Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro in the test: the smartest mobile phones on the market

It’s actually amazing that you see Google’s smartphones so rarely in everyday life: the Android manufacturer has been building very good smartphones with excellent cameras for years and always offers some exciting features that no other Android device can do. Although sales have risen sharply over the past year compared to manufacturers such as Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, Oppo or Vivo, Google’s market share is still negligible.

Google has just introduced two new smartphones – the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro – and has further expanded the strengths of the predecessor Pixel 6. Are they the breakthrough for Google? Our trial.

Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro – top performance where it counts

In the crisis year of 2022, the price of a smartphone is probably one of the most interesting attributes. Google has reason to be happy here: while Apple, for example, significantly increased the price of its new iPhones due to the weak euro, it remains the same for both Pixel devices: Google continues to charge 649 euros for the Pixel 7 and 899 euros for the Pixel Pro , which is equipped with a better camera Euro. In Switzerland, the devices are available online from 670 or 919 francs.

Both were very competitive prices last year. Given the improved performance, the Pixel 7 in particular is a real bargain. But the Pixel 7 Pro also has a very competitive price: According to the renowned testers from DXOMark, the camera system is currently the best in the world. All devices that offer a comparable camera level are sometimes considerably more expensive. In return, buyers don’t get the best of the best everywhere – but everywhere what you really need as a user.

It starts with the processor: Google uses the new and self-developed Tensor G2 here. In test programs, it lags slightly behind Qualcomm’s top processors and well behind the iPhone chip – but it is definitely fast enough. More importantly, however, Google states that machine learning processes should be able to be calculated up to 60 percent faster. So things like writing voice messages automatically or sharpening blurry photos — all that sets the Pixel apart from other smartphones.

Google has upped the ante slightly on the display: the 90Hz refresh rate for the 6.3-inch display in the Pixel 7 and the 120Hz for the 6.7-inch display in the Pixel 7 Pro remain the same. In return, the OLED screens have become brighter, offering 1400 or even 1500 nits of peak brightness. That doesn’t break a record, but it is more than enough to read the displays well even in bright sunlight.

128, 256 or 512 GB of storage, 8 GB (Pixel 7) or 12 GB (Pixel 7 Pro) RAM, in-display fingerprint scanner (about faster than in the Pixel 6) and a new face unlock feature. Here, Google offers what you would expect from a high-end device – even though the fingerprint scanner still works optically and not super-fast via ultrasound, as in the more expensive competition.

It’s also nice that the battery can easily last both devices all day. Also, there is no charger in the package.

The specialty: camera and smart functions

But Google’s phones could only score with solid, easy-to-use features if they were two of the many smartphones. The camera is traditionally very strong. This is also the case with the Pixel 7 and especially the Pixel 7 Pro. Both devices have a main camera with a resolution of 50 megapixels (MP), a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera and a 10.8 MP selfie camera.

The Pro model also has a 5x optical zoom camera with 48MP resolution. In addition, the ultra-wide-angle camera has an autofocus here, so that it is also suitable for macro shots. The images from the main and zoom cameras are each output as optimized 12 MP images.

These values ​​aren’t exceptional on their own either – but the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro make extensive use of their Tensor chip to optimize image quality.

As a result, both devices take excellent photos. DXOMark’s assessment that the Pixel 7 Pro has the best camera available today may not be shared by everyone, but it certainly has one of the best cameras. The images from the main camera of both devices are very sharp and detailed, the night mode is significantly faster than with the Pixel 6 and is therefore equal to the iPhone 14 and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

However, it is a matter of taste that the pixel smartphones render night scenes as dark as they appear in reality. Here, many users will probably prefer the images of the iPhones, which brighten up such scenes considerably.

In artificial light, the pixel photos are a bit colder than the scenes appear in reality, and a bit more showy in daylight. In comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro tended to look a bit more neutral and slightly warmer – which we liked more.

Like the iPhone 14, the new Pixel smartphones also offer a 2x zoom, which uses the native resolution of the 50MP sensor and uses only the central area of ​​the sensor to shoot the photo. Likewise, the Pixel 7 Pro also takes tens of photos with the zoom. Digitally, the zoom can even be increased up to 30x, but the image quality is still reasonable at best.

Portrait mode has also been visibly improved and is back in the top tier, videos are now recorded in 10-bit HDR mode and therefore look much more contrasting on the phone screen (and other HDR-compatible displays). The iPhone continues to lead the way here, but the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro aren’t that far behind.

Smart Features

The new Pixel smartphones also offer a few smart features that other Android devices lack. As with the Pixel 6, the recorder app has the ability to instantly convert spoken language into written language. During the year, an update will ensure that several speakers are automatically recognized and marked in the transcript. A great helper for anyone who needs to write down spoken words or search voice logs.

What is actually new is the possibility to directly transcribe voice messages received via the Messages app. This worked reliably in the test, but probably only a few users will use this feature in the Messages app. If, for example, this were also possible for WhatsApp via an interface, the advantage would be considerably greater.

The new “sharpen” option is also exciting. With the help of a good dose of AI power, blurry images can be sharpened. It doesn’t always work – but when it does, it’s very impressive. “Sharpen” is a new editing feature right in Google Photos and can be applied to all images there. The option is only available with the Pixel 7 (Pro). In the test, sharpening actually works best with old images that were generally slightly blurry.

There are also some other smart and pixel-exclusive features in the devices.

Conclusion: A great package for a very competitive price

The Pixel 7 in particular for 670 francs offers a very high value: even demanding smartphone users should not miss anything here. If you are not also an intensive camera user, you can save the extra 250 francs for the slightly larger device. The biggest difference is actually in the cameras.

Photo nerds who want to use a zoom and macro camera can get the Pixel 7 Pro from 919 CHF, a device that works at the highest level, but is several hundred francs below the prices of the top models from Apple, Oppo and Samsung.

Both Google smartphones should definitely be considered if you’re currently considering purchasing a well-equipped Android device. On the other hand, those who want to stay under 400 francs also have an exciting option with the Pixel 6a: the first-generation Tensor chip is barely slower and the 12 MP camera on the back still takes excellent photos for this price range.