5 explanation why I nonetheless use a Samsung telephone as an alternative of a Pixel

On paper, Google’s Pixel telephones test nearly each and every field. They get Android updates first, take unbelievable pictures, have nice designs, and be offering some unique options like Upload Me and the Pixel Screenshots app. But, in the event you gave me a decision, I’d take a Galaxy telephone over a Pixel any day.

That’s now not a knock on Pixel telephones. If anything else, it’s a testomony to how a lot Galaxy telephones have progressed through the years. They provide a number of options that Google nonetheless hasn’t matched, reminiscent of extra customization choices, higher first-party apps, tough automation equipment, and seamless integration with Home windows PCs.

Those are all extraordinarily significant options — and issues that make Galaxy telephones really feel extra entire to me over any Pixel.

The largest enchantment of Pixel telephones is the device enjoy, and truthfully, it’s absolute best for somebody who prefers a blank interface. However the issue is that simplicity additionally way fewer customization choices for such things as the house display screen, lock display screen, and notification panel. Heck, you’ll be able to’t even take away the quest widget from the house display screen if you wish to. I do know some other people don’t care about that kind of factor, but it surely’s great to have the selection, and that’s the place Samsung is miles forward.

One UI already gives quite a few customization choices, however the entire enjoy is going to some other degree whenever you set up Just right Lock. For example, Just right Lock gives a Keys Cafe module that shall we me design a keyboard from scratch with customized colours, typing sound, or even gestures.

The LockStar module is some other of my favorites. It shall we me customise the lock display screen by way of converting clock taste, including widgets, rearranging shortcuts, or even adorning the always-on show (AOD) with stickers. There are an identical modules for the house display screen and fast settings panel. And Just right Lock isn’t as regards to customization. It additionally brings a couple of extras like higher gestures, progressed one-handed mode, searchable notification historical past, and numerous different quality-of-life tweaks.

Galaxy telephones continuously get criticized for coming loaded with too many apps, and to be truthful, that complaint isn’t totally flawed. My Galaxy S26 got here with its personal apps for surfing, note-taking, record control, and extra, all along Google’s apps. In my opinion, regardless that, I think having extra selection is healthier than having much less. Having used Samsung telephones for years, I’ve in fact come to want lots of Samsung’s apps over Google’s equivalents.

For example, as just right as Google Stay is, I love Samsung Notes higher as it’s extra deeply built-in into the gadget. I will be able to create a observe without delay from the Edge Panel or even the lock display screen. Extra importantly, it has options that make lifestyles such a lot more straightforward, reminiscent of computerized formatting, observe summarization, drawing lend a hand, or even give a boost to for studying and annotating PDFs.

Samsung Gallery is some other app I persistently want over Google Footage. It feels extra like a conventional gallery app that doesn’t push cloud backups. Something I in particular like is its seek serve as — it really works throughout the entire pictures on my telephone. By way of comparability, Google Footage limits its seek to pictures sponsored as much as the cloud. I may make an identical arguments for Safe Folder, Samsung Keyboard, or even Samsung Calendar, however you get the theory.

In fact, Google gives some unbelievable apps. Chrome, Gmail, Calendar, Gemini, and a couple of others are the most effective of their respective classes. However the wonderful thing about the use of a Samsung telephone is that I don’t have to select one ecosystem over the opposite. I will be able to merely use the most productive of each worlds.

Samsung’s Modes and Routines should be essentially the most underrated a part of Galaxy telephones. In my opinion, I depend on a number of routines to automate on a regular basis duties. For example, I’ve a morning regimen that triggers routinely once I push aside the alarm. It switches my telephone again to sound mode and opens Now Transient, the place I will be able to test the elements, calendar occasions, most sensible information, and different necessary updates.

Every other regimen I’ve arrange kicks in when the battery degree drops under 50%, and I’m now not at house or within the place of job. It routinely lowers the display screen refresh charge to 60Hz, permits darkish mode, turns off AOD, adjustments the efficiency profile to Gentle mode, and applies different tweaks to scale back useless battery drain.

What I really like about routines is the sheer flexibility. There are dozens of triggers and movements, so I will be able to automate maximum issues. Google does be offering Pixel Laws, but it surely pales when put next. There are just a handful of triggers and movements, because of this you’ll be able to’t automate just about as a lot.

One house the place Samsung doesn’t get a lot credit score is how smartly Galaxy telephones combine with Home windows PCs. For starters, Samsung gives PC variations of a number of of its cellular apps, together with Gallery, Notes, Web, and Good Transfer. This implies I will be able to get admission to my notes, resume surfing classes throughout units, and arrange native software backups seamlessly.

The enjoy will get even higher whilst you attach your Galaxy telephone thru Telephone Hyperlink. Whilst Telephone Hyperlink works with all Android telephones, there are particular options which can be unique to Galaxy telephones, like RCS messaging give a boost to, clipboard sync between telephone and PC, and Fast Hotspot, which shall we your pc use your telephone’s cellular knowledge with out enabling the hotspot or typing a password.

In fact, that is one thing that received’t topic to everybody, however in the event you’re like me, who works on a Home windows PC all day, you’ll indubitably recognize it. Pixel telephones, in the meantime, merely don’t have the similar degree of Home windows integration.

I latterly attempted changing my computer with Samsung DeX, and that experiment made me recognize simply how just right the function in point of fact is. For the ones unfamiliar, DeX permits you to attach your Galaxy telephone to a observe or TV and use it as a PC. It will give you a correct desktop-like interface with a taskbar, resizable app home windows, keyboard shortcuts, and drag-and-drop give a boost to. You’ll even use your telephone as a touchpad and keyboard, regardless that pairing a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard makes the enjoy really feel a lot nearer to a real desktop.

DeX permits you to run your entire favourite apps at the giant display screen and multitask as you do on a PC. Since maximum of my paintings occurs within a browser anyway, DeX works nice as a computer alternative. That still way I don’t have to hold my computer in every single place I’m going.

Google gives one thing an identical referred to as Desktop Mode on Pixel 8 and more recent fashions. However once more, it’s nowhere close to as feature-rich as Samsung DeX. For example, Pixel Desktop Mode doesn’t paintings wirelessly, because of this you want to hold an HDMI dongle. Extra importantly, the full desktop enjoy isn’t as polished. To be truthful, regardless that, Pixel Desktop Mode most effective introduced in March 2026, whilst DeX has been round since 2017. Even so, if you need a telephone that may additionally double as a desktop PC when wanted, Samsung stays in a category of its personal.

Pixel telephones get so much proper, and I’d thankfully counsel them to somebody who needs a blank, no-frills enjoy. However for me, Samsung makes the entire smartphone enjoy really feel extra succesful, and albeit, much more a laugh.