My Pixel bit the dust, so I’m trying a phone that’s not Apple, Google, or Samsung

My family hasn’t had a lot luck with know-how so far this yr. First, my spouse’s foldable was on the fritz, and now my belief Pixel 8 Professional has bit the mud. In all my years of proudly owning swanky tech, I can’t recall the final time I’ve had two costly devices fail on me in fairly such fast succession. Speak about unhealthy luck.

It’s exhausting to pinpoint exactly what’s gone incorrect with my beloved Pixel 8 Professional (apart from the image above, in fact), nevertheless it’s develop into unusable in a number of completely different however equally debilitating methods. The show glints randomly when there’s any reasonably demanding process to do, obscuring just about the whole lot from view. The interface crawls to a halt after I’ve used the digital camera or performed a sport. And the fingerprint scanner now fails to learn my print about 90% of the time. Placing all of it collectively, I believe the phone’s Tensor G3 processor is on the manner out — hardly a convincing inning for a little over a yr of use, however not solely stunning both, given Google’s doubtful historical past with chip growth.

I may leap to the extremely really helpful Pixel 9 Professional, in fact, however I’ve been sitting in the Pixel consolation zone for most likely too lengthy now, and this setback gives the excellent alternative to actually get my enamel into what else is on the market. I’m lucky sufficient to have a collection of the greatest current flagships to check out, and I shortly settled on the OPPO Discover X8 Professional. Why? Effectively, I’ve been eyeballing OPPO’s sensible images capabilities with the X6 Extremely and X7 Extremely however couldn’t abide the Chinese language software program. I’d be mendacity if I stated I wasn’t eagerly anticipating OPPO’s return to Western shores, so I took this opportunity to leap proper in.

Having lived in Pixel-land persistently for over a yr, you develop accustomed to a few issues, each good and unhealthy.

Sluggish charging, for instance, has been the bane of my existence. I’m a chaotic particular person and can not often trouble to plug my phone in in a single day, despite the fact that I’ve a plug at my bedside. On work days, it’s no downside to cost my phone at certainly one of the numerous ports by my desk, however when I’ve to sprint out, Pixel’s gradual charging has all too typically left me checking the battery proportion, hoping I’ve sufficient to get residence. OPPO’s SuperVOOC may not be blazing quick on the Discover X8 Professional, nevertheless it’ll nonetheless take me to full in two-thirds the time of my previous Pixel 8 Professional. What’s much less good is that the Discover X8 Professional is a bit gradual from non-SuperVOOC chargers, so I’ve needed to slot a type of at my desk now.

Speaking of velocity, the Discover X8 Professional’s Dimensity 9400 far outpaces the Tensor G3 (and the newer Tensor G4, for that matter). Not that you just’ll discover doom-scrolling the internet or flicking by means of social feeds, however you’ll really feel that increased body charge when racing by means of the newest and best Android video games. Anecdotally, switching between sleeping apps could really feel a tad sharper on the OPPO, however I wouldn’t need to put cash on it, and I’m not going to counsel Google’s chip feels too gradual. Nonetheless, given its the Tensor chip that’s died on me, I’ve no hesitations about ditching it for just about the rest.

What about all these AI issues that you are able to do on a Pixel? They nonetheless run fantastic on the MediaTek chip, too. Gemini is the default assistant out of the field, full with Dwell, Photograph’s Magic Editor, Circle to Search, and the newest summarization instruments constructed into Gmail; all of them work simply fantastic, most likely as a result of most of those options depend on the cloud anyway.

Software program-wise, I like the Pixel’s principally hands-off strategy to options — there are extras if you’d like them, however they don’t demand your consideration. The identical can’t be stated for the Discover X8 Professional, which was flush with bloatware and has a bunch of instruments like AI Studio and O Chill out that I can positively stay with out. When you’ve eliminated these, Colour OS is a familiarly lean expertise, with a wise settings menu and useful options starting from battery restrict and sensible charging to App Lock Personal Protected and instruments.

Though I like how Google does issues, I’ve by no means liked the overly bubbly aesthetic; ColorOS actually appears to be like a lot slicker. In all truthfully, I’d name it a tie between the two; what you acquire from one, you lose one thing from the different. I like each.

Google’s cameras are sensible, and the newest Pixel 9 collection takes issues up one other stage. Nonetheless, I’ve not all the time been satisfied by the Professional telephones’ portrait pictures, owing to their alternative between a default large (23mm) and comparatively long-range 5x (125mm) zoom digital camera moderately than something excellent for pure portraits. OPPO solves this downside with its twin zoom digital camera strategy, with a 3x (73mm) lens that’s excellent for portraits and a 6x (135mm) possibility for longer-range topics. Paired with strong bokeh edge detection, three portrait lighting choices, and extra filters than I may care to depend, it’s simple to get artistic with the photos I snap the most.

And I believe that’s the one defining factor I like extra about the Discover X8 Professional’s digital camera than the Pixel’s I’ve been used to those years — creativity. I’m not saying you may’t get artistic with the Pixel; you completely can; have a look at any of the images my colleague Rita (and others) have taken. Nonetheless, the choices are principally technical (corresponding to astrophotography or Add Me) moderately than emotive (like filters) until you need to fiddle in Google Pictures after the truth. The Discover X8 Professional affords excellent picture high quality and easy-to-reach instruments, in addition to toggles to tweak your images when you’re hitting the shutter. The outcomes often have that pure mirrorless look that so typically evades even the greatest digital camera telephones. As well as, the Discover X8 Professional has the identical Stage, Fireworks, and Silhouette modes that we discovered brilliantly helpful on the OnePlus 13.

Sadly, my Pixel’s KIA standing means I can’t seize side-by-side snaps, however I’ve a few samples right here to indicate simply how impressed I’m with the Discover X8 Professional. In any case, it’s not nearly high quality; I believe each are rock strong. As a substitute, I’m having extra artistic enjoyable with the OPPO. At the least for now.

The digital camera isn’t with out its flaws, in fact. Particulars develop into overly smooth fairly shortly when the lights dim, and the lengthy publicity mode auto-clicks into motion earlier than it actually will get darkish, so it’s a must to take care of movement blur. That’s one thing you don’t have to fret about with the Pixel, which is as constant at night time as it’s in the day. Distinction will also be a little harsh, however this isn’t utilized when utilizing the phone’s Grasp mode, and I believe the Pixel has far superior long-range zoom. I’ve barely touched the phone’s devoted digital camera button both; it’s faster to stay with muscle reminiscence.

As a lot as I need to reward the Discover X8 Professional’s digital camera, the greatest digital camera phone I’ve used not too long ago (most likely ever) is the Xiaomi 15 Extremely. For those who’re primarily on the lookout for a phone to leapfrog what the already spectacular Pixel can do, look to Xiaomi as an alternative of OPPO.

After a few weeks away, I truthfully can’t say I’m actually lacking my Pixel all that a lot. Sure, I want I nonetheless had some conveniences like Name Display, and others may miss novel options like Greatest Take, Fast Faucet, or Dwell Translate. However I’ve by no means been significantly tied to Pixel-exclusive options; possibly as a result of I evaluate so many units, I’ve by no means actually settled into a constant rhythm with them.

I can nonetheless use Pictures, Drive, Gemini, and most of Google’s core apps and options irrespective of the place I am going, which has all the time been certainly one of Android’s most important advantages. General, the transition has been a internet optimistic in comparison with the minor stuff I’ve given up.

One sidegrade I’m not a massive fan of is that the Discover X8 Professional has an optical fingerprint scanner, identical to my Pixel 8 Professional. Google upgraded to an ultrasonic mannequin in the Pixel 9 collection, which is actually what you need at this value. OPPO’s scanner works fantastic, nevertheless it’s positioned comparatively low, and I nonetheless don’t like being blinded once I unlock my phone in dim mild.

Placing that apart, settling into a completely different {hardware} bundle has jogged my memory that the Pixel actually isn’t compromise-free. Between the sluggish charging, generally questionable community protection (I’ve had zero drop-outs with the OPPO, even in rural England), and clearly doubtful Tensor chip, you’re typically lacking out on dabbling in the very newest cutting-edge {hardware} to stay in the admittedly very comfy Pixel software program bubble.

Whereas I’m transformed to the OPPO Discover X8 Professional, it’s not a slam-dunk advice. It’s fairly costly in the UK at £1,050, and I haven’t discovered an official retailer in the US. Both manner, you’re speaking someplace slightly below Pixel 9 Professional XL or Galaxy S25 Extremely cash. Not that the phone isn’t value it, however not everybody will need to stretch that far to strive one thing completely different. With that in thoughts, I’m inclined to suggest the OnePlus 13 — a pretty equal and even perhaps marginally higher choose — for those who’re seeking to strive one thing outdoors of the massive two US Android names.

Wait, what? Why am I instantly recommending a wholly completely different phone? Effectively, the two aren’t unrelated. OPPO and OnePlus are sibling manufacturers; peek at the spec sheets, and also you’ll discover a lot of crossovers. Oxygen OS and Colour OS share a lot of their greatest instruments, too. They even look a bit alike, don’t they?

Notably, the OnePlus 13 is less expensive at $899 (£899), but the two share equivalent digital camera specs minus the 6x periscope lens you may actually stay with out, due to OnePlus’ sensible software program zoom. Plus, you marginally commerce as much as the speedier Snapdragon 8 Elite chip over the Dimensity 9400. We additionally discovered that the OnePlus 13 fees sooner and can obtain the identical variety of future updates, which is clearly superb for the asking value.

It’s all too simple to settle someplace in the Apple, Google, or Samsung triangle lately; their {hardware} is sensible, they’re dependable, and the telephones are simple to pay money for just about anyplace. Regardless of the principally settled nature of the trendy smartphone panorama, extra adventurous varieties can nonetheless discover gems outdoors of the massive three. OnePlus and OPPO are superb locations to begin your search if you wish to strive one thing a little completely different with out compromise.