Google Pixel 7a Review: A Pixel 7, for Less

At a look

Knowledgeable’s Ranking

Professionals

• Phenomenal digital camera for the value
• Wonderful Google software program
• Sturdy efficiency
• Water resistant

Cons

• Sluggish charging
• Wi-fi charging is unreliable
• Not as quick because the Pixel 7
• Solely 90Hz show

Our Verdict

The Pixel 7a is one other wonderful mid-range cellphone from Google that sticks surprisingly near its flagship forebear whereas nonetheless providing spectacular worth. As ever the digital camera is the spotlight, however easy software program and good efficiency hold this a compelling – albeit imperfect – bundle.

Worth When Reviewed

$499

Greatest Costs Right this moment: Google Pixel 7a

Few cellphone manufacturers make mid-rangers like Google does as of late. Its Pixel A-series telephones are direct descendants of the corporate’s flagships, with a lot shared DNA that at occasions they really feel like flagships in their very own proper.  

That’s by no means been more true than with the Pixel 7a, which as soon as once more shares the chipset of the flagships it follows, however now throws in the identical show tech and wi-fi charging to finish the phantasm that this can be a Pixel 7 in all however title. 

A slight worth hike isn’t sufficient to disrupt the worth on provide right here – if nothing else, it’s inside the bounds of the final yr’s inflation – and the Pixel 7a does sufficient to place each different mid-range cellphone on the market on discover. 

Design & construct 

• Comparatively compact by trendy requirements 
• Steel body with glass & plastic physique 
• IP67 ranking 

At a look, the Pixel 7a seems to be an terrible lot just like the Pixel 7 and seven Professional – and never by chance. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

There are variations although. A smaller display means the cellphone as an entire right here is a bit more compact than even the usual Pixel 7. This isn’t as small because the likes of the Asus Zenfone 9 or iPhone 13 Mini, nevertheless it’s about the identical dimension as final yr’s 6a and nonetheless smaller than most trendy handsets. 

The 7a runs very barely thicker than the 7, one of many few visible clues to its worth level, although this has the knock-on impact that the digital camera bar doesn’t protrude from the physique fairly as a lot. 

Regardless of being about the identical dimension, the cellphone is a full 15g heavier than the 6a. At 193g it’s nonetheless a contact lighter than the Pixel 7, nevertheless it’s not an particularly light-weight handset. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

With that weight at the least comes some sturdiness. Gorilla Glass coats the glass show, plastic coats the again, and metallic body coats an up to date design that Google says is harder than ever. The cellphone has an IP67 ranking, giving it distinctive mud and water safety for the value. 

Lastly, it is available in a spread of vivid colors. I’ve been testing the comparatively uninteresting Charcoal, however you too can seize it in Snow (white) or Sea (blue) from most shops, with a Coral (purple/orange) possibility obtainable completely from Google. 

Display & audio system 

• ‘Small’ 6.1in OLED show 
• 90Hz refresh fee 
• Stereo audio system 

The Pixel 7a’s show is lastly a match for the flagship Pixel 7 – which, perversely, means it’s nonetheless lagging behind many of the competitors. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

The 6.1in panel is comparatively small however surrounded by a chunky black bezel – Google has by no means put a lot effort into borderless screens. 

It’s an OLED panel and, for the primary time within the A-series, it helps the identical 90Hz refresh fee because the Pixel 7. Which means smoother animations and better potential body charges whereas gaming, making the cellphone as an entire really feel sooner. 

The dangerous information is that as of late nearly each rival mid-range cellphone packs a 120Hz panel, usually additionally OLED, so the 7a nonetheless feels a little bit behind as compared. The excellent news is that the sensible hole between 90Hz and 120Hz is small, and so there’s not an excessive amount of to complain about right here. Google’s finished the vital bit, and a 90Hz panel is quick sufficient to not really feel like an egregious weak spot.

Dominic Preston / Foundry

The display seems to be good too, with punchy colors and nice viewing angles. It’s not the brightest round, so could really feel a little bit restricted outdoors in direct daylight, however in any other case I don’t have a lot trigger for criticism. 

Punchy stereo audio system assist, with respectable quantity. Sound will get a little bit muddied, with much less readability and separation to the sound than I’d like, however for a cellphone this will get the job finished. 

Specs & efficiency 

• Google Tensor G2 chipset 
• 8GB RAM and 128GB storage 
• No bodily dual-SIM 

It’s develop into custom for Pixel A telephones to re-use the chipset present in that era’s flagships, and the identical is true right here. The 7a is powered by the Tensor G2, Google’s second-generation in-house chip, discovered not solely within the Pixel 7 telephones but additionally within the newly introduced Pixel Fold and Pixel Pill. 

With a concentrate on machine studying, the Tensor chips generally really feel a little bit under-powered in Google’s flagship telephones, however the G2 is excellent right here, with comparable efficiency to mid-range rivals together with the Samsung Galaxy A54. 

What’s odd trying on the cellphone’s benchmark outcomes is that it’s hardly sooner than the 6a, and markedly under-performs the Pixel 7 – regardless of working on the identical {hardware}. That could possibly be all the way down to unfinished optimisation, inferior cooling, or perhaps a aware effort to underclock the G2 on this cellphone, however both approach know that proper now you’re not fairly getting the total flagship efficiency. 

Nonetheless, the lengthy and in need of it’s that the G2 is highly effective sufficient to maintain the Pixel 7a feeling snappy it doesn’t matter what you throw at it, nevertheless it would possibly start to battle in the event you ramp up the graphics settings on among the extra demanding Android video games on the market. 

Google has saved issues easy by solely providing the 7a in a single spec, with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. That isn’t expandable both, with Google clearly hoping that you just’ll as a substitute spend money on its Google One cloud storage choices. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

As for networking, all the newest stuff is right here – 5G (together with mmWave), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6E – however like all Pixel telephones the 7a gained’t assist two bodily SIM playing cards. As an alternative, you possibly can pair one bodily SIM with a second eSIM, however relying in your provider that may not be an possibility, so you could have to look elsewhere for a dual-SIM cellphone. 

There’s additionally a welcome improve to biometrics. Along with the dependable fingerprint sensor underneath the show, Google has additionally lastly added assist for Face Unlock for the A-series Pixel utilizing the one selfie digital camera. It’s fast, seamless, and simply works. 

Digicam & video 

• Wonderful 64Mp important digital camera 
• Implausible low-light efficiency 
• 4K video from each digital camera 

Google has rebuilt the Pixel 7a’s digital camera from the bottom up with all-new sensors that you just gained’t discover in both the 6a or the flagship 7. 

On the coronary heart of that is the 64Mp important digital camera, which makes use of each the best decision and largest sensor in a Pixel A-series cellphone but. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

Images from this digital camera actually are wonderful. Nearly any mid-range cellphone will shoot properly in good gentle as of late, however the 7a is equally comfy in difficult backlit scenes, dim eating places, and night-time streets with competing gentle sources. 

Pictures are crisp and detailed, with wealthy however pure colors and nice dynamic vary. The one actual occasions I bumped into bother had been occasional focus issues when capturing up shut, not helped by the dearth of any devoted macro mode. 

The principle shooter is joined by a 13Mp ultrawide lens. In simple lighting there’s little to inform this aside from the primary digital camera, however they pull aside a little bit at evening. The ultrawide isn’t dangerous per se, however element does drop with the sunshine, and it has extra of an inclination to blow out streetlights and comparable vivid factors. 

There’s no devoted telephoto lens right here – no shock, since the usual Pixel 7 doesn’t have one both. The digital camera app does provide a 2x zoom possibility by default although, and in whole you possibly can zoom to as much as 8x, all utilizing Google’s digital trickery off the primary lens. Outcomes are acceptable however unimpressive, and even at 2x some pictures – like my canalside graffiti shot – come out painterly and comfortable.

Listed here are a pair photograph units evaluating all three default zoom choices, adopted by some low-light comparisons between the ultrawide and important cameras:

Flip to the entrance and you discover one other 13Mp digital camera for selfies. It is a huge lens, so can serve for each group photographs or solo selfies, and in daylight photographs are nice, with a portrait mode that’s among the many finest round. High quality noticeably drops at evening, however even most flagships battle with low-light selfies, so I wouldn’t maintain it in opposition to Google an excessive amount of. 

Your entire pictures additionally profit from a few of Google’s Pixel-exclusive software program methods by way of the Google Images app, like Magic Eraser to take away distracting objects or Unblur to, properly, unblur. 

In a welcome twist, Google has additionally delivered 4K video at 30fps throughout every of the three lenses, with the primary digital camera capable of go as much as 60fps. I’ve reviewed telephones twice this worth (or extra) that gained’t document 4K video from the front-facing digital camera, so it’s secure to say that the 7a is extra TikTok-ready than most. 

Battery & charging 

• All-day battery life 
• Wired and wi-fi charging – however sluggish 
• No charger in field 

Outfitted with a 4385mAh battery, the 7a has sufficient juice to final a full day of pretty typical utilization, although don’t count on rather more than that. 

Battery is properly beneath the midway line once I head to mattress most nights, and if the cellphone begins from a full cost at 8am then it’s going to die mid-morning the subsequent day. 

Briefly: there’s sufficient battery life that you just don’t actually have to fret about it, however you will have an everyday day by day charging schedule. 

In concept this could enhance over time because of the cellphone’s ‘Adaptive Battery’ tech, which tries to study out of your utilization to optimise energy consumption, however in every week with the cellphone I can’t actually assess that. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

Charging itself is a combined bag. Google has given the 7a a severe improve within the type of 7.5W wi-fi charging to associate with the 18W wired speeds, a welcome oddity for a cellphone at this worth. 

These speeds are sluggish although, and do not forget that Google doesn’t ship the cellphone with any charger in any respect – wired or wi-fi.  

Utilizing a third-party USB-C charger I managed to prime the cellphone as much as 20% in quarter-hour, and 38% in half an hour, which means you’ll have to put aside an hour or two to get a full cost. Quick charging this ain’t. 

My wi-fi expertise was worse, with the 7a topping itself up fortunately on considered one of my Qi charging pads, however refusing to have interaction with two others, and charging agonisingly slowly on a 3rd. Maybe a firmware patch may repair this, however for now I wouldn’t totally belief it. 

Software program & updates 

• Ships with Android 13 
• Pixel software program stays Android’s finest 
• Three OS updates promised 

Unsurprisingly, the Pixel 7a ships working Android 13, the newest model of Google’s working system. 

As a Pixel cellphone, it’s going to seemingly be among the many first to get the improve to Android 14 later this yr, and Google has promised that it’s going to then even be upgraded to at the least Android 15 and 16. Safety patches will run for at the least 5 years, carrying you thru to 2028 – a fairly good run for any cellphone. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

Nowadays the software program on Google’s Pixel telephones – which isn’t fairly inventory Android, because it features a few exclusives – is comfortably the very best on any Android cellphone, having seen off challenges from the likes of Samsung and OnePlus. 

Bolstered by the Materials You design overhaul from Android 12, that is the best-looking cellphone software program round – sure, even in comparison with iOS – and in use it’s easy and easy.  

You’ll should put up with a number of Google-isms – the branded search bar is locked to your property display whether or not you prefer it or not – however in the event you’re shopping for a Google cellphone anyway then odds are you gained’t thoughts. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

As a Pixel cellphone, it additionally enjoys a number of unique options not discovered on different Android gadgets. I’ve already detailed a number of of the additional digital camera choices, however you additionally get entry to Google’s wonderful Recorder app, good computerized name screening, Google Assistant dictation typing, and extra, with further choices added within the sporadic Pixel Function Drops. 

Worth & availability 

The Pixel 7a is out now and can set you again $499/£449/€509 direct from Google. 

That’s $50/£50/€50 greater than the Pixel 6a price at launch, however extra importantly nonetheless an honest chunk lower than the $599/£599/€649 Pixel 7 – particularly within the UK and Europe. 

For those who can afford to stretch to the 7, the soar in digital camera high quality and extra premium construct may be worthwhile, however most individuals can be completely pleased with what the 7a has to supply. 

It additionally gives a extra compelling bundle than some other mid-range cellphone on the market proper now, and nearly actually the very best digital camera you’ll discover at this worth. 

Verdict 

The Pixel 7a is one other inexpensive triumph from Google, balancing a premium characteristic set with an inexpensive worth level, and within the course of inflicting some actual issues for its mid-range rivals. 

US patrons specifically may be tempted by the slight $100 soar as much as the slicker Pixel 7, however in observe the 7a ought to ship all the things most individuals need from a cellphone: strong efficiency, dependable battery life, and a very good important digital camera.  

An IP67 ranking and wi-fi charging (when it really works) add to the flagship feeling, whereas long-term software program assist ensures this shouldn’t want changing any time quickly. 

Proper now, that is the very best mid-range cellphone, bar none. 

Specs 

• 6.1in, FHD+, 90Hz OLED 
• Google Tensor G2 chipset 
• Google Titan M2 safety chip 
• 8GB RAM 
• 128GB storage 
• Cameras: 
  • 64Mp, f/1.9 important digital camera 
  • 13Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide 
  • 13Mp, f/2.2 selfie digital camera 
• 4385mAh battery 
• 18W wired charging 
• 7.5W wi-fi charging 
• IP67 ranking 
• 5G 
• Android 13 
• 72.9 x 152.4 x 9.0mm 
• 193g