It's finally time to replace your old Pixel 6

Published Jul 29, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT Ever since he got his first smartphone, the legendary Nokia 6600, back in 2005, Goran became obsessed with technology. This obsession had only gotten worse after he received his first gaming PC a couple of months later. He fell in love with video games in the early '90s, shortly after embarking on his gaming journey with the Sega Master System II and SNES. Since then, he has built dozens of PCs, played thousands of games, and authored hundreds of articles about PC hardware, gaming hardware, and video games. He knows everything there is to know about the PC gaming and PC hardware space, and while his console gaming knowledge isn't as comprehensive, he considers himself a console veteran. Goran has almost a decade of experience writing about tech and video games for numerous web publications including TechSpot, TechPowerUp, and EsportsHeadlines. He has been writing for How-To Geek since December 2022. When he isn't gaming or deciding which component of his PC to upgrade next, you can find him strolling around Novi Sad while listening to music and contemplating what to play next. The Google Pixel 6, the first Pixel phone to ship with Google's Tensor chip, will celebrate its fifth birthday soon. That means with Android 17, the Pixel 6 has received its final major Android update, and official support is coming to an end. If you're still rocking one, it's finally time to start thinking about an upgrade. Google originally promised five years of security updates—but only three years of Android version updates—when the phone launched. However, the company later had a most welcome change of heart and extended Android version support for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 to five years as well. Google Pixel 10 $599 $799 Save $200 Looking to upgrade to a Pixel but not sure if you need all the bells and whistles of the more expensive models? You won't be disappointed with the standard Pixel 10 model. Coming in striking colors, Gemini features, and seven years of updates, you can't go wrong with this purchase. Android 17 is the last major update for the Pixel 6 The phone won't even get Android 17 QPR2 As I've just said, Android 17 is the last major update Google has provided for the Pixel 6 family. The devices won't get the Android 17 QPR2 update, which is slated for late 2026, but they will receive Android 17 QPR1 in September. After that, the October security patch will be the last official update to make its way to the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro. Come October, the phones will officially reach end of life (EOL). Five years of fresh Android versions isn't too shabby, to be honest. Compared to other phones released in 2021, the Pixel 6 and its Pro cousin enjoyed much longer support. For instance, the Galaxy S21, which launched the same year, is stuck on Android 15, while the Galaxy S22, released in 2022, topped out at Android 16. Besides, despite still having a more than solid camera, the first-generation Tensor powering the phone wasn't a performance champ even back in the day, and nowadays it's ripe for an upgrade. And unless you've replaced the battery in the meantime, I reckon your Pixel 6 can barely last through the day, even if you use every trick in the book to extend its battery life. The good news is that the smartphone market is packed with models that would make superb upgrades from the aging Pixel 6. Google Pixel 10a 7/10 SoC Google Tensor G4 Display 6.3-inch Actua display The Google Pixel 10a is a barely updated version of the Google Pixel 9a, with a slightly brighter screen and an upgrade from Gorilla Glass 3 to Gorilla Glass 7i. Google has shaved the remaining few millimeters from the camera bump, making it completely flat. Unlike prior versions of the Pixel a series, this model year does not share the same Tensor processor as the mainline Pixel 10. Now's the perfect time to upgrade your Pixel 6 There are plenty of great options out there As long as you get at least a mid-range phone, no matter what you upgrade to from your Pixel 6, you'll experience a massive boost in performance. Modern mid-range and high-end Android phones run circles around even the beefiest phones of 2021, let alone the Pixel 6, which packs the first-generation Tensor chip that wasn't a performance champion even when it was fresh out of the oven. Better still, if you decide to get last year's model, you can upgrade for almost the same price you paid for your Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. Both the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro have seen multiple price drops throughout 2026, and I wouldn't be surprised if Google throws a few more deals our way, especially once the Pixel 11 lineup launches, which should happen in just a few weeks. In fact, as I'm writing this, the 256GB Pixel 10 Pro in Jade is discounted to $849 on Amazon, which is a great price all things considered and lower than the 128GB Pixel 6 Pro's $899 launch price in 2021. Similarly, you can currently pick up the 128GB Pixel 10 in Indigo for $729 on Amazon. There's also the Pixel 10a, which sells for $499 and would make a solid upgrade from the five-year-old Pixel 6. If you're prepared to wait and see what the Pixel 11 series brings, you should know that Google plans to raise prices across the Pixel 11 lineup due to global memory and storage shortages, and that we may even see further price "adjustments" that "will be rolled out dynamically to match supply realities," according to Google's Vice President of Devices and Services, Shakil Barkat. Personally, I'd rather get last year's Pixel now while I still can than wait for the latest and greatest models to land. The same holds true if you're waiting for a new iPhone or the Galaxy S27 series—they're likely to cost more as well for the same reasons. If you ask me, right now is probably the last time you'll be able to buy a high-end phone at a reasonable price for at least the next couple of years, so the sooner you replace your old and faithful Pixel 6, the better. Google Pixel 10 Pro $749 $999 Save $250 The Pixel 10 Pro offers an upgrade over the base model with the powerful Google Tensor G5 chip, more RAM, and more storage (if you need it). If you still want to use the phone, you've got options If you aren't ready to say goodbye to your Pixel 6 just yet, you can keep using it for the foreseeable future while still getting regular updates thanks to community-developed Android ROMs such as GrapheneOS and LineageOS. Neither project has released its Android 17 version yet as of this writing, but both fully support the Pixel 6 and its variants. And while neither ROM relies on Google apps and services by default, you can still use your favorite Google apps on both LineageOS and GrapheneOS. That said, with the phone approaching its fifth birthday, its hardware beginning to show its age, and a wave of price hikes on the horizon, perhaps now is the perfect time to upgrade while you can still get a good deal.