The Google Pixel 7a has high-end features for sensible cash

Google’s latest affordable phone is finally official – but a quick glance through the Pixel 7a’s spec sheet reveals this £449/$499 smartphone is punching above its weight. An all-new main camera sensor, a high refresh rate screen and the addition of wireless charging are big upgrades over last year’s Google Pixel 6a, and put it more in line with the pricier Pixel 7.

• Related: read our full Google Pixel 7a review

The 6.1in smartphone uses the same Google-designed Tensor G2 CPU as its bigger brother, paired to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of on-board storage. Performance should be on par as a result, with battery life potentially even better given it’s packing a slightly larger 4385mAh cell. Wired charging is restricted to 18W, but 7.5W wireless top-ups add convenience if you’ve got a compatible Qi pad. It’s something few mid-rangers, save the Nothing Phone 1, have managed to date.

It doesn’t get the full 120Hz treatment found on the flagship Pixel 7 Pro, but the flat Full HD display can max out at 90Hz. That’s tied with the regular Pixel 7, and should mean an end to stuttery scrolling. It’s an OLED panel, so you can expect the vibrant colours and epic contrast that’s typical of the tech.

With the same distinctive rear camera shelf as its siblings, the Pixel 7a’s size and slightly thicker screen bezels are the only major tells it is a mid-range phone, rather than a high-end one. It’s IP67 dust and water resistant, with Gorilla Glass Victus protection up front. There’s an under-display fingerprint sensor, and it also supports face unlocking.

Arguably the biggest upgrade is around back, with a 64MP main camera in place of the 12MP unit seen on the outgoing Pixel 6a. It has an f/1.9 aperture and optical image stabilisation, along with the latest generation of Google’s phenomenal image processing algorithms. Pixel binning means it captures 16MP stills, with significantly better low light abilities than its predecessor. The main cam is paired with a 13MP, f/2.2 ultrawide, and there’s a 13MP, f/2.2 selfie snapper up front.

Google has added its Long Exposure shooting mode to an A-series phone for the first time, along with the automatic Night Sight low light mode, Real Tone skin mapping and Super Res zoom, which promises up to 8x upscaled shots with minimal digital artefacts.

Naturally it’s running Android 13 out of the box, with an update to Android 14 surely not far away. Five years of security updates are promised, too.

The Google Pixel 7a is on sale from today for £449/$499, in a choice of Charcoal, Sea, Snow and Coral colours. The latter can only be nabbed by heading to the Google Store.

• Related: What’s the best cheap phone? The best budget smartphones reviewed