Google Pixel 7 Pro 5G 256GB Prices On Telstra Plans

Google Pixel 7 Pro 5G 256GB Review

Things sure have been getting more expensive lately. Unsurprisingly, that includes phones.

The iPhone 14 got a $50 price hike compared to last year's models, and with the mini going the chop, the effective starting price of the family is higher.

Samsung didn't put up entry-level prices for its Z series foldables, but is charging more for larger storage variants. And it wouldn't be surprising to see the S23 cost more with the Australian dollar not going so great right now.

Even brands like OPPO which used to compete on price are now playing firmly in the premium space. This year's OPPO Find X5 Pro launched at $1,799, which is a $700 premium over the first Find X.

As such, it's genuinely surprising to see Google hold firm with Pixel 7 pricing. The Pixel 7 starts at $999, and the Pixel 7 Pro at $1,299 - just like last year's models at launch. Even the larger storage options are the same price as what Google was charging last year.

This makes the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro some of the cheapest high-end phones you can buy. While there are some potential compromises, the overall proposition makes a compelling argument for spending less.

Killer camera

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro cameras are the stars of the show here. Quite simply, they're fantastic.

Both share the same 50MP primary lens that also facilitates 2x zoom via cropping in on the centre of the sensor. It's excellent. It takes great photos in almost every situation. The portrait mode is especially good:

Even without portrait mode on, the primary lens just gives a really lovely depth of field for close-up shots, which is something I've been missing from this year's iPhone 14 Pro.

When it comes to low light, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro aren't quite as sharp as the iPhone 14 Pro, but in most cases, you need to pixel peep to see the detail. While they're not quite as fast at shooting in low light as the iPhone 14 Pro, they offer a marked improvement over the Pixel 6 family.

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro do however handle dynamic range slightly better - especially at night - making them less prone to blowing out elements. Here's one of my favourite Pixel 7 low light shots:

You also get access to fun features like long exposure mode, which is perfect when you're chasing waterfalls.

The pair of phones share the same selfie camera this time around, it's pretty good other than in low light. Portrait mode can be a little more hit-and-miss when shooting selfies, but I've gotten shots like the below where it's done a masterful job with my hair:

Otherwise, both phones have different camera configurations this year. The standard Pixel 7 has the same ultra-wide lens from last year, but it performs faster in low light. The Pixel 7 Pro has an ever-so-slightly ultra-wide lens that can also be used for a macro mode. There isn't too much of a difference in image quality between the lenses, you just get a bit more versatility from the Pixel 7 Pro. 

Here's an ultra-wide from the standard Pixel 7:

And here's the same shot from the Pro:

Macro mode itself can take stunning shots, but actually getting it to focus can be a bit finicky. There also isn't a persistent toggle for turning it on and off, with the option instead appearing as you start to zoom in on a subject. I've found I typically need to take a few photos to get a sharp result from the Pixel 7 Pro's macro mode.

The Pixel 7 Pro also has a 5x optical zoom lens that can achieve up to 30x digital zoom. While it sounds great on paper, it only works well in some situations. In dreary lighting, the shots just aren't great. You probably wouldn't even put them in your story. 

If there's not enough ambient light at night, you'll just get a blurry mess. 

With better lighting, you can get impressive results at 5x, but as you move into digital zoom territory, the results depend on your subject. Google's AI does a great job upscaling architecture, with natural results at 10x and passable at 30x, but more complicated items like a guitar or a devil-shaped gin bottle don't fare as well. 

Here's a 10x that did turn out well: 

The zoom lens is certainly nice to have if you were already going to spring for the Pixel 7 Pro, but not necessarily good enough to warrant the upsell. The real value comes from the excellent primary lens shared across both models.

Tensor take two

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are powered by Google's second take on an in-house chip, the Tensor G2. The search giant has been rather cagey about pure performance increases, instead talking saying the chip creates improvements in areas like battery efficiency, photography, and dictation.

The Pixel 7, can now, for example translate voice messages to text, so you don't have to listen to your friend's three-minute monologue. While this is a clever feature, it only works in the native Messages app (and wasn't live yet when I was testing, I'll circle back with further thoughts as soon as I can(. I'd love to see this functionality expanded to other apps like Messenger, Telegram, and WhatsApp.

The Recorder app is also getting an upgrade where it will be able to differentiate between multiple speakers and separate transcription by who said it. That sounds like a very useful feature in theory, but I still haven't been able to test it.

From a performance perspective, I didn't have any issues with day-to-day experiences. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro feel as silky smooth as any other 2022 flagship phone. More demanding games like Diablo: Immortal and Genshin Impact seemed fine, even on maximum settings. They do tend to load quicker on iPhone 14 Pro, however.

Even if the Tensor G2 doesn't quite benchmark as high as Apple's A16 processor the Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 8, it still delivers a reliable, high-end experience.

Just that little bit nicer

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are pretty similar to last year's devices, but a little more refined. This is most noticeable on the Pixel 7 Pro - the screen is a little less curved, the bezels are smaller, and the buttons have a more responsive, clicky feel to them.

While the Pixel 7 Pro sticks with a 120Hz 6.7-inch display, Google has made the standard Pixel 7 smaller. It now has a 6.3-inch display as opposed to a 6.4-inch. I like the change - it makes the Pixel 7 a little more approachable, and it feels great in the hand.

The one clear aesthetic change is the camera bar. It's still there, but integrated into the aluminium frame. While I preferred last year's long black bar aesthetic, it's much of a muchness. You're not going to mistake the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 for any other phone. At least from behind.

Warts and all

There's a lot to like about the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but a few areas where they fall short. Battery is the biggest issue.

The Pixel 7 Pro battery is just okay. It gets four to five hours of screen time per charge, which is similar to the iPhone 14 Pro. It's not amazing, but not awful. It should last a full day, but I consistently found myself dipping into the "less than 20%" danger zone. Moderate to heavy users won't have much of a buffer at the end of a day, and may find themselves needing to top up earlier.

The Pixel 7 is worse, getting between three to four hours of screen time per charge. That's in line with the standard Pixel 6, which is disappointing given Google says battery efficiency is one of Tensor G2's key benefits. The Pixel 7 does however have a smaller physical battery than the Pixel 6. Three to four hours of screen time should be enough for a full day of light use, but more demanding users won't make it to bedtime.

Google is also a step behind when it comes to software updates. It's promising three years of operating system updates and five years of security updates for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Samsung also offers five years of security, but four years of operating system updates. There's no reason Samsung should be besting Google at its own game.

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro feature face unlock, for the first time since the Pixel 4. It works well enough for the most part, but won't unlock your phone if you're wearing sunglasses. You'll still need to use a fingerprint for anything more sensitive, like opening a password manager.

Google Pixel 7 & Pixel 7 Pro: Final Thoughts

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro remind me of when the Pixel 3a first launched. It wowed everyone by being a $600 phone with the same camera quality as a $1,200 phone. It was a value proposition that was hard to argue with.

Google's latest handsets play the same trick, but the maths has shifted. They're $1,000 and $1,300 phones with the same kind of cameras as $2,000 phones.

It's hard to say the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro are definitely best in class when it comes to photo quality, but they shoot gorgeous photos in most circumstances. If you're considering the standard Pixel 7, it's going to be hard to find a better camera phone for the money.

The Pixel 7 is easily my favourite of the pair. It scores points for being $300 more affordable, and having a flat display and a more compact form factor. The Pixel 7 Pro zoom lens can be cool, but it's too inconsistent to be the sole reason to go for the larger phone.

While I would have liked to see better battery life from the pair and a longer software life, I appreciate that Google is making phones on the more affordable side of the premium spectrum. $999 and $1,299 isn't exactly cheap, but it's more palatable than the competition.

In this economy, the Pixel 7 is the best value flagship you can buy, and the Pixel 7 Pro isn't far behind.

Google Pixel 7 & Pixel 7 Pro camera samples