Google Pixel 7a review: can it replace my Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The nicest thing is when you have no expectations at all and are then pleasantly surprised. That’s how it was for me with the Google Pixel 7a. A smartphone for a €509 RRP with wide display bezels: I immediately had all the drawers open, with a bad battery, an even worse camera, low-level performance, a pixelated display and tinny speakers. The Pixel 7a is definitely a flagship killer and forces you to rethink. The question is: can it replace my Galaxy S23 Ultra, which costs almost three times as much, as a daily driver?

Where you make compromises

• Display bezels: On the 6.1-inch OLED display they are a turn-off at first glance, wide and thicker at the bottom than at the top. After about three minutes and with dark mode, you no longer see them. I didn’t expect that.
• Brightness: At 1,000 nits the display is not top of the class. In direct sun it is still reasonably readable, but I would spare myself watching a video there.
• Refresh rate: 90 Hz instead of 120 Hz. The difference is barely noticeable. Only 60 Hz is switched on from the factory, you have to enable 90 Hz in the settings. Definitely do that, the difference is dramatic.
• Charging: only at 18 watts, weak.
• Camera on paper: 64 megapixel wide-angle, 13 megapixel ultrawide, no macro mode, 13 megapixel selfie camera. Videos are possible in 4K at 60 fps.
• Buttons: pretty clicky, not to say loud.

With the Pixel, the magic doesn’t happen on paper but in the Google software, and it does a really good job. The hardware is not top of the class, but the software makes sure the results turn out really good. I think that’s a great concept: Google keeps the price low through the hardware and gets good results out through the software. Some companies do it the other way around, using very expensive hardware, and the results are still just so-so.

What I like

• Unlocking: The fingerprint scanner works about 92 out of 100 times, face recognition 95 out of 100 times. At home I use Smart Lock anyway.
• Battery: 4,385 mAh. I safely get through the day with at least four hours of screen-on time. Not more, but not less either, which is perfectly fine for me.
• Display: flat, with 429 ppi, more than on the Pixel 7, because at the same resolution the 7a has a slightly smaller display.
• Design: The aluminum camera bar gives the Pixel 7a the unmistakable Pixel look and stability. The design is far from the kids’ toy look of the Pixel 4 and 5 and gets more high-end from version to version.
• Buttons: The power button and volume rocker sit closer to the middle of the frame. With my small hobbit hands, I don’t have to do the splits to turn the volume up.
• Performance: The Google Tensor G2 with 8 GB RAM runs super smoothly. The device fits into the growing Pixel ecosystem, with the Pixel Watch, Pixel Buds Pro and the new Pixel Tablet.
• Software: Stock Android takes some getting used to, I like Samsung a bit better. I can’t get used to the 90s-style emojis. Google could put an intern on that for half an hour.
• Speakers: The stereo speakers are surprisingly loud, even if they could be a bit fuller. Watching videos is fun.
• Google features: Magic Eraser, sharpening, Night Sight, Google Assistant, the best speech-to-text input, Live Translate. The display turns on via a motion sensor when you get close to the smartphone.
• Updates and protection: three years of version updates, five years of security updates, IP67 against dust and water. There is wireless charging, but no Powershare.

Can it replace the Galaxy S23 Ultra?

In performance and features, yes, I don’t miss anything major there. But I do miss the razor-sharp Dynamic AMOLED display of the S23 Ultra.

Something else that bothers me: the Pixel 7a has a brushed aluminum frame and a plastic back, so everything you need for low weight. Still, it weighs 193 g. My Z Flip4 weighs 187 g, the iPhone 14 only 172 g, so about 20 grams less. If I reach for a compact smartphone and make compromises on display and battery, I also want the benefits, such as lower weight.

Verdict

If weight doesn’t matter to you, the Pixel 7a gets you a solid alternative to the expensive flagships. For me it unfortunately isn’t an option because the weight is too high for its size, so the search for a new compact daily driver goes on.