The best colors we’ve seen on Google Pixel phones

Google will finally launch the Pixel 10 series next month, and leakers have apparently already revealed all the colors. These shades include Obsidian and Porcelain, with Lemongrass and Indigo adding a much-needed splash of color.

So we thought now would be a good time to choose our favorite Google Pixel phone colors ever. I asked the Android Authority team to choose their favorite shades, tallied their choices, and created this list. Do note that we excluded the Pixel-A series and Pixel Fold line. Do you agree with our choices? Let us know your favorite Pixel colors in the comments!

You can’t accuse us of recency bias; several team members chose the original Pixel’s Really Blue hue as one of their favorite Pixel colors. Google has subsequently released blue Pixel phones (more on that in a bit), but none have matched the deep shade seen here.

The Really Blue color scheme was available on both the standard and XL models and was accompanied by the more conventional Very Silver and Quite Black shades. I also like how each color scheme, including the blue model, unabashedly extends to the phone’s frame.

Ah, the Panda or Penguin Pixel. Several Android Authority team members, including yours truly, chose the Black and White Pixel 2 XL as one of the best Pixel colors. This was restricted to the XL model and delivered a white rear cover with a black camera window. Look a little closer, and you’ll also find a delightful little orange power button.

Pixel 3 phones retained this camera window element, but there isn’t a stark color contrast between it and the rest of the rear cover. Side note: I think of the Black and White Pixel 2 XL whenever I’m driving behind a black-and-white Volkswagen Up.

It’s actually a tie between our third and second most popular colors. In any event, plenty of colleagues chose the Sorta Sage Pixel 5 as their top Pixel shade. Seriously, it got some love in our Slack channel, too.

The Sorta Sage color is quite pale, but was still a welcome addition for people who wanted to quietly step away from the usual greys, blacks, and whites. It’s not like you have any other choice, though, as Just Black was the only alternative.

The Pixel 8 Pro arrived with a Bay color option, and it’s tied with the Sorta Sage Pixel 5 in our vote. Bay is a very pleasant light shade of blue compared to the Pixel 2 XL’s saturated dark blue hue.

Google’s 2023 flagship Android phones are also available in Rose, Hazel, Obsidian, and Porcelain. However, Obsidian and Porcelain were the only other Pixel 8 series colors that got any votes from the team.

This is it. Our favorite Google Pixel color debuted on 2019’s Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. This was the first shade I thought of when writing down my personal list of the best Pixel colors. The Oh So Orange model has an unabashedly orange rear cover that seems to vary in intensity depending on your ambient lighting. It also has a black camera housing, a black frame, and a pale orange power button. All of this came together to make one of the more enduring smartphone variants.

I spent plenty of time with the Oh So Orange Pixel 4 back in the day, and had several complaints about the phone itself. But I really wish Google would revive this color scheme for future Pixel phones. It seems like many Android Authority team members feel the same way.

Honestly, there are so many nice Pixel colors, so I have three more honorable mentions that all achieved the same number of votes. The first color is Kinda Coral, which debuted on the Pixel 6. In fact, I still think of this color option today when I think of the Pixel 6 line. This consists of a pinkish rear cover and a red strip above the black camera bar. It’s a shame we haven’t seen this on subsequent models.

Sorta Seafoam (seen above) is another Pixel 6 color that made the list. This is a greenish shade tinged with blue, complete with a light yellow strip above the black camera bar.

Our final honorable mention is the Pixel 9‘s Wintergreen color scheme, which is a very pale green. It’s not as vibrant as something like the Galaxy Note 20’s Mystic Green, but it’s still a refreshing change from typical hues.