Google Pixel 7a One Month Review | Why Go Flagship?

Reviewing the Google Pixel 7a after a month, including upgrades vs the Pixel 6a and an in-depth camera test. This deep dive also covers the gaming performance, overheating issues, battery life and the Pixel 7a's slick stock Android experience. You can grab this phone from Google for £449 in the UK, right now.
If you're after a flagship style smartphone but can't afford the 7 or 7 Pro, then this is a great alternative that boasts impressive specs. While it's different camera hardware slapped on the back, the Pixel 7a can still capture good looking natural pics at almost any time of day. That's helped by the same Tensor G2 chipset running the show, offering impressive image processing.
Battery life is one of the weak points, as my review device still only just makes it through a long day on a single charge. However, you get nearly the same software experience on the Pixel 7a as the 7 Pro, with those excellent Google exclusive features. Likewise, that design may be plastic now but this mid range phone looks and feels as good as the flagship models.
SO that's my review of the Pixel 7a after a month of play, stay tuned for long term thoughts later in 2023. Let us know your own impressions below!
Google Pixel 7a Review Chapters:
0:00 - Get on with it!
0:36 - Design
2:44 - Software & features
4:28 - Display & audio
6:10 - Performance & gaming
7:32 - Battery life
8:35 - Cameras
11:24 - Verdict

[@TechSpurt]

Thanks for checking out my Pixel 7a one month review! If you've got one of your own, let us know what you reckon - is it as good as I say, or am I spewing a bunch of badger barse?

[@realcartoongirl]

but pixel phone no HEIC and h265

[@Thommadura]

Just after Xmas, I got a deal on a Pixel 7 Pro for $399 which I happily moved on. So I think it is a better choice than the 7a. However - for most people are not gamers and a 7a is plenty of power for most things. The Smartphones have now evolved beyond the needs of the average user who can now keep their old phone longer or buy lower than Flagship without even noticing a difference.

[@camotech1314]

@@Thommadura you are correct, most people these days would be happy with a mid range phone costing 300 credits.

[@INFINITEVOID7099]

links to the wallpapers ...can u give it or pin it down here ?

[@gautamkapahi]

I picked up the 7a for around $400 a month ago in India. Mostly agree with your review but I must say, that this thing gets hot real quick in an Indian summer and throttles camera performance dramatically!

[@xblurr]

I'm a corny Pixel fanboy but I live by the rule of Never buy Google Products until they're on sale. They often are.

[@realcartoongirl]

cus they are so lousy

[@The_Spooky_Boi]

Yo corny pixel fanboy help me out, will a pixel 7 last me 4 years, ( I do a bunch of gaming ) I've heard that tensor chip is behind and the battery sucks Is that true??? LIKE I WANT MY PHONE TO LAST HALF THE DAY ATLEAST

[@xblurr]

@@The_Spooky_Boi Battery life always depends on the user. If you're gaming hours and hours, any phone will deplete fast. I have the 6a, I do alot of video streaming/surfing web and my screen time averages 8-9 hours and I occasionally charge a little bit (for an extra 10 percent) in the middle of the day. But I probably don't have to charge. I can home from a workday with 30 percent if I'm just on my phone the whole time (don't tell my boss). That's without charging during the work day. Basically, if you are looking for a Pixel with good battery life I would go with 7a or 6a. The 7a will be supported a year longer than the 7.

[@chillaxo9863]

​@@The_Spooky_Boi what is your Budget?

[@The_Spooky_Boi]

@Ryan Schwarz barely being able to get pixel 7 😅

[@MF_OXF]

Bought the P7a for my mother and am currently testing it before I pass it to her. Man oh man, the phone is amazing! Amazing camera, great all day battery life, doesn't get warm (only the first week). I have an s23u and an iPhone 14pm and I'm definitely loving the pixel more, compact, snappy and just does everything you need it to do

[@utkarsh144]

P7a camera fells amazing even after coming from s23u?

[@curtislegros4521]

you like more then 14 pro max?

[@MF_OXF]

@@utkarsh144 it definitely does! Talking about the main camera alone though

[@funkam0nkey]

Both the Mrs one and she’s getting 4-5 hours SoT on an average day. Charging it by 6pm.

[@rico4you]

GOT my 7a Coral 3 weeks and love it...this is one underrated device that delivers a punch...no heating,6hour SOT, great call quality, smooth as butter screen, fingerprint sensor did 4 and face detect works great...real pleased overal.l

[@Fallen_Angels]

I might have a less popular opinion in terms of the Pixel 7A bezels. I usually install screen glass protectors on my phone. Phones with smaller bezels tend to never actually go to the edge of the display. I love that the pixel 7A actually has some bezels for this reason. For example most screen protectors I got for my pixel 2XL and Pixel 4XL would never cover the display. I know there's a whitestone dome that does it but they're not as affordable as the Amazon 3packs running for under $20.

[@gundalfthelost1624]

I prefer bezels as well. I have rather huge hands and on phones with edge to edge screens I always struggle with accidental screen taps, starting apps and stuff. Bezels help prevent that.

[@mattsanchez4893]

Nice update Chris, if I didn't already own a Pixel 7, I'd upgrade to this phone. Oh and no issues with brightness on the 7.

[@sp5141]

Kudos to you for the great review and for the fact that you have Born of Osiris on your playlist!

[@TechSpurt]

Love those lads, so many good albums!

[@timbo3178]

I am pleased to have changed back to Android after a year and a half of having an iphone. I like the Pixel 7a even though I was advised to get the Pixel 7. It does. Everything I need it to.

[@nicknorthcutt7680]

The pixel series this go around really looks amazing. Especially considering the price, its hard to go wrong it seems.

[@user-jz5me4ek4w]

That was an awesome, super helpful review. Thanks!

[@johnmason5626]

As always, a great review Uncle Spurt.

[@galactikeur]

Been loving your reveiws recently! I'm trying to pick up a middle-priced "blower" as you say ;) Btw that's a great band there, Mindwar, gotta love your belgian hardcore

[@fleuger99]

Great review! Lots of interesting details and your experiences. I have a 4a so thinking it might be time to upgrade but I'm going to wait till Christmas time where Google here in the US typically offers $100 off. If I can snag one for $399 it would be great. Keep the great reviews coming.

[@Barbarapape]

I was tempted but since i use my phone outside for most of the day the weak display was just not an option. The Pixel 8 is due in about 4 months so i will wait and see how it improves on the 7. If nothing else the 7 should drop to a more affordable price.

[@TurpinTime75114]

An unbiased and strikingly informative review. Thank you.

[@jasongrimshaw-smith8369]

10:45, spot the groupie. She went for it! Pixel 7a might be my s10 replacement. But its missing an uSD card slot and 3.5mm. I may compromise. Thanks for the video, very helpful

[@dthegeneral3102]

Love your review man you definitely earned my subscription ! I'm Watching on my 4a Definitely going to be getting the 7a next love that plastic back would be giving me more grip using that phone ! 🔥💪🏾😤

[@Acecryz]

Never thought I’d see Onodera from Nisekoi as one of the wallpapers you’d use.

[@boddie2008]

What a brilliant and very funny review. I bought the 7a a month ago and this guy is spot on with the many pros and few cons. Occasional hip flask....🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@andrew257]

Great video as usual. I'm interested in picking this up (€400 with my service provider) although also interested in the Oppo Reno 10 5G (30 quid less). Torn, and looking for advice on which is the better buy! Currently using my phone a lot for pics, bit of browsing, etc. Which would you recommend?

[@DemetriLoizou]

Currently £50 off from Google store in the UK until 18th July. Still love my 4a but it's about to stop getting updates, so I'm very tempted!

[@MRJLS15]

I have honestly been enjoying mine so much. It's surprise me like sometimes I forget it's not the flagship one

[@soumick6617]

Damn man I love your choice of wallpaper

[@michaeldavies223]

I really want a pixel! Might have to grab this when it's on sale

[@whatthearthur8660]

I have one question, where do you get your wallpapers, btw I bought the 6a after looking at your reviews

[@lightofawareness108]

Nice job - thanks!

[@meltedmatt3]

Great review. I've had my Pixel 7 for a month and love it. Was a good deal so went for it over the 7a. Can i ask where you get all the Anime wallpapers from? They always look awesome! Cheers 🍻

[@kashiffarid8175]

hi. please make a full-length comparison b/w Pixel 7a and Galaxy A54. It's a natural comparison, other channels have made videos on this, but I want your take on it!

[@microcolonel]

I personally prefer big bezels, and the new a model is finally usable for me since it supports dual sim mode (which was what kept me on the 4a all this time)

[@sk-sm9sh]

no-bezel are just fashion, there is no any practical benefits coming out of having 1mm extra space at the edge, in fact from all practical means bezels are useful to have

[@HeyHaunt]

same i like it

[@danjewitt-davis3361]

I have been using my pixel 7a for 3 weeks and It does everything I want it to. On Saturday 10 it did come up with a heat warning so I turned it off for 5 min and it did cool down pretty quick.

[@idabfrienna]

Im planning to get my dad to buy the 5a! Im a forever fan of pixel. I just am in love with its stock android skin and the design of the later phones.

[@mrtee183]

Bought this on day of release and love it!. Perfect in the pocket, fantastic snaps and a decent screen. Only one downfall for me and that's the battery. Still not getting a full day out of it but to be fair I'm start work early on a morning and this is more than likely the reason!

[@KungFuToaD]

how much do u have in the tank when u get back home? and r u a heavy user

[@jimibaked4235]

​@@KungFuToaDif ur a heavy user and always have ur phone in ur hand u will be disappointed the slow charge ect will annoy the crap out of u ,, it's a shame because it is a great phone otherwise

[@nouasislam4809]

which app you are used for wallpaper??because they are amazing😍

[@SusanChan]

thanks for the review! I have been watching videos about google pixel and xiaomi phones all they long and torn between pixel 7(A) or xiaomi 13T - where I live they are almost the same price - I love how google phones are clean software side, but I love the features and customization (and camera) for xiaomi - what would you suggest?

[@cgonzalez82]

Love my Pixel 7a, went all in with the Pixel watch and buds pro and couldn't be happier!

[@KungFuToaD]

hows battery life?

[@gundalfthelost1624]

​@@KungFuToaDFull day without issue for me. No heating issues either.

[@jamiesplinter8758]

​@@gundalfthelost1624mine started fine now overheats easily glad im still within the Amazon return window

[@TheDevarshiShah]

does its back easlity scratch like 6A? _and also, from where you download those cool anime wallpapers!?_ 😉

[@lourdesjimenez3164]

Thanks for the info. God bless u always. 😊

[@dhonijames6195]

wow... those pics are mind-blowing....

[@devinrobertson5251]

Seeing a concert next month. Need fast advice. The room will be somewhat dark- will this be good for video capturing during concerts? (Dim lights and audio?)

[@MrOrangerider]

Great review! I'm a Pixel fanboy and after an ill-judged (but necessary) purchase of a Samsung, which did not have a happy ending, I'm purchasing a Pixel 7a tomorrow. I'm probably more excited than I should be.

[@colinnicoll9169]

Pixel 7A, great size with decent performance and wireless charging. No problem with the plastic back as I usually use a Spigen case. The storage looks the only issue to me though my current phone only has 128Gb too . I'll be looking to replace my Pixel 5 later in the year once the security updates have run out

[@Reptiles200]

You should definitely get it. I have it. It's excellent. Phone the best Google phone I had so far and I had the Google 4A 5g and Google Pixel 6 best one is Google Pixel 7A

[@James-xy6ue]

The fingerprint sensor is trash

[@Reptiles200]

@@James-xy6ue not really not to me

[@boyasaka]

Does it come with the wireless charger?

[@jamiesplinter8758]

​@@boyasakait has wireless charging capabilities but u have to buy the wireless charger separately and its only 7.5 watts for wireless so super super slow

[@jasonmcmeekin2214]

Hey Chris the pixel 7a comes with screen protector mode I gonna guess you turn it on before you install the glass screen protector as for not be able to remove the search bar nova launcher and screen brightness I've got sunlight mode on my redmi Note 10 pro maybe Google should do something like that for future pixels it works like a champ on my phone and I can sunglasses and still see the screen

[@t_leite]

Unfortunately Google priced it way too high compared to the 6a, I just couldn't justify myself the 150€ price difference so I picked up a 6a last month, can't recommend it enough, best phone I've ever had

[@Shazzar_]

Too high? Lol

[@t_leite]

@@Shazzar_since I've bought the 6a for 325€, it's almost a 200€ price difference, in my math that's way too much

[@fuad000100]

6a is still a phenomenal phone

[@SimaStrahota11]

Where are you from?

[@t_leite]

@@SimaStrahota11 🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹

[@nightrunnerks]

I got a Pixel 7 for the price of a 7A from a sale. The water resistance is the main reason why. I live in Canada with a lot of rain and snow. It's a must tbh.

[@TechSpurt]

Ha, feeling you on that one!

[@Meower2621]

Pixel 7A is also water resistant tho.

[@nightrunnerks]

@@Meower2621 the IP rating is higher on the pixel 7. My pixel 5 survived everything from snow banks, hail, pools and lakes.

[@Meower2621]

@@nightrunnerks Oh damn, i ordered pixel 7A, i hope it survives.

[@yensteel]

Where did you buy it? I'm not in the US, so it's gonna be a little harder to find a good deal

[@bengt_axle]

Is there any way to create profiles? That is to say, to disable the radio, keep the phone unlocked etc. when in a certain hardware profile or when in a certain location, all with just a press of a button?

[@Imstarshine]

Wish they would put a 5000mah battery and at least 25W charge 👁️👅👁️ they get better battery performance as tech improves, but then make the battery smaller to negate the gain! Pfffft

[@codiusprime]

I'm really enjoying the phone save for a couple issues. I do find the battery life a little wanting, this doesnt really present a problem given I usually have access to a charger but it's something to keep in mind. I also find that it gets a little warm at times. It's getting pretty hot here where I live (this week is all 100+ days) and I'm definitely noticing it running hot depending on what I'm doing. Beyond that I've encountered very few bugs and no showstoppers. The camera is absolutely top notch and easily bests my flagship Samsung from a couple years ago. Overall it was a great purchase, for my uses this phone is exactly what I need.

[@SpikeXtreme]

Had mine for a few weeks and i agree the battery life was really bad. The only 'problem' i have is the 'mobile data not on' exclamation mark in the signal strength triangle. It's just a little disconcerting seeing it there and even the vodafone staff say it's normal, i wish it would bugger off. It doesn't disappear when the wifi is connected so it's either a vodafone glitch or a android 13 one. Might try O2 one day just to get rid of it.

[@lurkmerchant]

My pixel 7a has the same issue. And I'm with vodafone.

[@sideral3094]

Which one do you recommend to buy because I'm wondering between 6A and 7A

[@stevenfolsom1596]

Ok dude, spill the sauce. Where are you getting these wallpapers?

[@CrCrdcrmn]

I got one and it's great !

[@SyedAdnanFarogh]

Where do you get these cool wallpapers?

[@booker1232]

Enjoying my pixel 7a so far. Needed some wireless earbuds so getting the promotion for the pixel buds pro seemed worth it to me. I'm sure the 7a will go on sale in the future to dip down to under 400 quid and a lot of people will ease on the "it's a better deal to get the discounted pixel 7" argument. I just went for it on launch since I doubted that I would find the pixel 7a and the pixel buds pro both on sale to total more than 100 quid of saving.

[@pineapplepizza5733]

Amazon here in germany had a pixel 7 and pixel buds pro combo deal for €599 which is crazy good if you look at the fact that the pixel 7a costs €509

[@hemera5491]

Do you have heating issues?

[@booker1232]

@@hemera5491 No not really. Only gripe I have with the phone is that the speakers are a bit quiet compared to other phones.

[@karan_sharma95]

Can u share the wallpapers link, really love those anime wallpaper.

[@hman1801]

Pixel phones just feel phenomenal to use and then the camera is just on another level from anything else out there.

[@1212780]

Please do a camera comparison of moto edge 40

[@chrisjenkins9613]

Great phone from Google with additional features - But why isn't the Hold for Me feature Not available in the UK??. I see Hold for Me is only available in Australia, Canada and US, Why??

[@ahmd5]

How did the Pixel 7a compares to the Moto edge 40? They are similar price

[@user-ku6yz3cy1i]

what's that basketball movie playing on some clips? I've seen it around but never caught its name.

[@mikaelbourne1363]

Hey mate Any updates on the next Redmi Note?

[@HILDEGARDO2]

What about wireless charging and does it work with a micro SD-cart? Thx, great video as allways ❤

[@me5425]

Yes and no

[@life-pm5xl]

I don't like the narrow screen and chunky bezels. I wouldn't mind the thick bezels if the screen wasn't so narrow.

[@JVC0313]

Hey brotha where do you get your wallpapers from

[@hunterxlabs9563]

where do you get your wallpapers from?

[@dbjungle]

I pre-ordered it. I like it, but it doesn't blow me away in the same way that the 6a did except for the camera. However, this is coming from a 6a and not something older.

[@kiarashnemat9968]

We got it free and only paid for the subscription (mobile data, telephone etc). We paid only 50 SEK!!! So worth it! Usually free phones in Sweden are not usable but the fact that this was is great!

[@markmitchenall5948]

Does it have digital compass to make likes of stellarium more useful?

[@emmanuelced12]

Hey, I got the phone for a little over a week. And the most annoying problem I have is how fast the battery drains. I barely get 7 hours or normal use and about 5 hours of straight screen time. I'm not sure if the battery is defective or if that's how it is made.

[@praba64]

Having connectivity and call drop issues. Wifi speed also less when compared with other brands at the same location.

[@amodkhare9365]

Using pixel 7a for a month.. liking it 👍🏻

[@user-sh7fo9nk6d]

where do you get those wallpapers from?

[@user-nz7ng4xy1x]

I have one and I'm really happy with it

[@Cleisthenes607]

You can tell its warm weather. The usual orangey pink glow of the Anglo when exposed to excess sunlight. Hot nights are too much.

[@wyterabitt2149]

You might need to go back to school if you think white people are just "Anglo", given that being white is the only thing that you talking about here pmsl

[@Mia-Taylor-Love-Live]

Nisekoi! It sure has been a while.

[@bluebettarapgod748]

Will you also do a Poco F5/pro one month review?

[@Marekval]

Yes please!🎉

[@bethrussell9458]

BRILLIANT!!! Luv ya Uncle Spurt!! 💋

[@bubnjarserbianac903]

They should do a version with biger memory, 128 gb is ok but not enough for me, that is why i choose motorola edge 30 fusion over pixel 6A

[@blurryladuk]

Although this looks like a big improvement on the 6a I just made the decision to leave the Pixel world, the level of customisation is terrible not being able to remove the search bar, the insistence on pastel colours and the annoying home screen grid with at a glance. Also have never loved the Camera bar, my Pixel 7 was better than the 6 but just don't like it. Even Samsung stopped using their own chips in their premium phones probably shipping them all to Google.

[@OnlineEnglishSpeakingClub]

Looking to go back to the Pixel, but dropping down from a Xiaomi battery and ultra charging.... I'll wait until the battery and charger enter 2023.

[@syedrehanfida]

I want the phone but it isn't sold in my country. If I were to import it, the tax would make the cost 2x - 3x. Sadge

[@bambinoesu]

Trying to pick between this or the honor magic 5 lite?

[@elperroreggae]

The larger Pixel 7 Pro has even less battery life, so I'm not sure of the size thing

[@robertheron7017]

I got the 6a when it came out wish i had of preorder it ti get the buds,but i love the pixel it was my first one but getting the 8 pro before the 9 comes out,one thing i wish pixels would charge faster and louder

[@fahianhaque4413]

I'm getting curious about what was in the flask. Water????

[@mauricio909slipknot]

I ended up picking up a Google pixel 7a brand new unlock for $150 and I'm loving it

[@ryancaunce3142]

Waiting for my p7a to arrive, going from a mi10t lite im worried as the specs are so good on my mi10t, will come back eith a reply soon

[@Piyush-ci9vx]

I'm confused about which one I should get pixel 7 or 7a , in my country both are at the same price

[@marksouthwell4490]

I actually purchased a 7a. Initially I didn't like the 7 series design, but the design grew on me to a point where I really like it . Got mine brand new from Argos during the black Friday deal sales, plus used a few Nectar points, for a grand total of £279. To me the battery is great, lasts me a day ( for my type of use) it doesn't overheat ( I'm from the UK) Re- display auto peak brightness I find it really good . I discovered you have to let auto brightness adapt and learn your usage, and then the brightness will really zoom up- definitely a tad over 1000 nits. It' appears to have a brighter peak brightness than my other phone which claims to reach 1200 nits. So clear and easy to see during really bright sunny conditions.

[@SeaUsername]

was the phone £279 ? or was that the price with your nectar points deducted?

[@marksouthwell4490]

@@SeaUsername mixture of black Friday deal and Nectar points shaved some off the price ☺️

[@harrybonney5059]

Managed to get a refurbished model on Ebays January sale for 250! I'm really excited to get started on it!

[@ssrprashant91]

All said and done this is the perfect midranger but one point that many ignore is it does get quite hot especially here in the tropics. Before u bash me i own the pixel 7 and i face this issue quite often.

[@jamiesplinter8758]

Pal i really liked my pixel 7 A it started of fantastic but what ever Google did it started to get hot for no real reason the ear piece got 🔥 so i couldn't put it to my ear i had to return it to Amazon i only had it afew days shy of 30

[@mattchapman5941]

My wife and i each upgraded from the 6a to the 7a. We each greatly regret it. The reviews on this devixe all seem so great bit we cant hardly make it to 8pm wothout needing to charge. We have done all the updaes and the battery life is really quite awful. We are not power users by any means, but this battery is just no good. The wireless chargng cant even aintain a charge if you use mavigation while driving, let alome actually charge your phone. I loved the 6a. It was amazing and i am very dissapointed about the 7a. I dont understand why all the reviews say its so great. If you uave a 6a, I would keep it.

[@mattwood3157]

Thanks for your comment. I've been in the habit of trading in our pixels for the new release each year (me and the wife currently have 6a's) mines starting to look a bit aged so thinking of trading in again... But I'm ok the fence. So thank you for your input on this video

[@mattchapman5941]

@@mattwood3157 You're welcome! I never leave comments or reviews but I am so disappointed in this phone. I did reach out to Google and they will replace it under a warranty claim. I hope I just got a defective phone but it seems the real world reviewers, aka the ones not getting free phones, all say the battery is the limiting factor for this device.

[@mattwood3157]

Just an update. I agree. Pixel 7a as an "upgrade" from the 6a isn't worth it. I changed mine as my 6a has had a bit of a rough year. So wanted a fresh phone. But yeah... Isn't really an upgrade. Will recommend my wife keeps her 6a until the next releases

[@delixmulenga6631]

Where do you get those wallpapers 🥺

[@Alex_C_28]

Would you recommend buying the Pixel 7a or the last year Pixel 6a?!

[@marktaylor314]

So I have a pixel 6 and it's old and the battery doesn't last now. I didn't want to pay for the pixel 8 and I dont see too much difference between 7 and 7a so, I've ordered the white one and it arrives tomorrow!

[@karenduncan4457]

I have the pixel 7a in January I had the pixel 6a my first-time using of pixels phone as I go for Samsung I phone Oppo

[@dinozaurpickupline4221]

What app you using for podcast, don't tell me it's google podcasts

[@Hulkhead]

Cheers Chris 👍

[@phinihassamala5461]

Where did you got the wallpapers

[@rjlramos]

Would go for this but Google disabling 5G in countries the Pixels weren't officially released just sucks.

[@levil4012]

Got a pixel 7 and 7 pro and love the size of the 7

[@user-cc6kd5ye9y]

Very tempted. Heard it gets hot and therefore battery life suffers (and your hand)

[@prithishdutta511]

Where you can find this wallpapers? This is so amazing 🤯

[@TechSpurt]

Hey, all from wall dot alphacoders dot com

[@prithishdutta511]

​@@TechSpurt Got it... thanks dude🤗