Last year, Google significantly updated its line of smartphones, introducing the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro models. The devices received a new design and some long-awaited upgrades. Users appreciated the changes, so these smartphones became the most popular among all the Pixels released before that. Today, the company formally presented their successors — the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro models.

Google decided not to change what works well, so the new generation is an evolutionary continuation of the smartphone line. We were able to evaluate the design of the devices back in the spring, during the I/O 2022 conference. The body of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro has a familiar design: two Gorilla Glass Victus glass panels and an aluminum frame between them (matte in the Pixel 7 and glossy in the Pixel 7 Pro). The smartphones are protected against moisture according to the IP68 rating and have a coating that does not leave fingerprints. The Pixel 7 is available in Lemongrass, Snow and Obsidian, while the Pixel 7 Pro is available in Hazel, Snow and Obsidian.

The first significant difference between the models is in the displays. Pixel 7 received a 6.3″ OLED screen with a resolution of 2400×1080 pixels (416 ppi) and a refresh rate of up to 90 Hz. The Pixel 7 Pro has a 6.7″ LTPO OLED screen with a resolution of 3120×1440 pixels (512 ppi) and a frequency of from 10 to 120 Hz. Google claims that both displays have 25% higher peak brightness than their predecessors.

The second difference concerns smartphone cameras. The main module of the devices is identical – 50 MP, f/1.85 aperture, 82° viewing angle, OIS, LDAF. The ultra-wide-angle lens in the Pixel 7 Pro has a wider viewing angle (125.8° vs. 114°) and autofocus, thanks to which the new Macro Focus mode is available exclusively for the Pro model. Although the sensor itself in both smartphones has a resolution of 12 MP and the same f/2.2 aperture. Pixel 7 Pro is additionally equipped with a 48 MP telephoto lens (aperture f/3.5, 20.6° viewing angle), which allows for 5x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom. The front camera in both devices is 10.8 MP, f/2.2 aperture, 92.8° viewing angle.

In addition, the smartphones have different battery capacities (4335 mAh in the Pixel 7 vs. 5000 mAh in the Pixel 7 Pro) and different amounts of RAM (8 GB in the Pixel 7 vs. 12 GB in the Pixel 7 Pro). In everything else, the models are practically the same, thanks in large part to the new Tensor G2 chipset. After all, it is responsible for the operation of many software features that have appeared in smartphones.

For example, Pixel 7 and 7 Pro can now shoot videos with a bokeh effect (Cinematic Blur), or conversely, make blurry photos clearer (Photo Unblur). Night mode (Night Sight) now processes photos twice as fast. Support for 10-bit HDR appeared, 2x zoom (using a crop from the main 50 MP sensor, by analogy with iPhone 14 Pro) and enhanced video stabilization mode. For people with eyesight problems, Guided Frame mode is now available to help them take good selfies by giving them tips on how to compose the frame. Live Translate, Assistant Voice Typing, and many others have also been improved.

Regarding the other characteristics of the smartphones, I note that the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro support wired charging with a power of 20 W and 23 W, respectively, as well as wireless charging with a power of 20 W and 23 W, respectively (when using Google Pixel Stand of the second generation) or 12 W (when using other Qi chargers). The fingerprint scanner is built into the display, but Face Unlock is also available. The slot for a physical SIM card remains for all regions, and eSIM is also available. There are Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, NFC modules. Pixel 7 Pro additionally has a UWB chip, in particular, for storing and using digital car keys. Traditionally, Pixel smartphones have long-term support, so users can count on 5 years of security patches and Pixel Drop updates for their devices.

You can pre-order the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro starting today. The cost of the Pixel 7 is $599 (8/128 GB) or $699 (8/256 GB). The Pixel 7 Pro can be purchased for $899 (12/128GB), $999 (12/256GB), or $1,099 (12/512GB).