Summary of "Pixel 10/Pro Review: Good News and Bad News!"
Product Reviewed: Google Pixel 10 / Pixel 10 Pro
Main Features:
- Design & Build:
- Very similar to Pixel 9 in design and materials (camera visor, glossy glass back, satin aluminum sides).
- Physical SIM tray removed; US models are eSIM-only.
- Improved clicky buttons and haptics remain a highlight.
- Slightly brighter display and color-matched speaker grills.
- Qi2 wireless charging with Pixel Snap magnetic alignment (15W on base, 25W on XL/Pro).
- Pixel Snap enables strong magnetic attachment compatible with MagSafe accessories, enhancing accessory ecosystem.
- Chipset & Performance:
- Powered by Tensor G5 chip, Google’s first fully designed Tensor chip fabricated by TSMC on a 3nm process.
- CPU performance improved by ~30% over previous generation but still behind Snapdragon 8 Elite and Apple A18 chips.
- GPU performance notably weaker, significantly behind Snapdragon flagships.
- TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) improved by 60%, excelling in AI and machine learning tasks.
- Smooth daily performance with Android 16, high refresh rate always on.
- Slight performance drop when switching to max resolution display mode.
- No hardware-accelerated ray tracing support.
- Battery:
- Slightly larger battery (+200mAh) than previous generation.
- Solid all-day battery life with about 6 hours screen-on time at high brightness.
- Cameras:
- Base Pixel 10 now includes full triple cameras: 48MP main, ultrawide, and 5x telephoto.
- Pixel 10 Pro has larger 50MP main sensor, higher-res ultrawide, and 5x telephoto.
- Main and wide shots remain strong with good sharpness, dynamic range, and color. Night Sight remains excellent.
- Ultrawide is soft at edges with noticeable chromatic aberration.
- Zoom performance is disappointing: images are soft and less detailed compared to competitors; super res zoom (30x+) produces cartoonish results.
- Video performance lags behind flagship competitors.
- Software:
- Ships with Android 16 and latest Material You design updates.
- Smooth, colorful, and fluid UI with extensive customization options.
- New AI features like Magic Cue (contextual assistance across apps) show promise but feel unfinished and inconsistent.
- Conversational photo editing via Google Photos is a standout feature, allowing semantic edits by text prompts.
- Other pre-installed apps: Journal, NotebookLM, and daily briefs (which was found not very useful).
- Classic Pixel software strengths like Call Screening and Now Playing remain.
Pros:
- Beloved Pixel design and build quality maintained.
- Improved fingerprint reader (ultrasonic and faster).
- Pixel Snap magnetic wireless charging adds valuable convenience and accessory options.
- Tensor G5 chip brings meaningful AI/ML improvements and smoother general performance.
- Excellent software experience with Android 16 and new AI features.
- Good battery life and efficiency.
- Triple cameras on base model a welcome addition.
- Night Sight and main camera image quality remain strong.
Cons:
- Performance still behind flagship Snapdragon and Apple chips, especially GPU.
- No major leap in hardware specs; still no super-fast charging or large new sensors.
- eSIM-only in the US is inconvenient for users who switch physical SIM cards often.
- Zoom camera quality is disappointing compared to competitors.
- Ultrawide lens suffers from softness and chromatic aberration.
- Video capture quality lags behind flagship rivals.
- Magic Cue AI feature feels unfinished and unreliable.
- Some UI design choices (oversized buttons, excessive white space) detract from polish.
- Pixel remains a niche choice for those who prioritize software and AI over raw hardware power.
Comparisons:
- Performance is closer to mid-range Snapdragon 8S Gen 4 chips (e.g., Nothing Phone 3) rather than flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite or Apple A18.
- Zoom quality inferior to Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and even iPhone 16 Pro.
- Pixel Snap magnetic charging stronger than Apple’s MagSafe with first-party accessories.
- Software and AI features remain Pixel’s strongest differentiators versus hardware-focused competitors.
User Experience:
- Smooth everyday use with Android 16 and high refresh rate.
- Battery life sufficient for all-day use on Pro model.
- Magnetic wireless charging with Pixel Snap greatly improves convenience, especially for those without cases.
- Camera zoom and video quality may disappoint users expecting flagship-level hardware.
- Magic Cue AI assistant currently inconsistent but shows future potential.
- Software customization and AI features remain compelling reasons to choose Pixel.
Speakers’ Additional Views:
Reviewer appreciates Pixel
Category
Product Review
