Google Pixel 7a is A great value smartphone with one big asterisk

Google’s Pixel smartphone family has always found ways to wow and Pixel 7a is a great addition to that trends. This was arguably never more evident than last year with the Pixel 7 range, which is among the greatest smartphones. It took what the Pixel 6 started and improved it in important ways. The Google Pixel 7a resembles a gas-guzzling roadster. It travels faster than it should, looks good in images, and requires frequent refueling along the way.

While the Google Pixel 6a was a terrific phone, the 7a has received numerous advancements, including a more powerful chip, wireless charging, and a quicker 90Hz display. Sure, the price has risen to reflect these enhancements, but I believe you’re still getting a good deal. It’s not a flawless phone; I believe the battery life and charging speed should be improved. Those flaws aside, you’ll struggle to find a better value smartphone on the market, especially because the Google Pixel 7a is frequently on sale.

Even compared to the updated Pixel 8, the Pixel 7a remains a very appealing alternative. The only complicated element is that the 2022 flagship Pixel 7 is routinely discounted, sometimes to a price lower than the Pixel 7a.

Price when reviewed: $374 | Check price at Amazon

Google Pixel 7a KEY FEATURES

The Pixel 7a is an excellent mid-range phone. It has advanced processing capabilities, particularly for AI-enhanced functions such as voice dictation, and it performs well in everyday use. Excellent value for the performance, although I anticipate that it will become less expensive in the future. Looks just like the previous Pixel and the one before that. Nice and bright, but competitors are larger and quicker. New 64MP main camera with 13MP ultrawide and quicker Night Sight. Fantastic performance, virtually matching the Pixel 7 Pro for less than half the price. Upgrades over the Pixel 6a include wireless charging, additional RAM, and a quicker display. The battery could hardly last until lunchtime, let alone all day. Charging was likewise slow and decelerative.

GOOGLE PIXEL 7A UNBOXING

We’ve learned to anticipate minimal bundles from certain corporations, including Google. It’s not surprising, then, that the Pixel 7a comes in a packaging scarcely larger than the device itself. The two-piece white cardboard container features a likeness of the phone on the lid, which is color-matched to the actual unit within.

The package includes a USB-C cable and a USB-C male to USB-A female adapter, which are normal Google accessories. There is no charger inside, although, in some areas, Google’s 30W adaptor (in separate retail packaging) is included in the pricing, as was the case with our German review device. We received ours from a third-party merchant rather than the Google online store, and not all retailers appear to be offering the same promotion. We’re saying you’ll most likely need to create your charger.

While the Pixel 7a’s charger predicament is not unique, several of its competitors provide adapters in the package. A packed protective case is not uncommon. Perhaps a value-conscious consumer, such as those considering a 7a, would welcome receiving a little more for their money.

CAMERA

• A significant improvement over Pixel 6a.
• Improved low-light and dynamic lighting pictures.
• Terrible at zooming, even a little bit.

The camera is the most compelling reason to buy the Pixel 7a since I don’t believe there is anything else on the market that is as capable for the price. Whether it’s daylight or night, the primary camera here is dependable and doesn’t require constant fiddling to provide good results.

Google has improved the primary camera in comparison to the 6a, with a new 64MP sensor handling the majority of the heavy work. The Tensor G2 also allows for faster Night Sight (a low-light shooting option that uses multiple exposures to boost light) and a new 13MP ultrawide lens.

There is no dedicated zoom camera, but I’ve found that the AI-influenced Super-res Zoom produces better results than digital zoom. In comparison to the conventional iPhone 14’s zoom, the Pixel 7a can preserve greater detail at 2x.

It’s difficult not to be pleased with the photographs I’ve captured with the Pixel 7a, from the detail in the dog’s fur and food to the natural colors and noise-free night shots. Google continues to use contrast-heavy processing, with a particular emphasis on enhancing colors and deepening shadows. Colors do pop, but not with the same level of saturation as on the Samsung Galaxy S23; instead, they are more natural and less garish.

When it comes to portrait photography, the Pixel 7a excels at generating truly changing skin tones. When taking images during the day, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7a results.

Google has done a good job of ensuring that the colors from both rear cameras match up, allowing you to switch between the two and receive a pretty similar image. When you go between wide and ultrawide modes, there is no significant improvement in saturation or contrast, which I have noticed on several phones at this price point.

Night Sight is undoubtedly speedier and more dependable than the Pixel 6a, frequently capturing a clear and lifelike image in a matter of seconds. In certain cases, I noticed that the night performance was better, faster, and more consistent than on an iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Video performance is excellent, producing consistent footage at a variety of resolutions and frame speeds (up to 4K 60fps). The sophisticated color profiles from the photographic side are also visible here. I like the front 13MP camera, which complements the rear camera’s ability to capture good, true skin tones.

DESIGN AND SCREEN

• It resembles every other recent Pixel.
• Perhaps try something different in the next one.
• Nice exhibit, but nothing extraordinary.
• The 90Hz refresh rate improves over Pixel 6a.
• Not as showy as Samsung Galaxy A54.

When the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro debuted, their corner-mounted camera blocks set them apart from other phone designs. The Pixel 6a appeared identical to its predecessor. Next followed the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, which were more of the same. And now we have the Pixel 7a, which looks the same. Seriously, Google, even Apple’s phones change slightly after this long. If the Pixel 7a continues to stand out, it could be because there aren’t many Pixel phones on the market, which is bad news for Google. I liked the signature Pixel look when I first saw it in October 2021. Unfortunately, Google has preserved the fundamental concept but removed the two-tone colorway options, which were the nicest feature of the Pixel 6a design.

My review sample isn’t the cool Coral hue, or even the less-cool Sea – but my UK colleagues did get the blue model, so we have some wonderful images to show you. I got white — sorry, Snow. Fortunately, I also received the official Google silicone case in Coral, so I barely noticed the slick small shell because I kept it largely in the case – and the Coral color is nice. If you leave your phone naked and frightened, the Pixel 7a’s frame has a beautiful smooth surface that is simple to hold. The smooth, somewhat curved back surface will slide over a hill, but it will be easy to cling onto. Google claims the Pixel 7a is the most robust Pixel A-series phone yet, and it’s water-resistant, so it can withstand splashes or an inadvertent dip in the sink.

I have no issues with the Pixel 7a’s display, but it isn’t the finest I’ve seen, especially at this price. It undoubtedly outperforms last year’s Pixel 6a, particularly outside in broad sunlight, where the Pixel 7a is useable. It’s not particularly brilliant, but it is visible. I enjoy the Pixel 7a’s smaller 6.1-inch size, which makes it feel more compact than the considerably larger devices I’m used to carrying. It may be difficult to view fine details in photographs for editing purposes, but the Pixel was speedy enough to allow me to zoom in and browse around rapidly.

If you want a bigger screen but don’t mind giving up a lot of horsepower, the Samsung Galaxy A54 is worth considering. The Galaxy A54 has a 6.4-inch display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, but the Pixel 7a only supports 90Hz. Except for the fastest games with plenty of effects, I didn’t notice any reduced performance, and 90Hz is sufficient for the most of work.

With Google’s AI power and the Tensor G2 technology at its core, there was never any doubt that the Pixel 7a would create excellent images. The main camera sensor receives a significant boost, increasing from 12MP to 64MP. Even though the pixels are about a third smaller, the entire sensor is larger, and the photos benefit from improved technology.

I spent most of my time comparing the Pixel 7a cameras to those on the Pixel 6a, which well exceeded our expectations for budget phone cameras. I’m delighted to report that the Pixel 7a far outperforms the older model. I saw more detail in the backgrounds of photographs and significantly better lighting throughout my shots. Dark regions that would have been hidden in shadow now reveal nuance.

Unfortunately, some of the worst problems persist. Google claims that this phone can shoot like an 8x zoom lens thanks to digital techniques, however, those gimmicks do not work. Zoom images are practically worthless and appear more like an oil painting than a snapshot. The Pixel 7a has the same issues as the 6a, producing nearly identically bad zoom images. Here are some images from the Google Pixel 7a that were compared to the same shots taken with the Pixel 6a.

I found the video recording to be underwhelming, especially given the claimed 4K resolution. The video may have the appropriate number of pixels, but those pixels looked quite bad when I took high-speed photos of my dog in action. I tried the Cinematic stabilization setting, but it didn’t have the same dramatic effect as utilizing a gimbal for a steady shot.

The Pixel 7a includes a long-exposure mode, which the Pixel 6a does not. I enjoy shooting long exposures because you may get some interesting effects if you catch the correct moment. Google equipped the 6a with all of the trendiest photo editing gimmicks, such as Photo Unblur and Automatic Magic Eraser, and while the 7a also has all of those tricks, it’s difficult to see a benefit here.

HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?

Google is not offering the Pixel 7a a lower performance profile than its bigger siblings. The Pixel 7a has the same Tensor G2 chip as the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. It has less material to distribute its heat over, but even after operating at maximum power for more than a half hour, Genshin Impact does not feel uncomfortable. It does become fairly warm, and I measured a peak of 106.5 degrees Fahrenheit on the display, but it didn’t burn my hands.

Meanwhile, the Tensor G2’s performance is more than adequate for regular use. Throughout my use of the phone, I had a few issues. It launched apps, visited websites via Chrome, and perused Twitter like a pro. It doesn’t have the most powerful gaming capabilities, with obvious dips and hitches when running Genshin Impact at full settings, but it was smooth enough to play the game just fine.

Even though this is Google’s low-cost phone, the experience never feels subpar, thanks to the speed provided. The processing power, along with a sensitive display, allows for very smooth operation. Connectivity is also up to date, with Wi-Fi 6E giving ample capacity for cloud gaming or streaming, and 5G networking maintaining connectivity when on the go. I was very glad to discover that the USB-C connector has not been significantly lowered, instead preserving the same USB 3.2 level as on the Pixel 7. Many low-cost phones cut corners and use bog-standard USB 2.0, making file transfers excruciatingly slow.

The Pixel 7a’s 4,385mAh battery has enough juice to last. It’s somewhat larger than the Pixel 7 and smaller than the Pixel 7 Pro, but it only boasts a 6.1-inch screen. With casual use, all-day battery life is readily achievable, and I never felt like the phone was draining too much charge while idle or in light use, which is something I’m continually concerned about with my Pixel 7 Pro.

Buy it if...

• Clean Android UI, exclusive features, and regular upgrades.
• The chipset is powerful, and the GPU outperforms most in its class.
• In most instances, the rear cameras produce photo quality comparable to a flagship camera.

Don't buy it if…

• Limited availability.
• The display is 90Hz, while competitors use 120Hz (or greater).
• Very slow charging, with a mediocre battery life.
• There are just 128GB storage options available.
• Portrait mode is mediocre, and selfies are also not excellent.
• Video stabilization isn’t great, and the video quality from the main camera is overall poor.

FULL SPECIFICATION