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Google Pixel 7 Display test

OTHER AVAILABLE TESTS FOR THIS DEVICE

We put the Google Pixel 7 through our rigorous DXOMARK Display test suite to measure its performance across six criteria. In this test summary, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.

Overview

Key display specifications:

  • 6.32 inches OLED (~85.6% screen-to-body ratio)
  • Dimensions: 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm (6.1 x 2.9 x 0.3 inches)
  • Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, (~416 ppi density)
  • Refresh rate: 90 Hz

Scoring

Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.

Google Pixel 7
140
display
145

160

138

163

155

162

142

155

136

165

117

149

Pros

  • Well-managed and pleasant HDR10 video experience
  • The device shows good color fidelity in most lighting environments
  • Brightness is well managed in low light and indoor conditions

Cons

  • Device sometimes lacks brightness in outdoor conditions
  • Device lacks smoothness at times when playing video games
  • Colors shift from pink to blue alternatively with respect to the angle

Though it is not quite on par with the Google Pixel 7 Pro, the Pixel 7’s performance is nonetheless head and shoulders above that of many other devices — and in fact, as of this writing, it is in first place among all devices in the High-end category, and is in the Top 10 among all tested phones in the DXOMARK database.

The Google Pixel 7 matches the Pixel 7 Pro in its handling of HDR10 video content, with both devices achieving very good adapted brightness and contrast, thus providing a pleasant viewing experience. While both Google phones handle frame drops well, the Pixel 7 comes out ahead of its larger sibling in the motion attribute, as no stutters are visible on the smaller device when gaming. For all other attributes, however, the Pixel 7 lags behind the Pro version, particularly in terms of color on angle and touch. That said, the Pixel 7 performs very well considering its segment, even outperforming the iPhone 14, even if the Apple product is in the Premium segment.

Test summary

About DXOMARK Display tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone and other display reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective and perceptual tests under controlled lab and real-life conditions. Note that we evaluate display attributes using only the device’s built-in display hardware and its still image (gallery) and video apps at their default settings. (For in-depth information about how we evaluate smartphone and other displays, check out our articles, “How DXOMARK tests display quality” and “A closer look at DXOMARK Display testing.

The following section gathers key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyses performed in DXOMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations under the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Readability

145

Google Pixel 7

160

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
How Display Readability score is composed

Readability evaluates how easily and comfortably users can read still content (photos & web) on the display under different real-life conditions. DXOMARK uses its Display Bench to recreate ambient light conditions ranging from total darkness to bright sunlight. In addition to laboratory tests, perceptual analysis is also made in real-life environments.

The Google Pixel 7’s brightness provides very good readability in indoor conditions. Its adaptation to changes in ambient lighting is smooth, and readability is preserved when viewed on angle.

Brightness is adapted at 0 lux, though at a lower limit for the Pixel 7 than for the Pixel 6. The Pixel 7 shows the same behavior as the Pro version under challenging conditions — that is, brightness reaches 1000 nits (versus up to 2000 nits for the 7 Pro), but quickly drops, thereby strongly degrading readability.

Brightness under various lighting conditions
Contrast under various lighting conditions


Readability in an indoor (1000 lux) environment
From left: Google Pixel 7, Google Pixel 6, Apple iPhone 14, Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
(Photos for illustration only)


Readability in an outdoor (20 000 lux) environment

From left: Google Pixel 7, Google Pixel 6, Apple iPhone 14, Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)

(Photos for illustration only)

Like the Pro version, the Google Pixel 7 shows excellent brightness and color uniformity.

Luminance uniformity measurement

This graph shows the uniformity of the display with a 20% gray pattern. The more visible the green color, the more uniform the display.

Color

138

Google Pixel 7

163

Sony Xperia 5 IV
How Display Color score is composed

The color attribute evaluates the capacity of the device to accurately reproduce colors. The measurements taken are for fidelity, white point color, and gamut coverage. We perform color evaluations for different lighting conditions to see how well the device can manage color in the surrounding environment. Colors are measured using a spectrophotometer in a controlled lighting environment. Perceptual analysis of color rendering is against the reference pattern displayed on a calibrated professional monitor.

Color measurements for the Google Pixel 7 are close to those of the reference target, and the device adapts its color gamut to image content. Unlike the iPhone, however, the Pixel 7 does not adapt its white point to the lighting environment.

White point under D65 illuminant at 1000 lux


Color rendering outdoors (20 000 lux)
Clockwise from top left: Google Pixel 7, Google Pixel 6, Apple iPhone 14 ,Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
(Photos for illustration only)
Color fidelity measurements
Google Pixel 7, color fidelity at 1000 lux in the sRGB color space
Google Pixel 7, color fidelity at 1000 lux in the DCI-P3 color space
Each arrow represents the color difference between a target color pattern (base of the arrow) and its actual measurement (tip of the arrow). The longer the arrow, the more visible the color difference is. If the arrow stays within the circle, the color difference will be visible only to trained eyes.

The biggest color-related problem on the Pixel 7 is that it shows alternating pink and blue stripes as the viewing angle changes, as seen in the photo below and the graph.

Google Pixel 7’s display showing pink and blue stripes when held on an angle.
(Photos for illustration only)
Color behavior on angle
This graph shows the color shift when the screen is at an angle. Each dot represents a measurement at a particular angle. Dots inside the inner circle exhibit no color shift in angle; those between the inner and outer circle have shifts that only trained experts will see; but those falling outside the outer circle are noticeable.

White spectrum with/without Blue Light Filter
Spectrum measurement comparison of a white web page with the Blue Light Filter on and off.

Video

155

Google Pixel 7

162

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
How Display Video score is composed

Our video attribute evaluates the Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and High Dynamic Range (HDR10) video handling of each device in indoor and low-light conditions. We measure tone mapping, color gamut, brightness and contrast of the display. We perform perceptual analysis against our professional reference monitor (Sony BVM-HX310) to ensure that the rendering respects the artistic intent.

The Pixel 7’s high score for Video matches that of the Pro version, as both devices demonstrate finely tuned tone mapping, adapted brightness, and accurate colors on HDR10 content. However, users might want to boost brightness for SDR content to better enjoy their entertainment.

Video brightness at 10% APL in the dark ( < 5 lux)


Video rendering in a low-light (0 lux) environment
Clockwise from top left: Google Pixel 7, Google Pixel 6, Apple iPhone 14, Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
(Photos for illustration only)


Quantization is sometimes visible on both the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 6, as exemplified by the halos around the sun in these screen grabs from an HDR10 video.

Clockwise from top left: Google Pixel 7, Google Pixel 6, Apple iPhone 14, Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
(Photos for illustration only)

Colors are accurate in HDR10, although the Pixel 7 sometimes renders skin tones slightly green.

Gamut coverage for video content
HDR10 Gamut coverage
SDR Gamut coverage
The primary colors are measured both in HDR10 and SDR. The extracted color gamut shows the extent of the color area that the device can render. To respect the artistic intent, the measured gamut should match the master color space of each video.

Motion

142

Google Pixel 7

155

Huawei P40 Pro
How Display Motion score is composed

The motion attribute evaluates the handling of dynamic contents. Frame drops, motion blur, and playback artifacts are scrutinized using games and videos.

The Google Pixel 7 manages frame drops very well for FHD and UHD videos, and unlike the Pro version, no stutters are visible when playing video games. But like the Pro version, long pauses occur when resuming play of downloaded videos.


Video frame drops
30 fps content
60 fps content
These long exposure photos present the number of frame irregularities in a 30-second video. A good performance shows a regular pattern (either a flat gray image or a pull-down pattern).

Touch

136

Google Pixel 7

165

OnePlus 9
How Display Touch score is composed

To evaluate touch, DXOMARK uses a touch robot and a high-speed camera to play and record a set of scenarios for smoothness, accuracy and response-time evaluation.

Touch is easy and accurate on the Pixel 7, even on edges and corners. It feels smooth when browsing the web and when scrolling through photos, but not quite as smooth as the Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon). Like its larger sibling, the Pixel 7 lacks smoothness when playing video games compared to the Pixel 6, when tested on the Asphalt 9 Legends game.

Average Touch Response Time Google Pixel 7
75 ms
Fast
Good
Bad
Slow
This response time test evaluates precisely the time elapsed between a single touch of the robot on the screen and the displayed action. This test is applied to activities that require a high reactivity, such as gaming.

Artifacts

117

Google Pixel 7

149

LG Wing

How Display Artifacts score is composed

Evaluating artifacts means checking for the performance, image rendering and motion flaws that can affect the end-user experience. DXOMARK measures precisely the device’s reflectance and the presence of flicker, and assesses the impact of residual aliasing when playing video games, among other characteristics.

Average Reflectance (SCI) Google Pixel 7
5 %
Low
Good
Bad
High
Reflectance measurement (SCI)
Measurements above show the reflection of the device within the visible spectrum range (400 nm to 700 nm). It includes both diffuse and specular reflection.

The Pixel 7 manages judder well, but as with the Pixel 7 Pro, judder is noticeable at 24 fps. The Pixel 7 handles accidental touches well, and even though the device handles flicker better than the Pro version, it is still present.

Flicker Frequency Google Pixel 7
360 Hz
Bad
Good
Bad
Great
Flicker comparison
This graph represents the frequencies of lighting variation; the highest peak gives the main flicker frequency.

Aliasing is just as visible on the Pixel 7 as it is on the Pixel 7 Pro.

Aliasing (closeup)
Google Pixel 7
(Photos for illustration only)

Google Pixel 7 – Crop1
Google Pixel 7 – Crop 2
Google Pixel 7 – Crop3

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