Can you get the complete Google Pixel ecosystem for less than $1,000? Take the fight!

This is my Google ecosystem. Phone, watch, headphones, audio, Chromecast. If I told you that you could get it all for less than $1,000, I think a lot of people would be interested.

Let’s be clear right off the bat: if you’re focused on buying the latest and greatest Google hardware, this is clearly not possible. When I thought about this challenge, I wasn’t targeting tech enthusiasts who wanted a Pixel 8 Pro or even a Pixel tablet. They are so expensive that they almost take up the entire $1,000 envelope. I wanted to make the most of my budget and get as much as possible for less money. But I didn’t want to go out and buy something like a Google Pixel 5. That’s because the phone is old and nearing the end of support.

So I set myself a few caveats for this challenge.

1. What I bought needed to be supported for at least two more years.
2. We couldn’t compromise on getting the latest and greatest features from Google.

To get all of this for less than a $1,000 budget, I had to make second-hand my best friend. So, depending on where you live, you have eBay, Amazon renewed, and other retail options to choose from. I focused on the US market and his eBay.

Let’s start with something at the heart of the ecosystem we use every day: the phone. When you think of Google’s budget phones, the first thing that comes to mind is the Pixel 7a, which is currently the cheapest phone available. This is actually a very good starting point for our ecosystem. Although it’s only been around for a year, the latest feature drop brings new features to his 7a, including Circle to Search. The phone has a very nice 6.1-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out on much of Google’s best features and hardware.

I thought about buying a cheap used Pixel 8 or Pixel 7 Pro, but I still needed to buy as much as I could for as little as possible. The Pixel 7a gives you more freedom with the rest of your budget. Additionally, it has a very smooth always-on display and some decent cameras, including a 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera, which compares very well to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8.

There are some compromises to keep in mind with the Pixel 7a. The battery isn’t the best in the world and the bezels are a bit thick for his 2024. But these are compromises I can live with.

While searching eBay, I found a used Pixel 7a in good condition for about $250, so I bought it. Your phone is safe and protected. What’s next?

Well, I also had to buy Bluetooth earphones. In the budget ecosystem, he had two choices: Pixel Buds A or Pixel Buds Pro. Noise cancellation is an obvious requirement for me, so even if the Buds A are cheaper, I’d still go with the Pixel Buds Pro. Additionally, the Buds Pro offers a good experience overall, and despite a $1,000 budget, you still want a good experience.

If you’ve never used Buds Pro before, let me tell you they’re great. It’s comfortable, the active noise cancellation is great, the battery lasts up to 11 hours of listening, and it also has wireless charging. Pixel Buds A do not have wireless charging capabilities and have only about 5 hours of continuous playback time.

All in all, I needed to splurge here and go pro, and thankfully I didn’t have to break the bank to do it. I gave up on getting used earphones and decided to give them a thorough cleaning and buy new ear tips to avoid ear stains from the previous owner. Used Pixel Buds Pro sell for between $70 and $130 on eBay, so I bought mine for $100.

But there was one more requirement we needed to make that ecosystem a little better. It’s a clock. You might think, “Maybe he doesn’t need a Pixel Watch on that budget,” but it’s certainly something he can live without. But once I got the watch, I realized how much it connected me to Google’s ecosystem. I was able to unlock my phone, view Google Maps navigation, and use Google Wallet without taking out my phone. It has become so convenient that after using it for a while, I can’t go back.

Again, there were several choices. I could have used something like the Fitbit Sense 2, but I knew the best option was the Pixel Watch. There aren’t any major differences between the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2. Both are the same size and have basically the same design. Many of the features you get on Watch 2 were recently added to the original Pixel Watch. You won’t miss out on too much. Things like skin temperature sensing and stress notifications don’t stand out as major compromises to me.

There’s about a $100 difference between a used Watch 1 and 2, so the price difference is probably the biggest barrier to getting a Pixel Watch 2. And obviously, if money were no object, I’d buy the Pixel Watch 2. I want to stretch my budget as much as possible. So buy the Pixel Watch 1 instead. Used items cost about $100 to $150. I got mine for $125.

I currently have a Pixel 7a for $250, a Pixel Buds Pro for $100, and a 1st generation Pixel Watch for $125, so I have $575 left in my budget. And I could have stopped there. This is actually a very good introduction to the Google ecosystem. But once you start adding smart home devices, the whole experience takes it up a notch or two. He wanted to get something like a Nest speaker or Chromecast within his $1,000 budget.

Chromecast has improved a lot over the last few years. Again, he had two choices: an HD version and a 4K version. However, one of our biggest considerations when starting this challenge was to future-proof everything for the next two years. So we had to take Chromecast HD out of the equation. Plus, 4K is probably your best friend here.

I feel like Chromecast 4K is also underrated. You might have a smart TV and think, “Well, I don’t need a Chromecast.” But smart TVs are really frustrating. You have to constantly switch between apps, and they are slow and not intelligent at all. The Chromecast interface puts everything in one place and easily integrates with all of his devices, including his Pixel 7a, which I bought. You can also use your Pixel phone as a remote control. Here we can clearly see that the ecosystem is starting to integrate.

The Chromecast 4K was the first product I actually picked up a new unit rather than a used one. Look at the price. If his new Chromecast costs $59, buying a used one won’t save you much money. At least not enough to justify dealing in second-hand items. A new product with a full warranty is cheaper. So I treated myself to a new Chromecast 4K, available from the Google Store for $59.

The next thing I had to focus on was the Nest speaker. Once again, several options have emerged: the 2nd generation Nest Mini, the 2nd generation Nest Hub, and the Nest Audio. You can buy the Nest Mini on eBay for ridiculously low prices, but you had to remember that it’s been around since 2019. And 5 years later it’s still being updated, and I don’t expect it to be updated. There is plenty of future potential. On top of that, the sound isn’t really all that great. So my best bet was Nest Audio.

Nest Audio was launched in 2020, a year later than the second-generation Nest Mini. The sound is infinitely better, and even if the used version costs a little more, it won’t break the rest of your budget. If you get multiple Nest Audios, you can create stereo pairs for a more immersive listening experience, which further improves sound quality.

Via eBay, prices for used Nest Audio units vary a bit. However, I found a listing where you can buy them for $50 each. Given the affordable price, I bought two so I could actually get a stereo pair.

With plenty of budget left, I decided to treat myself to something else and take my Pixel and Google experience to the next level. I bought a Nest Hub and I love it. It’s on my bedside table so I can see what Google Assistant is trying to say. Weather, smart Google Home controls, YouTube viewing, and Google Photos overview. All of this is possible with Nest Hub 2nd generation while further connecting the Google ecosystem. Plus, it doesn’t cost a lot of money.

Via eBay, you’ll find these sold used for a very reasonable price of around $70-$80. If you look hard enough, you can find something like the one I got for about $70. Granted, the Nest Hub launched a few years ago, but software updates are still coming in frequently and should continue for at least the next two years.

Let’s see what I got. I have a $250 Google Pixel 7a, a $100 pair of Pixel Buds Pro, a $125 original Pixel Watch, a new $59 Chromecast 4K, two Nest Audios totaling $100, and a $70 2nd generation Nest Hub. have. Add all this up and your introduction to the Google ecosystem cost just over $700, or $704 to be exact. Besides buying a used unit, it was my first time dabbling in the Google ecosystem and I had a very good experience without making any major compromises.

In fact, you can keep adding more to this if you want to use your entire $1,000 budget. You might buy a used Pixel Tablet or Nest Doorbell, or switch to the more powerful Google Pixel. However, I think my current setup is sufficient and I have enough money left over for future upgrades and items.

I really enjoyed this challenge as I never expected to be able to stretch my budget so much and get so many pillars of the Google experience. What do you think about my choices for this venture into the Google ecosystem? Would you make similar compromises and choices? Skip some of these items or enjoy something special mosquito?