Whatever you do, don’t buy these 6 Google gadgets right now

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

Front and center on the Google Store today are all of Google’s latest releases — including the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel Watch 4, and the shockingly good Pixel Buds 2a. They’re the best of what Google has to offer, and they’re likely what you’re visiting the Google Store for.

But if you find yourself digging deeper through 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 of these, in particular, that you should avoid buying.

The first of those is the Pixel Tablet. Google proudly advertises a “Tablets” section on the navigation bar of the Google Store, with the Pixel Tablet as the only available choice. You might be inclined to pick it up for yourself or as a gift for someone else, but I’d have to advise against it.

The Pixel Tablet already had pretty outdated specs when it launched in June 2023, and that’s only become a bigger problem by 2025 standards.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 shows it), the 8GB of RAM is just stingy, and — most importantly — the Pixel Tablet is still way too expensive.

For the Pixel Tablet and the included speaker dock, Google is still asking the full $499 retail price 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 thing about it. And even if you really wanted to buy the Pixel Tablet, many of the 128GB models are out of stock, meaning you’d have to pay another $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 struggle to recommend this one. It’s not a particularly good smart display and not a great Android tablet either. It’s certainly a unique device, but not one that’s worth shelling out this kind of money for at this point in its life cycle.

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 $799 asking price — the same as the Pixel 10. Given the choice between both phones at the same price, there’s no question that you should skip the Pixel 9 and get the Pixel 10 instead.

There are a few reasons for this, one of which is the Pixel 10’s newer Tensor G5 chip. While it’s not a dramatic performance boost over the Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9, it does run significantly cooler throughout daily use — a big upgrade in my book. The new 5x telephoto camera is an even bigger upgrade, as it allows for new photography options you simply don’t get with the Pixel 9.

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

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

I have similar advice for the Pixel 9 Pro. It’s also available on the Google Store for its original $999 MSRP, which, again, is the amount you’ll pay for the newer Pixel 10 Pro. And if you’re being 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 built-in magnets are also on the Pixel 10 Pro, and they’re 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 look a lot better. I confirmed this in a Pixel 10 Pro vs. Pixel 9 Pro camera comparison, 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 overwhelmingly 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 discounted on the Google Store. At least, not until Google (hopefully) releases a software update to fix it.

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 reduced 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 do that.

We had trouble recommending the Sense 2 and Versa 4 when we originally reviewed them, and at this point in October 2025, you absolutely shouldn’t spend your money on either one. If you want a Fitbit smartwatch, both 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, delivers most of the experience you get on the Sense 2 and Versa 4 but for less money.

The Google Store often runs discounts for the Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4, but even when you see those sales, I’d recommend staying far away from both smartwatches.

Lastly, we have the Nest Hub Max. This is the most powerful smart display currently on the Google Store, offering a camera for video calling and security monitoring, good sound quality, and a 10-inch display. It’s a fine 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 a few reasons for this, one of the biggest being the price. Given its age (released in September 2019), the Nest Hub Max just isn’t worth the $229 Google still asks for it. If you’re committed to buying a Google smart display, the regular Nest Hub is a far better value at $100. And if you aren’t married to Google’s ecosystem, Amazon has much better (and cheaper) options in its Echo Show lineup — including a new Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 that were just announced last month.