The Pixel 7 Pro has been out for a few days and if you have had the chance to use it you will probably agree that it may just be value for money and better priced than Samsung or Apple devices considering it has outstanding AI features and a powerful camera. Google may have found a winner to keep its new wave of success with smartphones.
Google’s Pixel 7 Pro costs £849 ($899/A$1,299) the same price as the Pixel 6 Pro which was the company’s top phone of 2021 while many rival phones are at £1,100. The 2022 phone range for Google is being led by the Pixel 7 Pro with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6a following closely behind.
The Pixel 7 Pro has a 6.7-inch OLED screen that is bright and large with a refresh rate of 120Hz and looks incredibly like the Pixel 6 Pro at its front. The back though is a camera bar that has a refined look with polished aluminium. While the look may be less flashy, the unique design surely sets the Pro 7 apart.
Google did not go small with this one, it is a big handy phone but with curved sides, and a light weight of 212g, it’s a bit slender and a little easy to hold when compared to competing devices.
The new smartphone has been given a Tensor G2 chip but is believed to be 60% faster than when it was in the Pixel 6 Pro. With faster AI processing the phone not only responds quicker when doing tasks like video streaming, messaging or when using speech recognition. According to Google while the Pixel 6 Pro was rapid, the Pro 7 is 2.5 times faster.
The battery life lasts about 34 to 36 hours between charges just like its predecessor but only when the screen is set on default FDH+ resolution and was in active use for about 5 hours. The battery life is not the best you can get with other competing phones but should be adequate on serious day use. Battery life was increased for close to 2 hours after turning off the always-on display. The Pixel 7 Pro supports wire charging and can be fully charged in less than 2 hours.
Specifications
Display screen: 6.7-inch 120Hz QHD + OLED (512ppi)
Processor: Google’s Tensor G2
RAM: 12GB
Memory Storage: 128, 256, or 512GB
OS: Android 13
Connectivity: 5G, eSim, Wi-Fi 6E, UWB, GNSS, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.2
Camera: 50MP + 12MP ultrawide + 48MP 5-10x telephoto, 10.8MP selfie
Water resistance: IP68 (1.5m for 30 minutes)
Size: 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm
Weight: 212g
Sustainability
The phone’s maker Google has not given the expected lifespan for the battery but it may retain 80% of its default capacity after 500 cycles of full charges. Google or third-party shops will be able to repair the phone and authentic replacement parts are available for direct order at iFixit. Screen repairs at Google will cost about £200 the same price charged for Pro 6 and replacing the battery will fetch £100 if the warrant has expired.
The aluminium covering the Pro 7 is recycled contributing to 19% of the weight of the phone. Google continues to publish reports of the environmental impacts of some of its products and one for Pixel 7 Pro is already available. The tech giant promises to recycle any old devices for free.
Android 13
Like other Google smartphones, the Pixel 7 Pro is powered by Android 13 which as the latest version provides extra customisation choices maximising Google’s AI proficiency. Unbluring faces and objects in the Google Photos app using AI technology is an exclusive feature added to the new handset. It can only be achieved at random intervals (no guarantee when you may get it right) but achieves great results when it does, processing new and old photos with a few taps.
The technology is pushed further with a magic eraser tool that can be used to recolour or delete objects visible in photos taken last year.
Google is a step behind with its software and security updates which it will provide for close to five years with at least three major versions of Android because many of its competitors offer longer support. Samsung has over five years of support, Fairphone is endeavouring for six while Apple already supports its iPhone series phones for up to seven years.
Camera
A macro dedicated photography mode for better shots plus three back cameras offering a combined zoom range from 0.5x to 30x. You get a 12MP ultrawide camera that can capture good photos when magnified to 0.5 though you may see the edges a bit distorted the 1x15MP makes up for that flaw. The main camera will make photo taking an excellent experience capturing marvellous details in different lighting environments and the resulting 12.5 images. Being able to use just the centre pixels of the sensor to zoom to 2x is the newest addition this year and is a match to 2x optical magnification abilities on other rival phones. Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro had the same feature.
The 48MP telephoto camera can zoom up to 5x and still create exceptional photos with the same sharpness and detail at 12MP. Google has created a perfect combination of camera technology way above the Samsung S22 Ultra.
Price
The Pixel 7 Pro is priced at £849 ($899/A$1,299)
Other related handsets cost £599 for the Pixel 7, Pixel 6a at £349, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra at £1,149 and Apple’s iPhone 14, Pro Max, at £1,199.
Verdict
The Pro 7 has upgraded from its predecessor to offer an excellent camera experience while beating the competition on price. It comes with practical battery life, good performance enhanced by AI features and a great display.
The drawback is a less secure face unlock the system when compared to rival devices and with the charging system Google would have done better.
