[Google Pixel 5 Guides, News, & Discussion] rickysidhu_:
Hello everyone!

I've had the Pixel 5 for about a week now and couldn't post my initial thoughts because, unfortunately, I caught COVID-19.

Thankfully, my symptoms were not severe and I am on the verge of recovery at this point. I also feel okay enough to finally getting around to sharing my thoughts on this device, for anyone who was/is interested!

I am only going to share the aspects/categories that are relevant/important to me, in case anyone is wondering why I failed to share a particular aspect of the device. Also, a lot of these thoughts are in comparison to the OnePlus 8 Pro, but some of my opinions are Pixel-exclusive as well.

Screen (Size)

I definitely got used to the size but I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan. Using this smaller screen has definitely shown me I am a big phone person. However, it's not unbearable when I don't have a larger screen device right next to the Pixel. It's something I can easily live with, given my overall feelings about the device, which I will share a bit later.

Speakers/Call Quality

Okay so that earpiece speaker is, quite bad. However, that bottom speaker is fantastic and helps make up for the top speaker. Calls have been fine, though. It's just not the best for media consumption, however, again, that bottom speaker is very good, so it kind of "covers" for the poor top speaker. Unlike the OnePlus 8 Pro, I actually have functioning VoLTE and VoWiFi, which also aids in good call quality. It's not so different from other phones, other than the screen vibrating while the other person is talking. Not an issue at all, though.

OS

Surprisingly, OxygenOS held up pretty well since I don't see major differences in Stock Android vs OxygenOS (in regard to speed and fluidity). However, it is nice having a more responsive Assistant, as well as things like Call Screen!

SoC

On the rare occasion, I will experience dropped frames during UI navigation, and some apps taking a few seconds to load up, but other than that, there does not seem to be any other noticeable difference compared to the SoC found inside the 8 Pro. I've been on EX Kernel - if anyone has any thoughts on EX or Proton, or even stock, feel free to share! I am willing to experiment to get more out of the device.

Camera

Wow, the camera runs laps around the 8 Pro! Maybe it was just my device, but I would have to take a few shots of a subject to ensure I get a good shot without any weird artifacts or blurring. This Pixel camera, I just need to take one shot and it comes out flawless. Not to mention Night Sight and Portrait Mode are also miles better than the 8 Pro. By far, this category feels like the biggest upgrade.

Charge Speed

Almost instantly, I started to miss 30W warp charge, and this aspect does feel like quite the downgrade. Seems the Pixel takes forever to charge after living with Warp Charging. Not a huge deal, but I definitely noticed I have to alter my charging habits/routines. I can no longer charge when I please, as I could get away with that on the 8 Pro, and get enough juice after a quick 10-15 minute charge. Now, I just need to be a bit more vigilant of my battery life and timing, to ensure I am giving myself enough time to get my Pixel charged up before I need to leave the house, for instance.

Battery Life

I was anticipating amazing battery life, as mentioned by many YouTube reviews, however, it has for the most part been the same as my OnePlus 8 Pro. Roughly 4-6 hours of SOT, depending on my usage for that day. Not the worst battery life, but not the amazing endurance I've been hearing other people get. I don't do any gaming, but I am constantly interacting with the device in some way (tons of UI navigation). I am an avid Tasker user, so I am constantly experimenting with new automation ideas, which inevitably leads to a lot of device interaction. Maybe those with higher SOT, are doing more media consumption than I am, which leads to less device interaction, and therefore longer battery life? Just a theory. Overall, I'd say I'm pretty neutral about this category.

Biometrics

I've always preferred a rear fingerprint scanner over a front, under-screen one - so it's safe to say I am very pleased with the biometric unlocking method on this device. The 8 Pro's fingerprint scanner was not only slower, but it was also annoying to deal with at night, as it uses light to scan your finger, which can be blinding in the late hours.

Overall

I have reset and packed up my 8 Pro to get it ready for selling, so it's safe to say I've enjoyed the Pixel 5 enough to keep it as my daily driver! The most significant reason for this being proper VoLTE and VoWiFi, which leads to much better call quality in terms of sound and call stability. The second most significant reason is that camera. I take a lot of pictures and take videos, and edit them for things like vacations or any family events, such as birthdays. So, having that solid camera is important to me and I'm glad it's been a big upgrade from that 8 Pro!

One thing I wished worked better was third-party launcher support. I use Nova, and there is another thread in this forum that discusses this issue as well. Swiping up to go home, sometimes Nova will "refresh" (apps will disappear and reappear). Or, swiping to go home and attempting to immediately open an app, the wrong app will open. You need to swipe to go home, wait a second, and then proceed to do whatever you wanted. Minor annoyance but becomes extra annoying when you see how well gestures work with the stock launcher.

We'll see what that OnePlus 9 Pro has to offer, as well as any possible Pixel 5 XL/Pro model that may come out. Until then, I am happy rocking this Pixel 5 for now.

Apologies for the lengthy "review", if anyone has made it this far, I appreciate you taking the time!