I've been using Apple products exclusively for 12 years - here are 9 things I realized after giving up Apple for 1 week

The photo quality on the Pixel is unbelievable. Sunsets are arguably one of the toughest moments to capture on a phone, yet somehow the Pixel manages to do it well.

Plus, when it's dark, images don't turn out grainy thanks to the Night Sight mode, and the built-in image stabilization renders really smooth videos.

While iPhones also offer widgets, they are limited to one space and have a uniform appearance.

The Pixel allows you to drop a widget on any page, adjust the size, and even select different versions for certain apps. I loved being able to easily access my notes, record an interview, view a currency exchange rate, and get a snapshot of my calendar without having to find and click into the app first.

My favorite thing about the Surface Book 2 is that it acts as both a laptop and tablet.

The downside is that it weighs quite a bit more than my MacBook Air since there's a battery in both the base and screen, but that just means I don't need to charge it as frequently.

Being able to easily detach the screen and use it as a tablet is great when I want to pass it over to someone or don't need to carry the entire device.

Given that the screen on the Surface Book 2 can be used via touch or pen, it makes working with graphics significantly easier. I can easily see any sort of designer falling in love with this particular Microsoft device.

With two USB type-A connectors and one USB type-C connector, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, two Surface Connect ports, and a full-size SDXC card reader, you can plug in just about any gadget into the Surface Book 2, making it incredibly versatile and convenient.

I've never minded the earbuds that come with the iPhone, but I prefer the pair with silicone tips that do a great job at reducing noise and contain two high-performance drivers for excellent sound quality. I also have a pair of wireless Beats that I use on occasion when working out since I don't love the design of the AirPods.

But I'm now sold on other options.

For truly wireless earbuds, Jabra Elite Active 65t are an exemplary pair. They're comfortable, sweat-resistant, and surprisingly don't fall out mid-burpee. It also comes with a reasonably sized charging case that provides an extra 10 hours of battery life. Plus, they sometimes make me feel like an intelligence agent, which I find rather amusing.

But when I'm flying, I prefer something with a cord and 3.5-mm jack so that I can use them with airplanes' entertainment systems. For such scenarios, noise-canceling headphones are a major game changer, and the Bose QuietComfort 20s have been the best in-ear ones for years now. The wing tips are soft and secure and the battery lasts up to 16 hours, which is long enough for my frequent flights to Asia.

I have a bone to pick with Instagram on behalf of Android users.

I immediately noticed that there wasn't a Paris filter in the app's Stories feature, and while I don't use it often, it's an odd item to not make available to Android owners.

The basic swiping functions are also inconsistent. While I can swipe right on the home screen to go to my camera for Stories, I can't return to a profile page by using the same motion after I've tapped into an image. And even though I can pull up to see who has viewed my Stories, I have to tap on the image to collapse the list instead of swiping down.

Videos are also very blurry, and reducing text size in Stories is not as seamless as it is on iOS devices. But most importantly, where are my guiding grids that let me know that my text is centered or is going to run into the message bubble? Given that Instagram is my second most-used app after Mail, this was one of my more disappointing user experiences during the week.

I had a friend DM me over Instagram saying that "emojis are so ugly on non-Apple products." I'll just leave it at that.

While the headphones are a no-brainer, I don't plan on leaving behind my iPhone and MacBook Air anytime soon.

In terms of a more holistic experience, no one does it better than Apple. Everything seamlessly syncs up from one device to another, iTunes is an incredibly useful piece of software, and AirDrop is a feature I use all too frequently. And since most of my friends also own iPhones, FaceTime and iMessage are a big part of my life.

But if I only cared about photos or constantly had to work with graphics, I'd consider switching over to the Google Pixel or Microsoft Surface Book 2, respectively. It's indisputable that the two devices excel in those ways, no matter how much of an Apple loyalist you are. And there are certainly smaller details that I'll miss, like Pixel's Night Light setting and Windows 10's Do Not Disturb Mode.

But with all that said, and despite my own gripes with Apple, I was extremely glad to have my iPhone and MacBook Air back, where the combined experience is easy, the interface is cleaner, and my beloved emojis are more aesthetically pleasing.