During the Google I/O event, the Fold may have taken all the headlines but Google also released their midrange Google Pixel 7a, an update of the Pixel 6a.
The new phone features a wide array of new features that make it a midrange phone worth looking at if you are on a budget.
Design
The Pixel 7a is designed similarly to the Pixel 7 series, with a metallic camera bar, recycled aluminum sides with plastic composite making up the back panel. The phone feels solid though despite the plastic back. The front screen is a 6.1-inch Gorilla Glass 3 OLED display (2400 x 1080). The camera visor, however, is much thinner and that is due to the smaller sensors on the 7a.
Cameras
The Pixel 7a comes with only two main sensors – a 64 MP main sensor and a 13 MP ultrawide. The new main sensor is already a major improvement from the 12 MP main that was on the 6a. On the front, you get a 13 MP selfie camera. All cameras are capable of recording 4K videos, with the front capable of doing it at 60 fps while two 13 MP (ultrawide and selfie) can do so at 30 fps. There is no physical zoom lens but you get the Super Res Zoom feature here, allowing for up to 8x magnification.
Specs
The Google G2 tensor chip powers the Pixel 7a, paired with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. With the 7a powered by the same chip inside its flagship, there is hope that this chip will make the 7a a better-performing midrange phone than other similarly priced phones, which tend to come with dated or underpowered chipsets.
Battery
The 7a comes with a 4,385 mAh battery capacity and has a charging capacity of up to 18W, or 7.5 W when wireless charging. Yes, the Pixel 7a has wireless charging, the first of Google’s ‘a’ series to have one.
Software
The Pixel 7a comes with Android 13 but with exclusive Pixel features, such as Clear Calling, an AI that eliminates background noises during calls, Call Assist, and Direct My Call.
Price
The additional features on the 7a mean that its price will be bumped up as compared to the 6a. The phone will retail at $499 and is now available for preorder in four colors: Charcoal, Snow, Sea, and Coral.
