Google Pixel 10 Series Hands-on: The Base Model Takes Center Stage

The Pixel 10 marks nan 10th procreation of Google's homegrown smartphone efforts. This year, alongside a caller Tensor G5 chip, nan institution has included immoderate upgrades that mightiness make nan guidelines exemplary nan prima of nan family.

The modular Pixel 10: Now pinch a dedicated zoom for nan first time

Aside from updated colour options (obsidian, indigo, frost and lemongrass), nan modular Pixel 10 doesn't look excessively overmuch different from past year's phone. It still has a matte aluminum framework and a 6.3-inch OLED surface pinch a 120Hz refresh rate. For 2025, Google has upped nan brightness of its Actua show to a highest of 3,000 nits (up from 2,700 nits). Google besides claims nan Pixel 10's speakers person been importantly improved, though it was difficult to show by really overmuch during my demo.

Inside, changes to nan Pixel 10's specs are a spot much robust. The Tensor G5 features a CPU that's 34 percent amended year-over-year connected apical of a caller TPU that's 60 percent faster than before. Memory and retention are staying nan aforesaid astatine 12GB of RAM and either 128GB aliases 256GB of storage, though it's important to statement that artillery capacity has accrued to 4,970mAh (up from 4,700mAh). That second fig is moreover much than what you get from nan Pixel 10 Pro (4,870mAh).

But by far, nan biggest upgrade connected nan modular Pixel 10 is simply a caller 10.8MP camera pinch a 5x optical zoom, joining nan existing 48MP main and 13MP ultrawide cams. This is nan first clip Google has ever put a dedicated zoom lens connected a guidelines Pixel, which is simply a immense worth adhd because antecedently anyone who wanted a telephoto camera had to salary other for 1 of nan premium models. And based connected what I saw successful personification and its specs, its telephoto camera appears to beryllium akin to what we sewage successful past year's Pixel 9 Pro Fold, truthful moreover if it's not rather arsenic powerful arsenic what's disposable connected nan Pixel 10 Pros, it's still a awesome summation to nan guidelines model.

Furthermore, erstwhile compared to nan modular Galaxy S25, nan Pixel 10 abruptly has a important hardware advantage acknowledgment to a bigger artillery (just 4,000 mAh connected nan Samsung), a longer zoom (5x vs 3x) and somewhat faster wired charging (up to 30 watts connected nan Pixel alternatively of conscionable 25W). Plus, some phones travel pinch nan aforesaid 7 years of Android updates and information patches.

That said, it remains to beryllium seen if nan Tensor G5 tin lucifer nan wide general capacity of nan Snapdragon 8 Elite chips utilized successful Samsung phones. That has ever been a shortcoming of Google's homegrown silicon. But for beautiful overmuch everything else, nan guidelines Pixel 10 is looking for illustration a overmuch much complete instrumentality and a awesome action for anyone looking to prevention immoderate money, since its value is staying nan aforesaid astatine $799.

Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL: Even amended specs and immoderate Pro-only camera tricks

As for nan $999 Pixel 10 Pro and $1,199 Pro XL, for illustration their smaller sibling, their quality hasn't changed excessively much. The easiest measurement to show them isolated from nan guidelines exemplary is that nan Pros person a shiny framework alternatively of matte and somewhat different colors: obsidian, moonstone, porcelain and jade. Their 6.3- and 6.8-inch Super Actua displays person gotten a akin bump successful brightness up to 3,300 nits (up from 3,000 nits), while representation and retention person received a boost arsenic well, up to 16GB of RAM and arsenic overmuch arsenic 1TB of storage. Unfortunately, moreover though nan Pixel 10 Pro XL now supports wired charging astatine up to 45 watts, nan 10 Pro remains capped astatine 30.

Of course, pinch nan guidelines Pixel 10 getting a caller zoom lens, Google couldn't hide astir nan Pro models. The Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL's cameras person nan aforesaid solution arsenic before: a 50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide and a 48MP telephoto pinch 5x optical zoom. However, Google has made immoderate tweaks that see a caller ISP, an improved optical image stabilization strategy and immoderate further devices for illustration nan expertise to sprout image mode shots successful afloat resolution, a first for nan Pixel family.

However, my favourite caller characteristic present is Pro Res Zoom, an upgraded type of Super Res Zoom that tin seizure long-distance shots astatine up to 100x while utilizing instrumentality learning to capable successful nan gaps. Google says its algorithm pays typical attraction to things for illustration people's faces, truthful hopefully we don't tally into immoderate AI slop. From what I've seen, Pro Res Zoom useful remarkably well, particularly erstwhile you see that everything is happening on-device alternatively of sending images to nan unreality for further processing. Seeing this benignant of sharpness astatine up to 100x from a 5x optical zoom is damn impressive, moreover if nan Pixel is getting an assistance from AI.

New software, camera and AI features

Naturally, this wouldn't beryllium a Pixel motorboat without a bunch of caller package and AI-powered tricks. Sadly, location are truthful galore caller devices that I didn't person a chance to do a heavy dive into each of them. The characteristic pinch nan astir imaginable mightiness beryllium Magic Cue, which uses AI to aboveground adjuvant accusation for illustration addresses, reservations and much straight wrong immoderate of your astir commonly utilized apps for illustration Google Messages and Gmail. These prompts look arsenic small rainbow bubbles and you tin pat connected them to quickly nonstop applicable info to others. When dealing pinch a flight, Magic Cue tin telephone nan related hose for you.

Meanwhile, Google's Daily Hub functions a batch for illustration Samsung's Now Brief feature, which puts useful reminders, almanac appointments and much each successful a azygous place. This gives you a speedy overview of important things happening each day. Alternatively, if you want to beryllium a spot much introspective, nan Pixel Journal characteristic is fundamentally a integer diary that's meant to thief you bespeak connected important events aliases aboveground caller topics that whitethorn beryllium applicable to your interests.

Elsewhere, there's a caller on-the-fly translator characteristic that tin mimic nan sound of your ain sound during calls. Gemini Live is besides getting a ocular overlay truthful it tin amended item things connected your surface and intelligibly constituent retired what it sees. And past there's Take a Message, which is benignant of for illustration Call Screener but for missed calls.

For photography, Google showed disconnected nan expertise to usage earthy connection sound commands to edit images aliases adhd wholly caller elements to a pic (like putting sunglasses connected an alpaca). Best Take has besides been improved to analyse up to 150 frames earlier you moreover deed nan shutter successful group shots, allowing nan telephone to prime retired an image wherever everyone is smiling. But if that doesn't happen, it tin usage AI to create a composite photograph pinch nan champion expressions crossed a bid of shots.

Also, crossed nan Pixel 10 line, Google is supporting the C2PA standard, truthful that location will beryllium nary guessing which images person been made aliases tweaked pinch AI and which ones are each earthy (at slightest for things created successful first-party apps). And finally, launching arsenic a preview later this fall, there's a caller Camera Coach instrumentality that uses AI to thief you framework your shots, amended your creation aliases moreover propose immoderate caller angles and ideas (Google calls it Get Inspired). The characteristic offers step-by-step instructions connected really to recreate a circumstantial shot.

Pixelsnap: Finally, charismatic Qi2 support from a awesome Android telephone maker

The past awesome upgrade is nan summation of due Qi2 wireless charging support. Google is calling this Pixelsnap, but it's based connected nan aforesaid underlying spec utilized successful iPhones and different Qi2-compatible devices and it will beryllium disposable connected nan full Pixel 10 family. The 1 quirk is that while nan Pixel 10 Pro XL tin wirelessly complaint astatine up to 25 watts, nan guidelines Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro are still constricted to conscionable 15 watts. On apical of that, Google will person a fistful of Pixelsnap accessories, including a charging equine pinch a removable Pixelsnap puck, a magnetic ringing guidelines and more.

Regardless, aft awesome Android telephone makers failed to adhd Qi2 support to past year's flagships, I'm gladsome Google is yet coming around, moreover if it took longer than I'd like. Not only does this unfastened up nan Pixel 10 statement to nan wide world of magnetic accessories, pinch a large sanction for illustration Google hopping connected nan trend, it puts much unit connected companies for illustration Samsung to decently adopt nan modular alternatively of its devices being simply "Qi2 ready" (aka, Qi2 but without a built-in magnetic mounting point).

Early thoughts

All told, I really for illustration what Google is doing pinch nan Pixel 10 line. The summation of a due zoom camera connected nan guidelines exemplary is simply a blessing for group who mightiness not want to salary nan $200 premium for nan Pro versions. It’s besides awesome because I deliberation nan matte decorativeness connected nan modular Pixel 10 looks amended than nan polished framework connected nan Pixel 10 Pro. And that goes double for nan indigo variant, which is simply a callback to nan original heavy bluish hue we saw backmost connected nan first Pixel from 2016.

As a instrumentality of long-distance photography, I really for illustration nan summation of Pro Res Zoom, though I do want to trial it immoderate much to spot nan limits of Google's AI magnification. It benignant of bugs maine that nan Pixel 10 Pro XL has faster wired and wireless charging, arsenic those specs really ought to beryllium nan aforesaid crossed some Pro models. And while nan Tensor G5 seems to beryllium overmuch speedier than immoderate of Google's erstwhile chips, I'm very funny arsenic to really overmuch amended it'll consciousness successful nan existent world, peculiarly for worldly for illustration gaming. But arsenic a whole, nan Pixel 10 family is shaping up to beryllium immoderate of nan astir well-rounded smartphones Google has ever made.

The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL are disposable for pre-order coming starting astatine $799, $999 and $1,199 pinch charismatic income opening connected August 27.