With the Pixel 7a launch, now has never been a better time to buy a Pixel 7

Google has just launched the Pixel 7a, and it’s clearly a major leap forward for the company’s mid-range phone lineup. The new handset costs $500, but gains previously missing features like wireless charging, a high refresh rate screen, and a high-resolution main camera.

But as good a value proposition as the Pixel 7a is, there’s never been a better time to buy the Pixel 7 instead. Here’s why.

Pixel 7 or Pixel 7a? A simple choice

The Pixel 7 launched at a very attractive $600 in the US, making it only $100 more expensive than the Pixel 7a’s price tag. But it’s easy to find the phone for $550 or even $500 at times. In fact, the phone was available for just $450 via the Google Store and Amazon in recent months.

In other words, you can get the full-blown flagship phone experience for the same price or even cheaper than the new mid-range Pixel if you keep an eye out for frequent deals.

There are indeed a few reasons to go for the Pixel 7 over the Pixel 7a. The flagship phone brings marginally faster wired charging (20W versus 18W), faster wireless charging (20W versus 7.5W), a superior main camera on paper, action pan functionality, Gorilla Glass Victus (versus Gorilla Glass 3), and a slightly better IP rating (IP68 versus IP67).

None of these features on their own might be enough to convince you to get the Pixel 7 for a slightly more expensive price tag. But the fact that you’re getting all of these features at a small premium is pretty notable. And it’s absolutely a no-brainer purchase for the same price as the Pixel 7a or even cheaper.

Otherwise, the two phones still share features like the Tensor G2 processor, a 90Hz FHD+ OLED screen, a similar-sized battery, and a robust software update policy. So you really can’t go wrong with the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7a if you want a performant Pixel experience. For a closer look at how the two stack up, check out our Google Pixel 7a vs Pixel 7a comparison.

Even the Pixel 6a is a great deal now

It’s also worth noting that last year’s Pixel smartphone warrants consideration now that it’s received a permanent $100 price cut to $350. That makes it $150 cheaper than the Pixel 7a at launch.

Sure, the Pixel 6a lacks features like a high refresh rate, wireless charging, and the Tensor G2 processor. But the phone still brings a solid first-generation Tensor processor, an OLED screen, great cameras, and an IP67 rating. Taken together, this makes the Pixel 6a a compelling proposition over similarly priced Samsung Galaxy A34 5G ($244.49 at Amazon) and OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite ($275 at Amazon).

Either way, the Pixel 7a is clearly a significant, feature-filled entry in Google’s mid-range portfolio. But those seeking a great value-for-money purchase above all else might want to look out for a discounted Pixel 7 or Pixel 6a first.