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I've found that the best solution is: get (used) previous gen high-end (and popular) that has unlocked bootloader. Being popular means I'll find plenty of parts for repair and likely have options for firmware installs.

I got myself a S8 when S10 was about to come out. Fraction of the price and I can keep updating it beyond Samsung efforts.

I still own a Nexus5 5 which seems to be the target of most non-android OS development effort despite its age.

(Another aspect I try to consider is repairability, which phones such as S8 hardly make it easy which it's fragile curve OLED display)

We're past peak smartphones now, I see no need to run after the latest cpu increase or extra camera so that it takes bokeh better. But that's me.