Google Pixel 10 Pro review

Design

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to be the guiding principle for the Pixel 10 Pro’s design team. Visually, it’s close to its predecessor: slightly heavier and thicker at 207g and 8.6mm, with the protruding rear camera visor unchanged, and the scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 cover glass still in place.

Still, a few subtle updates give the 10 Pro a more premium, futuristic feel. The new silky matte back is luxurious to the touch, and the previous metal frame has been replaced with polished, spacecraft-grade aluminium.

You can choose from four sleek colourways to complement the next-gen feel. The Pixel 10 Pro comes in Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain and Obsidian, each contrasting nicely with the shiny silver edge. The distinctive camera visor adds visual interest without compromising functionality, with virtually zero wobble when it rests on a flat surface. And as expected, an IP68 rating meets flagship standards, matching the base Pixel 10 handset and shielding your phone from dust or accidental dunks in the bath.

Display

We’ve not finished with similarities to the Pixel 9 Pro yet. 6.3-inch display? Tick. 1280 x 2856 resolution? Tick. 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate? Double tick for battery saving while maximising fluid movement on screen.

But it’s the upgraded 3,300 nits peak brightness rating that – quite literally – caught our eye when we were putting the display through its paces. Especially handy when following Google Maps on a sunny day or watching dimly lit video, this 300-nit boost gives the 10 Pro a clear edge over both the 10 base model and the 9 Pro.

User tip: The adaptive refresh rate has to be manually requested in settings, as it comes with 60Hz straight out of the box.

Performance

Ah, now this is where the advancements get really interesting. Inside every model in the Pixel 10 series is the brand-new Google Tensor G5 chip, made using an innovative 3nm manufacturing process.

This isn’t a routine annual refresh; it’s a major step forward in how the chip is built, packing in more, smaller transistors to ensure faster processing and boost energy efficiency. Coupled with 16GB of RAM, it enables smooth performance even under the heaviest workloads. The Tensor G5 is also the first chip to host the newest Gemini Nano model which is faster than ever before and unlocks new and improved offline AI capabilities from launch. More on those features coming up next.

You get all the storage options you’d expect from a Pro handset here – 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB – but the top-tier 1TB option has had a makeover. It now uses Zoned UFS, a more efficient type of memory that’s designed to stay fast and reliable even after years of heavy use. Although it’s fair to say that for most people, that much storage is overkill; it’s probably best suited to content creators who need every bit of space they can get.

Software and AI

If AI has felt more like hype than help, this could be the phone whose features actually make a difference to your day-to-day.

Working behind the scenes as well as via the photography suite and more, Gemini AI is intrinsic to the Pixel 10 Pro’s software, which is built on Android 16. This year that means a new 100x Pro Res Zoom camera feature – more on that later – as well as helpful prompts to aid organisation and productivity.

Speaking of useful, let’s talk about the improved Pixel Screenshots. Since debuting with the 9 series, this software has analysed your images and suggested titles, making them searchable, sortable, and easy to find. On the 10 series, it goes further: it can read information aloud, recommend categories, and even suggest actions – like setting a reminder if you save an event poster. As a guilt‑ridden screenshot hoarder, this author was honestly excited.

Add Live Translate, Circle to Search, and Call Assist into the mix, and it becomes clear how the Pixel 10 Pro outpaces its predecessor.

Cameras

50MP wide, 48MP ultra-wide and 48MP telephoto – the 10 Pro’s cameras are undeniably good. It’s the same hardware array that we saw on the 9 Pro though, so your fun will come from playing with the cutting-edge software instead.

AI-powered Pro Res Zoom extends the telephoto’s reach up to 100×, giving you unprecedented scope for extreme‑distance shots – with minimal quality loss. And then there’s Camera Coach, a new guide that uses Gemini models to offer real-time tips on lighting, framing, composition and scene setup right inside the camera app.

Special mentions: Auto Unblur and Auto Best Take quietly make sure the most chaotic family photoshoot has a successful outcome, while the ability to resize and move objects might feel more gimmicky than anything else, but it’s definitely entertaining to experiment with.

Battery

Make room, Apple Magsafe, because Google has finally gone magnetic. The new Pixelsnap system offers simple, snap-to-fit wireless charging at up to 15W – a neat step forward that makes powering up feel effortless. It’s only compatible with the 10 series for now, though.

Of course, a fast charger is only half the story, and the Pixel 10 Pro’s battery is built to keep up. At 4870mAh, it’s bigger than the previous 4700mAh, and easily lasts a full 24 hours – and Extreme Battery Saver stretches it up to 100 in emergencies. When you do need a top-up, 30W wired charging gets you from empty to over halfway in just 30 minutes; perfect for those mornings when every minute counts.

Security

The Pixel 10 Pro doesn’t sleep when it comes to security updates, offering Google’s standard 7 years from launch. That means updates are promised until 2032, so you should be able to get your money’s worth here.

Beyond regular updates, the phone offers top-notch security features that quietly keep you protected. Built-in scam and fraud protection helps you avoid unwanted surprises, the fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable, and Face Unlock makes unlocking your phone or verifying payments effortless. There are even some genuinely handy emergency features tucked in, giving you an extra layer of reassurance when it matters most.

Summary

The Pixel 10 Pro isn’t a revolution, but it’s a thoughtful evolution. Pixelsnap finally brings magnetic charging to the table, and the AI-powered features elevate everyday use in ways you might not notice at first glance. If your last phone was a Pixel 9 Pro, the improvements are subtler, but spend a little time exploring, and you’ll see that Google has layered in enough smart touches to make the 10 Pro feel worth the upgrade.

Not sure whether to buy the Pixel 10 Pro outright? Learn more about the difference between SIM only and contract phones.

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