Google Pixel 7 buyer's guide: Specs, pricing, availability, and more

Google’s 2022 mainline series consists of two models. There’s the regular Pixel 7 and the bigger Pixel 7 Pro, both of which are minor upgrades over their predecessors. However, they still have several new features and are more powerful than ever, thanks to Google’s own silicon.

So, what are the differences between the phones, which one should you buy, and what are some of the alternatives worth checking out? These are just a few questions we’ll answer in this Google Pixel 7 buyer’s guide.

Google Pixel 7 series at a glance

The Pixel 7 series was announced on October 6, 2022, at the Made by Google event in New York. It comprises two phones: the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro. Pre-orders started on day one, while sales officially started on October 13, 2022.

The Pixel 7 is the smaller and less feature-packed handset of the two, but it still has plenty to offer. It’s a minor upgrade over its predecessor, featuring the new Tensor G2 chipset, a brighter screen, and improved cameras. The design is also a bit different, thanks to the more professional-looking metal camera bar at the back. It’s a bargain with its starting price of $599 and is a great phone for those looking for a clean software experience and great cameras.

The Pixel 7 Pro is the bigger and better phone of the series and is also a minor upgrade over its predecessor. Compared to the Pixel 7, you get a larger display with a higher resolution, an extra camera at the back, and a bigger battery. The top-end variant sports 512GB storage, while the Pixel 7 tops out at 256GB. Aside from that, the two new Pixels are very similar. They look the same, are powered by the same chipset, and offer the same software experience.

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro received a smaller sibling in May 2023. The Pixel 7a was announced at Google I/O 2023, with sales commencing almost immediately. It’s the bottom-wrung option of the three and lacks several features in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. However, it does see marked upgrades over the Pixel 6a it replaces, including a 90Hz display, wireless charging, and a new camera setup.

Almost a year later, Google would launch the Pixel 8 series. Consisting of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, the 2023 phones offer upgrades to almost all key areas at a higher price than their predecessors.

Are the Google Pixel 7 phones worth buying?

In the case of the Pixel 6 vs Pixel 7, you aren’t missing out on much if you own the older phones. The new Pixels aren’t a massive upgrade over their predecessors, so it’s hard to justify the upgrade. The Pixel 6 series is still more than good enough in 2022, sporting terrific cameras, more than enough power, and a design that turns heads.

But if you have an older device from Google, Samsung, Apple, or any other manufacturer and are looking for something more modern, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro should definitely be near the top of your list if you feel the Pixel 8 series is too pricey. Even with the new models now in rotation, the Pixel 7 is the best value phone on the market in our opinion. It offers a great camera system, a clean software experience with three years of OS updates, a gorgeous design, and a robust build quality for a starting price of just $599.

The Pixel 7 Pro costs more but also offers more overall. In fact, we called it the best smartphone of 2022, and it remains a pretty great handset in 2023. It’s a better option if you want a larger display and more versatility when taking photos, since the phone sports three rear cameras as opposed to the two you get with the Pixel 7. You also get more RAM and a bigger battery.

If your budget is exceptionally stretched, the Pixel 7a does make for the most economical option. However, it’s $50 pricier than the Pixel 6a it replaces. It also faces some capable competition in the mid-range from Samsung and Apple, among others.

What experts are saying about the Pixel 7 series

We reviewed both the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro and had great things to say about them. The Pro model is one of the best camera phones you can get, thanks to its three rear sensors paired with Google’s superb software. It has more than enough power due to the Tensor G2 chipset, although Google’s SoC falls behind the competition when it comes to benchmark results.

We liked the overall software experience since it’s clean and bloat-free. Additionally, the software promise of three years of OS and five years of security updates is a big plus for the device, even though Samsung offers more for its high-end phones and Google outdoes itself with the Pixel 8 series’ seven-year promise. We also liked the improved fingerprint scanner that’s both faster and more accurate. Then there’s the design, which definitely stands out thanks to its protruding camera bar.

Moving on to the Pixel 7, the phone offers an even better price-performance ratio. Starting at just $599, it’s the best value phone on the market, in our opinion. It’s basically the same as the Pixel 7 Pro in terms of looks and power, but it does offer a little bit less in the camera department since it only sports two rear sensors. It’s still among the best camera phones you can get, but it just doesn’t offer the versatility of the Pixel 7 Pro and other high-end phones that sport three cameras or more.

The phones aren’t perfect, though. Both are only minor upgrades over their predecessors, although that’s not the biggest issue. The charging speeds present a bigger problem since they are still a lot slower than what the competition offers. The speakers could be a bit better as well, in our opinion. But overall, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are still among the best phones you can get.

The Pixel 7a also received our nod of approval, but we feel the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6a are still better value alternatives. Although we think this is the best camera phone under $500, it’s weighed down by the Tensor G2’s heat management problems and below-par battery life.

What other reviewers from around the web think

To give you the best overview of Google’s flagship series, we looked at what reviewers from other publications had to say about the Pixel 7 phones.

• Tom’s Guide’s Philip Michaels said that the Pixel 7 offers one of the best values out there. He praised the phone’s cameras, display, and the new Tensor G2 chipset. However, he also said that the performance still lags behind the competition and that the battery life didn’t get a boost compared to last year’s model.
• Tech Radar’s Alex Walker-Todd described the Pixel 7 as a great value-for-money flagship. He was impressed with the camera system, the design of the phone, and the Tensor G2 chipset. However, he also noted that the 90Hz display feels outdated on a phone like this and that the charging is too slow.
• Cnet’s Andrew Lanxon thinks that the Pixel 7 Pro is a fantastic phone, even though it’s quite similar to last year’s Pixel 6 Pro. The $300 premium over the regular Pixel 7 makes sense, in his opinion, given the extra camera and the larger display you get for that money. It’s a phone that can easily take on the best from Apple and Samsung.

Google Pixel 7 specs

Pixel 7 series performance

The Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 7a are powered by Google’s latest Tensor G2 chipset. However, the Pro model comes with 12GB of RAM, while its smaller siblings have 8GB of RAM.

The Tensor G2 is a high-end chipset that maintains the 5nm process from its predecessor but offers performance improvements. Google claims that the TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) is now 60% faster at voice and imaging tasks, as well as 20% more efficient in general.

The chipset performed well in our testing. It handled just about any task with ease, including demanding games. The day-to-day performance is snappy, multitasking is a breeze, and there was no stuttering during our testing. However, the chipset still falls behind the competition when it comes to benchmark results. It’s not as fast as the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 that powers 2022 flagships or the A15/A16 Bionic that you’ll find in the iPhone 14 Pro phones. You can see the full swathe of the Tensor G2’s benchmark tests vs the competition in our dedicated guide.

We also noticed that the Tensor G2 ran a bit hotter than we’d like when testing the Pixel 7 Pro, while we didn’t have the same issues with the smaller Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a. Clearly it’s not a device-specific problem. With all that in mind, Google’s chip definitely isn’t the best one out there, but it’s more than good enough even for power users. How well it will perform years down the line is a different question, though.

Are the Pixel 7 cameras any good?

As expected, the cameras of Google’s latest high-end phones are very, very good. In fact, the Pixel 7 Pro is one of the best camera phones you can get. It sports three rear sensors — a primary 50MP camera, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP telephoto lens with 5X optical zoom.

The camera system delivers in just about any lighting condition — check out a few samples below. It captures details well, and Google’s natural color profile is pleasing to the eye. Edge detection is brilliant, which results in great-looking portrait shots, and Google’s Night Sight produces stunning images in low light. Then there’s a bunch of software trickery available to improve photos, like Magic Eraser, which allows you to delete people and other objects from shots. And let’s not forget the Photo Unblur feature that can bring old and blurry photos back to life.

The Pixel 7 Pro can record in 4K at 60fps from all of its cameras, including the selfie shooter. It has great video stabilization and supports 10-bit HDR for brighter, more color-rich footage. It also supports Cinematic blur, which is basically portrait mode for video.

Like the Pixel 7 Pro, the smaller Pixel 7 is also one of the best camera phones you can get. However, compared to the Pro model, it only features two rear cameras — a 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide lens. That means it lacks the telephoto lens you get with Google’s larger model. The camera system is still terrific and has the same software trickery as the Pixel 7 Pro, although it is not as versatile as what you get with a lot of other flagships that have three or more rear lenses.

The selfie snapper is the same on both devices, coming in at 10.1MP, and can capture images most people will be happy with.

You can check out more samples taken with the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro cameras in our dedicated pos.

The June 2023 Pixel Drop brought some more functionality to the Pixel 7 series’ cameras. Macro Focus Video, which uses the Pixel 7 Pro’s ultrawide lens as a zoom lens within video, is now standard. Palm Trigger, which allows users to trigger a hands-free selfie by using their palms, is also available across both Pixel 7 models. The October 2023 Pixel Drop introduced a new Pixel Camera app layout, which aims to simplify the experience. Additionally, in March 2024, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro gained Ultra HDR support.

Notably, the Pixel 7a more than holds its own, too. Thanks to an upgraded 64MP primary camera (which now pixel-bins its images), we think it’s the best mobile camera you can buy under $500.

How is the battery life?

The Pixel 7 Pro comes with a 5,000mAh cell, which makes it just 3mAh smaller than the one powering the Pixel 6 Pro. It delivers similar if not slightly better results, as it was good for around a day and a half of mixed usage during our testing. It supports fast charging and can get up to 50% in around 30 minutes, which isn’t bad. However, a full charge takes between 90 and 100 minutes, which isn’t all that impressive when compared to rival phones. For reference, the OnePlus 10T and Galaxy S22 Plus need just 20 and 50 minutes, respectively, to go from zero to full. The handset also supports wireless charging as well as reverse wireless charging.

The Pixel 7’s battery is obviously smaller than the 7 Pro’s, but it’s also smaller than its predecessor’s, coming in at 4,355mAh — down from 4,614mAh on the Pixel 6. Depending on your usage, you’ll get a day or two of screen-on time from the device. Charging is equally as slow as on the Pro model, requiring around 100 minutes to go from zero to full. Just like the Pro model, the handset also supports wireless and reverse wireless charging.

The battery life of the Pixel 7 series is good enough, but it’s not market-leading. If you want a handset that offers more in this area, check out our pick of phones with the best battery life.

Finally, we think the Pixel 7a’s battery life is one of the worst facets of Google’s affordable phone. Packing a 4,385mAh battery, we struggled to go an entire day on a single charge without activating Battery Saver. Charging is another pain point. You’ll need nearly 150 minutes to top up your completely dead Pixel 7a to 100% using a wired charger.

Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 7 Pro: What’s the difference?

Part of what made the Pixel 6 such a great value is that Google managed to stuff many of the features from the premium model into the base model. The same is mostly true for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. However, Google did give the premium model a little more this time around. Here are the major differences between the Google Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 7a:

• Dimensions: The Pixel 7 is a little smaller than the Pixel 7 Pro. The base model phone comes in at 155.64 x 73.16 x 8.7mm. In comparison, the 7 Pro measures 162.9 x 76.55 x 8.9mm. The Pixel 7a is even smaller, at 152 x 72.9 x 9mm.
• Display: The Pixel 7 has a 6.3-inch display with 1080p resolution, 1,400 nits of brightness, and a 90Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 7 Pro’s screen is 6.7 inches with 2K resolution, 1,500 nits of brightness, and a 120Hz variable refresh rate. The Pixel 7a features a 6.1-inch OLED with a 1080p resolution, and 90Hz refresh rate.
• Battery size: The Pixel 7 has a slightly smaller battery than its predecessor at 4,355mAh, while the Pixel 7 Pro maintains its 5,000mAh battery. The Pixel 7a packs a 4,385mAh cell, down from the 4,410mAh in the Pixel 6a.
• Cameras: The Pixel 7 has a dual camera setup, while the Pro model has a triple camera. The additional camera on the Pixel 7 Pro is a telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. The Pixel 7a features a 64MP main shooter, 13MP portrait lens, and a 13MP selfie camera.
• RAM/storage: Both Pixel 7 phones are available with 128GB and 256GB of storage, but the Pixel Pro is also available in a 512GB variant. The Pixel 7 offers 8GB of RAM, while the Pixel 7 Pro comes with 12GB of RAM. The Pixel 7a comes in a single 8GB/128GB guise.
• Colors: Each model has one exclusive color. Lemongrass is available for the Pixel 7, and Hazel is available for the Pro variant, while the Pixel 7a has a Coral option.

Software and updates

The Google Pixel 7, 7a, and 7 Pro launched with Android 13 with Google’s Pixel UI on top, but all three devices have since received the Android 14 update. The software experience is smooth and light, although there are still plenty of customization options and Pixel-only features available. There’s no bloatware on the phone, which is always good, although carrier versions may come with a few extra apps on board.

Google promises three years of OS and five years of security updates for the Pixel 7 phones. While this update promise isn’t bad, it’s not the best — the Pixel 8 adds four more OS upgrades and two more years of security updates. However, one of the best things about Pixel devices is that they get the latest version of Android on day one. Some other brands can take a lot longer.

Pixel 7 owners will also benefit from Pixel feature drops, frequent software updates that bring new features to Pixel phones. Notably, the March 2024 feature drop brought Circle to Search to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, with an improved Call Screen layout, updated Fast Pair, and partial screen sharing all in tow.

All these things combined mean that the software experience on the Pixel 7, 7a, and 7 Pro is arguably one of the best ones you can get on any Android device.

Google Pixel 7 alternatives

If you’re not the biggest fan of the Pixel 7 series, there are plenty of alternatives available. We’ve listed a few of them below, but you can check out more options in our dedicated Google Pixel 7 alternatives post.

• Samsung Galaxy S24 series (from $859.99 at Amazon): The Galaxy S24 is Samsung’s new flagship, tackling the Pixel 7, while the S24 Plus and pricier S24 Ultra challenge the larger Pixel 7 Pro. All three Galaxy handsets offer much faster chipsets, a host of AI features, and an update policy to match the Pixel 8.
• Apple iPhone 15 series (from $829.99 at Amazon): If you want to switch over to iOS, the latest iPhone 15 phones are a great choice. You’re getting pacey chipsets, ProRes 4K60 video recording, and a new action button on the Pro duo.
• Google Pixel 6a ($314 at Amazon): If you want to save money but still get a Google phone, the Pixel 6a is for you. It offers less overall than the Pixel 7 series, but you’re still getting a superb camera system, great software, and a three-year update promise.
• OnePlus 10T and 10 Pro (from $451.71 at Amazon): The OnePlus 10 Pro sports the same display size and battery capacity as the Pixel 7 Pro but has a much faster charging speed of 65W. It also sports a more powerful Snapdragon Gen 1 chipset under the hood. The OnePlus 10T offers less and is, therefore, cheaper, but it still has plenty going for it. It sports the same chipset as the 10 Pro and charges even faster.

The Pixel 7a’s primary competition comes from Samsung with the Galaxy A54 5G ($379.5 at Amazon), and the iPhone SE (2022) ($429 at Amazon). However, considering its price, there are plenty of Pixel 7a alternatives higher and lower on the ladder.

Where to buy the phones

• Google Pixel 7: From $599 / £599 / €649
• Google Pixel 7 Pro: From $899 / £849 / €899
• Google Pixel 7a: $499 / £449 / €509

The Pixel 7 series costs the same as the Pixel 6 series at launch but is $100 cheaper than the Pixel 8 series. The base version of the Pixel 7 goes for $599, while the 256GB variant will set you back $699. This makes it extremely affordable, considering the specs and features it offers.

The Pro model is more expensive, with the base model (128GB) coming in at $899. The phone also comes with 256GB or 512GB of storage, with the former at $999, while the latter will cost you $1,099.

The Pixel 7a is an outlier. It’s $50 more expensive than the Pixel 6a at launch. It’s only available in one guise with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

You can get the handsets from Google, Amazon, Best Buy, and several other retailers. You can also get them from major carriers, including T-Mobile and AT&T.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro can be purchased in 17 countries across the globe. These include the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and several other European markets. The phones are also available in India, making them the first Google flagships to be sold in the country after the Pixel 3. The Pixel 7a is also available in most of these markets.

Top Pixel 7 questions and answers

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