Should I buy a Pixel 7 if I already own a Pixel 6?

The Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have finally been released and they are available for purchase. However, if you just bought the Google Pixel 6 during the previous year’s launch, one of the best smartphones you can get, and are wondering if it is already worth the upgrade. After all, both phones look as well as feel pretty similar on the surface. Don’t worry, as you will find out how they stack up against each other. To read in-depth about what Pixel 7 brings to the table click here.

What’s new in the Pixel 7?

Google stays true to its new visor-design language with the Pixel 7; however, the newer design looks more sophisticated, and the camera bump, doesn’t feel like a bump, it seamlessly merges with the phone. The visor is now made of aluminum, the same material used for the frame. If you look carefully enough at the front, you’ll also notice that the bezels around the screen have shrunken a little. Except for the bottom bezel, which is still roughly the same size as on the Pixel 6. 

If we are talking about colors, while the Pixel 6 came in Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, and Stormy Black, the Pixel 7 is available in Lemongrass, Snow, and Obsidian. 

It’s time to address the elephant in the room, yes, I am talking about the fingerprint scanner. Google has upgraded both the hardware as well as the software. While the fingerprint scanner was one of the weakest points of the Pixel 6, the Pixel 7’s scanner feels just fine, it works faster as well as more accurately.

The newer Pixel 7 as well as the year-old Pixel 6 share the same camera hardware on the back. You will be getting a 50MP wide standard camera accompanied by a 12MP ultrawide. Google prefers to stick with a hardware setup for multiple generations, instead of just hardware upgrades, it focuses on improving the surrounding software and algorithms to get even more out of it. This is what has been done with the Pixel 7, it just offers much faster night photography while providing the same quality. 

Both the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 6 currently run-on Android 13, though naturally, the Pixel 7 is guaranteed to get updates for a year longer than the Pixel 6. It means you will be getting three years of Android version upgrades and five years of security patches for the Pixel 7, whereas the Pixel 6 only has two years of Android upgrades left and four years of security patches, as the Pixel 6 is already one year old.

The most interesting and most obvious upgrade in the Pixel 7 is the new Tensor G2 processor which is a custom in-house processor made by Google specifically for their Pixel devices. According to Google, it offers a 60% improvement in performance along with a 20% improvement in efficiency for lower power consumption.

A Downgrade – Battery Capacity

The Pixel 6 had a 4614mAh battery; 30W fast wired charging; 21W fast wireless charging; reverse wireless charging. While the Pixel 7 is equipped with a 4355mAh battery; 30W fast wired charging; 20W fast wireless charging; reverse wireless charging.

Yes, the Pixel 7 does have a smaller screen and a more efficient processor that consumes less power, but it is still sad to see the smaller 4355mAh battery. Google does promise an all-day battery on both phones, this has been taken a step further with up to 72-hour battery life on the Pixel 7 with the Extreme Battery Saver feature.

Should You Upgrade to the Pixel 7?

If you already own the Pixel 6, the newer Pixel 7 cannot be considered a big enough jump in specs as well as features to be worth the upgrade. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the Pixel 7 is not a good phone, as a matter of fact, for $599, it’s an excellent deal and offers much better value than the competition. If you currently own a Pixel 5 or an older device, the Pixel 7 is a formidable upgrade.

To keep it real, as long as you are not affected by terrible connectivity problems, there is probably no justifiable reason to upgrade to the Pixel 7 when you just got a Pixel 6 last year. However, if you have the chance to get a particularly good trade-in deal, and you need to have a phone that is slightly more pocketable and fits better in the hand than the Pixel 6, then the Pixel 7 has to be given serious consideration. 

The Pixel 7 might also be a good upgrade if you suffer from bad connectivity, though if that is happening, to be safe, you should want to switch to another manufacturer’s product. When we talk about the new Pixel camera features Google announced with the Pixel 7 for example, Photo Unblur and Guided Frame, they will become available on the Pixel 6 via software updates, so it is unnecessary for you to upgrade.

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