Design and Build

Equipped with an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus on both the front and the back, the Google Pixel 7 is a device that has a rather premium feel to it. Having the dimensions of 6.1 x 2.9 x 0.34 inches (155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm) and weighing 6.9 ounces (197g), the phone remained a bit smaller and lighter than the Pixel 6. It is offered in three colors, Obsidian, Snow, and Lemongrass, and has an under-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock capabilities, which are a major step up from the Pixel 6’s very unresponsive sensor. The IP68 rating certifies that the device is safe to be immersed in water at a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes and exposed to dust in such a scenario. Although the USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port supports eSIM and nano-SIM, the glossy frame is marred by fingerprints.

Pixel 7 Display

The Pixel 7 device has a 6.3-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 (416 PPI), HDR10+, and a 90Hz refresh rate. It has a maximum brightness of 1400 nits, which is lower than the Pixel 6’s 843 nits yet inferior to the Pixel 8’s 2000 nits. Its flat screen with Gorilla Glass Victus protection reduces false keypresses, a problem of the Pixel 7 Pro that has a curved display. Despite this, users state that the bezels are well within the visible range.

• 6.3-inch AMOLED
• 1080 x 2400 resolution, 416 PPI
• HDR10+ support
• 1400 nits (peak)
• Gorilla Glass Victus protection
• 90Hz refresh rate

Performance and Software

With the Google Tensor G2 chip (5nm) and a powerful 8-core CPU, Mali-G710 MP7 GPU, and Titan M2 security chip, the Pixel 7 offers 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and the three storage options including 128GB ($599) or 256GB ($699) that are neither expandable nor official. It comes with the Android 13 version (upgradeable to Android 15), and the device will receive OS and security updates for five years, i.e., until October 2027. The device performs the functions of AI, such as Live Translate, effectively, but is not good at gaming and temperature control if it is to be compared with the performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Few users have had issues in gameplay due to bugs, which are being fixed by updates.

• Google Tensor G2 chip with 8-core CPU, Mali-G710 MP7 GPU, Titan M2
• 8GB LPDDR5 RAM
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB
• Android 13 (5 years of updates)
• Optimized for AI, photography

The Tensor G2 is smooth for daily use and AI features like Magic Eraser, but its gaming performance and occasional overheating disappoint. The long update promise and clean software are major draws.

Camera System

Pixel 7 sports a dual rear camera setup of 50MP (f/1.85, 25mm, OIS) the main lens and 12MP the ultra-wide angle lens. The 10.8MP front camera (f/2.2) is capable of autofocus. Google’s computational photography famously delivers vivid, high-resolution images that are comparable to those from the best-priced flagships. However, at 4K 60fps video quality, the phone performs much worse than iPhone 13.

• Rear: 50MP Main (f/1.85, OIS), 12MP Ultra-wide (f/2.2)
• Front: 10.8MP (f/2.2, autofocus)
• Video: 4K 60 fps
• Modes: Night Sight, Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur
• LED flash

Battery and Charging

The Pixel 7’s 4355mAh battery reaches almost 11 hours when it comes to video playback, whereas when you use the phone for other daily tasks, it will still last you 9-11 hours, which is slightly better than the 10 hours of the Pixel 6. The phone supports 20W wired charging,g with which it can charge 50% of the battery in 35 minutes, and it can charge the same percentage wirelessly in 20W (Qi) mode. Unfortunately, no charger is shipped with the device. The charging speeds of the phone are not as fast as the ones the competitors have, for instance, the Galaxy S22 is equipped with a 25W charging feature, and the battery life isn’t outstanding with the Pixel 7.

• 4355mAh battery
• Up to 11 hours video playback, ~9–11 hours real-world
• 20W wired charging (50% in 35 min)
• 20W wireless charging (Qi)
• No charger included (USB-C cable only)

Connectivity

The Pixel 7 is enabled 5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.2, and UWB. The handset features nano-SIM and eSIM, but it is void of satellite connectivity. The GPS infrastructure comprises GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS. Even though updates have been provided to the user community, inconsistent 5G reception has been reported.

• 5G modem (sub-6GHz, mmWave)
• Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
• Bluetooth 5.2
• UWB chip
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM
• No satellite connectivity
• GPS: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS

Pricing and Availability

At the introductory price of $599 for 128GB and $699 for 256GB, the Pixel 7 was available for pre-order starting October 6, 2022, and the sales then commenced on October 13, 2022, through Google Store, major carriers (AT&T, Verizon), and retailers like Amazon. It is quite common for the prices to go down $399-$499; thus, the product is a great value. The Pixel 8 ($699) has a longer update period, but the Pixel 7 is still competitive.