If, like me, you are a Pixel fan looking to buy a new phone in 2026, you might think you’re a bit out of luck. This year is looking to be really problematic for new phones. The RAM shortage is starting to cause price hikes across the board, and companies are opting to skip spec upgrades to mitigate it. There’s even talk of a potential spec regression for cheaper phones. The good news, though, is that there are still plenty of interesting Pixel phones from last year or the years prior that are worth investing in and that won’t break the bank or suffer the consequences of this price hike.Why you should consider an older Pixel phone