Google Pixel 7a: 90 Hz screen, wireless charging and Tensor G2 for the star mid-range smartphone

A year after the Pixel 6a, which came to complete the Pixel 6 series, Google is doing it again and is offering its Pixel 7 and 7 Pro with a Pixel 7a. Highly anticipated, the smartphone takes over from a particularly successful mid-range terminal, and offering one of the best quality/price ratios in its category.

In terms of features, Google ensures a certain continuity. The Pixel 7a indeed retains practically the dimensions of its elder, with 152.4 x 72.9 x 9 mm. It therefore still ranks in the category of “compact” smartphones or almost, but loses in lightness. While the Pixel 6a weighed 178 grams, its successor shows 193 grams on the scale. This is explained in particular by the use of more metal for the design of the device, which also remains IP67 certified.

If it is almost the same size as the 6a, it is because this Pixel 7a has a similar diagonal screen, that is to say 6.1 inches. This is again an Oled panel, whose refresh rate has the good taste to be more up to date: it therefore goes to 90 Hz instead of 60 Hz. This Full HD + screen is also intended to be more 25% brighter than its predecessor; we had measured, during our test of the Pixel 6a, 498 cd / m². So it won’t really be luxury.

Other innovations are to be noted at the technical level. First with regard to the chip that drives the smartphone, since it is the Tensor G2 at work in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, here flanked by 8 GB of RAM, but also 128 GB of storage. It therefore promises a leap in power, signed by the support of the Photo unblur function and the Magic Eraser on the terminal. We can also hope for a gain in autonomy. To do this, the smartphone relies on a 4385 mAh battery (4410 mAh on the Pixel 6a), compatible with 18 W wired charging, like that of its elder, but also with 7.5 W wireless charging. This is new on the Pixel “a”. In terms of connectivity, the terminal benefits from 5G, 6th wifi and Bluetooth 5.3.

New photo sensors

Photography is one of the strengths of the Pixels. The 6a was entitled to two modules of 12 Mpx each, while the Pixel 7a offers new sensors. It relies on a 64-megapixel main, which should allow for 16MP images thanks to the pixel binding, with wide-angle optics, but also a 13 Mpx sensor with its ultra wide-angle. A final 13 Mpx sensor sits on the front of the smartphone, and allows you to take advantage of face recognition security, supplementing a fingerprint reader located on the device’s power button. We also note that all the sensors, on the front and on the back, make it possible to film in 4K at 30 fps, and even at 60 fps in the case of the dorsal wide-angle module. This one benefits from a digital zoom function up to x8.

Improved features, higher price

The Google Pixel 7a is closer to the Pixel 7 than the Pixel 6a looked like the Pixel 6. Launched on Android 13, it will benefit from occasional updates – excluding full upgrades – called “Feature drops” bringing new features. Its price is affected: count 509 € when it is released (8/128 GB) on May 10, against 459 € for the Pixel 6a. It will be available in black, white, blue and coral, the latter color being exclusive to the Google store.