Google Pixel 7a review: a good Pixel, but a hard sell

The design of the Pixel 7a is just like its predecessor, with a few minor differences. You still have a high gloss plastic back that looks like glass until you touch it, and an aluminum frame surrounds the edges. Unlike the Pixel 6a’s frame, though, which had an anodized metallic black finish, the aluminum frame of the Pixel 7a matches the color of the device that you choose. For my Snow review unit, the frame is silver.

With the Pixel 6a, you could tell that it was the cheaper Pixel because it also featured plastic on the camera bar. But the Pixel 7a now features a metallic camera bar, similar to what you’ll find on the standard Pixel 7, just a little thinner (probably due to the smaller sensors).

The Pixel 7a is also a smidge taller and wider than the Pixel 6a, but you won’t notice the difference unless you have them stacked on top of one another. Product dimensions for the Pixel 7a are 72.9 x 152.4 x 9.0mm, whereas the 6a is 71.8 by 152.2 by 8.9mm. The Pixel 7a also weighs a little more at 193 grams compared to the previous 178 grams. Despite the very minor differences in size, the Pixel 7a still has the same display size at 6.1 inches, making it the most compact of the Pixel 7 lineup.

Because of the slightly smaller size of the Pixel 7a, it’s more comfortable to hold than the Pixel 7. However, as someone who prefers smaller-sized phones in general, I wish the Pixel 7a was still the same physical size as its predecessor, which was a bit easier for me to hold comfortably. But overall, the design of the Pixel 7a is pretty much the same as other Pixels, just made with high gloss plastic on the back rather than Gorilla Glass Victus.

Lastly, Google claims that the Pixel 7a is one of the most durable Pixel A-series devices yet. It has an IP67 rating, so it can handle water and dust without an issue. The front display is also covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, so it’s scratch resistant.

That’s not a bad setup by any means, but seeing how Gorilla Glass 3 was released in 2013 and has been replaced by five newer versions since, its presence on the Pixel 6a does feel a bit dated.

The Pixel 7a has the same screen size as the Pixel 6a, which is 6.1 inches. It’s also a Full HD OLED display with a 1080 x 2400 resolution, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for durability. However, Google made some minor improvements to make the Pixel 7a slightly better.

Previous Pixel A-series devices have had a 60Hz refresh rate, which was typical for budget phones a while back. But the new Pixel 7a has been bumped up to a smoother 90Hz adaptive refresh rate, dubbed “Smooth Display.” It’s the same setting that you find in the regular Pixel 7, which also has a 90Hz refresh rate.

With the increased refresh rate for the display, you can expect smoother scrolling, animations, and better graphics when gaming. However, the Smooth Display setting is disabled by default, so you have to enable it manually. This is probably due to the poor battery life that the Pixel 7a has (a higher refresh rate decreases battery life), which we’ll get to in a bit.

On the inside, Google packed in the newer Tensor G2 chip, which is an improvement over the first-generation Tensor in the Pixel 6a. You also have 8GB RAM (the 6a only had 6GB), and once again, the only storage option is 128GB.

On paper, the specs for the Pixel 7a definitely look impressive for a phone of this price range, but it’s not a terribly big upgrade from what you can get with the Pixel 6a. Yes, the 90Hz refresh rate certainly helps, but I feel like it may not be too noticeable for most people who want an affordable budget phone, as the Pixel 6a is still a good buy. And the extra RAM helps, but it’s still pretty negligible in daily use.

During my testing with the Pixel 7a, the phone handles my everyday tasks quite well. This includes checking email and messages on Microsoft Teams, endlessly scrolling through Instagram and Facebook, checking Mastodon, lots of camera use and photo editing, using an app for sharing a million images of my toddler daughter with family, watching streaming video and YouTube, checking the news, and some light, casual gaming. The Pixel 7a handles all of these tasks well without skipping a beat.

I’m also quite impressed with how fast the cameras are able to capture a scene. I’ve used the Pixel 7a to take a bunch of photos of my toddler, who can barely sit or stand still (other parents can understand my plight, right?), and the resulting images came out very nicely. Tensor G2 definitely helps with the fast capture on the Pixel 7a.

Even though the Pixel 7a is the budget phone of the Pixel 7 lineup, Google decided to give it some impressive camera hardware — even surpassing the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro in some aspects.

There’s a 64MP main camera on the Pixel 7a and a 13MP ultrawide sensor. For comparison, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro both have a 50MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. However, Google claims that despite the Pixel 7a having a higher megapixel count than its siblings, the sensor is not as large as the one on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. This means that the Pixel 7a may not be as good when it comes to capturing low-light images.

Unfortunately, battery life is the Pixel 7a’s weakest point. Since the Pixel A-series is the smallest of the Pixel lineup, it typically has the smallest battery to go alongside the physical size. With the Pixel 7a, you get a 4,385mAh battery, which is actually less than its predecessor’s 4,410mAh battery, though it’s on par with the Pixel 7’s 4,355mAh one. Once again, Google claims that the Pixel 7a is a 24-hour smartphone, though you can extend it to 72 hours by using the Extreme Battery Saver setting.

Pixels have never been known to have great battery life, and this is especially true with the Pixel 7a. My usage with the Pixel 7a has been what I would consider light to medium use since I’ve primarily just been using the device on Wi-Fi. I do use it for checking email, work messages, social media, taking photos and editing them, watching videos and streaming music, web browsing, and other everyday tasks. Nothing heavy or super resource intensive, but I notice that the battery just continually drains, even if it’s just sitting on my desk.

If this were my primary phone, I definitely don’t see it lasting more than a day with heavy use. Even when I was just out taking photos with the Pixel 7a, the battery would drain faster than I’d like, and it also tends to get warm. It doesn’t appear that the Tensor G2 chip did a lot of improving on the power efficiency front, unfortunately.

The Google Pixel 7a is available for purchase right now for $499. You can buy it directly from Google, retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, and wireless carriers. The Pixel 7a comes in four colors: Charcoal, Snow, Sea, and the Google Store-exclusive Coral.

The pricing of the Pixel 7a puts it in an odd place and makes it difficult to recommend — especially considering that the Pixel 6a continues to be sold at a new low price of $349.

If you are looking for the most affordable Pixel phone, the Pixel 6a is tough to beat, especially since it’s still a great device. But if you want more megapixels, higher refresh rate, and wireless charging, then the Pixel 7a is better — until you see that the Pixel 7 is just $100 more and offers larger camera sensors, a slightly better battery, reverse wireless charging, and an overall better AMOLED display.

It’s a bit of a pickle for the Pixel 7a. If the Pixel 6a were discontinued, then it would be easier to recommend the Pixel 7a, but that isn’t the case.

If you’re looking at the Pixel 7a by itself, it’s a pretty capable device for just $499. It’s the smallest of the Pixel 7 lineup, but the 6.1-inch display looks good with vibrant colors and rich blacks, and the 90Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and gaming better. You get Android 13 powered by the Tensor G2 chip, so everything runs smoothly and is quite snappy and responsive, especially with the 8GB RAM.

You also get an impressive 64MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide lens, and thanks to the Tensor G2 chip, the camera app is pretty fast when it comes to capturing photos, even when your subject is in motion. Plus, this is the first time that the Pixel A-series has wireless charging.

However, keep in mind that though the camera has a higher megapixel count than the regular Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, the sensors on the Pixel 7a are smaller, so lowlight images won’t turn out as well. And battery life is far from great, and wireless charging is quite slow.

And when you look at the Pixel 7a among the competition, it becomes much harder to recommend. If you are wanting a super affordable Pixel, then the Pixel 6a is still being sold with a large price cut, now costing just $349 (down from $449). Though the display only has a 60Hz refresh rate, and the main camera is 12MP, it’s still a very reliable phone and certainly not a bad device at all — even more so at that new, low price.

If you want a Pixel that offers more, then there is also the Pixel 7, which is just $100 more ($599) than the Pixel 7a. You’ll have a slightly larger display at 6.3 inches, the same 90Hz refresh rate, Android 13 with Tensor G2, and 8GB RAM with 128GB storage. But while the Pixel 7 only has a 50MP main camera, it still has larger sensors that can handle low light photos better, faster wireless charging, and also Battery Share reverse wireless charging.