You can go with a device from Realme or Poco as well, you can get some decent hardware at lower prices vs a device fromGoogle, Samsung, etc.

I wouldn't run stock on those devices but you're able to unlock the bootloaders and install an AOSP based build without Google apps. I picked up a Realme XT new a few years ago with 128gb expandable storage, 8gb ram & a SD712 for about $250usd and this is what I do with it. If your in the US you can also pick up a prepaid US Cellular Motorola device and they are able to be bootloader unlocked out of the box, they're essentially the global variants with a branded boot screen and bloat preinstalled. These options allow you to run AOSP based builds of Android without Google apps. With the Pixel devices mentioned before, you can install GrapheneOS and relock your bootloader while running it for added security. Either option is still better than running Google services.

Thankyou for considering GrapheneOS, appreciate that.

While what people use is their prerogative, if you are looking at the OSes due to being concerned about security/privacy and that being a focus of your decision making as well as app compatibility/ease of use and installaton, the following should be taken into account.

GrapheneOS and CalyxOS/LineageOS are much different. GrapheneOS is a hardened OS with substantial privacy and security improvements:

https://grapheneos.org/features

There aren't really other projects similar to GrapheneOS. There are lots of other alternate operating system projects based on AOSP but none of them is a hardened OS with remotely comparable privacy/security enhancements as what we provide over Android.

CalyxOS/LineageOS are not hardened OS, substantially reduces security. CalyxOS recently went 2 months not shipping standard security patches.

Compatibility with Android apps on GrapheneOS is also much different. GrapheneOS provides our sandboxed Google Play compatibility layer:

https://grapheneos.org/usage#sandboxed-google-play

Can run the vast majority of Play Store apps on GrapheneOS, but not CalyxOS/LineageOS with the problematic microG approach.

GrapheneOS also doesn't require any CLI (Command Line Interface) knpwledge and helps protect users from bricking their devices by using our simple click through web installer process:

https://grapheneos.org/install/web

CalyxOS is closer to LineageOS they both share the same issue above and they both always use multiple Google services too while giving them privileged access even if users don't use microG. It would be wrong to imply they don't use Google services. microG is of course an implementation of Google services. GrapheneOS doesn't use Google services by default.

To clarify further they always use Google services even without microG. They use Google for connectivity checks, network time, attestation key provisioning, SUPL, DNS fallback (LineageOS only), PSDS (Pixel 6 and 7), eSIM activation and more enabled by default.

https://blog.privacyguides.org/2022/04/21/grapheneos-or-calyxos/ is a 3rd party article explaining some of the substantial differences between GrapheneOS and CalyxOS. It's a common misconception that they're similar. CalyxOS is far more similar to LineageOS than GrapheneOS. There are many other alternate OSes available.

https://privsec.dev/posts/android/choosing-your-android-based-operating-system/ is another article about privacy and security differences between alternative Android-based operating systems.

If you have any questions/feedback though you know where I am, always happy to hear. Take care.