Specifications
I have not included the entire list of specifications from Google's long list, but stuck to the things that I think most people will focus on. Worth highlighting is, of course, the new Google Tensor G2 Chips, which drive the work in combination with 12 GB LPDDR5 RAM.
It is also worth mentioning the 6.7" large LTPO OLED screen with a 1440x3120 resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate.
A tour around the Google Pixel 7 Pro
Google sticks to the design language of the latest Pixel 6, and carries over much of the existing to the new generation.
The biggest difference is of course in the internal hardware, which here has been updated to Google's own Tensor G2 chip. It is a powerful chip that, in synthetic benchmarks, can easily compare with chips such as the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which are used in many flagship smartphones these days.
The Tensor G2 chip is combined with 12 GB LPDDR5 RAM and either 128, 256 GB lUFS 3.1 storage. In our test model, it is the 128GB variant that is on the table.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is available in three colors. Hazel, Snow of Obsidian, and this is the last black variant we have for testing.
If we have to look at the front, it is naturally characterized by the 6.7" large LTPO OLED screen with a 1440x3120 resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate. It's a screen with a maximum brightness of 1500 nits, so it has no problem delivering a very clear and bright image even in strong sunlight.
There are very narrow frames all around of approx. 2 mm. The screen curves slightly over the sides. Personally, I would have preferred a completely flat screen, but it's so limited on the Pixel 7 Pro that it doesn't matter.
At the top, Google has chosen to go with a Hole Punch setup for their selfie camera. It is a 10.8 MP camera with a reasonably wide 92.8° field of view.
If we look at the edges, there is a soft aluminum frame all the way around the phone. On the left side of the phone, we find a SIM card tray and nothing else.
On the right side there is a power/lock button along with the volume buttons. Unlike almost all other phones I've held in my hands, the power button is located at the top above the volume buttons. It has caused a bit of irritation, which I will get into later.
Jumping to the bottom of the device, we have a USB C connector which supports up to 30W charging. However, cf. the current trend, no charger is included in the box. A USB C to USB C cable is included in the box, along with a USB A to USB C adapter, which can be used for easy data transfer from a previous phone.
Whether you like the trend of not including a charger for new Smartphones or not is a bit of a matter of taste. Most people eventually have a multitude of chargers lying around at home, so in certain cases there is an argument for saving it away in the box. The challenge, however, is that the vast majority of those that people have lying around are USB A based. There are still relatively few chargers that have a USB C connector in the charger itself.
I imagine this means that a fairly large proportion of new Pixel 7 Pro customers will also have to go out and buy a separate charger. The supplied USB C to USB C connector in the box cannot be used in the majority of the chargers that are in people's drawers. Here it would have made sense to include a USB C to USB A adapter.
Google's own 30W USB C charger costs DKK 299 by itself.
If we take the trip to the back, we can see one of the physical changes to the Pixel 7 Pro compared to the Pixel 6.
The look with the camera bar across the phone is the same. Now, however, Google has switched to the bar being made of metal. This means it flows beautifully with the bezel on the sides of the phone. The change also means that it is a more robust and durable setup.
There are reasonably sharp edges at the top and bottom of the camera bar, and you have to prepare for the corner where the back of the phone meets the camera to become a place where the pocket dust will sample.
However, the advantage of it running across the entire phone is that the Pixel 7 Pro lies nicely flat on a table and does not tilt.
The camera composition consists of three lenses. There is a Primary 50MP camera, with an ƒ/1.85 aperture, a 12 MP Ultra wide with ƒ/2.2 aperture and finally a 48 MP telephoto with ƒ/3.5 aperture. The telephoto lens comes with both optical and electronic stabilization, so you have a better chance of capturing sharp images even when zooming.
The camera composition offers really good possibilities, and supplemented by Google software magic, which we will get into later, it is going to be a strong solution.
Google has chosen a blank solution for the back. This means that the Pixel 7 pro is a fairly smooth phone, and unfortunately quite susceptible to dirt and fingerprints.
I really wish there were more manufacturers who chose matte looks on their phones, just to avoid this kind of thing. Especially when you know how damn delicious it can be done, for example on the OnePlus 10 Pro, with the velvety smooth matte back.
The glass is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on both the front and back of the phone.
Software
Although the new Pixel 7 Pro features capable hardware, much of the magic of Google phones is found in the software. Naturally enough, it is a completely clean version of Android 13 that you get on the Pixel phones.
With the Pixel 7 Pro, Google is developing both the hardware, in the form of the Tensor G2 chip, and the software, in the form of Android. This means that the two have been built from the ground up to talk together optimally.
Being directly connected to the source is also an advantage if you are already engaged in the Google Ecosystem and use things like Google Home. Google Home and Assistant are baked into every aspect of the operating system, providing the lightest and most integrated functionality I've tried on any Android phone yet.
Customizing the appearance of your phone's operating system is done via Google Material You, which provides good and quick options to change the style and adjust things to suit your preferences.
It's wonderfully easy to access with a long press on your Home Screen. From here you can quickly change the appearance or customize and add Widgets.
Google has also baked a lot of AI functionality into Android 13. Most of the features are not specific to the Pixel 7 Pro, but general to Android 13. However, they play very well with the phone.
It's things like optimized charging and battery management that learn your routines. On the image front, there is also an AI option to process blurry images and make them sharper. It is a feature that is currently exclusive to the Pixel 7 Pro. It can be used both on pictures taken with the phone and on all other pictures you may have in your Google Photos library.
Google notes in the list of advantages of the Pixel 7 Pro that users of the Pixel 7 Pro get built-in security via their Google VPN service. However, you have to read the small print, because it takes a little to gain access. Google VPN is part of Google One, and the VPN part can only be accessed if you are a paying One Premium user with 2TB or more space at Google. It is a service that costs 100$ per year, so it is not automatically built-in.
Camera
One of the great strengths of the Pixel series has always been their camera. Not because the phones on paper have had the strongest hardware, but because Google's image processing software has been exceptionally good at tweaking the images for a better result.
That tradition continues with the Pixel 7 Pro, which takes some amazing photos. On top of that, the software has really good and versatile options for both portraits, video and zoom functions.
The main camera takes fantastic pictures, and the improvements that Google throws in give it a little extra kick without it being too intrusive. You can easily get amazing pictures out of the Pixel 7 Pro, with a simple point and click approach to things.
If you want a little more, there are, however, directly in the camera software also, a sea of options to manually adjust the image or add filters.
On the Zoom front, however, Google has really pulled a rabbit out of the hat. There is quick access to 0.5, 2 and 5x zoom on most shooting modes. From here you can then further zoom up to 30x if you really want to get close.
2x zoom provides a cropped cut from the regular main camera, while 5x switches to the dedicated telephoto lens. All settings up to about 15x give really good results with fine details.
On top of that, Google has provided fantastic stabilization of the zoom images. So even when I actively tried to shake my hand a little at 5x, it usually gave a sharp subject anyway.
Video recording is also a nice experience and with a reasonable amount of stabilization. There is the possibility of up to 4K at 30 frames with 10-bit HDR, You can record up to 4K with 60 frames, but then you lose the possibility of HDR.
Overall, the camera experience on the Pixel 7 Pro has been incredibly delicious. It's been one of the best I've tried on a smartphone in a long time. Google lives up to its reputation as the king of smartphone photography. Currently, the Pixel 7 Pro also holds first place on the DXOMark list.
See example images in full resolution here.
The test
I've had the Pixel 7 Pro in my pocket for a few weeks now, as my primary phone. This means that it has been my constant companion, and has been used for everything in my daily life from phone calls to photos, wireless payment and smart home control.
As I've just touched on, the camera experience has been fantastic, and even after a few weeks I'm still playing around with the options in settings and customizations.
The general physical design of the Pixel 7 Pro is a bit difficult for me. I simply think it's too glossy and smooth. If it is not on a COMPLETELY flat surface, it slides around easily. It has been on the floor several times because it has been placed on the couch or a table and then it has slid off because it has been lying on a book or something else at a slight angle.
At the same time, I can also get a slightly elevated blood pressure from Google's location of the power button and the volume button. All other phones I can remember being in contact with have either had the two things placed on different sides of the phone, or with the Volume buttons located at the top. I can't think of a phone that hasn't had things laid out that way.
However, Google has done it the other way around, with the power button at the top, which means that the muscle memory of the last several years is working against me. I still consistently press the volume buttons around when I want to lock the phone.
A small thing perhaps, but enough to be an annoyance. I bet, however, that it is something you can get used to with long-term use. It just amazes me that they haven't arranged the buttons like pretty much everyone else.
Despite the irritation, it hasn't completely taken away the pleasure of using the Pixel 7 Pro.
The Google Tensor G2 chip works its way through everything I've thrown at it. However, the phone tends to get a little warm when used for a long time. However, it is not something that has noticeably affected the performance.
The battery life has been super solid and with a full charge I have easily been able to get through a full day of heavy test use.
After experiencing super fast charging with phones like the OnePlus 10 Pro pg 10T, I miss something similar on the Pixel 7 Pro. Here you peak at 30W charging, and you have to count on just under two hours of charging to go from 0 to 100%
It should perhaps be noted that there are certain other reviews of the Pixel 7 Pro that have experienced a variety of different bugs with the operating system. However, during my test I did not experience any bugs, and had a reasonable, fast and responsive experience with the Pixel 7 Pro and Android 13.
Price
In its pure form, without a discount from a telecommunications company, the price is currently 1000$ for the 128GB variant and 1300$ for the 256GB. It can be done a little cheaper if you commit to a subscription with Telia. Telia and Elgiganten exclusive dealers for the Pixel 7 Pro. However, it can also be ordered directly from Google's online store.
Conclusion
Pixel fans have been waiting a long time to be able to get their hands on a Pixel. Now we are also on the bandwagon in this country, and I would say that it has been worth the wait.
Apart from my few complaints about the physical design, I don't have much to put my finger on. One can be managed with a skin or a case and the other will probably have to be learned.
Those complaints aside, my only complaint is the somewhat slow charging compared to other phones on the market. If you are the type to charge your phone during the night, then it is not an issue.
However, everything else about the Pixel 7 Pro has been a pleasure, and the camera in particular has been a dream to work with.
The combination of Google's hardware and software adds up to a higher unit, and comes into its own in particular if you already use Google's various services.
We end up with a final score of 9, for a super solid phone. There are a few things that drag it down, but in general the positive overshadows the negative by a good margin.
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