Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 7 Pro: which should you buy?

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What’s the best Android handset for you?

If you're considering a Google smartphone over an iPhone or Samsung handset, there’s a good chance that you're comparing the Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel 7.

While the 7 Pro has a bigger screen for watching the latest episodes of Ahsoka on the go and photo-taking skills that'll please the most fussy of Instagram users, it costs an extra £200.

All of the best Google Pixel phones give you a smooth Android user experience, with bright OLED screens, good battery life and years of software and security update support. They are also the best-value handsets, and we expect to see decent price drops during the Amazon Prime event in October and Black Friday in November, too.

There has been a lot of feature overlap between all models in the Pixel range since 2021 – all have the cool photo modes to erase subjects with a click, and newer models unblur face. However, there are some key differences that you should be aware of before buying.

Here's how the two phones compare at a glance:

• Screen size: Both of the smartphones have sizable displays. The Pixel 7 has a 6.3 inch display, while the Pixel 7 Pro has a 6.7-inch screen.

• Screen tech: Both are OLED. The 7 Pro has a larger resolution, more brightness and the refresh rate is 120Hz instead of 90Hz.

• Resolution: The Pixel 7 is FHD+ (1080 x 2400), while the Pixel 7 Pro has a slightly higher resolution of QHD+ (1440 x 3120).

• Operating system: Both run Android 13 and get Android updates until October 2025 (and security updates until October 2027).

• Camera: Both have a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide and a 10.8MP selfie lens. Only the Pro has an extra 48MP telephoto lens.

• Processor: Both handsets use the latest Google Tensor G2 processor inside the phone – the same chip that's also powering the Pixel Tablet.

• Battery: The Pixel 7 has a 4355mAh cell, while the 7 Pro is 5000mAh. Both last for more than a day, and have 12W wireless charging.

• Storage/Memory: The 7 has 128GB or 256GB options, with 8GB of memory. The 7 Pro is 128GB, 256GB or 512GB with 12GB of memory.

• Weight: The Pixel 7 is 197g, while the Pixel 7 Pro is 212g.

• Water resistance: Both have IP68 dust and water resistance, meaning that they'll survive submersion to up to 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes.

• Pricing: The Pixel 7 is £499, and the Pixel 7 Pro is £699. They are regularly down in price during sale events such as Black Friday.

It's undeniable: the phones look similar. Both have a large camera module running along the full width of the back panel, and while both are aluminium, the Pixel 7 is matte and the Pixel 7 Pro is shiny.

The bezels around the display are more noticeable on the Pixel 7 as the Pro has slightly curved edges, but it's not an issue as we slap a case on both to counteract the slippiness of the handsets.

The 7 Pro is the heavier of the two (212g vs 197g), and neither handset is especially easy to use one-handed. Both are big phones – the 7 Pro is as large as the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Pixel 7 is larger than the iPhone 14 Pro – but neither is cumbersome to handle.

One big difference is that we find that the camera module on the Pixel 7 Pro does start to show a few scratches over the past 10 months since its release.

Devouring the latest episodes of The Witcher on Netflix? You’ll need a good display to fully appreciate Henry Cavill's swirling white hair – and luckily both Pixel phones have brilliant panels. Both are OLED, so contrast and black tones are excellent, as are the colours. Technically, the Pixel 7 Pro is more impressive overall.

The more expensive handset has 1440 x 3120 pixels (instead of 1080 x 2400) and 1500 nits of brightness (instead of 1400), but it's honestly not a massive difference during our day-to-day use.

What you may notice when scrolling through the menus and apps, though, is that the 7 Pro is the only one to have a 120Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 7 only goes up to 90Hz. Not a dealbreaker, but an important spec to note.

We've got no complaints about the cameras of any Pixel phone. Even the budget-friendly 7a consistently astonishes us with its quality. The Pixel 7 and the 7 Pro have a similar setup, but the flagship once again has the edge.

Both phones have a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide and a 10.8MP lens on the front. However, only the Pro has an additional 48MP telephoto camera for more magnification of faraway subjects and a Macro Focus mode for close ups.

Both devices share lots of fancy camera modes, letting you remove people from photos, unblur faces or take gorgeous portraits with blurred backgrounds. Both handsets shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second.

The only mode that disappoints is cinematic video – we’ve encountered distortion and artifacting in testing.

There’s a Google-made processor in both phones – so both are very similar in how they feel to use. Both have a pure version of Android 13, with no bloatware (unwanted apps that you didn’t choose to get) such as Facebook or a selection of random games that you’ll never use. We are yet to encounter any serious problems with lag, shuttering or overheating during more than ten months of use.

Downloading software from the Play Store is quick, and despite not being a gaming phone each Pixel has no problems with intensive software such as Call of Duty: Mobile, Grid Autosport and The Sims Mobile. It’s a very smooth and fast experience.

Both handsets have IP68 dust and water resistance, meaning they’ll technically be able to survive being submerged in up to 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes. We still don’t recommend you test that out, though.

Our phones rarely leave our sides these days. Between travelling to uni or work, going on a holiday or just scrolling at night before bed, we know you'll want a reliable battery life. Both phones give you at least a full day of use before needing a top up, but the 7 Pro has the edge, with a 5,000mAh cell compared to 4,355mAh on the Pixel 7.

Charging speeds are fine, but not exceptional. The Pixel 7 supports up to 20W speeds while the 7 Pro tops out at 23W, and both accept Qi wireless chargers of up to 12W. As with most phones these days, there's no wall adapter in the box – but that can be bought separately, as can an official charging stand that slightly boosts wireless charging speeds.

There hasn't been a recent Pixel phone we've used that wasn't slippery to hold without a case, so you'll want to invest in a cover for either handset to protect it from any possible bumps and drops – we've been loving the Mous Limitless 5.0. While both phones have lots of features, it's notable that the camera zoom isn't as impressive as Samsung flagships such as the S23 Ultra, and the cinematic video mode is inconsistent.

There's also no expandable storage, so you'll be stuck with whatever size you choose when buying the handset or will rely on Google cloud services for saving lots of your photos and videos. These are also not smartphones for fans of small handsets – both the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro loom over many other devices, including the biggest iPhones.

Whether you should buy the Pixel 7 Pro mostly depends on how much you value a third telephoto lens, a slight bump in battery life and a higher refresh rate. There's no doubt that the 7 Pro is the best Pixel phone overall for proper flagship-level specs, and we find the larger display to be perfect for watching streaming platforms.

The Google Pixel 7 is the best Android smartphone for most people. The display, performance, and camera capabilities are all fantastic. There are very few significant compromises to the more expensive Pixel 7 Pro, the design is basically identical and it's more affordable, too.

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