For two phones leaked in high-res factory CAD-based renders several months ago, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have done a pretty good job of keeping many of their specifications a secret, even after Google itself showed off their real designs (and eye-catching colors) well ahead of a "fall" release.
Of course, it doesn't take a very skilled psychic to anticipate all the official details will be out at some point in October, but why wait that long when the full display info has already been uncovered by the almost always trustworthy folks at 9To5Google?
No big (or even small) upgrades in the pipeline
While this is merely a piece of a much larger puzzle, there's really no way around it - it's underwhelming (at the very least) to hear that the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will likely use the exact same screens as their 2021 predecessors.
We're not just talking identical specs, mind you, but identical Samsung-made components, at least based on the unchanged S6E3FC3 and S6E3HC3 designations of the two panels found in new drivers.
This is the Pixel 7.
Let's not mince words here, this looks like pure laziness on Google's part, essentially guaranteeing that there aren't even minor display hardware improvements coming over the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, let alone the 120Hz refresh rate upgrade many fans of last year's vanilla model undoubtedly fantasized about all this time.
To be perfectly clear, the Pixel 7 is now bound to sport the same 2400 x 1080 screen resolution and 90Hz refresh rate technology as the 6.4-inch Pixel 6, with the Pixel 7 Pro looking all but certain to share its 3120 x 1440 pixel count and 120Hz support with 2021's stock Android-running 6.7-inch giant.
That being said, the "regular-sized" Pixel 7 is tipped to slightly shrink its predecessor's screen real estate (and overall body), while the 7 Pro could maximize battery life by adopting a native 1080p mode. That's definitely not an ideal "list" of changes, but for what it's worth, screen resolution, refresh rate, and the overall quality of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro panels were never a serious impediment for the two's potential buyers.
Pixel 7 and 7 Pro vs the competition
Because it's a little too early to know exactly how the fall competition will look, we're just going to compare these newly "confirmed" display specs with those of some of the best phones money can buy at the moment.
Unfortunately for Google, it's hard to find a worthy (high-end) candidate for that title limited to 90Hz refresh rate capabilities, as even recent additions to mid-range OnePlus lineups can go all the way up to 120Hz for smoother gaming (at least in theory) and a more fluid overall content playing experience.
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This is the Pixel 7 Pro.
Of course, a screen's refresh rate is not everything, and the high-quality AMOLED-sporting Pixel 7 is all but guaranteed to look way better than, say, the Nord CE 2 Lite's 120Hz LCD panel. The same is not etched in stone when it comes to comparing this unreleased 6.2 or 6.3-inch bad boy with the 120Hz AMOLED-rocking Galaxy S21 FE or S22, for instance, and the "vanilla" iPhone 14 is also expected to make the jump to the same state-of-the-art technology.
Hopefully, the Pixel 7 will offset this glaring flaw with a low enough price (ideally, even lower than $600), with the same (unlikely) dream for the Pixel 7 Pro being kept alive by that thing's striking similarities with its predecessor as well. On paper, of course, the Pixel 7 Pro is expected to largely match the display technology of Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra while (slightly) exceeding the iPhone 13 Pro Max's screen resolution and pixel density.
Still, other areas of the Pixel 6 Pro definitely need to be vastly improved in order for the 7 Pro to, well, justify its existence, which means everything hinges on the cameras and processing power now.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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