Google Pixel 7a specs: Everything you need to know

Google’s budget Pixel smartphones offer one of the best no-frills smartphone experiences, serving users for most of their daily needs. They don’t even pinch the pocket with their modest price tags. For 2023, Google will be releasing the Pixel 7a in a few months, and we’re pretty excited for it. Here’s everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 7a, including its specifications and more!

Editor’s note: Google has yet to announce the Pixel 7a, and any information about it is based on leaks, rumors or speculation. Keep that in mind as we move forward with this article.

Google Pixel 7a specs

The Pixel 7a is a budget/mid-range smartphone, so most of its specifications are going to be modest. If you’re expecting big numbers and flashy marketing names for truckloads of features, that’s not how Google usually works. The Pixel A series has always prioritized practical experiences over pure specifications, and we do not expect the situation to change with the Pixel 7a either.

The big upgrades expected on the Pixel 7a over the Pixel 6a are namely a higher refresh rate display, newer camera hardware, an upgrade to Tensor G2, and the addition of 5W wireless charging. There’s also expected to be a new Arctic Blue color for the phone, which we presume will replace the Sage color from the Pixel 6a.

The rest of the Pixel 7a should be very similar to the Pixel 6a. Of course, there is a new design on board, marking the A-series closer to the current generation flagship Pixel series. So you can expect to see the rear camera visor emulate the metallic visor from the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. However, for its build materials, we expect to see an aluminum midframe and a polycarbonate back and visor.

Google Pixel 7a specs vs Google Pixel 6a specs

If you compare the Pixel 6a with the leaked specifications of the Pixel 7a, you’d notice that Google largely maintains its Pixel A philosophy. The Pixel 7a is a mere evolution over the Pixel 6a, one that increases the headroom for Google for better experiences.

Starting with the display, the Pixel 7a is widely expected to retain the 6.1-inch display-diagonal and the 1080p resolution from its predecessor. These specifications for the display were widely appreciated, and we don’t expect Google will be tinkering with them. What will change is the maximum refresh rate, jumping from 60Hz on the Pixel 6a to 90Hz on the Pixel 7a. If this change pans out, we expect users will vastly appreciate the increased smoothness of the display. This is one of those changes that will be the easiest to notice for end users, simply because the jump from 60Hz to 90Hz is very easy to perceive.

The next big upgrade for the Pixel 7a over the Pixel 6a is the camera. Both the primary rear camera and the rear ultrawide camera are expected to receive hardware upgrades, according to leaks. If true, this will be a significant step up.

The Pixel 6a does not have a bad camera. In fact, it actually has one of the best camera experiences for its price tag. However, a very big portion of this achievement is credited to Google’s computational photography algorithms. The camera hardware on the Pixel 6a is very dated. For instance, the 12.2MP Sony IMX363 that serves as the main primary camera was first used by Google in the Pixel 3 back in 2018! In this age of massive camera sensors and super high megapixel counts, the Pixel 7a’s upgrade will still be modest but desperately welcome.

The Pixel 7a has been said to come with the 64MP Sony IMX787 for the primary camera, and the 12MP Sony IMX712 for the ultrawide camera. Google’s camera algorithms will continue to operate on the device, so we’re really excited to see what benchmark the Pixel 7a will set in the mid-range for camera performance.

Moving on to the next change, the Pixel 7a’s expected Tensor G2 SoC will be a step up from the Pixel 6a’s Tensor. Comparing the first-generation Tensor to the second-generation Tensor G2, the Tensor G2 will offer pretty much similar CPU performance, better GPU performance for gaming, lower heat generation, slightly better modem performance, and finally, significantly improved TPU performance for AI-related functions. The stand out is AI performance — so if your daily usage involves a fair few AI tasks, you will be in a better position to notice the difference.

The Pixel 7a is also expected to bring wireless charging capabilities to the Pixel A series. This would have been good news, were it not for the caveat that this wireless charging will likely be limited to just 5W, as per leaks. 5W wireless charging is too slow for a smartphone in 2023. It will only be practical in overnight charging situations. For quick top-ups, 5W charging is negligible.

And finally, the Pixel 7a is expected to receive an Arctic Blue color as the highlight color of the year. The Pixel 6a had adopted the Sage Green colorway, and if true, we can expect Google to swap that color out for the Blue color on the Pixel 7a. For people who like more muted tones, we expect Google to retain white color and black color variants.

Confused between the two phones? We can help you figure out if you should buy the Pixel 6a right now or wait for the Pixel 7a.

Google Pixel 7a specs vs Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro specs

The spec table above should give you a good idea of how the Pixel 7 series will be placed, with the leaked and presumed specifications of the Pixel 7a. Naturally, the series will begin with the Pixel 7a capturing the budget/mid-range price segments, with the Pixel 7 sitting at a price band above, and the Pixel 7 Pro remaining the top-tier flagship from Google.

There’s one thing to note, though. All three phones will have the Tensor G2 if the leaks for the Pixel 7a turn out to be correct. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro already ship with the Tensor G2. So with this, you will get a consistent “flagship”-like experience across the price-tiers from the Pixel 7 series. All three phones will also be running Pixel UI with similar features. All phones will also be eligible for Android updates on Day 1.

The differences in the lineup will then hinge on the basis of display size and technology, build materials, battery size, charging tech, and of course, the cameras. With these three phones in the portfolio, Google will have enough of a spread to cover a wide variety of price points.

Google Pixel 7a vs. the competition: How does it compare?

The Pixel 7a is not expected to be a monster on the spec sheet. As a result, if you compare it against the competition with a narrow vision, you’d find the competition would likely have the advantage. It’s only when you factor in the experience of owning a Google Pixel would you realize that the A-series Pixel makes a whole lot of sense. Note that we do not know the pricing of the Pixel 7a yet, but we’re hoping it launches with a $449 price tag.

Pixel 7

Talking about the competition against the Pixel 7a, the first and foremost competition comes from Google itself in the form of the Pixel 7. The Pixel 7 will do just about everything that the Pixel 7a will, and do it better too. It remains to be seen how Google prices the Pixel 7a to differentiate it enough from the Pixel 7. But unless you are extremely price-conscious, the Pixel 7 at its often-discounted price of $349 is such a sweet deal; it’s hard to say no. Google will have to price the Pixel 7a at similar levels to give it a fighting chance.

OnePlus 10T

If you aren’t particularly married to the idea of a Google Pixel smartphone, then OnePlus has a phone for you. The OnePlus 10T is a rather underrated flagship smartphone. With OnePlus frequently discounting the phone to under $500, it competes very strongly against the Pixel 7a. If you are a gamer, then the OnePlus 10T is a definite recommendation against any Pixel smartphone, as that Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus SoC is so good for gaming.

You also get a bigger and better display, a bigger battery, and a phone that charges at a crazy 125W. The cameras may be a sidegrade or a downgrade from the Pixel 7a, depending on just how magical they finally turn out to be on the Pixel. Either way, for people valuing unbridled performance, the OnePlus 10T is the way to go.

Samsung Galaxy A54

If you want a Samsung phone, the Samsung Galaxy A54 will set you back $449 in the US. For this price, you get a good mid-range Samsung smartphone. The Galaxy A54 has a higher 120Hz refresh rate for its bigger 6.4-inch display, a bigger 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging support, and a better 32MP selfie camera.

The primary rear camera is a 50MP sensor, flanked by a 12MP ultrawide and a 5MP macro camera. The SoC is the Exynos 1380. We’re inclined to call the rear camera a sidegrade compared to what the Pixel 7a could ship with, and the Tensor G2 is significantly more powerful than the Exynos 1380. However, the Galaxy A54 does have microSD card support up to 1TB, which could help sway your decision.

Motorola Edge (2022)

If you aren’t looking to spend over $350 but still want a great phone that can compete against the Pixel 7a, the discounted price of $349 for the Motorola Edge (2022) makes it a very strong contender.

The Motorola Edge (2022) has a significantly better display, with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. The Dimensity 1050 is not a flagship SoC, but it will be enough for most users. The cameras are a bit of a miss when you compare them to the legacy of the Pixels. But give the Motorola Edge enough light, and you’ll still get some great shots for social media use. The phone also has a bigger 5,000mAh battery, faster 30W wired charging, and actually usable 15W wireless charging with reverse wireless charging support.

Motorola does lag behind Google on its update promise support. It also has just an IP52 rating, compared to the expected IP67 rating on the Pixel 7a.

Apple iPhone SE (2022)

If you really value the phone experience over specifications and do not mind jumping over to the other side, Apple wants to convince you that the grass is greener with the iPhone SE (2022). The iPhone SE has the dated “iPhone 8” look, but it packs a strong punch under the hood with the powerful A15 Bionic processor. It’s the same chip that is used on the iPhone 14 as well, and it’s one of the best phone chips around. Apple also has an impeccable record with software support, so you can hold your phone for years without worry.

There are some fairly obvious compromises with the iPhone SE (2022). The base variant has just 64GB of storage, and we’d recommend most people go for the 128GB storage variant that comes in at $479. The rear camera on the phone is very old, but Apple manages to get good results thanks to computational photography magic. We’re also not particular fans of the display as you can get significantly better displays on other phones these days.

Overall, the iPhone SE (2022) holds out since the Apple ecosystem experience is unparalleled, and the iPhone is at the center of it. If you want a phone that speaks beyond the spec sheet, the iPhone SE (2022) is worth a glance at least.

FAQs