Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago

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The Essential Phone is a phone not worth buying. Plain and simple. But with the help of some custom roms, maybe we can change that? Let's find out!

Where to download the roms used in this video -
Android 12 - Pixel Extended - xdaforums.com/t/rom-12l-pixelextended-mata-unofficial.4457447
Android 13 - Pixel Experience Plus - xdaforums.com/t/rom-unoffical-pixelexperience-plus-13-essential-phone-mata-november-01-2023.4639009
Android 14* - LineageOS (unofficial) - xdaforums.com/t/rom-u-mata-unofficial-optimized-lineageos-21-january-17th.4344275

*Note that the Android 14 rom is LineageOS 21, which has some bugs that are constantly being fixed. Regardless I didn't want to include this in the review (mainly because I installed it the day before uploading this video) because it is not a Pixel style rom. So far so good, fairly smooth but it is different from what some people may expect.

Check out the RWR Discord! - discord.gg/buQdzYkfrS
Support the channel via Patreon! - patreon.com/RealWorldReview

Where you can buy the phone (affiliate links)
Pure White - amzn.to/3vPJ0Fs
Halo Grey (Mine) - amzn.to/3u11OB7
Black - amzn.to/4988NqC
The 360 Degree Camera - amzn.to/3HCVcfo
Ocean Depths really does feel like a myth. I can never actually find this phone on sale. That and the headset jack adapter

What else should I review now? Want more ROM review/overviews? Let me know on here or on Twitter twitter.com/mattofrwr.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:42 Refresher
2:20 Day to Day
5:19 Worth It?
6:18 Android 13
7:08 Final Thoughts
7:56 Android 14 Cameo
8:01 Outro