Design and display quality
Pixel friendly design
THE Pixel 8, on the other hand, is a cooler take on the Pixel design, with slightly more curved edges and contours. The 3D visor on the back is slightly larger and the device comes in a host of fresh new colors.
The big difference, however, lies in the size. THE Pixel 8 features a 6.2-inch screen, a bit larger than the 6.1-inch screen on the Pixel 7abut at the same time, the Pixel 8 is the most compact and lightest phone, so it surely has a much more efficient design.
THE Pixel 7a The box is neatly packed with a USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable in the box, a USB Type-A to USB Type-C adapter, the usual booklets and a SIM card ejector tool . No charger in the box of this one; This is the new normal.
THE Pixel 7a and the Pixel 8 both come with in-display fingerprint scanners and photo-based face unlock on board. The fingerprint sensor on the Pixel 7a is fast and snappy, but you need to make good contact with the scanning area. You can also use the faster and more convenient Face Unlock, although it’s certainly not as secure as the fingerprint scanner.
Performance and software
Will the generational leap from Tensor G2 to G3 be significant?
Although it is perceived as “affordable”, the Pixel 7a is actually powered by the flagship Tensor G2 chipset, which is the same one that clicks and ticks inside the Pixel 7 And Pixel 7 Pro. That’s pretty fast by today’s standards, but it’s worth emphasizing once again that Google’s line of custom Tensor chips has never been about raw performance and high benchmark scores. Instead, it puts artificial intelligence as well as machine learning at the forefront.
From my personal experience, performance on the Pixel 7a is more than adequate. However, you’ll need to adjust your expectations accordingly, so don’t expect record-breaking fps numbers in 3D games. For my regular use, the Pixel 7a is perfectly capable of easily handling anything I throw at it. The smoother display definitely leaves the phone feeling a lot faster, which certainly contributes to its perceived performance. There’s only 128GB of storage available on board, so you’ll probably need to resort to a cloud-based storage solution at some point.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 will receive the humble seven years of software updates and major Android releases until 2030, which is awesome!
Camera
Pixel 7a gets new cameras, can we expect the same for Pixel 8?
THE Pixel 7a comes with a 64 MP wide-angle camera using the imaging prowess of an all-new camera sensor for the Pixel line: the Sony IMX787. At 64 MP it looks like a very decent resolution, but don’t expect the resolution to be very good. Pixel 7a to produce 64MP photos. Google uses quad-binning to combine four pixels into one, producing 16 MP photos. Said four pixels can pass much more light than just one, improving the phone’s low-light capabilities.
At the same time, the Pixel 8 comes with a 50 MP main camera with improved light sensitivity thanks to the wide f/1.68 aperture on the bridge. The ultra-wide, however, remains 12MP. The selfie camera is 10.5 MP, but unlike the Pixel 8 Prowe don’t get autofocus.
Main Camera – Daytime Photos
In broad daylight, there’s virtually no difference between the camera samples taken between the two phones, or if there is, it’s not something worth noting. Exceptional dynamics and detail, plus that iconic Pixel camera style with enhanced contrast and color, is what you get with either one. Interestingly, the Pixel 7a stands firm against Pixel 8.
Main Camera – Low Light/Night Photos
The low-light performance of the two phones is quite comparable, with the only difference being slightly better dynamics on the Pixel 8. However, nothing very radical at all.
Zoom quality
In terms of zoom, the Pixel 8 has a slight edge, with lighter details visible.
Portrait mode
When it comes to portraits, the Pixel 8 disappoints. The background blur is too strong and looks too out of place, while the Pixel 7a has this more natural look that appears more pleasing to the eye.
Ultra-wide camera
The camera samples speak for themselves: little to no difference in ultra-wide camera performance either.
Selfies
With a 4,385 mAh battery on board, the Pixel 7a strikes a very good balance between battery capacity and overall size: it’s quite compact but lasts hard! As far as the Pixels go, it’s a pretty decent battery that can potentially last more than a day. And if you don’t hesitate to activate the Extreme Battery Saver mode here and there, the phone might even last you longer.
When it comes to Pixel 8there’s a 4,485mAh battery inside, but Google doesn’t expect significantly better battery life compared to the Pixel 7. Around 30 hours and up to 72 hours in Extreme Battery Saver mode is what we expect from the new Pixel.
THE Pixel 7a doesn’t come with a charger in the box and the Pixel probably won’t feature the essential wall adapter either. THE Pixel 7a supports wired charging up to 18W and debuts at an affordable price Pixel 70.5W wireless charging. This is quite slow compared to most flagships supporting up to 15W, but even with wireless charging on the Pixel 7a is something of a victory. THE Pixel 8on the other hand, gets 30W wired charging, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging.
During our test, the Pixel 8 charges much faster than the Pixel 7awhich is normal.
So far we do not yet have the detailed specifications of the Pixel 8but we will update this table as soon as we know more.
Although slightly more expensive than its predecessor, the Pixel 7a is a very decent offering combining near-flagship specs with a mid-range price. Of course, for $100 more you can get a Pixel 7but don’t be so quick to shoot down the Pixel 7a just now. It’s a no-nonsense phone that focuses on the essentials and will easily last a long time if you give it the chance.
THE Pixel 8 seems like great value for money, but if you’ve already invested in the Pixel 7athen you probably shouldn’t consider the Pixel 8. Still, if you’re using a much older Pixel phone, getting one Pixel 8 that would make perfect sense: it will be supported for a long, long time.