Like clockwork, we’re getting into one of many busiest elements of the 12 months with an avalanche of cool new units. The Google Pixel collection is a landmark now, and we’re enthusiastic about at this time’s launch of the brand new Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

Last 12 months’s Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro represented a flip for the higher with many enhancements over the Pixel 5, with notably a major escalation of the digicam {hardware} within the Pixel 6 Pro as noticed by our CAMERA HW rating. Google got here again into the race, competing on the highest ranges.

The new Google Pixel 7 collection is an improve, refinement, and optimization of the Pixel 6 collection as Google capitalizes on final 12 months’s herculean effort.

The industrial design is seeing modifications however sticks to the general design language that was nicely obtained final 12 months. The modifications make the brand new telephones look extra fashionable, and the manufacturing high quality has elevated.

The new polished aluminum digicam bar of the Pixel 7 Pro offers it an additional “premium” look, whereas the Pixel 7 (non-pro) will get a matte model. It’s wonderful positioning utilizing design as an instrument.

Google is thought for its “pure Android” expertise and lengthy dedication to software program updates, and nothing has modified on that entrance. Design apart, there are features of those new Pixel 7 telephones we wish to entice your consideration to, specifically the Camera and Computing.

The digicam is probably the most thrilling side for almost all, so let’s get to it. The Pixel 7 Pro’s digicam is configured as follows:

• 50 MP major (OIS, 1.2μm pixels, ƒ/1.85, 1/1.31” sensor)
• 12 MP ultra-wide (1.25μm pixels, ƒ/2.2)
• 48 MP telephoto (OIS, 0.7μm pixels, ƒ/3.5, 5X optical)
• 8MP selfie (1.22μm pixels, ƒ/2.2, fixed-focus)

This configuration is well-balanced (for the value) and will cowl all on a regular basis use circumstances very nicely. We’ll compute the CAMERA HW rating in our full overview, however this seems to be fairly good.

Google is utilizing its telephoto in two methods. It shoots natively at 5X optical zoom in 48MP. Alternatively, it will possibly zoom even additional utilizing a sensor-cropping approach, like what Samsung has in a few of its Galaxy telephones.

Sensor-cropping makes use of solely a fraction of the sensing floor with out merging pixels to protect particulars. That is like having a smaller sensor with a lens that zooms additional. Sensor cropping is often not so good as having an optical equal, however it’s a lot better than software program upscaling.

The Pixel 7’s digicam may be very comparable however forgoes the telephoto – a selection is usually discovered between completely different tiers of telephones. It makes plenty of sense as a result of ultrawide is objectively a extra frequent use case than zoom – that’s why OEMs make this tradeoff for extra reasonably priced telephones.

• 50 MP major (OIS, 1.2μm pixels, ƒ/1.85, 1/1.31” sensor)
• 12 MP ultra-wide (1.25μm pixels, ƒ/2.2 – completely different lens)
• 8MP selfie (1.22μm pixels, ƒ/2.2, fixed-focus)

You get nearly all the photographic advantages of the Pixel 7 Pro, besides when the topic is much away. In the $599 vary, that is very thrilling.

Regarding computing, Google makes use of its Tensor G2 processor to offer wonderful assist for all imagery actions that rely closely on stream computing and AI.

Google has demonstrated some long-exposure photographs, which had been practically 4X sooner, going from 5.25s right down to 1.25s. That must also have an effect on near-instant pictures or video recording, which we’re rather more enthusiastic about.

That stated, the competitors (Qualcomm, MediaTek) can also be able to doing such issues, and there’s no cross-platform benchmark to check them apples-to-apples.

The Pixel 7 Pro has 12GB of RAM, in order that’s the one heavy app customers ought to think about, because the 8GB of RAM within the Pixel 7 ought to suffice for everybody with extra fundamental wants.

Storage choices are 128/256GB for each, however solely the Pixel 7 Pro will get a 512GB model should you want that a lot.

Both telephones can be found for pre-order at this time for $599 and $899 on the official Google retailer, but additionally from carriers corresponding to AT&T (pre-order here), which additionally says that in-store items will arrive on Oct 13. As regular, should you sign-up on a brand new AT&T plan, you would get the Pixel 7 without cost, and the service says it presents “up to” $800-off on the Pixel 7 Pro

Filed in Cellphones. Read extra about Android, Google and Launches.