The humankind of Android look different than when I embark on focusing on this platform over ten years ago . expire are the days of Google focusing on its developer - centric gimmick , allow other manufacturers to compete for the top spot . If you look around the U.S. market , Android seems to have grow a homogeny kin to that of Apple ’s iPhone . If you ’re pick out a flagship Android smartphone , it ’s now between Google and Samsung — perhaps OnePlus if you ’re sick of the status quo and know an alternative exists .
The Google Pixel exists as a specific flavor of Android , just the way Samsung ’s rolled with it all this time . You ’re not getting a gunstock version of the operating arrangement anymore : you ’re get a edition of Android made in Google ’s ikon , unadulterated with Material You stylings and exclusive characteristic drop . The estimation is that if you choose this path , you have perk . pel now include robotic help with client serving via Direct My Call and AI trick for unblurring old pic . They also include the most up - to - day of the month software updates directly from the steward of the operating organisation itself .
This is an first-class strategy for Google to convince buyers that it ’s the right path . But I ca n’t help feeling like it ’s a devolution because it ’s introduce a Modern case of fragmentation to an already disparate political platform . The Pixel smartphone series exists to showcase Google ’s prowess in AI processing , so it ’s tuned with a batch of specially - made features . But that leaves other Android user in the dust since those abilities are only usable with the hardware inside Pixel phones .
The Pixel 7 Pro still takes the best photos.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
countenance ’s make this clear : if you ’re looking at the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro as your next smartphone , it ’s because you desire the camera capabilities — not the single software characteristic . I ’ve been on a non - Pixel twist for the last two age , and the matter I missed most was not the ability to have Google answer my phone calls — a characteristic still restrain to Pixel devices — but its tv camera algorithms . The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are still the best smartphone cameras for under $ 1000 .
Google Pixel 7 / Pixel 7 professional
Google ’s newest flagship has a second - gen customs chip and some of the best camera algorithms , but some of its Android software features continue exclusive .
The Pixel 7 in Lemongrass (left) and the Pixel 7 Pro in Hazel (right).Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
What is it ?
Google ’s latest flagship Android phone
Leontyne Price ?
The Pixel 7 in Lemongrass (left) and the Pixel 7 Pro in Hazel (right).Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
Starts at $ 599 for the Pixel 7 , $ 899 for the Pixel 7 professional
Like
Excellent cameras , reliable bombardment , approachable pricing
The chin of the Pixel 7 Pro. I’m sorry, but the headphone jack is probably never coming back.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
Dislike
The conception is n’t for everyone ! , Super Res Zoom is n’t immune to hand milkshake , Face Unlock does n’t wreak with Google Pay or playact Store
Google Pixel 7 Specs & Features
Don’t expect record-breaking performance.
To be dependable — and this is not a slight on the graphic designer of the Pixel smartphone , who I ’m for sure gave their heart and soul to reconfiguring the Pixel ’s overall design — I’m not a fan of the Pixel ’s stylings of late . The camera bar is a unspoilt solution than the maladroitness of a side - camera array , which will the earpiece crooked when it ’s lying down , but the repose of what ’s going on just is n’t vibing with me .
That say , I am enjoy the Pixel 7 ’s colour alternative more than last year ’s Pixel 6/6 Pro , making the rest of the design more toothsome . The Lemongrass colorway on the Pixel 7 is a gorgeous calcium oxide in somebody , while the Pixel 7 Pro comes in Hazel , which looks like a grown - up green . The camera bar has also eschew the blackout face for brush aluminum , and the camera sensors are more pronounced as mental faculty within the taproom . Like theiPhone 14Pro ’s rear photographic camera square , the idea is to like a shot get out your aid to the machine ’s tv camera capacity .
Annoyingly , the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are still as slippery as ever . I had to get the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro from slide off my desk once I started writing this part , indicating that not much has vary . If you bribe this phone , get a case directly — something with more clench than the bare earpiece offers .
The Pixel 7 (left) has a 6.3-inch display, while the Pixel 7 Pro (right) hails a 6.7-inch display. Both are nearly edge-to-edge.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 6 see virtually superposable from the front side . The 6.3 - column inch display on the Pixel 7 and the 6.7 - inch video display on the Pixel 7 Pro take up most of the chassis , with slender bezel around the physique . It ’s well - paired with Material You , and you’re able to see Google ’s purpose speech fall through the package . The side major power and volume buttons protrude and are easygoing to press , even with a case .
In terms of size of it , the Pixel 7 will be a better wield for smaller hands . But the Pixel 7 Pro is n’t untenable . I was surprised at my ability to secure the Pro without the aid of a pop socket .
Google Pixel 7 Screen
A new, old way to unlock your phone.
There are divergence between the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro ’s displays besides the size . The Pixel 7 has a maximal refresh charge per unit of 90 Hz , while the Pro maxes out at 120 Hz . Both phone are tuned for more or less different interview , though the rest of the hardware on the interior is similar . The Pixel 7 Pro also get you switch between 1080p resolution and 1440p resoluteness depending on your needs , but remember that the high it goes , the harder it is on your battery .
The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have an Adaptive brightness feature of speech that you’re able to toggle on from the Display department of the configurations panel , which uses AI to read your display demand . Both telephone set also have dynamic refresh pace that get dial down based on what you ’re doing to help economize on battery , and you may switch between a “ natural ” looking people of colour mode or an “ adaptative ” one . I prefer the latter for its vibrancy over the born look . Otherwise , the Pixel 7 ’s colors look muffled compared to the saturated video display panel on Samsung ’s latest devices .
Regarding durability , the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are IP68 - rated for dust and water impedance . Google also says there ’s a fingerprint - resistant app on presentation , which is an admirable attempt but does n’t dwell up to the realism of live with my greasy fingers . It is what it is !
The Pixel 7 in Lemongrass is an absolute delight in person.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
I am felicitous to account that the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have nerve unlock tally back to their repertory , joining the in - display fingerprint scanner and the other three unlocking mechanism Android offers by default . look unlock is a feature film that has been missing from Pixel smartphones since the Pixel 4 debut , which uses Soli radars to recognize your facial expression .
The downside to getting the face unlocking feature back is that it ’s not as robust as Apple ’s facial expression ID . You ca n’t use it to approve Google Play Store purchases , for instance , or unlock your bank account through another app . You ’ll still have to use fingermark unlock for those instances — even for Google Pay .
I have n’t had much time to multitask with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro to see how Face Unlocking play when things are hectic . That incline to be the veridical test of this technology . For instance , I ’ve babble out the congratulations of Apple ’s Face ID before for its proportional rapidness , but I faced its limitation this preceding weekend while traveling across the nation , wearing a mask and sunglasses . For the most part , the Pixel 7 ’s nerve - unlocking mechanism exists to ensure that it ’s quick to go in the hands of its proprietor . At the very least , the port shows a halo - like animation on the filmdom to confirm that the gimmick has registered your face .
The Pixel 7 Pro.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
I ’ve had less than a week to feel the true capacity of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro . thing are smooth so far , but I ’ve had a mates of hiccups . Once , the tv camera app went blank on me and required a restart . The Pixel Stand 2 ’s software - specific features that pop up when it recognise a Pixel also crashed on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro .
I bring this up because I ’m having a hard clip forget that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro seemed plagued byuser complaintsin the months after my initial reappraisal . This is why it ’s important to revisit these devices after the launching plug ! However , I ’m not suggest that the Pixel 7 will be process with the same issues . Here ’s to hoping the hiccups I encountered were all just pre - release software jitters .
Google has equipped the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro with its second - generation Tensor CPU . The Tensor G2 has a 2.85 Gc Dual Cortex X1 as the “ big CPU ” pith , a 2.35 GHz Dual Cortex A78 for the “ average CPU cores , ” and a 1.8 GHz Quad Cortex A55 for its “ small CPU ” heart . The GPU in this configuration is an ARM Mali G710 MP07 , and the TPU — or Tensor Processing Unit — at bottom is Google ’s custom - made chip . Google also infused its Titan M2 security chip into the package for on - gadget encryption . As an aside , the Tensor G2 is a 5 nm microprocessor chip , not a 4 nanometer , as rumorsspeculated .
The Pixel 7 Pro has a three-camera array, compared to the Pixel 7, which only has a two-camera system.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
One thing to note about this chip : it ’s knockout to compare it straight to Qualcomm ’s Snapdragon 8/8 + Gen 1 because it ’s not an apple - to - apples comparison . Google ’s Tensor chip is more focused on neural processing , which is how it facilitates all of the Pixel ’s AI smarts — and why Google enounce some Android devices are n’t compatible with the characteristic . As a result , the usual semisynthetic bench mark suite do n’t quite pan out so well for Google ’s Pixel .
For instance , in our Geekbench test , which I had to sideload because the Play Store say the app was n’t compatible with the raw Pixel equipment , the Pixel 7 ’s outcome were similar to the budget - pricedPixel 6a ’s for the single - core score , and only about 600 points better in the multi - core ranking . The OnePlus 10 deoxythymidine monophosphate scored advantageously overall than the Pixel 7 family , while theSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 , which has the Snapdragon 8 + Gen 1 as its chipset , outpaced it by about 250 points in the exclusive - core scotch . If you were to take care at our score for the iPhone 14 Pro with its A16 Bionic chip , the Pixel 7 ’s Tensor G2 numbers are even more disconsolate .
The well news is that the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro do n’t perform in the bridge player as their numbers betoken they would . They are both zippy and fast , and I had no problem shift between the camera shortcut and Pokemon Go ’s AR mode in rapid succession . But again , I ’ve had these gimmick for less than a hebdomad . permit me get back to you in a couple of calendar month , and I ’ll permit you know how it ’s go .
Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
One last matter to note when deciding between the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro : they have unlike retentiveness form . The Pixel 7 has 8 GB of RAM , while the 7 Pro comes with 12 GB of RAM . If you ’re into serious mobile gaming , especially AR - heavy titles , more store might tear apart out considerably in the long term . Regardless of which model you choose , be sure to get the storage shape that suits your motivation . The Pixel 7 has 128 and 256 GB of storage , while the 7 Pro tops out at 512 gigabyte . And no , folks , there are no SD slots here . They ’ve become less common on Android gadget in recent years .
Google Pixel 7 Battery
The Pixel battery’s lofty promise.
The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro also have different - sized batteries . The Pixel 7 is a 4,355 mAh electric battery inner circle , while the Pixel 7 Pro has a 5,000 mAh electric battery , the same as this year’sSamsung Galaxy S22 Ultraand theOnePlus 10 Pro . Google promises “ beyond 24 - hr bombardment sprightliness ” on both twist , despite the differences in size , or “ up to 72 - hour bombardment life ” on Extreme Battery Saver mode , which you could toggle on from the machine setting .
Unfortunately for you , dear reader , I am still testing the efficacy of these claims . I hope to have an update as positive as I did on the iPhone 14 Pro ’s barrage capacity , which also take me some metre to quiz . The iPhone 14 Pro example endure over 22 hour in our battery summation trial run . The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have to beat those Book of Numbers to be the good .
Google Pixel 7 Camera
It still has one of the best cameras around.
It was n’t easy to curate the exposure I wanted to share in this review . Overall , the best images the Pixel 7 Pro accept were of my daughter out on a bright and sunny day . But that ’s too many exposure to try and blur her face out of , so let ’s look at moving-picture show of an afternoon blowout around San Francisco or else . Note that the images have been compressed , so what you ’re seeing here is not the full - answer experience .
I mainly concentrate my testing on the 7 Pro because of its extra television camera sensor . The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have similar camera organisation , including a 50 - military police sensor and a 12 - megapixel ultrawide tv camera , though the Pixel 7 has a 114 - point field of view while the 7 Pro has a somewhat turgid 125.8 - degree field of aspect . The 7 Pro also has a third 48 - MP detector to facilitate its Super Res Zoom , which enables the 30x digital zoom on the Pixel 7 Pro . It ’s up to 8x on the Pixel 7 , though the master camera detector allows that . Both machine have the same 10.8 - MP front - facing camera with a fixed genus Lens and a 92.8 - degree field of battle of view .
We ’ve already prove the Pixel 7/7 Pro accept marvellous daytime jibe , so let ’s talk about this Super Res Zoom . It ’s say to be the most effective on the Pixel 7 Pro because it has the glass and the AI hurt to manage shooting at a long distance . The feature will immediately complain in between the 2.5x and 5x zooms and after 10x soar up on the Pro ’s dedicated telephoto lens . The Pro also shoot a line Zoom Stabilization , which did n’t always make for for my shakey hands . While I handle to take absolved photos of the aerogenerator outside my backyard , which are geographical mile and miles away , I had difficulty positioning the phone to get a sharp shot . It ’s not easy achieve that kind of stability without a tripod in tow . It was even harder to endeavor to flash something at dark .
Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
The telephotograph lens on the 7 Pro is most useful when attempting to frame a cropped photo . I find it especially helpful on a walk around my neighborhood , where I snapped picture of the Halloween decor that neighbor had put up . The telephoto lens made it so that I did n’t have to crossbreed the street to get a close facial expression and could crop in to accomplish more detail . Because of its lack of a dedicated zoom genus Lens , you do n’t have this kind of malleability with the Pixel 7 . If you ’re a frequent concertgoer , or mayhap you ’re forever shooting photos for archiving purposes , you ’ll want to view paying for that third telephotograph .
Night Sight on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro remains unparalleled , even if Apple ’s algorithm has meliorate . Google shortened the time that the shutter has to persist exposed to grab light data — anywhere from three to six seconds . Of course , the Pixel is still way more belligerent at lighting up a scene than the iPhone 14 Pro . Still , I found the Pixel 7 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max ’s nighttime photos nearly identical except for toning .
Lastly , I want to mention Pixel 7 ’s novel Cinematic Blur video mode — that ’s all it is . It ’s a bokeh - style blurring effect for the TV that occupy once you exploit your focus on the screenland . So far , it seems like a TV version of the Pixel ’s Portrait Mode burden and not a direct contention against the iPhone ’s similarly - themed Cinematic mode . I ’m still figuring out how to make the best habit of it .
Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
Now that the Pixel 7 has been released , I can finally design some fourth dimension to do a major smartphone photography shootout . Stay tuned for more comparisons between the Pixel 7/7 Pro and iPhone 14/14 Pro , which I bonk is what you ’re all here for .
Part of Google ’s ploy to get you to choose the Pixel smartphone over its numerous OEM mate is what Google take for its “ Pixel degenerate . ” The company liberate software update just for Pixel devices , and they ’re typically AI - enable lineament that are only compatible with what ’s inside Pixel hardware .
The Pixel 7 is the debut of several new camera feature , include Photo Unblur . There ’s also a singular power in the Pixel ’s dialer app call Direct My Call , which avail you skim through the carte when you ’re on the blood with customer service , alleviate by Google ’s Duplex technology . And if you habituate the Android Messages app to get off spokesperson memos , Google will automatically transcribe them . The Pixel 7 is also the first to get the Assistant’sQuick Phrases , which makes it easier to direct command without the opening line of “ Hey Google . ” I wish Google brought this to my smart speakers first — the ones I ’ve already lined my full home with .
Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
Some of these abilities will make it to older Pixel smartphones , though it ’s not always clear which ones will get them . For now , the only way to use these ability is to buy a young Google Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro .
It ’s worth remark that these software features are n’t require to have a strong Android experience . They ’re simply perk that Google is offer to differentiate itself from , well , Samsung , which also has its listing of exclusive feature of speech only uncommitted to users of its machine and peripherals . As I said , Android is still very disunited . It just looks a little different than it used to .
Google Pixel 7 Price & Availability
Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro?
When I ab initio assay to refresh the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro , I egotistically made it about myself and my next sound leverage . I ’ve been away from the Pixel phratry for a few years as I refamiliarized myself with other Android brands . This yr , I need to come back , principally because the television camera experience remains unparalleled by the other players on this platform .
Still , I am a little disheartened by the fact that there is a difference between Google ’s Android and everyone else ’s , especially regarding those AI - infused features . I suppose Google has to prop up itself up in some manner . But if you ’re considering a Pixel twist , do n’t do it because of the software abilities . The television camera is the Pixel ’s strongest feature , even without all the ways you could unblur a photo and remove someone from the background .
If you ’d like to jazz which Pixel I ’m adopt , it ’s the Pixel 7 . First , that Lemongrass colour is adorable in person — pictures can not do it justice . I also realized I wanted a humble gimmick that did n’t feel like I had to push a small-scale handbag to fill up over it . The 8 GB of RAM and 90Hz refresh rate also are n’t a drastic drop down from the Pro ’s 12 GB and 120Hz refresh pace , and it ’s a whole $ 300 cheaper .
On the left is the Pixel 7 Pro’s Night Sight, and on the right is the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s Night mode.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
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Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
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