Google Pixel 11 series review: Is the magic fading? | Google’s new Pixels make some compromises but still manage to be good phones. - ArsTechnica
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/google-pixel-11-series-review-is-the-magic-fading/Open linkView original on lemmy.today
14 replies
Phones have been good for ages, you don't need to upgrade to the new one
Exactly. I get that phone reviewers are bored because smartphones plateaued but that's really not such a bad thing for users. Phones are fine. They do their job and we can lengthen the usage cycle.
The only thing I'm looking forward to is a truly solid desktop mode. USB-C connector to a dock with a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Let me use my phone where I'd usually have to switch to a laptop or desktop PC.
Phones in general plateaued, but the pixel line has been sitting comfortably at a plateau 4 generations behind Apple/Snapdragon flagships which is unacceptable. I have an iPhone 15 Pro that I’m looking to replace because it’s starting to lag and stutter; the pixel 11 pro benchmarks LOWER than my 3 year old phone.
Which tasks make your phone stutter?
I see across the board frame drops in the UI from time to time. If I turn on low power mode, it gets real choppy. My expectation is 120FPS, no stutters, no frame drops ever; that’s how this phone was when I bought it.
It's time to de-Google.
Funnily enough they are the best to degoogle with. GrapheneOS still only works with Pixels. I have slight hope that Motorola deal with them becomes a success.
Same here. That's why I bought a Motorola phone when there was no other choice than to buy a device again.
Smartphones just aren't fun anymore. It feels like they've really peaked until there is some major leap in technology. OR if we started going back to having removable batteries, SD card slots, and headphone ports.
All I want is a usable Linux phone.
Just get a 10 series on eBay and put Graphene on it
That's my plan at least
Or the 9 series, which is nearly identical to the 10. Even the older models (6 to 8 are also supported by GrapheneOS) are all still good, just with a more rounded shape and a camera bar that is more bar like
I don't want to give Google any business. Also can't really trust Google hardware
Tech outlets when releases a new phone without changes for the 10th year in a row: guise is the magic lowkey kinda fading?
The magic has been gone for a LONG time