Google Pixel 7 Pro in the test: what can the new Google smartphone do?

With the Google Pixel 7 Pro, the US company Google has launched a new flagship smartphone. We subjected the device to an everyday test and put it through its paces. A test report.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: design and finish

That Google Pixel 7 Pro differs from its predecessors in only a few points. On the front there is still a 6.7-inch display with a front camera in the middle and slightly rounded display edges. Compared to the Pixel 6 Pro, however, the display edges are significantly less rounded to the side. This makes the buttons on the right side much easier to use.

The back is still shiny. The device attracts a lot of fingerprints, especially in black. The Pixel 7 Pro is also available in white and dark green with a golden camera element. This in turn is now connected to the frame and has a second hole for the telephoto camera on the Pro model.

The workmanship is of the usual high quality. At 212 grams, the Google Pixel 7 Pro is not exactly light. Meanwhile, the case is made of polished aluminum. Google speaks of “100 percent recycled material”. We can’t check that. But it would be nice if it were true. However, the smartphone feels good in the hand. However, the back made of Gorilla Glass Victus is quite slippery. A protective cover is recommended anyway.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Screen

The Google Pixel 7 Pro has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hertz and a maximum brightness of 1400 nits. At least those are the dry facts. The display looks great in everyday use, and the large panel really shines in videos and apps with a lot of text. However, Samsung remains the undisputed leader in the industry. Because the display of the Galaxy S22 Ultra is still the brightest and most accurate on the market.

However, the colors of the Pixel 7 Pro are very accurate – on a par with other manufacturers such as Opposition or Vivo, all three of which buy their displays from Samsung.

the performance

Google’s latest processor, the Tensor G2, sits in the Google Pixel 7 Pro. This one features some improvements in graphics as well as AI performance and security. Because in addition to the Tensor G2, Google has also installed a new version of its Titan security chip, the Titan M2.

The Pro model is only available with 12 gigabytes of LPDDR5 RAM memory, but with either 128 or 256 gigabytes of internal memory. Of this, only 15 gigabytes are occupied by the system and the standard apps, leaving well over 110 gigabytes usable. The competition usually occupies over 20 gigabytes with many other extra apps and functions.

Google had already shown with the Pixel 6 Pro how seriously it takes haptic feedback. This also applies to the Pixel 7 Pro. The vibration motor is very strong and precise and is better connected to the animations than any other manufacturer in the Android segment.

A big problem with the Pixel 6 Pro was the heat development of the processor. It always warmed up quickly. The problem did not occur again in my test phase, the device can only heat up when charging. The fingerprint sensor was one of the biggest criticisms of the Pixel 6 Pro. Also: a missing face unlock.

From my testing, the fingerprint sensor definitely got faster in unlocking, but it’s still unreliable and definitely slower than many of its competitors. Face unlock has now been added but is not secure enough to be used for banking apps. It’s a welcome feature though.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Sound

The Pixel 7 Pro has two speakers, which are just enough for a flagship phone. Especially when compared to a Galaxy S22 Ultra or a Xiaomi 12 Pro, you notice a big difference in quality. Although the speakers get loud, they are a bit tinny. The bass doesn’t look very detailed.

There is no headphone jack. The only physical connection is the USB-C port for power and external devices like headphones. However, most headphones are recognized by the smartphone as soon as they are switched on and can be connected with one click. Google calls this feature “Fast Pair”.

The cameras

The Google Pixel smartphones have built a strong reputation for cameras over the past few years. Over the years, they have gotten the most out of the built-in camera sensors, primarily through software algorithms. The Pixel 7 Pro continues this tradition and mainly takes over the camera setup from the Pixel 6 Pro.

We still find a 50-megapixel main camera sitting in a ring next to a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens. Unlike the regular Pixel 7, the Pro model also has a 48-megapixel telephoto camera that’s built separately in a circle.

Little has changed on the sensors themselves. The ultra-wide-angle camera now has a larger field of view and autofocus, and the telephoto camera has a larger zoom. But the big changes are in the software. Because Google has managed to calculate the different zoom levels with several cameras.

This is intended to make a 2x or 10x zoom look like it was shot with a dedicated lens. But how does the camera setup fare in everyday life?

This is how the cameras perform in everyday life

The Pixel 7 Pro takes very good photos with lots of sharpness, very accurate colors and lots of detail. No matter which object I chose, a good photo always came out in the end. The processing time also seems to have become significantly faster with the Tensor G2, especially in night mode. Incidentally, this is still one of the best in the Android sector.

We have again put together a gallery with many photos from the lenses of the Pixel 7 Pro that you here finds.

Meanwhile, the ultra-wide-angle camera also takes bright and detailed pictures. In practice, however, small blurring can be seen at the edges. At the end of the day, the quality doesn’t come close to an ultra wide-angle lens from the Oppo Find X5 Pro, but it is among the best on the market.

The macro mode is a nice addition to the many other modes that Google already offers, but it’s not a function that you often need in everyday life. Google has smarter placed the mode within the camera app, however, as it activates automatically when you get close to an object instead of having to turn it on manually.

The telephoto camera is really impressive precisely because the quality is maintained at almost all zoom levels. Google gets the maximum quality out of the lens, but doesn’t come close to its own cameras for zoom levels like Samsung does. Especially in the details you can see a clear difference between a “crop” photo from Google and a tenfold zoom camera from the S22 Ultra.

The front camera now has a larger field of view and continues to take what are probably the best selfies in the Android segment. The software recognizes even the smallest hair and isolates the head from the background much better than some other manufacturers.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: software

The Pixel 7 Pro comes with the latest Android 13 and a guarantee that the device will receive three years of feature updates. According to Google, the security of the device against malware is kept up to date for more than five years, as with the previous generation or the Pixel 6a.

Personally, I would have hoped that the Mountain View company would make an announcement in the industry with the new Tensor processor and the new smartphones. (like Apple) with new functions over four to five years. This would have been a great selling point for many customers, but this opportunity was missed.

Otherwise, we have the usual Pixel OS pre-installed, with a simple interface and many “exclusive” functions such as automatic music recognition (works like Shazam, only permanently active), a built-in translator function and photo functions such as the magic eraser.

You have to accept that Google also collects data if you want to use the full range of functions. Otherwise, the functions help a lot in everyday life if you activate them.

The Pixel 6 Pro still had a lot of bugs at the start that made the device difficult to use for many. These then disappeared over the months, from my experience the 7 Pro has few bugs at the start.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Battery

A big gripe with the Pixel 6 Pro for me was the battery life and slow charging. Unfortunately, there were no changes in the hardware of the Pixel 7 Pro. We still have a large 5000 milliamp battery with a slow 30 watt “fast charge”.

The battery lasted longer for me in everyday life than with the Pixel 6 Pro. This also seems to be due to the more energy-efficient processor. I usually came home in the evening with 30 percent battery life left.

In the evening, however, the device has to be plugged in again, so a long night is not possible. So if you spend a lot of time on the road in the evening or forget to charge in the evening, you will inevitably have problems with the battery life. However, Google offers energy-saving modes, but this means you lose features such as the high refresh rate and the always-on display.

The biggest problem for me is the loading time. The emphasis here is on the word “time” because a full charge takes over an hour and a half (usually 90 to 100 minutes). This is a very poor value compared to the competition from Vivo or Oppo, which have somewhat smaller batteries but charge them in half an hour.

Google explained to me that this had to do with the longevity of the batteries. However, manufacturers such as OPPO have proven over the past few years that this is also very durable.

Incidentally, wireless charging is also possible, but only at full power with Google’s own Pixel Stand. If you want to charge your wireless in-ear headphones, you can do this via Power-Share on the back of the smartphone.

Go to the Google Pixel 7 Pro

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Conclusion

The Pixel 7 Pro is clearly the best smartphone that Google has ever launched. A high-quality device with a (in my opinion) beautiful design and great display. The camera continues to be one of the best, if not the best on the market, and the software offers many unique extra features.

Google still doesn’t manage to build fast charging into its smartphones, this year I’m also missing an absolute “highlight”, which makes the Pixel 7 Pro look more like a Pixel 6s Pro. However, the price is very competitive at 899 euros, which could make it a very attractive offer for many.

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