Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: A step forward in making software (and not hardware) the star of the show

“This phone reminds me of the first time I used Microsoft Excel.”

I asked him what he meant, and he explained that using the Pixel 10 Pro XL felt like learning new software. That’s when I realised what he was getting at. Despite being a non-technical person, he understood what Google is trying to achieve with the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

I believe the new Pixel 10 Pro XL, although it hasn’t changed much in terms of hardware, is a software show through and through. And Google isn’t shying away anymore. That says a lot about the direction smartphones might take in the future: where hardware continues to improve, but it will be AI and its accompanying features that do all the talking.

Th Pixel 10 Pro XL packs Google’s latest Tensor G5 processor, along with 16GB of RAM. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Perhaps the big question is: are consumers ready for this change, or will it take one or two more generations of the Pixel to fully convince them that this is the present and that the days when hardware was the only way phone makers differentiated their smartphones are behind us?

I tested the Pixel 10 Pro XL for a few days to understand how Google is bringing together Gemini AI, Android, and the camera, its three core advantages, to create an intelligent smartphone.

What: Google Pixel 10 Pro XL | Price: Rs 124,999

Feels luxurious in the hand 

One look at the Pixel 10 Pro XL and you instantly recognise that the design identity is original and honestly, very Google-like. I love how the phone looks and feels, almost like a Loro Piana cashmere sweater, a brand beloved by billionaires, far removed from the monogram-heavy Gucci sneakers or Louis Vuitton bags that are everywhere and often seen with influencers these days. 

The Pixel 10 Pro XL looks almost identical to last year’s Pixel 9 Pro XL, and I don’t think a completely new design is necessary every year. That said, there’s a sense of calmness when you hold the device. As I mentioned earlier, the Pixel has a unique identity—and it doesn’t look like an iPhone. The pill-shaped camera bar gives the phone a classic look.

The phone has a shiny frame around the sides. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

The phone’s sides are shiny, and both the front and back glass surfaces are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which resists scratches and cracking when dropped. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a large phone, and I, being an iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold user, am finally used to larger devices (yes, I moved away from the iPhone 13 mini a couple of years ago).

Although the design remains the same as its predecessor, a significant new addition to usability is PixelSnap. The Pixel 10 Pro XL, alongside other phones in the Pixel 10 lineup, is among the first to support Qi2 magnetic wireless charging, which works, well, exactly like MagSafe on the iPhone. I haven’t had a chance to use any of Google’s own accessories, but the ones made for the iPhone also work with the Pixel.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a well-constructed device. No complaints (so far) with the design or build quality. The phone is also IP68-rated, offering protection from dust and water, just like every other flagship on the market.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL feel great to look at. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

The display size remains the same as the Pixel 9 Pro XL, at 6.8 inches with a resolution of 1344 x 2922 pixels, but it now gets a 10 per cent boost in both peak brightness and HDR performance. Frankly, no one is going to inspect the display under a microscope, and I could barely notice a difference. That said, the screen performs just fine under Delhi’s peak summer sun. I was able to read text messages without any issues. However, the lack of Dolby Vision certification is a bit of a letdown if you are a mobile HDR enthusiast.

One small but meaningful improvement over the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the audio quality. I noticed a clear increase in bass, and the overall sound is deeper and crisper. Watch any video on YouTube, and you will hear the difference instantly.

Tensor G5 processor is fast 

The Pixel 10 Pro XL uses Google’s new Tensor G5 mobile processor, which is the first Pixel chip built on TSMC’s 3nm process. There’s a general perception that Tensor processors aren’t as fast as those from Qualcomm or Apple. I am not sure where that perception comes from.

I have been using the Pixel 10 Pro XL for over a week now, and I haven’t found its day-to-day performance to be lacking in any way. In fact, I am also using an iPhone 16 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro XL side by side. The Android 16 user interface on the Pixel 10 Pro XL is snappy and lag-free, and I haven’t faced any issues opening or using the apps I rely on the most. It also feels faster when generating AI images in Pixel Studio. 

The Tensor G5 is actually slightly faster than the Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and I could feel the difference. What many tend to overlook is that Google focuses on efficiency and the chip’s ability to run on-device AI models. That’s what makes the Tensor G5 an interesting system-on-chip.

I would still say that most average consumers won’t notice a performance difference between the Tensor G5 and other flagship chips unless they are hardcore mobile gamers. I ran Genshin Impact on the Pixel 10 Pro XL and was able to play at high graphics settings without any problems. And that’s fine. Gaming shouldn’t be the only gold standard for judging a chip’s performance. But I do say if you only want the top-notch gaming experience, get an iPhone or any latest Android smartphone powered by Qualcomm’s latest Elite 8 chipset. 

Android is the new AI

One of the biggest perks of getting a Pixel phone now is how Google is integrating new AI features directly into the Android operating system (the Pixel 10 Pro XL runs the latest Android 16 and the fun, colorful and playful interactions won me over Apple’s Liquid Glass interface).  Some of these features may seem like marketing gimmicks, but others feel genuinely useful. It all depends on how quickly a specific AI feature becomes part of your daily routine, just like WhatsApp or Gmail.

And I think usability varies from person to person. Personally, I use Gemini a lot more now compared to a few months ago, for things I used to rely on Google Search for. For example, I have an upcoming work trip to a city I have never been to. Instead of going to Google and typing in queries, I had a conversation with Gemini Live and it answered everything I needed to know, without being robotic and stiff. The voice interaction just works sometimes, saving me from opening 10 different web links that often lead nowhere. 

The phone runs Android 16 out of the box. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

I am not going to get into the regular AI features, including Circle to Search, that you can also find on other Android smartphones. However, I would like to highlight another AI feature called Magic Cue, which is exclusive to Pixel devices. It’s essentially an AI agent that pulls information from Google Messages, Gmail, Maps, Contacts, and Keep Notes to access your data: essentially reading what’s on your screen to suggest a follow-up action. I found it promising, but it’s not perfect. At times, it doesn’t work as well as Google has advertised. 

There’s also a new voice recording tool that creates AI-generated soundtracks to play over your recordings. Additionally, the new Pixel 10 series can translate voice calls in real time while recreating both speakers’ voices and intonations. The entire process happens on-device, and it’s brilliant.  

I would still say these AI features are helpful. However, they don’t always work perfectly – and that’s the big takeaway, at least for me, after using the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Still, it marks a clear departure from what Android used to be, and hints at what it might become with AI increasingly woven into the experience.

Brilliant camera (and a special mention to Pro Res Zoom)

The Pixel 10 Pro XL continues to have a great camera. I took hundreds of photos using the phone, and I was impressed. There are three cameras on the back: 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. All three cameras deliver sharp, well-exposed details.

New for the 10 Pro series is 100x Pro Res Zoom. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

I didn’t notice a major change in picture quality, as both the Pixel 10 Pro XL and its predecessor share the same camera hardware. However, the biggest difference I observed when comparing photos from the Pixel 10 Pro XL to older Pixel phones is that the colours appear more realistic.

Take a picture with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and there’s a mood, a distinct template that the Pixel camera delivers. To me, that’s something I always look forward to when reviewing new Pixel smartphones.

Here are a few camera samples I took using the Pixel 10 Pro XL. 

A regular Pixel 10 Pro XL shot. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL camera sample. Image resized for web. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

And the one with 100x digital zoom. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL camera sample. Image resized for web. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL camera sample. Image resized for web. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL camera sample. Image resized for web. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

I took this shot with 30x zoom. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL camera sample. Image resized for web. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL camera sample. Image resized for web. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Another Google Pixel 10 Pro XL shot with 100x zoom. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

What’s new with the Pixel 10 Pro XL in terms of camera is a mode called Pro Res Zoom. As the name suggests, it brings 100x zoom to a Pixel smartphone. It activates automatically at 30x zoom and above, unlike last year’s Zoom Enhance, which was only available in the editing options and worked up to 30x. It’s a cool feature, and I have been using it ever since I got my hands on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Frankly, it’s not an everyday feature, but since I travel a lot and love capturing cities through my lens, Pro Res Zoom comes in handy when photographing landscapes and buildings. That said, I advise against using this camera mode on people, as it raises privacy concerns.’

The 5x optical zoom remains the sweet spot for capturing distant objects. Images taken at this level come out perfectly fine; in fact, zoom shots look great up to 10x, and continue to look decent up to 30x (yes, even at 30x zoom). However, once you go beyond 30x, AI kicks in and starts upscaling the details. It works, but not every time. The feature uses generative AI to recreate what it thinks should be in the scene. For example, I have gotten decent results at times, but there have also been instances where the AI becomes overly aggressive and muddies the details. That said, I must admit Google’s AI does a better job than anyone else who has introduced a similar AI-based trick to capture images at 100x digital zoom.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL does a good job with portrait shots, but I still feel it can’t beat the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, when it comes to the ultrawide lens, no camera phone comes close to the Pixel. The selfie camera is also strong on the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

While video capture has improved, it still doesn’t match the performance of the iPhone 16 Pro Max. That said, low-light photography is another area where the Pixel 10 Pro XL truly excels.

Camera Coach is a brand new feature on the Pixel 10 series. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/ The Indian Express)

Another big new feature on the Pixel 10 Pro XL is Camera Coach, which isn’t really for me but feels smart enough for average users who are still learning how to compose a shot – basically, how to take good photographs. Just tap the button in the top right of the camera app, and it will analyze the frame and give you suggestions on how best to compose your shots. I was impressed with a few of the photos it guided me to capture.

Good battery life, but others are ahead

The Pixel 10 Pro XL’s 5200mAh battery lasts a day, but don’t expect it to last longer. The battery has definitely improved compared to last year’s Pixel 9 Pro XL, but other smartphones, its competitors, last even longer, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. In that regard, the Pixel 10 Pro XL falls behind the best flagships on the market.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL features a large 6.8-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2,992 by 1,344 pixels. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Should…you buy the Pixel 10 Pro XL? 

The Pixel 10 Pro XL may not mark a huge change from the last generation, and that’s true for other flagship smartphones as well. There’s something different about Pixel phones, and it’s definitely not the hardware – it’s the software, along with the promise that smartphones aren’t the same as they were a few years ago. That being said, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is still experimental (and only a deep-pocketed company like Google can afford to do that), but a Pixel phone is equally interesting for pushing software forward.