Meet the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro: Google tricks, better cameras, and fresher design
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase from the links on this page.
Google just announced its lucky Pixel 7 series during a hybrid digital/live event that left no stone unturned when it comes to the latest and greatest in mobile photography and cool Android phone design it can offer.
Pixel 7 pricing and launch date
- Pixel 7 Pro price: $899 (128GB), $999 (256GB), $1099 (512GB)
- Pixel 7 price: $599 (128GB), $699 (256GB)
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are up for preorder deals immediately, with a release date set for October 13. The base 128GB Pixel 7 Pro costs $899, while the 128GB Pixel 7 model starts from $599, just like last year.
The new Pixel 7 series design and body colors
While the cool camera "landing strip" on the back stayed, the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7 now have much more visible camera lenses to go with it. On their predecessors one could hardly tell where the black camera strip plateau begins and the lenses end unless they are looking from up close.
On the Pixel 7, there is a contrasting strip hue depending on the phone's color to single out with the black oval of the main and ultrawide, as well as with the circle of the periscope zoom unit on the 7 Pro much better, bringing a clear separation of photographic prowess.
As for the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7 colors, they both share the Obsidian (Volcanic Black) and Snow (White) ones. The Pixel 7 Pro, however, has a shiny, polished aluminum frame and camera strip, plus an exclusive Hazel (Sage Green) color, while the Pixel 7 makes do with a matte surface on those two, and a Lemongrass hue as an exclusive.
Google also ruminated over the more seamless edge blending while it kept the two-tone body design, so, while there are no drastic design changes, the refinements in the body make the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro stand out even when in a case thanks to the new steel-y camera strip looks with the watchful camera eyes of Google in them.
Pixel 7 series cameras
- Up to 30x SuperRes Pro zoom levels (Pixel 7 Pro)
- Optical quality similar to a dedicated 2x telephoto lens for Pixel 7 and a 10x telephoto lens for Pixel 7 Pro
- Macro Focus mode (Pixel 7 Pro) - Pixel HDR+ photo quality from as close as 3cm
- New Photo Unblur feature - sharpen blurry pictures (old photos too)
- Improved Magic Eraser feature
- Video Cinematic Blur, stabilization, and sound enhancements
The phones share a 50MP main sensor and 12MP ultrawide camera, just like last year's Pixel 6 series. This time around, however, the Pixel 7 Pro comes with a new ultrawide camera sensor with autofocus that also allows it to take excellent macro shots from up close, unlike the fixed focus ultrawide camera on the Pixel 7.
The fresh 48MP optical zoom Samsung GM1 camera sensor on the Pixel 7 Pro has also gotten new periscope lenses that now allow it to zoom further at up to 5x optical and 30x hybrid zoom for breathtaking magnification detail.
Help keep your camera steady all the way up to 30x zoom—the largest zoom magnification ever on a #Pixel¹ #ZoomStabilization on #Pixel7 Pro helps you get amazing, detailed photos at 15x, 20x, and up to 30x - our longest range on a Pixel#MadeByGoogle
— Made By Google (@madebygoogle) October 6, 2022
7/8
¹See video for info pic.twitter.com/IzhZDM70zq
Pixel 7 Pro vs Pixel 7 specs comparison
First things first, let's get the Pixel 7 series out of the way first, before we move on to the all-important software enhancements. As you can see, we only got a new Tensor 2 chipset, brighter screens, and new ultrawide camera sensor, while the rest is mostly what their predecessors offered, which is still a lot.
| Google Pixel 7 Pro | Google Pixel 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.7-inch QHD+ 1440 x 3120 pixels, 120Hz, 1500 nits LTPO OLED display | 6.32-inch FHD+ 1080 x 2400 pixels, 1400 nits, 90Hz OLED display |
| Dimensions | 6.41 x 3.01 x 0.35 inches (162.9 x 76.55 x 8.9 mm) | 6.13 x 2.88 x 0.34 inches ( 155.64 x 73.16 x 8.7 mm) |
| Weight | 212g | 6.90 oz (195.5 g) |
| Processor | Google Tensor 2 | Google Tensor 2 |
| Main Camera | 50 MP Octa PD Quad Bayer wide camera, 1/1.31" sensor with 1.22 micron pixels, f/1.85 lens aperture | 50 MP Octa PD Quad Bayer wide camera, 1/1.31" sensor with 1.22 micron pixels, f/1.85 lens aperture |
| Ultrawide camera | 12MP with autofocus for macro shots, 1.25 micron pixels, 126-degree FOV | 12MP fixed focus |
| Telephoto camera | 48MP, 5x optical zoom | N/A |
| Front camera | 10.8 MP sensor with 1.2 micron pixels, f/2.2 lens aperture, 93-degree FOV, fixed focus | 10.8 MP sensor with 1.2 micron pixels, f/2.2 lens aperture, 93-degree FOV, fixed focus |
| RAM/Storage | 12GB/128GB/256GB/512GB | 8GB/128GB/256GB |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 4,355 mAh |
| Colors | Obsidian, Snow, Hazel | Obsidian, Snow, Lemongrass |
The Google software tricks on Pixel 7
The Tensor 2 chipset improves the AI and image processing algorithm departments, allowing for exclusive Pixel 7 features, just like the Pixel 6 Pro features include Speech Recognition and Live Translate, for instance, all possible like never before thanks to the Tensor processor.
Centralized privacy and security setting thanks to the Tensor 2 are now coupled with an exclusive free VPN that will come on the Pixel 7 phones first and other Pixels later on.
There is now a Macro Focus camera mode, for instance, as well as a greatly improved Magic Erase option, all the while the phones run on the newest Android 13 with the fastest guaranteed update to Android 14.
Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro battery life
With a 5000 mAh and 4355 mAh batteries, one should expect wonders from the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel battery life endurance, despite that their predecessors didn't shine in that respect with those same capacities.
Google, however, has introduced new battery-saving and energy-efficiency algorithms, employed newer OLED display panel technology, and, above all, given leeway to apply AI optimization to cut on power consumption thanks to the new Tensor G2 with M2 co-processor computational prowess.
Pixel 7 announcement takeaway
In a nutshell, the new Google Pixel 7 series is faster, looks cooler, and takes better pictures than their predecessors, not to mention all the exclusive software trickery Google has thrown their way, so if you've decided on an upgrade, the new Pixel 7 phones are worth it with the generous trade-in deals in the next preorder week period.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: