We Saw the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, and Here’s What Stands Out
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Google’s latest Pixel phones are here, and along with them, a bunch of new AI features. While I'll talk more about those once I've gotten some hands-on time with them, how’s the hardware itself? Well, this year’s models look a lot like last year’s on the outside, but on the inside, this is one of Google’s biggest upgrade cycles in a while. There’s a new camera lens, an upgraded chip, and even a MagSafe-like charging mechanism, so you can rest easy knowing that Google isn’t just doing the bare minimum this year.
Whether you’re after a Pro phone or just want to stick with the base model, here are all the Pixel 10 specs you need to know before you buy. I’ve even gotten some hands-on time with these phones, and while I can share firsthand photos, I haven’t been able to play with the software much yet. Still, there’s plenty to go over, so I’ll be sticking to non-folding phones for this breakdown. Click here for a similar look at the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
What has stayed the same?
To the naked eye, there’s a lot about the Pixel 10 line that’s similar to the Pixel 9, but that’s not always a bad thing. The Pixel 10 is roughly the same size and weight as the Pixel 9, give or take a few ounces on specific models, and the controversial but iconic camera bar is still here. The screen is still OLED and is also the same size and resolution as the Pixel 9 line (with differences depending on your model), but most notably, the Pro version still comes in two sizes.
While all of Google’s Pro phones used to be on the larger side, last year’s Pixel 9 finally saw the company release both a regular Pro phone and a Pro XL model. The Pro XL was the same size as prior Pro-level Pixels, but the regular Pro version was the same size as the non-Pro model. It was a great change for people like me who want a powerful phone but are willing to give up some screen space to get a more compact design, and I’m happy to see it return.
As for the Pixel 10’s internals, the standard version still comes with 12GB of RAM while the Pro model has 16GB of RAM. And that’s it for the major similarities. Here’s a quick specs list, to break it down.
Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro Dimensions: 6 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches
Pixel 10 Pro XL Dimensions: 6.4 x 3 x 0.3 inches
Pixel 10 Resolution: 1080 x 2424 @ 120Hz
Pixel 10 Pro Resolution: 1280 x 2856 @ 120Hz
Pixel 10 Pro XL Resolution: 1344 x 2992 @120Hz
Pixel 10 Memory: 12GB RAM
Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL Memory: 16GB RAM
What’s new?
You might have noticed I have yet to talk about the camera, the processor, and even basics like storage or battery yet. Yep, those all have changes this time around, though in one case, it’s not strictly an upgrade.
Probably the biggest change is to the camera. While the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL have roughly identical spec sheets to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL, minus slightly larger apertures, the base Pixel 10 has gotten a major shake up.
If you look closely at the standard Pixel 10’s camera bar, you might notice that there’s a third lens here. Yep, this year’s model adds a telephoto camera to the Pixel 10, giving you an up to 5x optical zoom and 20x “Super Res Zoom,” which combines information from shots across various zoom levels to try to keep pixelation at bay. That said, it does come with a downside, which I’ll get into a bit later on.
The Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL do try to up their zoom capabilities as well, although that’s mostly thanks to a software trick—“Pro Res Zoom.” This lets you zoom in up to 100 times and uses generative AI to fill in any gaps. While Super Res Zoom isn’t a new feature overall—just new to non-Pro models—Pro Res Zoom still has yet to prove itself outside of Google’s hands.
Outside of the camera, the biggest change is probably to the processor. All Pixel 10 models use Google’s latest chip, the Tensor G5. While I’ll need some time with it to speak to its performance, Google is promising “its biggest leap in performance yet,” and it certainly needs it. While Google’s Tensor chips tend to be strong on power efficiency and AI tasks, they often underperform when it comes to running demanding apps like games. This is Google’s first fully custom chip, whereas previous iterations relied on help from Samsung. Hopefully, like with Apple’s M-series chips, the move to fully in-house design comes with higher performance. The company is promising up to 60% more efficiency in AI tasks and a 34% faster CPU.
As for battery life, that’s supposedly improved across the board. Google is promising 30+ hour battery life across all models of the Pixel 10, up from the 24+ hour battery life the company promised on the Pixel 9. Specific battery capacity depends on the model, but either way, that’s some impressive longevity if it pans out.
Finally, storage and color options. Storage options for the base Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro are the same as on the Pixel 9, but the Pro XL now starts with at least 256GB of storage, axing the previous 128GB model (I’ll get into this more when I talk about price). As for color, Google likes to swap out color options with each new release. The Pixel 10 comes in black (obsidian), a light violet (frost), blue (indigo), and yellow (lemon), while the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL come in black (obsidian), gray (moonstone), tan (porcelain), and light green (jade).
Here’s a quick breakdown of all the new specs, before I get into a brand new hardware feature.
Pixel 10 Rear Camera: 48 MP Wide lens/13 MP Ultrawide lens/10.8 MP Telephoto lens
Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL Rear Camera: 50 MP Wide lens/ 48 MP Ultrawide lens/48 MP Telephoto lens
Pixel 10 Selfie Camera: 10.5MP
Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL Selfie Camera: 42 MP
Pixel 10 Battery: Typical 4970 mAh, Minimum 4825 mAh
Pixel 10 Pro Battery: Typical 4870 mAh, Minimum 4707 mAh
Pixel 10 Pro XL Battery: Typical 5200 mAh, Minimum 5079 mAh
Pixel 10 Storage: Available in 128GB or 256GB
Pixel 10 Pro Storage: Available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
Pixel 10 Pro XL Storage: Available in 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
What is Pixelsnap?
Maybe the most exciting upgrade to the Pixel 10 line, though, is hard to break down with specs. Instead, this is an entirely new hardware feature called Pixelsnap—it’s essentially Google’s answer to MagSafe.
Using Qi2 charging, Pixelsnap allows compatible chargers to magnetically attach right onto your phone and wirelessly charge your device at speeds of up to 25W. No more fiddling with adhesive rings, thank goodness.
Google says it’s partnering with a bunch of manufacturers for Pixelsnap compatible accessories, but for now, it’s also releasing three of its own. There’s the Pixelsnap Charger, a simple puck that you just place your phone on, the Pixelsnap Charger with Stand, which charges your phone while letting you dock it in either portrait or landscape mode, and the Pixelsnap Ring Stand, which doesn’t charge your phone but can hold it up in either portrait or landscape mode. Conveniently, the Pixelsnap Charger with Stand is also modular, so you can remove the charging puck and lay it flat if you'd like, essentially turning it into a basic Pixelsnap Charger.
All Pixel cases this year are also Pixelsnap compatible.
An upgraded camera, but at a cost
If you were paying attention earlier, you might have noticed one downgrade on the base Pixel 10. Yep, in exchange for the telephoto lens, the ultrawide lens now has much fewer megapixels, down from 48 to 13. Whether or not this will impact you depends on how you use your phone. Do you zoom in a lot? Then this is an upgrade. Do you ever use the 0.5x button to zoom out? Then you’re giving up some fidelity there.
That said, there is a catch. While the Pixel 9 has a higher fidelity ultrawide camera than the Pixel 10, it still compresses all its photos down to 12.5MP by default. You can get around this by capturing RAW photos, but then you’ll lose out on Pixel’s postprocessing. Google also says it's improved some of the camera's software to make up for the loss in megapixels.
This means that most users probably won’t see much of a difference, but a photo compressed down from 48MP is still going to have more detail to work with than one shot at 13MP. It’s worth keeping in mind if you use that 0.5x button a lot, so if you’re concerned, click here for a more detailed breakdown.
How much does the Pixel 10 cost?
And here’s the part you’ve probably all been waiting for: How much is all of this going to cost you?
Luckily, for most models, pricing remains the exact same as on the Pixel 9. The Pixel 10 starts at $799 and the Pixel 10 Pro starts at $999. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is the odd one out.
Because the 128GB model is gone, the Pixel 10 Pro XL starts at $1,199, which is $100 more than last year. It’s a bummer, but at least a 256GB model here doesn’t cost more than a 256GB model of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. You just have fewer options to pick from.
As for accessories, the Pixelsnap Charger starts at $55, the Pixelsnap Charger with Stand starts at $99, the PixelSnap Ring Stand starts at $49, and Pixelsnap cases start at $69.
The Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL are available for pre-order now and will start shipping on August 28. You can find each at the following stores:
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