Google Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL ZDNET's key takeaways The latest Pixel flagships are priced the same as last year, but get meaningful upgrades across the board.
The Pro XL model, with its base storage of 256GB and faster wired and wireless charging, is the best Pixel phone right now.
You'll just have to settle for the same design and camera hardware as last year. View now at Google View now at Amazon View now at Best Buy more buying choices
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It's hard to believe that we're officially at year 10 for the Google Pixel, but even just a look back at the past three generations of the search giant's phone lineup paints a clear picture of its maturity and where things are headed.
Case in point, the Pixel 10 Pro series, consisting of the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, is, at first glance, a safe upgrade. Their designs look nearly identical to last year's models, you'll struggle to spot the differences in specs between the 10th and 9th generations, and they're priced squarely in the threshold of modern flagships.
Also: I compared the Pixel 10 Pro to every older Google flagship model - the biggest upgrades
But they also have a software suite that truly advances the way we interact with our smartphones -- or at least, that was my takeaway after using the phones for the past few weeks. With the Pixel 10 series (standard model included), I've never been more convinced that AI on phones is here to stay. It doesn't have to be forced, intrusive, or excessive; it just has to be intelligent enough to know its place.
Before I dive into all the AI madness, there's a critical topic that deserves just as much attention: eSIM. It's the first hurdle every new Pixel 10 owner (in the US) will encounter -- whether they're switching from an older Pixel or jumping ship from an iPhone -- and thankfully, it's one Google has made surprisingly painless.
To compare the setup processes, I ported my physical SIM from T-Mobile onto the Pixel 10 Pro XL and my secondary eSIM from Mint Mobile onto the Pixel 10 Pro. Both methods took less than five minutes and were only a few QR code scans away from working cellular connections.
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