Month: October 2022

Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones are finally a reality. But they face tough competition from Samsung’s Galaxy S22 lineup. In the Android world, the Pixel and Galaxy phones generally lead the way in the US market, so we’re anxious to put them side-by-side. For now, that means nitpicking spec differences, though we plan to fully review the new Google handsets in the days ahead.

Google Pixel 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22
Looking at the two lower cost phones first, we have the Pixel 7 and Galaxy S22. The price difference is stark: The Pixel 7 starts at $599, whereas the Galaxy S22 costs $799. That $200 in savings could easily make the Google device a more viable option for your budget. Both devices come with 128GB of storage but no microSD card slot. If you need more storage, the 256GB versions of the Pixel and Galaxy devices cost $699 and $849, respectively.

For power, the Pixel 7 uses the Tensor G2 chip and the Galaxy S22 runs on the top tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform. We still have to benchmark the new Tensor hardware before we can definitively declare a winner, but based on the first-generation Tensor’s performance, we expect similar overall output from the newer processor. Both phones stick with 8GB of RAM.

The Pixel 7’s 6.3-inch, 2,400-by-1,080-pixel screen is a little bigger than the Galaxy S22’s 6.1-inch, 2,340-by-1,080-pixel panel, but the pixel density is almost identical at 417 and 423 pixels per inch (ppi), respectively. The S22 does offer a higher refresh rate (up 120Hz), however, whereas the Pixel 7 maxes out at 90Hz.

Cameras are a huge factor for many in the smartphone buying decision. The Pixel 7 comes with a 50MP primary sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide lens, which matches up exactly with the Galaxy S22’s 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide unit. But the Samsung phone also includes a 10MP 3x telephoto lens, something the Pixel 7 doesn’t have. Google’s exclusive software features such as True Tone, Magic Eraser, and Face Unblur might be more important to you, however.

Connectivity isn’t much of a differentiator. Both phones support Wi-Fi 6E and the latest 5G technologies.

Google and Samsung both pledge five years of security updates for their phones, which means you should be safe through 2027. That said, Samsung promises four years of software version updates whereas Google offers just three. Something else to mull is whether you prefer Google’s clean version of Android or Samsung’s stylized OneUI.

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22+
The Google Pixel 7 Pro competes most closely with the Galaxy S22+. It starts at $899, whereas the S22+ sells for $999. Because of the similar price, the spec differences matter more here than in the previous comparison.

Both phones come with 128GB of internal storage and don’t offer any storage expansion. If you want more space, Google offers 256GB and 512GB versions for $999 and $1,099, respectively. Samsung charges $1,049 for a 256GB version of its phone but doesn’t have a 512GB variant.

The processor specs (listed above) are the same: The Pixel 7 Pro uses the new Tensor G2 chip and S22+ runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform. Interestingly, the Pixel comes with 12GB of RAM while the Galaxy stays with 8GB of memory.

The Pixel 7 comes with a 6.7-inch, 3,120-by-1,440-pixel QHD+ screen and the Galaxy S22+ has a 6.6-inch, 2,340-by-1,080-pixel panel. Google easily takes the resolution win (513ppi compared with 390ppi), but both phones have a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.

Both handsets offer a 50MP main sensor and 12MP ultra-wide camera, but the Pixel 7 Pro adds a 48MP telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom and up to 30x Super Res Zoom. The Galaxy S22+ features the same 10MP 3x telephoto lens as the base S22.

Connectivity shouldn’t be an issue with either: Each supports the latest 5G and WiFi 6E standards.

On paper, the 7 Pro offers better specs across the board and costs less. But we still want to wait for a chance to complete a full review before we make any definitive conclusions. Again, a choice between stock Android and Samsung’s One UI could factor into your decision. And keep in mind that you get that extra year of software feature updates with Samsung.

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At a glance, Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro might seem like minor upgrades from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. But I got a chance to spend some time with the phones at Google’s launch event in Brooklyn, and while they look similar, several under-the-hood improvements should help differentiate them from their predecessors in at least a few key ways.

Appearance: Mostly the Same
When held side by side, the new Pixels hardly look different from the old Pixels. These phones are tall and slim glass sandwiches, with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back, and recycled aluminum in between. The glass features rather steep curves along both the back and front edges. While this smoothes over the feel of the phones when holding them, it erodes the screen real estate a little bit.

The Pixels feel strong and nicely made. They don’t meet any sort of rugged specifications, but they are rated IP68 for protection from dust and water (as all flagship phones should be).

The color palette is a little different this year. The smaller Pixel 7 is available in Lemongrass, Obsidian, or Snow, while the larger 7 Pro is available in Hazel, Obsidian, or Snow. Snow and Obsidian might as well be called white and black, while Lemongrass is a pale yellow and Hazel is a deep, nutty, brownish gray. All of the shades feature a glossy finish rather than matte, which some may like and others may not. The phones are certainly a bit slippery and heavy.

One of the most distinctive visual features of the phones is the Camera Bar that rides across the rear panel. The Camera Bar was a raised glass ledge on the Pixel 6 family. This year, Google replaces the glass with an aluminum strap that should be less breakable. That said, I liked the glass and am not sold on the aluminum look yet.

The screens are excellent. The Pixel 7 has a 6.3-inch screen with 2,400 by 1,080 pixels and a 90Hz refresh rate. That’s a little smaller than last year’s, but just as quick with the refreshing. The 7 Pro’s display is larger at 6.7 inches and more pixel-rich with 3,210 by 1,440 pixels. It’s also faster, with an LTPO OLED that cycles from 1Hz up to 120Hz to balance power use and smooth experiences. They both look luscious in person, with bright color and plenty of brightness (1,400 and 1,500 nits for the 7 and 7 Pro, respectively). Google keeps the bezels in check, though there’s a slight chin on both phones. The selfie camera is visible in a small punch hole at the top.

Buttons are kept to a minimum. There’s just a power key and volume toggle on the right edge, the same as last year’s phones. The action of the keys is very good, though the buttons have a rather flat profile that might make them harder to locate in a hurry. You won’t find a headphone jack, but there’s a speedy USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port on the bottom. A physical SIM tray is tucked into the left side of the phone, and the Pixels also support eSIM.

Engines of Creation
The new Google Tensor G2 system-on-a-chip is what makes the Pixel family go. Google explained all the upgrades in its custom chip this year, though they are not as extravagant as they could be. This octa-core chip has two performance cores, two midrange cores, and four efficiency cores to balance out tasks and battery life. Surprisingly, Google is sticking with the Cortex X1 for its high-performance cores rather than the newer X2. The company also keeps clock speed improvements to a minimum. The Tensor G2 also gets an improved Titan M2 security coprocessor, a second-generation Tensor Processing Unit, and other nips and tucks—all of which are meant to help with features that rely on machine learning and artificial intelligence.

It’s hard to glean just how improved the performance is after only a few moments, but we tested some of the new camera features and came away impressed. For example, Photo Unblur can take old, out-of-focus photos, apply machine learning algorithms, and sharpen them up in a way you might not think was possible. The camera now also supports Cinematic Blur when shooting video, which allows the camera to focus sharply on the subject and softly blur the background. While the iPhone and other Android phones have offered this feature for a while, it’s nice to see it come to the Pixel line.

Other under-the-hood goodies include upgraded 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth radios, and expanded GPS support. We can’t wait to explore these features in detail as we spend more time with the phones.

The Pixels ship with Android 13, of course, which is further enhanced by the stock software experience available to Google’s own devices.

The phones are available for preorder now and reach store shelves on October 15. The Pixel 7 starts at $599 and the Pixel 7 Pro starts at $899. We look forward to testing them, so make sure to check back soon for our full reviews. Until then, head over to our hands on with the Pixel Watch, Google’s first smartwatch, to see how it stacks up to offerings from Apple and Samsung.

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