So I get pixel because of security and less software bloat, along with good custom ROM support.

That being said, at least for me, my phone is the device I spend the most time with, whether articals, emails, books, podcasts etc.

It is at least 5 hrs a day.

This is probably an argument to spend less time on my phone, but the will is weak.

But if I am spending a significant percentage of my waking life interacting with this single electronic device, a price difference of 500 dollars is not much, especially amortized over a 3 year period.