One of the last major smartphone releases of 2022 was a strong contender for the crown of the year’s best Android flagship.
I gave it a rare five-out-of-five rating and ranked up alongside Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 4 as the most compelling Android devices you can buy.
But while Samsung’s devices gave users better specs (such as the Ultra’s 10x optical zoom) and the S Pen stylus or were foldable with the fastest chip on the market, Google served users with the most fluid and smooth software experience on an Android with an array of unique software smarts.
And the 7 Pro costs significantly less than both Samsung phones, especially for 2023 as it has been reduced to €799.
Design and build
It may look like its predecessor but that’s no bad thing as Pixel 6 Pro was one of the standout phone designs of 2021.
On the front is a dazzling, bright and colourful, 6.7in, 120Hz, QHD+, OLED, gently curved display – one of the most dazzling on a phone – and on the rear the unique camera bar, which I am a fan of, is now covered in polished aluminium for a more refined look.
My review unit was Obsidian (which is black and has a dark grey aluminium) and you can also get the device in Snow (white with a silver-polished aluminium) and Hazel (grey with a hint of green and a gold-polished aluminium).
There is tough Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the front and rear. I did buy a Pixel-branded case for protection but can report that I used Pixel 6 Pro for a year with no cover and it stood the test well and has barely a scratch on it.
The screen has an impressive 1,500 nits of peak brightness, incidentally.
And it uses LTPO tech to scale the 120Hz refresh rate down when not needed to preserve battery life.
Despite the large display size, Pixel 7 Pro is lighter (at 212g) and more comfortable to hold than other big screen handsets such as iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Software experience
This more refined approach extends to the software on board too – what makes this smartphone so special is the way that hardware and software combine.
This is down to the firm’s latest octa-core Tensor G2 chip which is responsible for significantly faster AI processing than last year’s model.
Pixel 7 Pro feels super-responsive: it’s up to 2.5 times zippier than Pixel 6 Pro according to Google’s estimates, especially when engaged in AI tasks such as real-time transcribing of interviews or voice recordings without needing to be connected to the internet.
I like the ability to insert emoji using your voice while dictating messages and I like how AI is used to improve the quality of phone calls.
There are exclusive features such as the ability to unblur faces and objects using AI in the Google Photos app, not to mention cough and snore detection when sleeping.
Google’s at-a-glance widget on the home screen can now display new rain alerts, flight tracking and notifications from a Nest doorbell.
Camera system
The camera system remains one of the strongest Pixel features.
You get consistently reliable photos and videos from the main 50MP sensor, impressive 5x zoom from the 48MP periscope camera, an autofocussing 12MP ultrawide with macro capture and smart image editing tools.
The main sensor captures incredible detail with outstanding dynamic range.
Shots captured between 1x and 5x zoom use combined images taken on both the main and telephoto lens.
Thanks to new upscaling algorithms powered by the Tensor G2, the hybrid zoom delivers sharp images up to 10x.
Pictures captured at above 10x use the same technique and crop into the centre of the optical zoom camera.
The low-light mode is one of the best on a phone and is much faster. Astro-photography mode is still brilliant.
Video capture (at up to 4K 60fps) has been greatly improved, with better stabilisation and 10-bit HDR support. The subject tracking is excellent.
You can add a shallow depth of field using a new Cinematic Blur feature, which records at a movie-style frame rate of 24fps.
And Google promises at least five years of software and security updates, including at least three major Android versions.
Other features
Unlike recent predecessors, Pixel 7 Pro includes face unlock as well as its fast and unreliable fingerprint sensor for security.
The stereo speakers deliver pleasing sound quality.
Battery life
Battery life is improved compared to last year and the 5000mAh consistently delivers enough juice to get me from 8am to midnight every day, even during days of heavy use testing
The relatively slow 30w USB-C charging is one of my only quibbles. You can get from zero to 50% per cent in roughly 35 minutes, but you can fully charge some Xiaomi and OnePlus handsets in that time.
You can also wirelessly charge the 7 Pro at up to 23W.
Verdict
This is an excellent value flagship smartphone, and its stunning display, bigger screen, larger battery, extra 4GB RAM and superb zoom camera combine to ensure anyone who chooses it over the less expensive Pixel 7 gets their money’s worth.
The perfect Pixel phone is finally here, delivering as fluid, fast and smooth a user experience as an iPhone.
Pricing
Google Pixel 7 Pro costs €799 for the 128GB storage model and €899 for 256GB from Google Store. Both feature 12GB RAM.
Key specs
Dimensions: 162.9mm x 76.6mm x 8.9mm
Weight: 212g
Display: 6.7in OLED, QHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, LTPO
Chip: Google Tensor G2
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
Battery: 5,000mAh
Charging: 30W wired, 23W wireless
Rear cameras: 50MP f/1.85 wide angle; 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide; 48MP f/3.5 telephoto (5x optical zoom)
Front camera: 10.8MP f/2.2
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
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