The Google Pixel 8 has arrived and right out of the box, it seems to be in a mood to annihilate the Apple iPhone 15 and the Samsung Galaxy S23. With a refreshing new design and a host of beefy upgrades, the Pixel 8 is a compelling package for anyone wanting to buy a premium smartphone this festive season.
Google’s AI-infused flavour of Android brings features that no other smartphone offers today, though Google is reserving the ace features for the ultra-expensive Pixel 8 Pro. Not that the Pixel 8 is a budget-friendly phone. After all, those upgrades come at a price and if you are a budget-conscious buyer, you could look at last year’s Pixel 7 that’s selling at a much lower price now.
The Pixel 7 has been a heartthrob in the premium smartphone segment for those who value great photography and a sublime Android experience. Unlike last year though, you no longer need to pay the full price for one of these. You end up losing some of the headline features that Google currently advertises for the Pixel 8 but mind you, the Pixel 7 has all the makings of a top-tier smartphone.
If you want to pixel peep further into the details, we have done an in-depth comparison of the design, features, prices and specifications of the Google Pixel 8 vs Google Pixel 7 that’ll make your life a tad easier. Scroll away!
Google Pixel 8 vs Google Pixel 7: An in-depth comparison
Design
In the span of a generation, Google has kept its design evolution subtle yet effective. The Pixel 7 looks unique even in 2023 thanks to its bold camera visor and playful colours. The front may not look cutting-edge with its substantially thick bezels but it gels well with the current crop of modern-day smartphone designs. The IP68 water and dust resistance certification is a boon as well.
Moving on to the Pixel 8, it’s more of a refinement story. You can recognise it as a non-Pro Pixel flagship with its camera visor and the same candy bar design. However, look closely and the improvements are noticeable over the Pixel 7. The phone has a more curvy design with rounded corners and slimmer display bezels. The camera visor is also thicker with a larger lens housing and, thanks to the use of lightweight materials, the Pixel 8 is more comfortable to hold. It reminds us more of the Samsung Galaxy S23 in its overall profile. The addition of a cute colour palette also helps make a strong case for the Pixel 8.
Display
While the Google Pixel 7 received flak for offering just a 90Hz OLED FHD display, a manageable 6.3-inch size and a peak brightness of 1,400 nits made up for it. This year, the Pixel 8 has a slightly smaller 6.2-inch display that uses a 120Hz OLED panel with a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. The bezels are slimmer and uniform, and Google has retained the Gorilla Glass Victus protection.
For those who don’t understand the technical gibberish, it simply means that the Pixel 8’s display is easily legible under bright sunlight and is more beautiful to look at.
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Performance
Both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 offer 8GB RAM as standard, which is frankly enough for generic smartphone tasks and basic multitasking. However, it’s the chipset where the Pixel 8 makes big leaps.
Last year’s Pixel 7 had the Tensor G2 chip that proved to be fast (but ran hot) most of the time. The Tensor G2 was based on a 5nm manufacturing process and synthetic benchmarks revealed performance figures comparable to 2021’s powerful chips from Samsung and Qualcomm.
With the Pixel 8, Google is using a more refined and boosted Tensor G3 chipset that’s based on the 4nm process. Although we have yet to test out the Tensor G3, early synthetic benchmarks reveal comparable performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. Google also promises better on-device processing for its AI algorithms. Theoretically, the Tensor G3 should be a much superior chipset to rely on.
Software
This is the most important aspect that sets the Pixel 8 apart from the Pixel 7. As you’re reading this, the Google Pixel 7 is already eligible for the Android 14 update, something which the Pixel 8 boots out of the box. In terms of software features and the basic user experience, both of these smartphones are nearly identical. You get the same lock screen customisation options as well as the smart features that we have come to associate these Pixel phones with.
However, the Google Pixel 7 will only receive two more Android OS updates and four years of security patches. That’s minuscule in comparison to the seven years of OS and security updates promised on the Pixel 8. In other words, the Google Pixel 8 will get the newest version of Android even in 2030.
Cameras
The changes to the camera system are minimal but the Pixel 8 enjoys the benefit of a superior ISP and better algorithms over the Pixel 7.
The Pixel 7 features a 50-megapixel main camera with Super Res digital zoom and a secondary 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Pixel 8 gets the same new 50-megapixel main camera as seen on the Pixel 8 Pro but retains the old 12-megapixel ultrawide camera that we see on the Pixel 7.
Based on the new hardware, the Pixel 8 also brings several new AI-based camera features like macro focus, better Night Sight and HDR+ effects. As part of the post-processing features, Pixel 8 users will get Best Take, Magic Editor and Audio Magic Eraser for videos.
Battery and Charging
The Pixel 7’s 4,355mAh battery manages to provide all-day stamina but its 20W wired and 20W wireless charging are slow to fill it up. In comparison, the Pixel 8 features a slightly bigger 4,575mAh battery that promises all-day stamina. Additionally, the Pixel 8 also supports faster 27W wired charging along with the relatively slower 18W wireless charging.
As of now, the Pixel 8 seems to have a notable advantage in this department.
Pricing
This is the only aspect where the Pixel 7 has a huge advantage over the Pixel 8. Being the newest offering from Google, the Pixel 8 currently carries a price tag of INR 75,999 (HKD 7,151 approx.) for the base variant with 128GB storage. The Pixel 8 256GB variant will set you back by INR 82,999 (HKD 7,810 approx.).
In comparison, you can bag a Google Pixel 7 for INR 41,999 (HKD 3,951 approx.) and the price is applicable for all the colour variants. Keep in mind that the Pixel 7 is only available with 128GB storage.
Google Pixel 8 vs Google Pixel 7: Our verdict
It’s a no-brainer that the Google Pixel 8 is the superior smartphone in this comparison. Considering all its upgrades over the ageing Pixel 7, it ends up being our top pick, especially for those seeking a premium Android experience. The Pixel 8 looks nicer, has a much brighter and faster 120Hz OLED display, an upgraded main rear camera with lots of AI features and slightly better battery life with faster charging speeds. If you can afford to spend INR 80,000 (HKD 7527 approx.) on a brand-new smartphone today, the Google Pixel 8 is a solid recommendation for an alternative to the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S23.
As for the Pixel 7, it’s more of a mixed bag. At a price of INR 41,999 (HKD 3,951 approx.), the Pixel 7 offers good value for money for a 2022 flagship Android smartphone. Those seeking a good camera system and a nice Android experience can consider the Pixel 7 over the similarly priced Pixel 7a. However, there have been several complaints about the Pixel 7’s reliability with regard to its software and battery life. As a result, it becomes tougher to recommend it to anyone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– What is the price of the Google Pixel 8?
The Google Pixel 8 starts at a price of INR 75,999 (HKD 7,151 approx.) in India for the 128GB variant.
– What are the specifications of the Google Pixel 8?
The Google Pixel 8 features a 6.2-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED display, a Tensor G3 chip with 8GB RAM, Android 14 OS, a 50-megapixel main camera, a 4,575mAh battery with 27W fast wired charging and 18W wireless charging.
– What is the difference between the cameras of the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 7?
Both the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 7 feature a similar camera setup, consisting of a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 10.8-megapixel selfie camera. However, the Pixel 8 uses a superior image sensor for the main camera, a faster ISP with better image processing capabilities and new AI features.
– What is the difference between the design of the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 7?
The Google Pixel 8 has more rounded edges compared to the Google Pixel 7 and is 10 grams lighter as well.
(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Augustman via Amritanshu Mukherjee)
