Pixel 10 & Pixel 10 Pro Hands-On Review: Table of Contents
After months of anticipation, the Pixel 10 series is finally here, and it includes four smartphones: the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. In this hands-on, first impressions article, we’ll focus on two of the most accessible and well-rounded models: the vanilla Pixel 10 and the most affordable Pro variant of all, the Pixel 10 Pro.
Also Read: Magic Cue: Google’s New Pixel 10 Feature Provides Super-Personal AI Assistance On The Go
Design
This year’s Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro follow the same flagship formula we’ve been seeing on Google’s smartphones for years: a metallic frame with glass on the back (either shiny or matte).
The baseline Pixel 10, with its flat satin finish aluminum frame, rounded corners, and the shiny horizontal camera visor on the polished Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back, immediately reminds me of the Pixel 9 series. It’s still comfortable to hold with one hand, despite the phone growing 0.1mm thicker and around six grams heavier.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro also retains its polished aluminum frame, rounded corners, and the camera visor atop Gorilla Glass Victus 2. But since it is the Pro model, it features a matte-finish back (a difference that’s clearly visible in the images attached in the article). While the Pro variant has managed to retain its thickness, it now weighs eight grams more.
- Pixel 10 colorways: Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, Obsidian
- Pixel 10 Pro colorways: Moonstone Jade, Porcelain, Obsidian
Another noticeable difference between the two phones is that the Google logo on the Pro version is much more reflective than the one on the regular version. From what I’ve felt, Google isn’t a part of the race to make thin smartphones anymore: the company is focusing on what it thinks is necessary for everyday users, and that’s working great so far.
Display
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That’s probably the formula that Google has followed with the screens on its latest smartphones. There are minor tweaks, but moreover, the Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro have the same screens as their predecessors, and that’s acceptable.
The vanilla Pixel 10 features a 6.3-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2424 x 1080 pixels (422 ppi), a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz (though it’s an LTPS panel), and can achieve 3,000 nits of peak brightness, up from 2,700 nits on the Pixel 9. Even in the high-brightness mode, the Pixel 10 can shine 200 nits brighter than the Pixel 9 (review).
Similarly, the 6.3-inch OLED Pixel 10 Pro screen features a resolution of 2856 x 1080 pixels (495 ppi), a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz (thankfully, it is an LTPO panel), and a maximum peak brightness of 3300 nits, which is 300 nits higher than that on the Pixel 9 Pro. The handset’s HBM brightness is also 200 nits brighter than the Pixel 9 Pro.
The screens on the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro are sharp, bright, and vibrant, and that ticks all the boxes a flagship must. They could have benefitted from DC dimming, and the regular models can use an LTPO panel. But overall, the phones have gorgeous displays.
Also Read: Pixelsnap Wireless Charging For Pixel 10: Finally, Android Gets Its MagSafe Solution (Based On Qi2)
Hardware
Although the hustle and bustle of a hands-on event isn’t the right environment to test a smartphone’s performance, in the limited time we got to spend with the handsets, we couldn’t identify any performance-related issues.
Given that both the Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro feature Google’s new Tensor G5 SoC (based on TSMC’s 3nm fabrication technology), both handsets feel quick and responsive with staple tasks such as opening/closing apps, switching from one to another, multitasking, and everything else we could do in a few minutes.
Early benchmarks also suggest that the chipset performs around 20% better in the single-core and 45% better in the multi-core GeekBench 6 CPU test. In theory, the performance bump should also benefit demanding tasks like editing videos, playing high-quality video games, etc.
While the vanilla Pixel 10 gets 12GB of RAM, the Pixel 10 Pro features 16GB of RAM; both phones are available in a single 256GB storage variant.
Software
Google’s latest flagships come with Android 16 installed out of the box (although Samsung’s foldables did it first). It brings several additions to the user interface, such as the Material 3 Expressive thematics and Live Updates. But if you look at the operating system at a glance, it looks and feels the same as Android 15.
The Pixel 10 series also gets several exclusive AI-based features that utilize Gemini Nano’s ability to process multimodal queries. Moreover, there are over 10 new additions to Google AI’s arsenal, but the most interesting ones include Magic Cue, Camera Coach, and Edit with Ask Photos.
Given that these are unique experiences available only on the Pixel 10 series, it looks like the company is still relying on software-based experiences to differentiate its phones from the rest of the market, and so far, it has been working fine.
Also Read: Pixel 10 Pro Fold vs. Galaxy Z Fold 7: The Flagship Android Foldable Showdown
Cameras
| Pixel 10 | Pixel 10 Pro | |
| Primary Camera | 48MP (f/1.7, 1/2.0″, OIS) | 50MP (f/1.7, 1/1.31″, OIS) |
| Secondary Camera | 13MP (f/2.2, 1/3.1″, PDAF) ultrawide | 48MP (f/1.7, 1/2.55″, PDAF) ultrawide |
| Tertiary Camera | 10.8MP (f/3.1, 1/3.2″, OIS) for 5x optical zoom | 48MP (f/2.8, 1/2.55″, OIS) for 5x optical zoom |
| Selfie Camera | 10.5MP (f/2.2, 1/3.1″, PDAF) | 42MP (f/2.2, PDAF) |
This year, the Pixel 10 gets a camera upgrade (at least on the surface of things) in the form of a third telephoto sensor previously reserved for the Pro models. With the lens, the phone now provides Super Res Zoom up to 20x.
The Pixel 10 Pro, on the other hand, retains its high-resolution triple-rear-facing camera system, along with an ultra-wide front camera. In addition, the Pro models now provide Pro Res Zoom up to 100x, a feature that’s already available on a couple of other Android flagships.
Combined with the computational expertise and the software-based features, the Pixel 10 phones offer a versatile camera system with plenty of post-capture editing tools. We do have some concerns about the sensor size on both models, but we’ll reserve commenting on them in our detailed reviews (stay tuned for those).
Battery & Charging
This year, all the models in the Pixel 10 lineup have received larger batteries and what Google calls Pixelsnap wireless charging.
- The Pixel 10, for instance, features a 4,970 mAh battery (up from 4,700 mAh on the Pixel 9) that supports 27W wired charging and 15W wireless charging via Pixelsnap charger (Qi2-compatible).
- The Pixel 10 Pro’s battery also goes up to 4,700 mAh to 4,870 mAh, and includes support for 30W wired charging and 15W Pixelsnap wireless charging.
What’s odd is that despite mentioning 30+ hours of battery life in the embargoed information, Google has gone back to claiming a “24+ hour” battery life for both handsets. Given that the handsets feature bigger batteries and a more power-efficient processor, I’m pretty sure that the Pixel 10 series will last longer between charges.
Also Read: Google Pixel 10 Series Brings 14 New AI Features: Check Them Out Here
Pricing
What’s good is that the pricing for the Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro remains similar to that of the Pixel 9, despite all the meaningful additions.
| Pixel 10 | Pixel 10 Pro | |
| 256GB | Rs. 79,999 | Rs. 1,09,999 |
My Thoughts
The Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro continue Google’s push to refine the premium smartphone experience while leveraging the company’s strengths: software intelligence and Gemini AI-driven features. They don’t reinvent the Pixel formula, but rather polish it: brighter displays, more powerful internals, and helpful editing features that beat the benchmark set by the Pixel 9 series.
Overall, the Pixel 10 series may not surprise you, but it sure is a confident step forward.
You can follow Smartprix on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google News. Visit smartprix.com for the latest tech and auto news, reviews, and guides.
