Whatever You Do, Don’t Buy These 6 Google Gadgets Yet

As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, that can only mean one thing: fall is officially here. Not only is it time for pumpkin spice lattes and haunted houses, but there’s also a good chance you’ll start thinking about your next holiday purchases. And if you’re an Android fan, you’ll probably do some of that shopping on the Google Store.

Today, at the forefront of the Google Store are all of Google’s latest releases, including the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel Watch 4, and the incredibly good Pixel Buds 2a. They’re the best that Google has to offer, and that’s probably why you’re visiting the Google Store.

But if you dig deeper into Google’s catalog, you’ll come across plenty of other gadgets available, many of which are older but still officially sold by Google. And there are 6 in particular that you should avoid buying.

The first of these is the Pixel tablet. Google proudly announces a “Tablets” section on the Google Store navigation bar, with the Pixel tablet as the only available choice. You might be inclined to buy it for yourself or gift it to someone else, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

The Pixel tablet already had pretty outdated specs when it launched in June 2023, and that’s only going to become a bigger problem by 2025 standards. Its 60Hz refresh rate is slow and clunky, the Tensor G2 chip is now three generations old (and showing it), the 8GB of RAM is just plain stingy, and most importantly, the Pixel tablet is still way too expensive.

For the Pixel tablet and included dock with speaker, Google is still charging the full retail price of $499 that it debuted at over two years ago. Alternatively, you can buy just the Pixel tablet itself for $399, but that takes away the best part. And even if you really wanted to buy the Pixel tablet, many 128GB models are out of stock, meaning you’ll have to pay an extra $100 for the 256GB version.

Even if Google discounts the Pixel tablet closer to the holidays or gets more 128GB units in stock, I still have a hard time recommending this one. It’s not a particularly good smart display or a great Android tablet either. It’s certainly a unique device, but not worth spending that much money at this point in its lifecycle.

The other “old” Google gadget you should avoid on the Google Store is the Pixel 9. Even with the Pixel 10 now available, the Pixel 9 retains its full asking price of $799, the same as the Pixel 10. Given the choice between the two phones at the same price, there’s no doubt you should skip the Pixel 9 and buy the Pixel 10 instead.

There are several reasons for this, one of which is the Pixel 10’s new Tensor G5 chip. While it’s not a dramatic performance improvement over the Pixel 9’s Tensor G4, it runs noticeably cooler throughout everyday use – a significant upgrade in my opinion. The new 5x telephoto lens is an even bigger upgrade, as it allows for new photography options that you just don’t get with the Pixel 9.

And of course, the Pixel 10 has built-in magnets on the back for use with magnetic chargers, batteries, and other accessories. It really is a huge convenience and it’s hard to live without it once you’ve used it for yourself.

If you find a big discount on the Pixel 9, that changes the conversation a bit. But if you’re asked to pay the same price for the Pixel 9 or Pixel 10 as the Google Store currently costs, you should choose the Pixel 10 every time.

I have similar advice for the Pixel 9 Pro. It’s also available on the Google Store for an MSRP of $999, which, again, is about how much you’ll pay for the new Pixel 10 Pro. And if you’re asked the same price for both phones, don’t bother with the Pixel 9 Pro.

That’s not to say the Pixel 9 Pro is bad, but the Pixel 10 Pro is much better – and in some ways, that might surprise you. Like the Pixel 10, the Tensor G5 chip and integrated magnets are also present on the Pixel 10 Pro, and they are just as great. The Pixel 10 Pro’s screen is also a bit brighter, which is always appreciated.

What’s surprising about the Pixel 10 Pro is that, despite having the same cameras as the Pixel 9 Pro, its photos are much better. I confirmed this in a comparison of the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro cameras, as did my colleague Rita in her recent analysis of the Pixel 9 Pro’s bizarre color processing. Google’s updated processing on the Pixel 10 Pro is significantly better, so much so that if cameras are a priority for you, the Pixel 9 Pro just isn’t worth it, even if you find it at a discount on the Google Store. At least, not until Google (hopefully) releases a software update to fix this problem.

Besides the new Pixel Watch 4, you’ll find a few other smartwatches and fitness trackers on the Google Store. The Pixel Watch 3 is a great deal if you want the Pixel Watch experience for less, thanks to a discounted starting price of just $250. If you’re looking for a cheap entry point into the Fitbit ecosystem, the Fitbit Charge 6 is a good way to get there.

We struggled to recommend the Sense 2 and Versa 4 in our first review, and at this point in October 2025, you absolutely shouldn’t spend your money on either one. If you want a Fitbit smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Watch 3 are significantly better – and the latter isn’t even that much more expensive. And the Charge 6, while not perfect, offers most of the experience you get on the Sense 2 and Versa 4, but for less money.

The Google Store often offers discounts on the Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4, but even when you see these sales, I recommend staying away from both smartwatches.

Finally, we have the Nest Hub Max. This is the most powerful smart display currently available on the Google Store, offering a camera for video calls and security monitoring, good sound quality and a 10-inch screen. It’s a good product if you already own one (especially with Gemini now available), but buying the Nest Hub Max in 2025 just doesn’t make sense.

There are several reasons for this, one of the biggest being price. Considering its age (released September 2019), the Nest Hub Max simply isn’t worth the $229 that Google is still asking for. If you’re determined to buy a Google smart display, the standard Nest Hub offers a much better value at $100. And if you’re not married to the Google ecosystem, Amazon has much better (and cheaper) options in its Echo Show lineup, including the new Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 that were just announced last month.