The one thing that immediately struck me the moment I opened the Pixel 7a box was how phenomenally well-built this phone is. In hand, it is virtually indistinguishable from my more expensive Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, despite the switch from a glass to a plastic back. Sure, the similar white color helps, but everything about the Pixel 7a feels solid and premium — way more than the Pixel 6a or any other A series phone ever did.
Google isn’t joking this time around. At $499, this midrange phone is excellent on paper, and even better in reality. Just start counting all the ways the Pixel 7a is better than the 6a and you’ll notice that the upgrades stack up to easily justify the $50 markup in price (if not more). But could it be the last A series Pixel from Google? Rumors suggest so, but I think otherwise.