Google Pixel 7 review

Price When Reviewed

649

 Although Google only sells a fraction of the phones that the likes of Samsung does, the Pixel series continues to get new models and 2022 brings with it the Pixel 7. 

There’s perhaps more hype around the Pixel Watch this year as its Google’s first smartwatch (outside of Fitbit) as well as the fact phones are on something of a ‘tock’ year, as opposed to ‘tick’ – to steal Intel’s old clock system and metaphor – where development is incremental rather than a big leap. 

However, with prices still starting at just $599/£599/€649 the Pixel 7 still sets the benchmark for flagship Android phones and should make for a very solid purchase for many smartphones users out there – excpet if you have a Pixel 6. 

Design & Build 

• More compact 
• New colours 
• Gorilla Glass Victus front and back 

It’s not much of a surprise that the Pixel 7 looks very similar to its predecessor, although Google has made a few tweaks here and there. It’s like seeing an old friend and not quite being able to figure out if they’ve got a new haircut. 

For the regular 7 on test here, it’s mostly that the phone is a little more compact than previously. Just a few milimetres here and there as well as 10g of weight shed. Having used the Pixel 6 for a year, I’d say the difference is noticeable and the phone feels less of a top-heavy brick than before but it still remains a big phone. 

Otherwise, things are very similar with a slightly slicker and more space-aged looking camera bar which is still a chunky monkey with buttons moved a little lower down the side. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

The most obvious change is the colours to choose from. A typical black (Obsidian) is joined this year by white (Snow) and a garish yellow/green option called Lemongrass. Each to their own, but the Sage green Pixel 6a or Hazel Pixel 7 Pro are more my style. 

Something I noticed immediately coming from the black colourway of the Pixel 6 is that the bezel is much more noticeable if you choose Snow or Lemongrass as it’s sandwiched between the display and light coloured aluminium. 

Speaking of which, the aluminium frame of the Pixel 7 is now made of 100% recycled material and it’s about time. Once again, the phone is IP68 rated so is fully dust and waterproof. 

One thing Google has upgraded here is that both sides of the phone use Gorilla Glass Victus whereas the Pixel 6 only had this on the front with Glass 6 on the back. 

Slipperiness aside (it’s still extremely slick) I can unfortunately report on the toughness of that Victus glass as the phone took a very unplanned tumble out of my car onto the tarmac. Although Corning has lab tested this from a height of 2m, the phone still cracked but only in the corner to be fair. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

Still, I’d recommend a case even to stop the phone sliding off things or out of pockets etc. Google’s official ones are similar to last year (though reportedly hard plastic without the discolouration issue) and cost $29.99/£24.99. 

I’m not the biggest fan and wish Google would bring back the fabric cases of old. 

Screen & Speakers 

• 6.3in 
• Full HD+ 90Hz 
• Stereo speakers 
• Face Unlock 

There’s a minor change to the screen this year with a 6.3in diagonal size making it 0.1in smaller than the Pixel 6. It’s not much but as mentioned above, when you factor in the reduction in chassis size and weight it does make the Pixel 7 feel more managable. 

Otherwise, things are almost identical with an OLED panel running at Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2400) making for a tall aspect ratio of 20:9 and a pixel density of 416ppi. The refresh rate is still 90Hz so you’ll need to buy the Pixel 7 Pro if 120Hz (with LTPO for dynamic refresh rate) is a must have – it also has curved edges while the Pixel 7 is flat. 

Still, 90Hz is nice and smooth and Google has also increased the brightness to 1000 nits (HDR) and up to 1400 nits in terms of peak level – 25% more than the Pixel 6. I measured it with a SpyderX Pro at a more modest 485 nits but with adaptive brightness turned off. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

See also  Withings ScanWatch Light review

You’ll only get that maximum if you’re outside in seriously bright conditions. Adaptive Brightness does some clever things like learn your preference for different conditions if you make manual adjustments to the slider. 

Overall, I think Google has struck a nice balance here of size and quality and though things like 120Hz would be nice, it’s understandable that it’s withheld for the Pro. 

The Pixel 7 still has stereo speakers but doesn’t have a headphone jack (or an adapter in the box). Luckily, the speakers sound decent so if you’re lacking a Bluetooth speaker then you can still listen to some tunes or watch YouTube videos without grimacing at the audio quality. 

Google once again offers a fingerprint scanner embedded in the display which works very well. However, Face Unlock makes a return to stock Android after what feels like forever. 

You can set this up when you first turn the phone on and it’s super easy. Then when you want to unlock the phone, a ring appears around the front facing camera to show it’s looking for you. Then, if it’s worked you need to look lower down the display for the unlocked padlock symbol and a message at the bottom. 

This system took a while to get used to but I am now very accustomed to the iPhone method so it’s not surprising. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

Face Unlock on Android 13 works well some of the time, often in an instant, but I didn’t find it as reliable as my iPhone 12 mini. The Pixel 7 typically struggles in lower light and likely won’t work if you’re wearing a mask or sunglasses. 

It’s also worth noting that Face Unlock can’t be used to authorise payments or sign into apps so it’s clear that the system is still a way behind iOS.  

Specs & Performance 

• Tensor G2 
• 8GB RAM 
• 128/256GB storage 
• Stereo speakers 

With a flat 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and the choice of 128- or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, it’s the new Google Tensor G2 chipset that’s the main change under the hood of the Pixel 7 which Google says has been “designed to improve Pixel’s performance and efficiency for great battery life.” 

Much of this is on the machine learning and AI side of things as, in terms of raw specs, it’s not hugely different from the original Tensor in the Pixel 6 range. To geek out for a moment, there are still Cortex-A55 cores on the efficiency side and a small upgrade from A76 to A78 for the performance cores. 

The Tensor G2 uses the same Armv8 architecture as before where rivals from Qualcomm and MediaTek are on newer Armv9. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

While this means CPU benchmarks haven’t markedly improved from last year – 6.8% in Geekbench 5 vs the Pixel 6 – and lag a little bit behind rivals, for most people this doesn’t (and shouldn’t matter).  

In real-world usage, the Pixel 7 is very fast indeed and coming from the Pixel 6 there are some tangible differences. 

Things like taking Night Sight photos (more on the cameras below) and more complex tasks carried out by Google Assistant are much snappier. It also makes things like Cinematic Blur in real-time possible. 

Back to benchmarks briefly, and there’s a bigger jump in the graphics tests (up to 13fps compared to the Pixel 6) so this is good news for gamers who want to get the best framerates possible without splashing out on a purpose built gaming handset. 

The Titan M2 is the same as before and handles the security side of things. One interesting change is that Google is offering Pixel 7 users its VPN by Google One for free, though this is arriving later this year and ‘restrictions apply’. 

Performance aside, the Pixel 7 is packed with the kind of tech you’d expect for a flagship Google phone. You get Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS, 5G (mmWave + Sub 6GHz in certain markets), USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 and Wi-Fi 6E. 

The latter being particularly handy if you’re planning on getting the latest Nest Wifi Pro mesh network kit from Google. 

Cameras 

• 50Mp main 
• 12Mp ultrawide 
• 10.8Mp selfie 

Two out of three cameras on the Pixel 7 remain the same as the Pixel 6 and it’s the ones on the back that are the same. So, you get a 50Mp Octa PD Quad Bayer wide camera with a 12Mp ultrawide camera alongside. 

Like many things, the overhaul took place on the Pixel 6 but that’s no bad thing considering the Pixel 7’s predecessor had some of the best phone cameras on the market. It also means Google has had a year to fine-tune things on the same hardware. 

The Tensor G2 chip enables some new features such as Cinematic Blur, which in the camera app is a separate mode called ‘Cinematic’ and, to neatly rival the iPhone 13 and 14 series’ cinematic mode, you can blur the background or foreground in videos. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

Whether it works on the Pixel will depends on various factors so, for example, it worked well with the phone still and me just moving a little bit within the frame (albeit not with the crispest edge around me). However, trying to chase my dog running round the garden was far too complex for it to keep up with. 

With or without cinematic video mode, footage is detailed, colourful and very smooth thanks to OIS (optical image stabilisation). I shot at the default Full HD at 30fps but you can shoot at up to 4K at 60fps. However, moving to 60fps will disable the new 10-bit HDR mode if you want enhanced colours and contrast. 

Back to photography and I’m not surprised that the Pixel 7 is a very competent shooter in all manner of situations. As a point and shoot camera, it just does everything for you and quickly, too. The results are crisp, vibrant and with excellent exposure and dynamic range. 

If you want, you can shoot in RAW and there are other new features such as Photo Unblur which, via the Google Photos app, aim to, well, unblur photos. You still get previously launched features like Face Unblur and Magic Eraser and the success rate of these, as always, depends on the specific image. Some really are like magic, while others are beyond help. 

Something exclusive to the Pixel 7 Pro is Macro Focus and the 7’s big brother also has a telephoto lens again. However, Google has increased the digital zoom capabilities of the phone so Super Res Zoom now goes to 8x on Pixel 7 rather than x7 and Google says the quality at 2x is similar to a dedicated telephoto lens. 

It offers reasonable quality if you need it but look for a phone with a telephoto lens if you think this is going to be something you need on the regular. 

Moving to the front of the phone and this is where we find new hardware with a jump from 8- to 10.8Mp with things like a slightly wider field of view and bigger pixels. 

As well as being used for Face Unlock, it takes great selfies including a portrait mode of course. Google has also added Guided Frame for visually impaired users. This helps you to get the shot correctly lined up with a combination of audio and haptic feedback – which, by the way, is very crisp and smooth. 

Battery Life & Charging 

• 4355mAh 
• 21W charging 
• Up to 20W wireless charging 

The battery on the Pixel 7 is a little smaller than the Pixel 6 due to the more compact size of the phone, although Google still claims the same ‘beyond 24 hours’ usage and even stretches to 72 hours for Extreme Battery Saver. 

In my experience, the phone will last a couple of days but only if you’re on the lighter side of usage. Otherwise, I’m confident the Pixel 7 will see the vast majority of people through to bedtime with some charge to spare. 

Charging is still a complicated situation with Pixel phones, starting with the fact you don’t get an adapter in the box. Although Google sells a 30W USB-C charger ($25/£25), you’ll only get up to 21W on the Pixel 7 depending on various conditions. 

I don’t have this charger to test but with a 65W laptop charger, the phone got to 48% in 30 minutes, so there are plenty of rivals (many of which are cheaper) that can charge a lot quicker.  

Chris Martin / Foundry

Google did send me the Google Pixel Stand (2nd gen) which allows the Pixel 7 to charge wirelessly at 20W. However, although the Pixel 7 is also Qi certified, this will only get you up to 12W. 

With the Pixel Stand 2 ($79/£69), the Pixel 7 can go from dead to 50% in 30 minutes. 

Note that the Pixel 7 Pro can charge at a slightly higher 23W wired or wireless (again, with the right charger) if that makes a difference to your choice. Either way, the Pixel 7 phones support Battery Share so you can charge other compatible devices wirelessly.  

Software & Updates 

• Android 13 
• Three years of OS updates 
• Five years of security updates 

I’m not going to spend too long on this section as it’s another example of last year bringing the big jump. Android 13 is more of the same really with little tweaks here and there such as a more customisable interface (including non-Google apps), an updated media player and lots of other small tweaks. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

Overall, it’s a joyous and stress-free experience though there are still a couple of things that irk me such as mobile data and Wi-Fi being bundled into one ‘internet’ quick setting, and the data and weather part of the home screen taking up the whole width despite being on the left and you cannot remove it. 

Still, buying a Pixel is such a nice way to use an Android phone with that peace of mind before you even open the box you know you’re getting the clean and pure experience. It’s neat, bloatware free and reliable. 

There’s further peace of mind as you get at least five years of security updates from when the phone first launches and then three years of operating system versions. That should take you to Android 16 then and only Samsung offers more years of OS updates. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

Price & Availability 

The Pixel 7 sticks at the same price as last year so you can get one from $599/£599/€649 which will bag you the 128GB storage capacity. If you want to double that to 256GB, you’ll have to pay $699/£699/€749. 

It’s available to purchase from the Google store where, until the end of 17 October, you can get a free pair of Pixel Buds Pro worth £179 or that same figure off the Pixel Watch. You can also get up to £300 if you trade-in your phone. 

You can also buy the phone from the likes of Amazon, Currys, Argos, EE, Vodafone and more.

In the US you can’t get the same deal but there’s up to $750 value if you trade in certain phones as well as $100 of credit on your next Google store purchase. 

You can also get it from Amazon and BestBuy

Even without these deals, the Pixel 7 represents excellent value. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S22 is $799/£769 and the Apple iPhone 14 is $799/£849 – both with the same 128GB storage. 

Check out our best phone and best mid-range phone charts for more options.

Verdict 

Considering the Pixel 7 is more of the same from Google and at the same price as last year’s Pixel 6 it’s another successful flagship Android smartphone representing great value for money. 

The fact that things haven’t moved on from the Pixel 6 very much only really matters for owners of last year’s model – and I doubt they will be chomping at the bit to upgrade. 

However, in the wider market, the Pixel 7 is a solid and desirable handset. For less money than a lot of key rivals you get a very well-rounded and pleasant experience. 

It’s good that Google has refined the design to be less of a brick and you get a great set of specs and features including a lovely screen, excellent cameras, solid performance and good software support into the future. 

Of course, it’s not perfect as things like Face Unlock do not meet the standard of the iPhone and charging speeds are behind the times. Still, these are relatively small blotches on what is otherwise a very accomplished phone. 

Specs

• Android 13 
• 6.3in 20:9, 90Hz flat Full HD+ (2400×1080), OLED HDR 
• Google Tensor G2 chipset 
• Titan M2 security chip 
• 8GB LPDDR5 RAM 
• 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage  
• 50Mp wide camera w/ 1.2μm pixels, f/1.85, 82° FoV, 1/1.31in image sensor, OIS + EIS, 8x Super Res Zoom 
• 12Mp ultrawide camera w/ 1.25μm pixels, f/2.2, 114° FoV, lens correction 
• LDAF (laser detect auto focus) 
• 10.8 MP hole-punch front camera w/ 1.22μm pixels, f/2.2, 92.8° FoV 
• In-display fingerprint sensor + Face Unlock 
• Stereo speakers 
• USB-C (3.2 Gen 2) 
• Dual SIM (via eSIM) 
• 4355mAh battery 
• Wired charging up to 30W (USB-PD 3.0 + PPS) 
• Wireless charging 
• Battery Share 
• Extreme Battery Saver 
• WiFi 6E 
• Bluetooth 5.2 
• NFC 
• GPS 
• Sub6 + mmWave 5G (varies by market) 
• 195g 
• 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7mm 
• IP68 
• Gorilla Glass Victus front 
• Edgeless Gorilla Glass Victus rear 
• Matte aluminum frame 
• Colours: Obisdian, Snow, Lemongrass