The best Google Pixel phones are a great choice if you don't want one of the latest Apple iPhone or Samsung phone models. Google phones tend to be slightly cheaper than other smartphone devices, but they're still high-end phones packed with the latest camera features and technology.
Google launched its first Pixel handset back in 2016, and since then has unveiled further Pixel models every year. The latest Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7 sell for an affordable price, and they're easily the best Google phones available today – not to mention the best camera phones overall today.
If you’re on a budget, most of the previous Google Pixel phones are also very powerful, capable, and user-friendly. The Google Pixel 7a is a great camera phone for the cash conscious, combining combines Google's camera smarts and styling with loads of power.
To help you choose the best Google phone, we’ll go through all the Pixel phones on sale today in this article, highlight the main differences between them – and point you to the best available deals on each. You'll be able to find the best Google phone for your needs and budget.
The best Google Pixel phone 2023
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The Google Pixel 7 Pro was launched with the Pixel 7 as the latest in the lineup, but it has 0.4 inches of extra screen space and a faster screen refresh rate. In terms of cameras, the Pixel 7 Pro has an impressive triple rear-camera system, including a 48MP telephoto zoom lens, with 5x Optical zoom. Features include Face Unblur and Cinematic Blur, but the Pixel 7 Pro also (exclusively) has a Macro Focus mode – useful for close-focusing on subjects up to 3cm away – and 30x Super Res Zoom for capturing far-away objects.
More generally, the Pixel 7 Pro has Google's new G2 chip, which means you get faster and more efficient processing, enabling you to do more, but with a longer battery. You also get Google’s Titan M2 chip, designed to protect your security online.
This is by far the best Google Pixel phone for photographers, and although it's the most expensive, it's still cheaper than the equivalent flagship iPhone.
See our full Google Pixel 7 Pro review.
We think the Pixel 7a is a fun little device packed with helpful features. It might not be the best overall Pixel phone, but it certainly offers the most value for money right now; with outstanding camera software, heaps of processing power, and a relatively low price.
At 6.1 inches, the Google Pixel 7a is as small as a modern smartphone can be without overly reducing quality. It isn’t quite as little as, say, an iPhone SE, but it is still smaller than what most consumers will be used to. This might not be for those with massive hands or people that want a big bright screen for streaming.
Read our full Google Pixel 7a review
The Google Pixel 7 has a 6.3-inch fast and responsive display, just a touch smaller than the Pixel 7 Pro. It has a dual rear camera system consisting of a 50 MP wide camera with ƒ/1.85 aperture and optical and electronic image stabilization, as well as a 12 MP ultrawide camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture. The front-facing camera has a 92.8° ultrawide field of view which should make group selfies easy.
It features the same camera features as the Pixel 7 Pro, except for Macro Focus. The phone also gets many of the same tech innovations as the Pixel 7 Pro, including the Tensor G2 processor and the Titan M2 security chip, plus a built-in VPN.
If you don't need the three-camera setup found on the Pixel 7 and want a slightly smaller, cheaper phone, this is an excellent option.
See our full Google Pixel 7 review.
The Google Pixel 6 Pro is still great for taking high quality pictures. It has a 50 megapixel main camera, and a useful 12 megapixel ultra-wide too - but its party piece is the 48 megapixel telephoto lens with a periscope zoom. The three cameras sit on a raised strip on the back - giving this handset a distinctive, sci-fi look that we rather like. This is a big handset - which comes with a meaty weight to match - but for this you do get a beautiful 6.7inch phablet screen (and it is still lighter than its Apple rival the iPhone 13 Pro Max).
The Google Pixel 6a mixes top-end and midrange features. It gets the same mighty Google Tensor processor introduced on the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro – so should deliver flagship performance and 5G data speeds. Google also revisits its playful Pixel 6 styling, for a two-tone, black bar rear, and the phone's frame is a rich, blasted metal. With some competition like the Galaxy A53 5G sporting plastic at the price, things are looking good for the Google 6a's design, and it's water-resistant too. The Pixel 6a is another excellent option for anyone after a great smartphone that doesn't cost the earth.
There’s no question about it: the Pixel 5 is the best Google phone available today, hands-down.
With the trademark quirky look that’s come to define the Pixel range, it offers a compact design, a reliable point-and-shoot camera, and smart Google software that makes using the latest Android 11 operating system a joy.
You also get a nice 6-inch screen with Full HD resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate and strong viewing angles. The main camera module features a 12.2MP sensor plus a 16MP ultrawide lens, and lets you shoot 4K video in 60fps. 5G is supported, storage is a generous 128GB, the phone is water-resistant, and you get wireless charging, too.
Admittedly, you’re missing a few high-end features that you’d find in the top iPhones or Samsung phones, such as a telephoto lens and optical zoom. But given the reasonable price of the Pixel 5, you’re getting a quite brilliant phone for your money. To learn more, read our Google Pixel 5 review.
If you want something a little cheaper than a more modern Pixel, but which is still a quality phone, then you’ll find it in the Google Pixel 4 XL.
Even though it’s been around since October 2019, it’s still a very impressive device. The screen itself is superior in many ways to the Pixel 5’s: larger, at 6.3 inches, and offering a higher resolution of 1440 x 3040 pixels. The processor is a little more powerful than the Pixel 5’s, too.
Elsewhere, you’re taking a step down in terms of the specs: there’s no 5G, the battery is slightly less powerful and the operating system is one down from Android 11. But it’s a pretty small step on the whole.
The cameras, too, are pretty similar between the two phones. Yes, you can only capture 4K in 30fps, half the frame rate of the Pixel 5, but overall this is a great phone for shooting both stills and video.
In short, then, the Pixel 4 XL doesn’t quite match up to the Pixel 5, but isn’t far off. And as you should be able to get one for a lower price, it’s well worth considering. To learn more, read our Google Pixel 4 XL review.
You might also be interested in the best budget camera phones, or if you're an Apple fan, the best iPhone for photography. Let's not forget the best Samsung phones and the best flip phones either.
