Last year, the company made changes to its hardware and software offerings.

It's understandable that Google decided to play it safe this year on both fronts, but by and large it's a small upgrade that doesn't break the mold.

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The phone building on the foundation of its predecessor is what the Pixel 7 Pro is like. There are new cameras at the back and front, as well as refinements to the design aesthetic. While the hardware hasn't changed too much, Google is introducing a raft of camera and software features that are exclusive to thePixels, and these, more than anything else, make the Pixel 7 Pro stand out amongst the bestANDROID phones

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Price and availability

Google Pixel 7 Pro back view with Google logo highlighted against green and gold background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The devices will be available for sale on October 13th. Five new countries have been added to the list of global markets for the Pixel phone. The inclusion of India is a huge deal as it marks a welcome return of the flagship in the region after a four-year hiatus.

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I was in India for five days and used the Pixel 7 Pro. It's not enough time to test all the camera features and pit the phone against its immediate rivals, so an update to the camera section is coming next week. As soon as I finished setting it up, the phone was up and running with an over the air update.

The base version of the Pixel 7 Pro has 128 gigabytes of internal storage, which is 128 times the standard amount. The model that costs $899 in the U.S. is the only one that costs more than the other two tiers. You can pick up the phone at major retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy, if you choose to.

ThePixel 7 Pro is available in Hazel, Snow, and obsidian colors, and here's what it costs in different global markets.

  • Pixel 7 Pro (12GB/128GB): $899 / £849 / €899 / ₹84,990
  • Pixel 7 Pro (12GB/256B): $999 / £949 / €999
  • Pixel 7 Pro (12GB/512GB): $1,099

The best deals on the internet today.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Design

Google Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro on green and gold background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The design of thePixel 7 Pro is the same as last year, but there are a few changes. The camera bar at the back is made out of metal and has cutouts for the cameras. The back looks more refined.

Google made subtle changes to the design language, making the Pixel 7 Pro look just that little bit more elegant.

The camera bar blends into the aluminum mid-frame to create a seamless look. There isn't a traditional two-tone design for the glass back, with a contrasting color for the camera bar, which ends up looking more polished than what we got last year.

The glass back is glossy and smudges are easy to see on the Hazel color variant. The regular Pixel 7 has the same finish, but it has a different texture for the mid- frame.

Hazel is the most striking of the three available choices. There is a two-tone effect at the back of the snow and obsidian options. While I haven't tested the efficacy of the glass protection on thePixel 7 Pro, I did several times with its predecessor, and it has done well.

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Google Pixel 7 Pro home screen widget against gold background
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro home screen lower half against green background
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera bar side view against green and gold background
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera bar at the back against gold background
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro USB port at the bottom against green background
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro power and volume buttons against green background
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro antenna housing against green and gold background
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The dimensions of the phone haven't changed much, with it being 1mm shorter and 0.7mm wider than its predecessor. It's a little awkward to use, but for what it's worth, it's 16g lighter than the S22 Ultra.

The power button is above the volume rocker, and that meant I was constantly hitting the volume up button to get the phone unlocked.

The in-screen fingerprint sensor is usable, it is fast, and doesn't have any of the issues that plagued thePixel 6 Pro. The extra features of the Pixel 7 Pro include dust and water resistance. If you need to use more than one sim at the same time, you can use eSIM.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Screen

Google Pixel 7 Pro home screen full view against green background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The 6.7-inch QHD+ panel is the same one used last year. ThePixel 7 Pro has the same 120Hz refresh rate, and it scales up and down based on the content on the screen It doesn't go down to 1hertz like the Find X5 Pro, but that isn't something you would notice in daily use.

The 120Hz AMOLED panel is vibrant and gets brighter than last year, but it is prone to accidental touches.

Accidental touches are a side effect of the phone's thinner bezels. As a result of the dual-curved design with the edges falling away to the sides, your palm comes into contact with the sides.

There were a number of times when the screen registered accidental touches when the touch action on the sides was not registered. It's an annoyance that needs to be addressed by a software update from the company.

If you're not a fan of dual-curved screens and want a flat panel, the Pixel 7 is a good choice. The smaller screen makes it easier to hold and use, and the flat sides make it even easier to use. I didn't have any issues with the brightness of the screen on the Pixel 7 Pro.

The phone does a good job of holding up when it's used for streaming content, but it's not great for stereo sound. It doesn't get loud or detailed, and it comes across as tinny, and it doesn't hold up well during video calls. In this area, it should have been better for the company.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Performance

Google Pixel 7 Pro back view straight on angle against green background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Last year, the company introduced the first custom chip, the Tensor, and is now releasing the second one, the Tensor G2. The core configuration is the same as last year. While they have a lot to offer, they miss out on the efficiency gains that can be seen with the A510 and X2 cores.

As far as efficiency is concerned, they haven't made the switch to a 4nm node either.

CategoryPixel 6 ProPixel 7 ProASUS Zenfone 9iPhone 14 Pro
CrossMark (Overall) 84085510081328
Productivity8719049671299
Creativity79276810421517
Responsiveness90210011036950
3DMark Wild Life (score)64626034Maxed outMaxed out
3DMark Wild Life (FPS)38.7036.15Maxed outMaxed out
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (score)1939180228013371
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (FPS)11.610.816.7520.2

I wasn't able to run Geekbench on the device to get single and multi-core scores, but given the minor changes to the core configuration, it shouldn't be too different to that of the Pro. Crossmark has a better estimate of how the device performs in real life. Document editing and web browsing are handled by the Productivity test, and these scenarios often rely on the energy- efficient cores. The lowest score of the four devices is due to the fact that the Pixel 7 Pro uses older Arm cores.

There are video and image editing tasks that run through the Creativity test, and the Pixel 7 Pro is falling behind the rest of the pack. A good indicator of how fluid a phone will be in daily use is the responsiveness test. The figures of the Pixel 7 Pro are similar to those of the Zenfone 9.

The Pixel 7 Pro doesn't measure up to the Zenfone 9 or the S22 Ultra in terms of 3DMark. It's slower than the Pixel 6 Pro due to the fact that it has 10 of the same number of cores.

The Pixel 7 Pro is not a slow phone, and in my use, I didn't run into any issues while I was playing a game.

There is more than enough power for demanding games, but not enough for future uses. There are no issues with the performance of the Pixel 7 Pro at the moment.

Google Pixel 7 Pro front view at an angle against green background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The Pixel 7 Pro has a great vibrating motor. It doesn't miss out on any of the features that come with the device. The global variant of the model has Sub 6 bands.

In my region, 5G service is finally kicking off, but the Pixel 7 Pro I'm using only shows 3G, and for those interested in buying the phone in India, it is "actively working with the Indian carriers to enableFunctionality at the earliest."

The in-screen fingerprint module is fast and significantly better than last year, and this time, it's Face unlock. The front camera module is used in the system.

It isn't as secure as the in-screen reader, but it's good that it's available. It didn't work for me reliably, and the few times it did, it took an inordinate amount of time. It was easier to use the fingerprints after a point.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Battery life

Google Pixel 7 Pro battery stats page on gold background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

It isn't making any changes like it did last year with the Pixel 6 Pro. The biggest talking point of the year is increased battery life on devices that switched to the 4nanometers, but it's missing out on some of the gains. The 5003mAh battery in the Pixel 7 Pro is easy to use.

The Pixel 7 Pro comfortably lasts all day, and it has decent wired and wireless charging.

I averaged over five hours of screen time spread out over 18 hours. All of my use was indoors, and I didn't stress the phone too much. I'll update this post with usage notes in a week's time after I've had more time with the device, but for now, there isn't any noticeable difference.

30W wired and 23W wireless charging along with 5W reverse wireless charging are the only changes you will see on the charging side. The phone doesn't come with a charger in the box, but you can find a decent 30W power bank for less than $30.

The phone charges 50% in 30 minutes but takes over an hour to hit a full charge. It's not as good as the Find X5 Pro or theXiaomi 12 Pro, but it's still in line with other phones.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Cameras

Google Pixel 7 Pro back view showcasing camera bar against gold background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The Pixel 7 Pro has exciting new camera features that are not found in the previous generation of the device. The phone still has the same camera arrangement, but it has new hardware. There is a 48MP f/1.9 primary lens, a 12MP f/2.2 wide-angle lens, and a 48MP f/ 3.5 telephoto option with OIS.

There's a new 10.8MP camera at the front with a wider field of view and 4K video, and it's just one part of the story. Huge gains in key areas are being delivered by using the machine learning prowess of the Tensor G2 and a new internet service provider. The Pixel 7 Pro takes more detailed photos up to a zoom factor of 5x, and that's accomplished by taking shots with both the wide-angle and telephoto sensors and merging the images into a single photo. The 48MP lens delivers usable shots at up to 10x and there is a new zoom stabilization mode that makes a big difference when shooting videos at over 15x zoom.

Google is offering a suite of new camera features with the Pixel 7 Pro, and they make an already great camera even better.

Standard is for everyday use and comes in handy for videos with light movement, the locked mode locks in on a scene and the active mode is ideal for fast moving objects. The Pixel 7 Pro is one of the best phones in this area, and it's obvious when you take a video.

It is now possible to shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second, putting the flagship on a level playing field with the new Apple device. It works the same way as portrait mode, but for videos, it automatically blurs the background. I wasn't able to use 10-bit HDR or Cinematic Blur as the features became available just a few hours before I was going to post this review, but I will play around with both modes over the weekend and share my findings.

The video part of the changes is just the beginning. Photo Unblur is limited to the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro due to the fact that it relies on the Tensor G2 The feature removes motion blur and reduces visual noise in images, and the best part is that it works with any photo in your gallery, no matter what device it was taken on. It works well, and it made a noticeable difference with the few images I tried out, one instance where it reduced motion blur in a product shot where I wasn't paying attention.

Night Sight and Real Tone have been changed to give better shots in little to no lighting scenarios. There's a new macro mode that works when you're within 3 to 5 cm of a subject, and it's great. I usually don't use macro modules on phones, but the Pixel 7 Pro does.

Users with vision disabilities will be able to take selfies with Guided Frame. It works with Talkback to help users line up the front camera so their face is centered.

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Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Google Pixel 7 Pro camera shots
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

ThePixel 7 Pro does a great job in daylight shots, but that was a given considering the caliber of hardware. The shots have a lot of detail, a great dynamic range and a signature contrast look that makes them stand out. The wide-angle lens has the same caliber as the 48MP sensor, and it has a wider field of view.

The Pixel 7 Pro comes into its own in low light situations. Night Sight does a better job of maintaining highlights than the phone does. Night Sight is better in low light than the wide-angle lens is, but it's still better.

The phone shoots great photos at 5x and 10x zoom levels, which is something I like. When using the zoom lens on the Pixel 6 Pro, there was a noticeable noise, but this time, it was a different story. Portrait mode is the best out of all the phones and the macro mode is enjoyable to use.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Software

Google Pixel 7 Pro home screen full view next to bookmark

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The first phone to launch with the new operating system out of the box is the Pixel 7 Pro, and it will get three platform updates along with the usual five years of security updates. New features are not brought to the table with the new version of the phone. The notification pane has a large media player with a quirky design for the seek bar, and there is a task manager below it.

Android 13 brings Material You refinements, and you'll find a slate of exclusive software features on the Pixel 7 Pro.

There are a few changes to the software that make it easier to use. The opt-in notifications ensure that bad apps don't bombard you with notifications, you can now select granular media permission when giving an app access to the file system, and there's a secure photo picker and a nativeQR code reader available.

The look and feel of the phone is largely the same as on the Pro, but the interface is a little more polished. I like Material You and want more brands to use the design language, and you will find a lot to like here. The first to get platform updates will be the Pixel 7 Pro.

Google Pixel 7 Pro notification pane against green and gold background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The exclusive set of features that Google offers on its devices is the biggest difference between the two. We had severe storms last week and the addition of daily weather forecasts is a timely addition.

The ability to add speaker labels is going to be added to the recorder by the end of the year The option should be available in the coming weeks. Clear calling, a feature that uses on-device artificial intelligence to eliminate background noise for clear audio calls, is not available at launch.

Existing features like Magic Eraser, Call Screening, Now Playing, Live Translate, and Locked folder make a real difference in daily use, and you won't get these features outside of aPixel. It's not likely that a suite of meaningful features on its phones will be available to the general public.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: The competition

Google Pixel 7 Pro next to Galaxy S22 Ultra and Google Pixel 6 Pro on green background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

While the Pixel 7 Pro brings a lot of unique features to the table, the hardware hasn't changed too much from its predecessor, and the Pixel 6 Pro is still a great value. If you want to save money, you can get thePixel 6 Pro while it's still available.

If you're looking for the best hardware features, you can't go wrong with the SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 Ultra. The phone has a gorgeous design, an amazing screen, versatile cameras, and a huge battery. The interface is accessible to a wider audience and the software is not as clean as it could be.

Google Pixel 7 Pro: Should you buy it?

Google Pixel 7 Pro home screen full view against green background

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

If you want to buy this, you should do it.

  • You're looking for the phone with the best cameras
  • You want unique software features like Photo Unblur
  • You want a phone with a high-res 120Hz AMOLED screen
  • You need all-day battery with wireless charging

If that's the case, you shouldn't purchase this.

  • You need reliable Face Unlock
  • You want detailed stereo sound

I used most of the new phones this year, and after using all of them, it's obvious that the Android platform is at its best. There are lots of great options at every price point, and there is never a better time to buy a phone.

While camera-focused phones like theXiaomi 12S Ultra give us a look at what's to come on the image front, devices like the Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 push the boundaries of hardware innovation.

In order to focus on its strengths and deliver a set of features that you won't find anywhere else, the company has decided to play the numbers game. If you need a strong set of software features backed by robust hardware and fantastic cameras, this is the phone to beat.

If you're interested in maximizing value, you should get the last year's phone as a future software update will bring some of the latest additions. You should buy the Pixel 7 Pro if you want exclusive camera features.