Google Pixel 7 Pro

A superb all-round phone that is only likely to improve with software updates, and the price is absolutely right

- PHILIP BERNE

SCORE 5/5

PRICE 128GB, £708 (£849 inc VAT) from store.google.com

Google's Pixel phones have generally been solid mid-range handsets, but with this year's offering the company is setting its sights higher. The Pixel 7 Pro aims to deliver the kind of quality and speed you would expect of a flagship phone from Apple and Samsung, but for a significantly lower price.

It's certainly achieved the latter goal. Launching at £849 (with 128GB of storage and 12GB of RAM), the Pixel 7 Pro costs considerably less than an Apple iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. The question is, can it compete with them?

Bright beginnings

There are three colour options for the Pixel 7 Pro, namely Snow (white), Obsidian (black) and a tasteful grey-green that Google is calling Hazel. I don't love the design; the glossy finish is very fingerprint prone, and the camera band across the back will divide opinion. You won't be surprised to learn there's no headphone socket either.

The screen, however, is superb. It's a big 6.7in LTPO OLED display, covered in scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. I found it exceedingly bright and colourful: the iPhone 14 Pro can reach a higher brightness, but I've zero complaints about this one. It's a delight to read, play games and watch videos on, even in bright sunlight.

The panel is sharp too, with a 3,120 x 1,440 resolution that translates to a ridiculous 512ppi density - higher even than the Galaxy S22 Ultra's 500ppi. Looking back through old photos, I could see detail and pick out flaws that I'd never previously noticed. A 120Hz refresh rate ensures that moving through the interface and home screens is fantastically fluid.