I’m accustomed to testing new phones, but when the opportunity came up to get an advance look at the Google Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL in Paris, I leaped at the chance. I’ve been using the new features and extensively trying the 10 Pro XL’s camera, and so far, I’m pleased with what I’m seeing.

If you’re expecting a totally new generation of Google Pixel devices with the 10 Pro, you may be disappointed. The Pixel 10 Pro is an evolution of its predecessor rather than a complete overhaul. And that’s fine.

Read more: Everything Announced at Made by Google 2025

Google’s Pixel 9 Pro impressed me when it launched last year, and it certainly doesn’t require a radical transformation just one generation later. The newest Pixel model keeps the 9 Pro’s slick design and awesome camera system, while the latest Android 16 software brings a host of new updates. There’s also the new Tensor G5 processor, which Google says is faster and more power-efficient than the G4 chip found in last year’s model.

I Still Love the Look of Google’s New Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL +20 More See all photos

Yes, some of the Pixel 10 Pro’s new features are based around various new AI tools. The camera, in particular, increasingly incorporates AI into the way you take pictures. Whether that’s good or bad is up to you to decide. At least that triple rear camera array can take stunning images, as I found out.

The Pixel 10 Pro with 128GB of storage costs $999 (£999, AU$1,699), while the 10 Pro XL starts at $1,199 (£1,199, AU$1,999) with 256GB of storage. Both go on sale on Aug. 28, but you can preorder them now. While it might seem that the XL’s starting price is $100 higher than last year’s model, Google eliminated the lower 128GB storage option. While you’re paying more for the bigger screen, you’re also getting double the storage.

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Watch this: The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL’s Camera Is So Smart, It Almost Took the Photos for Me 07:57

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Google 10 Pro vs. 10 Pro XL: What’s the difference?

To be honest, there’s very little difference between the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL. They look almost identical, except for the XL model being slightly bigger. The XL model incorporates a 6.8-inch display into its larger frame, giving a bit more space to play games or watch videos than the standard 6.3-inch 10 Pro. The extra size also allows for a marginally heftier battery (5,200 mAh versus 4,870 mAh), while the XL also offers slightly faster 45-watt wired charging.

Otherwise, the core specs are basically the same. Both models share the same Tensor G5 chip and have 16GB of RAM. The camera hardware on the back and front is identical. The choice between the two comes down to whether you prefer big-screen phones for more immersive gaming or something more pocket-friendly.

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Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL cameras: Solid performance with AI additions

Both Pro models use the same rear camera setup, which includes a 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.68 aperture, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. While I haven’t put the cameras through a full suite of tests, I took hundreds of photos with the 10 Pro XL in Paris, and I was impressed.

Pixel 10 Pro XL, main camera: This shot has crisp details and a great overall exposure. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Pixel 10 Pro XL, main camera: The balance between the shadows and the highlights here is spot on. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Pixel 10 Pro XL, main camera: Vibrant colors and pin-sharp details. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Photos from the main camera are bright, pin-sharp and vibrant. Exposure is handled extremely well, with bright skies kept under control and shadow detail clearly visible. Sometimes, images can look a little bit too HDR with unnaturally lightened shadows, but this is par for the course for most phone cameras, and I’ve certainly seen worse.

Pixel 10 Pro XL, main camera: This dynamically complex scene has been handled well here, with clear details in the shadows while keeping highlights under control. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Pixel 10 Pro XL, main camera: The phone has worked hard to balance the highlights, and while it does have a bit of a processed look to it, it’s a lovely image overall. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The ultrawide camera performs similarly well, with little to no color shift when swapping between lenses, which is good to see.

Pixel 10 Pro XL, ultrawide camera: The phone maintains its strong grasp on exposure and colors even in the ultrawide mode. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Pixel 10 Pro XL, ultrawide camera: I love this shot with the ultrawide lens giving a distorted view of the road as it curves around. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Pixel 10 Pro XL, ultrawide camera: Inside this church, the ultrawide lens has captured the details well. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The 5x optical zoom remains an ideal sweet spot in terms of focal length, giving just enough zoom to help you find more creative compositions in whatever scene you’re facing. Images are sharp and share the same spot-on handling of color and exposure as the main lens. If 5x zoom isn’t enough for you, the Pixel lets you take things much further.

Pixel 10 Pro XL, main camera: Taken with the main camera, this image is perfectly exposed. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Pixel 10 Pro XL, 5x zoom: At 5x zoom, the fine details remain crystal clear. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Pixel 10 Pro XL, 30x zoom: At 30x zoom, the AI upscaling has done a good job of preserving details. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

You can digitally zoom in to 10x, with the resulting image simply being slightly upscaled by the phone’s software. Shots look great at this length, and continue to look decent up to 30x. Beyond this point, though, the AI takes over (Google calls it ProRes Zoom) and goes beyond simply upscaling the details. ProRes Zoom actually uses generative AI to try to recreate what it thinks should be in the scene.

At 100x zoom, the phone uses generative AI to bring back details. On the left is the original and on the right is the processed version. It’s clear what the phone has done to produce a sharp image. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I took a variety of photos at 100x zoom, and the difference between the original image and the AI version is significant. Most of the time, it actually worked quite well, especially when I was just taking zoomed-in shots overlooking Paris, as the ProRes Zoom is optimized for static subjects like buildings and landscapes.

Things haven’t worked so well in this example, with the overhead plane being turned into odd sticks with a red nose cone. I’d have just preferred the original. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I was a bit amused when I took a 100x shot of a plane going overhead. The AI recomposed it into an odd sort of bundle of sticks. However, I’m glad it didn’t identify my blurry shot as a plane and simply superimpose a picture of a Boeing 737 over the top.

That does bring up an important question: if the phone is using generative AI to recreate details in a scene, is it really a photo that you’re taking? Google is certainly trying to get ahead of some of the moral issues here in that it says this AI tool will not be applied to faces “to prevent inaccurate representations.”

The ProRes Zoom isn’t the only place you’ll find AI in the camera, either. Camera Coach uses AI to analyze the scene in front of you and give you a series of guided prompts on how to take a better photo. If you’re taking a portrait, for example, it may suggest putting more of the person in the frame. I used it a few times on my photo walk through Paris, and I can see it being a fun tool for photography newbies to play around with. Still, it felt a bit slow and clunky to be of much use in a quicker photography scenario. Time will tell if Camera Coach becomes a genuinely useful resource for improving photography or not.

This image is actually made up of multiple images. The phone’s AI merged what it believed to be the best images in a series into one version, where we’re all looking at the camera and have our eyes open. It’s a seamless blend. Andrew Lanxon/CNET

There’s also the Auto Best Take feature, which automatically merges together the best shots of faces in a group to ensure none of your friends have their eyes closed or are squinting. Best Take was introduced on the Pixel 8 phones and required some manual work, whereas the new version does most of the work for you.

Now, you can also use AI to edit your photos via text prompts like “erase the crowds” or “fix the lighting.” It remains to be seen how it handles my prompt to “make me look ten years younger, slimmer, more handsome and wealthy, and also put cats everywhere.”

Watch this: Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL First Look: Familiar Design, New AI Tricks 08:04

Google 10 Pro: Design and display

Though the Pixel 10 Pro’s design hasn’t changed much since the Pixel 9 Pro, that’s fine. The 9 Pro was a great-looking phone with a really slick feel, and these phones don’t need to be revolutionized every single year. Google knew it had a good thing, so it’s sticking with it for another generation at least.

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The polished metal edges, frosted glass back and isolated camera bar continue to look and feel satisfyingly premium. The IP68 rating will help keep it safe from accidentally spilled drinks. The back of the phone is now magnetic, allowing its use with wireless chargers or other magnetic accessories. Google calls this Pixel Snap, but it’s basically the same as Apple’s MagSafe on the iPhone. It should be compatible with MagSafe and other Qi2-supported products.

The 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL’s displays can now reach 3,300 nits peak brightness, and both looked bright and sharp during my hands-on time. While I only got to use the 10 Pro indoors, the XL’s display was more than bright enough to let me take pictures under the shining midday Paris sun.

Google 10 Pro: Android 16 and AI tools

The phones will launch with the latest Android 16, featuring various upgrades. Chief among these is the new Material 3 Expressive interface, with changes to animations, texts, icons, menu layout and other elements to give a more refined, easier-to-use experience.

I already like the Pixel 9 Pro’s stock Android look. As a result, I find the model extremely easy to use, and I’m excited by what I’ve seen of Android 16 so far. It’s not a total overhaul, but it looks like there are a lot of subtle improvements to help make Android feel a bit more usable in everyday life. I’m looking forward to spending more time with it when I get the phone for the full review.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

AI is, unsurprisingly, a major part of the Pixel 10 Pro line, with various new AI tools being introduced. Magic Cue, for example, aims to automatically surface relevant information when you need it. Say you’re texting a friend and they ask for details about the camping trip you have coming up. Magic Cue will see this request and can pull up relevant information from Gmail, such as confirmation messages for the campsite and details you two have discussed. It can share that without making you switch apps to find it yourself.

Calling an airline to alter a booking? Magic Cue will recognize the phone number and automatically pull up your flight details so you have them ready. It certainly sounds like a helpful tool, though I do wonder exactly how useful it will be. Magic Cue only pulls info from certain Google apps (Gmail, Messages, Calendar and your screenshots), but not from third-party apps like WhatsApp or Instagram. So if you tend to mostly chat outside of Google services, its use might be more limited. As always, I’m excited to delve deeper when I get the phone in my hand.

There’s a host of other new AI tools including a real-time voice translation tool when you’re making phone calls. Existing tools like Gemini Advanced, Circle to Search and Pixel Studio (the generative-AI image maker) are also on board as standard.

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The base Pixel 10, 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL all run the new Tensor G5 chip, but the two Pro models also get 16GB of RAM for some extra multitasking prowess, compared to 8GB on the standard Pixel 10. How this silicon performs on our suite of benchmark tests — as well as for gaming and other demanding uses — remains to be seen. Google has made various boasts of the G5 chip’s significant power increase, both in the CPU and GPU.

According to Google, all new Pixel 10 models will receive seven years of software and security updates. That means these phones will be safe to use until at least 2032, as long as you look after them properly.

Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL: Battery and Qi2 charging

Each phone should provide at least a full day of battery life. You might expect a bit more longevity from the larger battery of the XL model, but bear in mind that it also has a bigger, brighter display to power, which will suck away more of the juice over the course of the day.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Battery life on the 9 Pro was basically average, and to be honest, that’s fine if that’s the case again. As long as I can make it into the evening without desperately hunting for a charger to see me to bedtime, I’m happy. Almost all phones demand a full recharge every night, and I don’t expect that to change here.

What is different, though, is the implementation of Qi2 technology, the latest version of the wireless charging standard that promises faster charging times when used with a compatible charger (up to 25 watts). Wired charging is faster, too, with the 10 Pro supporting 30-watt charging and the 10 Pro XL taking that further to 45 watts. Google says the XL model will go from empty to 70% full in around 30 minutes, which will certainly come in handy if you’re running low on power when getting ready for a big night out.

Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL: Are they worth buying?

The new Pixel 10 Pro series isn’t a big overhaul from the last generation, so those of you with a Pixel 9 Pro don’t need to consider upgrading. Probably ditto for anyone with the Pixel 8 Pro.

If, however, you have a much older Pixel model or other Android phone — or if you’re looking for a change from Apple — you should consider Google’s new phones.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The design of the Pixel 10 Pro series remains slick. The cameras performed well in our early tests, and the new AI-based tools like Magic Cue appear to be genuinely useful. Throw in the faster charging speeds, long software support and promised upgrades to the overall performance, and the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL are shaping up to be superb flagship Android phones.