Now that the 8T is approximately 3 major versions behind, I wondered if it was time to switch. I also recently bought a Razer Kishi V2, which for some reasons, doesn't work with it. Android version 12 seems good but I wonder what kind of a mess the OnePlus/Oppo combination has made. Things just don't seem quite right. What better way to get a clear version of Android than from Google.
My last Google-labeled device was the 2013 ASUS-made Nexus 7 tablet with a Snapdragon S4 Pro. It didn't seem to work very well with Android, but it worked well enough to play games. It was much better than the previous year's version made by Nvidia. However, even version 6 of Android just didn't work well and I gave it away.
I've spent time with Android 9, 10, 11, and 12. They are better than previous versions.
Related to the Razer Kishi V2, there was a deal on the Google Pixel 6a for US$299.99, down from $449.99. That's a good price for an unlocked phone. It's slightly less than the US$399.99 I paid for the OnePlus 8T, but that had 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. The Pixel 6a has 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Both have an OLED display but the 6a is limited to 60Hz while the 8T goes to 120Hz. The Google Tensor SoC isn't all that different than the Snapdragon 865, but in all reality, the 8T is a flagship device and the 6a isn't.
Conversion
I charged the 6a and when I turned it on, the instructions asked if I wanted to switch from another phone. As instructed, I plugged a USB, type-C cable into each phone. The 6a couldn't see the 8T. I wasn't surprised. Sometimes, it's difficult to get the phone to charge. I connected them wirelessly and that seemed to work.
After some time, it finished. I wondered how it did a complete backup so quickly. It didn't do a complete backup. That's how.
It sent the list of apps, contacts, and more. The apps were being downloaded immediately, but that took quite a while. Apparently, the data was not always available. A few Android apps still cling to Facebook and other methods of storing progress, while Google is clearly available.
It took about a week to get things running the way I wanted, although I'm still not sure everything is where it should be. The OnePlus 8T is empty now, though.
Thankfully, the 6a has a tiny, compatible SIM slot. Mint Mobile is hard at work. I've yet to test communications speeds.
On the other hand, game speeds seem decent. Scrolling a game in landscape mode is jerky. Animation is fine but that movement across the width of the display is pretty bad. Is it the display or the graphics processor or the lack of RAM?
So far, the 6a seems okay for the job, and if it seems not good enough, I only have to remember my first Android smartphone: the LG Optimus S that was forever short on storage. I had to delete apps to update the operating system. That phone was US$299.99.
Real Life
Okay, so out in the real world, away from Comcast/Xfinity, it's okay for the internet connection. I was concerned because I tried it close to work and got 3G-type speeds. At home, I turned off the WiFi and it was faster than the XFinity connection.
What's a bit disappointing is that the display is dark in sunlight, even on cloudy days. I turned it up to about 80% of maximum brightness and I could barely see the display. The display on the 8T was readily visible. Something else that hurts is that the system continues to drop the brightness level to around 30%, without asking.
The horizontal scrolling jerkiness has become less but is still noticeable. I suspect that having half the storage and half the RAM isn't helping. However, the 8T was reporting that 150+ GB of storage were in use, and since I don't have that much, I'm not sure how things are working or what extra the 8T was reporting as used.
Cases
Crave Dual Guard case recommended by Amazon is strong but slippery. It's slipped off the desk and has slipped out of my hands. I'm glad the case is tough.
Instead, two Spigen cases caught my attention:
Spigen Liquid Air Armor
Spigen Tough Armor
I have used the Tough Armor case for the OnePlus 8T and it was very good. I've settled on the Liquid Air Armor case for now, as it is a slimmer case. It doesn't have the kickstand but I rarely used the kickstand for the OnePlus 8T.
Still, I have to remove the case for the Razer Kishi V2. It's possible that an adjustment to the pads on the controller will allow the case to be used on the controller.
Update 2024.07.15: Ordered a Razer Edge Wi-Fi model to replace the Pixel 6a. It's been over a year with this awful phone and I just don't want to deal with the frustration any longer. Newegg had a deal for US$100 off, putting the final price at about 66%. The Snapdragon G3X should provide a much better experience. Even the Snapdragon 865 was better than the Tensor 1st generation.
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