Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro hands-on: Slicker design, same great pricing

Final yr Google made an enormous change to its telephone line with the introduction of its custom-designed Tensor chip. By specializing in elevated AI and machine studying efficiency, the corporate was capable of create extra superior apps and options for its handsets with no need assist from the cloud. And now with the launch of the Pixel 7 and seven Professional alongside the Tensor G2, it seems like Google is deepening the wedding between its {hardware} and software program.

On the surface, Google is utilizing an analogous template to what we received with the Pixel 6 with a few notable tweaks. On the Pixel 7, you get a display produced from Gorilla Glass Victus, whereas in again, there’s an much more pronounced digital camera bar that now extends seamlessly from the telephone’s body throughout the width of the machine. This could present some added sturdiness whereas nonetheless permitting the machine to lie flat (nicely, principally) on a desk.

Much like final yr, the finishes of the 2 telephones fluctuate barely between fashions, with the Pixel 7 getting a brushed aluminum look whereas Pixel 7 Professional will get a shiny, polished chassis. That mentioned, whereas the Pixel 7 Professional’s design is meant to really feel a bit extra premium than its cheaper sibling, I truly form of favor the matte look on the usual Pixel 7. And for what it’s value, I feel the Pixel 7 has barely extra enjoyable colours as nicely, with choices together with snow, obsidian and lemongrass, in comparison with the marginally extra sedate snow, obsidian and hazel paint jobs on the 7 Professional. And whereas I’m positive I’m not the primary particular person to note this, I nonetheless can’t shake the sensation that the again of the Pixel 7 appears to be like like a personality from Amongst Us. So relying in your tastes, the Pixel 7’s design could possibly be very hit and miss, however I’m having fun with it thus far.

One notable change for the Pixel 7 particularly is that with a 6.3-inch 90Hz OLED display, it’s truly a tiny bit smaller than the outgoing Pixel 6, which seems like a small win for compact telephone followers. It’s not a lot that it seems like an enormous distinction in comparison with the earlier mannequin, but it surely is likely to be simply sufficient to make the machine really feel a bit nimbler, particularly in case you don’t have large palms.

As for the Pixel 7 Professional, Google opted for a 6.7-inch 120Hz show. Nonetheless, I need to say it’s form of onerous to inform the distinction in refresh charges even whenever you’re holding them side-by-side. And whereas it doesn’t present up on a spec sheet, the Pixel 7 Professional’s glass is 20 % flatter, so there’s a bit much less distortion across the edges of the display. Each telephones get the identical 10.8MP front-facing digital camera, although it nonetheless has a set focusing system, which is a comparatively minor inconvenience in comparison with the true autofocus system on the iPhone 14’s selfie shooter.

Round again, Google is utilizing a well-known 50MP predominant cam alongside a 12MP ultra-wide shooter. However in terms of images, maybe the most important digital camera improve is the brand new 48MP 5x telephoto zoom on the Pixel 7 Professional. Not solely is it longer than the Pixel 6 Professional’s 4x lens, Google additionally redesigned the best way the digital camera pushes in to seize extra detailed pictures all through the telephone’s whole vary.

Much like earlier than, from 1x to 2x, the 7 Professional makes use of the 50-MP predominant sensor to take short-distance pictures, after which crops as wanted. However from 2x to 5x, the telephone fuses pictures from each the principle and telephoto lenses to create a extra detailed composite. Then between 5x and 10x switches utterly over to the zoom cam, with Google utilizing pixel binning to scale back whole decision down from 12MP. After which above 10x, the telephone makes use of full-res crops from the telephoto cam earlier than the telephone hits its full 30x magnification. I do know that is all extraordinarily techy, however the finish result’s a a lot smoother zoom expertise throughout and extra detailed pictures that look higher than something I’ve seen from virtually another telephone. That mentioned, I’m going to need to do some extra testing earlier than I make any ultimate judgments.

A number of the new digital camera software program additionally appears to be like spectacular. There’s a Cinematic Blur function for video that provides a smooth bokeh to the background of your clips whereas nonetheless supporting full 10-bit coloration with HDR. And from what I’ve seen thus far, it appears to be like nice, as in case you’ve been utilizing a way more costly digital camera. And for extra basic use, Google says it has upgraded the Pixel 7’s picture stabilization and noise correction as nicely.

In the meantime for pictures, Google says the Tensor G2 helps enhance the Pixel’s Face Unblur device and speeds Evening Sight processing by as much as 2x. There’s additionally a brand new Photograph Unblur function that may sharpen pics no matter when it was taken or what digital camera they got here from. Google says all of the processing for Photograph Unblur is finished regionally on the telephone and, in a quick demo, a few of the outcomes had been so good they had been form of onerous to consider.

However that’s the perfect and worst factor about Pixels, as a result of now that their {hardware} and software program are so intertwined, it’s troublesome to essentially get a way of how they carry out after solely a quick hands-on. And that’s earlier than we speak about different extra area of interest options like quicker menus for Direct My Name and the power to transcribe audio messages into textual content, which I hear is standard in Europe, however much less so within the US. Each the Pixel 7 and seven Professional felt snappy and the telephones’ excessive refresh charge shows made switching between apps really feel tremendous clean. That mentioned, it’s nonetheless as much as Google to keep away from any bugs or points with future software program updates like we skilled on the Pixel 6.

So for now, what I’ll say is that I’m positively digging the Pixel 7’s tweaked design. Cinematic Blur makes movies look nice and, as somebody who loves telephoto lenses, I can’t wait to see what I can do with the 7 Professional’s new 5x zoom. And maybe better of all, with the usual Pixel 7 retaining the $599 beginning value (or $699 on Verizon for one with mmWave 5G), upgrading to Google’s newest flagship prices lower than its opponents.

Observe the entire information from Google’s Pixel 7 occasion proper right here!