Google Pixel 7a Review: Affordable Excellence

Google Pixel 7a offers a clean Android experience, a 64MP camera, Tensor G2 chip, and 90Hz OLED display, but with slow charging.

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Google Pixel 7a is powerful and smart, but if it can’t last a full day, it’s hard to recommend. The Google Tensor G2 chipset is impressive but its power drains the small battery quickly, and the slow charging makes it worse.

Battery life matters more than just taking great photos—though the Pixel 7a does well, its shots are similar to the Pixel 6a. Performance is solid, handling games and apps smoothly, but heavy use will leave you searching for a charger.

Fast but power-hungry, the Pixel 7a is like a sports car—great performance but needs frequent refueling. It’s best to wait for a price drop before grabbing one.

Google Pixel 7a – Full Specifications

Category	Details
📅 Launch	Announced: May 10, 2023 Released: May 10, 2023
📡 Network	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
📏 Dimensions	152 x 72.9 x 9 mm (5.98 x 2.87 x 0.35 in)
⚖️ Weight	193.5 g (6.84 oz)
🔨 Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back
💧 Durability	IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)
📱 Display	Type: OLED, HDR, 90Hz Size: 6.1 inches (~81.8% screen-to-body ratio) Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels (~429 ppi) Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Extras: Always-on display
🛠 Platform	OS: Android 13 (upgradable to Android 15) Chipset: Google Tensor G2 (5nm) CPU: Octa-core (2×2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2×2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) GPU: Mali-G710 MP7
💾 Memory	Internal: 128GB 8GB RAM (UFS 3.1) Card Slot: ❌ No microSD support
📸 Main Camera	Dual Setup: – 64 MP (f/1.9, 26mm, OIS, dual pixel PDAF) – 13 MP (f/2.2, 120˚ ultrawide) Features: Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama Video: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, OIS
🤳 Selfie Camera	Single: 13 MP (f/2.2, 20mm ultrawide) Features: HDR, panorama Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
🔊 Sound	Speakers: Stereo speakers 3.5mm Jack: ❌ No
📡 Connectivity	Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E (tri-band) Bluetooth: 5.3, A2DP, LE Positioning: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC NFC: ✅ Yes Radio: ❌ No USB: Type-C 3.2
🔋 Battery	Type: Li-Po 4385 mAh Charging: 18W wired (PD3.0), 7.5W wireless
🏷 Colors	Charcoal, Snow, Sea, Coral
💰 Price	$177.51 / £189.00 / €289.03
📊 Performance Tests	AnTuTu: 765,281 (v9) GeekBench: 3,191 (v5.1), 3,631 (v6) GFXBench: 62fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) Display Brightness: 1070 nits (max) Loudspeaker: -26.5 LUFS (Good) Battery Life: 76h endurance rating

Google Pixel 7a Price & Availability

Price: $499 / £449 / AU$749 (more expensive than the Pixel 6a in the US & UK)
Configuration: 8GB RAM, 128GB storage (no microSD support)
Availability: Available immediately after launch
Colors: Coral (Google Store exclusive), Snow, Charcoal, and Sea

The Pixel 7a launched right on schedule, arriving faster than the Pixel 6a, which took months to hit stores. It comes in a single 128GB storage + 8GB RAM option, but with no microSD slot, users will need to rely on Google Cloud for extra space.

Color options include Snow (white), Charcoal (grey), and Sea (blue), while the standout Coral shade is only available from Google’s store.

At $50 / £50 more than its predecessor at launch, the Pixel 7a faces similar concerns as the Pixel 6a. However, the Pixel 6a has seen big price drops, making it a better budget deal for those looking to save.

Google Pixel 7a Design: Familiar but Still Stylish

Looks just like previous Pixel models
Matte frame for better grip
Water-resistant for added durability

Pixel 7a sticks to the same design as its predecessors including Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. While it still looks sleek, it lacks any fresh design changes.

Google has also removed the two-tone color scheme that made older Pixels stand out. However, it does come in four colors: Snow (white), Charcoal (grey), Sea (blue), and Coral (Google Store exclusive).

The matte finish on the frame improves grip, while the slightly curved back can be a bit slippery on surfaces. Thankfully, it’s water-resistant, so it can handle splashes or a quick drop in the sink.

Google Pixel 7a Display: Good, but Not the Best

Better than the Pixel 6a, especially in sunlight
90Hz refresh rate makes scrolling smoother
Smaller 6.1-inch screen feels compact

The Pixel 7a’s display is solid but not outstanding. It’s brighter than the Pixel 6a, making it easier to see outdoors, though not the brightest in its price range.

The 6.1-inch screen makes the phone feel compact, but smaller text and details may require zooming in. The 90Hz refresh rate improves smoothness, though Samsung’s Galaxy A54 offers a 120Hz display if you prefer a flashier screen over performance.

Google Pixel 7a Camera: Great Photos, Poor Zoom

Big upgrade over the Pixel 6a with a 64MP main sensor
Better low-light and dynamic lighting performance
Zoom quality is disappointing

Particularly in low light, the camera on the Pixel 7a is far superior to that on the Pixel 6a. Photos are sharp and well-balanced thanks to Google’s AI and the Tensor G2 chip.

However, zooming is still a weak point—digital zoom reduces detail and looks artificial. 4K video also struggles, especially with fast-moving subjects.

The Pixel 7a includes Google’s best editing tools, like Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur, but doesn’t introduce new features. Creative photos benefit from the addition of long-exposure mode. You may be let down, though, if you depend on zoom or high-speed video.

Google Pixel 7a Software: Smooth but Short-Lived

Runs Android 13 with a clean, user-friendly interface
Three years of OS updates—too short for a Google phone
Customization is great, but settings can be overwhelming

The Pixel 7a offers a smooth and customizable Android 13 experience, making it easy to personalize your phone. Google’s interface is clean and intuitive, but navigating settings can feel complicated.

The biggest drawback? Only three years of OS updates. This is disappointing, especially since Google makes both the hardware and software. Apple supports its iPhones for at least five years, making the Pixel feel outdated too soon. If long-term updates matter to you, this is a major downside.

Google Pixel 7a Performance: Fast but Not the Best

Great speed for the price, beats most rivals
Still slower than an iPhone 12
Gets warm during heavy use, battery could be better

The Pixel 7a offers a smooth and customizable Android 13 experience, making it easy to personalize your phone. Google’s interface is clean and intuitive but navigating settings can feel complicated.

In terms of raw performance, it still trails older iPhone models, such as the iPhone 12. Additionally, the phone’s battery life isn’t the finest and it heats up during extended gaming sessions; competing phones have larger batteries and faster charging. The Pixel 7a is a good option if speed is your top priority, but if battery life is more important to you, you might want to explore elsewhere.

Google Pixel 7a Battery: A Major Weakness

Drains fast, just like the Pixel 6a
Slow charging takes over two hours
Extreme Battery Saver mode isn’t practical

The Pixel 7a’s battery is its biggest flaw. It drains fast, especially during gaming or video calls, and charges too slowly. After a 90-minute commute with gaming and video calls, I was down to 65%.

Charging is also slow—it took 45 minutes to reach 50% and another 45 minutes to hit 92%, with the last few percent dragging on.

Google’s Extreme Battery Saver mode can extend battery life but limits apps too much. Many cheaper phones last longer and charge faster, making the Pixel 7a’s battery a dealbreaker for some.

Pros and Cons of Google Pixel 7a

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
📱 Clean Android with exclusive features and fast updates.	🌍 Limited availability in some regions.
🚀 Strong performance for gaming and multitasking.	📺 90Hz display, while rivals offer 120Hz+.
📸 Great rear camera quality in most conditions.	🔋 Slow charging and average battery life.
✅	📦 Only 128GB storage, no microSD slot.
✅	🤳 Portrait mode and selfies could be better.
✅	🎥 Video quality and stabilization need improvement.

Conclusion

Pixel 7a isn’t for everyone. It has a 90Hz display, but many rivals offer better screens. Battery life is average, charging is slow, and the Tensor G2 chip runs hot. Even the camera, usually a Pixel strong point, has some flaws.

However, Google’s clean Android experience, Pixel-exclusive features, and solid software support make it stand out. Despite its weaknesses, it’s essentially a more affordable Pixel 7, making it the best choice for those who want a Pixel phone on a budget. If you’re not set on the Pixel brand, there may be better alternatives—but you might miss out on what makes a Pixel special.