The smartest smartphone on the market?

With the Google Pixel 7, the US company Google has presented its affordable flagship smartphone for this year. We took a closer look at the device. A test report.

Google Pixel 7: design and finish

The Google Pixel 6 only differed from the Pro model in a few things. This is what Google is leading this year with the Google Pixel 7 away. Both devices have a front and back made of Gorilla Glass Victus. In contrast to the Pro model, the Pixel 7 has a matte aluminum frame.

The design fits in between the Pixel 6a and the Pixel 7 Pro, because it has a camera strip integrated into the frame, but only two lenses and therefore only one camera circle. We were also able to look at the original protective covers for both devices and were pleasantly surprised.

Last year there was a lot of criticism of the protective covers, especially the quality of the material. This year the cases are easy to hold, feel high-quality and the buttons are much easier to press. Fortunately, the device is IP68-certified and therefore well protected against dust and water.

Google Pixel 7: The display

The Google Pixel 7 is the more compact of the two Pixel 7 smartphones because it only has a small 6.3-inch Full HD Plus AMOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 90 Hertz.

This could be interesting for many who are looking for a small Android smartphone. But I definitely still miss the 120 Hertz refresh rate. In its S22 series, for example, Samsung offers this refresh rate in every smartphone, whether ultra or not. Google could take this as an example next year.

The chin on the lower side is still clearly visible, especially compared to the Pro model. The brightness is sufficient in most cases, I only had problems reading content in strong sunlight. The colors are well calibrated and the content is very fluid despite “only” 90 Hertz.

A difference can only be noticed if you have previously used a device with 120 Hertz in everyday life. Meanwhile, there is a hole for the front camera in the top center of the display, unlike the Pro model, the normal Pixel 7 has a flat display.

the performance

I Google Pixel 7 has the same Tensor G2 processor as in the Pro model. The Pixel 7 is also available in a 128 and a 256 gigabyte memory version, but it has less RAM memory than the Pro model. Instead of twelve gigabytes of RAM, Google has installed eight gigabytes, which is only rarely noticed in everyday use.

Compared to the Pixel 6, however, I hardly noticed any differences in performance. I would have hoped for more from the processor here. At least the device no longer overheats in everyday use. That was often the case with the predecessor. However, Google seems to have solved the problem.

What continues to set Google apart is the vibration motors. They were excellent in the sixth generation of Pixel smartphones. With the Google Pixel 7, the company picks up right where it left off. Combined with the smooth animations of the software, this creates a very good user experience.

The sound of the Google Pixel 7

The Google Pixel 7 has good stereo speakers that ensure a good entertainment experience. Sometimes they were too quiet for me, especially when there was a lot of ambient noise. The device, on the other hand, does not have a 3.5 mm jack connection, headphones can only be connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth or USB-C.

At full volume, the bass is a little tinny. As with the Pro model, Google relies on a large loudspeaker and an earpiece. As a result, the sound is not evenly distributed when watching videos, but rather in a ratio of 70 to 30.

Google Pixel 7: The cameras

The Pixel 7 has two cameras on the back: a 50-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens. The selfie camera has a resolution of 10.8 megapixels. As is typical for Google, the main camera takes very good, bright and clear pictures.

It offers 2x optical zoom and 8x “super zoom”, which in practice only delivers average shots. With the zoom, the clear difference to the Pro model can be noticed, which has a third camera for these shots.

The Pixel 7 displays complex structures such as trees or buildings well. The double zoom also works very reliably in almost all situations. The smartphone also catches a lot of light at night and produces very good pictures.

But this does not apply to the ultra-wide-angle camera. While the camera produces very usable results during the day, it is difficult to use at night. In order to still get good pictures, there must be at least one direct light source in the picture.

We have put together another gallery of photos from the Pixel 7 for you. You can find the photos here.

Selfies, on the other hand, look very good. The portrait mode in particular impresses with its clear recognition of people. Here, Google’s AI performs very well again, especially with “only” 10.8 megapixels.

Software: Android 13

The Google Pixel 7 runs the latest Android 13 software. Google promises five years of security updates and three major OS upgrades for both Pixel 7 models. The company is already known for its software, with Android 13 and the Pixel 7 adding some new functions.

Messages can now be transcribed, the motion blur of old photos improved or artificial lighting generated for portraits. Google’s software has many intelligent functions and is much tidier than many other Android interfaces.

But if you are looking for many extra functions such as different dark modes or customizable always-on displays, you should take a look at other surfaces such as ColorOS or MIUI.

Google also offers a very good record app that transcribes and exports speech directly. Photos can also be copied and shared directly from apps or texts can be removed from photos using copy/paste.

The smartphone can be unlocked securely with a fingerprint. The function is now a little faster than in comparison to its predecessor. However, it is not really fast compared to the competition.

The Pixel 7 also offers face unlocking, but this is only partially implemented. It can therefore not be used to unlock banking apps.

Google Pixel 7: The battery

The Pixel 7’s battery has been physically downsized compared to the Pixel 6. But does that have a negative effect on the runtime? No, because I actually got through the day with the device. However, charging in the evening is still mandatory. As with the Pixel 7 Pro, Google continues to use only 30 watts via USB-C, which is significantly slower than many competing smartphones.

Due to the lower resolution and lower refresh rate, I had a little more battery in my pocket in the evening than with the Pixel 7 Pro. If you want to choose between the two smartphones and if the battery life is important to you, you should go for the normal Pixel 7 in this case.

Using my AC adapter, I was able to charge the Pixel 7 back to roughly 50 percent in 30 minutes. For wireless charging, you need the Google Pixel Stand (2) to get really fast charging times. The Pixel Buds or other headphones can in turn be charged wirelessly on the back of the smartphone.

To the Google Pixel 7

Conclusion: The Google Pixel 7

The Google Pixel 7 is the iPhone in the Android segment. It has a classy design, a beautiful display, very good cameras and guaranteed and fast updates. However, the device lacks fast charging, a faster display and a better ultra-wide-angle camera to be able to fully convince in all disciplines.

If you’re hesitating between the Pixel 7 and the Pro model, I can only recommend the following: Do you want a zoom camera? A large display with a fast refresh rate? No? Then you can use the normal Pixel 7 without hesitation. But if you value these functions, you should pay a surcharge of 250 euros for the Pro model.

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