Google Pixel 7a review: Three things we love about the killer new Android handset

WE'VE been secretly testing Google's brand new mid-range Pixel smartphone - and the good news is there's lots to love about it.

The tech giant has largely stayed true to what most already know about Pixels.

A distinctive design, the purest form of Android you'll ever find, a stellar camera and all for a reasonable price.

Here's what we love about the brand new Google Pixel 7a.

Google Pixel 7a camera

Pixels have always had pretty impressive cameras and the 7a is no exception.

The powerful Tensor G2 found in the mightier Pixel 7 Pro lands itself in the 7a, helping you to take lightning fast shots with little interruption.

Add the fact that the camera sensor has been bumped up from 12.2-megapixels in last year's 6a to a massive 64-megapixels and you've got some really beautiful shots that burst with colour and detail.

I was surprised how well some of the images turned out at a gig given how dark it was with very limited light at times.

It managed to capture faces - if a tiny bit blurry - more than I could see them with my own eyes.

Trying to take a shot of a moving pet was more hit and miss.

While the camera was still able to capture impressive snaps of our pacing cat, there was some slight blurring.

The unblur feature didn't really help all that much but the other editing tools are really impressive.

Especially the magic eraser which wipes out unwanted objects for you like some Photoshop whizz-kid.

Wireless charging

Google has added wireless charging to the A series of Pixels for the first time.

Previously it was a feature only reserved for the main devices, so it's good to see a premium feature make its way down to the cheaper handsets as it's so convenient (yes, I'm thinking of you McDonald's, wirelessly charging my phone as I chow down a Big Mac).

Unfortunately it doesn't support battery sharing like other wireless charging Pixels.

So you won't be able to be bail out mates low on juice - that may or may not be a good thing depending on how you feel about sacrificing your power though.

The Pixel 7a will still charge faster with a wired USB-C plug instead of wireless - however, it's not as quick on the spec sheet as some other brands out there.

Google claims the device will last 72 hours in extreme battery-saver mode.

We found that on normal running mode using various apps you get a good day's life out of it.

Performance

Pixels have always had the very best version of Android 13 you can hope for - which shouldn't come as much of a surprise given that Google owns Android.

Sadly, it only gets three years of guaranteed OS support though, which seems a bit short.

It's a smooth and simple experience, made even better with the stronger chipset and 8GB of RAM.

This means the Pixel 7a reacts fast to switching apps, as well as snapping photos quickly for that essential moment and even playing games with ease.

The display is also truly stunning, rich in colour, bursting with brightness and packed with detail.

Overall

The Pixel 7a is available in Snow, Charcoal, Sea and Coral colours - the latter being a Google Store exclusive.

There are plenty of worthy upgrades crammed into this punchy, solid handset all for $499 / £449.

That's £50 more than what the Pixel 6a launched at last year.

To sweeten the deal, Google is throwing in free Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds worth £100 for a very limited time.

Alternatively, wait it out and expect some decent discounts later down the line.

Score: 4.5 / 5

All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.

Always do your own research before making any purchase.

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