After Apple’s iPhone 14, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4, and new products from Oppo and Xiaomi, Google has launched its Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro in the background. Its new high-end flagships that, like the iPhone for Apple, are 100% in-house, Google from hardware to software.
After the Pixel 6’s run of success, the Mountain View company is fine-tuning its achievements and improving its still-impressive array of photos and little welcome features with little touches. And all for a price that does not change: the Pixel 7 starts at 649 euros and the Pixel 7 Pro version at 899 euros, both in a version with 128 GB of storage with the possibility of expanding to 256 GB for 100 euros more.
We spent a while with the Google Pixel 7 Pro to see if it was the premium smartphone with the excellent value for money that it promises on paper.
The strengths of the Google Pixel 7 Pro
The photo above the lot.
The Pixels have taken the party for years to focus most of their efforts on the photo. Equipped with three sensors on the back, the Pixel 7 Pro plays with versatility with an improved wide angle (50 Mpx), ultra wide angle (12 Mpx) and telephoto lens (48 Mpx).
It is also at the zoom level that the Pixel 7 Pro impresses the most with an impeccable x5 optical zoom and a digital zoom up to x30 that offers quite crazy sharpness. Google’s software optimizations help with this, enabling borderline-perfect photo playback on the Pixel 7 Pro, both for landscapes and portraits, during the day and in very low light. On the condition of accepting a fairly pronounced artificial intelligence intervention.
If you like to play artists with light effects or imperfections, we’ll tend to tell you to look at another photophone. But anyone who wants the perfect shot will be delighted with the work of the Pixel 7 Pro. The tones of the face are ultra natural and the smartphone knows how to adapt, like the iPhone 14 Pro, to group photos with different skin colors and varied exposures. Its autofocus manages movements perfectly, capturing the right moment or offering several photos to leave the choice.
The smartphone knows how to manage contrasts, brightness and colors impeccably. Automatically retouch if necessary thanks to a whole gallery of options available directly in the camera and the gallery. So it is possible to correct a blurry photo with a simple option and the result is spectacular, or even use the magic eraser to erase unwanted elements. It’s hard to completely blame the Pixel 7 Pro for missing a photo. He himself offers you suggestions for improvement.
It’s really in portraits where it excels thanks to its new extremely fast autofocus. This has the effect of giving a lot of detail to the photo, with special mention for the high quality black and white reproduction and the blurring in the background.
A quality screen with a more elegant design
After a long trial and error, Google seems to have found its identity. The Pixel 7 Pro takes inspiration from the look of the Pixel 6 Pro, which will continue to divide aesthetes, by refining the full-width photo module on the back into a metal band. The rear frame is in colored glass (Snow, Volcanic Black and Sage Green). Beware of fingerprints, which find a very good playing field there. With IP68 certification, the Pixel 7 Pro is a pleasant smartphone in the hand, thanks to its rounded edges and a well-distributed weight (212 g).
The 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display is beautiful and bright. Take advantage of the very fine edges of the smartphone to take its full measure. There’s even an adaptive brightness option on offer, which improves reading conditions particularly in direct sunlight. Color rendering is particularly good and faithful. The die that houses the selfie camera on the front is discreet, as is the -reactive- fingerprint reader under the screen, in addition to facial recognition. We also like the ability to customize the display thanks to Android 13’s Material You mode, which matches icon colors to your wallpaper.
Features that make everyday life easier
Who says Google smartphone from start to finish, says specific functions designed primarily for Pixels. And some are more than practical on a day-to-day basis. The Pixel 7 Pro already runs Android 13 and this gives it fluidity and possibilities.
Transcription of audio messages.
Crazy practical function, it allows to obtain the immediate transcription of a voice message sent. And this, in several languages (French, German, English and Japanese). This is extremely convenient for “hearing” messages in meetings or on the go without having to put the phone to your ear or on speakerphone. Note that the Dictaphone app also allows you to get the written version of a recorded note or discussion in different languages (French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Japanese).
Instant captions with translation
Accessibility options are a major asset of the Pixel 7 Pro. They’re easily accessible in settings and clearly explained. Along with the usual options (font size, sound amplification, audio description, etc.), we highlight the incorporation of instant transcription that allows the voice of a caller to be converted into text that appears on the Pixel at any time. But the most impressive thing is the instant subtitles function (available in French and translatable to another language live) that is activated with each activated video and even for audio calls.
Cough and snoring detection
The Pixel 7 Pro benefits from a fairly extensive Digital Wellbeing menu. This is where you can set your sleep options, including Bedtime mode, which will gradually decrease the brightness of the wallpaper, change the screen to black and white at bedtime, and put the phone into silent sleep mode (possibility to choose which notifications to display). . The smartphone can also detect coughing and snoring at night. It is enough to have set the bedtime for the device to shoot and record the moments through the microphone. A report is sent to you when you wake up.
Weaknesses of the Pixel 7 Pro
A still light autonomy
Autonomy has never been the strong point of the Pixel and the Pixel 7 Pro does it honorably, a little better than its predecessors. Sure Google has improved everything, but we barely got more than a day, despite the fact that it has added options such as the adaptive battery or the saver. By avoiding the permanent 120 Hz, we gain a little autonomy to get to a good day and a half. And it charges quite slowly (1h45 at 100%, 40 to 45 minutes at 50% battery), although it promises fast charging at 30 W (no adapter included in the box) and wireless charging.
The video a bit behind
If the Pixel 7 Pro is very strong in photos, in video it lags a little behind, especially as soon as the light falls. And even the AI can’t catch up. It is well done, but far from the excellence of the competition. The cinematic mode popularized by the iPhone 13 is a bit unnerving. If you’re not in a very bright spot naturally, the AI takes over a bit and struggles to switch from foreground to background automatically.
A device that heats up easily
A 100% Google smartphone, the Pixel 7 Pro benefits from its internal Tensor G2 chip, accompanied by 12 GB of RAM. Enough to make it capable of everything without, however, scaring the performance counters. The chip focuses on the photo, where it works miracles, and on security. But obviously it does not handle heat very well and the smartphone tends to heat up quickly as soon as it is used a lot, especially in mobile games.
Conclusion:
The Pixel 7 Pro is an excellent compromise for photography enthusiasts. It is the guarantee of perfectly successful shots in all circumstances, with a zoom that is quite impressive in its quality. Its screen is very beautiful and very pleasant to watch Netflix, Disney + or others. If it turns out to be a champion of photography, it falls a little behind the iPhone 14 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, especially in video. It will also be criticized for a fairly basic audio part compared to the competition. If you’re looking for a beautiful Android smartphone, the Pixel 7 Pro is probably among the best value for money on the market.
Source: BFM TV
