Google Pixel 7A Review

Introduction

The author believes that Google is the worst company when it comes to keeping secrets. They don't think it's intentional, but rather that Google is simply bad at it. The author believes that everything about Google's upcoming phone, the Pixel 7A, has already been leaked before its release. The Pixel 7A is described as a new mid-range phone from Google, priced at $499, which is slightly more expensive than its predecessor, the Pixel 7. The author suggests discussing the details of the Pixel 7A further.

Wireless Charging

The Pixel 7A is priced at $499, which is $50 more than its predecessor, the Pixel 6A. The new features introduced in the Pixel 7A include wireless charging and a 90 Hertz display. While wireless charging is a convenient addition, it should be noted that the charging speed is limited to 7.5 Watts. The author mentions that during heavy usage, such as navigation with high brightness and GPS, the phone maintains its charge rather than charging or discharging. However, the wireless charging feature is useful for trickle charging overnight, making it a valuable option compared to other phones in the same price range.

Display

The Pixel 7A offers wireless charging, which is a convenient feature not commonly found in this price range. However, the wireless charging speed is limited to 7.5 Watts. The phone also comes with a 90 Hertz display, although it is initially set to 60 Hertz out of the box. Users can enable the smooth display feature in the settings to enjoy the 90 Hertz refresh rate, resulting in a smoother experience similar to the Pixel 7. The phone features the same Tensor G2 chip and 8 GB of RAM, providing comparable performance to its predecessor. In terms of build quality, the Pixel 7A takes a slight step down with a plastic back and IP67 rating instead of IP68. However, the phone feels solid without any noticeable quality issues. The 6.1-inch flat display has a 1080p resolution and some color shifting and banding when viewed from off-axis angles, but it is bright and satisfactory for its price range. The slightly thicker bezels compensate for the smaller display size, making the overall phone size similar to the Pixel 7. The Pixel 7A is available in new colors, including a light blue called "Ocean," as well as charcoal, snow (black and white), and an online-only red/coral color.

Hardware And Software

In terms of design, the Pixel 7A maintains the familiar Pixel aesthetic with its metal wraparound visor, pill-shaped camera cutout, antenna bands, slot speakers, and clicky buttons. The hardware quality is considered a good trade-off for its price. In terms of software, the Pixel 7A offers the same features and software experience as the more premium Pixel phones. This includes the impressive Google Assistant, accurate voice-to-text transcription, a reliable voice recorder app, call screening and holding features, the Now Playing feature for identifying songs, and the cohesive Material You design that matches the wallpaper and system colors. The Pixel 7A also comes with the promise of three years of software updates, although it's worth noting that Samsung now holds the record for the longest promised support in the industry with their phones offering four to five years of support.

Battery

The Pixel 7A is equipped with a 4,385 milliamp-hour battery and supports 18-watt charging, which is considered relatively slow. The wireless charging capability is even slower at seven and a half watts. In terms of battery life, it is described as average, providing a full day of use but not much more. With typical usage and the 90 Hertz display enabled, the phone can last for several days with around three to four hours of screen-on time, with approximately 10% battery remaining at the end of the day. While heavy usage may require additional charging, the wireless charging feature can help prolong battery life. It remains to be seen how the battery performance will hold up over time, but for now, the battery life of the Pixel 7A is rated as a C+ in terms of overall performance.

Camera

The Pixel 7A features an upgraded camera setup compared to its predecessor, the Pixel 6A. It includes a new 64-megapixel main camera, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 13-megapixel selfie camera. Despite the increase in megapixels, the main sensor actually bins down to 16 megapixels by default, emphasizing the larger sensor size rather than the megapixel count. Google has improved the image processing to match the performance of the previous sensor and take advantage of the larger sensor size, resulting in good-looking photos for a phone in its price range. The images exhibit excellent dynamic range without being overly HDR-like, maintaining the famous contrasty Pixel look. The F/1.9 aperture combined with the new sensor allows for close-up shots with a shallow depth of field and better low-light performance, especially with Night Sight. While there is no dedicated macro mode, the phone can still capture close-up shots from a distance of around five inches without significant fringing. The ultra-wide camera shares many characteristics with the main camera but exhibits noticeable distortion and warping at the corners, which could potentially be improved through software updates. Selfies taken with the Pixel 7A's front camera are solid, offering ample dynamic range. In terms of video recording, the main camera can shoot 4K at 60 frames per second, while the other cameras are limited to 4K at 30 frames per second. Overall, the Pixel 7A's camera is considered one of the top three mid-range smartphone cameras available.

Other

The haptic feedback on the Pixel 7A is considered pretty good, although not as impressive as the haptics found on more expensive Pixel models. The optical fingerprint reader is slightly slower compared to the super-fast ultrasonic fingerprint readers, but this is typical for Pixel devices as none of them have particularly fast fingerprint readers. One observation is that when the sunlight hits the phone, there is a slight angle to the right, although it's unclear if this is a normal characteristic or specific to the unit being tested.

Conclusion

In terms of the price point, the Pixel 7A falls into the upper range of the mid-range category, priced at $500. Verizon will also offer a millimeter wave version at $550. While the Pixel 7A is a good phone that many people will enjoy, considering the price, some may prefer the slightly older Pixel 7, which offers similar specifications but with more capable cameras, faster 20-watt wireless charging, better haptics, speakers, and a glass back. The Pixel 7 also has thinner bezels, better accessories, and is IP68 rated compared to the IP67 rating of the Pixel 7A. The Pixel 7 originally retailed for $599, but it frequently goes on sale for less. If one can find the Pixel 7 in the $500 to $550 range, it may be a better option. It's worth noting that Google now offers a range of Pixel devices at different price points, including the Pixel 6A at $349. Ultimately, the choice between the Pixel 7A and the older Pixel 7 depends on personal preferences and priorities.