Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone test: a photo champion but also very versatile

The “Night vision” mode has participated a lot in the reputation of the Google Pixel in photo. By default, this shooting method is set on automatic. A good idea that once again allows you not to touch the interface to get a successful shot.

Pixel 7 Pro Test

The pixel is not the best known of smartphones, however it is one of the most complete on the market currently. Google’s phone targets a high -end market at a price that remains accessible, below the 1000 euros symbolic euros.

Summary

• Pixel 7 PRO technical sheet
• A smartphone with a unique design
• The most beautiful screen on a smartphone
• Pixel 7 Pro with excellent performance
• Audio on the Google Pixel 7 Pro
• Here is the really smart smartphone
• The best smartphone for the photo
• A hardy smartphone

The end of the year marks the release of many products, especially in telephony. Google therefore returns with the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro, two smartphones that count capitalize on their achievements to do better. We focus only on the Pixel 7 Pro, but you can find the Google Pixel 7 test here.

The Pixel 7 Pro is that of the two phones to receive the most improvements. Already Google returns with a second version of its home processor, The Tensor G2. The photo is not to be outdone either, with an improvement of certain sensors and above all a software optimization which makes great promises. Google wants to hit hard with the pixel 7 pro.

Pixel 7 PRO technical sheet

Google Pixel 7 Pro
Screen size	6.7 inches
Screen type	OLED LTPO
Screen definition	3120 per 1440 pixels, or 512 ppi
Refreshment rate	120 Hz
Sock	Google Tensor G2
RAM	12 GB RAM
Storage	128 GB or 256 GB of storage Ufs 3.1
Battery	5000 mAh
Rapid load	30W in wired and 23W wireless
Connectivity	5G / WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.2
Main photo sensors	50 Mpx + 12 MPX + 48 MPX
Secondary photo sensor	10.8 Mpx
Tightness	IP68
Dimensions	162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm
Weight	212 grams
Price	From 899 €

A smartphone with a unique design

Smartphones find it difficult to differentiate themselves in their design today. We end up with phones identical to the little original technical sheets. The Pixel 7 Pro takes the opposite and assumes his choices. The pixel is known for the photo, so this is visually what will be highlighted. We thus find on the rear facade a bar making the whole width of the phone. It houses the three photo modules. The metal contour of the phone is thus extended around the photo sensors.

A unique design especially in the new “Sage green” color. There are golden accents on the metallic and pale green parts on the rear glass side. No more color, bi-tons that we found on the pixel 6 and pixel 6 pro. The phone is also offered in white “snow” as well as “volcanic black”.

Another change for Pixel 7 Pro, The placement of volume and ignition buttons. Google slightly descended them to make them more accessible to small hands.

The most beautiful screen on a smartphone

As with its big brother the Pixel 6 Pro, the screen is a real success. Resolution of 3120 per 1440 pixels, It shines with a brightness which exceeds 1000 cd/m2. This is much more than the previous generation and allows you to be used without any problem, even in direct sunlight.

You still have to know that basic It is set to display a definition in 1080p. You will have to go to the screen settings to modify the value to 1440p. But very honestly, there is quite little visual interest, especially that the lower the resolution, the more drums you save.

The slab is refreshed at an adaptive speed Between 10 and 120Hz. This allows for static image to save and go to 120 Hz, as soon as the phone really needs it. Unlike the Pixel 6 which had many bugs on adaptive speed, it is a success for the Pixel 7 Pro.

As for the quality of the slab and calibration, there is nothing to say. There is no chromatic aberration and colors in “natural” mode which remain faithful. In general it is a success and the Pixel 7 Pro manages to do better than its predecessor which was already very good.

Pixel 7 Pro with excellent performance

We get there in the technical part and difficult to judge the test. The performance is not already equal depending on the pixel 7 pro tested, what already detonates. Indeed, we have carried out an aberration, the storage of certain models is more or less fast. Using the PCMARK application we end up with score differences of 20,500 to 29000. A difference that can be explained by the fact that Google uses two manufacturers: Micron and SK Hynix. In practice, this is absolutely not noticeable, but it must be noted.

The Pixel 7 PRO incorporates the new Tensor G2 house chip. The 8 -core processor has 2 cores at 2.85 GHz, 2 cores at 2.35 GHz and 4 cores at 1.80 GHz. He is coupled with 12 GB of RAM and two storage options. First, the 128 GB version is the only one available. The orders For 256 GB will then be open. Even if storage via Google Photo notably allows you to store a large part of your library for free in the cloud.

In terms of processor, we compared it to Pixel 6, which has the same processor as the Pixel 6 Pro. Multicore power is up more than 50% and 40% in single core.

Google also announces A 60% increase in performance in artificial intelligence. If it is difficult to calculate it, the promises seem correct on certain benchmarks in Geekbench.

In use, the performance is excellent and I did not have No daily slowdown. Even in photo, the smartphone is capable of capturing and retouching every cliché much faster. The counterpart is a slightly high heating. If you play a 3D game or take a lot of photos in a row, the temperature increases very quickly. We can’t get to the point where we can no longer hold the phone, But it remains uncomfortable.

Audio on the Google Pixel 7 Pro

At the time of Pixel 3, one of the major assets of the phone was the two speakers on the front side in stereo. The sound was clear and above all went towards the user. Unfortunately from Pixel 4, Google abandoned the idea. We are therefore today with a main speaker at the bottom of the phone which is powerful, but that points to the side. The second speaker is the one used for calls and it is obviously too weak. Depending on the direction in which you will place your phone to watch a video, the lower part of the phone will always be stronger. A problem that seems to have become normal today.

For the microphone, it is very good for a smartphone. It allows in particular to use live transcription or translation functions. During calls there is nothing to complain about.

Here is the really smart smartphone

The Pixel 7 Pro obviously arrives with the latest version of Android 13. Like all pixel, you have The purest experience of Android. No overlay, this is Google’s vision in a phone made by Google. This is what is closest to what Apple does with its iPhone.

In the functions that only the pixel can offer, we find in particular the direct transcription via the “Recordur” application. The results were generally good on the Pixel 6, they are now stunning on the Pixel 7 Pro. To the point, where in full convention, the phone included better than me what the presenter explained.

This year Google adds facial recognition to its smartphone. It is not a version also advanced in 3D like the Pixel 4, but simply a basic unlocking. The result is rather convincing. For the fingerprint sensor, it is always found under the screen and is finally fast and efficient.

We also find basic, A screen video recorder directly from the parameter shutter at the top. A function that can be very practical and not requiring third -party application.

Still another unique feature on the pixel, it is permanently recognition of title. The Pixel 7 Pro is capable of detecting and finding, like Shazam, the title of music that you hear or listen. If you are at an evening, that you love music, but you have not had time, or even the desire to find it, your pixel already has it in its listening history.

the list is very long, But this is also what is the strength of Google Pixel 7 Pro: it’s a real smartphone.

The best smartphone for the photo

We have A dedicated article In the photo of the pixel 7 pro in the face of two serious competitors, the iPhone 14 pro and a professional camera. If sometimes there is a debate on the winner, the majority of time is the Pixel 7 Pro which prevails. Obviously faced with a reflex, This is a comparison at direct housing outlet and not with photo editing.

If you don’t want more details on the photo, you can stop at this sentence: the pixel 7 pro is the best smartphone for the photo. It’s a final victory, Especially with its new 48 megapixel zoom X5 sensor which captures even more details.

Let’s start with the two main sensors, the super wide angle and the wide angle. The two produce photos with a lot of details and fairly loyal colors. Colorimetry is often flattering, which corresponds well to the standards of social networks. In the middle of the day, difficult to miss a shot. We also note that the colors between the two sensors are almost identical. This trend follows with the zoom x5.

When you start to zoom, the first X2 level uses part of the X5 and complete with the main 50 megapixels. The rendering gives the impression that it is a dedicated telephoto lens and not a software work. For the zoom dedicated in X5, the dive is excellent And the colors are always so faithful. With its 48 megapixels, it allows you to go even further, going to X30. It is no longer a clear and precise photograph, but an extra solution to observe something. If the rendering is stunning for a smartphone, it cannot be said that it is clean. It is all the same a real feat of Google.

We can also do macro with the pixel 7 pro And the results are really professional. On this point, Google’s smartphone crushes the whole competition. The shots are rich, precise and the Bokeh magnificent.

For portraits you can use the dedicated mode or go to X5 zoom and add blurry in retouching. Quite honestly, I prefer the second cliché very far, with faithful proportions and natural blur. It is still an excellent first cliché, but the natural often prevails for portrait photos.

The selfie portrait mode also works wonderfully. The clutch is almost perfect. Even if we saw on our previous test, some failures. It will thus be preferable to take several shots, to ensure that you have at least one good.

Let’s spend at night. This is where the pixel 7 pro is a little more gap with the competition. The two photos are taken with night vision mode. The super wide angle captures a lot of reflections, but the final rendering is excellent. Same result for the Grand English which captures an incredible amount of information. By zooming, we realize that the details are always present.

For the X2 and X5 we find the same results as days. Which is very amazing for a smartphone with a small sensor. Thanks to the new Tensor G2 processor, the photos are actually faster to take, especially at night.

A hardy smartphone

Autonomy is one of the sensitive points of the Pixel 6 Pro. Google has recurred and offers a real day of intensive use. I stayed with the screen in 1080p mode and not 1440p and the Always On Display Activated. The latter consumes around 8% on a full load. The screen is also much brighter, the battery will be more quickly flat in an outdoor environment requiring more light.

We all have different daily newspapers with our phones, but the Pixel 7 Pro will be able to last a day without blinking for most people.

Where I’m a little disappointed, it’s recharging. Like last year, we have to be satisfied with 30 watts and no really fast charging. It will therefore take around 1:30 to refuel. In wireless it can go up to 23 watts, but via the second generation charging dock, sold 79 euros all the same.

Conclusion

Strong points

• Unique and successful design
• A MAGNIFICENT 120 HZ AMOLED screen
• Unique features in Google
• Solid autonomy of more than a day
• The best for the photo
• High -end performance

Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone test: a photo champion but also very versatile

The Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone represents the high -end at the American manufacturer. He has the new G2 Tensor G2 chip developed with Samsung to animate his very large 6.7 -inch screen, but also manage the photo sensors that are installed behind, promising magnificent shots. It also wants to be a smartphone as versatile as possible on a daily basis. With of course, the latest version of Android on board. We were able to test it for a while and here are our impressions.

Main technical characteristics:

• 6.7 -inch AMOLED screen, 1440×3120 pixels 120 Hz
• Chipset Google Tensor G2
• 12 GB of non -stretching RAM
• 128 or 256 GB of non -extensible internal storage
• Triple photo sensor 48+50+12 megapixels
• 10.8 megapixel front sensor
• Fingerprint reader under the screen
• SEETIER 5000 MAH Compatible load 30 watts
• Operating system: Android 13

Design

THE Smartphone design takes up that of last year. Indeed, still as original, it is still stamped with a large vertical strip behind its back which occupies the whole width of the device. This band is thinner And more worked than the previous model, which gives the phone an additional classy touch. Compared to Google Pixel 7, there is one more photo sensor under this band. Note that compared to the models of last year, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, only one color is offered on the back.

The rest of the smartphone’s back is completely flat, in glass, carrying the brand logo. THE Google Pixel 7 Pro is relatively massive. Count on a weight of 212 grams, which still represents the top of the basket. Its proportions are not the finest either, since it still measures 8.9 mm in profile.

When you go around the device, you can see that The volume button is still below the standby button, Both installed on the right profile. They are placed low enough so that it does not bother. On the other hand, by simply grabbing the phone, it wakes up its screen revealing the fingerprint reader which is installed below to place your finger on it. The reader is located about 3.5 cm from the lower edge of the smartphone, which is an ideal position, in our opinion. This avoids gymnastics of the thumb to put the finger on it. On the upper profile, there is a microphone, while the left edge contains the drawer for SIM cards. We can Use two simultaneously, But it is impossible to insert a memory card to increase phone storage capacity. Finally, on the lower edge, there is the USB-C port as well as two speakers.

The smartphone offers a its stereo which is relatively powerful and not very unbalanced. In the end, the sound delivered by the Google Pixel 7 Pro is completely correct for a device of this type.
Regarding connectivity, the Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone is Compatible with 5G and also offers 6th Wi-Fi, the fastest standard currently. It is also NFC and Bluetooth. There is therefore the necessary to communicate as quickly as possible, whether you are at home or in mobility situations. Worthy of its rank, The smartphone is IP68 certified, Which means that it is perfectly resistant to immersion under fresh water as well as dust.

A very large screen with not too rounded corners

The Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone therefore has a 6.7 -inch AMOLED LPTO screen diagonally. This is one of the largest screens on the market. But what scores immediately when you turn on the display surface is the fact that the four corners are really corners and are not too rounded, which is too often the case on curved slabs, like the offers Google’s smartphone. This gives The impression of having a larger display area, which is a good thing. Despite its curved character, it can be observed that there are always black edges on the side parts which are as thick as the upper and lower edges of the screen.

We have not seen a chromatic drift. The screen has a punch, at the very top which is surrounded by a black border. It houses the front photo sensor of the device. We take advantage of a maximum definition of 1440×3120 pixels or lower if we want to save battery. Thanks to its LPTO character, the slab on the screen allows you to have a variable refresh frequency between 10 and 120 Hz, Depending on the application used. Of course, the brightness can be adaptive. It is more intense than on the Pixel 6 Pro. In parameters, it is possible to choose between natural or adaptive colors. The two settings make a display completely satisfactory.

In use, the screen shows itself Extremely shiny, sufficiently bright indoors and outdoors. It can also offer a completely correct display in the darkness. Also note the support of HDR10 format+ for some streaming platforms that offer it.

Android 13 on board with the certainty of having the latest version

The advantage of having Google Pixel smartphones is that at least we are sure to have the latest version of Android, in this case Android 13 with the latest features offered by the Google system. The interface is still as purified, only with the functions and applications provided for by the American giant. Updating the Google Play system dated October 1, 2022 and the security update of December 5, 2022, which cannot be more recent. There are not as much innovations as between versions 11 and 12, but Android 13 offers excellent fluidity, many personalization parameters and in particular the possibility of making screenshots or translations from the manager of application. Some features will arrive on the device, the possibility of transcribing voice messages as well as a Free VPN.

A chip designed with Samsung, inside

The Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone has the New Tensor G2 chip engraved in 5 nm. This is the second generation of this processor developed in collaboration with Samsung. She is here associated with 12 GB of RAM Against 8 on the pixel 7. There is no possibility of drawing from the storage memory to make it a RAM as it is offered on other brands. Also note in passing that this chip integrates the Titan M2 security module which guarantees the confidentiality of the data recorded within the phone.
Self -confessions of the American giant, this processor is not there to compete with the very best on the board. It was really developed to make a perfect match between software and hardware in order to offer fluidity to foolproof as well as unpublished functions. In use, the smartphone has proven to be extremely fluidity During a course in the various menus and in navigation in general. At no time were there any jerks. Applications are launched with extreme velocity and you can switch from one to the other in less time than it takes to say it. As with other smartphones, we have submitted the Google Pixel 7 Pro to gross performance measurement tools in order to compare it to other market phones. Indeed, we can see that these are not the best performances that are proposed here, but that is largely enough for daily use for all tasks, even the most demanding. The smartphone also manages very well with regard to the execution of video games offering excellent playability and very good responsiveness. We can see, on the graph of CPU Throttling, that the chipset remains stable for almost the entire duration of the test (60 minutes) which is a very good thing. Here are the main results of other performance measures.

What’s worth in photography ?

The field of photography is a sector of activity where the Google Pixel 7 Pro is particularly awaited. Indeed, each year, the phones of the American giant are included Among the best photophones on the market With the Huawei and Apple models. We must not forget the Vivo and Xiaomi who sometimes manage to get out of the game in this area. Regarding the configuration, there is a Senior 50 megapixel sensor opening at f/1.9 optically stabilized. It is the same sensor as the Pixel 6 Pro from last year. A Sony IMX586 secondary telephoto lens sensor Of 48 megapixels doubly stabilized (digitally and optically) is also present allowing to offer a 5x optical zoom. Also note the presence of a Third sensor, 12 megapixel, a Sony IMX381 With Autofocus and there to manage the shots in ultra-angle mode which was already present on the Pixel 6 Pro. For selfies, Google Pixel 7 Pro uses a 10.8 megapixel sensor capable of taking ultra-angle photos. The camera application interface is very classic with options at the top left of the screen, the framing in the center as well as 4 levels of 0.5x, 1x, 2x and 5x zoom levels just above the button image trigger. Several modes are planned, from left to right, night vision, movement, portrait, camera, video and kinematics. The modes menu offers Panorama, Photo Sphere and Lens.

Note that the device has a Top Shot function that can be activated in certain circumstances. It allows you to take several photos of the scene and then, a posteriori, to choose the best image. There is also the possibility ofdelete an undesirable object Present in the photo, a posteriori, using magic gum. The zoom function is optimized thanks to algorithms of Deep Learning by artificial intelligence managing to offer clear images and rather well defined even at the most advanced level. This is particularly possible thanks to the Tensor G2 chip which plays a lot here for improving photos. The kinematic function allows you to apply a blurred background effect. Note that it is also possible to save videos in 10 -bit HDR.
The photos taken with the phone are truly beautiful. Here we have an extraordinary dive, an extremely wide dynamic range and the contours of perfectly defined objects. THE Zoom is a treat, perfectly contrasting and completely stabilized. Grand-angle fashion shots do not suffer from any major defect. The colorimetry is excellent as well as the details of the whole image. When it was released, Google’s smartphone was classified first of photophones by the DXOMARK laboratory before being caught up in the Huawei Mate 50 Pro.

Excellent autonomy, but a really slow charge

The integrated battery within the Google Pixel 7 Pro has a capacity of 5000 mAh. It is completely correct and corresponds to a capacity of a high -end smartphone. With such food, the phone keeps a day and a half without any problem and can sometimes even go a little further. We were completely satisfied on this point on the other hand, What is much more open to the smartphone’s load speed. Indeed, it supports a maximum of 30 watts in wired mode. Yes, you have read correctly, a high -end mobile takes charge less quickly than certain entry -level models. Certainly, he has the advantage of being able to be recharged wirelessly (But not very quickly at 23 watts with the Pixel Stand 2 charger only and 12 watts for others) and to offer the inverted load, But that has a hard time making us forget the slowness of its charge. Imagine that it is almost 1:45 to recharge it completely while some smartphones that will be released next year will ask about 9 min to perform the same operation. To top it off, know that no power block is supplied with the device.

Box contents

The Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable, a USB-A to USB-C adapter and an extraction tool for the SIM card drawer.

Our opinion

From our point of view, the smartphone Google Pixel 7 Pro is an excellent smartphone, Otherwise the smartphone of the year 2022. He offers a Extremely advanced velocity, This allows you to have no jerk and perfect fluidity when navigation in the menus. The performance, therefore, are perfectly there, The screen display is also excellent With very good brightness from its very large curved screen which can easily be tamed despite its size. Autonomy is completely satisfactory even if we can blame him for a very slow charge. For us, this is his only defect. We appreciate his tightness, worthy of its rank, and What about the photos he produces, surpassing the results we have been able to have from other smartphones.

Pixel 7 Pro test: Google gives a lesson to competition

Like every year in October, Google presents its new high -end smartphones. The Pixel 7 Pro is the new flagship of this cuvée 2022-2023. Its ambition is to hunt on the land of the sector’s cadors like the iPhone 14 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, it does not box in the same price category. After having tested it long, wide and through, here is our verdict.

01net’s opinion.com

Google Pixel 7 Pro

• + Original and high -end design
• + Very bright screen
• + Sufficient performance
• + Unpublished features and software support
• + An impressive camera block
• + Value for money

• – The quality of the speakers
• – Autonomy, a little fair
• – The load, slow.

Writing note

Note published on 21/10/2022

Technical sheet

Google Pixel 7 Pro

System	Android 13
Processor	Google Tensor G2
Size (diagonal)	6.7 “
Screen resolution	512 PPP

See the full file

Pixel smartphones may have a deficit in notoriety in relation to their competitors. But Google believes in it by offering a phone that puts, more than any other, artificial intelligence and automatic learning at the service of equipment with a simple objective: meet the needs of demanding users.

Google does not forget the technical characteristics of its smartphone. With its new Tensor G2 homemade chip and a more promising camera block than ever, the Pixel 7 Pro has good playing cards.

It also relies on its price positioning. By selling its high -end phone at the recommended price of 899 euros, Google sells its product several hundred euros less than the iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra when they release.

Assets that the American brand highlights through attractive launch offers and a massive communication campaign. Efforts that will only bear their fruit on a condition: offer an excellent smartphone.

So, the Google Pixel 7 Pro is the new reference of smartphones under Android ? The answer in our full test.

Google Pixel 7 PRO 128 GB at the best price basic price: € 899

A truly unique design

We are the first to say that all smartphones tend to be alike. On this point, Google is undoubtedly one of the manufacturers who has taken the most risk in recent years. After a few trial and error, the Pixel 6 and 6 pro seemed to have found their trademark: a camera block put forward by a bar which takes the whole width of the phone.

With its Pixel 7 PRO, Google transforms the test by integrating its three camera modules and the LED flash in a very good way to this “bar” which marries the frame of the phone and takes up the color. The two faces of the phone are made of Gorilla Glass Victus glass, the most resistant to this day. The back of the phone did not mark too much finger traces with the “sage green” color that we tested.

The positioning of the buttons as well as the slightly curved screen offer it a good grip. But do not be mistaken, with its 6.7 -inch diagonal and its 212 g on the scale, the Pixel 7 Pro remains a large smartphone which will not be easy to use in one hand. For more lightness and compactness, you will have to turn to Pixel 7 or Pixel 6a.

To do well, the Google Pixel 7 Pro is IP68 certified for resistance to dust, but also to water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes. Google also promises three years of major Android updates and five years of security update. What keep the phone for a long time, if you want it.

A word on a point that has grieved us: the speakers. Yes, the Pixel 7 Pro has stereo speakers, but they are far too unbalanced. It’s quite obvious when you listen to music or watch a video: the majority of the sound of the loudspeaker is on the lower slice of the phone. The one positioned between the selfie camera module and the edge of the screen delivers a muffled sound. Damage.

A very bright screen

The Pixel 7 Pro is equipped with a 6.7 -inch 120 Hz AMOLED slab with a QHD+ definition of 1440 x 3120 pixels. Suffice to say, a screen worthy of the best high -end smartphones.

We have decided to compare the Pixel 7 Pro to its predecessors and other smartphones between 600 and 900 euros which have passed within 01LAB in the past 12 months. The result is final, the pixel 7 pro is its 1,135 cd/m2 is the brightest screen in its category over this period, just in front of the Pixel 7 and well above the competition.

The colorimetry is also excellent with a default delta e less than 3. A minimal colorimetric drift which will be very difficult to perceptible. For people looking for the fairest colors, we recommend the “natural” color mode that you can activate in the settings to reach an excellent Delta E of 1.66. The colors will logically be less shimmering.

A word on the imprint reader under the screen. It is ideally placed to fall under the thumb and is reactive on a daily basis.

Largely sufficient performance

This year, Google introduces in its pixel 7 its new homemade chip: the Tensor G2. The American giant does not seek to compete with its competitors in terms of raw power. His strengths are elsewhere. Indeed, the Tensor G2 has above all been optimized to perform much faster tasks related to artificial intelligence and automatic learning. This is felt in the level of intelligent software features to which we come back a little lower.

Regarding raw performance, the Pixel 7 Pro is logically better than its elder in benchmarks. On Antutu 9, the high -end smartphone from Google is placed in a higher average. It is more powerful than Apple’s A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone SE 2022, but also of the MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max that we find in the Oppo reno of Oppo. On the other hand, the exynos 2200 of the Galaxy S22 and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 of the Xiaomi 12T Pro keep a good step ahead.

As you can see in the table above, 3D performance of the Pixel 7 Pro are not impressive. However, they allow you to play gourmet 3D games like Fortnite Mobile With high graphics, in 30 frames per second. Under these conditions, the phone heats a little, without it becoming worrying.

The Pixel 7 Pro is also much more stable than its predecessor since it manages to hold 73 % of its performance when it is strongly requested, against only 49 % for the 6 pro. Google’s new smartphone is therefore as well as the iPhone SE 2022 on this point. The Xiaomi 12T Pro remains the most stable in this price category with a score of 88 %.

An intelligent interface and new features

With its pixel 7, Google logically brings the latest version of its Android 13 OS. We find of course the interface Material You With its customization of colors according to its wallpaper, the “ultra energy saving” mode or the “proximity sharing” function. So many improvements that all Android 13 phones benefit.

But Google also offers “the pixel experience” that can be defined in two points. The first is the very “refined” side of the interface which gives this feeling of having only the most useful applications, information and features available.

The second lies in the unpublished features that Google has in store for its pixel smartphones. Some of them take full advantage of the new G2 Tensor chip to execute certain features more quickly. We think in particular of the automatic translation of conversations in different languages ​​or the transcription of audio messages which are done almost in real time.

The mode “Listening” is also very practical. This “passive shazam” allows you to display live the name of the artist and the song that the microphone captures in the room. Google ensures that all the registered information is stored locally on the phone and is never sent online. Another practical work, the possibility of shaking your phone to launch the selfie camera, or even research in audio recordings (which are automatically transcribed in text).

The brand also reserves some unprecedented features for its smartphones when using Google Photos. We particularly think of magic eraser to erase objects or people in the background or the possibility of “defly” a photo already taken.

These are just some of the countless very practical features offered by the Google Pixel who no doubt justify its name of “smartphone”.

Photos: The King’s return

The Google Pixel 7 Pro is equipped with a rear camera block composed of three modules, plus a selfie camera module at the front:

• Grand angle of 50 Mpx, 25 mm, opening f/1.9, optical stabilization.
• Ultra big angle of 12 Mpx with autofocus, angle of 128 °, opening f/2.2.
• 48 Mpx telephoto lens, 120 mm, f/3 opening.5, X5 optical zoom, optical stabilization.
• Ultra big angle selfie camera of 10.8 Mpx, 21 mm, f/2.2 opening.

On paper, the Pixel 7 Pro is therefore not the smartphone equipped with the most impressive cameras on the market. But Google goes master in the art of software processing thanks to its algorithms and machine learning. So much so that he delivers, at a time when we write these lines, one of the best smartphones in photo of the market.

Great angle, ultra grand angle and zoom

Compression of photo files you see here will surely do not honor their quality. That said, the Google Pixel 7 Pro manages very well the high lights and the shadows, thus offering excellent dynamics and photos always very well exposed. We recognize the rendering of pixel smartphones with well contrasting shots, but colors that remain natural.

In broad daylight, the white balance is always well adjusted. What ensure colorimetric continuity between the wide angle and the ultra-angle. The latter is spared by distortion in the corners, but fails to avoid a loss of quality on the edges of the image.

The “pro” model is distinguished from the classic pixel 7 by the presence of a telephoto lens offering an X5 zoom without quality loss. The promise is held with shots that do not have much to envy broader focal lengths. A result allowed by Google’s “Super Res Zoom” which captures several shots to assemble them and thus offer better quality.

To zoom X2, the Pixel 7 Pro performs a crop inside the 50 megapixel Grand-Angle sensor to extract a 12.5 megapixel photo. Between the X2 and the X5, the telephone merges images from the main module (Grand Angle) and the telephoto lens module, for a result without loss of quality.

From X5 to X10 zoom, we go on a digital zoom in the software processing and machine learning reel for a stunning result. From Zoom X10, the smartphone is reframed inside the 48 -megapixel telephoto sensor. Beyond (until X30), Google algorithms again take over.

The zoom X10 impressed us with its quality. We are not yet exactly in terms of quality of an optical zoom like that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but the Pixel 7 Pro is really not far away … simply with an X5 telephoto lens and an impressive software processing. The X30 zoom does not make a miracle, but most of the shots remain exploitable.

Macro

To activate the Macro mode of Pixel 7 Pro, you just have to get closer to the subject you want to photograph. The phone then automatically goes on the ultra-large-angle module and displays a small logo (a flower) indicating that you are in macro mode.

The presence of an autofocus on this module camera combined with the minimum focus distance of 3 cm allows you to take close -up shots with a good level of detail. You may not use it every day, but we appreciate its ease of use.

By night

The “Night vision” mode has participated a lot in the reputation of the Google Pixel in photo. By default, this shooting method is set on automatic. A good idea that once again allows you not to touch the interface to get a successful shot.

To illustrate its effectiveness, we have still taken photos in all focal lengths, with and without this activated mode. As you can see, the result is final. The level of detail is much higher and the digital noise is very limited for night shots. Google has also succeeded, thanks to its Tensor G2 chip, reduce break time, which allows you to quickly take night photos and thus avoid the movement when you capture a hand scene.

The observation is similar below, a detail. As you can see, the white balance changes completely from the X10 zoom. Indeed, the presence of yellow light and white light on the same scene seems to have confused the phone.

Portraits and selfies

Portrait mode, with the front and rear front module, is undoubtedly our biggest disappointment in photo. The applied software processing pushes the sharpness as much as possible, which sometimes brings out details that we do not necessarily want to see on a face.

We also see at the shoulder level in the photo below that the clutch is far from perfect. Finally, the background blur is far too linear to be realistic. In short, Google has accustomed us to better in the past and we hope that these problems will be resolved by a software update.

Without portrait mode on the left, with right.

Without portrait mode on the left, with right.

Videos

On the video side, the pixel 7 pro can film up to 4K at 60 images per second in all focal lengths, which is very appreciable. Stabilization works very well, the focus is effective and the colors are transcribed.

On the other hand, we found the videos a little under-exposed when the sun is missing, as you can see below. We also note that grain appears fairly quickly in the image, even in broad daylight. Despite its undeniable qualities on video, the iPhone keep a good step ahead of this point.

Autonomy: a big day

The Google Pixel 7 Pro is clearly increasing compared to the 6 pro in terms of autonomy. Our tests confirm it with two hours of additional endurance in versatile autonomy as on video. The battery of the 7 pro being almost identical to that of its predecessor, this improvement is to be put on the account of the new G2 tensor chip and the software optimization of Android 13.

Although he never dropped us before the end of the day, the phone is far from having crazy endurance. To have this big day of autonomy, we kept the default configuration: the Full HD+ screen and the “Always-on” mode of the screen deactivated. If you don’t seek the phone too much, you may be able to push it to a day and a half, no more.

No improvement, however, on the side of the recharge. In wired, it will not go beyond 30 W, enough to find 50 % battery in 30 minutes. For full recharge, count 1h40, which is very slow in 2022. Wireless recharge 23 W and reversed recharge for your accessories are also part. Important detail: you will not find any charger in the box.