Google Pixel 10 Series: Incremental Upgrades and AI Innovations

I Tested the Pixel 10 Pro and It's a Master Class on What an Android Phone Should Be

I've spent a lot of time with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, taking photos in Paris and testing it at home in Edinburgh. In short, there's a lot I really like about it. From the slick design and vibrant display to the generally solid cameras, the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL tick a lot of the boxes I'd expect from any top-end phone in 2025. It's powerful enough for most things you'd throw at it, and it packs in a host of new AI skills. But it's not the most powerful, nor does it have the best camera on a phone. So while it doesn't excel in any specific area, it's best thought of as a superb jack of all trades offering a great everyday experience in a stylish package. But if you're expecting a totally new generation of Google Pixel devices with the 10 Pro, then prepare to be disappointed. The Pixel 10 Pro is absolutely an evolution of its predecessor rather than a complete overhaul. There are no major upgrades here; instead, almost every element of the phone, from the processor and software to the camera and battery, has been updated, resulting in a phone that feels fresh but familiar. Certainly, those of you carrying last year's Pixel 9 phones -- or even the Pixel 8 series -- don't need to consider upgrading here. But those of you on older Android phones will certainly see the benefits in performance, camera quality and the new AI skills. Indeed, the 10 Pro's AI prowess is one of the main selling points of the phone, with a variety of new tools for image creation and productivity on board -- all of which I'll come to later. Some tools are better than others, while some (like the new Magic Cue) I found little use for in my testing time. While other AI tools like Gemini Live and Circle to Search are also available on other recent Android phones, I can't pat the Pixel on the back for these. But I like the Pixel 10 Pro XL. It's easy to use, swift enough for everything I want from it, and its camera is great for quick shots when you're out with your friends and family. It's not as powerful on benchmark tests as Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra, but I prefer the Pixel's overall experience. The big question mark right now is how it will shape up against the iPhone 17 Pro. Certainly, if you're on the fence about which to buy, then it's worth waiting to see how these two flagships compare. But if you're already in the Android ecosystem and not considering switching platforms, then the 10 Pro or 10 Pro XL is well worth considering. The Pixel 10 Pro with 128GB of storage costs $999 (£999, AU$1,699), while the 10 Pro XL starts at $1,199 (£1,199, AU$1,999) with 256GB of storage. Both are on sale now. While it might seem that the XL's starting price is $100 higher than last year's model, Google eliminated the lower 128GB storage option. While you're paying more for the bigger screen, you're also getting double the storage. To be honest, there's very little difference between the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL. They look almost identical, except for the XL model being slightly bigger. The XL model incorporates a 6.8-inch display into its larger frame, giving a bit more space to play games or watch videos than the standard 6.3-inch 10 Pro. The extra size also allows for a marginally heftier battery (5,200mAh versus 4,870mAh), while the XL also offers slightly faster 45-watt wired charging. The XL also packs larger speakers that should be louder than the smaller Pro. Otherwise, the core specs are basically the same. Both models share the same Tensor G5 chip and have 16GB of RAM. The camera hardware on the back and front is identical. The choice between the two comes down to whether you prefer big-screen phones for more immersive gaming or something more pocket-friendly. Both Pro models share the same rear camera setup, which includes a 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.68 aperture, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. I took hundreds of photos with the Pixel 10 Pro XL in Paris, and I was really pleased with how it captured the exposure and colors on a bright sunny day. On a slightly more overcast Edinburgh however, I'm not quite as thrilled with the results. This shot of this chap having a little snooze is solid, with great details and exposure. This ultrawide shot of my friend filming has a decent exposure but the details when you zoom in are a little mushy. It's the same here, with a noticeable amount of oversharpening giving quite a crunchy look to the scene which I don't love. This portrait mode shot of my friend is spot on though, with a lovely natural bokeh. And this image of a dog is pin-sharp. Also it's a photo of a lovely dog so I'm automatically going to think better of it. But this guy carrying an Eevee plushie definitely looks overprocessed with oversharpened details that I'm not keen on. The 5x optical zoom remains an ideal sweet spot for me in terms of focal length, giving just enough zoom to help you find more creative compositions in whatever scene you're in front of. Images are sharp and share the same spot-on handling of color and exposure as the main lens. But if 5x zoom isn't enough for you, the Pixel does let you take things much further. You can digitally zoom in to 10x, with the resulting image simply being slightly upscaled by the phone's software. Shots look great at this length and continue to look decent up to 30x. Beyond this point, though, the AI takes over (Google calls it Pro Res Zoom) and goes beyond simply upscaling the details and actually uses generative AI to try and recreate what it thinks should be in the scene. The distance it can cover is amazing in all honesty. Take this scene taken with the main camera. There's a statue on that building in this distance but at this zoom you can barely even see it. At 10X zoom it's a lot more visible. Then switching to 100x zoom and suddenly the statue is like we're standing in front of it, with textures and blemishes being perfectly visible, despite being so far away. It's honestly wild to me that the phone can do this. I took a variety of photos at 100x zoom and the difference between the original image and the AI version is significant. Most of the time it actually worked quite well, especially when I was just taking zoomed-in shots overlooking Paris as the Pro Res Zoom is optimized for static subjects like buildings and landscapes. I was a bit amused however when I took a 100x shot of a plane going overhead and the AI recomposed it into an odd sort of bundle of sticks. But it does bring up an important question: if the phone is using generative AI to recreate details in a scene, is it really a photo that you're taking? Google is certainly trying to get ahead of some of the moral issues here in that it says this AI tool will not be applied to faces "to prevent inaccurate representations." Moving onto lowlight processing, the camera performs quite well in night time setings. Taken with the main camera this night time scene is bright and detailed with little image noise throughout. Switching to the ultrawide camera there's again a decent amount of detail throughout. This shot is captured well enough, but I noticed there was again quite a lot of crunchy-looking details from the overzealous image processing. So I also shot this photo in raw and did my own editing in Adobe Lightroom. Apart from adjusting the exposure and colors, I was also less heavy-handed when it came to sharpening and clarity, and I think it's a nicer-looking shot as a result. I've certainly taken plenty of shots with it that I really like, but I've also taken others where the processing goes too far. I'm not convinced that it's the best camera for the most passionate of photographers among you -- as a photographer myself, I prefer a more neutral look with less sharpening and contrast to apply my own edits over -- but for capturing great-looking, quicker shots with little input from you, it's superb. CNET's Jeff Carlson, a talented photographer himself, put the phone up against the powerhouse Galaxy S25 Ultra and overall preferred the Pixel's handling of exposure and color tone. How it fares against the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro remains to be seen. The Pixel 10 Pro's design hasn't really changed much since the Pixel 9 Pro and I think that's fine. The last model looked great and these phones simply don't need overhauling every year. The polished metal edges, frosted glass back and isolated camera bar continue to look and feel satisfyingly premium. It's still got an IP68 waterproof rating to keep it safe if you take calls in the pouring rain. The back of the phone is now compatible with Qi2.2 magnetic accessories -- Google calls this PixelSnap, but it's basically the same as Apple's MagSafe -- so expect various cases, wallets and charging pads to be available. The 10 Pro XL's 6.8-inch display is bright and vibrant, being more than capable of being legible under the bright Paris sun and under the slightly less bright Edinburgh sun. Don't want a big display? Then get the standard Pixel 10 Pro with its 6.3-inch screen -- there's almost no difference other than the screen size. You'll find existing AI tools like Gemini Advanced, Gemini Live and Circle to Search onboard. Gemini Live now allows you to share your screen to be able to ask questions about what you're looking at, either on screen or through the camera. Sometimes it works, other times it's weirdly inaccurate. While my app drawer was open, I asked it, "Which is the PUBG Mobile app?" Gemini acknowledged that it could see it, but then inaccurately told me its location and described it as "a desert scene with a vehicle," when it's actually a person in a helmet against a bright blue sky. It was a total failure. I asked it about several apps (including the calculator) and it got some element wrong every time -- either the app icon's location within the screen or the description of the icon itself. However, when I opened the camera, showed it a SanDisk SSD and asked, "What is this?" it gave me a perfect answer. I would continue to fact-check your AI results. There's also a new voice recording tool that creates AI soundtracks to play over the top of your recordings, and I have to say that I think it's pretty pointless. I've never felt I needed a "rainy-day blues" vibe playing over a random voice memo I've made to myself, and I really don't see what benefit it's supposed to bring. It feels like AI for the sake of AI. Then there's Pixel Studio, which launched on the Pixel 9 range. It has been supercharged, providing significantly higher-quality images, more visual styles to choose from and an overall better understanding of your prompts. It'll also generate pictures of people -- including well-known faces like Taylor Swift or Queen Elizabeth II -- as well as include accurate text within the image, two things it certainly couldn't do before. I love the new styles, including the adorable claymation look, a stained glass style and a traditional Japanese ukiyo-e style that looks amazing. It's great fun playing around with the tool, and while for many it might just be a fun novelty, it could also be a genuinely useful tool to help play with ideas for creative projects. The AI extends deeper into the phone, with a new built-in translator for phone calls -- which we found worked well translating between English and Spanish on the Pixel 10 -- and tools like Magic Cue designed to automatically surface relevant information from you during a conversation so you don't have to go searching for it yourself. We had mixed success with Magic Cue, with it sometimes surfacing helpful information and sometimes doing nothing at all. I say "we" -- I'm relying on information from my colleagues testing additional models, as I didn't really get much use out of it at all. My problem is that it only uses information across a few Google services like Gmail, Google's Messages app, Google Calendar, and Keep Notes, and all of my conversations tend to happen in WhatsApp and a bit in Instagram. Currently, no third-party services work with Magic Cue. So, unless you live deeply in Google's world, you may find Magic Cue of limited use. There are various AI tools baked into the camera, including Auto Best Take and Camera Coach, which uses AI to analyse the scene in front of you and give you guided prompts on how to take a better photo. If you're taking a portrait, it may suggest switching to portrait mode and putting more of the person in the frame. It is a bit slow and clunky, having to follow the various steps, so it won't be much use when you want to simply capture a moment. But I can see it being a fun tool to play around with. The phone runs on pure Android 16, and it's just as intuitive and easy to use as its predecessor. Its slick, streamlined approach makes it great for both Android experts and newbies alike. The new Material 3 Expressive interface makes various tweaks to the icons, layouts and animations, but it's broadly the same as before. Google says the 10 Pro will receive seven years of software and security support, so it should be safe to use until at least 2032. As long as you look after it. It's powered by Google's latest Tensor G5 processor backed up by 16GB of RAM. Google's homemade chips aren't known for their raw power, and certainly, the 10 Pro is not a high performer. On benchmark tests, it's more in line with last year's phones, falling significantly behind 2025's phones like the Galaxy S25 and even the iPhone 16E. Does that matter? Well, in a sense, it does, given the price, but benchmarks really don't tell the full story. In day-to-day use, I honestly don't think the vast majority of you would ever notice it lacking in any way. It feels extremely smooth to use, image editing is quick and responsive and playing demanding 3D games like Genshin Impact or PUBG was no problem, even when I ramped the settings up to the max. The only time it's felt slow is when I tried to take multiple 50-megapixel images in quick succession; the shutter button becomes inactive for a few seconds while it processes the shots you've taken. Burst firing high-res shots is arguably a pretty niche use, though, and I imagine that most people using the phone will have no cause for complaint. I've put the phone through our demanding video streaming battery drain tests, and I'd say it did... fine. It's in line with the OnePlus 13, while phones like the Galaxy S25 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro both performed better. It's a very demanding test, though, and in everyday use, I've found it decent enough. As long as I can make it into the evening without desperately hunting for a charger to see me to bedtime, I'm happy, and in this sense, the Pixel 10 Pro XL's battery succeeds. Almost all phones demand a full recharge every night, and that's no different here. What is different, though, is the implementation of Qi2 technology, the latest version of the wireless charging standard that promises faster charging times when used with a compatible charger. In this case, the XL model supports Qi2.2, which means it should recharge at 25-watt speeds. Wired charging is faster, too, with the 10 Pro supporting 30-watt charging and the 10 Pro XL taking it further to 45 watts. With that, you should go from empty to around 70% full in about 30 minutes, which is great if you do need a quick power boost in the evening. I say "should" as I tried charging it using my 140-watt Apple charger I use with my MacBook, and it reached only 37% from empty in 30 minutes. It's possible there are some compatibility issues at play here, but it's worth keeping in mind that fast charging doesn't always work at the speeds claimed. Results could also vary if using a different USB-PD charging adapter and cable that supports 45-watt speeds or faster. The Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL are true jacks of all trades phones. While they don't stand out in any major way, they also don't fall down for any significant reasons. Every element, from the hardware to the software, has been updated for this generation, and they deliver a great everyday experience as a result. The camera setup takes superb -- if sometimes a little over-processed -- images, the new AI tools and updated Pixel Studio manage to be both useful and entertaining, and the phone's design remains as slick as when it debuted on the 9 Series. Throw in the faster charging speeds and the long software support, and the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL are definitely great Android phones to consider. Every phone CNET's reviews team tests is used in the real world. We test a phone's features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it's bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP rating for water resistance. We push the processor's performance to the extremes using standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates. All the cameras are tested in a variety of conditions, from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. We try out special features like night mode and portrait mode and compare our findings against similarly priced competing phones. We also check out the battery life by using it daily and running a series of battery drain tests. We consider additional useful features like support for 5G, satellite connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus support, fast charging speeds and foldable displays, among others, that can be useful. We balance all of this against the price to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever its price, actually represents good value. While these tests may not always be reflected in CNET's initial review, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.

Google Pixel 10 review: perfectly fine

Asking the Pixel 10 to be more than what it is feels greedy. Google's non-Pro Pixel is priced fairly at $799, which is significantly less than the $999 Pixel 10 Pro. It comes with some handy upgrades, like Qi2 charging with built-in magnets. Its AI features finally show promise. It includes a dedicated telephoto lens for the first time. It's a proper flagship and an all-around easygoing Android phone. But if I'm being greedy, then I do have one request: better cameras. The rear cameras on the Pixel 10 are totally fine. For someone who's not picky about image quality, they'd be better than fine. And maybe I'd think they were fine, too, if I wasn't cursed with the knowledge that the cameras on last year's model are better. And that's because up until this year, the non-Pro Pixel came with the same main and ultrawide camera hardware as the Pro. But we can't have everything, and when Google added that telephoto lens this year, it downgraded the other two rear cameras to essentially what's in the midrange Pixel 9A. So the Pixel 10 has a perfectly fine camera system, as long as you're not too greedy. Outside of the camera situation, the Pixel 10 comes with the same major upgrades as the Pro phones this year: a new chip and some magnets. Tensor G5 is the new processor on the 10 series, which I've found to run a tad cooler than previous versions. The G5 is Google's first custom chipset made by TSMC, and it handles heavier workloads well. The regular 10 comes with 12GB of RAM compared to 16GB in the 10 Pro, and I did notice a little more stuttering on dense web pages than on the Pro. But for the non-professional phone user, it handles most tasks just fine. There's a whole lot of on-device AI running on the new chip -- which you can read more about in my Pixel 10 Pro review -- and I suspect it contributes to the Pixel 10's just-okay battery life. A full day of moderate use is no problem, but if you add some intensive activities like an extended hotspot or gaming session, then you might start looking for a charger in the late afternoon. The average person probably won't be bothered by it, but power users will want a charger or power bank handy to avoid battery anxiety at the end of the day. AI is still hit-or-miss, but the hits are getting better. The Pixel 10 doesn't offer the generative AI-assisted camera zoom feature that the Pro and Pro XL have, but you do get Magic Cue, which fetches helpful information based on what you're doing. And it actually does work. It's only in a handful of Google apps right now, but it can help put something on your calendar as you hash out plans in Messages or suggest a destination when you open Google Maps based on something you saved in your screenshots. I had a few more false positives while testing it on the Pixel 10 than I did with the 10 Pro; there were times when it suggested information that wasn't relevant or it offered to create a calendar event when I told a friend I'd "be there in 30." I still found it more useful than not, and it's easy enough to ignore when its suggestions are off the mark. The Pixel 10 has Qi2 with built-in magnets, and it's a delight. There's no case required (unlike with the Samsung S25 series phones), and I thoroughly enjoyed thwacking the phone onto a bedside PixelSnap charger at the end of each day. With the addition of what is essentially MagSafe, the Pixel series is looking like a pretty complete alternative to the iOS ecosystem these days. Each night when I put my phone on the charger, triggering bedtime mode, my Pixel watch followed suit and changed modes, too. That's not a new feature, but little moments like that add up throughout the day. I spent a week with the Pixel 10 Pro before switching to the regular 10, and there's not much that feels radically different on the cheaper model -- except the display. The standard 10 comes with a 6.3-inch 1080p screen with up to a 120Hz refresh rate, compared to the 1280p display on the 10 Pro. Its peak brightness of 3,000 nits is enough to keep the phone usable on a sunny day, and 1080p is just enough resolution for a screen that size. The screen seems more prone to dropping from its top 120Hz refresh rate, which is fine but a little jarring when you're scrolling the NYT Games app and suddenly looking at 60Hz. I also noticed some vignetting when using the phone in bright light -- darkness around the edges of the screen, like you might see in a photograph. This turns out to be a known issue, resolved by switching to the "natural" display color profile. Overall, it's a fine display but you definitely get more by spending more on the Pro. On the subject of getting more for more with the 10 Pro: cameras. The Pixel 10's 48-megapixel f/1.7 main camera doesn't seem all that different from the 10 Pro's 50-megapixel f/1.7 camera -- until you get to the sensor size. The regular 10 uses a 1/2.0-inch type sensor that's about half the size of the 1/1.31-inch type sensor in the Pro models. A bigger sensor will produce cleaner images with better dynamic range, and it's a difference I felt, especially in portrait mode. Particularly if light is low, your subject is moving, and if you're using the 2x zoom option, portrait mode on the regular 10 isn't as good as on the Pros. Images show more noise, fine detail like hair looks crunchy, and subject isolation isn't as precise. A portrait-mode photo with the subject moving toward the camera at high speed is about as tough a scenario as you can throw at a phone camera, so it's not too surprising that the Pixel 10 can't handle it well. But it's one way that the smaller camera sensor results in noticeably worse performance. Outside of portraits, the Pixel 10 takes perfectly nice photos. The ultrawide -- also a smaller sensor than on the Pros -- handles dim indoor lighting acceptably. The 5x telephoto lens is handy and definitely an upgrade over using 5x digital zoom. Maybe a telephoto lens and a killer main camera are too much to ask for in a $799 phone, but I'll keep wishing for both anyway. Last year, the Pixel 9 felt like the phone that Android had needed for a long time: something elegant, simple, and durable. The Pixel 10 takes that same model and mostly improves it, adding Qi2 and a telephoto lens. The price stayed the same, which is nothing to sneeze at when the prices of everything else keep going up. Losing the higher-end camera might not be a dealbreaker for most people, but it's a little tough to swallow if you know what you're missing out on. Most people who buy this phone won't be burdened with that knowledge, and I think the Pixel 10 will make that group perfectly happy. Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: I love it, but here's why I can't justify it

The Pixel 10 Pro XL is the biggest non-folding Pixel 10 phone, but does that automatically make it the model to buy? It's really going to come down to how much you want the bigger screen, because outside of this, the 10 Pro XL has a hard time standing out from the other Pixel 10 phones. This isn't a negative, and as you're about to find out, there's a lot to like about owning and using a Pixel 10 phone. The trouble is, spending less on a Pixel 10 Pro may be the best plan. Staff pick Google Pixel 10 Pro XL 9 / 10 SoC Google Tensor G5 RAM 16GB Storage 256 GB / 512 GB / 1TB with Zoned UFS / 1 TB with Zoned UFS Battery 5200mAh Google has a serious winner on its hands with the Pixel 10 series, and the Pixel 10 XL is the biggest, non-folding model. Outside of the 6.8-inch screen, it shares many other features, from the Tensor G5 processor to the triple camera system, with the Pixel 10 Pro. Pros & Cons Sleek, modern, and durable design Excellent camera and editing features Qi2 wireless charging and magnets Reliable, customizable software Seven years security/OS updates New AI features disappoint Limited appeal over Pixel 10 Pro $1199 at Amazon $1199 at Google Store $1199 at Best Buy Expand Collapse Specs, price, and availability The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is available to buy now in the U.S., U.K., and many other regions. It starts at $1,199 or £1,199 for the entry 256GB version, while the 512GB model costs $1,319/£1,319. There is a 1TB version of the Pixel 10 Pro XL available, and it costs $1,519/£1,519. You can buy the unlocked phone directly from Google, and it's also available from all the major carriers, although not all of them stock the big 1TB model. How does this compare to the competition? The price has not been increased over the Pixel 9 Pro XL and matches the price of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, but crucially, it is $100 less than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The OnePlus 13 remains a considerable bargain at $900. More importantly, when it comes to price, the Google Pixel 10 Pro starts at $1,000, and therefore represents quite a saving compared to the very similar Pixel 10 Pro XL. Perhaps even worse news for the Pro XL is the $800 Pixel 10's upgraded camera specification. It all means the Pixel 10 Pro XL has a lot to prove if it's going to justify its price. Specifications SoC Google Tensor G5 Display type Super Actua Display dimensions 6.8-inches Display resolution 2992 x 1344 RAM 16GB Storage 256 GB / 512 GB / 1TB with Zoned UFS / 1 TB with Zoned UFS Battery 5200mAh Charge speed 45W wired/25W Qi2 wireless Operating System Android 16 Front camera 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera Rear camera 50 MP main | 48 MP wide-angle with Macro Focus | 48 MP 5x telephot Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth V6 Dimensions 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm Weight 232 grams IP Rating IP68 Colors Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain, Obsidian Expand Collapse More of the same design No bad thing If you're coming to the Pixel 10 Pro XL from a Pixel 8 series or earlier, it'll feel both familiar and wonderfully new. It neatly recalls the groundbreaking Pixel 6's visor-equipped design, but updates it with a sleek and modern frame, and the iconic visor has morphed to become a stadium-shaped island. Sounds good, right? Indeed, but all this is different again if you're coming from a Pixel 9 series, because the design has been almost entirely carried over. The dimensions -- 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm -- are identical, but it's a little heavier at 232 grams, plus it retains Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 over the screen and the rear panel, and has the same IP68 dust and water resistance rating. As you'd expect, it's a few millimeters wider and taller than the Pixel 10 Pro to accommodate the 6.8-inch Super Actua Display, which provides almost the same specifications as the Pixel 9 Pro XL -- 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, 2992 x 1344 pixels -- but gets a slight bump in peak brightness from 3,000 nits to 3,300 nits. Will you notice? Possibly, and I'll note it has been highly visible even during periods of bright sunshine. I spent a lot of time with the Pixel 9 Pro, and found its sensible size almost perfect for everyday use. The Pixel 10 Pro XL has been a pleasant surprise, as it hasn't felt ungainly like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra can, which is almost certainly due to the lovely curve between the frame and glass panels. It more closely resembles the shape and in-hand feel of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, another phone with which it shares very similar dimensions. There's very little to call "new" in the Pixel 10 Pro XL compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the screen size is still the prime reason to choose the XL over the regular Pro. I'm used to using phones of this size, and have found its shape to be fairly easy to manage, along with appreciating the well-balanced weight distribution. It is quite slippery and there's often a risk of it making a break for the floor when using it with one hand, so a case may be a worthwhile accessory. Getting tense over the Tensor Is this a gaming powerhouse? Big-screen smartphones are often touted as gaming, media, and/or multitasking powerhouses, featuring top processors to match. The Pixel 10 Pro XL has a big 6.8-inch screen, but is the Tensor G5 a top-spec processor? If you're directly comparing it to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, then the answer will probably be no. If you're comparing it to just about every other processor out there, then it holds its own just fine. It's all about perspective. The Tensor G5 has been fully designed by Google, and built by industry giant TSMC using a 3nm manufacturing process, giving it a serious pedigree. For the most part it uses overclocked versions of the same cores found in the Tensor G4, which are great for balancing power and efficiency, along with a new PowerVR GPU. This is crucial for the hardcore gaming crowd, as the GPU doesn't support high-end features like ray tracing. It won't matter to everyone, but some will see this as a reason the G5 is not a flagship-tier chipset. What does this mean in the real world? While my colleague Stephen Radochia isn't a fan of benchmarks, I find results from the 3DMark benchmarking app always tell an interesting story about efficiency, thermal management, and outright performance. Run the 20-minute Steel Nomad Light Stress test on both the Pixel 10 Pro XL and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and there are some subtle but important differences. The Pixel 10 does not get overly hot during the test run, but it's certainly warm to the touch, and it's good to note the battery consumption -- a sensible 10% -- remains consistent even after running multiple tests almost back-to-back. The Pixel 10 Pro XL's frame rate is lower than the Galaxy Z Fold 7's, but more consistent, as are its overall "Loop Scores," showing the Tensor G5 runs along nicely without taxing itself. In other words, it knows its limitations. Settling down to play some games reveals it'll work really well for even the most committed casual player. Dream Road, on its highest graphics and frame rate settings, is fast and smooth, while side-scrolling shoot-em-up Flying Tank looks and plays really well too. Unless you're really going to push the Pixel 10 Pro XL with games like Genshin Impact for hours, I doubt you'll have many complaints about the Tensor G5. During general use, the Pixel 10 Pro XL doesn't seem to suffer from heat issues, there's no obvious throttling of performance, and it has run every app I've tried. Calls sound brilliant, the spam detection works well, and I love the many and varied haptic buzzes you get throughout the system. It may not be a gaming superstar, but it's not far off, and the rest of the phone's performance is top-notch. Out taking photos Always a Pixel strength It's hard to pick holes in the Pixel 10 Pro XL's camera, as from the simplicity of the camera app to the capabilities of the editing suite in Google Photos, it's a powerful and versatile system everyone will enjoy. You don't need to be a camera expert to get the most from it, either. However, if you're looking for hardware differences between it and the Pixel 9 Pro XL, you won't find much outside of optical image stabilization on the 48-megapixel telephoto. It's also the same camera system on the Pixel 10 Pro. The photos in the gallery below are all unedited examples taken with the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL Photos are filled with rich and natural colors, the 5x optical zoom brings out masses of detail, and the main camera has a lovely depth of field. White balance can be a little off in places, and the wide-angle camera's contrast levels are a touch too strong, but those are my only real complaints after a few hundred photos. The Google Photos editing suite makes it easy to give photos your preferred look, and I found the Pixel 10 Pro XL's shots benefited from a tweak of the Pop setting, just to give them a great social media-friendly style. Google's AI-driven Sky filters are fun, and Magic Eraser remains one of the best ways to remove unwanted people and objects from photos. The photos in the gallery below were edited using Google Photos on the Pixel 10 Pro XL There are two special features worth mentioning. The first is Pro Res Zoom, which uses AI to enhance zoom shots over 30x, and it's surprisingly effective. I've gone into detail about how it works and the results to expect in this article. The other feature is Google's Camera Coach, where AI helps guide you to take the best possible photo. Any concerns Camera Coach would be the death of photographic creativity have been pushed from my mind, as the Coach is pretty basic at the moment, with its advice ranging from turning the camera to portrait orientation, to moving closer to the subject. I understand not everyone knows the best way to take a photo, but Camera Coach's advice can often be so generic it borders on insulting. Also, it requires data to provide guidance, so if the phone signal is poor, it doesn't work. AI silliness aside, the Pixel 10 Pro XL's superb camera and varied photo features make it one of the few available that I know I'd be satisfied with using as my only camera, and for years to come, too. What about all the AI? It's as niche as ever Google wants you to think of the Pixel as a delivery system for Gemini, and boasts about how its AI will transform your life, helping you out with everything imaginable and beyond. From the new Daily Hub feature to Magic Cue, Gemini is pushed as the top reason to buy the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Perhaps it's just me, but I don't find any of it helpful in my day-to-day life. It's not just Gemini, I find the same with Samsung's Galaxy AI and Apple's Apple Intelligence. It's all very clever, but rarely does it do anything I really need on a regular basis. Take Daily Hub. It's hard to believe, but it's actually worse than Samsung's similar Daily Brief feature. It's supposed to live at the top of the Discover page and show, um, tips or updates. In reality, it shows me the weather, and sometimes a calendar entry or two, and that's it. It does so little and is so unhelpful, I still question if it's working at all. Magic Cue lives in the background and is supposed to simplify your workflow by proactively monitoring your actions and giving relevant suggestions to save you time. However, it only monitors certain Google apps, including Gmail, Messages, Calendar, Keep, and Pixel Screenshots. Brilliant if you use these apps, rubbish if you don't. When the majority of my communication happens through WhatsApp and Line, not SMS, and many things on my ever-changing to-do list are stored in my brain rather than in a screenshot, Magic Cue sits idle. It's the same old problem that afflicts all AI features. They're quite helpful in specific circumstances, but not in all. Finally, a word on Material 3 Expressive and Android 16. The design changes in the default settings are quite subtle, which is excellent, as it's possible to go crazy with the way Android looks on the Pixel 10, and I prefer it to be understated out of the box. Menus are springy, animations are smooth and fun, and the color palette is almost entirely customizable. But like a lot of other things here, it's not dramatically different to the Pixel 9 Pro, which will also get the Android 16 update. The software never feels laggy, provided you change one setting immediately. Google, in its wisdom, leaves the 120Hz refresh rate off by default, and it makes the phone behave very poorly. Dig into the Display settings and turn on the smooth display, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL's screen and smoothness transforms. It's baffling why it's off by default, and even when it's on, scrolling apps and content isn't quite as smooth as it is on the Galaxy S25 Ultra or the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Battery, charging, and magnets Full suite of battery tech One possible reason to choose the Pixel 10 Pro XL over the 10 Pro is the battery and charging tech inside. It has a 5,200mAh battery and supports up to 45W wired fast charging, plus Qi2 wireless charging to 25W. It has magnets inside the phone to attach both Pixelsnap and Apple MagSafe charging products. The Pixel does not come with a charger in the box, and in my experience, it's quite sensitive about what charger it will accept. It refused to properly accept a charge from my Anker Prime 160W wall charger, which hasn't been a problem for other devices. It charged at its maximum speed using the Twelve South PlugBug, though. From almost flat, 50% battery charge arrived in 30 minutes, and it took just over 70 minutes to fully charge. The Pixel 10 Pro's 30W charging speed will be a tiny bit slower, but probably not by much, and almost certainly not enough to make a dramatic difference to your day. A 30-minute YouTube video at 1440p and full brightness takes 4% of the battery, and in general, with some light gaming, the Pixel 10 Pro XL's battery lasts between four and five hours on a single charge. I found it has remained consistent throughout my weeks with the phone, and even at the start of my use, it returned a similar screen-on battery time. This also suggests that the Tensor G5 and Android 16 are an efficient pairing. However, all this makes the Pixel 10 Pro XL's battery and charging performance average, rather than stellar, placing it in the same region as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but missing out on the fast charging and impressive efficiency of the OnePlus 13. Because my use lets me charge the phone overnight, it has never reached a point where I've been concerned about it running out of power during the day. If you're the same, there's nothing to worry about with the Pixel 10 Pro XL's battery. Is the Pixel 10 Pro XL the new Pixel to buy? Probably not The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a brilliant phone, yet I'm about to say it's probably not the one to buy. When I decided to wait a while before fully reviewing it, giving me enough time to use it for at least two weeks, I was already wondering why I'd get it over the Pixel 10 Pro. Yes, the screen is bigger and the battery has a tiny bit more capacity, but the software, performance, and camera are all the same. As mentioned, I spent plenty of time with the Pixel 9 Pro, and during my time with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, I haven't really felt I greatly benefited from the additional screen size. To be clear, it's not a downside, and the 10 Pro XL's excellent balance and weight distribution means it's not a bother ergonomically either, but I do question if it's worth an extra $200. If you're considering an upgrade, it'd be throwing money away to trade-in a Pixel 9 Pro XL, and I'd think very seriously about upgrading from the Pixel 8 Pro too. Anything earlier and you'll notice genuine improvements in hardware and performance, especially when it comes to thermal management. What's my conclusion here? Rather than ask if the Pixel 10 Pro XL is the phone to buy, the more pertinent question is whether any Pixel 10 series device is one to buy. That's when I'd give an emphatic yes, particularly if you're a newcomer to the range, as it's such a strong lineup. The fundamentals across all Pixel 10s are excellent, and if the 10 Pro XL's price is a bit too spicy, then get the 10 Pro, and given the standard $800 Pixel 10 now has a telephoto camera, it's also a great consideration. Staff pick Google Pixel 10 Pro XL 9 / 10 SoC Google Tensor G5 RAM 16GB Storage 256 GB / 512 GB / 1TB with Zoned UFS / 1 TB with Zoned UFS Battery 5200mAh The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is a brilliant smartphone, due to the software being so easy to live with, the versatile camera, strong performance, and durable, modern design. However, it isn't all that different to the smaller, cheaper Pixel 10 Pro, and hasn't substantially evolved over the Pixel 9 Pro XL to warrant an upgrade. $1199 at Amazon $1199 at Google Store $1199 at Best Buy Expand Collapse

Pixel 10 Pro Review: The AI Is Underwhelming, but 'Pixelsnap' Is a Delightful MagSafe Clone

A base pixel 10 (left) vs. a Pixel 10 Pro (center) vs. a Pixel 10 Pro XL (right) Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt On the surface, the Pixel 10 Pro doesn't look much different from the Pixel 9 Pro, and that's a good thing. The Pixel 9 Pro was the first Google phone to come in multiple size options, and I'm happy to see Google continue the trend here. That means you'll be able to choose between a Pixel 10 Pro, which is the same size as the base Pixel 10, and a Pixel 10 Pro XL, which is just a hair smaller than an iPhone 16 Pro Max (with a 6.8-inch screen as opposed to Apple's 6.9-inch screen). Both weigh about half a pound, but still feel premium thanks to a polished aluminum shell, and both still have a luxe matte backing, which means you don't have to worry about your phone's rear throwing off glare. There's also a foldable Pixel 10 Pro, called the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, although it's not out until next month, and it's enough of its own beast that it's worthy of a standalone review. Really, the one disappointment I have with the design is the return of the camera bar, which is what Google calls the large horizontal oval that stretches nearly the entire width of the phone and houses the camera system. While it gives the Pixel a unique look, other phones with powerful camera systems, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, manage to keep the lenses restricted to one corner of the device, which looks a bit tidier to me. The camera bar can also get in the way when holding the phone horizontally, which can be a pain while gaming or watching movies. I was hoping Google might move on to a different solution after getting rid of the camera bar in its budget-oriented Pixel 9a, but for its main phone, it seems like it's sticking to the tried-and-not-so-true camera design it's been using since the Pixel 6. That said, there is one new addition that makes every other Pixel seem old hat: Google finally has its own version of MagSafe. Called Pixelsnap, it allows immediate connection to magnetic accessories without any sort of adhesive metal rings, and supports Qi2 charging. Google's got a few official accessories already, with more on the way, but the company also made a big deal of saying that Pixelsnap will also work with existing MagSafe devices, and in my testing, that was true. It worked with my official Belkin iPhone charging stand, as well as a third-party portable charger and even my MagSafe wallet. I've gotten pretty accustomed to MagSafe ever since upgrading from my iPhone 11 years ago, so as simple as this update is, it's probably the biggest reason to get Google's new phone, at least to me. It even comes with a new customizable screensaver mode you can use while charging, similar to Apple's StandBy mode. That said, as much as I love Pixelsnap, Google's own advertisements for the Pixel 10 instead focus all on AI. That's predictable at this point, although how much use you'll get out of it mostly depends on how much you like AI image generation. Yep, most of the new AI is baked directly into either the camera or photos app. Now, you can edit your photos by giving Gemini prompts in natural language, and get some help coming up with ideas for potential photos by asking AI to help "coach" you on what to take. Perhaps most interesting, the Pro models also offer an AI-assisted "100x zoom," also called "Pro Res Zoom." While that sounds like the most useful new addition on paper, it's also where I ran into the most problems. Long story short, calling the Pixel 10 Pro's new AI-assisted zoom a "100x zoom" is a misnomer. The Pixel 10 Pro's optical zoom is still limited to 5x, and any zoom beyond that still relies on software. It's just that, while previous models relied on cropping and blending multiple photos together to do a software zoom, the Pixel 10 Pro's "100x zoom" instead feeds any photos above 30x zoom into an on-device AI, which then uses it as a prompt for an AI-generated edit. You're not going to get any more resolution here than you would on a Pixel 9 Pro, and unfortunately, what the AI ended up giving me disappointed me more often than not. Take this photo of my absolute favorite building in the New York City skyline, the Chrysler building. The Chrysler building has a famous facade (seen here), and yet the "100x zoom" not only failed to recreate it, but instead kind of made it look like the building was melting. This is a photo of something that just does not exist, and I'm still not sure how to come to terms with that. Similarly, there's this photo of an airplane, which looks straight out of another universe. And I'm not sure I've ever seen the "bird" the AI tried to put on top of this weather vane before. To be fair to the 100x zoom, all of the source photos here were incredibly blurry -- it's hard not to be from so far away. But to me, AI hallucination isn't preferable to that, especially if it's not exactly clear to the average person that that's what's happening. Calling this "100x zoom" implies that your phone is taking a picture of reality, but I'd hate to think I captured a photo of a landmark only to get a fake AI photo back, something that I probably could have gotten just by going to the Gemini website and asking for a photo of the Chrysler building from scratch. Imagine if posted that to social media and bragged about it! I couldn't live down the comments. And if you're curious what 100x zoom looks like at night, here you go -- lighting artifacts become solid geometric patterns, as if you were taking photos of sci-fi hard light holograms. On the plus side, you can also view and save your zoomed-in source photos before they get AI-ified, although while I prefer the blur to AI, they're still not too useful in the grand scheme of things. This is technically new to the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL as well, but it's not that the hardware is any more capable -- it's just that the Pixel 9 Pro had the sense to cut off its zoom before it got useless. As for the other new AI camera features, they're available on the base Pixel 10 as well, and while they're less obtrusive, I'm not sure how helpful they are. First off, there's the AI Camera Coach, which needs you to be connected to data or wifi before you can use it. That's strike one -- the Pixel 10's other AI tools are all on-device -- and strike two is that it didn't seem that useful to me out of controlled scenarios. Essentially, it instructs an AI to look through your camera's viewfinder to help you brainstorm shots, and gives you step-by-step instructions on how to achieve them. That's a decent way to incorporate AI into taking photos without actually putting AI imagery into your results, but the advice it gave me never really went beyond "you should follow the rule of thirds." That's a shame, because while I appreciated Camera Coach in a controlled demo with Google (it genuinely suggested more dynamic shots than the Google staffer had originally captured) the advice it gave me at home leaned more towards telling me to "move the frame above the subjects' waists," which was especially frustrating when I had already done that. It might be helpful if you struggle with your vision and want some help knowing how to capture a memory, but it adds enough of a wait between taking and saving a photo (since it wants you to follow its advice first) that I think most people will try it once and then skip it, especially with how simple its advice is. Finally, for AI camera features, all models of the Pixel 10 can now edit their photos by asking Gemini to make changes to them using natural language. It's less adding new functionality and more making it easier to access existing functionality, for instance by allowing you to use Magic Eraser even if you don't know the proper sequence of buttons to press to do it yourself. Unfortunately, that means your mileage will vary based on the tools Gemini opts to use in your edits. I asked it to erase a fence from this shot below, as well as a sign from another shot, and the imagery it put in their place looked a little fake to me. That said, I was impressed by how it removed the glare from this photo of a truck. I appreciate the added user-friendliness here, but my complaint is that the AI doesn't exactly make it clear what tools it's using to make its edits, which means it might add AI-generated imagery without you knowing. That could be an issue if you're looking to avoid hallucination, but unfortunately, you won't be able to check whether AI was used unless you look into the photo's metadata afterwards. That's not exactly reassuring if it makes a minor hallucination and you don't notice until after you've posted your photo online. New AI features that aren't focused on the camera are a bit slim this year, and I didn't get much use out of either of them. The big one is called Magic Cue, and it's supposed to use AI to pop relevant info up on your screen as you need it. In other words, say you're calling an airline about an upcoming flight. It might find your boarding pass in your Gmail and put it on your screen to reference it. Or, say you're texting a friend about a dinner reservation. It could find the restaurant's address in an earlier text and display it for you. It sounds genuinely useful, and because the AI is entirely on-device, it's supposed to be private. Unfortunately, in my week of using the Pixel 10 Pro, I never once saw Magic Cue show up for me. I double checked to make sure it was enabled, and indeed it was, but here's the trick: It turns out I don't actually call airlines or make important dinner plans over Messages too often. Maybe my social life is just a little too quiet right now, but while Magic Cue works with Gmail, Messages, Keep Notes, Contacts, Google Calendar, and Pixel Screenshots, I mostly use my phone to watch videos, chat on Slack/Discord, or access third-party social networks. If that sounds like you, you probably won't see Magic Cue too often either, and while it's a nice, unobtrusive way to incorporate AI into your daily routine, I wouldn't buy a new phone for it. Another feature I didn't get a chance to try was Voice Translate. This is an on-device AI voice cloning system that allows you to speak to someone else over the phone in one language, then have an AI translate what you're saying and speak to them using an approximation of your own voice. It sounds impressive, if a little creepy, and it worked well in a staged demo during Made by Google. Unfortunately, because it requires both users to have a Pixel 10 (with separate phone numbers), I didn't yet have anyone I could try it out with. You might be a bit more lucky, but until Google brings this to a wider install base, it seems like more of a proof-of-concept than anything else. Again, I wouldn't buy a new phone for it. There are a few other AI features in the Pixel 10, and while I appreciate that Google's generally trying to make its AI experiences a bit easier to access this year, I ultimately think that they don't quite escape the realm of novelty, unless you only use your phone with Google's own apps and don't care if AI makes your zoomed-in shots look a little melty. Aside from Pixelsnap and AI, the final major upgrade Google's made to the Pixel 10 this year is to the processor. After years of using a semi-custom chip made in collaboration with Samsung, Google has finally graduated to its first fully custom chip, just like Apple. Called the Tensor G5, it's what enables all those on-device AI tricks above, but in other apps, it unfortunately runs into the same problems as its predecessors. In short, Tensor is still kind of weak in benchmarks and third-party apps. In Geekbench 6, a commonly used synthetic benchmark that tests general performance, my Pixel 10 Pro scored 2,315 on single-core tasks and 6,419 on multi-core tasks, with my Pixel 10 Pro XL hitting similar numbers. Those aren't bad scores on their own, but compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, they're about 1,000 points behind on both metrics, which puts the performance closer to a last-gen and non-Pro Samsung Galaxy S24+. That trend continued across multiple other tests, including the Geekbench 6 GPU test and the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Test. In that, both of my Pixel 10 Pros hovered around 20 fps, while the iPhone 16 Pro hit 27.5 fps. To be fair, benchmarks only tell part of the story, but given what I got during actual use with a demanding app, I believe them. In Genshin Impact, a popular mobile game with console level graphics, I couldn't go above high settings at 30 fps before the game started overclocking my phone, and if I wanted a smoother 60 fps without overclocking, I had to use low settings. If I chose to use overclocking, I could use the highest available settings at 60 fps without any hitches, but both the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL heated up quickly while playing this way, which made them uncomfortable to use over an extended session. Meanwhile, my several-generations-behind iPhone 15 Pro is comfortable to hold over a few hours while playing on the game's highest settings and with the framerate set to 60 fps. That's basically the same experience I've gotten on every Pixel I've tested to date. So while this is Google's first fully custom chip, it still has the same issues as all the other Tensor chips. It plays well with Google's own experiences, and I believe the company when it says that it goes a long way towards enabling new on-device AI. But for everything else, expect it to lag behind other flagships. New AI features aside, the base camera hardware on both the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL remain unchanged from the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL. Like the overall design, that's good news, since I quite liked the camera on that phone. In particular, while the main and ultrawide lenses are roughly equivalent to the iPhone's, the telephoto lens is much higher resolution, at 48MP rather than 12MP. In other words, assuming your phone hasn't injected AI into your shots, you can expect crisp, clear, and true-to-life visuals on all but the most distant subjects. My only complaint is that the postprocessing on night shots tends to brighten up the sky a bit too much for my liking, but that's pretty subjective -- plenty of my colleagues prefer it. See for yourself. Here are a few shots taken on both the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL at various zoom levels, across both night and day. Overall, I think you'll be pretty happy with the Pixel 10 Pro's camera. And if you want to ensure AI doesn't get added to your zoomed-in shots, which can happen with the new 100x "Pro Res Zoom," here's a trick -- if you take your shots in 50MP mode rather than 12MP mode, the AI will steer clear of them entirely. Even better, you'll get a higher resolution, although your shots will take up more data, and you won't be able to go past a 30x zoom. Like the camera, the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL's displays are almost identical to those on the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL. That means a 6.3-inch OLED on the smaller model, and a 6.8-inch OLED on the larger one. Both can go up to 120Hz, assuming you turn "smooth display" on under settings; the only update is to the brightness, which now tops out at 3,300 nits overall and 2,200 nits while using HDR (again, on both models). That's a minor adjustment over the 9 Pro/Pro XL, which already went to 3,000 nits overall and 2,000 nits with HDR, but it's appreciated. Overall, I generally wanted my screen at around 90% brightness in direct sunlight, but could settle for 60% brightness indoors. As for the content itself, like on the previous Pixel, it'll be high resolution, hitting 1,280 x 2,856 on the Pixel 10 Pro and 1,344 x 2,992 on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Both of these resolutions make for a cinematic, ultrawide look, and are higher than the standard 1,920 x 1,080 that most monitors start at these days. I'd still recommend a tablet or a TV for a longer movie, but if you do end up having to watch something on your phone, you won't be squinting here. Finally, there's battery life. This is, in theory, one of the most straightforward upgrades on this phone. There's new Qi2 support for wireless charging, and a higher capacity overall, with about 200 extra mAh added to both models (for 4,870mAh on the Pixel 10 Pro and 5,200mAh on the Pixel 10 Pro XL). In testing, my results were a bit confusing. I actually got lower overall battery life on my Pixel 10 Pro than I did on the Pixel 9 Pro, at 16 hours and 50 minutes as opposed to 18 hours and 40 minutes. This was on my standard battery test, where I turn off all battery saver settings (to ensure a consistent testing environment) and run a video overnight at 720p and 50% brightness until the phone dies. While I wasn't surprised to see the phone fall below Google's own estimates of a "24+ hour battery life," (most phones don't live up to the numbers the advertising claims), I was surprised to see it fall so far behind its predecessor. So what gives? I can't know for sure, but I'm willing to wager it has to do with the brighter screen, since 50% brightness on the Pixel 10 Pro isn't the same as 50% brightness on the Pixel 9 Pro. Because my base Pixel 10, which is even dimmer, got 20 hours of battery life, I'd be willing to bet that's the culprit. Which means that, despite the numbers, the battery here isn't worse -- you just might have to be a bit more careful about how hard you push your phone if you want the most out of it, since it can work itself a little harder than its predecessor. As for the Pixel 10 Pro XL, because of its higher battery capacity, I got 18 hours and 27 minutes of life from it, although I don't have a Pixel 9 Pro XL to compare it to. Regardless, that should be more than enough for a day's worth of work. Outside of battery life, I also tested Qi2 charging on both phones by seeing how quickly they could charge in 30 minutes. Here, the Pixel 10 Pro did better than the XL, gaining 26% charge in a half hour, while the XL only charged by 16%. I'll grant that the XL has a higher battery capacity, but even then, the smaller phone does seem to top up a bit more efficiently.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL- The Ultimate Camera Phone?

The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL builds upon its predecessor with a focus on AI-driven enhancements, improved camera capabilities, and subtle hardware refinements. While these updates aim to elevate the user experience, the device's incremental nature may leave some questioning whether the changes are substantial enough to warrant an upgrade. The video below from ZONEofTECH explores the key aspects of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, highlighting its strengths and areas where it could improve. The Pixel 10 Pro XL retains the signature design language of the Pixel series, offering a sense of continuity for loyal users. The device introduces new color options, including Moonstone and a two-tone Jade, which add a fresh aesthetic. However, the glossy sides remain prone to fingerprints and scratches, potentially frustrating users who prioritize durability. A subtle design adjustment -- the removal of the millimeter wave 5G cutout -- results in a cleaner, more seamless frame. While this change enhances the overall appearance, it is unlikely to be noticed by most users. The device maintains its solid build quality, but those expecting a bold redesign may find the updates underwhelming. The Pixel 10 Pro XL's display receives a notable upgrade with a 300-nit increase in brightness, significantly improving visibility in direct sunlight. This enhancement ensures a more comfortable viewing experience outdoors, addressing a common pain point for smartphone users. Additionally, the always-on display mode now integrates wallpaper elements, creating a visually engaging and personalized touch. Despite these improvements, the screen's visibility at certain angles remains inconsistent, which can detract from the overall experience. While the display is brighter and more vibrant, it falls short of delivering the flawless viewing quality seen in some competing flagship devices. The camera system is a standout feature of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, using advanced AI technology to deliver exceptional results. Key upgrades include: AI-driven tools such as Camera Coach and Help Me Edit aim to simplify the photography process, but their limited functionality reduces their overall impact. While the camera system excels in delivering high-quality images, these underdeveloped features may leave some users wanting more. For photography enthusiasts, the Pixel 10 Pro XL offers a compelling option, but casual users may find the improvements less fantastic. The Pixel 10 Pro XL offers a modest boost in battery life, thanks to a slightly larger capacity. The device supports faster 25W wireless charging and introduces compatibility with MagSafe accessories, providing added convenience for users. These enhancements make charging more versatile and efficient, catering to a variety of user preferences. However, sporadic reports of battery drain bugs raise concerns about long-term reliability. For users who prioritize consistent performance, this issue could be a potential drawback. While the battery improvements are welcome, they may not be significant enough to sway users of recent Pixel models. Powered by the Tensor G5 processor, the Pixel 10 Pro XL delivers smoother performance compared to its predecessor. Everyday tasks and multitasking are handled with ease, and the device offers a responsive user experience. However, in benchmark tests, the Tensor G5 still lags behind competitors like Apple's A18 Pro, highlighting a gap in raw processing power. Android's updated UI introduces vibrant colors, transparency effects, and smoother animations, enhancing the overall software experience. The new Magic Q feature, designed to streamline multitasking, shows promise but suffers from limited integration with third-party apps. While the software improvements are noticeable, the lack of broader compatibility may limit their practical utility. The Pixel 10 Pro XL delivers a noticeable upgrade in audio quality, with deeper and richer sound from its speakers. This improvement enhances the overall multimedia experience, making the device well-suited for streaming, gaming, and video calls. On the connectivity front, the shift to eSIM-only functionality in the U.S. aligns with industry trends but may inconvenience users who prefer physical SIM cards. The addition of MagSafe wireless charging compatibility broadens accessory options, offering greater versatility for users. While these updates add value, the lack of flexibility in SIM card options could be a drawback for some. AI integration is a central focus of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, with features like Magic Q and Camera Coach designed to enhance usability. However, their limited scope and underdeveloped functionality reduce their overall impact. These tools show potential but require further refinement to deliver meaningful benefits to users. In contrast, the device's haptics remain a standout feature, providing precise and satisfying tactile feedback. This attention to detail enhances the overall user experience, making interactions with the device more intuitive and enjoyable. While the AI features may fall short of expectations, the haptics set a high standard for competitors to follow. The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL excels in areas such as AI-driven camera performance, outdoor display visibility, and audio quality. Incremental improvements in battery life and charging add value, while the device's haptics deliver a premium tactile experience. However, the lack of significant design changes and the underwhelming execution of some features may not justify an upgrade for recent Pixel users. For those prioritizing AI innovation, advanced camera capabilities, and a polished user experience, the Pixel 10 Pro XL offers a compelling option. However, users seeking new advancements or a complete redesign may find this iteration falls short of expectations. As a result, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is best suited for those upgrading from older devices or those who value its specific strengths. Enhance your knowledge on AI-powered Camera Features by exploring a selection of articles and guides on the subject.