Google Pixel 7a - Unlocked Android Cell Phone - Smartphone with Wide Angle Lens and 24-Hour Battery - 128 GB – CharcoalECOLOGOECOLOGO

I've been using this phone for a full year now, so I feel I've used it enough to give a fair assessment. Bottom line: best phone I've ever owned. Other reviewers have adequately covered most of the good features of this phone, all of which I agree with. So I will only mention the aspects that are less than optimal.Fingerprint sensor - as others have mentioned, it is not very reliable. To try to improve the performance, I used the same finger (thumb) for more than one of the (I think) four fingerprints you are allowed to store in the phone. This seems to improve the chances of a successful fingerprint read. Technique is also a factor. I've had the best luck with a quick but firm tap on the sensor area. If you linger a bit, your finger is likely to move ever so slightly on the screen causing it not to be recognized. I've also found that when my fingers are cold the chances of a successful read are reduced.Modem - Cellular reception in fringe areas is probably a bit worse than other phones such as Samsung and could make the difference in usability in certain situations. Most of the time it's fine and I've found that the phone can perform surprisingly well even with a marginal signal level.Screen Brightness - could definitely be better. I leave mine fixed at 80% most of the time and in most indoor lighting situations it is entirely adequate. Outdoors however, I have to boost it up to 100% and in my opinion it is barely adequate.Wireless charging - is pretty slow, but since I charge overnight it hasn't been an issue for me. If I need it to charge faster I just plug it in. The phone has good battery life so charging once a day has worked out fine, even when I watch hours of TikToks.Lens Flare - although I am extremely pleased with the performance of the camera in most situations, especially low light or night time shots, if there is a very bright source of light in an otherwise dark scene, the lens flare is crazy excessive and looks like petals of a flower. I realize it's not a high-end phone, but geez, I think they could have done better even at this price point.Photo Processing - most of the time Google's photo processing for the camera turns out excellent results, especially in difficult lighting situations. One place it doesn't work well at all is fine detail when using the digital zoom. The photo processing (AI?) algorithms try to fill in detail where it is lacking (instead of leaving it to be fuzzy) and comes up with some pretty wild patterns. Not a fan of this aspect at all. I'd rather it be fuzzy.No 720p video - Sometimes I like to record 720p video because it takes up less memory, but the camera app doesn't have an option for that. As a work-around I used a 3rd party camera app, but I haven't found one that is as easy to use as the Google camera app.OK, so enough negative points. Here are some things that really impress me about the phone...Processing speed and overall responsiveness ... it is very snappy. Never keeps me waiting.Camera ... LOVE the camera. Great low-light performance too. Probably my main reason for picking a Google pixel phone.Size ... just the right size for my hand and fits in any pocket I slip it into.Screen - could be brighter, but otherwise has good color balance and is very crisp.Battery life - haven't run out of juice yet, even with fairly heavy use.Overall I am very pleased with this phone and would buy another one in a heartbeat if anything happened to it.

Got for my 13 year old daughter. Way better than other phones in this price range. Very fast, magnificent camera and great battery life even for her who is buried in it nearly every waking moment of her life. lol.

Replaces a Huawei P30 lite with very similar specs. The Pixel outperforms the Huawei in terms of real-world processing speed, outside camera, and it comes with the the latest Android O.S. The most enjoyable feature is the AI photo features such as Unblur and ability to remove items from a photo.Pros: Fast Performance.Decent storage, advanced photo editing features, high spec outside facing camera.Cons: heavy when compared to other phones.Does not come with a charger. (Huawei phone did that's why I can complain).No expandable storage (micro SD) option, but built-in 128gb should suffice for most.Does not have an alarm feature from shut off. (Huawei and other asian branded phones have this. Eliminates the need for an alarm clock as you can shut the off the phone before bed and it will turn on and wake you at the alarm time in the morning.)Fingerprint reader is a bit inaccurate at times.Selfie camera is Ok quality.Bulky optional charger with ok battery life.Overall, it's a good phone if you can get it at the sale price of less than 400$. The Camera quality and photo editing software make it an attractive phone that you'll have fun playing with. Even with older photos. But the weight and bulk are noticable, and has a long way to go in comparison to it's competitors at similar MSRP price points.If you need something now, then it's a definite buy. If you can wait, I'd look for something better as the price drops around the holiday seasons.---Update 9/16/2024---Ran into an issue during a trip to Kyoto.In the summer, this phone will overheat.Was using the neat feature of Live Google Maps directions, and the phone started warning about it overheating. The phone itself can get pretty hot.Guess it may be a new feature of mid-range phones, but not so great to have this warning when you're in the middle of a summer trip and have to worry about your only resource for Uber, taxis, hotel reservations, etc.Also, newer budget phones have started coming out at cheaper prices that have their own versions of AI photo editing and features comparable to this.All in all, if it's on sale and you don't plan to use it so much in the summer then it is still a good deal.But personally, this phone still has a ways to go.There are other budget phones out there now that are comparable this one, lighter, and sell for a cheaper price. For now, this phone works for me but this will probably be the last pixel I will ever own

This is an excellent phone and I couldn't tell that it had ever been opened or used. It sure seems to be new. Pixel phones are known for their great cameras and this one is no exception. I'm a photographer from way back and this phone won't replace my DSLR or mirrorless cameras, but it's way better than the cameras built into most low or mid-priced phones. Lots of camera features that will keep you busy learning them all.The phone's processor seems fast to me, there's little or no lag bringing up apps or videos. The phone's signal strength is good. Where I live, the nearest tower is not close enough to provide a strong signal throughout the house, but the Pixel handles it nicely. The battery doesn't last quite as long as my last phone, a mid-priced Samsung. But then again, the more powerful processor probably explains a lot of that. And it always has something displayed on the screen, even when it goes into sleep mode it shows a clock and a couple other indicators like the date, outside temperature and remaining charge.I'm satisfied with my purchase and yes, I recommend this phone if you want a premium phone without the 4 figure price tag.