PIXEL ART Google Pixel 7 Pro

Every bit the flagship, yet sensibly priced, is this one of 2022's top Android phones?

The Pixel 7 Pro quickly establishes itself as being in the running for one of the best phones of the year, especially given its fair asking price. But does it strike pure Android phone perfection or do some of its features fall short?

When we first pulled the Hazel-finish Pixel 7 Pro out of the box, it was a bit of a wow moment. The look isn’t going to be for everyone, but we think this new colourway is rather fetching.

However, the first issue that the Pixel 7 Pro presents is the finish of its aluminium edging. Buffed, polished and shiny as it looks when brand new, it doesn’t take long at all for it to get scuffed and scratched. Our handset already has little marks and lines, from pushing it in and pulling it out of jeans pockets. You’ll need to be ultra-careful to keep this handset looking pristine, that’s for sure.

In terms of physical size and scale, the Pixel 7 Pro’s 6.7-inch screen gives it the dimensions typical of a flagship phone these days. Every edge has the gentlest of curves, though, so it doesn’t feel like a behemoth in the hand, and while that rear camera ‘bar’ does protrude by a notable amount, it doesn’t get in the way of how you hold the device.

The screen has a lovely display: it’s inky dark yet has punchy colours thanks to being an AMOLED panel; it’s suitably lit to deliver ultra-bright visual goodness; it’s silky smooth with animations thanks to a 120Hz refresh rate; and resolution is spot on, at 1440 x 3120 pixels, delivering ample sharpness without affecting battery life to excess.