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iPhone vs Android Flagships in 2025: A Day-to-Day User Experience Comparison

It’s 2025, and the smartphone rivalry between Apple’s latest iPhone flagship and top-tier Android phones (like Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra and Google’s Pixel 9 Pro) is fiercer than ever. But beyond spec sheets, how do these devices stack up in real-world user experience?  When it comes to raw performance, Apple’s in-house silicon still shines. The latest iPhone’s chip offers blazing fast processing and class-leading single-core speeds, which translates to snappy app launches and smooth multitasking. In fact, Apple’s tight integration of hardware and software yields excellent efficiency – one test showed an iPhone 15 Pro Max (with Apple’s A17 Pro chip) lasting about 1.5 hours longer than a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered Android (Xiaomi 14 Pro) in a battery rundown test, despite the Android having a bigger battery. This superior power efficiency means the iPhone can deliver strong battery life and cool performance under load. Early on, the iPhone 15 Pro did run into an overhea...

Stock vs. Custom ROM Solutions


As a tech enthusiast who spends a significant amount of time exploring the capabilities of various devices, I recently encountered a persistent issue with my Pixel 8 Pro. While generally a powerful and impressive device, it seems to struggle particularly when updating apps or browsing the Google Play Store. This lag can be frustrating, making the experience feel sluggish and detracting from the otherwise smooth operation of the phone.

Lag while using the Google Play Store on the Pixel 8 Pro is not an isolated issue. Many users report similar problems, where the system becomes unresponsive or slow, especially during app updates. This can be attributed to several factors:

Occasionally, software bugs can cause the system to slow down, especially during resource-intensive tasks like app updates. Numerous background processes can compete for system resources, leading to reduced performance.

Over time, cache files can accumulate, causing the Play Store to lag. Clearing the cache might help, but it’s often a temporary fix. Some apps might be resource-intensive, causing the system to slow down when they’re running or updating.

After exhausting these options, I decided to explore installing a custom ROM, specifically LineageOS. Custom ROMs are known for their ability to optimize performance and offer more control over system settings. Here’s what I found:

LineageOS is optimized for performance, often resulting in a smoother, more responsive experience. This was immediately noticeable, with significantly less lag when using the Play Store and updating apps and offers a wealth of customization options, allowing users to tweak the system to their liking, potentially enhancing both usability and performance.

Unlike stock firmware, LineageOS comes with minimal pre-installed apps, freeing up system resources and reducing potential sources of lag.
The active LineageOS community ensures regular updates, which can include performance improvements and new features.


For those who are comfortable with the process, installing a custom ROM can be a rewarding way to enhance the performance and extend the life of your device. As always, back up your data and proceed with caution, but don't be afraid to experiment and find the solution that works best for you.

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