If you’re still clinging to a Pixel 7 Pro or Galaxy S22 Ultra as your daily driver, a new report from Android Authority offers a stark reality check: it’s time to let go. On July 3, 2026, journalist Stephen Radochia argued that owners of these once-flagship devices—along with the Motorola Razr Plus 2023, Pixel 7a, Galaxy A54, and Moto G Power 2024—should actively consider an upgrade, citing persistent overheating, degraded battery life, and shrinking software support. For Windows users who rely on Phone Link to mirror calls, notifications, and apps on their PC, that verdict carries extra weight.

The Phones Android Authority Says to Abandon

The list isn’t random. It’s a roll call of devices that launched between early 2022 and early 2024, all now showing their age in ways that no amount of factory resets can hide. The Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra debuted with chipsets that prioritized peak benchmarks over sustained efficiency. Google’s Tensor G2 and Samsung’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (or Exynos 2200 globally) were built on Samsung’s 4nm process, a node that trailed TSMC’s offerings and became infamous for thermal throttle. In 2026, after years of use, many of these phones run warm even during video calls, and their batteries—now often below 80% health—struggle to last a full day.

The midrange entries fare no better. The Pixel 7a, despite its camera prowess, packs the same Tensor G2 with an even smaller battery, while the Galaxy A54’s Exynos 1380 was never a powerhouse. The Moto G Power 2024 shipped with a Mediatek Helio G85 that choked on basic multitasking, and the Motorola Razr Plus 2023, though innovative, paired a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 with a fragile folding design and mediocre battery. All six now suffer from combos of heat, short stamina, and lag that make daily use a chore.

Microsoft’s Phone Link is a bridge between your Windows 11 PC and your Android phone. It handles calls, notifications, messages, photo sync, and—on recent Samsung and Pixel devices—even app streaming. But it’s a demanding bridge. App streaming, in particular, requires the phone to encode its screen in real time and push it over a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection. On a thermally constrained device like the Pixel 7 Pro, the extra processing can spike temperatures, trigger throttling, and kill the battery with astonishing speed.

Even simpler tasks corrode. Cross-device copy-and-paste, a feature Windows users adore, depends on a stable Bluetooth Low Energy link. Older phones with worn radios or power-management quirks drop that link often. Result: you paste a URL from your PC, and nothing happens. You check your phone, and the link shows up minutes later. Instant hotspot suffers too; on a Galaxy S22 Ultra with a degraded battery, enabling it for an hour can chew through 30% of a charge, forcing you back to the wall.

Notifications are Phone Link’s simplest promise, yet the pipeline from phone to PC demands constant background sync. A phone that overheats or kills background processes to protect its battery will delay or miss notifications entirely. That text from your boss? It arrives on your PC at 2 p.m., three hours late. The frustration mounts, and the promise of seamless cross-device life crumbles.

Software Support Running on Empty

Support timelines add another layer of risk. The Pixel 7 series received its last guaranteed Android OS upgrade—Android 15—in late 2024. Google pledged five years of security patches from launch, so it will get those until October 2027, but new features like Android 16’s improved multitasking or deeper Phone Link hooks will never arrive. Samsung’s Galaxy S22 fare a bit better: the company promised four years of OS updates, so it may have received Android 16 in 2025, but security patches will likely end in early 2027. After that, any vulnerability that emerges leaves your device exposed.

The midrange models fall off even faster. The Galaxy A54 launched with Android 13 and was promised four OS upgrades, so it will get Android 17 at best, but its budget-tier chip will show its age long before then. Motorola’s G Power 2024 was promised only one major OS update (to Android 15) and two years of security patches—meaning it’s already a dead horse. The Razr Plus 2023 has a similar two-OS-update promise, so it stops at Android 15. Without current software, these phones become less secure and less capable of leveraging new Windows integration features that Microsoft and Google continuously refine.

The Hidden Costs of Sticking Around

Keeping these phones past their prime isn’t free. Battery replacements run $70–$100 at a shop, but a new battery can’t fix the fundamental inefficiency of old chipsets. You could carry a power bank, adding bulk and hassle. You could disable Phone Link’s app streaming and cross-device copy, but then you’re giving up features that larger, newer phones handle without breaking a sweat.

There’s also the AI gap. Latest phones from Google and Samsung pack on-device AI for real-time translation, advanced photo editing, and smarter notification management—features that Windows integrates through cloud services. An S22 Ultra or Pixel 7 Pro lacks the neural processing muscle to run these seamlessly, meaning you’re stuck with slower, less capable tools even as your PC gets smarter.

Security is the quiet killer. While Google Play Protect covers the basics, an out-of-date OS or firmware can leave doors open to exploits that target the very cross-device connections you rely on. A compromised phone is a compromised PC when clipboard, notifications, and hotspot are shared.

Your Action Plan: Upgrade, Tolerate, or Patchwork Fix

If your phone is on this list, you have three paths.

Upgrade outright. The smoothest move to a 2025 or 2026 flagship—like a Galaxy S25 or Pixel 9—that fixes the heat, doubles battery life, and unlocks everything Phone Link offers. Samsung’s recent devices get full app streaming, RCS via Samsung Messages, cross-device clipboard, and instant hotspot that actually lasts. Pixel phones add exclusive AI features that sync through Google’s ecosystem. Trade-in programs from both manufacturers often give surprisingly generous credit for old devices, sometimes $400 or more, softening the hit.

Tolerate with a battery swap. If your phone is otherwise healthy and you can live without the latest Android tricks, a $90 battery replacement buys another year. But watch the heat: a new battery won’t stop the phone from throttling under Phone Link’s load. This is a band-aid, not a cure.

Patch your Windows habits. If an upgrade isn’t possible, adjust how you use Phone Link. Turn off app streaming entirely. Disable cross-device copy. Use notifications only and wirelessly charge the phone at your desk to keep it topped up. It’s a cramped experience, but it can hold the line.

If you’re buying used, steer clear of these models entirely. Look for Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or later (Galaxy S23 Ultra, OnePlus 12) or Dimensity 9300+ devices, which run cooler and last longer. For Phone Link perfection, Samsung’s S24 series or newer is the gold standard; for Google purists, the Pixel 8 Pro and up.

What’s Next for Windows-Android Synergy

Microsoft and Google aren’t slowing down. Rumblings from both camps suggest deeper Phone Link integration in Windows 11’s 2026 feature update, including support for more device types and lower-latency streaming via proximity awareness. Samsung’s next One UI skin is expected to bake in tighter Windows clipboard sharing, and Google’s Android 17 may introduce a native PC-mirror capability that bypasses Phone Link entirely. All of these will demand more from your phone’s processor and battery; the aging devices on Android Authority’s list simply won’t keep pace.

For Windows users, the message is crystal clear: your phone is the most intimate satellite in your digital orbit. When it wheezes, your PC stumbles. Heed the warning, and trade up before you’re mid-email, tethered to a charger, cursing a missed notification.