Pixel 7 / Pixel 7 Pro

[tonysoprano]

Hello guys,

Hope you are all well.

Would like to know your feedback on the Pixel 7 Pro after the many months it has been out.

Have you been happy with the device? I won’t ask about the main camera but in regards to front camera, video, software, build quality, stability, performance…

Also, did anyone made the change from the iPhone 13 (base model, not the pro) to the Pixel 7 Pro?

Been considering jumping ship from apple to android, initially thought about the S23 Ultra but I don’t really like the square design (it is very bad in the pocket in jeans etc) and more importantly I am considering jumping from apple due to the insane prices in Europe and with the S23 Ultra I would still need to drop a whooping 1100/1200€ even with a company discount.

However, on Amazon I can see the Pixel 7 Pro 128GB brand new sold and dispatched by Amazon for 720€ to 750€ consistently. Seems like a good deal.

Other reasons for considering this change from the iPhone 13: 120hz, better camera with some zoom, iOS being a bit stale. I don’t use iMessage, FaceTime, find my, just airdrop. In Europe we just use WhatsApp basically.

Lastly, I have never, ever, since I use a smartphone, record videos or photos within the instagram app. I use the iPhone main camera and then when I want I share to instagram, or tik tok or whatever. But I never create this content on the apps themselves. Bearing this in mind, if I do this same thing with the pixel will I suffer from quality downgrade when uploading?

Thank you in advance looking forward to your feedback on the Pixel 7 Pro.

 

[Technerd108]

Hello guys,

Hope you are all well.

Would like to know your feedback on the Pixel 7 Pro after the many months it has been out.

Have you been happy with the device? I won’t ask about the main camera but in regards to front camera, video, software, build quality, stability, performance…

Also, did anyone made the change from the iPhone 13 (base model, not the pro) to the Pixel 7 Pro?

Been considering jumping ship from apple to android, initially thought about the S23 Ultra but I don’t really like the square design (it is very bad in the pocket in jeans etc) and more importantly I am considering jumping from apple due to the insane prices in Europe and with the S23 Ultra I would still need to drop a whooping 1100/1200€ even with a company discount.

However, on Amazon I can see the Pixel 7 Pro 128GB brand new sold and dispatched by Amazon for 720€ to 750€ consistently. Seems like a good deal.

Other reasons for considering this change from the iPhone 13: 120hz, better camera with some zoom, iOS being a bit stale. I don’t use iMessage, FaceTime, find my, just airdrop. In Europe we just use WhatsApp basically.

Lastly, I have never, ever, since I use a smartphone, record videos or photos within the instagram app. I use the iPhone main camera and then when I want I share to instagram, or tik tok or whatever. But I never create this content on the apps themselves. Bearing this in mind, if I do this same thing with the pixel will I suffer from quality downgrade when uploading?

Thank you in advance looking forward to your feedback on the Pixel 7 Pro.

I had an iPhone 13 Pro Max and I traded it in for the Pixel 7 Pro at the end of last year. So I can't comment on the regular 13. I did have an iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Max. So I can make some comparisons.

Just have to give you a fair warning before I go any further. The Pixel 8 series is looking to be a really good release and fixes the complaints I have with the 7 Pro. So it might be wise for you to wait until later this year about 6 months or so from now. Google gave really high trade in value for Apple devices last year and they might do it again this year. Just wanted to put that out there.

To the Pixel 7 Pro. The screen is really, really nice. Quad hd and 120hz make for a very nice example. Great color temperature profile as well. iPhones always have a yellowish tint that I hate even with true tone off. Pixel may not have the latest gen tech but it looks better than my old iPhone 13 Pro Max.

The speakers are really good on this Phone too. Almost as good as the s23u. Loud and good bass for a phone.

Cameras are better than my iPhone 13 Pro Max so I would assume the same would be true for the 13. Video stabilization is probably the only area where iPhone is better but for regular real world photos the Pixel is clearly better. I don't use social media like Instagram or certainly not Tik Tok so I can't help you there.

But I got to warn you the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy s23 ultra are very close in size. Fitting either in a jeans pocket is not going to be easy.

The Pixel UI and Pixel exclusive features are what shines most on this phone. The Pixel UI is more feature rich and refined than ever. Speech to text is amazing. You can literally use this phone hands free if need be. No bloatware or 3rd party apps. Pixel wallpapers. Pixel Theming.

Now what I think will be improved on the upcoming 8 is no more curved display! I hate the curve on the display although it is not the worst it has more of a curve than the s23u. The battery life is good. It will last all day but it is not great like iPhone Pro Max or s23u. Thermal performance could be better as the phone will heat up during certain tasks. The Tensor G2 is decent but there are times where it feels a little slow and bogs down. All of these issues should be improved in the 9 core Tensor G3.

If you absolutely need a phone now I would say that the Pixel 7 Pro is the best Pixel phone I have ever used and I have been using Google phones since the Nexus days. It has great build quality and the cameras are really good. For the cost there is no better phone on the market - period. So I would absolutely recommend the Pixel 7 Pro over an iPhone 13. You should have better screen, cameras, probably better battery life, similar performance and much better UI. Pixel UI is much closer to iOS than say OneUI 5 on Samsung. It has some cool animations too. The Tensor G2 is a good chipset and the Samsung modem has decent reception close to iPhone. The only downside is that there are sometimes the phones drains battery fast and can heat up a bit. It can slow down just a little at times under very heavy load.

Overall the Pixel 7 Pro is one of the best phones you can get and an exceptional value. Considering the cost, specially on sale at $750 for the Pro I would consider the Pixel 7 Pro the best phone of 2022/23 until the 8 series comes out. It is that good. Literally everything is great with just nit picks here and there.

Of course with all that being said the Samsung Galaxy s23 ultra is still a better phone in almost every way BUT it costs a lot more depending on how and where you buy it. I think for the cost the S23U is worth it but the Pixel 7 Pro holds it's own in every category against the s23u and it can cost almost half as much. So if value and lack of bloat is most important then Pixel 7 Pro is a clear winner, if speed, battery life and camera hardware and more customization and added features is more important than the s23u is the clear winner. But with all things that cost more there is a diminishing return on investment. Is the s23u worth almost double the price??? To be fair with Samsung you can find deals depending where you are that can make it almost as affordable or even more affordable than the Pixel 7 Pro. If cost wasn't a factor the s23u is definitely the better phone even with the sharp corner's. 😂 Lol

 

[unclejamaal]

i cant remember if I asked this before, but what screen protector do you use with this phone, and does the fingerprint scanner work OK? A good deal on today in the UK for this phone, and contemplating getting this over the S23 Ultra which might be a while before prices for that come down.

 

[Vegastouch]

It is a good one too. Scrolling issue is mostly fixed and fingerprint sensor is even faster right off the bat.

Google is making me happy. Lol

The fingerprint sensor still sux. The biggest POS sensor I've ever had. Not enough time to even record a fingerprint and when I do get lucky, it just don't work. Garbage!

 

[Technerd108]

The fingerprint sensor still sux. The biggest POS sensor I've ever had. Not enough time to even record a fingerprint and when I do get lucky, it just don't work. Garbage!

I don't know why it seems to work for some people and not others?

For me it is pretty accurate and reliable. I think in general under display fingerprint sensor suck. I have a phone with ultrasonic sensor and it is just a little better and only of my hands are wet.

In most cases the optical sensor is actually more reliable except for that one use case.

I really wish you had a different experience.

 

[Bkdodger]

I don't know why it seems to work for some people and not others?

For me it is pretty accurate and reliable. I think in general under display fingerprint sensor suck. I have a phone with ultrasonic sensor and it is just a little better and only of my hands are wet.

In most cases the optical sensor is actually more reliable except for that one use case.

I really wish you had a different experience.

Yes I'm with ya ...I've never had an issue with it not being reliable and hits for me 99% of the time ..but I wish they would've just done the power button like the Flip phone I would think more peeps would get better results

 

[Vegastouch]

I don't know why it seems to work for some people and not others?

For me it is pretty accurate and reliable. I think in general under display fingerprint sensor suck. I have a phone with ultrasonic sensor and it is just a little better and only of my hands are wet.

In most cases the optical sensor is actually more reliable except for that one use case.

I really wish you had a different experience.

I don't need it but it's a function id use if it did work like on Amazon where I buy things and my banking app.
My 4a it was so fast and worked so good I'd sometimes use a different finger to make sure it wasn't broken lol.

This one, awful! I just think the sensor is bad. I have to touch it several times while trying to record a print and it moves very slow on the progress and some touches don't work and it always times out.

I don't think it's a software problem, I think it's the sensor.

 

[Technerd108]

I don't need it but it's a function id use if it did work like on Amazon where I buy things and my banking app.
My 4a it was so fast and worked so good I'd sometimes use a different finger to make sure it wasn't broken lol.

This one, awful! I just think the sensor is bad. I have to touch it several times while trying to record a print and it moves very slow on the progress and some touches don't work and it always times out.

I don't think it's a software problem, I think it's the sensor.

I am sorry to hear about that. Hopefully if you contact Google they will make it right. I know their customer service can be hit or miss but I hope they do the right thing for you.

Good luck.

 

[Technerd108]

I don't need it but it's a function id use if it did work like on Amazon where I buy things and my banking app.
My 4a it was so fast and worked so good I'd sometimes use a different finger to make sure it wasn't broken lol.

This one, awful! I just think the sensor is bad. I have to touch it several times while trying to record a print and it moves very slow on the progress and some touches don't work and it always times out.

I don't think it's a software problem, I think it's the sensor.

Any updates?

Hope it is working for you now.

 

[three]

Any updates?

Hope it is working for you now.

I'm using a Pixel 7 right now - the sensor is subpar and isn't effortless, however... I have a trick. I've found that if you turn off the "tap to wake" feature, the scanner is much better? I can't explain why / how this works. It's not night and day better, but it is improved with that feature off.

 

[Technerd108]

I'm using a Pixel 7 right now - the sensor is subpar and isn't effortless, however... I have a trick. I've found that if you turn off the "tap to wake" feature, the scanner is much better? I can't explain why / how this works. It's not night and day better, but it is improved with that feature off.

It is funny, I have a Samsung s23 and it has a supposedly superior ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and yet my Pixel 7 Pro is much better in terms of overall reliability. Neither are terrible but sometimes they can be annoying.

I think all of the under display fingerprint scanner are not as good as the back of the phone or power button ones.

I still prefer fingerprint to face unlock.

I think screen protectors really make a big difference unfortunately. If you use any kind of screen protector it interferes with the sensor.

I will try your trick and see what happens.

 

[Technerd108]

I'm using a Pixel 7 right now - the sensor is subpar and isn't effortless, however... I have a trick. I've found that if you turn off the "tap to wake" feature, the scanner is much better? I can't explain why / how this works. It's not night and day better, but it is improved with that feature off.

Wow, I just tried it and it makes a huge difference. I can't believe it.

Thanks!

 

[three]

It is funny, I have a Samsung s23 and it has a supposedly superior ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and yet my Pixel 7 Pro is much better in terms of overall reliability. Neither are terrible but sometimes they can be annoying.

I think all of the under display fingerprint scanner are not as good as the back of the phone or power button ones.

I still prefer fingerprint to face unlock.

I think screen protectors really make a big difference unfortunately. If you use any kind of screen protector it interferes with the sensor.

I will try your trick and see what happens.

I've had the S23 Ultra and I found it was more reliable and faster than the Pixel 7. However, I found that if I used more force and made sure my thumb was aligned better, it works better.

 

[three]

Wow, I just tried it and it makes a huge difference. I can't believe it.

Thanks!

It's one of those things that you can't explain, lol.

 

[Vegastouch]

Any updates?

Hope it is working for you now.

Nope, I just turned off the FP sensor option.

 

[Spudlicious]

Note that Google's Pixel reduced price offer is coming to an end, at least in the UK. I believe the end date may be April 13th. Of course, other offers can be expected over the coming months.

The Pixel 7 is a phone with lots of geek interest, I like it a lot. True, the fingerprint recognition is very far from the best but in practice I find it useable, and the advice I give to others is to not use your index finger or thumb, those digits are too susceptible to nicks and abrasions in daily use. Instead I use my middle finger and train all the recognition slots to it, that works for me.

 

[MiniApple]

I'm using a Pixel 7 right now - the sensor is subpar and isn't effortless, however... I have a trick. I've found that if you turn off the "tap to wake" feature, the scanner is much better? I can't explain why / how this works. It's not night and day better, but it is improved with that feature off.

Thank you so - so - so much! - Instantly solved the biggest flaw of my 6a.

What the ... it's so much better!

I don't use a screen protector and had saved my primary unlock finger multiple times in an effort to increase the reliabilty prior.

 

[Technerd108]

Thank you so - so - so much! - Instantly solved the biggest flaw of my 6a.

What the ... it's so much better!

I don't use a screen protector and had saved my primary unlock finger multiple times in an effort to increase the reliabilty prior.

It is a magic trick that really works.

I think Google should post this on a support page if you have any issues with the sensor.

I mean it wasn't bad before but now it is like turbocharged. I barely have to put my finger on the sensor and it is unlocked.

MiniApple deserves an award!

 

[Vegastouch]

It is a magic trick that really works.

I think Google should post this on a support page if you have any issues with the sensor.

I mean it wasn't bad before but now it is like turbocharged. I barely have to put my finger on the sensor and it is unlocked.

MiniApple deserves an award!

Didn't work for me,... I give up!

 

[Technerd108]

Didn't work for me,... I give up!

You obviously have a hardware problem and should get the phone serviced. What you have described multiple times does not seem typical or normal.

You have every right to not do anything and live with it but why go through the hassle of having a defective device when you still have a warranty?

 

[Vegastouch]

You obviously have a hardware problem and should get the phone serviced. What you have described multiple times does not seem typical or normal.

You have every right to not do anything and live with it but why go through the hassle of having a defective device when you still have a warranty?

It doesn't matter to me that much. I'll just use face recognition and a pin.

 

[Technerd108]

It doesn't matter to me that much. I'll just use face recognition and a pin.

You do you. As long as you are happy with what you got, that is all that matters.

Wonder if the upcoming Pixel 8 series will solve the problem with an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor? Generally Google uses older generation screens, sensors etc. Sometimes that is a good thing when every big is already worked out and it can be better optimized or sometimes like our optical fingerprint sensor it can be a problem.

 

[unclejamaal]

I finally got the 7 Pro on a special offer in the UK with free earbuds, and have been using the phone for around a day so far.

Here are my initial impressions coming from an iPhone 11 Pro Max which I've had for over 3 years now.

- using the Whitestone Dome Glass protector which isnt cheap, but its by far the best screen protector I've had on any phone. I'm using a Ringke Matt Clear case with it and both work brilliant together.
- face unlock works most of the time, although not as flawless as Apple's Face ID which seems to work in near total darkness!
- fingerprint sensor is generally OK even with the screen protector and doesnt seem to be as bad as some of the reports I've read here.
- scrolling web pages on Chrome is a real faff. On Samsung phones its a breeze but this seems to be slower than the 'smooth' experience on the iPhone.
- I can't find an easy shortcut to toggle phone ring silent on/off.
- Garmin watch alerts arent working so maybe a bit of faffing round to do here before i get this to work.
- I really miss the ease of Apple Pay. For Google Pay, as far as I can see I have to unlock the phone, use the Wallet shortcut by swiping down, and tap the card. This seems more of a faff compared to how easy Apple Pay is. Am I missing something here?

So far, the experience is largely down to it being hard to switch over from iPhone to stock Android. I've used Samsung's before but never a Google Pixel so this is an extra hurdle to cross.

Initial impressions are the phone is definitely NOT worth the full price of £849. I can accept what I paid for it which was after some trade in, and other money off vouchers, but definitely not worth full asking price.

I hope my perceptions will change after a week or so using it and I can keep it as a full time phone once the initial shock of iOS to stock Android has gone. I'll post another 'review' in a week or so

 

[robvalentine]

I finally got the 7 Pro on a special offer in the UK with free earbuds, and have been using the phone for around a day so far.

Here are my initial impressions coming from an iPhone 11 Pro Max which I've had for over 3 years now.

- using the Whitestone Dome Glass protector which isnt cheap, but its by far the best screen protector I've had on any phone. I'm using a Ringke Matt Clear case with it and both work brilliant together.
- face unlock works most of the time, although not as flawless as Apple's Face ID which seems to work in near total darkness!
- fingerprint sensor is generally OK even with the screen protector and doesnt seem to be as bad as some of the reports I've read here.
- scrolling web pages on Chrome is a real faff. On Samsung phones its a breeze but this seems to be slower than the 'smooth' experience on the iPhone.
- I can't find an easy shortcut to toggle phone ring silent on/off.
- Garmin watch alerts arent working so maybe a bit of faffing round to do here before i get this to work.
- I really miss the ease of Apple Pay. For Google Pay, as far as I can see I have to unlock the phone, use the Wallet shortcut by swiping down, and tap the card. This seems more of a faff compared to how easy Apple Pay is. Am I missing something here?

So far, the experience is largely down to it being hard to switch over from iPhone to stock Android. I've used Samsung's before but never a Google Pixel so this is an extra hurdle to cross.

Initial impressions are the phone is definitely NOT worth the full price of £849. I can accept what I paid for it which was after some trade in, and other money off vouchers, but definitely not worth full asking price.

I hope my perceptions will change after a week or so using it and I can keep it as a full time phone once the initial shock of iOS to stock Android has gone. I'll post another 'review' in a week or so

I went from & pro back to Iphone and now have S23 (Small one).
Google pay just needs an unlocked phone so once unlocked hold over terminal and you should be good.
Scrolling is smoother for me on S23, but maybe due to smaller size.
everyone raves about ultrasonic fingerprint, but the pixel one works better for me for some reason
My pixel didn't always like connecting properly to my venu 2 plus, so maybe worth looking into the bluetooth settings.

I paid £850 for the 256gb version which I think is a good price. If I had the pixel software on the samsung it would be perfect I think.

 

[unclejamaal]

I went from & pro back to Iphone and now have S23 (Small one).
Google pay just needs an unlocked phone so once unlocked hold over terminal and you should be good.
Scrolling is smoother for me on S23, but maybe due to smaller size.
everyone raves about ultrasonic fingerprint, but the pixel one works better for me for some reason
My pixel didn't always like connecting properly to my venu 2 plus, so maybe worth looking into the bluetooth settings.

I paid £850 for the 256gb version which I think is a good price. If I had the pixel software on the samsung it would be perfect I think.

I did consider the s23 or the ultra but the pixel trade in and free earbuds and other vouchers I had meant I got the 7 pro for an effective price of around £350 compared to around £700 best price when the s23 ultra was on offer.

So effectively it was all down to price for me * I'll give it a few days to see if I want to keep this