Google Pixel 10 review: The new smartphone standard

Google marked the tenth generation of Pixels with four new smartphones. While the ‘pro’ and foldable Pixel 10 models might have no-compromise specs (and prices to match), Google has blurred the lines between its entry-level Pixel 10 and those premium devices. This year, the base Pixel 10 has a bigger battery, a new 5x zoom telephoto camera and almost as many AI features as the flagship Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

If the celebrity-loaded Made By Google event was anything to go by, the company is putting a lot more effort (and money) into making the Pixel a genuine threat to the Galaxy S series and iPhones, and conveying that message to everyone. The Pixel 10 deserves those comparisons, and in a lot of ways, it’s the better smartphone.

Billy Steele for Engadget/Samsuing

92100Expert Score

Google has redrawn the expectations of base flagship smartphones. While it doesn’t have cameras quite as powerful as the Pixel 10 Pro, it combines the utility of a long-range telephoto camera with an array of camera software tools that benefit both professional and novice smartphone photographers alike. Under the hood there’s a tangibly more powerful processor and a bigger battery, while Qi2 support with Pixelsnap means the Pixel 10 works with tripods, wireless charging docks and other accessories made for iPhones.

Pros

• Telephoto camera with 5x zoom
• Magic Cue is truly helpful (when it works)
• Improved performance
• Pixelsnap means it works with MagSafe peripherals

Cons

• eSIM only in the US
• Battery life doesn’t match its predecessor

$799 at Amazon

Hardware and display

Google’s 10th-generation of Pixels look a lot like their predecessors. There’s a protruding pill-shaped camera unit, which is the central design flourish. It’s substantial, which still looks a little jarring, but it also doubles as a sort of grip for my index finger while holding the phone, something I noticed after a year of using the Pixel 9 Pro. Google has also refreshed the color range of its Pixel family. Both a vivid blue (Indigo) and mild yellow (Lemongrass) shades are welcome additions to the typical black and white hues.

The 6.3-inch screen’s refresh rate still tops out at 120Hz, but that’s now pretty much standard across midrange devices and up. Even the entry-level Pixel 9a has the same smooth scrolling experience. However, Google has boosted the Pixel 10’s brightness, now peaking at 3,000 nits, which is a slight increase from 2,700 nits on the Pixel 9. The screen maxes out at 2,000 nits at its brightest setting for HDR, which is also a bump up from the Pixel 9. Google has also boosted the sound quality on the Pixel 10 to be noticeably less tinny and a little bassier than previous Pixels.

Another addition is Pixelsnap, which is essentially MagSafe for Pixels. The wireless charging integration is largely the same, with magnets that firmly attach the device to charging pucks, accessories and docks. It easily worked with a range of wireless chargers, although Qi2-supported options are still rarer than they should be. You’re more likely to find a MagSafe-branded wireless charger from third-party companies like Belkin, but those don’t achieve the faster charge speeds of Qi2.

If you’re feeling spendy, Google’s official Pixelsnap charger is $40 (or $70 with a stand) and reaches speeds up to 25W, while there’s a PopSocket-like Pixel ring stand that can snap to the back of the phone. Note that the Pixel 10 can only wirelessly charge up to 15W, though. Additionally, the Pixel 10 series supports most of the MagSafe peripherals that iPhone users have been enjoying since 2020.

Camera

The big hardware upgrade this year is the cameras. The photo unit includes a 48-megapixel wide-angle setup, a 13MP sensor with an ultra-wide lens and a 10.8MP 5x telephoto camera. For a base phone, it’s an impressive combo, even though it doesn’t quite match the higher-res sensors found in the Pixel 10 Pro — or last year’s Pixel 9 Pro.

That new telephoto lens isn’t some middling 2x or 3x zoom, but a 5x zoom which puts it beyond rivals at a similar price point, like the Galaxy S25 (3x zoom). The iPhone 16 doesn’t even have a telephoto lens and makes do with an “optical-quality” digital zoom. It’s like using a Pixel Pro, with an additional cropped zoom up to 10x and a (less consistent) Super Res Zoom up to 20x. This is a significant step up for the base model and something I’m sure we’ll see the aforementioned rivals likely try to match. Simply put, the Pixel 10 is just a better, more versatile camera phone than, say, the Galaxy S25.

I tested the Pixel 10’s telephoto against the 9 Pro’s, and there were noticeable differences in detail and crispness, which is understandable as the latter has a much higher-res 48MP sensor. However, that doesn’t detract from the leap in both detail and shooting range compared to the base Pixel 9 from last year.

The Pixel 10 can also capture 10-bit HDR video now, although it doesn’t offer the Pixel 10 Pro’s 8K video, Night Sight Video and Super Res Zoom Video options. There’s no Video Boost, either, which uploads footage to Google’s cloud to enhance online.

There are plenty of other notable camera features onboard, including Night Sight low-light shooting, or Add Me, which is still the standout Pixel camera feature from last year and hasn’t been replicated by rivals yet. For those who missed my praise last year, Add Me stitches together two group photos, taken by two different people. The mode guides users to line up the shots, meaning your group photos can finally include the person who takes all of them (me).

Camera Coach is an intriguing addition to the Pixel camera experience. Above the viewfinder, there’s a new camera icon with a plus sign in the top right corner. Tapping it makes the screen flash, and the coach will offer multiple framing and photo-taking suggestions. It’ll also add a Get Inspired option that goes a bit more avant-garde, generating thumbnails of possible results based off of the sample it took, filling the gaps with generative AI.

I witheringly launched the Coach, ready to criticize its basic suggestions or common-sense ideas. But, you know what, it’s not bad. With hooks in Gemini AI, the mode will offer angle, lighting and composition suggestions. You can also choose whether to emphasize, say, the pattern of some leaves, or the background behind it or the group of people to the side. While the feature utilizes Google’s Tensor G5 chip to analyze shots, it does require an internet connection.

Software

Thanks to the Tensor G5 chip, the Pixel 10 can run Google’s newest Gemini Nano model on-device. This means generative AI experiences can now be used without the need for connectivity. However, as I mentioned with Camera Coach, that isn’t always the case.

However, Magic Cue does work without having to summon its answers from the cloud. And when it works, it’s what I’ve wanted from AI assistants for years. After gaining your permission, Gemini gets into your screenshots, calendar, Gmail accounts and more. Magic Cue will pull in the information you need, hopefully, where you need it. For example, it displays the email address for that comedy show venue your friend wants tickets for, or nudges your calendar to show availability when a friend asks what your weekend plans are. These cues are highlighted with a rainbow “aura” that has become the de facto visual shorthand for artificial intelligence. This is just the start: Google will eventually add the ability for Magic Cue to tap into your photos, suggesting images when someone’s mentioned in text messages, emails and more.

Magic Cue has some blind spots, though. As my colleague Sam Rutherford noted in his Pixel 10 Pro review, I found it particularly fussy with calendar cues, often failing to identify dates or times in screenshots or emails. It’s also missing a major area of where I want all of this info: third-party messaging apps. But hey, if you’re using Google Messages, you’re good to go.

Google’s almost-instantaneous voice translation during calls is impressive too. Managing Editor Cherlynn Low laid out how that works, and while it’s a technical marvel, I’m not sure how much I’d use the feature for high-stakes conversations like booking accommodations or sorting out travel issues.

I also liked Take a Message, which transcribes calls when you’re unable to answer. However, just like I did while I was testing Apple’s similar feature during my iOS 26 preview, I either answered calls instinctively [Ed. note: Mat is clearly a different specimen from the rest of us humans] or people didn’t leave voicemails.

There are plenty of minor upgrades to existing tools and features on the Pixel 10. Gemini Live, which can “see” through your camera or read what’s on screen, can also now offer visual guidance, highlighting objects onscreen after hearing your request or question. NotebookLM now integrates with Pixel Screenshots and Recorder. If the former detects something that could be useful to an existing NotebookLM project, it’ll suggest adding it for easier access.

There are also Writing Tools (sound familiar?) within Gboard, which can retool your existing prose into specified writing styles. It’ll even suggest which emojis to add into the mix. For now, this is only compatible with US English, so it’s not my favourite favorite. There’s also a new Pixel Journal app, which sounds pretty familiar too. I briefly tested it out during the days I’ve had the phone, but if you haven’t found the app/notebook/diary to journal in yet, it’s a perfectly fine option, with AI-powered suggestions on what to write about and the ability to attach photos and other details that your smartphone can log. Something that wasn’t apparent during my review was that the Journal app will learn about your writing patterns and offer up insights on how often you write, when you typically write and more.

Performance and battery life

Google says its new Tensor G5 chip is 34 percent faster than last year’s G4, while the TPU (Tensor Processing Unit, ugh) is 60 percent faster at AI tasks. Performance testing apps like Geekbench 6 can’t be installed on Pixel devices before the phones go on sale, so I wasn’t able to quantify the upgrade. I can feel those improvements with heavier processing tasks though, like transcription, translation and image generation, in apps like Pixel Studio. The Pixel 10 also had no issues running graphically intensive games like Infinity Nikki and Zenless Zone Zero, and seemed quicker to load most apps compared to Pixel phones of the past. Google’s Tensor chips are definitely catching up.

Anecdotally, I find myself using Google’s Pixel AI features (and Gemini) significantly more often than on other Android devices I’ve used and tested. With comparable AI tasks, such as transcribing an interview, the Tensor G5 appears to handle them more efficiently, delivering results in less time.

The Pixel 10 has a 4,970mAh battery, which is not only bigger than the Pixel 9 (4,700mAh) but also the Pixel 10 Pro (4,870mAh). However, the Pixel 10 doesn’t quite match the 27 hours-plus rundown time of the Pixel 9. Running a looping video, this year’s phone lasted around 22 hours, which is a bit disappointing given the specs. I’ll retest and update this review if the results differ.

The Pixel 10 supports wired charging up to 30W, returning to over 50 percent in under 30 minutes. It can also be wirelessly charged at up to 15W, thanks to Qi2 support. That’s an improvement, but it’s not Qi2.2 like the Pixel 10 Pro XL, which can reach 25W charging wirelessly.

Wrap-up

The Pixel 10 redefines what we should expect from base flagship smartphones. With Apple’s next iPhone just around the corner, Google has added a 5x telephoto camera, rounding out the Pixel’s photography chops offering while augmenting it with more features powered by Gemini. Camera Coach might not be for everyone, but Magic Cue — like Pixel Screenshots last year — is a glimpse into the future of how we’ll use AI on smartphones.

The Pixel 10 is a substantial upgrade from the Pixel 9, although given it has the Tensor G5 chip, it’s a shame that software features like Zoom Enhance from last year’s Pixels didn’t make the cut. Unless you’re a die-hard smartphone gamer, there isn’t a more capable smartphone at this price.