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The Google Pixel 7a has finally been released after what feels like an endless stream of leaks, rumors, and teases. On paper, the Pixel 7a has a crystal clear objective, just like its predecessors in the Pixel A line, which is to provide a Google Pixel smartphone experience of the same excellent quality as its more costly siblings at a lower cost.
The Google Pixel 7a is an excellent smartphone on its own merits. It comes with a dependable camera system, in addition to having a good design, fantastic specifications, and a price tag of only $499. However, when you consider that the more powerful Pixel 7 offers a few notable advancements for $599, and that last year’s Pixel 6a is still available to purchase at a reduced price, this places the Pixel 7a in a difficult position.
Google Pixel 7a Specifications
Only four versions of the A-series have been made so far. Starting in 2019 as a cheaper option to the Pixel 3 series, the company’s midrange smartphones have always been very good, even in years when the company’s flagship devices struggled or didn’t do what they were supposed to do.
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Display | 6.2-inch OLED display |
Resolution | Full HD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G |
RAM | 6GB |
Storage | 128GB |
Operating System | Android 12 |
Main Camera | 12.2 MP (wide) |
Front Camera | 8 MP |
Battery | 4,650 mAh with 18W fast charging support |
Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C |
Design and Display

The Pixel 7a looks just like its original, with only a few small changes. Still, the back is made of high-gloss plastic that looks like glass until you touch it, and the edges are made of metal. The Pixel 6a’s frame, on the other hand, was black because it was polished, but the Pixel 7a’s aluminum frame is the same color as the device you choose. The frame of my Snow review unit is silver. You could tell that the Pixel 6a was the cheaper Pixel because the camera bar was also made of plastic.
The “Made in Vietnam” marking is tiny and located at the bottom, directly behind the Google logo. The phone is equipped with dual speakers and an earpiece for listening to stereo sound. The phone has a luxurious feel in the hand and a distinct appearance that sets it apart from other smartphones. The 6.1-inch OLED display can refresh at 90Hz and has Full High Definition Plus resolution. However, the normal Pixel 7 features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus whereas the 7a merely has Gorilla Glass 3. You can buyu this phone from its official website
Google Pixel 7a: Cameras
One of the Pixel phones’ most prominent selling points is the quality of the photographs it takes. Even if Google’s camera doesn’t have the best hardware, the company’s computer methods improve the final image significantly. While the Pixel 7 features a 50MP main camera, the Pixel 7a has a 64MP main camera plus a 13MP ultra-wide sensor. Once again, it makes no difference whether kind of sensor is jammed into the 7a’s back. What matters is the result after Google’s AI wizardry has been applied, and in this regard, the phone does not disappoint.
Google Pixel 7a: Software

The Pixel 7a comes with Android 13 out of the box, just like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Also, like the other Pixel 7 models, the Pixel 7a will get OS updates for three years and security fixes for five years.
Android 13 is pretty grown up at this point, and Android 14 is just starting to show itself. Android 13 is the first version of Android I’ve spent a lot of time with, and I’ve been loving it on the Pixel 7a. This is the “pure” version of Android, without any skins added by the manufacturer.
Google Pixel 7a: Performance
Even though it ran on a Tensor G2 SoC, which is the same chipset as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, I ran into some strange performance issues that seemed to be caused by transferring data from another phone (see the part on battery life for more information). When I first got the phone, the auto-rotate feature was a full beat slower than on the Pixel 7, and you could really tell when you used the phone every day.
Enabling 90Hz usually keeps things running smoothly, but sometimes the frame rate drops when you open the screen or quickly swipe between home screens. And at one point, YouTube and Telegram both crashed on me in the same amount of time. Performing a factory restart and clean install seemed to fix these problems. Even auto-rotate now works as quickly as you’d expect. This isn’t so much an excuse as it is an explanation. The phone should have worked right out of the box, but it didn’t.
Google Pixel 7a: Battery Life
One of the Pixel 7a’s flaws is its short battery life. The Pixel A series often features the smallest battery to match its diminutive stature, as is to be expected. The Pixel 7a has a 4,385mAh battery, which is slightly smaller than the 4,410mAh battery found in the Pixel 7 and on par with the 4,355mAh battery seen in the Pixel 7. Again, Google boasts that the Pixel 7a is a 24-hour smartphone, however the Extreme Battery Saver mode can increase that to 72 hours. The Pixel 7a continues the Pixel brand’s poor reputation for battery life. Since I have mostly just been using the Pixel 7a while connected to Wi-Fi, I would classify my usage as light to medium.
Price and Availability
You can get your hands on a Google Pixel 7a right now for the low, low price of $499. You may buy it via Google, Amazon, Best Buy, and other stores and wireless service providers. Charcoal, Snow, Sea, and a new Coral hue that’s only available through the Google Store are the options for the Pixel 7a’s shell. The Pixel 7a’s pricing is off-kilter and makes it hard to recommend, especially given that the Pixel 6a is still available for a record low price of $349.
Final Words
Despite numerous improvements, the Google Pixel 7a’s selfie camera and battery life seem to be the only major downgrades. The Pixel 7a’s elegant Android 13 interface and powerful Tensor G2 SoC make it the best budget option currently available. Even if you’re currently utilizing a Pixel 6a (Review), you should consider making the jump to this newer model.
Google Pixel 7a review: The good and The bad
The Google 7a is a mid-range phone, yet it outperforms many of its competitors in a variety of categories.
The Good
- 90Hz refresh rate
- Wireless charging
The Bad
- Battery life is disappointing
Questions and Answers
It can hold up to 4,385mAh. In extreme energy saver mode, the Pixel 7a can work for up to 72 hours, but all apps that are running in the background will be shut down to save power.
To fully charge the Pixel 7a’s battery, it takes about 1 hour and 59 minutes. The Pixel 6a, on the other hand, takes about 1 hour and 52 minutes to charge. So, as you can see, the Pixel 7a takes a little longer than its predecessor to fill up.