Google Pixel 7a Android Phone Review: Near Pixel Perfect
Google Pixel 7a: Voice, Data, And Benchmark Performance
The Pixel 7a we've been testing is the unlocked Google model (GWKK3), which has sub-6GHz 5G connectivity, along with Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. For most users, this setup will be fine, but there is a model of the Pixel 7a for carriers (G0DZQ) that adds millimeter wave 5G. These networks are currently only deployed in dense urban areas as they don't propagate very far and won't go through walls. If you are lucky enough to have a good mmWave connection, you can get multi-gigabit speeds. However, mmWave antennas are expensive, and we expect the carrier model to sell for a higher price.
As mentioned before, taking calls on the Pixel 7a (or any Pixel) is a much better experience than it is on other devices. The spam filtering, phone tree guidance, and voice processing features set this phone apart from everything else in this price range. Every call we took on the Pixel 7a was clear on both ends, and we never had any drops.
If the numbers matter to you, Samsung and OnePlus put up higher scores. This might equate to better performance in high-end games or when multitasking with heavier apps, but we never felt like the Pixel 7a was lagging. In fact, it felt every bit as responsive as the Pixel 7 Pro and other flagship Android handsets.
Geekbench is not always a particularly informative benchmark, as it's completely synthetic and OEMs are known to optimize for it. Regardless, Geekbench can be useful as a relative data point. Here the 7a runs toward the bottom of the pack, but all the scores are tightly grouped in Geekbench 5. It's not far off from phones running a Snapdragon from a year ago, but the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 devices are on another level.
Recently, the Geekbench test has been upgraded to version 6, which has new ways of testing multicore configurations and uses higher-resolution diagnostic assets. Since this benchmark is brand new, we don't have as many data points, but the Pixel 7a is the new floor. It has a higher single-core score than the Mediatek Dimensity-powered OnePlus Pad, but the multicore number is a bit lower. That said, it's only a few percent off from the Pixel 7 Pro.
The Pixel 7a in PCMark runs along with the rest of the Pixel crowd. All Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Gen 2 devices put up higher numbers. We've never felt like Pixel phones are inferior for productivity work (7a included), so don't read into this score too much.
In Antutu, the Pixel 7a is hovers around Qualcomm-powered phones from a year ago. The latest chips benchmark higher (they'd be higher up on the graph, but we can only include so many). The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are several slots higher, but the numerical difference is just a few percent.
Device makers only started emphasizing AI performance a few years ago, but already we're seeing substantial year-over-year improvements. The Pixel 7a is somewhat behind the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, which have the same Tensor G2 chip. Google optimizes Tensor for machine learning, but it's possible that does not translate to AITuTu's general ML tests. All of Google's AI-infused features work just as expected on the 7a.
If you're primarily interested in a gaming phone, the Pixel 7a might not be the best choice. Its reference GPU design is certainly capable, with the Pixel 7a managing respectable but not mind-blowing scores in the GFXBench tests. Phones with the latest Snapdragon chips again have an advantage in raw speed here.
The Pixel 7a did not fare as well in the Slingshot test, falling behind the other Pixel phones we've tested. It's unclear why the Pixel 7a is trailing here, but this benchmark is a few years old, so the scores we see here are close together. Despite being a few slots down, the Pixel 7a isn't terribly far behind the other Pixels.
3DMark's Wild Life benchmark is newer and more demanding than Slingshot, and it allows powerful devices to shine. The Pixel 7a looks more consistent here, performing in line with other Tensor-powered Pixel phones.
Pixel 7a: Voice And Data Peformance
We tested the Pixel 7a on T-Mobile's sub-6GHz 5G network. The Pixel 7a holds onto a signal well, keeping phone calls live even in challenging situations. 5G speeds are a bit slower than some devices we've tested, but it still tops 100Mbps on T-Mobile's mid-band network.As mentioned before, taking calls on the Pixel 7a (or any Pixel) is a much better experience than it is on other devices. The spam filtering, phone tree guidance, and voice processing features set this phone apart from everything else in this price range. Every call we took on the Pixel 7a was clear on both ends, and we never had any drops.
Pixel 7a Performance Characteristics
We've seen two different Tensor chips across a range of Pixel phones, and all of these phones have performed admirably in daily use. However, Tensor doesn't benchmark as well as the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. So, we're used to seeing lower numbers in many of these tests.If the numbers matter to you, Samsung and OnePlus put up higher scores. This might equate to better performance in high-end games or when multitasking with heavier apps, but we never felt like the Pixel 7a was lagging. In fact, it felt every bit as responsive as the Pixel 7 Pro and other flagship Android handsets.
Pixel 7a Geekbench Results
Geekbench is a cross-platform benchmark that simulates real-world processing workloads in image processing and particle physics calculation scenarios. We tested all of the smartphones featured here with Geekbench's single and multi-core workloads.
Geekbench is not always a particularly informative benchmark, as it's completely synthetic and OEMs are known to optimize for it. Regardless, Geekbench can be useful as a relative data point. Here the 7a runs toward the bottom of the pack, but all the scores are tightly grouped in Geekbench 5. It's not far off from phones running a Snapdragon from a year ago, but the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 devices are on another level.
Recently, the Geekbench test has been upgraded to version 6, which has new ways of testing multicore configurations and uses higher-resolution diagnostic assets. Since this benchmark is brand new, we don't have as many data points, but the Pixel 7a is the new floor. It has a higher single-core score than the Mediatek Dimensity-powered OnePlus Pad, but the multicore number is a bit lower. That said, it's only a few percent off from the Pixel 7 Pro.
Pixel 7a PCMark For Android Results
UL's PCMark for Android is an excellent suite of tests if you want to benchmark a wide range of tasks on a handset -- things like image and video editing, as well as lighter-duty, everyday workloads such as email and web browsing. When you see the test running live, it's clear the scripted application tests are carefully selected and tuned to make use of the mobile platform in a very controlled way.
The Pixel 7a in PCMark runs along with the rest of the Pixel crowd. All Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Gen 2 devices put up higher numbers. We've never felt like Pixel phones are inferior for productivity work (7a included), so don't read into this score too much.
Pixel 7a AnTuTu 8 Benchmarks
AnTuTu’s latest benchmark returns a number of metrics ranked with somewhat nebulous scores, rather than frame rates or time to complete. Here we're running the latest version of AnTuTu across multiple Android devices. AnTuTu returns four top level performance results which are all included here: CPU, RAM, 3D, UX (or User Experience), along with a total score.
In Antutu, the Pixel 7a is hovers around Qualcomm-powered phones from a year ago. The latest chips benchmark higher (they'd be higher up on the graph, but we can only include so many). The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are several slots higher, but the numerical difference is just a few percent.
Device makers only started emphasizing AI performance a few years ago, but already we're seeing substantial year-over-year improvements. The Pixel 7a is somewhat behind the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, which have the same Tensor G2 chip. Google optimizes Tensor for machine learning, but it's possible that does not translate to AITuTu's general ML tests. All of Google's AI-infused features work just as expected on the 7a.
Pixel 7a Graphics And Gaming Benchmarks Results
Now, let's take a look at how the Pixel 7a stacks up in GFXBench, which has been one of the standard mobile graphics/gaming performance benchmarks for years. To ensure that display refresh (v-sync) and resolution aren't limiting factors, we're comparing off-screen test results here. GFXBench tests OpenGL ES graphics workloads and we're specifically testing OpenGL ES 2.0 and 3.0, as well as Vulkan in the latest iterations.
If you're primarily interested in a gaming phone, the Pixel 7a might not be the best choice. Its reference GPU design is certainly capable, with the Pixel 7a managing respectable but not mind-blowing scores in the GFXBench tests. Phones with the latest Snapdragon chips again have an advantage in raw speed here.
Pixel 7a 3DMark Slingshot Tests
UL's 3DMark Sling Shot is one of several modules in the 3DMark mobile suite. Unlike previous gen 3DMark mobile tests, Sling Shot is a much more advanced OpenGL ES 3.1 and Metal API-based benchmark that employs more advanced rendering techniques, like volumetric lighting, particle illumination, multiple render targets, instanced rendering, uniform buffers and transform feedback. We're running this test in off-screen mode once again to remove display resolution differences from the equation. This allows us to compare cross-platform results more reliably.
The Pixel 7a did not fare as well in the Slingshot test, falling behind the other Pixel phones we've tested. It's unclear why the Pixel 7a is trailing here, but this benchmark is a few years old, so the scores we see here are close together. Despite being a few slots down, the Pixel 7a isn't terribly far behind the other Pixels.
Pixel 7a Wild Life Benchmark Tests
3DMark's Wild Life benchmark is newer and more demanding than Slingshot, and it allows powerful devices to shine. The Pixel 7a looks more consistent here, performing in line with other Tensor-powered Pixel phones.
The 3DMark Wildlife stress test shows how well (or not) a phone handles heat during sustained periods of usage. The Pixel 7a's performance doesn't drop off a cliff when it heats up like some phones, but it's not quite as stable as a newer OnePlus or Asus gaming phone. The Pixel is about 70% stable in this test, which is in line with other Tensor G2-powered Pixel phones we've tested.
