Google Pixel 7a review: The same performance as Google's flagship phones at a remarkable value

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Since Google first released its Pixel A-series in 2019, phone buyers looking for the best bang for their buck have had few reasons to look elsewhere, as Google's mid-range phones have consistently outdone the competition with their strong performance and stellar camera quality.

While the Pixel 7a represents an incremental performance upgrade over last year's fantastic Pixel 6a, Google has added premium features to its latest mid-ranger, like wireless charging and a display with a higher refresh rate.

As a result, though it starts at $500, the Pixel 7a is hardly a mid-range phone. It's essentially a smaller version of the $600 flagship Pixel 7, and in some ways, the Pixel 7 Pro, too, offering the same high-end performance at a more affordable price.

The definitive Pixel design, just less premium

The Pixel 7a's design is immediately recognizable as a Google phone with its sharp corners and raised camera bar on the back, and you could easily mistaken it for the premium Pixel 7.

But there are some telltale signs that the Pixel 7a lacks premium qualities. For one, it's rather thick at 0.35 inches. The black borders around the display are also on the thick side.

The Pixel 7a's frame is made of metal, but its back is plastic. It's a high-quality plastic that looks like clear glass, and it's hard to tell the difference by looking at it. At 6.8 ounces, the Pixel 7a is rather heavy for a phone with a 6.1-inch screen. It's perfectly manageable, but somewhat disappointing consider the Pixel 6a weighs around 6.3 ounces. 

The Pixel 7a uses the same terrific display as its sibling

For a mid-range phone in 2023, the Pixel 7a's 1080p OLED display running at a 90Hz refresh rate is typical. It offers the same excellent experience as the Pixel 7's 6.3-inch display, which also has a 90Hz refresh rate. The screen is bright, its colors are rich, and its contrast is superb thanks to the OLED panel.  

There are some phones in the mid-range category that use smoother 120Hz displays. However, those phones can also deliver stuttered performance as a result, as their underpowered processors aren't up to the task of powering a 120Hz display perfectly smoothly like a premium phone can. The Pixel 7a's 90Hz refresh rate provides a consistently smooth experience, and it's much better than the typical 60Hz display used in many mid-range phones.

Google's Tensor G2 processor delivers snappy performance

The Pixel 7a runs on the same Google Tensor G2 processor that's found in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Because of that, the Pixel 7a feels just as snappy as the Pixel 7 when running basic apps, like Chrome and Instagram. It also means that the Pixel 7a should last as long as Google's flagship phones, including the $900 Pixel 7 Pro.

The Pixel 7a scored slightly lower than the Pixel 7 overall in our benchmarking tests using the Geekbench 6 and 3DMark Wild Life apps, meaning the Pixel 7a isn't quite as powerful as the Pixel 7 on paper. That was surprising to find considering both phones run on the same processor. Still the day-to-day experience is identical.

Superb cameras that don't try too hard to impress

The Pixel 7a's 64MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide camera are upgraded from the Pixel 6a's 12MP cameras, but in day-to-day shooting, both phones capture beautiful photos with Google's signature look that includes deep contrast, plenty of detail, and natural, rich color.

As is the case with all of Google's phones, some photos taken by the Pixel 7a can appear darker, and it's often because Pixel phones avoid over-brightening for the sake of making them artificially pleasing. In return, you're usually rewarded with rich colors and depth of detail. 

The Pixel 7a's photo can also look dark to avoid any risk of overexposure. In the example below, the Pixel 7a is able to capture all the details in the cat's bright white fur while some other mid-rangers can brighten the photo too much and void those brighter details. 

Like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, the Pixel 7a suffers from occasionally blurry results when taking photos of moving subjects, like pets or my toddler — something I very rarely experience with Apple's iPhone 14 lineup. 

The Pixel 7a doesn't have a dedicated zoom lens, a feature that's reserved for the Pixel 7 Pro. Instead, Google's Super Res Zoom uses software to digitally get closer, while delivering some usable shots — something difficult to achieve for digital zoom.

Solid battery life and average charging speeds

The Pixel 7a ended our battery stress test with a 58% charge remaining, which is on par with and even outperformed some more expensive phones with 6.1-inch screens. To compare, the premium, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro had the same result, and the 6.1-inch Samsung Galaxy S23 had 56% remaining. The 6.3-inch Pixel 7, for contrast, ended the battery gauntlet with 60% remaining. 

In a nutshell, it means the Pixel 7a's battery life is adequate, and it won't change a typical daily charging habit. 

Our battery test puts all the phones we test through five runs of the Geekbench 6 app, two runs of the intensive 3DMark Wild Life Stress Test, two hours of video streaming, and one hour of music streaming while connected to Bluetooth headphones. 

The Pixel 7a supports up to 18W fast charging. It's not as fast as the 25W or greater charging speeds on premium phones, but it gets the job done.

For wireless charging, the Pixel 7a supports up to 7.5W charging speeds, which is slow but acceptable.

The Pixel 7a vs. the Pixel 7a from Verizon

The Pixel 7a comes in two variants. There's a $500 unlocked model you can buy from Google, third-party retailers, AT&T, and T-Mobile, which supports "sub6" 5G networks that perform essentially the same as the incumbent LTE networks. 

Then, there's a Verizon-exclusive Pixel 7a that costs $550 and supports Verizon's "mmWave" 5G networks, which offer significantly faster speeds where such coverage is available. 

Verizon's mmWave 5G network is not yet widespread, however, and it's quite limited compared to its sub6 5G network — you could potentially go through an entire day without ever connecting to the carrier's faster mmWave 5G network. With that in mind, Verizon subscribers don't necessarily need to buy the mmWave 5G model from Verizon, as you could buy an unlocked model that supports sub6 5G networks. 

That said, Verizon is constantly expanding its mmWave 5G networks. The rollout is slow, but if you buy the mmWave 5G model of the Pixel 7a from Verizon, for just $50 more, you'll have a device that's ready to support its mmWave 5G network.

Should you buy the Google Pixel 7a?

The Pixel 7a should be at the very top of your list if you're looking to spend around $500 on a phone.

It's essentially a more affordable version of Google's flagship phones, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, offering the same Google Tensor 2 processor as both models and the same smooth, 90Hz display as the Pixel 7.  

Of course, for its price, the Pixel 7a does come with some trade-offs. Its thick casing and plastic back distinguish it from the thinner, more premium builds of the Pixel 7 phones, which are made of glass and metal. The 7a's 6.8-ounce weight is also a bit cumbersome for its 6.1-inch screen size. 

If you're looking for the ultimate value for a phone in 2023, however, Google is keeping the Pixel 6a available as an option for $350, which is an astonishingly good deal for its performance and camera quality, though it lacks the 7a's wireless charging and high-end processor.