Last year Google presented its first major flagship at a fairly honest price. The Pixel 6 Pro hit the market with a great display, an extremely versatile camera, and a processor full of promise. This year, Google is repeating the dose. On the outside, the Pixel 7 Pro looks more polished and, on paper, even more powerful. Now it remains to be seen whether the search giant has learned from past mistakes and managed to bring a flawless flagship to market.
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Google Pixel 7 Pro: price and availability
After officially announced in August, today the new Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro hit the market. While the vanilla variant has a starting price of $599, the Pro variant can be purchased starting at $899. Both models are already available for purchase on Google's official store and on partner e-commerce like Amazon.
| Google Pixel 7 | Google Pixel 7 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| 128 GB | $599 | $899 |
| 256 GB | $699 | $999 |
| 512 GB | Not available | $1,099 |
| 1 TB | Not available | Not available |
If you purchase the Pixel 7 Pro by October 17, Google is offering either a Pixel Buds Pro or a Google Pixel Watch as a gift in the package.
A very familiar design
With a curved 6.7-inch display, the new Pixel 7 Pro remains a large smartphone. With an aluminum case made of 100% recycled material, the Pixel 7 Pro has undergone some changes from the previous generation's design.
Now, the Pro variant brings well highlighted spaces for the different camera module lenses on the rear horizontal bar. Honestly, I really liked this change given that the demarcation of the lenses allows you to easily recognize each of the cameras. Also, the integration of the camera module with the chassis seems smoother to me in this generation.
The new Pixel 7 Pro can be found in three colors: Snow, Obsidian, and the new Hazel hue. However, just like last year, it seems to me that the prettiest color was once again exclusive to the vanilla model, which has a variant in Lemongrass.
Honestly, despite Google's claim that the series has "a completely new design", it just seems to me that the Pixel 7 Pro just had an overhaul of the build material: we have more aluminum in this new generation. And the fact that we have the maintenance of the Pixel 6 Pro's form factor is quite positive in my eyes, given that it is an easily distinguishable design in a world of very similar smartphones.
Another positive point is that the series has retained the IP68 water and dust resistance certification which, added to the five years of security updates, make using this model in the long term even more attractive. However, Google's official protective covers have not been optimized and, just as we saw happen last year, it is possible that these will deteriorate considerably over time.
A bright and smooth screen
Another component in which we haven't seen much change is the display-which isn't a problem given that the display present in the Pixel 6 Pro is excellent. The display is still 6.7" and 19.5:9 aspect ratio, with QHD+ resolution and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. With an LTPO OLED panel, the refresh rate ranges from 1 to 120 Hz, which allows for battery savings.
Once again, Google has chosen to use Gorilla Glass Victus and rely on the durability guaranteed by the Corning brand. Regarding brightness, the Pixel 7 Pro's display reaches up to 1,000 nits (HDR) and up to 1,500 nits (peak).
Personally, I really liked the colorimetry and brightness of this display and consuming content on this device is simply a treat. Despite my current preference for flat screens, the curves of the Pixel 7 Pro's display invite me to question my preferences.
The Second Generation Tensor Processor
As you may have noticed, the big change-and highlight-between generations is in the processor that packs the new generation of Pixel devices. The Tensor G2 promises improvements in the SoC's core subsystems and, of course, optimizations of Machine Learning (ML) functions, such as natural language.
Now, according to Google, via "voice input with assistant" it is possible to search for emojis to add in messages to other people. Simply say, for example, "Hello emoji," "Wink emoji," or "LOL emoji." Another feature available in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro variants is the description of voice messages right in the Messages app. With this, instead of leaving that voice message to listen to at a more propitious time, you'll be able to do it quickly without worrying about the team meeting rolling on Google Meeting.
When it comes to data security, the Tensor G2 processor works in conjunction with the Titan M2 security chip that provides an extra layer of protection from complex attacks. Another security feature worth mentioning is the "Google One VPN" that comes at no additional cost and promises more protection for online activities. This works, according to Google, independent of the app or web browser used. However, the function is not yet available, but should arrive in the new models later this year.
Still on the subject of security, one of my biggest criticisms of the Pixel 6 Pro last year was of the most basic security feature: the screen unlock biometrics. Perhaps that's why it caught my attention that Google pointed out that the Pixel 7 Pro now uses a combination of facial recognition and fingerprint authentication to unlock the device's screen. According to the company, the facial recognition is made possible by research-based machine learning models for facial recognition.
Unfortunately, Google did not offer much information regarding the technical data of the new Tensor G2 processor. But of course, with the possibility of conducting a more in-depth test of the Pixel 7 Pro, we will be able to share a more direct opinion about the performance of this new flagship. So, you will have to wait for the Pixel 7 Pro review.
Finally, as far as software is concerned, the Pixel 7 Pro leaves the factory running Android 13. The most current version of Google's software offers a range of user interface customization options, as well as advanced security features, offering even more control over the smartphone's hardware components. Furthermore, with Private Computer Core the processing of personal information takes place locally, i.e. on the smartphone itself.
Google also said that the new models will receive up to three years of major Android updates and five years of security updates. This means having launched with Android 13, it should receive Android 16 which is tipped to arrive in 2025.
Few changes in the camera module
On paper, the Pixel 7 Pro's camera module doesn't differ much from the one we got in the previous generation. That is, we have a set of three lenses, most notably the 48 MP telephoto camera, which is now capable of capturing images with 5x optical zoom (the Pixel 6 Pro offers 4x optical zoom). In addition, we have features like 30x Super Res zoom.
The Pixel 7 Pro's 50 MP main lens is capable of capturing 12 MP images via the pixel binning technique. Here, we have the same sensor size as the previous generation's 1/1.31-inch; the pixel size is 1.2µm, with f/1.85 aperture and optical stabilization (OIS).
Finally, the ultra-wide-angle camera has 12MP, f/2.2 aperture and pixel size of 1.25µm, with a 125.8-degree field of view. And the front camera uses a 10.8MP sensor, with the option of ultra-wide angle field-of-view image capture.
Among other features, the Pixel 7 Pro also offers macro focus, which allows you to capture photos up to three centimeters away from the lens. This solution gives even more versatility to this camera that is known for quality even if it relies heavily on image post-processing.
When it comes to the video feature, we have an upgrade with the new 10-bit HDR, which should ensure brighter and higher contrast video images. Here, similar to what we have in Apple's Cinematic Mode feature, the Pixel 7 Pro uses "Movie Mode" to shoot videos with blurry backgrounds.
And of course, the Real Tone and Magic Eraser functions are present in the new Pixel generation. What is really new here is the use of features such as haptic feedback, contrasting animations and sounds to guide visually impaired people when taking selfies.
Overall, it seems to me that Google is very confident in the camera quality of the previous generation and has changed very little in the camera suite this year. Which makes sense, given that the quality of photos captured with the Google Pixel 6 Pro's camera are outstanding. In our camera tests here at NextPit, the device was voted the best smartphone for photos in 2022—both in relation to the rear camera module and for selfies.
To get a taste of what the Pixel 7 Pro's camera is capable of, however, you'll have to wait for the review of the new generation.
A battery for the whole day
Once again Google claims that its flagship boasts a "24 hour" battery life. With a typical capacity of 5,000 mAh, the Pixel 7 Pro reached up to 72 hours of battery life in Extreme Power Save Mode in the Google lab tests.
However, of course, in this hands-on it is not possible to measure the battery performance of this model, but considering the experience with the previous generation and the Tensor processor optimization, this model should not disappoint in this regard.
According to Google, using fast charging the Pixel 7 Pro charges up to 50% of the charge in 30 minutes, this with the 30W USB-C charger with USB-PD 3.0 (PPS)-sold separately, of course! The fast wireless charging is done at 23W.
Google Pixel 7 Pro technical specifications
| Technical Data Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Product | |
| Photo | |
| Screen | 6.7-inch LTPO-OLED 1,440 x 3,120 pixels (512 ppi) at 120 hertz Up to 1,000 nits (HDR) and up to 1,500 nits (peak) |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm 212 g |
| SoC | Google Tensor G2 | Titan M2 |
| Memory (varies by region) |
12 GB LPDDR5 128 GB or 256 GB UFS 3.1 |
| Micro SD | n/a |
| Main camera | 50 MP with Octa PD and Quad Bayer | f1.85 | 1.2 µm | 82° FoV | OIS (Sensor size: 1/1.31'') |
| Ultra Wide-angle | 12 MP with Autofocus | f/2.2 | 1.25 µm | 125.8° FoV |
| Telephoto lens | 48 MP with Quad Bayer PD | f/3.5 | 0.7 µm | 20.6° FoV | 5x optical zoom | 30x SuperRes |
| Video | 4K at 30 and 60 fps (rear) | 1080p at 30 and 60 fps (rear) 4K at 30 and 60 fps (front) |
| Selfies | 10.8 MP with Fixed Focus | f/2.2 | 1.22 µm | 92.8° FoV |
| Audio | Stereo Speakers |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired Charging | Max. 30 watts |
| Wireless charging (Qi) | Max. 23 watts |
| UWB | Yes |
| IP Certification | IP68 |
| Price | From US$ 899 |
Early Verdict
In 2021, the Google Pixel 6 Pro was marked by inconsistency: if on the one hand many devices did not fail, on the other there was an escalation of errors for distinct variants between one system update and another. Unfortunately, our Pixel 6 Pro review unit was among the models that presented several problems: slow screen unlocking via biometrics, high power consumption, occasional problems in camera quality, and constant stuttering and system slowdowns.
However, even though it is a flagship, the model released last year had in its favor the fact that it was the first smartphone to be packed by Google's custom processor. In other words, if it performed smoothly and with excellent integration between hardware and software, great; if it had problems-as it did-Google would still be excused, as it was a first attempt at building hardware for a hardware-focused company.
However, in 2022, Sundar Pichai and his team no longer have the luxury of error.
Without many changes between one generation and the next, but relying almost exclusively on the second generation Tensor processor as a major highlight, the Pixel 7 Pro will have to prove that Google is really capable of developing hardware as well. In this regard, I'm really curious to see how this model will perform, especially since the iPhone 14 Pro has proven to be a steamroller when it comes to performance.
Finally, with the Pixel 7 Pro, Google now gets a second chance to prove that the Tensor is a competitive processor that really offers Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities not found in any other SoC. After all, this was the #1 reason for Google to get into the custom chipsets game.
Now I want to know your opinion: what did you think of the new Google Pixel 7 Pro? Looking forward to reading your comment!
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