The Pixel 10 series may not look all that different from last year’s models, but a new processor and plenty of other spec upgrades ensure we’ll see snappier performance across the board. In addition to more on-device Gemini AI functionality, Google’s Tensor G5 processor should deliver a wide range of improved experiences.
The lineup includes three models: the Pixel 10 ($799), Pixel 10 Pro ($999), and Pixel 10 Pro XL ($1,199). As with the Pixel 9 series, the Pro models are nearly identical in terms of specs. They mainly differ in display size and battery life, while the standard Pixel 10 offers slightly scaled-back performance. All three phones are available for preorder now and will hit store shelves on August 28, but read on for my first impressions now.
Design: Rehashed, But Refined
Left to right: Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)
At first glance, you would be hard-pressed to spot any differences between the Pixel 9 and 10. However, Google has tweaked the hardware to be more comfortable to hold and use. The front glass of the Pixel 10 transitions into the metal frame with a smooth, slightly rounded feel, for a subtle but noticeable improvement.
The Pixel 10 and 10 Pro share identical dimensions at 6.02 by 2.83 by 0.34 inches (HWD), though the 10 weighs 7.2 ounces and the 10 Pro weighs 7.3 ounces. Both are slightly thicker and heavier than the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro (6.02 by 2.83 by 0.33 inches, and 6.98 and 7.02 ounces, respectively). It’s easy to confuse the 10 and 10 Pro, but there is one way to distinguish them: The 10 features a glossy back finish with a matte metal frame and camera enclosure, while the Pro has a matte back surface with a shiny frame and camera enclosure.
Pixel 10 Pro XL (Credit: Eric Zeman)
The 10 Pro XL is a big phone, just like the Pixel 9 Pro XL. They share their dimensions of 6.41 by 3.02 by 0.33 inches. The 10 Pro XL weighs 8.18 ounces, about 5% heavier than the 7.8-ounce 9 Pro XL.
For durability, the 10 series is IP68 rated for dust and water resistance, which is table stakes for flagship phones. All Pixel 10s use Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for the front glass.
Pixel 10 Pro (Credit: Eric Zeman)
The Pro line continues to offer a thermometer sensor, which is located below the camera flash. Button placement is the same as the previous Pixels. A power button and volume rocker are on the right side, while the left is bare. Two speaker grilles are at the bottom, flanking the USB-C port. The US model does not have a SIM tray, while the international model will continue to include one. Google says it placed the mmWave 5G radio (required for US models) in the area where the SIM card is located on the international models, which do not offer mmWave. This flavor of 5G provides the fastest possible wireless speeds, though it’s not widely deployed outside of the US. The US models support up to two active eSIMs.
Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)
For biometrics, the Pixel series has an under-display fingerprint sensor and secure face unlock. This lets you use your face to securely connect to sensitive applications like financial apps.
New this year, Google has added a magnetic wireless charging feature called Pixelsnap to the Pixel 10 series. Pixelsnap uses the Qi2 wireless charging standard, so the phones can attach to magnetic chargers. It’s like Apple’s MagSafe tech.
Left to right: Pixel 10 Pro XL in Lemongrass, Pixel 10 Pro in Moonstone, Pixel 10 in Indigo (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Google has introduced a revised color palette for this year’s models. The Pixel 10 comes in Frost (light blue), Indigo, Lemongrass (light green), or Obsidian (black). The 10 Pro models are available in Jade (light green), Moonstone (gray/blue), Obsidian (black), or Porcelain (white). The Indigo really pops, while the rest are more understated.
Display: Brighter Than Ever
Left to right: Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Both the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro feature 6.3-inch displays, but the Pro’s panel is sharper, brighter, and smoother. The Pixel 10’s screen offers a resolution of 2,424 by 1,080 pixels, a refresh rate that scales from 60Hz to 120Hz, and brightness levels up to 2,000 nits (HDR) and 3,000 nits (peak). That’s an improvement over the Pixel 9’s 1,800-nit HDR and 2,700-nit peak. The Pixel 10 Pro boosts resolution to 2,856 by 1,280 pixels, with a refresh rate that varies from 1Hz to 120Hz, and brightness that reaches 2,200 nits (HDR) and 3,300 nits (peak).
The 10 Pro XL’s 6.8-inch screen features a resolution of 2,992 by 1,344 pixels, while its refresh rate and brightness are the same as those of the 10 Pro. Apart from brightness, the 10 Pro XL’s display is the same as that of the 9 Pro XL.
I only got to use the phones indoors, but even with natural light pouring in from large windows, the screens were easy to see.
Performance: Google Claims Big Leaps
Pixel 10 Pro (Credit: Eric Zeman)
The Pixel 10 series offers mostly the same RAM and storage options as last year. The Pixel 10 has 12GB of RAM with either 128GB ($799) or 256GB ($899) of storage. The Pixel 10 Pro comes with 16GB of RAM with 128GB ($999), 256GB ($1,099), 512GB ($1,219), or 1TB ($1,449) of storage. The Pixel 10 Pro XL starts at 256GB ($1,199) and can be configured with 512GB ($1,319) or 1TB ($1,549) of storage. Google uses Zoned UFS in the 512GB and 1TB Pro models to improve AI application speeds.
Google’s new Tensor G5 processor is big news. It uses TSMC’s 3nm process, which Google says improves CPU performance by 34% compared with the Tensor G4. The G5 is also designed to efficiently and quickly handle tasks like on-device speech recognition, real-time translation, and advanced AI tasks.
Get Our Best Stories!
A Smart, Bold Take on the Wireless World
Sign up for the Fully Mobilized newsletter to get our top mobile stories delivered right to your inbox.
Sign up for the Fully Mobilized newsletter to get our top mobile stories delivered right to your inbox.
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
All three models support sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G, Bluetooth 6.0, and NFC. The 10 supports Wi-Fi 6E, which is a strange downgrade from last year’s model, which supports the newer Wi-Fi 7. The two 10 Pro models carry over support for Wi-Fi 7.
Every Pixel 10 model has a higher-capacity battery than its Pixel 9 counterpart. Google claims each should last for more than 30 hours (up from 24). The Pixel 10 and 10 Pro charge at up to 30W wired and 15W wirelessly, while the 10 Pro XL charges at up to 45W wired and 25W wirelessly. Google says the Pixel 10 (4,970mAh) and 10 Pro (4,870mAh) can charge to 55% in 30 minutes, while the 10 Pro XL (5,200mAh) can charge to 70% in the same time.
Like the name says, the Pixels snap to Pixelsnap chargers for a strong magnetic connection, so they don’t shift off the charger while juicing. In person, the Pixelsnap accessories were great to use. I particularly liked the charging puck.
Cameras: Telephoto Lenses for All
Left to right: Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL (Credit: Eric Zeman)
This year, Google is completely changing the base Pixel’s rear camera setup. The Pixel 10 features a 48MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 13MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10.8MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom and OIS. This is a big shift from the Pixel 9’s two cameras: a 50MP main shooter and a 48MP ultra-wide camera. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 appear to use the same 10.5MP selfie camera.
The Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL carry over the same camera hardware as their predecessors. They have a 50MP main camera with OIS, a 48MP ultra-wide, and a 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom and OIS. Through software, the 10 Pro models support up to 100x ProRes Zoom, which uses AI to fill in vague details. The phones save the original, unedited version in addition to the edited, final image. The 10 Pro line uses a 42MP selfie camera.
All three models support multi-zone laser-detection autofocus (LDAF) for quick focusing. Last year, only the Pro models featured LDAF, while the base model had single-zone LDAF.
Recommended by Our Editors
As for video, the Pixel 10 is limited to 4K resolution, but the two Pro models can record at up to 8K at 24 or 30fps. Capture modes include slow motion and hyperlapse, Super Res Zoom for video, Night Sight, Audio Magic Eraser, Macro Focus, Cinematic Pan and Blur, and Astrophotography. New this year, the phones support automatic, always-on 10-bit HDR capture for richer color.
Software: Gemini and AI Everywhere
Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)
The Pixel 10 series ships with Android 16 and will receive seven years of OS and security updates. The phones also feature the latest Gemini Nano, an on-device AI utility that handles image recognition, audio transcription, and more without a cloud connection. Google worked with DeepMind to improve the Gemini Nano model, which is integral to Google’s new Voice Translate feature.
Voice Translate (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
In a jaw-dropping live demo, a Google rep called a colleague sitting in the same room using a Pixel 10. Using Call Assist, the caller chose the recipient’s spoken language. After a brief pause, her Pixel translated her spoken English into German on the other person’s phone, reproducing her voice and intonation. He replied on his phone in German, and she heard his voice in spoken English—tone and all. When I tried it, I heard myself speaking fluent German. Text transcriptions are also shown on screen. The entire process runs on-device thanks to the Tensor G5 and Gemini Nano, and the recipient doesn’t need a Pixel for it to work; everything is happening on your Pixel 10.
Google samples the caller’s and recipient’s voices to replicate them. There is no need to train a model on your voice; the phone does it during the call. The conversation feels natural because the translations happen so quickly. It was really quite something to experience.
Magic Cue (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Magic Cue is another new feature that could be awesome if it works well. Essentially, the Pixel proactively displays information depending on your activity. It uses the information you share with Google, plus your recent phone interactions, to guess what you need for a given situation.
In one demo, a representative called United Airlines using the Google Phone app. The Pixel automatically placed a card in the Phone app that included related flight information, such as the flight number, confirmation number, and even a link to an email related to that flight. This way, there’s no need to dig through your emails or other apps to find information during the middle of a call.
Camera Coach (Credit: Eric Zeman)
In another demo, we saw the new Camera Coach tool. Tapping an icon at the top of the Camera app launches Camera Coach, which sees the viewfinder and offers suggestions on composition. Camera Coach does not do things for you; it teaches you how to do it yourself, which seems great for newbies and amateur photographers alike.
Verdict: Coming Soon
After spending some time with the Pixel 10 lineup, I’m most impressed with Google’s latest AI capabilities. I look forward to putting each phone through its paces for a full review, so make sure to check back soon.
Until then, for more from the Made by Google event, see our coverage of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and the Pixel Watch 4.
About Iyaz Akhtar
Mobile Analyst
I’m one of PCMag’s mobile analysts. That means I check out phones, hotspots, and mobile networks. Technology has been my passion and hobby since I was a child. I’ve covered tech professionally for over 15 years at outlets including The Apple Blog, This Week in Tech, and CNET.
Read the latest from Iyaz Akhtar