Google Unveils Pixel 7A With Tensor G2 And 90Hz Display

The Pixel 7A has launched today and it comes with a number of significant changes, but the one listed on its spec sheet that I believe is the most crucial is a brighter, more fluidly scrolling 90Hz screen. Pixel 7a has the same familiar design as Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, with its iconic Pixel camera bar and smooth, sculpted surfaces. Featuring an all-new midframe architecture, Pixel 7a is our most durable A-series yet. And to support our continued commitment to sustainability, the aluminium housing is made with 100% recycled content. You can choose from four colours to suit your style: Charcoal, Snow, Sea, and Coral.

Similar to the Pixel 6A from the previous year, the Tensor G2 features a 6.1-inch OLED display, IP67 certification for strong dust and water resistance, and Google’s latest proprietary processor. It is supported by five years of security updates and three years of OS upgrades.

Despite the fact that both devices feature 6.1-inch screens, the 7A is marginally larger than the Pixel 6A. Due to the larger bezels on the 7A, it is just somewhat smaller than the Pixel 7 with its 6.3-inch screen. A Gorilla Glass 3 panel on the front, a composite plastic back, and a strong metal frame are all present. Unlike the Pixel 6, which is exclusive to the Google store, my review device is coral, and it doesn’t have any “kinda” features. It is as coral as heck.

Because the phone has an IP67 designation, which indicates it is sealed against dust and protected against some water immersion, you don’t need to worry if the 7A accidentally falls into a puddle. When I was soaked at the playground during a downpour, it was in the pocket of a garment that was hardly waterproof, and it held up just fine. It represents an improvement for the intermediate category, where plastic frames are more typical and IP certifications are not always assured. 

For the previous couple of years, Pixel owners have complained that the 7A’s in-display fingerprint scanner still feels slower than others in the class. In reality, after going through the initial scanning process with two Pixel 7As that I had set up for fingerprint unlocking, both devices gave me an error message and indicated that my fingerprint hadn’t registered. The following time I tried it on both phones, it worked just fine, but my perfectionist nature found it to be very infuriating. In any event, face unlocks (imported from the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro) have joined the fingerprint scanner this year. The phone can be unlocked swiftly and painlessly if both are enabled because one or the other works quickly.

The 7A’s battery capacity is 4,385mAh, which is slightly less than the 4,410mAh cell in the Pixel 6A. According to Google, the 7A can operate in Extreme Battery Saver mode for up to 72 hours. Throughout testing, the phone’s screen refresh rate is at 90Hz and its always-on display is permanently turned on. 

Battery stamina appears to be average when such features are activated. The 7A was down to 25% by evening on a day of moderate use with roughly 3.5 hours of screen time. The battery would undoubtedly drain more quickly if a power-hungry activity, such as a lengthy gaming session, were added, necessitating a nighttime recharge. An expected time of day when the battery will be completely depleted is displayed when you swipe down the notification shade.

The 7A has new 7.5W wireless charging as well as fast-ish 18W wired charging (no charger is provided in the box, obviously). It’s good to have the convenience of merely laying it on a charger at the end of the day because the latter is relatively uncommon in the midrange class. The 23W fast charging rates Google’s wireless charger offers are overkill; my regular Qi charger worked just fine with the 7A. However, it looks nice on the expensive Pixel Stand.

The flagship Pixel 7 and 7 Pro’s Tensor G2 chipset is also used by the Pixel 7A. The 7A is performing better than it has any right to, in my opinion, just like it did with Apple’s 2022 iPhone SE last year.

The 64-megapixel main back camera of the Pixel 7A has optical image stabilization. Don’t get too excited though, the sensor is physically smaller than the one on the flagships even though it has more pixels than the 50-megapixel sensors on the 7 and 7 Pro. 13-megapixel ultrawide and selfie cameras are mounted alongside it. 

The Pixel 7A produces high-quality photographs with Google’s recognizable cool and contrasty style in favourable lighting. When a clear sky and lush green grass are in the picture, it knows how to play the hits but doesn’t overdo them. Google’s quicker Night Sight feature, which operates in low light, makes an incredible amount of detail visible in very low light.

The primary camera can produce detailed clips with good stabilization at up to 4K/60p. It’s a shame that there isn’t a video portrait mode. I haven’t seen that feature in any other midrange phones, and Google’s implementation of it in the Nexus 7 and Nexus 7 Pro still feels like a first attempt. However, I missed having access to the video bokeh mode because the 7A undoubtedly has the processing power to keep up with it.