Has Google made possibly the best Android phone yet while still managing to fix all the bugs of its predecessors? That’s the impression made by the brand new Google Pixel 7, which is relatively cheap with a price tag of just €649 (RRP).
Just like the Pixel 7 Pro, it’s primarily a smart further development of devices from the previous year. You have to be honest though. The Pixel 7 has significantly less innovation. But this is only an issue for those who will already switch from the Pixel 6. However, new and different is what makes me almost completely positive.
Housing is much better now, but not perfect
Has optical and haptic appearance. While the materials are essentially nothing different, the hardware conveys a very similar feel. On the other hand, the Pixel 7 is visually more attractive than its predecessor. The camera bar in particular, which now flows smoothly into the housing frame, is a new eye-catcher.
Now significantly smaller smartphones feel much better in the hand. It’s probably the best combination of compactness and display quality available in the Android world right now Also, Google has placed very easy-to-use buttons further down on the right edge of the housing – easy to reach!
Flat display, optimized industrial look – I really like the Pixel 7. But it’s not without its flaws. Unfortunately, the transition from the display to the housing frame is not as smooth as the Pixel 6, but a bit “sharp-edged”.
The camera is almost unchanged, but the features are new
The main camera certainly brings small improvements. While the Pixel 7 Pro comes with some new hardware, the Pixel 7 pretty much stays the same. Here, users primarily benefit from innovations like Unblur in Google Photos, advanced camera apps or Cinema mode for video.
On the front is the camera from the Pro, which brings face unlock and enables ultra-wide-angle selfies. In terms of quality, the jump is not that huge, in fact hardly noticeable.
It’s harder to tell the difference with the original camera. All in all, the camera delivers the typical quality that the Pixel series has stood for over the years. Just don’t expect any progress this time.
Otherwise sometimes In this video Take a look, you can also get a good picture of the camera in everyday life and what is possible with editing.
Speed, battery, display – is there a difference?
It’s so consistent that the Pixel 7 barely gives any indication that it’s new or different in everyday life. The work speed doesn’t seem to be any better, it’s also sometimes a bit slower than the Pro. But these are subtleties that can also be explained by the difference from 90 to 120 Hz.
Google has definitely upped the ante with an integrated OLED display. That leaves it at 90 Hz and without LTPO. Thanks to 6.3 inches, it is more suitable for one-handed operation, it is brighter and of better quality according to laboratory tests. In my opinion, Pixel 7’s display is very good.
In terms of low-light performance, the Pixel 7 display (top left) is significantly better than the Pixel 7 screen (top right):
Battery capacity has dropped quite a bit and that seems noticeable. But only if you have previously used the Pixel 6 series in everyday life. I think the Pixel 7 needs to be plugged in a little sooner. But not so fast as to make a negative point out of it. It’s an all-day battery.
A few smart innovations have been incorporated
Assistant now has an emoji feature for voice input, new Clear Calling aims to eliminate background noise during phone calls, Google One’s VPN will be included for free from December, Google Recorder will soon be able to distinguish and identify several voices, blurry Photos can be sharpened, etc.
This year, updates in the software area are significantly smaller. Google rarely innovates, but improves some existing functions. This is another point where you can tell that the Pixel 8 will just be a big upgrade.
Finally, the new Face Unlock, which lets you unlock the smartphone very quickly, stands out on the Pixel 7 primarily on the software side. However, this is a pure software solution, so there are no security clearances for banking apps or password managers, you can only expose the display.
Conclusion on Pixel 7: A very good package, but very little innovation
If you already own a Pixel 6, it’s not worth the switch. For all other customers, however, this is the strongest package Google can offer us. A high-quality and at the same time simple camera remains the trademark – just like the numerous seamlessly integrated assistant functions.
As an experienced user, I miss the wow effect a bit, because a lot more happened with the Pixel 7 Pro. On the other hand, in my opinion, Google has almost completely ironed out the weaknesses of the predecessor and you have to give credit to the Pixel developers for that. The bottom line is that you get a lot of performance for a good price!
Google Pixel 7
The smaller Pixel 7 doesn’t bring as many new features as the Pro, but it doesn’t have the weaknesses of its predecessor and looks cooler.
Editor’s Rating:
4
professional
- handier, smaller
- show helleres
- Design has improved
- Pixel camera
cons
- Hardly any innovation
- Battery is low
- Slower than Pro
Google Pixel 7 Camera Review – Video and Photo Test
Hey everyone! This year we’re not only seeing the Google Pixel 7 Pro camera, but the Pixel 7 as well. I hope you enjoy this photoshoot! I am testing…
