Pixel 7a review: AI-enhanced photos, top selfie camera, decent battery life – Google’s mid-range phone can definitely play with the big boys
- The Google Pixel 7a plays in the same league as some top-end smartphones when it comes to performance and battery, and is more powerful than many competitors
- The 7a uses artificial intelligence to deliver impressive results when it comes to photos – from fixing blurred shots to removing unwanted objects and people
You can easily pick out Google’s Pixel phones from Android competitors – from the outside at least, thanks to the prominent strip framing the camera lens on the back of its devices.
Distinguishing the Pixel 7 Pro from its new, more affordable mid-range offshoot, the Pixel 7a, however, requires a closer look.
Design and hardware
While the Pixel 7a is a little smaller, its nice and bright 6.1-inch (15.5cm) OLED screen is big enough to watch videos, and does well in terms of contrast and colours.
The black edge of the screen is a little wider than with the top-range Pixel models, but you will barely notice this in everyday use.
Software and features
The refresh rate of 90 hertz is not the best you can find, but is good enough to ensure smooth animations when you are swiping between apps. The screen reacts somewhat less smoothly in energy-saving mode when the refresh rate is lowered to 60 hertz.