TheGoogle Pixel 8 Protook the smartphone world by storm this year, proving to be one of the best Android devices of the year, even winning both our2023 Readers' ChoiceandEditors' Choiceawards in the process. It’s hard to be surprised 一 there is a lot to like here, especially if you’re looking for a phone that just works. And if you’re anything like me, it also probably made its way up to the top of your Christmas wishlist.
But buying smartphones is seldom an easy decision. Deciding which product deserves your hard-earned money is a quintessential high-involvement purchase for tech aficionados like me. And after weeks of contemplating and tracking deals, I have finally made up my mind: I’m skipping out on Google’s latest to pick up thePixel 7 Profrom 2022. As a reviewer and writer, I often get approached by friends and family alike for help with tech shopping. Here’s why I decided to pass on the latest and greatest, while feeling confident I’d made the right choice to pick older hardware.
Some background
I recently moved to Vancouver for education, with a Pixel 6 as my primary device. While it served me well, a tragic capsizing accident while kayaking in frigid waters killed it on the spot. Luckily, I had a spare phone to serve as a backup, but it was nowhere as capable as the Pixel.
With that unforeseen accident having taken place, I was now on a tighter student budget. At the same time, I really wanted a phone with a great and reliable camera for my life in a new country. Looking at the options available in North America, I knew my options would either be from Google or Apple. Considering these constraints and knowing how deep I was in the Android ecosystem, I knew my next phone would once again be a Pixel.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to make a decision. If anything, the process grew tougher. Should I get a Pixel 7a and save some money? Or should I get something a little more capable like the Pixel 7? But I also found myself wanting to be on the cutting edge with the Pixel 8. The Pixel 8 Pro is undoubtedly better, but also far more expensive. I’d also prefer to have more than 128GB of storage because I’d planned on shooting a lot of photos and videos over my holiday break.
Commendable upgrades, but are they game-changers?
With these thoughts in mind, I narrowed it down to the Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel 8 Pro. Now was the time to really understand the pros and cons of both phones and make a decision. Objectively speaking, the Pixel 8 series has a more powerful processor, more AI capabilities and will be supported for longer. But, at least to me, I didn’t find these important enough to sway my mind. Let me explain.
By moving to custom Tensor silicon, Google has been able to eke out more from the Pixel phones via features that aren’t found in the competition. However, in terms of raw compute power, Pixels still have a long way to go. They are nowhere near other premium flagships from brands like Samsung in this regard. Editing photos, working with large documents, and gaming are just some of the areas where the shortcomings become apparent. But the way I look at it, this is not a deal-breaker at all. Sure, I’d like my phone to be snappier, but a few extra seconds here and there aren’t going to mar an otherwise enjoyable experience.
Unless you are a power user or a heavy gamer, you’ll be just fine with the Google Pixel 7 Pro’s Tensor G2 chip.
If you’re considering getting a Pixel, chances are that you care about the smart features that the phone offers. Here’s where it gets tricky: while they are quite incredible in terms of what they can pull off, they areoften hit or miss一 Magic Eraser takes a while to get things right, Magic Editor needs a constant data connection, Video Boost needs to upload clips to a server and wait for them to be processed and returned, and the newGemini Nano suite still has a long way to gobefore being very useful. Don’t get me wrong, these are indeed groundbreaking features, but they are not ready for prime time. And the features that are, are already available and work just fine on the Pixel 7 Pro. The new experimental features are not good enough yet to justify Google’s asking price here.
Google has promised an industry-leading seven years of software updates for the Pixel 8 series.
And lastly, but perhaps the one that will make the most people want to pick up a Pixel 8 Pro over the 7 Pro, is the promise of seven years of software updates on the former. If Google does deliver on that promise (and we havea few reasons to doubt that), it will be the first time an Android phone will be supported for so long, matching or even besting Apple’s long-reigning leadership position and setting an example for the rest of the Android landscape. In comparison, the Pixel 7 series is promised to receive a relatively modest three OS upgrades 一 one of which is already done in the form of Android 14.
Having a phone that is promised to be supported through 2030 is somewhat unfathomable. This is partly due to the fact that hardware seldom ages well and is often the cause of why phones slow down a few years down the line. My bigger gripe with this claim is that just receiving Android version updates is probably not enough to win people over if newer features don’t make the cut. For instance, none of the new camera and editing features that are the highlight of the Pixel 8 series — and the Pixel 8 Pro in particular — will be coming to the Pixel 7. Seven years is a long time, and we could see AI truly change how we interact with our devices by then. But will Pixel 8 users get the features that Google will announce in 2029? I highly doubt it.
You get what you are paying for, but do you need it?
But giving Google the benefit of the doubt here and even assuming that the software support lives up to the hype, at a price of around $500 for the Pixel 7 Pro, this omission is an easier pill to swallow.
The Pixel 7 Pro is all I need
A big reason for my inclination towards the Pixel 7 Pro is the existence of the 5x telephoto camera on the rear. I spend an awful lot of time on photography and gear, so having that extra reach does help with composition. It’s just one less thing to worry about. The Pixel 8 Pro has a similar lens, but they aren’t different enough for me to feel like I’m missing out on better images.
Along similar lines, because of the current slate of year-end deals, you can find a 256GB Pixel 7 Pro for around $600. Of course, you might not need that much storage, but it comes in handy. My 128GB Pixel 6 was full in less than a year, and I had to regularly make tough decisions about what to delete or offload from the phone. Again, it’s just one less thing to worry about if you plan on using your phone for a few years. Minimizing potential buyer’s remorse is a big part of the decision process.
If you’ve never used a Pixel before, I am certain the Pixel 7 Pro will serve you well. It doesn’t have the craziest hardware of anything, but it is surely one of the most comfortable and effortless Android phones available.During Black Friday, the Google Pixel 7 Pro was available for under $500. With the holiday season just about wrapping up, we are still seeing similar deals return. The Pixel 7 Pro might not be the phone for everyone, but for my use case — and at these prices — it was an easy choice. Who knows; maybe I’ll even trade it in for thePixel 9this time next year.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Pixel 8 Pro is Google’s latest and greatest, but that comes with a price tag. Although its AI-powered features are exciting, you might not need all of that power if you’re just after a really good daily driver.
Google Pixel 7 Pro
It might not be Google’s newest smartphone, but there’s a lot to like about the Pixel 7 Pro as we head into 2024. Plenty of elements from this device rolled into the Pixel 8 Pro this year, and with a fantastic camera and a near-identical software experience, it’s an easy buy whenever it’s on sale.
