Switching from Samsung Galaxy S23 to Pixel 10 Pro: My Honest One-Week Experience

I recently made the switch from the Samsung Galaxy S23 to the Pixel 10 Pro, and after using it daily for one week, I can confidently say it’s been a refreshing change. As someone who doesn’t push a phone to its limits with intense gaming or power-user tasks, my primary focus is on smooth, reliable performance in everyday use. On that front, the Pixel 10 Pro has impressed me.

Right from the start, I noticed how fluid and responsive the phone feels. Apps open quickly, transitions are buttery smooth, and overall, there’s a sense of speed that, honestly, feels even faster than what I experienced with One UI 7 on Samsung. There’s no lag, no stuttering, and the animations feel natural rather than forced. For someone who values efficiency and reliability over flashy features, this is a huge win.

One of the first things that struck me was the lack of bloatware. Samsung has always pushed its ecosystem heavily, forcing its apps, Microsoft integrations, and duplicate services alongside Google’s own offerings. With the Pixel 10 Pro, the experience is much cleaner. You get Google’s software straight out of the box, without the clutter. For me, this makes the device feel lighter and more personal from the moment I start using it.

The camera on the Pixel 10 Pro is another highlight. Samsung has always had excellent hardware, but Google’s software processing really shines here. HDR photos are more balanced, details are preserved in challenging lighting, and overall, the camera feels smarter in interpreting the scene. I’ve always enjoyed mobile photography, and this device makes it feel effortless.

In terms of customization, I’m not someone who dives into deep tweaks or complex setups like Good Lock or advanced gesture configurations. I prefer a clean stock experience with a few handy features that make daily life easier. That said, there are small One UI features I sometimes miss, not because I used them all the time, but because when you run into a situation where they’re useful, you suddenly remember how convenient they are.

The One UI Features I Occasionally Miss

Samsung has always been generous with practical quality-of-life tweaks. Here are a few things that came to mind after switching:

Samsung DeX, I didn’t use this daily, but for the times I needed a laptop-like interface for presentations or work on the go, it was a lifesaver.
Navigation Button Customization, on Samsung, I could tweak the look and feel of the navigation buttons, which adds a subtle personal touch.
Edge Lighting, notifications and the music player glowed subtly around the edge of the screen, a small thing that adds personality and awareness.
Sound Assistant Plugin (Good Lock), lets you control volume for individual apps, which occasionally came in handy.
Dual Messenger, the ability to clone social apps like Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat, is helpful if you run multiple accounts.

Most of these features can be replicated on the Pixel using third-party apps, and honestly, I rarely did. But the moments when I needed them made me appreciate the thoughtfulness built into One UI. It’s not that Pixel is worse; it’s just that Samsung’s interface occasionally solves small problems in very convenient ways.

User Interface & Usability Headaches

Even with my preference for Pixel’s UI overall, there are a few small usability quirks that stand out. For instance, adjusting brightness requires a double swipe instead of a single swipe down from the top. Similarly, the mobile data and Wi-Fi toggles are combined into a single button, which can be frustrating when you just want to switch one without affecting the other.

Missing Features I Really Notice

Where the Pixel falls short is in practical, real-life features that make day-to-day use smoother. Pixel Rules, the closest equivalent to Samsung’s routines, are extremely limited; they mostly let you do basic things based on location or Wi-Fi, and that’s it.

Other missing features I’ve noticed:

No option for screenshots to auto-delete after sharing.
Quick sharing with links, like cloud-based sharing, is missing.

These omissions are minor but noticeable when they matter, like when you suddenly need a convenience that One UI would have handled effortlessly.

Final Thoughts

After one week, my experience with the Pixel 10 Pro is overwhelmingly positive. I actually prefer the Pixel UI overall; its clean design, speed, and lack of bloatware make daily use effortless. The camera is excellent, performance is reliable, and the software just works without demanding attention.

That said, small One UI touches occasionally remind me of what convenience can look like. Samsung’s deeper customization, thoughtful UI features, and handy automation tools are nice to have for those moments you need them, even if I rarely use them. On Pixel, you can get most of these through third-party apps, but then you’re remembering the feature only when you need it.

Ultimately, the Pixel 10 Pro strikes a balance, a clean, fast, and smooth experience with just enough practicality for everyday life. It’s a phone that does the heavy lifting quietly, leaving the little annoyances as optional reminders of what One UI could do better. For me, the trade-off is worth it, and I wouldn’t go back, but I’ll always remember those small moments when Samsung’s extra touches made life easier.

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