This is purely subjective, but I think many would agree that the 2017 Pixel 2 was when Google’s software, hardware (except the display on the Pixel 2 XL), and Google’s camera game… peaked.
If you look at the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, you can see the exact moment when Google discovered its identity as the phone maker. Sure, the phones were technically made by HTC and LG, but regardless, that’s when it became apparent that Google was firmly on the side of distinct designs, super smart software and stellar camera performance, backed by the state-of-the-art computer photography. It’s a phone philosophy unique to Google.
After the success of the Pixel 2 series (not to mention the sales numbers folks!), Google took a while to make some juvenile mistakes…
With all due respect to whoever designed them, the Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 4 and 4XL kind of looked like prototype phones from the front, while the Pixel 5 was when Google decided to sell a mid-range device at the price of a flagship. A very good phone, but not a flagship. And expensive.
It wasn’t until the Pixel 6 series that we saw Google’s (old) bold attitude and return to sleek designs! Two years after Google switched to tasteful choices, we got the Pixel 7, and it just so happens that this phone could be that phone again.
It’s taken over five years, but, in early 2023, the Pixel 7 finally gives Google its “Pixel 2 moment”, once again becoming what is (arguably) the best Android phone for most people!
It’s taken five long years from Google, but as of early 2023, Pixel 7 is the best Android phone for most people; outperforms the Pixel 7 Pro
The Pixel 7 is now what the Pixel 2 was in 2017!
As mentioned, Google spent a few years making questionable choices but ended up (almost) redeeming itself with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro…
Unfortunately, while my Sorta Sunny Pixel 6 Pro may be the best looking phone I’ve ever held, along with its smaller and cheaper partner in crime the Pixel 6, Google’s 2021 flagships designed to two of the most problematic phones of 2021-2022! I won’t repeat the countless stories I’ve written about Pixel 6 bugs, but it was an unreliable phone – even nearly a year into its existence. Besides the many bugs, the vanilla Pixel 6 (I’ll focus on this one) lacked in areas like power and efficiency – logically thanks to Google’s brand new Tensor chip which felt more like a mid-range performer. range compared to the likes of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and A15 Bionic.
But the Pixel 7 doesn’t just come with an upgraded Tensor G2 processor, which is more efficient than the original Tensor (though still well behind the competition) – the Pixel 7 solves just about every problem too. major ones that made the Pixel 6 super hard to recommend, and even goes beyond…
- Despite having a smaller battery than the Pixel 6, the new Pixel 7 manages to last about as long on a single charge, which is a testament to Google’s optimization work – it still takes a lot more to achieve. these Apple and Qualcomm (Google, please!)
- With the exception of a bizarre Wi-Fi issue where my Pixel 7 Pro would drop the connection for no apparent reason (hope this isn’t a widespread issue), Google’s 2022 flagship is a reliable phone that I can easily recommend to friends and family – something I couldn’t say anything about the Pixel 6 (to this day I regret asking my cousin to pre-order a Pixel 6; the phone works perfectly fine today today)
- Despite only having a slightly smaller screen on paper than the Pixel 6 (6.3 versus 6.4 inches), the Pixel 7 feels like a much more compact phone; that’s because it shrinks the Pixel 6’s incredibly thick bezels; as a result, the Pixel 7 is narrower, shorter, thinner, and 10g lighter than the Pixel 6, which makes a bigger difference than you might think – especially when trying to use both phones together. one hand
While this is strictly subjective, I think Google took a step back when it comes to one aspect of the Pixel 7 and that’s the phone’s rear look/design! Compared to the unique black camera bar that made the Pixel 6 one of the most recognizable phones (and masked the holes left by the camera sensors), the Pixel 7’s new metal camera housing looks much less unique and elegant, and a bit…basic. Again, this is just my opinion! In fact, it seems many prefer the Pixel 7 design, and I don’t blame them (although I would fight them hard and physically!).
The Pixel 7 offers the best overall value compared to other similarly priced phones; The Galaxy S22 is closing in after price cuts
The Pixel 7 is what the Pixel 6 probably should have been.
Of course, to tell you that the Pixel 7 is “the best Android phone for most,” I’d have to put things into context by comparing it to other phones competing for that title. Since it’s not quite a “versus” story, I’ll try to make it as quick and neat…
- Samsung’s Galaxy S22 is arguably a better phone than the Pixel 7, but it doesn’t come without a few drawbacks such as slightly less battery life, a significantly smaller screen (if you care) and OneUI 5, which is by far the best software from Samsung, but still much less “clean” compared to Google’s Android; Perhaps more importantly, the Galaxy S22 is still more expensive than the Pixel 7, while its generic “one year of additional software updates” benefit doesn’t apply here, thanks to it being older. than the Pixel 7, having launched with Android 12 (versus Android 13 on the Pixel)
- Another potential Pixel 7 competitor available to most people would be the OnePlus 10T; Although it has a faster processor and super-fast charging (a full charge takes around 20 minutes compared to 140 minutes on the Pixel), the 10T falls behind in some key areas like device quality photo and software support, both falling short of the Pixel 7. .; Of course, the OnePlus 10T is a noticeably bigger phone than the Pixel 7, which makes it harder to recommend to the masses.
- Another, much less obvious alternative to the Pixel 7 is the Nothing Phone 1, which comes with a flashier design (literally), longer battery life and (surprise yourself!) faster charging than the Pixel 7 ; The Nothing Phone 1 is also around $100 cheaper than the Pixel, which is perhaps why it cuts corners in crucial areas like performance (it comes with a mid-range chip) and the device. photo (performance is less reliable than on the Pixel)
- Another brand new alternative to the Pixel 7 that comes to mind is the Xiaomi 13 – this one hasn’t launched globally yet, but even if it does, it certainly won’t be sold in North America, which automatically disqualifies it from competing with Google in the United States; Otherwise, it’s a great entry from Xiaomi, which could potentially give the Pixel 7 a run for its money in, say, Europe (if priced accordingly!)
- Last but not least – the most obvious; Pixel 7 Pro has a significantly better screen, louder speakers, and better zoom quality (beyond 5x magnification) compared to the vanilla Pixel 7, but whether it’s worth the $300 is up to you. additional and, more importantly, the hassle of carrying around a heavier and much larger phone that’s nearly impossible to use with one hand (especially when it’s in a case); as a Pixel 7 Pro user my answer is… no – it’s not an upgrade that 95% of people need
Pixel 7 is the easiest Android phone to recommend right now, but Galaxy S23 and Pixel 7a could change that very soon
Google’s biggest competitor could be… Google.
Frankly, I don’t tend to post a lot of “appreciation posts” on the website (not that I make it a point not to) but this time I just had to give Google the flowers it deserves to make a balanced Android It’s a rare occurrence – you don’t see Apple and Samsung showing such generosity, but Google can afford it and it’s not afraid to literally sell losing money. money on phones to get users hooked on its smart software services! Clever.
Speaking of Apple, the iPhone is the little elephant in this story – about time I mentioned it! What I’m trying to say is that I stand by my position that iPhones are always easier to recommend than a Pixel, of course, if price isn’t an issue!
The other two larger elephants in this story are called “Galaxy S23” and “Pixel 7a”…
As you may know, Samsung’s 2023 flagship phone is about a month away from going official, promising to bring much more power than the Pixel 7, a more versatile camera system, and one of the best screens of the year! All of this could be worth the extra $200 Samsung would have to charge for the S23!
But the real “problem” for Google is called… Pixel 7a! We’ve already seen the phone through a leaked Facebook video, and it promises to be…essentially a Pixel 7 but retails for around $450, which could potentially make Google’s flagship product redundant. Go figure what Google’s sales team has in mind!
The asterisk here is that we have no idea when the Pixel 7a is supposed to launch, so if you need a new phone and you like what you see, the Pixel 7 is up for grabs right now. moment ! Google phones are also on sale all the time and sell for absolutely amazing prices on sites like eBay, so… what are you waiting for?
No seriously! What’s stopping you from buying a Pixel 7? Let me know below!
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