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Comment by Semaphor | Hacker News Reader

I unlock the bootloader and install a custom rom (pretty much exclusively LineageOS nowadays, I’d try GrapheneOS, but I’d have to spend far more on the phone than I’m willing to get that). That is everything cleaned ;) I only buy phones with LineageOS support.

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GrapheneOS is no harder to install or use than LineageOS. If anything, it is easier, since the documentation is far better and almost always applicable to all supported devices.

It’s not about hard/easy, it’s the supported devices. I spend very little on phones (current one is a OnePlus Nord, which I bought for 250€) as I don’t like to use them.

Graphene is Google Pixel only still. The current cheapest available looks like the Pixel 7A at £379 (new). So I agree, the added cost doesn't seem worth it.

https://store.google.com/config/pixel_7a

Does it come with it's own version of the 'core apps' (calendar, phone, calculator etc.) or do You install and use some third party apps from app store?

You can install a custom Google Apps package, e.g.:

https://nikgapps.com/

At that point why would I go for the trouble of installing custom rom though?

Because you can choose how many of them you want. None, only the Play Store or the whole shebang.

Besides what sibling said, and lack of bloatware, I find LineageOS to simply be better than original ROMs. Just using vol up/down to move the cursor is already a godsend for me.

I’ve also been using CyanogenMod/LineageOS since my first android (HTC Desire Z/T-Mobile G2, damn do I miss that full keyboard) and it’s great to be able to always use the same OS.

You'll get AOSP versions of the basics, though some things like the camera app might actually be made/modified by Lineage. I run LineageOS with no gapps and find it to be quite usable. I get most apps from F-Droid, but there's also Aurora Store (installable from F-Droid) if you need anything from the Play Store.

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