When Google finally revealed the Pixel 10 series last week, I was there. I got to attend a secret preview of the phones a week before the launch, and I was in the live audience for the cringeworthy Jimmy Fallon event that showed the phones to the public for the first time. It was an incredibly exciting time for me, because I’m a huge fan of what Google is trying to do with its Pixel line.
But you know who wasn’t so excited about it? A lot of you.
Almost immediately after the reveal, the internet’s various comment sections and social media feeds filled with a familiar, cynical refrain: “It’s just the Pixel 9 Pro again.” After spending an hour reading through a ton of the comments, the sentiment of the public was clear to me: the Pixel 10 Pro, at least on the surface, is a disappointment and not worth the upgrade.
Did you buy a Pixel 10 phone? 165 votes Yes, the Pixel 10 1 % Yes, the Pixel 10 Pro 23 % Yes, the Pixel 10 Pro XL 21 % Yes, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold 2 % No, but I might get one 23 % No, I will not buy a Pixel 10 phone 30 %
Well, after spending a solid week with the Pixel 10 Pro, I’m here to tell you, with all due respect…you’re all wrong. The problem is that the phone’s design and spec sheet don’t tell the whole story. The Pixel 10 Pro is a classic case of its biggest upgrades being experiential, not something you can quantify in a simple chart. While it may look like its predecessor, using it reveals several new camera features that will make capturing memories better and easier, new on-device AI tools that will up productivity and reduce unnecessary taps and swipes, and crucial quality-of-life hardware additions that make the phone universally better and more useful.
If you’ve already written this phone off, I urge you to reconsider. Let’s dive into what makes the Pixel 10 Pro so much more than meets the eye.
So much more than a fresh coat of paint
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Let me address the elephant in the room first. Yes, the Pixel 10 Pro looks almost identical to the Pixel 9 Pro (above, the Pixel 10 Pro is on the right). I’ve been using the stunning Moonstone colorway of the Pixel 10 Pro, and it looks and feels fantastic — premium, well-balanced, and unmistakably a Pixel. But this physical similarity is the very root of the misconception that this is a lazy update. If your investigation begins and ends with a side-by-side visual comparison, you’ll miss everything that makes this phone special.
Yes, the Pixel 10 Pro looks the same as the Pixel 9 Pro. No argument there. But you need to look past this to see its benefits.
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