Even though the Google Pixel series gets a lot of attention in the media, it is still a niche due to its limited market availability. However, Google has really made an effort to appeal to a broader audience in the last few generations by offering some unique features. Even the stock Android that runs on today’s Pixels isn’t exactly stock, as it includes some nice improvements and exclusive features.
There are even reports that Google plans to ship a record number of Pixels next year. On the surface, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro aren’t much different from the Pixel 6 series, but they do offer some small but notable improvements. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why we believe the 7th generation has a good chance of winning new fans around the globe.
The new Pixel 7 comes with a flat design and a unique aluminum tab on the back, which consists of the rear camera sensors. The new Pixel 7 is even more compact compared to its predecessor, the Pixel 6. The phone is very light in the hand and easy to use. The phone’s casing is made of glass, namely Gorilla Glass Victus. We had the Lemongrass color variant for testing, which offers an eye-catching look. The downside of the glass casing is that it is very slippery and you need a firm grip to prevent the phone from falling.
The placement of the power button on the right side is above the volume rocker, which takes some getting used to since the power button is usually placed below the volume rocker. On the left side is the SIM tray, while the Type-C port and speaker outputs are placed on the bottom. The phone has an IP68 certification, which makes it waterproof up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
At 6.3 inches, the Pixel 7’s OLED display is slightly smaller than the Pixel 6’s 6.4-inch panel, but you have to have the two devices side by side to see the difference. One important feature remains though – like its predecessor, the Pixel 7 offers an adaptive 90Hz refresh rate. That’s not the 120Hz rate of the Pixel 7 Pro, but you still enjoy smoother scrolling, especially compared to a phone with a 60Hz display like the iPhone 14. The big change with the Pixel 7 is that Google promises a brighter display that should reach a peak brightness of 1,400 nits.
