Tired of waiting for the Pixel 6? Google's Pixel 3, 4, 5 or 5A could be a good choice for you

Recently, I faced a dilemma: My Google Pixel 3 XL was on its last legs. Its battery was a pale shadow of its former self. Its USB-C port failed to carry a charge half the time. Both sides of the phone, screen and glass back, were a spiderwebbed mess of cracks and chips. And according to Google, the phone wouldn't be guaranteed any more Android updates after this October. I needed a new phone, pronto.

I know the new Pixel 6 should arrive this fall (here are all the rumors we've heard about Google's next Pixel). However, that would be way too long for me to wait. At first glance my options looked straightforward. Long ago, I'd thrown in my lot with Google's pure Android platform back in the days of the Nexus 5. Since then I've moved on to the original Pixel XL and the Pixel 3 XL. So the thought of switching to an iPhone or waiting for the upcoming iPhone 13 was ludicrous. And the idea of using a Samsung Galaxy phone was equally alien.

My plan was to go with a new Pixel -- the problem was choosing which one. Scoring a refurb Pixel 3 XL is one way to go. But there's also the Pixel 4A and Pixel 5. The Pixel 4A and Pixel 5A with 5G are also interesting options. Confused yet? I don't blame you. Ultimately though, I settled on the right Pixel for me. If you're like me and need a Google handset right now, read on. The phone I chose and (and why I picked it) will likely make sense to you, too.

Straight Android, no chaser
After I went pure Android, the way Google intended, I could never go back. Duplicate apps and tons of nonremovable carrier bloatware are but a distant memory. Pixel phones are also the first to get Android OS and security updates. That's not usually the case with Samsung or OnePlus devices. And the fact that I'm a Google Fi cellular subscriber often narrows my phone replacement options. All that makes getting a Pixel, any Pixel, my chosen path.

Choice 1: Pixel 3, 3 XL
Google no longer officially sells the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL. That said, you can find both models on Amazon. To replace my current Pixel 3 XL (128GB) though, I'd have to shell out $470. That's too much to pay for an older processor (Snapdragon 845) and a measly 4GB of RAM. More importantly, Google will end guaranteed software updates in just a few months. That's why this phone isn't worth it no matter how much the price may drop.