The Pixel 7a has been launched and we have been testing it the last week or two and of course we steered clear of the leaks and of course we remain leak free on our site and take word from the horses mouth as they say and that is how it always has been here and will remain that way and we leave others who cant help themselves for clicks to do that. We have had the phone for almost 2 weeks so you could say this is an early review and we will look at it again in a few months time.
So yes as mentioned we have been testing the device in our hands and right now I can tell you this device is going to fly off the shelves with the price it comes in at and even some pixel 7 owners might feel a bit peeved even going by what is being said on social media when it comes to the specs on this phone, I am a Pixel 7 owner and it has been my daily driver since launch and it still working a treat and the Pixel devices are known for getting better over time and that much is true but the 7a is going to be a phone to watch and it is now my daily driver but in a smaller package how does it fair out against its predecessors.
In the unboxing and walk through below we go through the device in better detail but out of the box the build quality is excellent and on par with the Pixel 7 which I still also use on a daily basis and it is just a smaller footprint in size overall yet built to last and better than I had expected being the a series. Some small differences overall but nothing out of kilter when you place both devices side by side as you will see in the video below.
Size matters for some and the Pixel 7a hits the sweet spot for me I am not a huge fan of big devices like I once was and since I started using this it hits the spot for me, given you have less screen estate it is not important and for me and how I use my phone on the go and when at home I can use a bigger device for media consumption as during the day it is business and I like to have a phone in my pocket that is not to intrusive or weighty.
The Pixel 7a is the same productivity tool and comes packed again with the same tools on board and is great for multitasking and for those like me who use their device for multiple tasks during the day not including social media and emails etc it flies along as before with no signs of being sluggish and for me worked a treat just as my Pixel 7 still does today and for those who need a device that is capable and offers such tools as the Pixel 7 does the 7a will be a worthy investment.
The Pixel 7a comes with a decent screen with a 90hz refresh rate again a thing that people nitpick at and the 120hz refresh rate that should be a standard which is an argument for another day as most people cant tell the difference. We also get a 6.1-inch (155 mm) 20:9 aspect ratio FHD+ (1080×2400) OLED at 429 PPI and Smooth Display (up to 90Hz)
Pixel 7a camera samples front and rear day and night
The camera, again a powerhouse and I have had some time to test this out this time around before my review and again it is simply excellent and for a point and shoot you cant beat it. You can decide from the image gallery below with day and night images videos and more. The front facing camera offers 13 MP, 1.12 μm pixel width , ƒ/2.2 aperture, Fixed focus 95° ultrawide field of view photo unblur, magic eraser, night sight, face unblur, real tone, top shot and much more. The video is again great offering 4K video recording at 30/60 FPS and 1080p video recording at 30/60 FPS, The front camera offers 4K video recording at 30 FPS 1080p video recording at 30 FPS.
Thunderstorm taken on the Pixel7a compared to same storm taken with the Pixel 7
Other features include – Cinematic Pan, Slo-mo video support up to 240 FPS , 4K time lapse with stabilisation Astrophotography time lapse , Optical image stabilisation, Fused video stabilisation, 4K Cinematic Pan video stabilisation
4K locked video stabilisation, 1080p active video stabilisation, Digital zoom up to 5x14 , Video formats: HEVC (H.265) and AVC (H.264).
Security wise we have got the usual with face unlock and this works really well as does the fingerprint scanner which has been a bit troublesome over the years but seems fine now and the same for my Pixel 7 you also can avail of the old fashioned patter, pin or password but most today prefer the bio-metric approach.. Lastly we have a 4300 mAh and for me lasts almost a day given I am a power user it will get most through the day this time round though we have wireless charging which has been a bugbear of previous a series devices but now finally solved.
Google Pixel 7a unboxing and walk through
Ten things to know about the Google Pixel 7a
| 1. Built to perform and priced just right Meet Pixel 7a, engineered by Google. The Google Tensor G2 chip makes it fast. The Pixel Camera takes amazing photos and video. Pixel 7a features are rated highest in security. VPN by Google One protects your online activity (available to new eligible users, three months of Google One included, then €1.99 per month, recurring billing, cancel anytime)And the battery lasts all day,3 and charges wirelessly. The smooth 6.1-inch display,4 with up to 90 Hz refresh rate, is super responsive. With 8 GB of RAM, switching between apps is quick and efficient. And it all makes Pixel 7a more helpful throughout the day.Pixel 7a starts at only €509. And it’s available in Charcoal, Sea, Snow and Coral (Google Store exclusive). |
| 2. Beautiful and durable inside and out Pixel 7a is Google’s most durable A-Series phone yet. And it’s as beautiful as it is durable. It’s colourful and sophisticated, with a smooth, sleek back and a metal frame and camera bar. Pixel 7a can handle water and dust with IP67 protection.5 The display is scratch resistant, featuring Corning® Gorilla® Glass. And it’s made with recycled aluminium, glass and plastic.6 |
| 3. Tensor G2 the brains Google Tensor G2 is the next-gen processor that’s custom-built for Pixel. It’s the same chip that’s in Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, powering Google’s advanced machine learning and speech recognition, and Google’s AI for improved audio on phone calls, great battery life, and amazing photo and video quality. It makes Pixel 7a faster, more efficient, more secure and even more helpful.7 |
| 4. Great photography made simple
With an upgraded dual rear camera system and Google Tensor G2’s advanced image processing, Pixel’s camera makes photos perfect, every time. It’s easy to take amazing pictures in low light with Night Sight. You can even fix your blurry photos, whether they’re new or old, or remove distractions with a few taps in Google Photos with Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur.8 All skin tones are represented beautifully and accurately with Real Tone. Pixel 7a includes Super Res Zoom for clear close-up portraits from far away. And for the first time on the A-Series, Long Exposure adds motion, texture and energy to your photos. |
| 5. Wireless charging and all day battery Pixel’s Adaptive Battery can last over 24 hours.9 It learns your favourite apps, so it doesn’t waste power on ones that you rarely use. Turn on Extreme Battery Saver, and the battery can last up to 72 hours.9 And your Pixel charges wirelessly with a Pixel Stand or any Qi-certified device. |
| 6. Highest rating security features With Google Tensor G2 and the Titan M2 security chip, Pixel is built with multiple layers of security to help keep your personal info safe.10 Face Unlock and Fingerprint Unlock quickly and easily unlock your phone with just a glance or a tap. With a VPN by Google One, Pixel will help protect your online activity no matter what app or web browser you use (available to new eligible users, three months of Google One included, then €1.99 per month, recurring billing, cancel anytime).2 And Pixel comes with at least five years of security updates, so your phone gets even more secure over time.11 |
| 7. AI features with so much help
Pixel is more helpful than ever. Phone calls are smoother with clear calling. At a Glance shows you useful info at the right time, like the weather or when it’s time to leave for your flight. With voice message transcription, you can read audio messages. And Assistant voice typing lets you type with your voice.12 |
| 8. Gets better with age
Pixel gets Feature Drops – automatic software updates with new and improved features, tips, tricks and more. So your Pixel just keeps getting better.13 |
| 9. Get the best of Google with Pixel Pixel 7a includes three months of YouTube Premium (then €11.99 per month) and Google One Basic 100 GB Plan (then €1.99 per month) to help you get the most out of your new Pixel (available to new eligible users only, recurring billing, cancel anytime).14 Google One keeps your photos and files safe with 100 GB of storage and automatic phone backup. And with YouTube Premium, you can enjoy YouTube videos and music without ads, in the background and offline. |
| 10. Made for Google for all that you doPixel phones, tablets, watches and earbuds are engineered by Google for personalised help throughout your day.15 So you can save time, live better and do more of the things that you enjoy. Take stunning photos and easily edit them. Track your health and fitness with the power of Fitbit on your Pixel Watch. Enjoy immersive entertainment at home and on the go. And manage your smart home devices from anywhere.16 |
Read more on the Pixel 7A here
Read more on the Google AI advancements announced at I/O
Need a case check out the Original Pixel case for the Pixel 7a.