OnePlus 7 Pro versus Google Pixel 3A XL

The once expensive Pixel from Google nose-dived its price from ₹65,999 (for the 3 XL now) down to ₹44,999 (for 3A XL now). OnePlus’ phone crept up on the price ladder and went from ₹32,999 (OnePlus 6T) to ₹48,999 (OnePlus 7 Pro) for a more maxed-out smartphone. The Pixel and the OnePlus began to pass close to each other’s territory because of their proximity in price. Anyone wanting to buy a new phone could easily consider the two against one another.

Opposing philosophies

In a sense, Google and OnePlus have totally different approaches. Google isn’t really a hardware company to begin with and consequently its phone is a software masterpiece, both showcasing and implementing its operating system and services. Even the camera is software oriented. The Pixel doesn’t rely on hardware beyond a point and so doesn’t come with it.

OnePlus very much relies on hardware and though it uses Google’s own Android in one of its cleanest implantations with a layer of much appreciated customisations, it’s a showcase of hardware chops.

OnePlus 7 Pro: Unbeatable specs

Savvy users in India do love their specs and here the OnePlus is miles ahead. The Pixel 3A XL runs on a mid-range Snapdragon 670 against OnePlus 7 Pro’s Snapdragon 855 — there’s nothing higher. The Pixel runs on 4 GB of RAM, while the OnePlus goes right up to 12 GB of RAM. There’s not even a race there. The Pixel has up to 64 GB of storage while the OnePlus has had 256 GB storage for a while now and this time gets UFS 3.0 storage, which makes it faster.

The Pixel has a 6.0-inch OLED display with 2160x1080 resolution and an 18:9 ratio protected by Asahi Dragon Trail, while the OnePlus has a 6.67-inch Fluid AMOLED display with 3120x1440 resolution and 19.5:9 screen ratio protected by Gorilla Glass 6. It supports HDR10+ and now quite famously has a screen refresh rate of 90 Hz. One can go on with each individual specification but there’s really no contest — the OnePlus 7 Pro is a hardware king even among top flagships, let alone the reduced-price Pixel 3A XL.

Pixel 3A XL: Great experience

But specs are not all. There are enough users who don’t care how much RAM they have and never run out of space on their phones anyway. Nor are they gaming or depending on the screen refresh rate for their happiness. What they want is a smooth experience and there probably isn’t something smoother than a Pixel phone, except the iPhone and even some Huawei and LG phones.

Fast does not mean smooth. The smoothness on the Pixel 3A XL comes from the integration and optimisation of everything that is Google on that one device. The experience is intuitive and seamless in a way that we like to refer to as the ‘Google Factor’. It feels clean and easy to understand. In fact, it doesn’t seem to ask you to be a power user and understand it. It also doesn’t need endless updates to fix problems. Also, it gets security patches and upgrades immediately since those too are Google’s. To those who find this scenario important, it’s the Pixel that wins.

Oneplus 7 Pro: Essential extras

On the other hand, there are a whole lot of features that Indian users are quite accustomed to. A good design, for example. The Pixel has an interesting signature look but seems dated because it doesn’t use the whole screen as phones are doing now. The 7 Pro has a mesmerising bit of light play going on for its glass back, a large full screen with a pop-up front camera paving the way for screen space, the dual-SIM set-up India likes so much, a big 4,000 mAh battery and 30 W Warp charging, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and that popular slider button on the side that silences the phone with one quick movement.

It’s solidly built and large enough for those who want to consume content, though one could also say it’s too large for some and a bit heavy because of the battery. With OnePlus the winner in this department, why would one consider the pixel? One word, one lens — the camera.

Pixel 3A XL: Always a good shot

The camera set-up is no reason to shun the OnePlus 7 Pro. But nor is it the reason to buy the phone. The camera definitely is, however, the one overwhelming reason to buy the Pixel 3A XL. Using a single lens where others including the OnePlus phone use several, the Pixel manages astoundingly good photos — and with very little effort on the user’s part.

The camera shutter works very fast and very rarely results in blurred images. Instead, they are bright, sharp, detailed and pleasing. There’s no wide-angle lens or telephoto lens and certainly no pop-up like on the 7 Pro but the Pixel still does quite a job, sending photos straight to Google Photos for storage. The Pixel’s camera is a mere 12 MP, f/1.8 lens while the 7 Pro’s is a 48 MP, f/1.6 lens. Both have many capabilities in common such as OIS, Dual Pixel and PDAF, but the Pixel wins because of whatever magic it performs with its software. It also lets you see at night what you can’t see with your own eyes. The 7 Pro’s similar feature is a bit behind. The Pixel’s front camera is an 8 MP and takes sharp shots while the 7 Pro’s 16 MP shooter does a lot of softening, especially in low light.

So, with both phones nearly the same in price (though ₹4,000 is no sneezing matter to many), which one you would want is down to your needs and preferences once you see what each has going for it.

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