Pixel 7 / Pixel 7 Pro / Pixel 7a

[Mad Maxx]

 

[hmz]

I am liking the P7 better than 6
Slimmer design
Lighter
I can unlock it faster with the face id
The screen seems brighter too

 

[Zorachus]

Just got my new X-Level case, I like this:

 

[zandor]

My initial impressions going from a 3XL to a 7 are good. Nothing major, faster, more snappy UI. Four years was worth the wait.

That's pretty much how I feel about it. I got my Pixel 7 yesterday. I can't really comment on features much since I'm just not a phone connoisseur. My previous phone was a Pixel 3a XL, which was ~3 years old and no longer getting security updates so I figured it was time to update. Aside from being "end of life" it was fine. I thought about getting a Pixel 6a but decided I wanted wireless charging this time around.

So far my only complaint about the thing is if you miss fingerprint unlocking twice it tosses you over to the enter a password/pin screen. Sorry, need a few more tries. The 3a XL allowed unlimited tries. That can be fixed in software. Hopefully it'll be better about not pocket emergency dialing than the 3a XL was. Damned thing would wake up and start beeping in my pocket, then I'd take it out and find a string of random characters typed in on the emergency dial screen. At least it never actually dialed. So far I haven't had that issue with the Pixel 7, so fingers crossed.

 

[Aurelius]

That's pretty much how I feel about it. I got my Pixel 7 yesterday. I can't really comment on features much since I'm just not a phone connoisseur. My previous phone was a Pixel 3a XL, which was ~3 years old and no longer getting security updates so I figured it was time to update. Aside from being "end of life" it was fine. I thought about getting a Pixel 6a but decided I wanted wireless charging this time around.

So far my only complaint about the thing is if you miss fingerprint unlocking twice it tosses you over to the enter a password/pin screen. Sorry, need a few more tries. The 3a XL allowed unlimited tries. That can be fixed in software. Hopefully it'll be better about not pocket emergency dialing than the 3a XL was. Damned thing would wake up and start beeping in my pocket, then I'd take it out and find a string of random characters typed in on the emergency dial screen. At least it never actually dialed. So far I haven't had that issue with the Pixel 7, so fingers crossed.

I suspect you might have tried this, but try registering the same finger more than once. That can improve the chances of getting in the first time. Shouldn't be necessary, of course, but it can make life easier.

 

[NIZMOZ]

I had the pixel 7 pro, and had to just return it. I had a ton of wifi issues. It wouldn't connect to my wifi (eero pro 6 mesh), and had to switch it to 2.4ghz for it to connect. It was good for a couple days, then it dropped and wouldn't reconnect. Got tired of messing with it, so I am returning it so I don't have to trade in my s22 ultra. No other devices have had issues in my house with the wifi. They got some bug, and need to fix it. Otherwise, I liked the device, a lot.

 

[Mad Maxx]

I found out that I need to continue using my 6 Pro for 60 consecutive days or the $300 discount is removed and I'll be charged the full $899. So, my 7 Pro is back in its box for the moment. While using my 6 Pro, I've noticed just how much better the 7 Pro is in comparison. The 7 Pro is much smoother/snappier and has none of the constant screen freezes and random app closings I get with my 6 Pro. It's a bit frustrating, but I take comfort in the fact that I'll be back on my 7 Pro after 11:59pm next Wednesday.

 

[Dutt1113]

Has anyone noticed how blurry the front camera is? It is picking up way less detail than what it should be capable of. Trying to do video calls is very blurry and undetailed. It is about equivalent to a mid-range phone from 5 years ago. Do you think they can fix this with software or is this what Google chose to cut corners on? Why do they have to cut corners on things? Just put flagship hardware in every aspect of the phone and just charge slightly more. People will be happier. Cutting corners worked with Nexus line because that's what they were built for. Good/ok specs with good software. With the Pixel's it's supposed to be flagship, but yet they always skimp on something. Pixel is supposed to be known for top cameras. The rear camera is great and the front camera sucks donkey balls. Why did they blow off making the front camera as good as rear camera?

 

[Aurelius]

Has anyone noticed how blurry the front camera is? It is picking up way less detail than what it should be capable of. Trying to do video calls is very blurry and undetailed. It is about equivalent to a mid-range phone from 5 years ago. Do you think they can fix this with software or is this what Google chose to cut corners on? Why do they have to cut corners on things? Just put flagship hardware in every aspect of the phone and just charge slightly more. People will be happier. Cutting corners worked with Nexus line because that's what they were built for. Good/ok specs with good software. With the Pixel's it's supposed to be flagship, but yet they always skimp on something. Pixel is supposed to be known for top cameras. The rear camera is great and the front camera sucks donkey balls. Why did they blow off making the front camera as good as rear camera?

It's a fixed-focus camera, so there's only so much Google can do even with its AI wizardry. I do question why Google cheaped out in that area; an upgraded sensor wouldn't be that much more expensive or space-consuming.

The Pixel 7 line is still a tremendous value, but this is why people still lean toward Apple and Samsung — there's more consistency in their camera output than in other brands. I wouldn't rule out a Pixel just for this reason, but I would have to remind myself of the price tag every time I take an out-of-focus selfie.

 

[Vengance_01]

The only thing thats missing from the regular to the Pro is the telephoto lens that's worth anything IMO

 

[zandor]

It's been a week and no pocket almost dialing so far. Huge improvement over the Pixel 3a XL I had. Other than that the biggest improvement I've noticed is that QR code recognition is massively better. I'm thinking it probably has something to do with the hardware unless maybe there's a big difference between Android 12 and 13 in this regard. Maybe the AI hardware helps? With the 3a I pretty much had to get a QR code straight on and line it up square, while the 7 seems to grab them quickly at off angles and not entirely in focus. I might hate scan the QR code for the menu in restaurants a little less now. I'll still hate it, just maybe a bit less.

 

[Vengance_01]

It's been a week and no pocket almost dialing so far. Huge improvement over the Pixel 3a XL I had. Other than that the biggest improvement I've noticed is that QR code recognition is massively better. I'm thinking it probably has something to do with the hardware unless maybe there's a big difference between Android 12 and 13 in this regard. Maybe the AI hardware helps? With the 3a I pretty much had to get a QR code straight on and line it up square, while the 7 seems to grab them quickly at off angles and not entirely in focus. I might hate scan the QR code for the menu in restaurants a little less now. I'll still hate it, just maybe a bit less.

Pretty sure it's camera+soc improvement with the custom AI

 

[CyberJunk]

I traded in my pixel 6 for a pixel 7. I took the trade in offer on google store. I perfer lighter smaller phones. I find the Pixel 7 to be a little bit quicker and the finger print reader to be a little bit more accurate for me than pixel 6. There isn't a huge different between the phones except slight changes to weight and dimensions which seem to make the pixel 7 more enjoyable to use than the pixel 6. This is my review.

 

[Vengance_01]

I traded in my pixel 6 for a pixel 7. I took the trade in offer on google store. I perfer lighter smaller phones. I find the Pixel 7 to be a little bit quicker and the finger print reader to be a little bit more accurate for me than pixel 6. There isn't a huge different between the phones except slight changes to weight and dimensions which seem to make the pixel 7 more enjoyable to use than the pixel 6. This is my review.

Sums up why I did not trade 😉 not worth the hassle

 

[T4rd]

Sums up why I did not trade 😉 not worth the hassle

Yup, why I'm still not trading my 5 for the 7 too. Gave my 6 to my son because the 6 is still too big and heavy while getting considerably worse battery life. So the 7 still wouldn't get the same or better battery life and still has a worse fingerprint scanner as well. Performance has never been an issue on my 5 either and I still have a similar 90hz 1080p display and the same amount of RAM.

So now I'm concerned Google won't make another decent small phone like the 5 or 5a again now. 😑

 

[BlueLineSwinger]

I've been contemplating the same P6-P7 trade-up. Almost seems like a no-brainer for ~$100 (plus tax) once the trade-in is factored in. Yeah, migrating is a pain, and I'd need a new case as well, but that's minor.

 

[Mad Maxx]

I've been contemplating the same P6-P7 trade-up. Almost seems like a no-brainer for ~$100 (plus tax) once the trade-in is factored in. Yeah, migrating is a pain, and I'd need a new case as well, but that's minor.

I went from the 6 Pro to the 7 Pro. Minor upgrades, but worth it if you get a good trade-in price. The 7 Pro is smoother, snappier, has a better screen and none of the frequent screen freezes and random app closings I had on my 6 Pro.

 

[zandor]

Yup, why I'm still not trading my 5 for the 7 too. Gave my 6 to my son because the 6 is still too big and heavy while getting considerably worse battery life. So the 7 still wouldn't get the same or better battery life and still has a worse fingerprint scanner as well. Performance has never been an issue on my 5 either and I still have a similar 90hz 1080p display and the same amount of RAM.

So now I'm concerned Google won't make another decent small phone like the 5 or 5a again now. 😑

If I had a 5 I wouldn't have upgraded to the 6 or 7, particularly after trying out the 7. I had a 3a XL which is out of support so it was time, but the on screen fingerprint reader annoys me. It just doesn't work as well as the back mounted one and it's less convenient. The old back mounted one was pretty close to right where my finger landed when I was just holding the phone naturally. The 5 was the last one to have it mounted on the back. The fingerprint reader is really my only complaint though, at least with the hardware. One time I had to reboot my shiny new Pixel 7 because it was going through battery too fast. That seemed to fix it. That's almost certainly a software issue though, so hopefully whatever caused that will be fixed in a future update.

 

[BlueLineSwinger]

If you're contemplating getting a P7 or P7Pro, maybe wait a week and a half. Google is dropping the price $100/$150 for Black Friday on Nov. 17.

I'm curious as to whether they'll alter trade-in values at the same time.

 

[CyberJunk]

I traded in a pixel 4a for a pixel 6a at BB over the weekend and I'm pretty impressed with the pixel 6a. I really like the size and shape of the phone. Feels thinner than the 7 and lighter.

If you're contemplating getting a P7 or P7Pro, maybe wait a week and a half. Google is dropping the price $100/$150 for Black Friday on Nov. 17.

I'm curious as to whether they'll alter trade-in values at the same time.

I just saw this BF offer too. I'm curious if they keep the same trade-in ? I thought black friday was nov 25th ?

 

[BlueLineSwinger]

I thought black friday was nov 25th ?

Anymore, Black Friday is whenever the hell the stores say it is. Best Buy started theirs something like two weeks ago.

If it keeps stores from requiring staff on Thanksgiving or other nonsensical hours the day after for midnight sales and other ridiculous gimmicks, then cool.

 

[ZeqOBpf6]

You guys noticing the cell service any better? Sick of seeing 4 bars and an exclamation point for no reason

 

[CyberJunk]

You guys noticing the cell service any better? Sick of seeing 4 bars and an exclamation point for no reason

maybe check your APN settings ?

 

[uberjon]

What's everyone getting for screen on time with the pro?

 

[Dutt1113]

i get 5.5-6+ hours give or take depending reception and whether on 5G or wifi

 

[T4rd]

i get 5.5-6+ hours give or take depending reception and whether on 5G or wifi

About what my wife gets on her 6 Pro and a couple hours short of what I still get on my 5. Really hope Google/Samsung can compete with Qualcomm at some point on their SoCs, esp. on power efficiency.

 

[lightsout]

is there any objective data comparing the radios of the 6 vs the 7. I am hearing that the 7 is better, but haven't seen anything beyond assertions. I do deliveries as a second job and the signal on my 6 is often crappy. Looking to do the upgrade if there is improvement here. I am in an LTE area (VZW), so 5g at this point doesn't matter.

 

[BlueLineSwinger]

Google's Black Friday deals are live. Gonna trade my P6 for a P7:

 

[TheSlySyl]

Google's Black Friday deals are live. Gonna trade my P6 for a P7:

View attachment 527393

I saw that. They're Offering me $300 for my Pixel 4a, which technically only cost me $216, so it's very tempting. I may bite, even if my 4a is currently in perfect condition because I've only had it for a year or so.

 

[lightsout]

Google's Black Friday deals are live. Gonna trade my P6 for a P7:

View attachment 527393

I did the same this morning. No sales tax in Oregon it cost me like $19 😁

 

[TheSlySyl]

Fuck it, went for it.
$150 off + $300 trade in + $85 (10%) rebate as store credit turns the $999 Pixel 7 pro down to about $464 or a little under $20 a month. I'm good with that. Probably worth it considering I paid $216 for my Pixel 4a.

Gonna miss that headphone jack though. =(

 

[Tactlesss]

Bit that bullet. Trading my 4a. It's not even the good one.

 

[Johnny78]

So even though I bought my wife a seven pro on release day, I myself hadn't planned on getting one because my six pro was working just fine. But unfortunately last week I dropped my phone and shattered the screen and rather than pay $300 to repair the screen, I decided, "what the heck. I'll just pick up a new 7 pro," I've actually been quite surprised how much nicer it feels in terms of software cleanness. It's a bunch of just little tiny incremental improvements, but all together it adds up to just a nicer experience. Also, on a random note, I noticed I'd been getting pretty stellar battery life, but I just realized I had forgotten that the phone by default is only 1080p out of the box and the full 1440p has to be turned on manually. But honestly I haven't really noticed any difference and didn't miss it at all. And so I think I'm just going to keep it on 1080p because the battery life seems to be really great. Has everybody else changed it to the full 1440p or have most people kept it on 1080p? Curious as to what the consensus is and whether the battery takes a noticeable hit increasing the resolution.

 

[Tactlesss]

From my experience it wouldn't surprise me if an engineer at Google flips a coin every update to decide if this next update will destroy battery life.

 

[TheSlySyl]

Fuck it, went for it.
$150 off + $300 trade in + $85 (10%) rebate as store credit turns the $999 Pixel 7 pro down to about $464 or a little under $20 a month. I'm good with that. Probably worth it considering I paid $216 for my Pixel 4a.

Gonna miss that headphone jack though. =(

Pixel 7 Pro delivered, moved things over, super smooth, fast and an obvious improvement over my 4a.

I'll get back after a couple days of use.

 

[xDiVolatilX]

I avoided buying the Pixel 6, but that telephoto lens is calling to me so the Pixel 7 pro is likely my next phone.

I want the telephoto lens also but the price? Holy moly!

 

[Dutt1113]

I just really hope they fix the blurry ass front camera when video calling. It's really unacceptable. If they don't fix it by the time the s23 comes out, I might be tempted to switch since Samsung never compromises on hardware.

 

[Tactlesss]

So far so good with the 7 Pro. The pixel series are the only premium phones that I have owned, I don't know what to compare it to.

I like that the screen is bigger and slightly higher resolution than the six that I was using previously and the speaker is a little louder.
However neither are better than the six's

 

[OpenSource Ghost]

Does BestBuy take any Pixel phone for Trade-In? Or just ones bought from BestBuy? I have Pixel 4a 5G in mint condition. I want it for for better security and to run GrapheneOS, which I already run on Pixel 4a 5G, but GrapheneOS does not control "Secure Element" (Titan M2 chip and Tensor core)

 

[Tactlesss]

Aside from a couple of issues that are my own damn fault.
I've experienced and recovered from two boot loops from the 7 Pro.
On my pixel 6 in the same situation the problem app would just freeze but still allow me to close it.