Pixel 7 Pro review: Google’s latest flagship seriously impresses (Image: GOOGLE • EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS) This text accommodates affiliate links, we may receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Pixel 7 Pro costs lower than a lot of its big-screen rivals, but manages to supply just as many top-notch upgrades
What We Love
- Stunning OLED Screen
- Sensible Triple-Camera
- Oodles Of Power
- Clever AI Features From Google
- Competitive Price For A Flagship
What We Don’t
- Design Won’t Suit Everyone
- Slow Charging
- Looks Similar To Last Yr
Pixel 7 Pro offers some seriously good value for money.
Yes, it does cost £849 (and that is not a small sum) but in comparison with the opposite flagship phones on store shelves, just like the £1,199 iPhone 14 Pro Max or £1,149 Galaxy S22 Ultra, that price tag actually seems pretty reasonable.
On your money, Google will treat you to a shocking 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED screen, a quick custom-designed Tensor G2 processor, solid battery life, some incredibly clever photo tricks you will not find on some other phones, years of security patches, and the latest Android updates. The triple-camera is great – should you simply need a phone that works as a reliable point-and-shoot camera, you will not find significantly better.
Pixel 7 Pro is a top alternative as Google’s clever AI takes all the effort out of snapping pin-sharp pictures (if even works retrospectively on blurry shots that may be saved in your library from an old smartphone or digital camera) and may remove people from the background of your shots with a faucet (saving you hours slaving away on Photoshop). There’s the standard Portrait Mode, panorama, lossless zoom, and ultra-wide options. With Pixel 7 Pro, it’s also possible to film video with a cinematic Portrait Mode-like blur to the background too.
Alongside that camera, we also just like the smart features tucked contained in the Pixel 7 Pro with the speedy foreign translation and on-device real-time dictation each mind-blowingly useful.
Google has built a solid phone, but we do have some niggles. First up, that design. Google hasn’t moved things on from last 12 months, which implies things look very just like the Pixel 6 Pro. That particular camera bar won’t be to everyone’s taste and the curved edges on the touchscreen (coupled with its palm-stretching size) makes it supremely slippery to carry.
Unlike a few of its cheaper Android rivals, there is no charger within the box and the built-in fast-charging, while fast is not anywhere near as quick as Android phones from Oppo, OnePlus, and Xiaomi.
Despite just a few grumbles, Pixel 7 Pro is a superb flagship phone with some big features that is more cost-effective than the newest from Apple and Samsung. For that reason, we give it a giant thumbs up.
The Pixel 7 Pro still features its unique camera bar design (Image: GOOGLE)
Google Pixel 7 Pro review
Google is back with a latest Pro phone that’ll give rivals Samsung and Apple a serious headache.
That is since the Pixel 7 Pro stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the newest phones from Samsung and Apple, despite costing a rather more reasonable £849 SIM-free at launch. While that is no small sum, it is a dramatic undercutting of what you’ll have to spend to get the latest-and-greatest from other brands.
Add to that some truly unique photography features from Google’s immensely clever AI, years of guaranteed security patches and software updates, a stunning OLED screen (even when we do wish that Google would ditch the slippery curved edges and offer a smaller option for those without rucksack-like pockets…) and it’s clear the Pixel 7 Pro is actually special.
Our in-depth Pixel 7 Pro review follows below, with all of the main points on this flagship phone from Google.
The Latest Pixel Camera
When talking a few Google Pixel phone, it is smart to start out with the camera. It’s what Google has at all times excelled at, and it should not be a surprise that photography is where the Pixel 7 Pro really excels too. Tucked contained in the unique camera bar design, which runs the width of the rear case of the phone, is a triple-camera system that features a 50-megapixel principal sensor, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 48-megapixel telephoto lens.
Pixel phones are renowned for taking great pictures with none hassle and, due to a clever mixture of hardware and software, the 7 Pro takes things up one other notch. Photos snapped on this device look stunning and even someone with no photographic know-how may have no problem capturing pin-sharp well-balanced shots.
The Pixel lineup was renown for its deep shadows and crunchy details in comparison with Apple, which favours a more neutral look to its photos – with users left to make their very own adjustments using the suite of editing tools. Its photos were at all times cooler than Samsung, which frequently cranks-up saturation for the zingy and vibrant shot that won’t at all times completely true-to-life (but looks stunning in your Instagram grid).
Google has scaled back a little bit on the quintessential “Pixel” look with its latest phone. Sure, the camera is not afraid to incorporate some gloom in your shots as an alternative of brightening every little thing until night looks like day, but the photographs from the Pixel 7 Pro are a little bit less Pixel-y than previous incarnations.
That said, photos still look gorgeous from the camera.
The addition of an improved 30X Super Res Zoom and latest Macro Mode for extreme closeups ensure you will have loads of options with the triple-camera system within the Pixel 7 Pro. Below, you’ll be able to see how Google’s clever algorithms work alongside the telephoto lens to sharpens the high quality details within the image (just like the licence plate). Your concert photos won’t ever be the identical again.
After all, Google likes to sprinkle some neat magic tricks to its photography experience, with the Pixel 7 Pro keeping the incredible Magic Eraser feature that debuted on the Pixel 6 Pro last 12 months. For individuals who do not know, Magic Eraser can edit-out anyone who has photobombed your loved ones pictures with a single tap on the screen. Crowds of individuals will vanish before your eyes – turning bustling tourist destinations into deserted squares. The feature worked incredibly well last 12 months, and that continues with the Pixel 7 Pro.
You do not even have to have taken the photograph on the Pixel 7 Pro for Magic Eraser to work, you simply should be editing on the clever Google handset. This breathes life back into old photos from the album with troublesome distractions within the background.
Latest for the Pixel 7 Pro is the nifty Face Unblur feature, which sharpens photos that may be out of focus. Like Magic Erase, this feature may even be used on old images that you might have stored in Google Photos. We have tried it on various images and the outcomes are seriously impressive.
In the instance below, which wasn’t taken on the Pixel 7 Pro but was lurking within the depths of our Google Photos library, the Pixel 7 Pro has salvaged a photograph that was destined for the bin. For those with younger children who won’t stay still for a photograph, this feature will likely be an actual lifesaver. And since Pixel 7 Pro can apply the method to photos from other devices, it could also revive shots from digital cameras, Facebook pages, or friends’ phones too.
Unlike Magic Eraser, which is found under the Tools tab of the photo editing options, Face Unblur is applied routinely behind-the-scenes. A small icon denotes when the feature has been applied to one among your shots, but that is it. There isn’t any have to spend hours adjusting toggles to get every little thing working.
Finally, for anyone who fancies being the subsequent Speilberg, there is a cinematic mode which adds some background blur to home movies. That is something Apple dropped at its iPhone range last 12 months and whilst clever it’s probably not something nearly all of users will get an enormous amount of use out of.
Overall our impressions of the Pixel 7 Pro’s camera are really good with it generally taking great pictures regardless of how light or dark things are.
The Pixel Pro takes stunning snaps with little fuss (Image: EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS)
Pixel 7 Pro review – camera sample (Image: EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS)
Pixel 7 Pro also takes impressive shots at night (Image: EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS)
Pixel 7 Pro review – camera samples (Image: EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS)
Design & Display
Should you were hoping for a significant design refresh from Google you are going to be upset. The Pixel 7 Pro looks almost equivalent to the 6 Pro and that is each good and bad.
Let’s start with the things we like about this latest smartphone including that unique camera bar on the rear case. Even though it might divide opinion, we actually like this metal band that stretches across the back of the phone because it really sets it other than the ever-growing list of Android rivals. The moment you pull it out of your pocket there is no mistaking that this can be a Pixel and the two-tone appearance plus glossy Gorilla Glass Victus finish make things feel incredibly premium.
Spin the device around and you will be treated to an enormous 6.7-inch QHD+ display which is sharp and packed stuffed with color.
Pump up the brightness (now 25 percent brighter than before) and you will have no issues checking emails and browsing the online even within the midday sun. This panel also incorporates a 120Hz refresh rate which makes every little thing you do feel silky smooth and stutter-free. It is also fully adaptive which implies it drops to as little as 60Hz when things are idle to preserve precious battery life.
There’s plenty to love concerning the design and display, but we do have one big niggle as we’re simply not fans of the curved edges and screen that swoops around the perimeters of the device.
Firstly, the curvaceous case makes things ludicrously slippy within the hand and it is simple to see how this big phone could slide through your fingers. We also find it much easier to read content on flat screens reminiscent of the newest iPhones – even the usual Pixel 7 has this less curvaceous appearance so we’re undecided why Google included it on the Pro.
It is also price noting that this can be a very big phone and is unquestionably not suitable for anyone who wants a dainty device to squeeze into their skinny jeans. Sadly, there is no smaller Pixel 7 Pro model so should you want all the very best features you will have to go large.
Pixel 7 Pro’s curved edges, mammoth display and glossy case makes it a little bit of slippery bar of soap (Image: GOOGLE)
Google Tensor G2
Google made a large change in 2021 and ditched the standard Qualcomm brains in favour of its own Tensor chip. Overall impressions of that first-gen processor were good and now things have been improved due to the launch of the brand new Tensor G2.
On the launch, Google promised that its latest brain would bring a swathe of upgrades reminiscent of more power, higher smart features and longer battery life to the Pixel 7 range.
Having put this device through its paces it’s definitely no slouch and handled every little thing we have thrown at it with ease.
It’s a pleasant update from Google but various Geekbench tests, which show just how powerful smartphone chips are, reveal that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip stays barely faster.
Things could worsen for Google next month with Qualcomm expected to release its Gen 2 brain which could make that gap even larger. Should you want probably the most powerful Android device available on the market it may be price waiting until November to see just how briskly Qualcomm’s latest chip really is.
The triple camera sits inside a novel bar on the phone (Image: GOOGLE)
Battery Life and Charging Speed
During our tests, battery life hasn’t been a worry with the Pixel 7 Pro easily lasting a day and beyond. We’re still fully trying things and can update this review in the approaching days but early impressions are good.
When things do run low the battery may be boosted via a wired or wireless connection and there is even the choice for fast refilling although you do not get a plug within the box so this may cost you additional.
It is also price noting that the 7 Pro only supports 30W speeds which is a good distance off what some rivals now offer. For instance, the newest Oppo devices now support 150W charging which might boost the phone from flat to full in only a matter of minutes.
Pixel 7 Pro ships with the newest version of Android, which tweaks the user interface to any color (Image: GOOGLE)
Pixel devices have at all times been pretty clever but that Tensor G2 brain helps to take things up a level. You will find you now get improved voice dictation that may turn spoken words into text which is sensible for anyone who wants a straightforward solution to transcribe interviews or take notes during a lecture.
Far more accurate foreign translation will likely be useful in your next holiday abroad and you’ll be able to even turn a voice note sent via messages service into physical text with only a single tap on the screen.
One other bonus of this phone is that it might probably watch you at night and reveal how bad your snoring is!
Other extras included on the Pixel 7 Pro include fast facial recognition, a superb fingerprint scanner plus early access to all the newest Android updates.
After all, the brand new iPhone gets the interactive notch and the Galaxy Ultra ships with a stylus to scribble on the screen but there’s plenty happening contained in the Pixel 7 Pro to make it a worthy contender.
The Pixel 7 Pro is shielded with Gorilla Glass Victus and water-proof too (Image: GOOGLE)
Price and Availability
Considering the newest iPhone 14 Pro Max and S22 Ultra will set you back well over £1,150 the Pixel 7 Pro’s £849 price tag feels very reasonable.
Yes, it’s still very expensive but you might be getting a variety of cutting-edge technology on your money with Google’s latest handset.
At launch, Google was running a promotion that also offered a free Pixel Watch price £379 when purchasing this latest call maker and that is something you might be never going to get from Apple. Sadly, that deal has ended, but be careful for more promotions in the longer term as we’re sure Google will bring back some serious incentives.
It is also price noting that Google is currently offering interest-free credit on its devices which implies you’ll be able to buy this Pro model for as little as £35.38 per 30 days.
The Pixel 7 Pro is available in three colors (Image: GOOGLE)
Pixel 7 Pro Final Verdict
For our money, Pixel has at all times been the most effective Android experiences available – Google’s phones are at all times well-built, freed from preinstalled junk apps, easy to make use of, and filled with some nice software tricks which can be genuinely useful relatively than quickly-forgotten gimmicks. And the Pixel 7 Pro follows in that storied lineage.
Do not be fooled by its design, which has been subtly tweaked in comparison with last 12 months’s Pixel 6 Pro relatively than overhauled, the Pixel 7 Pro packs loads of exciting latest treats.
First up, the 120Hz always-on OLED screen is gorgeous and the increased brightness means you will never need to squint to take a photograph within the glaring midday sun. The brand new Hazel Grey color option is refined and classy. The generous 128GB must be good enough on your favourite apps – without immediately forcing you to sign-up for a monthly subscription for extra cloud storage. The ultra-wide front-facing camera is ideal for video calls or selfies with multiple people crowding around. Magic Eraser stays unmatched (how has no other phone manufacturer tried to repeat this mind-bogglingly useful editing feature yet?!) and the brand new Face Unblur means you will struggle to take an unusable photo with the Pixel 7 Pro.
How has no person tried to repeat the immensely-clever Magic Eraser feature yet?
And all of that for £849 at launch makes the Google Pixel 7 Pro feel like an actual bargain compared with its counterparts from Apple and Samsung.
After all, the Pixel 7 Pro is not perfect. We would like Google to ditch the slippery dual-curved display next 12 months and offer one other screen size for those with smaller hands, the fast-charging is a bit slow in comparison with other Android phones, and benchmark scores reveal that the custom-designed G2 processor from Google is not keeping pace with the newest from US chipmaker Qualcomm (which used to produce the silicon that powered all Pixel phones…)
That said, there’s still plenty to love concerning the Pixel 7 Pro and should you want a giant phone without the massive price tag it’s definitely a tool to think about.
