Replace a Pixel 2XL for?

Nimisys

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Both the wife and I have Pixel 2XL phones that we really have no complaints with, outside of damaged screens. Both are paid for, both have insurance and both are over two years old. At this point we are leaning towards paying the deductibles and just having them replaced, but neither of us are really following the market. I have heard of crappy battery life on the 4, but is there anything out there that's worth buying into vs the $150 deductibles on our current phones?
 
If you feel the need to insure your phone, maybe you are buying phones that cost more then you are comfortable with. I would suggest buying cheaper phones, and forgoing the insurance. That's what I do.

The Pixel 3a is a fantastic phone for the money. The iPhone SE is reviewed very well and is also "cheap".
 
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You can get new Pixel 3a/4a or the iPhone SE for not much more.
 
Both the wife and I have Pixel 2XL phones that we really have no complaints with, outside of damaged screens. Both are paid for, both have insurance and both are over two years old. At this point we are leaning towards paying the deductibles and just having them replaced, but neither of us are really following the market. I have heard of crappy battery life on the 4, but is there anything out there that's worth buying into vs the $150 deductibles on our current phones?

A few questions to ask before making recommendations:

- How much do you prefer Android over iOS?

- What are you reasonably willing to spend (with a bit of wiggle room, most likely)?

- How much do you value camera quality, performance or (if going Android) a 'pure' interface?

- Are there any features you'd really like to have, like wireless charging or a headphone jack?
 
What do they send you when you pay the deductible? Some sort of refurbished phone? Who is the insurance through? Google?

You can get a "replacement" Pixel 2XL for cheaper than $150 if you shop around is what I'm getting at, but if it's a refurb direct from Google, you'd probably get a higher quality replacement than a used or user refurbished one.
 
I'm also curious to know what the insurance covers. With flagship phones doing for more than a grand, that might not be that bad of a purchase. At least depending on what it costs/covers.
 
If you feel the need to insure your phone, maybe you are buying phones that cost more then you are comfortable with. I would suggest buying cheaper phones, and forgoing the insurance. That's what I do.

The Pixel 3a is a fantastic phone for the money. The iPhone SE is reviewed very well and is also "cheap".

I tend to keep a phone at least two years, sometimes as long as 5yrs. A lot can happen during that time, and I don't always have the capital at a moment's notice to buy another equivalent phone. So paying an extra 8$ a month of the device is paying extra that when/if something goes wrong, I am not beyond my ability to replace it. Case in point: 4 months after getting her phone, my wife's phone was stolen. At the time a replacement P2XL was still over 500 for near new, deductible was 150$.

You can get new Pixel 3a/4a or the iPhone SE for not much more.

Are either worth the difference in cost?
A few questions to ask before making recommendations:

- How much do you prefer Android over iOS?

- What are you reasonably willing to spend (with a bit of wiggle room, most likely)?

- How much do you value camera quality, performance or (if going Android) a 'pure' interface?

- Are there any features you'd really like to have, like wireless charging or a headphone jack?
Android > Dumb Phone > IOS
~750$ each
Camera is very high, performance and Pure are close seconds.
Battery life equal to what we have now

What do they send you when you pay the deductible? Some sort of refurbished phone? Who is the insurance through? Google?

You can get a "replacement" Pixel 2XL for cheaper than $150 if you shop around is what I'm getting at, but if it's a refurb direct from Google, you'd probably get a higher quality replacement than a used or user refurbished one.

I forgot the name of the company,, but we have both received replacements from them, both were Google Refurbs and maintained the original 2yr warranty.

I'm also curious to know what the insurance covers. With flagship phones doing for more than a grand, that might not be that bad of a purchase. At least depending on what it costs/covers.
8$ a month, 150$ deductible. Lost/Stolen/Damaged.

In the days of 300$ flagships, wasn't worthwhile, however with good/flagship phones being $600+ using it once pays for it.
 
Still holding onto my 2 XL and its doing great still, but I've trashed a couple screen protectors on it too, so goes to show how important they are.

The only phones I'd consider right now to replace it are the S20/S20+, Pixel 3a or imminent 4a, OP 7/7T/Pro (hate the new designs and price of the 8/8Pro) or the iPhone 11 if you're not opposed to iOS. Current Pixel 4 might sell be available for $500, but I can't consider it at any price for its overall lack of hardware, but esp no wide angle camera, mediocre battery, and its face unlock still not being supported in a few of my apps so I'd rather have a fingerprint scanner still.

I almost got a S20+/Ultra, but I my 2 XL is still doing so well I can't bring myself to replace it yet. My son has had a 3a XL since it launched and its been great so far and camera is just as good as my 2 XL's.
 
Android > Dumb Phone > IOS
~750$ each
Camera is very high, performance and Pure are close seconds.
Battery life equal to what we have now

This makes it a bit tricky. I'd say OnePlus 8, but the camera system is a definite step backward from what you're used to -- and the older phones won't really be better. Maybe a standard Galaxy S20 if you can find a sale on it?

It's a shame that you're ruling out the iPhone 11, since you'd likely get the best overall camera quality (Pixels are lousy with video and some other cirucmstances), strong battery life and brisk performance.
 
Hopping between iOS and Android has never been easier, honestly. They mostly work the same and things like your contact list, calendar, etc. are cloud-based for most people. The only huge difference at this point is how you move files around between your devices. If Google doesn't get their act together, I might go back to iOS.
 
I am sure IOS is great for 99% of people out there, but it drives both of us up the wall.
 
I still use a Pixel 2 XL and honestly I'm more than happy with it.

I've tried many of the newer phones in the store, and some of them are nice, but not that much nicer that it would be worth switching.

Maybe just getting the replacement would be the best choice for now until the new Google phones come out.
 
In terms of pure features, there aren't many phones that offer significant upgrades vs. the Pixel 2 XL. At least assuming your battery isn't dying like mine was. You can only open Facebook or Chrome so fast and all of the Pixel phones take fantastic photos. Obviously there are specific cases where you might want a higher refresh rate or 5G, but for everyday use I doubt most people would notice much.
 
I still use a Pixel 2 XL and honestly I'm more than happy with it.

I've tried many of the newer phones in the store, and some of them are nice, but not that much nicer that it would be worth switching.

Maybe just getting the replacement would be the best choice for now until the new Google phones come out.

Same here. The only thing I wish my 2 XL did better was have a brighter display, as it's pretty hard to see outdoors at all. But even the Pixel 4s are still pretty weak relative to other flagships in that area and that's one of the many areas Google skimped on hardware for the Pixel 3 and 4. Otherwise the phone is still great and gets me through the day just fine even with only charging it to 80% or so as I've always done to save on battery wear - Accubattery says it's still at 89% capacity after over 2 years and oddly enough it was only at 93% when it was brand new.

I would pick up a 3a or upcoming 4a before I'd replace my 2 XL with another 2 XL though, if just for longer software support, pretty comparable performance, and even better battery life.
 
I tried the OP 8 Pro. Liked it, but not enough to keep it at that $1000 price. Been using my 3XL since late 2018 and my only complaint is its battery life. I have chargers and power banks in my home office, bedroom, car, even on the boat, so that problem is under control. The Note 20 and Sony Xperia 1 ii look pretty impressive, but their price tags are frightening. I'll probably stick with my 3XL unless the 5XL kicks some serious ass.
 
OnePlus Z supposed to be out in July and it has some pretty ridiculously good specs and an affordable price. Will be in the $400 range, and have pretty close to flagship specs.
 
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