We have already looked at a couple of the new phones from Google, the Pixel 10 and the flagship Pixel 10 Pro XL. But what about the middle sibling of the family, the Pixel 10 Pro?
I’ve had it in my pocket for the past couple of weeks and, for me, it is the best of the bunch (as all middle children are – hello to my older sister and younger brother).
Although the Pixel 10 Pro falls short of the XL version in some features, it can still hold its own in many key areas. It is undoubtedly better than the standard Pixel 10, but is it enough to justify the price increase from the Pixel 10?
Read on as I aim to answer these and other questions below, revealing my thoughts on the Google Pixel 10 Pro.
The primary distinction between this and the XL is, of course, size. I’ve often taken to using the smaller Pixel phones in recent years because they fit in the pocket a lot easier, especially with me putting them in and out of the pocket all day long with my job. The Pixel 10 Pro just fits in the pocket better.
It is identical in size to the Pixel 10, so they are equal in this category. I find the XL versions to be large and unwieldy. If you are not a fan of larger phones for whatever reason, it is nice to have a phone that is smaller but still packed with virtually the same specs, most importantly, the same camera as the XL version.
The Pixel 10 Pro produces excellent photos. The result is a combination of good hardware and excellent computational photography – a feature often performed by AI these days. The images are better than those produced by the Pixel 10, but you’ll have to wait until next week to get an accurate comparison between the two when I publish a comparison piece.
The Pixel 10 Pro receives all the advantages of the Pro models, just like those in the XL version. You get all the AI and the Pro Res Zoom.
One issue I had with the Pixel 10 was that the display resolution did not play well with me adjusting the zoom of text and items on it. Many of the apps and texts were not as seamlessly displayed as they are on the higher-resolution display of the Pixel 10 Pro. With the Pixel 10 Pro, I can adjust the text/font and icon sizes without affecting the overall app experience.
Every single AI feature on the Pixel 10 Pro XL is included on the Pixel 10 Pro. You get all the Gemini, which seems a lot better, but it still struggles when you ask it to do a task on the phone. I want it to be all-inclusive, and this is what Google aims for with developers, allowing Gemini to hook into their apps. However, this support is currently limited.
Magic Cue is present, and that is about all I can say for it at the moment. I tried to get it to come up with flight times etc between my wife and I via RCS text message but just could not replicate the demo that Google performed at the launch. Magic Cue surfaces options to enter an app, such as the calendar, when someone messages you a time or date for an event. I have not yet been able to get the weather app to populate the weather for an event in the future automatically, but Dan has had some success with this on the Pixel 10 Pro XL, so it should work eventually.
There are other, less helpful options that appear at various times, such as the Magic Cue in phone calls, but nothing groundbreaking has emerged for me yet.
Pixelsnap is Google’s version of the new Qi2 charging technology and I’m here for it. I feel so strongly about it that I wrote an entire article on it. I’ve long bemoaned the fact that Android users have had to resort to using aftermarket cases to take advantage of the numerous MagSafe products available – no longer.
I love being able to stick my phone on a MagSafe (or Qi2) charger or dock and not have to worry about using the correct case. The only issue is the charging speed of the Pixel 10 Pro. It has the same Qi2 charging speed of the Pixel 10 (15W) but much less than the XL version (25W).
Does that worry me? Not really, but it would be nice to have. I’m used to using AirVOOC from OPPO that charges wirelessly at 50W, so 15W pales in comparison to that. If I want to charge fast though, I just don’t use wireless charging – not a deal breaker for me. It’s a “would have been nice to have but not essential” feature for me.
| Pixel 10 | Pixel 10 Pro | Pixel 10 Pro XL | |
| Display | 6.3-inch Actua display – 20:9 aspect ratio – 1080 x 2424 OLED at 422 PPI – Smooth Display (60-120Hz)- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass – Up to 2000 nits (HDR) and up to 3000 nits (peak brightness) – 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio – HDR support – Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colours | 6.8-inch Super Actua display (LTPO) – 20:9 aspect ratio – 1344 x 2992 LTPO OLED Smooth Display (1-120Hz) – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass – Up to 2200 nits (HDR) and up to 3300 nits (peak brightness) – >2,000,000:1 contrast ratio – HDR support – Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colours | 6.8-inch Super Actua display (LTPO) – 20:9 aspect ratio – 1344 x 2992 LTPO OLED Smooth Display (1-120Hz) – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass – Up to 2200 nits (HDR) and up to 3300 nits (peak brightness) – >2,000,000:1 contrast ratio – HDR support – Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colours |
| Dimensions | 152.8 height x 72.0 width x 8.6 depth (mm) @ 204 g | 152.8 height x 72.0 width x 8.6 depth (mm) @ 207 g | 162.8 height x 76.6 width x 8.5 depth (mm) @ 232 g |
| Battery and Charging | 30+ hour battery life – Typical 4970mAh Minimum 4835mAh – Fast charging – up to 55% in about 30 minutes using 30W USB-C PPS charger or higher, sold separately – Pixelsnap wireless charging (Qi2-certified) up to 15W | 30+ hour battery life – Typical 4870mAh Minimum 4707mAh – Fast charging – up to 55% in about 30 minutes using 30W USB-C PPS charger or higher, sold separately – Pixelsnap wireless charging (Qi2-certified) up to 15W | 30+ hour battery life – Typical 5200mAh Minimum 5079mAh – Fast charging – up to 70% in about 30 minutes using 45W USB-C PPS charger or higher, sold separately – Pixelsnap wireless charging (Qi2-certified) up to 25W |
| Processor | Google Tensor G5 – Titan M2 security coprocessor | Google Tensor G5 – Titan M2 security coprocessor | Google Tensor G5 – Titan M2 security coprocessor |
| Memory | 12 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB / 256 GB | 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB with Zoned UFS | 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB with Zoned UFS |
| Rear Camera | 48 MP wide with Macro Focus 13 MP ultrawide 120deg FOV 10.8 MP 5x telephoto lens Super Res Zoom up to 20x and optical quality at 0.6x, 1x, 5x,10x | 50 MP wide 48 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus 48 MP 5x telephoto lens Pro Res Zoom up to 100x and optical quality at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x, 10x | 50 MP wide 48 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus 48 MP 5x telephoto lens Pro Res Zoom up to 100x and optical quality at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x, 10x |
| Front Camera | 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus 95° ultrawide field of view | 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera with 103° ultrawide field of view | 42 MP Dual PD selfie camera with 103° ultrawide field of view |
| Colours | Indigo Frost Lemongrass Obsidian | Moonstone Jade Porcelain Obsidian | Moonstone Jade Porcelain Obsidian |
| OS and Updates | Launched with Android 16 with 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates from launch | Launched with Android 16 with 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates from launch | Launched with Android 16 with 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates from launch |
The only reason you would buy the Pixel 10 Pro instead of the Pixel 10 Pro XL is if you didn’t want to pay the price required for the XL or you preferred a smaller phone. In every other way the XL is the better phone. It features faster charging, both wired and wireless, and a larger display. The Pixel 10 Pro XL does have a larger battery although I dare say the increase in battery is accounted for in everyday use by the increased display size.
It would have been nice for Google to include 45W charging capabilities on the Pixel 10 Pro, but apparently, there are space and heat dispersion issues in the smaller phone. I’m okay with that decision – let’s not have a repeat of the Galaxy Note 7 debacle.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL costs $300 more than the Pixel 10 Pro model. Is faster charging and a bigger display worth that extra $300? For me, I don’t think so – even if it was a similar price, I think I would still choose the Pro given the smaller, more pocketable size.
The Pixel 10 Pro at $1,699 has a $350 premium on top of the Pixel 10 price. What do you get for this extra $350? Better build materials, better camera, sharper, brighter display and some extra software features – most of which I think are significant.
The sharper, higher-resolution display performs much better with changing font sizes, and it is also much easier on the eyes. The difference in sharpness is noticeable when you have the phones side-by-side and really gives a good case for paying the extra $350 by itself.
The Pixel 10 Pro also comes with more RAM than that in the Pixel 10 (16GB vs 12GB) but in real-world use, that is barely noticeable. There are some increases in the speed of opening or switching apps, but they are not significant.
The only extra software feature I can see that is different at this stage is the ‘Always on display – full screen wallpaper.’ This is because of the most energy-efficient display in the Pro models and is what many people would consider a gimmick.
The camera on the Pro is significantly better than the standard Pixel 10. The Pixel 10 still produces great images, but when compared side by side across a wide range of environments and scenarios, the Pixel 10 Pro outperforms it.
The Pro model also includes Pro Res Zoom of up to 100x, while the Pixel 10 only includes Super Res Zoom up to 20x. Doesn’t seem like much, but it may be something you want while on holiday, and it is certainly handy to have.
Why should someone buy the Pixel 10 instead of the Pro model? Basically, price only. If you did not need all these extra features and did not have the funds to extend to the $1,699 price then the standard Pixel 10 offers a great experience with a really good camera. It just isn’t as good as the Pro.
The Pixel 10 has all the same AI features, it is the same size as the Pro, still has a great camera and offers a great Pixel experience, so it is still a great phone. Do you need or want the extra features mentioned above? Can you afford it? If so, then get the Pro; the differences may not be worth it every day, but on the whole, they will be.
The Pixel 10 Pro has the exact same camera as that in the Pixel 10 Pro XL and I urge you to also head on over to Dan’s XL review for more photos that these phones are capable of.
The camera bar is ever-so-slightly different from last year’s, but it still houses the same sensors: a 50MP main sensor, a 48MP ultrawide sensor with a 123° field of view that also offers macro focus, and a 48MP telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom. On the front, Google has also retained the 42MP selfie camera, which features a decent 103° field of view.
The 50MP main sensor now features improved OIS with twice the range of motion, and also enables enhanced stabilisation with Video Boost.
The battery life of the Pixel 10 Pro is good but not great. Each year, Google (a nd others) promise multi-day battery life, but that has never eventuated — but then I am a power user so it might be difficult for me to get over a day of life from a single charge. I am able to get just under a full day, though, with a couple of hours of Bluetooth music and a couple of hours of wireless Android Auto. That is all I need.
My issue is with the charging. I understand Google went with the slower Qi2 charging compared to the XL model to prevent the phone from overheating but did they really need to slow down the wired charging too? I am used to 80W charging on my OPPO Find X8 Pro, so to drop back to just 29W, which is the maximum supported by the Pixel 10 Pro (and the Pixel 10). The XL model supports 39W — 25% faster. Disappointing for sure.
In good news, there is support for Qi2 with the built-in magnets (Pixelsnap) so you can use any Qi2 or MagSafe accessory with it. Maybe next year Google will give us the full charging speeds for all models.
Trying to recommend a phone to someone is tough, especially when there are three phones with virtually identical features. I’ve tried to outline the differences above and why I would choose the Pixel 10 Pro every time. The camera is exceptional, the software is second to none, the AI shows promise, with some useful features already in place and working as intended, and it is well-built and visually appealing.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is all of the above, but bigger with faster charging. It is also more expensive. The Pixel 10 is the same size but has a downgraded camera and display, and is cheaper.
My advice for the Pixel 10 series is: if you have the funds and don’t mind a large phone, get the Pixel 10 Pro XL. If you have the funds but prefer a smaller phone, get the Pixel 10 Pro. If you don’t have the funds for the Pixel 10 Pro, consider the Pixel 10 instead.
My favourite is the Pixel 10 Pro — while not perfect, the smaller size makes up for the slower charging seen in the larger model. The Pixel 10 series smartphones are available now from all the usual places:
Scott is our resident open technology expert. If you can mod it, or want to use it your way, Scott has probably done it. From Laptops to phones, headphones and game consoles, he’s played with it and wants to see the next generation.
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