Google Pixel 7a Google Pixel 7a Review: First Impressions

First Impressions

Google continues its strong run of affordable phones with the Pixel 7a which packs numerous impressive upgrades over the Pixel 6a.

Introduction

The Google Pixel 6a was one of my favourite phones of last year, providing a fantastic combination of performance and price. Upon first impression, it seems the Pixel 7a succeeds as a follow-up.

Let me get this out of the way first – the Pixel 7a, Google’s budget phone for 2023, isn’t groundbreaking. 

There’s nothing here that blows what has gone before out of the water, yet after a few days of use, it feels like Google has taken what made the 6a so good and added a smattering of welcome additions.

While some budget phones try to focus on one key selling point, super-speedy charging for example, the Pixel 7a is broader, and for me that’s a smart move.

Design and Screen

• Visually very similar to the Pixel 7
• Four colours are available: black, white, coral and sea
• Refresh rate upped to 90Hz

When I first took the Google Pixel 7a out of the box I was a little disappointed. I was expecting it to resemble the Pixel 7, but I wasn’t expecting it to be pretty much a complete copy. If you put the two phones next to each there is very little to tell them apart.

The Pixel 7a is slightly smaller overall, thanks to the shorter 6.1-inch screen, and is a little lighter. It’s one of the smaller phones around, even if I wouldn’t really call it compact. It can slip neatly into a jeans pocket or a small bag though, and I can use it comfortably with one hand.

The back is made from a nice feeling plastic, while the metal sides and camera visor add a touch of class. Google has said this is the most durable A-series device yet and that the aluminium housing is made from 100% recycled content – or about 11% of the phone itself. 

Google sent over the Charcoal version for review, which is more grey than black. It’s not my favourite hue I have to admit, and the darker shade makes the back of the phone a magnet for fingerprints after just a few minutes. The lighter, more vibrant Coral and Sea versions are far more fun colours to go for.

The 7a has an IP67 rating, which is slightly lower than the IP68 rating for the Pixel 7 but it remains a very welcome addition in this price range.

One of the bigger Pixel 7a’s bigger upgrades is found in the display. Like the Pixel 7, the 7a now supports up to a 90Hz refresh rate, that’s a notable improvement over the 6a’s 60Hz screen. The extra zip in scrolling is noticeable when the two phones are next to each and it generally makes moving through the UI more pleasing. The Smooth Display option will also move between 60Hz and 90Hz, dropping down to the slower option to save battery when you’re watching video, for example.

It remains a 1080p OLED panel too, with deep blacks and plenty of detail considering there’s only a 6.1-inch panel to fill. This is a good screen for the price.

Performance

• Same Tensor G2 chip as the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
• No charger included; wireless charging added
• 5G support and WiFi 6E

The Pixel 7a is powered by the same Tensor G2 chipset you’ll find inside the Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel Fold.

This chip can’t rival the top options from Qualcomm or Apple and there are likely far quicker phones at this price – the newly-announced £559 Poco F5 Pro being a notable example – but Google’s approach has always favoured advances outside of pure speed. Tensor ensures camera processing is quick and that all the AI features built into the software run with minimal fuss.

It’s still a fast piece of silicon though, playing Call of Duty Mobile with few hiccups and accomplishing everyday tasks with ease. There’s also 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage – a fairly standard duo for a Pixel device.

There’s 5G (both sub6 and mmWave depending on your location) and Wi-Fi 6E support if you’ve got a suitable router.

One area where the Pixel 7a does feel slightly antiquated is the charging. While I am glad Qi charging – a feature that made the $299 Google Nexus 4 standout way back in 2012 – has been added, both the wireless and wired charging speeds are slow. When a phone like the Realme GT3 can get a full 100% charge in less than 10 minutes, the 110 minutes required here is a bit of a shame.

While I haven’t used the phone for long enough yet to render a full battery life verdict, my experience so far has been very similar to the Pixel 7. I have been getting around five hours of screen time before I’ve needed to charge.

One of the biggest reasons to plump for the 7a over a similarly-priced phone that might charge faster or perform better in benchmarks is the Google software experience. Not only are software updates plentiful and fast, but Google has also built numerous tremendously useful AI skills into the software.

The Recorder app for example is the best in the business for transcription, while the speed at which the Live Translate services translates is fantastic and very useful. There’s also the raft of Call Assist features introduced with the Pixel 7 including enhancements to caller’s voices and easy ways to bypass long-winded phone menu options.

Camera

• Upgraded main camera with a 72% larger sensor than 6a
• Secondary 13MP ultrawide camera
• 4K, 13MP selfie camera

The biggest reason to plump for the Pixel 7a is the camera as I don’t think there’s anything this capable on the market for the price. Whether it’s daylight or night, the main camera here is reliable and doesn’t require endless tinkering to get good shots all the time.

Google has upgraded the main camera when compared to the 6a, with a new 64MP sensor doing the majority of the heavy lifting. There’s also faster Night Sight thanks to the extra speed of the Tensor G2 and a new 13MP ultrawide lens. There’s no dedicated zoom camera, but I have found the AI-influenced zoom churns out better results than I would expect from digital zoom.

See below for a few sample images from my first few days with the Pixel 7a. It’s hard not to be impressed, from the detail retained in the dog’s fur and the food to the natural colours and noise-free night shots. Google has done an excellent job of ensuring the colours from both rear cameras match up, so you can jump between the two and get a very similar image.

Night Sight is certainly faster and more reliable than on the 6a, often capturing a clear and true-to-life image in a matter of seconds. In some instances, I found the night performance better, faster and more reliable than on an iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Early Verdict

Wireless charging, a better camera, a more capable chipset and a faster display make the Pixel 7a potentially one of the best mid-range phones around.

If the camera performance and battery life continue to impress for the rest of the review period, Google could be on to a winner – even with the higher price.