# Google Pixel 388 Hacker News commenters recommended Google Pixel and 338 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 12 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 1 years (31 owners). **Verdict:** The go-to Android phone for GrapheneOS, thanks to unlockable bootloaders, strong hardware security and seven years of updates; critics cite hardware flaws and carrier-locked units. ## Why people recommend it - Best device for GrapheneOS (9 comments): "Google takes security seriously. There's a reason GrapheneOS is only supported on Pixel devices currently as well, because of certain hardware security features." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45997196)) "Long story short I went from flaghships to 2nd hand few generations olds Pixel 8 (cheapest I could try GrapheneOS on) and I don't regret that decision at all." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49371042)) "none have provided the hardware-based security features or driver/firmware update support needed by GrapheneOS beyond Pixels" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48761684)) - Strong hardware security features (7 comments): "Google takes security seriously. There's a reason GrapheneOS is only supported on Pixel devices currently as well, because of certain hardware security features." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45997196)) "99.9% od the code GrapheneOS uses and 100% of hardware (including one like Titan security chip handling storage encryption and key store) is from Google." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49540116)) "none have provided the hardware-based security features or driver/firmware update support needed by GrapheneOS beyond Pixels" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48761684)) - Unlockable, relockable bootloader (5 comments): "Pixels have unlocked bootloaders and Android is open source to the point where third parties can and do make alternative OS distributions." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47841786)) "respectable security practices and still respects users enough support them choosing to modify the software on their devices" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47650877)) "It's the only available phone hardware that provides full bootloader unlock capabilities AND suitable security protections" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46112153)) - Seven years of updates (3 comments): "Pixel 8 is also the first generation of Pixels to be officially supported, both security and OS updates, for 7 years" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48078374)) "We don't recommend buying a 7th gen Pixel anymore" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49493902)) "using a modern device with 7 years of support, such as a pixel or iphone, will be far better in the long term" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48577173)) ## What people warn about - Underwhelming or failing hardware (4 comments): "less RAM, performance scraping backwards, crippled/lost features, a camera system that captures stuttering audio and video imperfectly often" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49537052)) "Then Google switched to a pretty bad Exynos based SoC and consistently shipped underwhelming hardware at price points aligned with Apple" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47967167)) "The product design and hardware teams have both tried to one up each other and who can deliver the bigger pile of steaming crap." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49491413)) - Carrier-locked bootloaders on some units (2 comments): "I lost a restocking fee when I bought a used "unlocked" Pixel. Turned out it was not SIM locked, but it was impossible to unlock the bootloader." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47050262)) "it was locked by the carrier entirely and though unlocked the carrier simply decided to not allow their pixels to be flashed" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49422820)) - Still dependent on Google (4 comments): "Pixel devices are probably still the best Android offering, but I originally got into the ecosystem because it was less confined and that appears to be changing" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46177739)) "99.9% od the code GrapheneOS uses and 100% of hardware (including one like Titan security chip handling storage encryption and key store) is from Google." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49540116)) "you still depend on Google good will allowing the pixel devices to be just open enough so that Graphene can be installed on them" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48563513)) - Unpatched security exploits (2 comments): "Funny how Google is paying people to find exploits in their product, and also pays people to ignore those vulnerability reports." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45864369)) "Pixels continue to have baseband and OOBConfig exploits that allow pushing zero interaction updates, or system memory access." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46803377)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Samsung Galaxy S series](https://hackerapproved.com/p/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra.md): 70 recommend - [OnePlus 15](https://hackerapproved.com/p/oneplus-15.md): 31 recommend - [Motorola Moto G](https://hackerapproved.com/p/motorola-moto-g.md): 25 recommend - [Google Pixel 10a](https://hackerapproved.com/p/pixel-10a.md): 20 recommend - [Motorola G Stylus 2025](https://hackerapproved.com/p/motorola-g-stylus-2025.md): 11 recommend ## Where to get it - [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Google+Pixel+9+Pro+XL&tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link) - [Official site](https://store.google.com/category/phones?hl=en-US) ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Google Pixel", https://hackerapproved.com/p/google-pixel/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).