Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro hands-on review

Software

The Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro come with Android 13 out of the box. Being Google's own phones, you can expect the version of Android here to be unskinned, and that's exactly what you get.

Android 13 doesn't bring any groundbreaking new features and if you are coming from Android 12 you really need to go through with a fine-tooth comb to spot any notable differences. However, this being a Pixel phone, you do get a few extra features added on top that you won't on other Android phones.

A lot of the Pixel-exclusive features are centered around the camera. This includes things like Real Tone, which captures different skin tones more authentically even in challenging lighting conditions, Photo Unblur, which removes blur from newly captured or even existing photos, and Guided Frame, which helps those with low vision frame their shots using audio and haptics.

Other features include Live Translate, for real-time translations in 48 languages, Clear Calling to filter out your caller's background noise and enhance their voice, and a VPN service powered by Google One, which will be coming later in select regions.

Android 13 Pixel UI

Google also has the Pixel Feature Drop, which adds new software features every few months through software updates. Speaking of updates, the Pixel 7 devices will receive three years of major OS updates and at least five years of security updates.

The overall software experience on the Pixel 7 devices is clean and intuitive. However, those coming over from other Android manufacturers may notice that Google's version of Android isn't as feature-rich as you may be used to. Some of this can be compensated for by installing apps but if you crave a large amount of customizability and features then the Pixel phones may not be for you.

Performance

The Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro are the first Google devices to be powered by the company's own Tensor G2 chip. Based on the same 5nm process as the original Tensor, the new chip features an octa-core CPU with faster ARM Cortex cores and higher clock speeds, as well as an updated Mali GPU. Google also claims upgraded image processing capabilities, more advanced speech recognition, and improved efficiency.

The real-world performance of both devices is exceptional. The Pixel 7 Pro, in particular, with its high refresh rate display, feels exceedingly fast and responsive. The animations are lightning quick and apps open even before your finger is out of the way after tapping the icon. The only odd bit of stutter was on the Pixel 7 Pro when unlocking from the lockscreen, and this could be replicated every time, so it seems more like a bug.

Synthetic benchmark performance of the G2 was underwhelming compared to its predecessor. The Geekbench results show identical single-core CPU performance and multi-core performance showed only about 10% improvement. GPU test results were nearly identical to the original Tensor and within test variance. The only notable improvement we found was in Antutu. Overall, the Tensor G2 is not a significant leap forward over the original Tensor, at least in its CPU and GPU performance. Whatever improvements there may be likely reside elsewhere in the SoC.

We did a bit of gaming as well on the Pixel 7 phones. Testing Genshin Impact at maximum settings, the Tensor G2 struggled to maintain a consistent 60fps throughout, requiring dropping down image quality settings. If you are into playing a lot of demanding games, these may not be the phones for you, although they will do just fine for less challenging titles.

Neither phone gets particularly hot while playing but the smaller Pixel 7 does get noticeably warmer.

GeekBench 5 (single-core)

Higher is better

• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  1276
• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  1238
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  1233
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  1180
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  1171
• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  1160
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  1056
• Google Pixel 7
  1051
• Google Pixel 6a
  1047
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  1042
• Google Pixel 6
  1030
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  975

GeekBench 5 (multi-core)

Higher is better

• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  4265
• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  4081
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  3682
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  3657
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  3448
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  3447
• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  3403
• Google Pixel 7
  3288
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  3187
• Google Pixel 6
  2899
• Google Pixel 6a
  2876
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  2831

AnTuTu 9

Higher is better

• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  1074722
• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  1032185
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  968359
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  886248
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  881428
• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  838832
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  835038
• Google Pixel 7
  813114
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  796369
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  719815
• Google Pixel 6a
  712092
• Google Pixel 6
  676831

GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  65
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  53
• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  50
• Google Pixel 7
  49
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  48
• Google Pixel 6a
  47
• Google Pixel 6
  46
• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  43
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  37
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  30
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  28
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  26

GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  45
• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  43
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  43
• Google Pixel 7
  31
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  31
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  31
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  31
• Google Pixel 6
  30
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  29
• Google Pixel 6a
  29
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  29
• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  26

GFX Aztek Vulkan High (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  62
• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  58
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  55
• Google Pixel 7
  46
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  44
• Google Pixel 6
  43
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  41
• Google Pixel 6a
  39
• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  31
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  29
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  26
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  25

GFX Aztek Vulkan High (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  50
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  48
• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  43
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  38
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  35
• Google Pixel 6a
  32
• Google Pixel 7
  31
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  30
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  30
• Google Pixel 6
  30
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  29
• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  26

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  74
• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  73
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  69
• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  65
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  63
• Google Pixel 7
  59
• Google Pixel 6
  57
• Google Pixel 6a
  51
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  48
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  39
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  37
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  34

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• Xiaomi 12T Pro
  100
• OnePlus 10 Pro
  97
• Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
  93
• Sony Xperia 1 IV
  79
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1440p)
  76
• Samsung Galaxy S22
  74
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
  70
• Sony Xperia 5 IV
  70
• Google Pixel 7
  66
• Google Pixel 6
  66
• Google Pixel 6a
  66
• Google Pixel 7 Pro
  63