Hello everyone,
If I want to switch to Graphene OS and invest in a Pixel (without spending €500), from which generation can I buy a Pixel that will last a few years?
Thanks in advance.
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TL;DR: generation 8 or newer will be supported for a minimum of “a few years” from now (until 2030 or later)
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GOS will support Pixels for as long as Google supports it. Learn more here: Google Pixel | endoflife.date
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Pixel 8a could be a good option. About 250 bucks
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As was mentioned above, Graphene OS (which will be referred to as GOS from here on out) supports Pixel devices as long as Google does. For generation 8 and newer, that is 7 years from the release of the device, and for everything before then, it is 5 years from the release of the device. The chart @PaleCrow55 linked to shows that you could get a year or two of support for devices before generation 8.
However, I will note that it is typically recommended that you get a generation 8 pixel or newer; not only for the extended support time, but because generation 8 introduced Memory Tagging Extension v3 support (MTEv3), which improves the security of the device. Tavi (who, to my knowledge, is no longer a part of this forum, unfortunately), has a GOS settings guide they still seem to maintain which mentions this point and provides a few links to help inform you.
The guide can be found here: https://divested.dev/misc/gos.txt
…And for the benefit of future readers, in case Tavi decides to take down their website or something, here are the links they provided which I am referring to:
- Google Online Security Blog: Adopting the Arm Memory Tagging Extension in Android
- Google Online Security Blog: MTE - The promising path forward for memory safety
- First handset with MTE on the market - Project Zero
- https://source.android.com/docs/security/test/memory-safety
- GitHub - GrapheneOS/hardened_malloc: Hardened allocator designed for modern systems. It has integration into Android's Bionic libc and can be used externally with musl and glibc as a dynamic library for use on other Linux-based platforms. It will gain more portability/integration over time. · GitHub
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I got the 8a nine months ago for 300€, can vouch for it.
Perusing the GrapheneOS forum, there have been some reports that some suppliers misuse the term “unlocked“ or rather, don’t specify what it means, leading to the device not being able to have Graphene installed (Unlocked in this instance having meant “carrier unlocked“)..
There’s 2 kinds of unlocked: “carrier unlocked” and there’s “OEM unlockable”.
You’ll want the OEM unlockable version!
On the GOS forum, there are sellers that have been confirmed to have the correct variant.
There has been success in directly asking the seller whether or not it is OEM unlocked too!
For starts, all the Google phones basically come unlocked here (Finland)
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Thank you for your answers.
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I’m using a Pixel 9a, my only gripe is the fingerprint scanner which I use for two step login can be unreliable from time to time (might be because I have a privacy screen on, but still a pain). That and the Pixel 9a annoyed a lot of reviewers because the battery was soldered on which makes repairing it a bit trickier.
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i would go to the newest model i can buy so to your cap limit. Ideally the version “a” is the cheaper option and the one that gets out late (and is maintained until later) from the same line. so 6a 7a 8a 9a from that choose the one you can buy with your budget.
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Here are the official suggestions of the GrapheneOS team, as per GOS documentation.
- Pixel 10a (experimental)
- Pixel 10 Pro Fold
- Pixel 10 Pro XL
- Pixel 10 Pro
- Pixel 10
- Pixel 9a
- Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- Pixel 9 Pro XL
- Pixel 9 Pro
- Pixel 9
- Pixel 8a
- Pixel 8 Pro
- Pixel 8
If cost is a factor, the Pixel 8a & Pixel 9a should be the lowest cost options available in most places. Good luck on your privacy, and if you decide to switch over to GOS, welcome to the club. 
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