Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Review: Can Google Reclaim Its Android Throne in India?
Google’s Pixel smartphones are renowned for their exceptional camera capabilities, even when equipped with less-than-stellar hardware. But with the recent emergence of flagship Android phones boasting dedicated imaging chipsets, the competition for camera supremacy has intensified. Google’s return to the premium segment in India after a four-year absence has undoubtedly sparked excitement among enthusiasts and Android purists, but can the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro entice the majority of users who have since embraced other brands? Let’s delve into the details and find out.
Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Pricing in India
Pricing is often a delicate subject in the premium smartphone arena, but Google appears to have struck a chord with the Pixel 7 series, offering competitive prices that undercut offerings from Apple and Samsung. The Google Pixel 7 is available at ₹59,999 for the 8GB RAM, 128GB storage variant, while the larger Pixel 7 Pro is priced at ₹84,999 for the 12GB RAM, 128GB storage variant. Notably, these are the only storage configurations offered in India.
The limited storage options could be seen as a disadvantage, especially for the Pixel 7 Pro, with no room for expansion. However, this strategy likely aims to encourage users to subscribe to Google’s cloud storage plans. Sadly, the days of unlimited free cloud backup are over. The Pixel 7 comes in Obsidian, Lemongrass, and Snow finishes, whereas the Pixel 7 Pro is available in Obsidian, Snow, and Hazel. We had the opportunity to review the Pixel 7 in Obsidian and the Pixel 7 Pro in the Hazel finish.
Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Design
While sharing a similar design philosophy inspired by the Pixel 6 series, Google has taken steps to differentiate the feel of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The Pixel 7, despite being smaller than the Pixel 7 Pro, falls short of being a compact flagship like the Samsung Galaxy S22, which holds the crown in this niche.
The Pixel 7’s frame boasts a brushed metal appearance reminiscent of the Pixel 6a, but feels smoother and more refined. The camera module enjoys a cleaner look thanks to a single-piece aluminum band that spans the width of the phone. The Pixel 7 Pro follows a similar approach but opts for a polished aluminum frame.
The matte finish on the Pixel 7, while stylish, contributes to its slipperiness. Finding a comfortable grip often necessitates using an index finger beneath the thick camera bump, a signature feature of Google’s Pixel 6 series. The Pixel 7 Pro’s polished frame offers a more secure grip. Both smartphones feature polished glass rear panels crafted from Gorilla Glass Victus, which extends to the front displays as well. Both devices effectively resist fingerprints and scratches.
During our review period, the polished camera module on the Pixel 7 Pro proved susceptible to scuffs. In contrast, the matte-finished camera module on the Pixel 7 remained scratch-free. The Pixel 7 Pro’s curved edge display undeniably elevates the premium feel compared to the Pixel 7’s flat display. We also found the edges of the Pixel 7’s frame to be somewhat sharp when swiping in from the sides. The bezels on the Pixel 7, while thin, fall short of our expectations, particularly given the similarities with the Pixel 6a.
Both smartphones exhibit a pleasing heft that contributes to a premium in-hand feel, which we felt was lacking in the Pixel 6a. The Pixel 7 weighs 197g, while the Pixel 7 Pro weighs 212g, both within the typical weight range for devices in their respective segments. Both devices are IP68 rated for dust and water resistance.
Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Specifications and Software
Despite their price difference, the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro share some key components. Both are powered by the new Google Tensor G2 processor, sport a 50-megapixel primary camera and a 10.8-megapixel selfie camera, and feature stereo speakers. Communication standards remain identical, with both offering Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, USB Type-C (3.2), and support for standard satellite navigation systems.
The Pixel 7 houses a 4,355mAh battery with 20W wired charging, while the Pixel 7 Pro has a larger 5,000mAh battery with 23W charging. Both support wireless charging at 20W and 23W respectively, and include reverse wireless charging (Battery Share) for charging accessories.
Interestingly, the Pixel 7 lacks the Ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna found in the Pixel 7 Pro.
Both the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro run the latest Android 13, tailored to deliver the unique Pixel software experience. These phones are packed with software smarts like the incredibly accurate voice recorder app, capable of real-time transcription of audio to text. This software smarts extends to other apps, such as the Google Assistant-powered keyboard, which can accurately input text in fields using voice commands. Both phones offer the ability to transcribe audio messages within the Messages app.
The interface now offers a greater variety of color palettes to choose from when selecting a wallpaper. However, themed icons remain in beta, with only limited third-party app support at present.
Google continues to enhance its Pixel smartphones with new software and Tensor-powered features every year, and this year is no exception. The new Tensor G2 enables features such as Cinematic Blur, which applies a bokeh effect to video recordings, and Photo Unblur, which effectively sharpens blurred photos from any source.
The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are guaranteed to receive Android updates for the next three years and security updates for the next five years.
Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Performance
Software performance was smooth across both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, although we did encounter some random instances of stuttering initially. We also encountered several interface-related bugs, more common when first using the devices, which were resolved through subsequent software updates. Both phones exhibit slight heating when browsing the interface outdoors, downloading large files, or playing games, but otherwise, we experienced no issues.
Benchmark performance aligned with expectations, but the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro fell behind the current generation of devices powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 or the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The Pixel 7 Pro, equipped with 12GB of RAM, achieved scores of 1,039 and 3,116 in Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests, respectively. In terms of graphics, the Pixel 7 Pro scored 60fps, 120fps, and 37fps in GFXBench’s Manhattan 3.1, T-Rex, and Car Chase tests, respectively. The Pixel 7, with 8GB RAM and a lower resolution display, managed scores that were remarkably similar.
Gaming performance was excellent on both phones. Call of Duty: Mobile, for example, defaulted to ‘High’ graphics and frame rate settings and ran smoothly at ‘Very High’ settings as well. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro experienced slight heating while gaming, but it did not significantly impact performance.
The Pixel 7’s 6.3-inch full-HD+ display employs AMOLED technology, delivering a sharp image thanks to its 416ppi pixel density. Brightness outdoors proves sufficient, and the 90Hz refresh rate felt more than adequate during both casual use and gaming. The Pixel 7 Pro’s 6.7-inch QHD+ curved-edge AMOLED display is quite large, but it doesn’t feel as unwieldy as the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s broader display.
Unlike the Pixel 7 Pro, the Pixel 7’s display lacks LTPO technology, which, according to Google, allows its refresh rate to vary between 10Hz and 120Hz. However, enabling the ‘Show refresh rate’ option in Developer Settings revealed that it only ranged from 60Hz to 120Hz, which was unexpected. The color reproduction on both displays is vibrant at the default setting, but switching to ‘Natural’ resulted in more true-to-life colors. The touch sampling rate on both smartphones was spot-on, providing a seamless experience for swiping through apps and playing intensive 3D games.
Battery life on the Pixel 7 proved remarkably good, easily lasting for a day and a half with casual use, some gaming, and camera usage. Unfortunately, the Pixel 7 Pro’s battery performance fell short, typically failing to last beyond a full day of use. Our HD video loop test yielded similar results, with the Pixel 7 lasting 14 hours and 34 minutes compared to the Pixel 7 Pro’s 12 hours and 30 minutes.
This shortfall could be attributed to the Pixel 7 Pro’s QHD+ display, which, according to an earlier report, consumes more power than other phones with comparable panels. Regardless, the Pixel 7 Pro’s battery life remains subpar compared to devices like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which boasts an equally large and high-resolution display.
Charging the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro was a relatively slow experience. Since neither phone comes with a charging adapter in the box, we relied on our 61W USB PD adapter. The Pixel 7 took 1 hour and 47 minutes to charge from zero to 100 percent, while the Pixel 7 Pro achieved the same in 1 hour and 55 minutes. Even compared to Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 45W fast charging, these charging speeds are relatively slow. Considering the Vivo X80 Pro charges its 4,700mAh battery in a mere 36 minutes using the included charger, Google’s charging speeds feel dated.
Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Cameras
The Google Pixel 7 features two rear cameras: a 50-megapixel primary and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. The Google Pixel 7 Pro has three rear cameras, including the 50-megapixel primary, a slightly different 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with a 126-degree field of view (instead of 114 degrees), and a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom and up to 30x SuperRes Zoom. Both smartphones share the same 10.8-megapixel selfie camera, which lacks autofocus.
The camera app interface for both phones is characteristically "Pixel," with quick settings tucked under the settings icon located in the top-left corner. Not much has changed compared to the Pixel 6a. There’s a new Cinematic video mode (available on both phones), which effectively captures subjects with blurred backgrounds but is limited to 1080p resolution and a rather unstable frame rate.
Google has finally added macro capability to the Pixel 7 Pro (not available on the Pixel 7), and it performs exceptionally well. Macro photos showcase sharpness and excellent detail. This mode doesn’t allow you to get as close to your subject as an iPhone 13 Pro, but it’s still close enough. Notably, Google enables shooting macro photos with Auto Night Sight (supposed to bring in more light with slightly longer exposures), but we didn’t notice a significant difference in the results.
Another new feature is Motion photos, which incorporates Long exposure and Action pan modes. Motion photos deliver an effect similar to selecting Long Exposure on a Live Photo on an iPhone. The results impress in various lighting conditions and offer interesting long exposure photos without requiring a tripod. Action Blur adds motion blur to the background when capturing a moving subject. This mode is a bit tricky to use, but the results are solid. Importantly, both modes can be used even at 2x or 5x zoom.
The differences in image quality between the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are minimal. The only notable difference lies in the ultra-wide angle cameras, where the Pixel 7 offers a slightly constricted field of view (114 degrees) compared to the Pixel 7 Pro (126 degrees). The Pixel 7 also exhibits minor purple fringing at the edges.
For image quality comparisons, we pitted the Pixel 7 Pro against the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, arguably the top Android phone in terms of camera capabilities.
The Pixel 7 Pro’s primary camera captures exceptional photos, which avoid excessive sharpness while packing in ample detail. Google’s processing eschews the over-processing seen in Samsung’s images. We found the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s photos to be a touch saturated (typical Samsung) and overly sharp, which affected the textures on distant objects. However, this is only noticeable upon close inspection.
With photos captured using the Pixel 7 Pro’s ultra-wide-angle camera, Google once again outperforms Samsung, albeit by a small margin. The Pixel 7 Pro produces natural colors with a consistent tone mirroring the primary camera. Google’s processing excels at capturing more detail and offering better dynamic range.
When it comes to zoom, we observed that the Pixel 7 Pro handles photos better with less sharpening, whereas Samsung tends to sharpen photos noticeably from 3x magnification onwards. Remarkably, the Pixel 7 Pro maintains excellent image quality up to 5x optical zoom, showcasing fine details like antennas on distant buildings. Photos captured at 10x zoom remain impressive, with a discernible degradation in quality at 30x zoom. In contrast, Samsung’s telephoto images suffer at 3x zoom but improve from 10x onwards, delivering sharp but contrasted photos up to 30x, after which quality noticeably declines.
As for selfies, Samsung captures sharper-looking selfies packed with detail. Samsung also manages more natural and balanced color tones compared to the Pixel, which, curiously, made our face appear orange (likely due to the setting sun). Edge detection in portrait selfies is more accurate on the Pixel 7 Pro.
In low-light zoom performance, the Pixel 7 Pro takes the lead again, this time for consistency. Google’s Pixel 7 Pro manages to consistently maintain colors across the zoom range and excels at noise reduction. We noticed some blotchy textures around illuminated objects, but they still appeared far superior to the noisy images from the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Despite its telephoto hardware offering 100x magnification, the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s low-light results resembled oil paintings with flat textures.
In general low-light performance, the primary cameras of both the Pixel 7s and the Galaxy S22 Ultra effectively capture good details with low noise, but struggle with lens flares caused by ambient lighting. Having multiple bright light sources in the scene significantly degrades image quality, which we found odd, especially considering both phones had Auto Night Sight (Pixel) and ‘Nightography’ (Samsung) modes enabled. These modes are designed to automatically calibrate the cameras based on available lighting.
Nevertheless, the Pixel 7 Pro delivered consistently better image quality despite showcasing lens flares, while Samsung’s images were textureless and noisy. With their respective Night modes activated, the Galaxy S22 Ultra tends to produce better dynamic range with a good level of detail.
Google’s Pixel 7 Pro excels at shooting video quality at 4K 30fps and 4K 60fps in daylight. Videos recorded at 1080p appeared a bit choppy with an unsteady frame rate. Stabilization and dynamic range proved strong. However, Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra outperformed across all recording resolutions, offering a stable frame rate and excellent stabilization.
However, in low light, the tables turned. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s footage appeared noticeably noisy with low detail. Focus-hopping proved annoying in low-light conditions. Surprisingly, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro delivered higher-quality videos in low light, across all recording resolutions. Stabilization remained good, and the phones better handled lens flares compared to Samsung. Both smartphones support HDR video recording, but the Galaxy S22 Ultra performed better in daylight.
Overall, Google’s Pixel 7 Pro outpaces the Galaxy S22 Ultra for general photography, consistently capturing higher-quality photos and videos in various lighting conditions. Samsung, on the other hand, delivers superior selfies, both day and night, and holds an edge in maximum zoom levels. The Pixel 7 captures nearly identical photos to the 7 Pro, which should suffice for most casual users. However, if you need macro capabilities or high-quality zoom, the 7 Pro emerges as the winner.
Verdict
The Google Pixel 7 is a solid premium smartphone boasting good camera performance, battery life, and a decent display. It may not stand out in style and design, primarily due to its striking resemblance to the mid-range Pixel 6a, even though it utilizes premium materials. A strong contender to the Pixel 7 is the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G. It’s compact, offers similar battery life, a faster 120Hz refresh rate, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. It also appears more premium with its razor-thin display bezels and is available from ₹62,999.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro does almost everything right, except for battery life and charging speeds, which fall short of expectations. Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, while significantly pricier starting at ₹1,08,990, offers comparable value by providing longer battery life, faster 45W charging, a built-in S-Pen stylus, a unique design, and better telephoto capabilities.
Looking at direct competitors to the Pixel 7 Pro, we have the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G starting at ₹84,999 onwards and the Vivo X80 Pro at ₹79,999. These two phones offer solid value and equally impressive camera performance compared to the Pixel 7 Pro. However, the Pixel’s strength lies in its software experience and the promise of timely software updates, which consistently arrive on the Pixel 7 series before any other smartphone.
