Skip to content 
Pixel 7 vs Pixel 7 Pro – What’s The Difference?
Google’s Pixel and Pixel 7 Pro are finally official. But how are they different? And which is the one to go for? Let’s find out by comparing their specs, hardware, and pricing…
Google’s Pixel 7 range of phones is finally here, alongside the long-awaited Pixel Watch. As usual, there are two flavors to choose from: the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro. But how are these phones different? Is the Pro model worth almost $300 more? Let’s find out…
Pixel 7 vs Pixel 7 Pro: Design
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro do not look too dissimilar from the outgoing Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. There are refinements, of course, and missing things too like the fact that neither the Pixel 7 nor the Pixel 7 Pro have colorful power/unlock buttons anymore. On the whole, though, the design of the Pixel 7 range is very similar to that of the Pixel 6 range.
This means you get Google’s eye-catching visor-camera module on the rear, a similar-shaped phone, and the same screen sizes as before, with the Pro model being the larger of the two as you’d expect. With the visor-based camera module, the Pixel 7 Pro has a polished aluminum frame, while the standard Pixel 7 uses a matte aluminum frame.
With ports, you have a single USB Type C port for charging and there is no headphone jack on either model. Like Apple, Google wants you to buy its PixelBuds Pro 2 headphones. Not that anybody was expecting a headphone jack this time around, but it is still worth noting just in case you’re coming from a much older Pixel phone.
Both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro come with IP68 water and dust resistance which means they can be submerged in water for prolonged periods of time, and are splash proof too, so even heavy rain will not do them any damage. Again, pretty much par for the course these days.
Both phones come with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus on the rear for added protection and both phones feature an under-the-display fingerprint sensor. Both phones also come with a hole-punch front-facing camera for selfies and video conferencing. We’ll dig more into its specs when we cover the Pixel 7’s camera further down.
With the displays themselves, the Pixel 7 Pro has a slightly curved display, whereas the Pixel 7’s is flat and flush with the device. Again, it’s not a massive difference but it does give the Pro model a slightly fancier look and feels. The Pro also has a higher resolution screen (QHD+ vs Full HD+) and it also supports higher refresh rates (120Hz vs 90Hz). Both use OLED panels, though.
Pixel 7 vs Pixel 7 Pro: Specs Comparison
| Spec | Pixel 7 | Pixel 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Displays | 6.3-inch FHD+ (2400×1080) OLED at up to 90Hz | 6.7-inch QHD+ (3120×1440) LTPO OLED at up to 120Hz |
| 5G support | Yes | Yes |
| CPU | Google Tensor G2 | Google Tensor G2 |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 128 or 256GB | 128, 256 or 512GB |
| Rear cameras | 50MP wide-angle f/1.85; 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2 | 50MP wide-angle f/1.85; 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2; 48MP telephoto f/3.5 |
| Front cameras | 11.1MP f/2.2 | 11.1MP f/2.2 |
| Battery capacity | 4700mAh | 5000mAh |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Colors | Snow, Obsidian, or Lemongrass | Snow, Obsidian, or Hazel |
| Size | 6.2 x 2.9 x 0.4 inches | 6.5 x 3.0 x 0.4 inches |
| Weight | 7.3 ounces | 7.41 ounces |
As you can see in the table, the Pixel 7 Pro has more RAM than the Pixel 7 (12GB vs 8GB), higher storage options (512GB vs 256GB), a vastly superior display with a higher resolution (QHD+ vs Full HD+) and higher refresh rate capabilities (120Hz vs 90Hz). The Pro model also comes with an additional 48MP telephoto lens, alongside its 50MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide lens.
And it is its camera capabilities combined with its aggressive pricing and AI smarts that make it very much a viable alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
In this respect, the Pro model is the one to go for if you want the absolute best camera performance and the most processing grunt. If you can live without a telephoto lens, 12GB of RAM, and a 120Hz QHD+ display, the Pixel 7 is still a helluva phone that is positioned at a great price. It is more basic, sure, but it does all the basic-to-intermediate stuff brilliantly.
For those that demand the most from their phones, the Pixel 7 Pro is an obvious choice. It’s considerably cheaper than Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max and, I’d argue, just as good where it counts – camera, design, and overall performance stakes. You’ll also get Android 13 out of the box on both phones and support for three additional versions of Android, taking you all the up to Android 16.
Pixel 7 vs Pixel 7 Pro: Cameras
- Pixel 7 Pro: Triple rear (50MP main + 12MP ultra wide + 48MP telephoto), 10.8MP front
- Pixel 7: Dual rear (50MP main + 12MP ultra wide), 10.8MP front
With the cameras, performance on both models will be exemplary; Google’s ISP know-how is some of the best in the industry. Its choice of sensors for both models is pretty generous too. You have a 50MP main sensor in both models and a 12MP ultra-wide but where the Pro model gets its pro status is with its third 48MP telephoto lens which the standard Pixel 7 does not have.
The main sensor and the ultra-wide on the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro are exactly the same. The 50MP main sensor ( f/1.85, 1.2µm) comes with an 82-degree field of view, while the 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 1.25µm) comes with a 125.8-degree field of view. Both models also support Night Sight, Motion Mode, Real Tone, Photo Unblur, and Google’s awesome Magic Eraser.
With the Pixel 7’s front-facing camera, both models use the same 10.8MP (f/2.2, 1.22µm) sensor, and both support 4K video recording too.
With the Pixel 7 Pro’s camera, the main event is, of course, its 48MP telephoto lens. This new addition to the Pixel 7 Pro’s camera module brings support for Macro Focus and 30x high-resolution zoom, whereas on the Pixel 7 you do get high-resolution zoom but it tops out at 8x.
Again, this is a big difference and it is essentially what you’re paying extra for, so it is worthwhile understanding whether or not you need and/or want a telephoto lens. If you can live without a telephoto lens, the Pixel 7 model is obviously the one to go for – it is quite a lot cheaper than the Pixel 7 Pro.
Pixel 7 vs Pixel 7 Pro: Battery Life
The Pixel 7 Pro has the largest battery of the two phones (5000mAh vs 4700mAh) but because the Pixel 7 Pro runs a higher resolution display with a higher refresh rate, the difference in battery performance shouldn’t be too pronounced. Google’s Pixel phones have always been decent with respect to battery, and the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are no different.
Both phones will easily handle a full day and a bit with heavy usage but I wouldn’t advise anyone to get the Pixel 7 Pro just because it has a bigger battery – the battery size difference between the two models effectively becomes a moot point once you factor in the Pro model’s higher resolution screen. This is why it has a slightly larger battery than the Pixel 7; powering all the additional pixels requires more juice.
Me? I’d go with the Pixel 7 Pro if I were in the market for one of Google’s new phones. It has the best display, the best camera, and more RAM so it’ll be much faster at basic and advanced tasks. Is it worth the extra money over the Pixel 7? Potentially. But that’ll all depend on what you want to do with it…
| 4.0 | 4.5 |
|
|
| From $599 | From $899 |
| The Pixel 7 is a great phone with plenty of attractive features. It has a killer camera, an amazing array of photography modes, solid battery life, and plenty of power under the hood. Add in three years' worth of Android updates and a price tag of $599, and it is impossible not to like this phone... | If you want the absolute best Google has to offer, the Pixel 7 Pro is an obvious choice. It packs in a market-leading camera, complete with a 48MP telephoto lens, a 120Hz QHD+ OLED display, 12GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. It's a spec-monster and it is considerably cheaper than Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max too. |
- Great Price
- Excellent Performance
- Solid Design
- Brilliant Camera
- Good Battery Life
The Pixel 7 is a great phone with plenty of attractive features. It has a killer camera, an amazing array of photography modes, solid battery life, and plenty of power under the hood. Add in three years' worth of Android updates and a price tag of $599, and it is impossible not to like this phone...
- Big, Bright Display w/ 120Hz Refresh Rate
- Fast Performance
- Amazing Camera w/ 48MP Telephoto Lens
- Masses of Power
- Great Battery Life
If you want the absolute best Google has to offer, the Pixel 7 Pro is an obvious choice. It packs in a market-leading camera, complete with a 48MP telephoto lens, a 120Hz QHD+ OLED display, 12GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. It's a spec-monster and it is considerably cheaper than Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max too.
Keep Reading
Explore more →
