The Google Pixel 10 Pro is a slightly better Pixel 9 Pro. Sounds boring, but it’s a well-rounded overall package with plenty of strengths.
Looking for a powerful smartphone that’s reliable in everyday use and has a great camera without breaking the 1,000-franc mark? This might just be your ideal candidate.
The Pixel 10 Pro is available in two sizes: 6.3 and 6.7 inches. Otherwise, the models only differ in their batteries. The larger model has more capacity and consumes more watts. I’ll be taking a closer look at this in the bit about hardware. However, I’ll generally be referring to the regular Pixel 10 Pro in this review.
Display and design
The Pixel 10 Pro looks the same as its predecessor, the Pixel 9 Pro. A matt back, a glossy frame and the near-continuous camera hump on the back craft a classy overall impression. Only the range of colours is new: in addition to black (Obsidian), there’s a sleek blue-grey (Moonstone), a creamy white (Porcelain) and a fresh, light green (Jade). I got Moonstone from Google to test. It’s a simple yet pleasing colour, although I usually prefer bright tones.
The Pixel 10 Pro in elegant Moonstone.
With a size of 15.3 × 7.2 × 0.9 centimetres, the Pixel 10 Pro is just as big as its predecessor. And at 207 grammes compared to 199, it’s slightly heavier, but not noticeably so. Overall, it’s a little too wide for me personally.
The 6.3-inch OLED display has an adaptive refresh rate of 1– 120 Hz and a resolution of 1280 × 2856 pixels. Compared to the Pixel 9 Pro, it’s become a little brighter, shining at up to 3,300 nits instead of 3,000.
The stylish OLED display ensures bright colours and sharp contrasts.
Hardware: magnetic and extremely durable
Google has adapted two parts of the hardware: a new system on a chip (SoC) and a slightly larger battery. It’s also received Qi2 support.
One highlight is the new Pixelsnap system with Qi2 support. It works on the same principle as Apple’s MagSafe, making the smartphone the first Android device to offer wireless charging with a magnetic holder. I use the magnets for fluffy wallets.
I use the built-in magnet to attach accessories for my fluffy, magnetic wallet.
The differences between the Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 10 Pro XL in detail:
Google has installed its latest custom chip into the heart of the system: the Google Tensor G5. The biggest improvements as stated by the manufacturer: better energy efficiency and reduced heat generation. This should have a positive effect on battery life. It was already extremely good on the Pixel 9 Pro, giving you over 14 hours of watching videos, surfing and editing images. In the same scenario, the Pixel 10 Pro achieves a battery life of 17 to 20 hours. Impressive stuff.
Otherwise, the chip is faster than its predecessor, but not outstanding. Compared to Samsung’s Galaxy S25 with Snapdragon 8 Elite, it lags far behind. This means that graphics-heavy games such as Genshin Impact only run smoothly with the Tensor G5 at medium graphics settings. Apart from that, I don’t notice any restrictions in everyday life and feel satisfied.
The speakers have also improved. I thought the previous model sounded terrible, way too tinny. Now the sound is much fuller and warmer, feeling natural for a smartphone. I can now watch a video without headphones.
Improving the sound: the new speakers.
Cameras: Google helps me with everything
The cameras haven’t been upgraded. Still, there are some new features that should make photography easier. I’ll focus on these, but will still give you a few thoughts on the main and selfie cameras.
The main camera is top-notch. I like the colours at night too.
The 42 MP selfie camera in portrait mode. I like it. Just one thing: the artificial blurring doesn’t work perfectly with hair.
The camera coach: step by step for a good picture
You can switch on the new coach in the camera app when required. It analyses an image section and makes suggestions for a great picture.
Here’s how it works:
The app analyses what you see through the lens.
You choose what you want from various suggestions.
You follow the instructions on cropping, angles and distance to the subject.
You take the shot.
The camera coach gives me tips for better framing.
I find the feature impressive since, thanks to AI, it recognises everything on-screen. However, the suggestions hardly offer any added value. On the other hand, I think of my parents: they sometimes take landscapes and selfies rather awkwardly, so I imagine them to be the perfect target group. Using their smartphones, they’d learn what to look out for in order to set the scene well.
100x super-res zoom: AI mixes reality with fiction
If the lenses reach their physical limits when zooming, AI comes to the rescue once again. Samsung has been offering this for some time. Now Google is following up with a feature designed to bring subjects extremely close. The software accesses image data from an online database and supplements your photo where it’s out of focus. Results take a few seconds.
Background information
What makes a photo «real»?
by Samuel Buchmann
AI intervenes too much when it comes to letters. It changes the shape or invents letters. The AI zoom also has problems with clear shapes, such as a guitar: the strings aren’t straight.
The perfect group photo, automatically – just not always
Google already introduced a feature for better group photos last year. To use it, I had to take several photos of my group and could then choose which faces in which pictures were the best. Afterwards, a group picture would be grafted together – everyone laughing, everyone’s eyes open.
This manual post-processing takes time. Because of this, Google has gone back to the drawing board and simplified the feature. The Pixel 10 now automatically creates a top photo as soon as it recognises several similar images with people. In addition, you can see which people are looking into the camera best thanks to the yellow frames around their faces.
A compilation of six pics. A great end result, even if the light in the room is a little too orange.
In practice, the feature isn’t very useful. If you take a few photos of a group, the AI analyses all the images and creates its top photo, but only on every second attempt. You can’t tell the AI to do so manually, and its selection isn’t always good either. For example, I end up with a photo in which a friend has her eyes closed. She would’ve looked better in a different one.
This is apparently the best picture combo. Shame it didn’t quite work out.
Software and AI: live translation on the phone
Google is already shipping the Pixel 10 Pro with the latest Android 16 and its own user interface. Naturally, everything from Google comes pre-installed, but there’s no other bells and whistles. The manufacturer also promises seven years of software and security updates. This has been the case for several generations, absolutely exemplary.
Google has also added some AI functions. You can deactivate or ignore them if you prefer not to use them. The two most exciting ones are Live Translator and Pixel Studio.
Live translator: a personal interpreter for calls
If there’s someone on the other end of the line who doesn’t speak your language, you can call up a special translation. You have to download the source and target language as a data package first. This way, you can keep private calls on your phone. According to Google, the language range is constantly being expanded.
You can activate the interpreter during a call. Participants are immediately warned that everything will now be translated. You can then speak freely, and the translation starts slightly delayed. What I particularly like about it is that the translated voice imitates the original, including intonations. This way, you can lead a relatively fluent phone call without knowing the other language. For this to work well, the participants need to speak quite slowly and as clearly as possible. To be honest, people could get into the habit of doing that on the phone anyway.
Pixel Studio: an AI feature that creates people
Pixel Studio is Google’s image generator for smartphones. With it, you can have images generated for invitation cards, presentations and so on. You can also create stickers or edit your own photos with AI tools. A new addition: creating scenes with people using a description.
The function is still in development, the smartphone warns me about this with a pop-up. Not that I notice this. Even my first prompt, «A girl in a pink dress jumping rope in a meadow», produces shockingly impressive results. When zooming in, however, I recognise the typical AI errors, blurred pupils and the like.
Looks pretty good – if I ignore the blurry lines.
I like the result here too, except for the blurry squinting eyes.
I’m sceptical as to whether Google respects artist copyrights. I see strong Ghibli influences in the anime version in particular, which may have arisen from the data used. And do I see the style of that iconic German kids’ book character «Struwwelpeter» in the children’s book version? At least the sketch looks neutral. As an inspiration and template for my own works of art, it’s acceptable overall.
In a nutshell
Durable smartphone with few weaknesses
The Google Pixel 10 Pro isn’t a top-of-the-line smartphone, but it offers a well-rounded overall package. It’s consistently evolved from its predecessor, and offers powerful performance in everyday use. Mind you, the price tag has grown by 100 francs/euros compared to the last model. This is slowly but surely making the device too expensive to be marketed as a cheap alternative to Samsung and Apple.
On the plus side, with seven years of software and security updates, it can be used for a very long time. If the price drops as expected in the next month or two, I can recommend it all the more. Once that happens, anyone wanting a reliable device for long days and fancy photos will seize the opportunity to get one. AI slop is on board, but can be deactivated.
Pro
Useful AI features such as the Live Translator
Long battery life up to 20 hours
Long-term support with seven years of software and security updates
In my world, Super Mario chases Stormtroopers with a unicorn and Harley Quinn mixes cocktails for Eddie and Peter at the beach bar. Wherever I can live out my creativity, my fingers tingle. Or maybe it's because nothing flows through my veins but chocolate, glitter and coffee.
