Pixel PERFECT(ED)?

Google’s new Pixel 7 smartphones promise improved photo quality with all-around improved cameras. They also pack a new generation of Google’s proprietary chipset, Google Tensor G2, although Google didn’t really say much of its performance beyond its extra TPU gains.

- Liu Hongzuo

 All these enhancements come underneath the same Camera Bar design, but with an aluminium refresh. The phones are fundamentally positioned the same way too – both Pixel 7 and 7 Pro share the same chipset, AMOLED panel quality, IP68 rating. This was the same flavour as the preceding 6 and 6 Pro, right down to the same starting prices of $999 and $1,299, respectively (128GB).

With no real changes to how the Pixel 7 series look, work, or feel, how do they stand out as the best pure Android phones today?

Now, most users would already know that choosing the regular Pixel 7 over the 7 Pro meant picking a more compact form factor with a smaller battery (4,355mAh vs 5,000mAh), and losing out on a larger AMOLED screen with a higher refresh rate (6.3-inch/90Hz vs 6.7-inch/120Hz variable refresh).

There’s also an additional 48MP telephoto camera on the Pixel 7 Pro, which we’ll discuss later.

However, we think that the main difference you should care about is actually the overall handling of both phones. Google Pixel 7 uses a flat display, while the Google Pixel 7 Pro’s panel has curved sides.

In our daily use, we found ourselves using Android’s old default three-button home UI controls on the Pixel 7 Pro, while we operated on the newer gesture-styled navigation on the Pixel 7.

That’s largely due to the Pro’s curved screen and 76.6mm-wide body being more difficult for bezel-to-center swipes for flitting between apps without accidental input from the palm. Also, the 212g heft on the Pro meant we rested our hand on the lower half most of the time.