I’ve been using both the Google Pixel 10 and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL for the last week or so, and similar to last year, at least on the Pro side, it’s a very similar story, in a good way.
Once again, rather than throw out the entire concept of what the Pixel has become, Google has improved on both models in a lot of subtle little ways that come together to improve on an an already fantastic phone.
When it comes to the design, both phones have had minor changes. Obviously, the Pixel 10’s biggest change comes in the way of that third camera, which makes it look even more similar to the 10 Pro, but it still retains its glossy back whilst the 10 Pro has a matte finish, with the Google logo now being metallic and the camera bezel now featuring a diamond cut, so it just looks that little bit more premium.
When it comes to the displays, both have been improved with hte Actua display on the Pixel 10 now having 3,000 nits of peak brightness with the ability to go down to 1 nit, and the 10 Pro now reaching 3,300 nits of peak brightness making it the brightest Pixel ever.
Speakers on both phones have been upgraded with the 10 Pro getting upgraded top and bottom speakers, which won’t be too noticeable to most, but it’s getting more and more important given how much content we consume on our phones, nad the 10 also having an upgraded top speaker
Apple introduced magnetic wireless charging with MagSafe 5 or so years ago, and it’s now made that technology available to the rest of the industry, both with official MagSafe accessories from Apple as well as the likes of Anker, but Google has dropped its own line called PixelSnap. I haven’t tested Google’s range, but my Apple MagSafe adaptor worked exactly as expected, and given how much I use MagSafe in everything from my bedside table, to a MagSafe tripod to shoot my content, this is a big, big win.
With the PixelSnap charger, you can expect to get 25w charging on the 10 Pro or 15w on the 10, and you’ll get those speeds using any Qi2.2 charger which again, isn’t limited to PixelSnap or MagSafe with loads of options on the market.
The battery life on both devices is now rated at 30+ hours and it’s always a little hard to tell given limited review timing, but given the improved Tensor G5 chip and the battery I was experiencing day to day, it definitely seemed like an improvement on any other Android phone that I’ve used.
The camera systems have been improved on both phones. Obviously, the major change comes with the Pixel 10 which now has a 10.8mp telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom and 20x super res zoom as well as Multi-Zone LDAF for improved autofocus. Whilst none of the lenses on the 10 match that of the 10 Pro in megapixel, but it does bring the two devices closer together in the sense that the core experience is the same.
On the 10 Pro side, you get improved stabilisation on the main 50mp lens and a 100x Pro Res Zoom which uses on-device generative AI to incredible smoothness to your photos when zooming it at 100x. This only works on objects (not people), and it does a really great job, but as I’ve touched on in my last few years of Pixel reviews, this all really depends on how much you’re willing to let generative AI creep into your photography.
Similarly, there’s a new Camera Coach feature which I spent a bit of time with, and I think this is a good one. I studied graphic design, and have always had a good sense of framing an image, but for a lot of people that isn’t second nature, so this guides you through some shot options based on the objects featured in frame and helps you take a better photo. Whilst I don’t think there’s a guarantee it’ll always be useful, I think it does a good job in at least giving you some ideas to be more creative or well-intentioned with your shots.
As it was last year, the big story is with the Tensor G5 chip which is absolutely noticeable in making this speeder, but also makes for new AI experiences. Again, whilst it’s hard in a limited review period, Magic Cue is absolutely the start of the show and is exactly what I’d want my phone to use AI for.
It basically can give you the information from all the big apps including Gmail, Messenger and Calendar, and provide helpful suggestions before actioning it. For example, if you’re calling a restaurant, it can show your booking on screen, or it can suggest activities based on a location that you’re going to and the weather. It’s something that probably only Google can pull off (Apple aside) given the information it has about you at a system level, so I’m excited to see where this goes.
There’s a lot of other AI features such as Voice Translate, which can do exactly that when you’re on a call with someone speaking another language in realtime, Take A Message which does exactly that and transcribes the voicemail for you, and Pixel Journal/Screenshots which does tries to help you organise the things you store away in your phone in a way that is more meaningful.
Again, on paper, these are all fantastic features, but it really depends on how you’re willing to change the way you live and how much you’re willing to let AI into your life, but I am glad that we’re starting to see some actual beneficial use cases for AI above just generative image wallpapers and such.
Once again, the Google Pixel 10 and Google Pixel 10 Pro aren’t revolutionary, but I don’t think they need to be at this point, and Google has once again done a great job at making minor changes where they’re needed and then also using the power of that new Tensor chip to leverage AI as well for meaningful everyday features.
