Cases And Accessories
Must you purchase Google Pixel 7 now or look ahead to the Pixel 8
The Google Pixel 7 is one of the best smartphones in 2023, and one of the best Android phones. It stands out with its unique design, powerful Tensor G2 chipset, and impressive camera quality. The Pixel 7 series are some of the best phones on the market today, and they received steep discounts from many retailers and carriers, making them an excellent alternative to the iPhone 14 series and the latest Galaxy S23 lineup.
The Google Pixel 8 series is still a few months away. As we await the leaks to reveal more about Google’s next-generation flagship devices, we asked ourselves whether it’s worth buying the Google Pixel 7 now or whether users should hold out and wait for the upcoming Google Pixel 8.
You should buy the Pixel 7 today if…
You’re looking for a solid flagship smartphone from Google
The Google Pixel 8 is still months away – at the time of writing this article – and the Pixel 7 is available to buy right now. Google often releases its new devices in October, which means the new Pixel generation is more than three months away.
If you’re looking for an excellent and solid flagship smartphone from Google, the Pixel 7 is the one you should consider, especially if you’re looking for great battery life, a large responsive display, and one of the best cameras on the market. The Pixel 7 excels at everything, and unlike previous generations, it’s the first time Google nailed it with the software and hardware. There are no issues, and the Pixel 7 series are the best devices yet from Google.
You want to save money
The Google Pixel 7 series are constantly receiving price cuts, and carriers offer various bundles and discounts to convince users to upgrade, and pick up a Pixel smartphone. Whether that’s the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, or the Pixel 7a, all Pixel-branded devices are having their prices cut in an aggressive move to make consumers try them out.
The Pixel 7 will only get cheaper, and we’ve already seen the device offered for $200 off its retail price, making it one of the best phones to buy in 2023. If you’re looking to save money, or perhaps you don’t need all of the additional features in the Pixel 7 Pro – and want more than what’s in the Pixel 7a – then the vanilla Pixel 7 is an excellent choice. It doesn’t break the bank and is an excellent bang for your buck. The Pixel 7 is one of our favorite phones in its category.
You want a phone that’ll continue receiving updates
Google updates its smartphones for several years, and the company offers three years of OS and five years of security updates for the Pixel 7 series. This means that the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will continue to receive updates up until Android 16, and security patches until at least 2027. That’s still a few years away, and Android 14 is just about to be released, meaning that you still have more than two years until the Pixel 7 series are outdated. The Pixel 7 is an excellent smartphone that doesn’t break the bank, and it’s a great option if you’re planning for the long term, that is, if that’s in the next two years.
You should wait for the Google Pixel 8 if…
You want a smaller phone
The latest leaks suggest the Google Pixel 8 could be slightly smaller and more rounded than the Pixel 7 series. The new design could significantly improve the one-handed experience and provide a more comfortable feel. Holding the Pixel 8 could be far easier than before.
If you’ve tried the Pixel 7, you might have noticed that it’s hard to hold, and while the phone has a comfortable and great design, we can’t blame you for wanting a smaller and narrower device that’s easier to use. Suppose the Pixel 8 shrinks slightly and becomes curvier than the Pixel 7; we could be looking at a phone that’s aesthetically pleasing to your eyes and your hands.
You want the most powerful chip and new features from Google
The Google Pixel 8 series will arrive with Android 14 out of the box, and we expect to see significant improvements on the hardware side. The upcoming Pixel 8 series will feature the improved Google Tensor G3 chipset, which is said to bring massive improvements to the overall performance. As a result of the new chip, gaming, multitasking, and battery life should yield significantly better results.
The Pixel 8 is also rumored to come with a temperature sensor, although most leaks said this could be unique to the Pixel 8 Pro. Additionally, we’ve already seen reports claiming that Google could add a new Audio Magic Eraser, that would better isolate sound and enhance certain tones to make recordings more pleasant without extra noise.
The combination of Android 14, Google’s own enhancements for Pixel devices, and the new Tensor G3 chip should provide major improvements. It’s also possible that Google will introduce a few new features that could first only be available on the latest Pixel series – although the company often brings most of these new features to it’s previous generation smartphones within weeks and months. Still, if you want to stay on the edge, you might want to hold out and wait for the upcoming Pixel 8 series.
You’re not in a rush
Early rumors suggest the Pixel 8 could cost the same amount as the Pixel 7, in the US. Google isn’t expected to hike prices in North America, although the company could decide to increase some of its margins to cope with the high inflation rates. It’s also possible that we’ll see higher prices outside of the US, including in Europe and the UK.
Suppose you’re not in a rush, or don’t need a new smartphone right now, and you want to experience the Pixel software and optimization on the latest and the greatest smartphone from Google. In that case, we’d recommend waiting until October. That’s when Google usually announces its new flagship devices, and we expect a similar timeline in 2023.
Conclusion
Suppose you have the budget and are not in a rush to upgrade; waiting for the Pixel 8 series is your best decision. The Pixel 8 series promises faster performance, higher efficiency, better cameras, and a significantly improved user experience thanks to the new enhancements and software features.
However, if you’ve been itching to try the Google experience and ecosystem, it’s the best time to give the current generation a try, and you could also save hundreds of dollars. With Amazon Prime Day around the corner, we expect Google, and many other retailers and carriers to introduce steep price cuts, saving you hundreds of dollars. If you decide to go with the Google Pixel 7, we recommend you visit our cases guide, which includes more than a dozen of our favorite cases that fit the Pixel 7 perfectly.
Whether you decide to wait or upgrade now, the Pixel 7 series are the best devices that Google has ever made, and the phones come with three years of OS and five years of security patches to ensure they’re kept safe and sound. In theory, Android 16 will be the last OS update for the Pixel 7 series, and they’ll receive security updates until at least 2027, making them a great option, even in 2023, if you’re looking for a phone that you can hold on for the next few years.
Google Pixel 7
$499 $600 Save $101
The new Google Pixel 7 is powered by the all-new Google Tensor G2 chipset. The device is coupled with 8GB of memory, and it has 128/256GB storage tiers. The phone comes with a significantly improved camera system, and it’s more portable than the last generation. The Pixel 7 is available in Obsidian, Lemongrass, and Snow colors.
Other great Pixel smartphones
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Google Pixel 7 Pro
$699 $899 Save $200
The Google Pixel 7 Pro, powered by the new Google Pixel Tensor sensor, provides great graphics performance and computing power to let you easily play all of your favorite games and multitask. The device also has a highly capable camera setup that’s backed by a unique post-processing algorithm that helps achieve great results.
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Google Pixel 7a
$444 $499 Save $55
The Pixel 7a is the new affordable smartphone from Google, featuring much-awaited features such as a 90Hz responsive display, a more powerful camera setup, and support for wireless charging. The Pixel 7a is powered by the Tensor G2 chipset, and it’s the best device in the A series yet.
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Google Pixel 6a
$299 $349 Save $50
If you don’t care about high refresh rate, wireless charging, a glass back, and a few other tidbits, this should be your phone. It’s a Pixel that features the same chipset as the last year’s Pixel 6 series but less expensive. Check out all the deals on the device using the links given below.