It’s been a while since I last posted, but I’m really excited to share this — after nearly ten years with iOS, I finally got an Android phone! Don’t worry, I’m still keeping my iPhone too.

Honestly? I’m impressed. The features are way better than I expected. And it’s not even a big brand like Samsung — it’s a Realme. I was actually thinking about getting the iPhone 16 just for the whole Apple AI thing, but after trying my wife’s… what a letdown.

I expected Apple AI to be next-level, but it turns out it’s basically stuff Android has had for years.

The real reason I bought this phone, though, is the built-in NFC reader and copier. Now, I can just tap my phone to enter my apartment building — no more worrying about forgetting my access card.

And get this: the phone cost less than a quarter of the price of an iPhone 16. It even has USB-C fast charging. For the same price, you’d probably only get a used iPhone 11.

I didn’t expect much, to be honest. Back in the day, whenever I saw someone using Android, the screens always looked a bit "off" compared to iPhones, and the builds seemed cheaper. But now? My Android has a screen on par with my wife’s iPhone 15 Pro, and the build feels premium (though that part’s a bit subjective). Overall, it really exceeded my expectations.

That said, there are still four things the iPhone does better:

1. The camera — Apple is still hard to beat here.

2. The UI feel — There’s something about iOS that’s just smoother and more fluid.

3. The modem chip — The connection feels slower on this phone; I’ve heard the latest iPhones have cutting-edge modem tech.

4. AssistiveTouch — Android has alternatives, but they’re clunky and not very customizable. Maybe that’s not a big deal for everyone, but for me, it matters.

To be fair, these are just my impressions from a mid-range Android. I haven’t even compared it to flagship models. I wouldn’t be surprised if the latest Samsung or Huawei outperformed the iPhone in some of these areas.

All in all, it’s a fun phone to use. It looks sleek and, while the camera isn’t great, it does come with this cool vintage digital filter vibe. I’m actually enjoying it way more than I expected.