Google Pixel 7a Review: Top of the Mid-Range Class

Google announced the new Pixel 7a on May 10, during the Google I/O developer conference. We were able to get our hands on one for a review. The Pixel 7a is still as powerful as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but smaller and cheaper. The Pixel 7a has a screen size of 6.1 inches with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a refresh rate of up to 90 Hz. The 4385 mAh battery allows for over 24 hours of battery life and up to 72 hours of battery life when using Extreme Battery Saver. There is 8GB of RAM (the Pixel 7 Pro has 12GB) and 128 GB of non-expandable storage. What’s great is that the Pixel 7a has the Tensor G2 processor, which is the same CPU that’s in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The Pixel 7a comes in the colors Coral, Sea (the phone in this review), Charcoal, and Snow.

Unboxing & Design

The Pixel 7a comes with a USB-C cable, a Quick Switch Adapter (allows transferring of data between devices), a SIM card ejector tool, and the phone. The power and volume buttons are on the right side of the phone and the SIM card slot is on the left side; there’s no headphone jack. The front camera is in the middle of the screen, and the rear camera has a similar design to the Pixel 7. The screen isn’t a curved display, and there is a thicker bezel compared to the Pixel 7 Pro. The Pixel 7a is easily able to use with one hand due to its smaller size.

Pixel 7a Camera

Camera

The Pixel 7a doesn’t disappoint with the cameras, and there’s even a few upgrades. The rear camera is 64MP, compared to 50MP on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The selfie camera on the Pixel 7a is 13MP. The Pixel 7a has multiple camera modes, including Night Sight, Long Exposure (which adds a blur to moving subjects), Portrait, Panorama, and Photo Sphere (which takes 360-degree pictures). Every camera mode produces vibrant colors and takes extremely crisp pictures. The photo quality is the same as the Pixel 7 Pro but at a cheaper price! The video modes include Slow Motion and Time Lapse. The Pixel 7a also includes Magic Eraser, a Google feature that can remove people and objects from photos. Overall, I was pretty impressed with the camera performance.

Display & Performance

The Pixel 7a has a crisp OLED FHD+ display that doesn’t lag. You can increase the refresh rate from 60 Hz to 90 Hz by enabling Smooth Display in the Settings app. This allows for an even smoother display, but at the cost of using more battery power. If you are used to a bigger screen size, it may take some time to get used to this phone’s smaller screen. The Pixel 7a is very fast and responsive when alternating between different apps. The only time I experienced the phone warming up was when using the camera. Biometric features include a fingerprint sensor and Face Unlock, a first for the Pixel A-series phones. The battery will last the entire day, but heavy use of this phone will require charging every night.

Pixel 7a Screen

Conclusion

The Pixel 7a is a great budget phone that performs just as well as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The camera, crisp display, and performance make this phone worth the price. You can purchase the Pixel 7a for $499 at the Google Store or your nearest phone retailer.