
I’ve said it before and I repeat it again: I’m unsure exactly how Google plans to introduce the upcoming Pixel 7a into the lineup this year. The latest rumors are putting the new Pixel 7a likely around $499 at launch, and though it does come with some notable upgrades versus the outgoing mid-ranger from Google in the Pixel 6a, none of the spec improvements are looking likely to make for a better phone than the existing Pixel 7. And when deals like what we’re seeing today arrive for the Pixel 7, it becomes increasingly difficult to recommend anyone wait for the Pixel 7a.
$250 off the Pixel 7 right now
Over at Best Buy right now, you can grab the unlocked Pixel 7 for $250 off, bringing the total asking price all the way down to a staggering $349. For a phone with a 90hz display, Tensor 2 on the inside, and one of the best cameras you can buy, this sort of pricing is a bit insane. And it makes the idea of a $499 Pixel 7a a bit silly.
Granted, these types of deals won’t stick around forever, but the fact that we’re already seeing them at least a few months before the Pixel 7a arrives makes it such a curious case for Google at this point. Having your primary phone start at $599 is always admirable and we’ve all appreciated it over the past couple of years; but it makes a rising cost on your mid-range device pretty tough to swallow, and I have no idea how Google will handle the release of the Pixel 7a in a few months from now.
I suppose the Pixel 7 could simply stop production, but that feels like an odd move, right? Why introduce a lower-priced phone that is (likely) less capable than a device you are already building that gets great reviews and can stand regular price reductions like we see for the Pixel 7? I don’t really have a grasp on how this will all work, but none of that has an effect on the wild sale prices we’re seeing on Pixel phones right now – so strike while the iron is hot!
It’s worth noting that the Pixel 7 Pro is also discounted all the way down to $599, so that makes it only $100 more than the rumored price of the upcoming Pixel 7a. Again, I don’t know how anyone should wait on the 7a when both of these excellent phones from Google that (again, likely) have better overall hardware are already available for less than what you’ll probably pay for the Pixel 7a at launch. The math simply doesn’t add up, and if you are in the market for a Pixel and have been considering the Pixel 7a, I’d strongly suggest you take advantage of these deals while they last.