With the Pixel 7a launch, now has never been a better time to buy a Pixel 7

Oliver Cragg / Android Authority

Google has just launched the Pixel 7a, and it’s clearly a major leap forward for the company’s mid-range phone lineup. The new handset costs $500, but gains previously missing features like wireless charging, a high refresh rate screen, and a high-resolution main camera.

But as good a value proposition as the Pixel 7a is, there’s never been a better time to buy the Pixel 7 instead. Here’s why.

Pixel 7 or Pixel 7a? A simple choice

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

The Pixel 7 launched at a very attractive $600 in the US, making it only $100 more expensive than the Pixel 7a’s price tag. But it’s easy to find the phone for $550 or even $500 at times. In fact, the phone was available for just $450 via the Google Store and Amazon in recent months.

In other words, you can get the full-blown flagship phone experience for the same price or even cheaper than the new mid-range Pixel if you keep an eye out for frequent deals.

There are indeed a few reasons to go for the Pixel 7 over the Pixel 7a. The flagship phone brings marginally faster wired charging (20W versus 18W), faster wireless charging (20W versus 7.5W), a superior main camera on paper, action pan functionality, Gorilla Glass Victus (versus Gorilla Glass 3), and a slightly better IP rating (IP68 versus IP67).

The Pixel 7 frequently goes on sale, coming in at the same price or even cheaper than the Pixel 7a.

None of these features on their own might be enough to convince you to get the Pixel 7 for a slightly more expensive price tag. But the fact that you’re getting all of these features at a small premium is pretty notable. And it’s absolutely a no-brainer purchase for the same price as the Pixel 7a or even cheaper.

Otherwise, the two phones still share features like the Tensor G2 processor, a 90Hz FHD+ OLED screen, a similar-sized battery, and a robust software update policy. So you really can’t go wrong with the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7a if you want a performant Pixel experience. For a closer look at how the two stack up, check out our Google Pixel 7a vs Pixel 7a comparison.

Even the Pixel 6a is a great deal now

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

It’s also worth noting that last year’s Pixel smartphone warrants consideration now that it’s received a permanent $100 price cut to $350. That makes it $150 cheaper than the Pixel 7a at launch.

Sure, the Pixel 6a lacks features like a high refresh rate, wireless charging, and the Tensor G2 processor. But the phone still brings a solid first-generation Tensor processor, an OLED screen, great cameras, and an IP67 rating. Taken together, this makes the Pixel 6a a compelling proposition over similarly priced Samsung Galaxy A34 5G (£349 at Amazon) and OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite (£299 at Amazon).

Either way, the Pixel 7a is clearly a significant, feature-filled entry in Google’s mid-range portfolio. But those seeking a great value-for-money purchase above all else might want to look out for a discounted Pixel 7 or Pixel 6a first.

$349.00 at Amazon

22%off

Google Pixel 6a

Powerful Tensor chip
Excellent cameras
Great software

$499.00 at Amazon

9%off

Google Pixel 7a

The best sub-$500 camera phone
Solid performance and plenty of RAM
Improved 90Hz display