The dust has settled from the latest Made by Google event, and the Pixel 10 family is as good as ever. It builds on the hardware upgrades that Google introduced on the Pixel 9 series and packs more new AI-powered features than I could have dreamt when I first put my SIM in a Pixel device. And I, for one, cannot wait to move my SIM into yet another brand-new phone by Google — but not the one you might expect.
There are reasons to go Pro… but not quite as many
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Don’t get me wrong — the Pixel 10 Pro will be a great phone. Everything about it suggests that Google’s top-end flagship will continue in the right direction, especially if you splurge on the XL model with its pumped-up speakers and Qi2.2 support. However, I struggle to see how this year’s extra features make it worth that much more than Google’s more approachable Pixels.
Yes, it’s easy to point at the new 100x Pro Res Zoom and say it’s worth the upgrade alone. After all, this is the first time Google has gone past 30x zoom, and it’s coming right for the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s crown. The Tensor G5 chip should help the Pixel 10 Pro process those punched-in images nicely, too, but I still expect a fair share of problems with rendering small details.
If you're in a charging rush or love 100x zoom, buy the Pixel 10 Pro. Otherwise, there's a lot to love at lower price points.
I spend most of my time between the 2x and 10x — or maybe 15x — zoom ranges. That’s where I feel most premium flagships are at their best, as the telephoto sensors are usually chipping in with some optical quality and AI processing hasn’t completely taken over. With Google’s 100x zoom, I already know that will be all AI, all the time. It’ll probably be fine for subjects like far-off buildings, but it won’t be so essential for soft subjects like people or pets, which take up about 95% of my camera roll.
Outside of that extra camera punch, the biggest reason to grab a Pixel 10 Pro model is probably its faster charging, but once again, you’ll have to drop extra cash on the XL model. After leaving its Pixel 9 behind the Pixel 9 Pro duo in terms of charging speed, the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro are now perfect matches with up to 55% charge in just half an hour, while the Pixel 10 Pro XL offers 70% charge in the same amount of time. It’s a nice upgrade to have, I suppose, but I’m not sure that it goes quite far enough to justify the extra $400 coming out of your pocket.
As Google shrinks the gap, its more affordable models look better and better
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
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