Google Pixel 7 vs. Sony Xperia 1 VII: A Head-to-Head Flagship Showdown
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Sony Xperia 1 VII emerges as the stronger contender. Its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset delivers significantly superior performance and efficiency, coupled with a brighter display and impressive battery endurance. However, the Pixel 7 remains a compelling option for those deeply invested in Google’s ecosystem and camera software.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel 7 | Sony Xperia 1 VII |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GQML3 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - GQML3 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GVU6C | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, October 06 | 2025, May 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, October 13 | Available. Released 2025, June 04 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm (6.13 x 2.88 x 0.34 in) | 162 x 74 x 8.2 mm (6.38 x 2.91 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 197 g (6.95 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Mohs level 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~416 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~396 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.3 inches, 96.7 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 103.7 cm2 (~86.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1400 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G710 MP7 | Adreno 830 |
| OS | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm | - |
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm | - |
| Triple | - | 48 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.35", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm (telephoto), f/3.5, 170mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-7.1x continuous optical zoom, OIS, 4cm macro @ 120mm, no AF 48 MP, f/2.0, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR | 4K@24/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | - |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 6.0, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 20W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 20W wireless Reverse wireless | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4355 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Obsidian, Lemongrass, Snow | Moss Green, Orchid Purple, Slate Black |
| Models | GVU6C, GQML3, GO3Z5 | XQ-FS54, XQFS54EUKCG.GC, XQFS54EUKCV.GC, XQFS54EUKCB.GC, PDX256 |
| Price | € 199.00 / $ 179.26 / £ 189.99 / ₹ 28,499 | € 1,338.99 / $ 1,394.99 / £ 1,149.94 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 96h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -26.2 LUFS (Good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 813114 (v9) GeekBench: 3288 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | - | 43:30h endurance, 1400 cycles |
| Energy | - | Class B |
| Free fall | - | Class B (181 falls) |
| Repairability | - | Class D |
Google Pixel 7
- Exceptional computational photography
- Seamless Google Assistant integration
- Timely software updates
- Clean and intuitive software experience
- Less powerful chipset compared to Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Lower peak display brightness
- Shorter battery life
Sony Xperia 1 VII
- Superior performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Longer battery life and 1400 cycles
- Advanced video recording capabilities
- Less polished software experience out of the box
- Less emphasis on computational photography
- Potentially higher price
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 VII boasts a significant advantage in display technology, achieving a measured peak brightness of 1475 nits compared to the Pixel 7’s 974 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both displays feature an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, the Xperia 1 VII’s panel likely benefits from a higher quality panel, contributing to a more vibrant and immersive viewing experience. The Pixel 7’s display is still excellent, but the Xperia 1 VII offers a noticeable step up for media consumption and content creation.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. The Pixel 7 leverages Google’s renowned computational photography algorithms to produce consistently excellent images, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The Xperia 1 VII, while lacking the same level of software optimization, benefits from a potentially larger sensor (spec not provided, but typical for Sony flagships) and a focus on manual controls for experienced photographers. The Xperia 1 VII’s video capabilities are likely superior due to the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s advanced image signal processor and Sony’s expertise in video technology. The Pixel 7’s video is good, but the Xperia 1 VII offers more creative control and potentially higher quality output.
Performance
The performance gap between these devices is substantial. The Sony Xperia 1 VII’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) chipset, featuring Oryon V2 Phoenix cores clocked up to 4.32 GHz, demonstrably outperforms the Google Tensor G2 (5nm) in the Pixel 7. The Snapdragon 8 Elite’s architecture, with its split core configuration (2x Phoenix L + 6x Phoenix M), is optimized for both peak performance and sustained efficiency. The Pixel 7’s Tensor G2, while capable, is designed more for AI and machine learning tasks than raw processing power. This difference will be most apparent in demanding games and video editing workflows.
Battery Life
Battery life is a key differentiator. The Sony Xperia 1 VII’s endurance rating of 43:30h and active use score of 15:32h significantly surpasses the Pixel 7’s 96h endurance rating. This difference is attributable to the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s superior power efficiency and the Xperia 1 VII’s optimized power management. Both phones support 50% charging in 30 minutes with their respective 30W (Xperia) and 20W (Pixel) wired charging, and both offer reverse wireless charging, but the Xperia 1 VII’s larger battery capacity and efficient chipset provide a more reliable all-day experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the Google Pixel 7 if you need a phone with exceptional computational photography, seamless Google Assistant integration, and timely software updates. It’s ideal for users who prioritize ease of use and a consistently refined software experience. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 VII if you prefer raw processing power for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing, a brighter and more color-accurate display, and a more customizable Android experience, even if it means a less polished software experience out of the box.