to work correctly on my S21. Sometimes I ask it to do something simple, like set a timer, and all it does is return a search result for \u201cset a timer for 20 minutes,\u201d which is useless and<span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">\u00a0super frustrating<\/span>. I shouldn\u2019t have to manually open the clock app, swipe over to the timer or stopwatch, and set it up myself when other phones can? Why have a smartphone at all? Why not carry around a separate kitchen timer that I can manually twist the dial on? The Pixel would never do me dirty like that.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No Call Screening:<\/strong>\u00a0Here\u2019s something I didn\u2019t realize I was taking for granted on my Pixel: Google\u2019s underappreciated Call Screen feature that automatically filters and handles spam calls for me, so my day isn\u2019t interrupted by them. Now, I\u2019m pestered by spam calls all the time, and the ringing regularly disrupts my workflow and pulls my attention away from whatever I\u2019m working on. It\u2019s 2021\u2014I should not have to field spam calls at this point.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Voicemail Dysfunction:<\/strong>\u00a0If I miss a call, I like to check my voicemail to make sure I don\u2019t miss anything important. However, Samsung makes that near impossible. While it does have a sort of visual voicemail option, you have to download the file first. When I tap the download button, it usually just says the request has been sent but it never gets it. I have yet to read a voicemail transcript on this phone successfully. The phone never plays any audio for voicemails, either, even when I press play. In comparison, the Pixel\u2019s visual voicemail app is baked into the phone\u2019s dialer and it always works without issue.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Notifications Issues:<\/strong>\u00a0For whatever reason, notifications just aren\u2019t a buttery smooth experience on this phone. When I\u2019m using my phone in landscape mode\u2014say, for watching a movie or gaming\u2014it\u2019s impossible to access them. I can pull down on the notification tray, and it\u2019ll show me basic settings and my recent media, but it doesn\u2019t let me continue scrolling down to see texts, calendar reminders, app notifications, or anything else. The phone is also similarly finicky when I try to scroll through notifications from the lock screen; sometimes it\u2019ll work just fine. Other times I\u2019ll have to pick the phone up and unlock it to scroll through them all.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Photos? More Like No-tos:<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019m not a photographer, nor am I any sort of vlogger. At best, I like to take out-the-window photos of pretty scenery as I drive by it and post photos of dinner on Instagram. That said, I still have an eye for what makes a good photo and am plenty capable of discerning whether or not the hardware and software at hand are up for the task. So, let me just say this: The S21\u2019s camera system isn\u2019t even in the same dimension as the Pixel\u2019s. Instead of true-to-life images, the S21 outputs ones that are overly bright and warm, and none I\u2019ve taken with the phone so far have ever looked <i>right<\/i> (even with editing).<\/li>\n<li><strong>App Drawer:<\/strong>\u00a0Horizontal app drawers are lame, and Samsung provides no option to switch to a vertical mode. Not being able to whoosh down to the bottom of my apps with one swipe and, instead, having to swipe through multiple pages just doesn\u2019t make any sense. And no, I don\u2019t want to install a launcher to rectify that, as that\u2019s even worse.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No Standard Google Messages:<\/strong>\u00a0Having to download Google Messages because it\u2019s not the default on Samsung is ridiculous. Enough said.<\/li>\n<li><strong>App State Memory:<\/strong>\u00a0Samsung has this weird quirk that sets my patience on fire where it sets you back to wherever you left off. Opened an app folder, then sat your phone down? It\u2019ll open that folder when you next access your phone. Swiped to a certain page in the app drawer? That\u2019s the page it\u2019ll show first the next time you access it. Took a selfie? The next time you open the camera, it\u2019s the front-facing camera that\u2019s active. That logic may make sense when I\u2019m doing something two seconds later, but when it\u2019s four hours later, it\u2019s insufferable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Pixel_Part_II\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_ThePixelPartII\">The Pixel, Part II<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After spending several months with the S21, I have learned exactly two lessons. One\u2014just because a phone is pretty doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s any good. And two\u2014nobody does Android quite like Google does. In retrospect, it\u2019s clear that the problems that existed on Pixel phones will often crop up on any phone. Sometimes, it takes switching phones to realize that and to realize that good enough is sometimes just <i>good enough<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy S21\u2019s laundry list of quirks and serious issues extends far beyond its benefits. Yes, it\u2019s drop-dead gorgeous and has powerful high-end specs, and if I hadn\u2019t spent years using a Pixel before this, I probably wouldn\u2019t have as many issues with it. But that\u2019s just not the case.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-91204 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/07\/3aad4aef.png\" alt=\"Angled view of rear and bottom of Samsung Galaxy S21 on wooden desk\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Kevin Bonnett\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Kevin Bonnett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>My smartphone is something I use all day, every day. It\u2019s my alarm clock, camera, entertainment, news source, and the way I get answers to all the questions I have throughout the day. It\u2019s what keeps me connected to friends, family, coworkers, and everyone else. My smartphone is more than just another tech gadget\u2014it\u2019s my daily companion, and as such, it should be designed with that in mind.<\/p>\n<p>The Pixel showed me how thoughtful a device can be and that it is possible for a device to impact my life positively and not just be yet another gadget. It has a thousand little features that I (regrettably) never gave much thought to and definitely took for granted, but now realize how truly awesome they are and how much they benefited my life now that I don\u2019t have them anymore. Whatever little quirks my Pixel had that I previously deemed unforgivable are now forgiven, as I now understand that the benefits that phone offered me far outweigh its few quirks and shortcomings.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lesson_Learned\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_LessonLearned\">Lesson Learned<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If nothing else, this experience has taught me to be more mindful of the tech I choose to bring into my life. Flashy designs and empty promises benefit no one. We shouldn\u2019t buy tech simply because it\u2019s new or pretty, but rather <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">because its design <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/300339\/smartphone-specs-dont-matter-its-a-software-game-now\/\">goes beyond<\/a> creating an impressive specs sheet<\/span> and actually takes humans into consideration. If the user experience isn\u2019t streamlined and fails to keep the user in mind, then dozens of megapixels and a gaming PC-level processor don\u2019t really matter.<\/p>\n<p>This was the experience I had with the Samsung Galaxy S21. It\u2019s attractive and looks good on paper, but it\u2019s just another obtrusive gadget that doesn\u2019t actually benefit my life. While I feel a bit stupid for falling prey to its irresistible siren call and impulsively purchasing one, I don\u2019t entirely regret doing so, as it made me realize how truly remarkable the Pixels are.<\/p>\n<p>Pixels are the smartphones that have helped me live life comfortably the past few years, and it\u2019s the smartphone I\u2019m looking forward to returning home to when the Pixel 6 is announced.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1137093656460433');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/91198\/lesson-learned-i-gave-up-my-pixel-for-a-galaxy-s21-and-i-hate-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#I Gave Up My Pixel for a Galaxy S21 and I Hate It \u2013 Review Geek&#8221; Kevin Bonnett Although Google\u2019s Pixel smartphones typically aren\u2019t the most powerful, they consistently pack the most intuitive and thoughtful software on the market. So, what on Earth was I thinking when I traded in my Pixel 4a for Samsung\u2019s&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":296281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/07\/691d2ff1.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-296280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296280"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296280\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}