Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro Hands On: More Changes Than Meets the Eye
At a glance, Google's Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro might seem like minor upgrades from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. But I got a chance to spend some time with the phones at Google's launch event in Brooklyn, and while they look similar, several under-the-hood improvements should help differentiate them from their predecessors in at least a few key ways.
When held side by side, the new Pixels hardly look different from the old Pixels. These phones are tall and slim glass sandwiches, with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back, and recycled aluminum in between. The glass features rather steep curves along both the back and front edges. While this smoothes over the feel of the phones when holding them, it erodes the screen real estate a little bit.
The Pixels feel strong and nicely made. They don't meet any sort of rugged specifications, but they are rated IP68 for protection from dust and water (as all flagship phones should be).
The color palette is a little different this year. The smaller Pixel 7 is available in Lemongrass, Obsidian, or Snow, while the larger 7 Pro is available in Hazel, Obsidian, or Snow. Snow and Obsidian might as well be called white and black, while Lemongrass is a pale yellow and Hazel is a deep, nutty, brownish gray. All of the shades feature a glossy finish rather than matte, which some may like and others may not. The phones are certainly a bit slippery and heavy.
One of the most distinctive visual features of the phones is the Camera Bar that rides across the rear panel. The Camera Bar was a raised glass ledge on the Pixel 6 family. This year, Google replaces the glass with an aluminum strap that should be less breakable. That said, I liked the glass and am not sold on the aluminum
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