Remaining 12 months, I believed Google’s Pixel 9 used to be a superbly fantastic Android telephone saddled with a host of AI options that ranged from “sorta neat to check out as soon as” to “actively useless.” I had a equivalent revel in with the Google Pixel 10.
The bottom fashion of Google’s newest flagship, to its credit score, does be offering a few much-needed {hardware} enhancements, specifically a bigger battery and a telephoto zoom lens at the telephone’s rear digicam array. However for a minimum of the second one 12 months in a row, Google has in large part fascinated about AI options.
Google Pixel 10 will do exactly fantastic in the event you’re wanting a cast Android handset that takes great footage and will come up with a complete day of use out of a unmarried rate. And in case you are fascinated by new AI smartphone options, this telephone has a couple of notable ones. Past that, it is exhausting to get too fascinated by new telephones within the generation of incremental enhancements.
Google Pixel 10: Value and specifications
The show is beautiful great.
Credit score: Joe Maldonado/Mashable
For starters, this can be a $799 telephone, identical to the Pixel 9 used to be a 12 months in the past. Within the price lists generation, that is a win in and of itself. Right here’s what you get for that value, specs-wise:
6.3-inch show with 1080×2424 answer and 60-120Hz adaptive refresh fee
As much as 3,000 nits top brightness
12GB RAM
128GB/256GB garage
Google Tensor G5 chip
4,970mAh battery
Whilst a right kind 1-120Hz adaptive refresh fee (which you’ll get on Pixel 10 Professional) would more than likely lend a hand with battery potency, the show on be offering for Pixel 10 is greater than just right sufficient. Its top brightness is 300 nits upper than remaining 12 months’s fashion, and I by no means discovered myself in need of for extra whilst the usage of the Pixel 10 in vast sunlight. The entirety is bright and transparent, making it a just right show for each on a regular basis utilization and previewing your footage prior to you are taking them.
Except for that, the one different large distinction from the Pixel 9 is the bigger battery. Pixel 9’s cellular used to be 4,700mAh, for context. Extra in this later.
Google Pixel 10: Design
Google did not reinvent the wheel this 12 months.
Credit score: Joe Maldonado/Mashable
Pixel 10 is available in 4 colours: Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, and Obsidian. My overview unit used to be the Indigo fashion, and I believe it’s downright beautiful. It’s no crimson iPhone, however it’s nearer than any telephone in fresh reminiscence to searching as just right as that, for my part.
Differently, you’d be forgiven for searching at a Pixel 10 and considering it’s only a Pixel 9. Google didn’t return to the drafting board this 12 months. Pixel 10 nonetheless makes use of the similar Cyclops-style (X-Males, now not Greek mythology) horizontal digicam bar on the most sensible of the telephone’s bottom. The one quick visible inform that this telephone is any other from the Pixel 9 is the presence of that 3rd digicam lens at the again.
I don’t thoughts this, however it does underscore my total level that in the event you’re now not in reality fascinated by AI options, there isn’t a ton to get hyped about this 12 months.
Google Pixel 10: Efficiency
The Pixel 10 is available in 4 colours, and I in reality like considered one of them.
Credit score: Joe Maldonado/Mashable
The Pixel 10 is powered via a brand new Tensor G5 chip. Spoiler alert: It is fantastic!
Efficiency on Pixel 10 is greater than ok. Apps paintings briefly and easily, and extra in depth duties like Gemini or different AI options function successfully. I did realize the telephone getting a bit of heat after prolonged use, however that’s not anything {that a} just right case can’t repair. Unfortunately, the benchmarking tool we use (Geekbench 6) used to be now not to be had on Pixel 10 on the time of writing, so I will be able to’t be offering exact metrics for this preliminary overview.
Nonetheless, in my time with the telephone, efficiency has been easy.
Google Pixel 10: Battery existence
Battery existence may be cast. Spectacular, even.
Google charges the Pixel 10 for greater than 30 hours on a rate, which I used to be now not somewhat in a position to succeed in in my trying out. Some essential context is that I used the telephone’s 120Hz mode in trying out, which just about surely diminished the battery existence. Even so, I used to be nonetheless in a position to move more or less 26 or 27 hours between fees, now not counting time spent snoozing. No longer dangerous, Google.
Google Pixel 10: AI options
It is all about AI this 12 months.
Credit score: Joe Maldonado/Mashable
Pixel 10 expands at the AI toolkit that Google has been increase for the previous couple of years, every so often in ways in which really feel in fact helpful and transformative, however frequently in ways in which really feel superfluous.
Let’s get started with the great options. Pixel 10 provides are living language translation all over telephone calls throughout plenty of frequently spoken international dialects. It occurs on-device, and it permits ranges of conversation that would possibly not were possible prior to. That is the type of neat factor that AI can and must allow.
I used to be in a position to check this in a rudimentary style the usage of no matter Spanish I may just consider from highschool and faculty. It used to be in a position to persistently pick out up what I used to be announcing. It does take a 2d to procedure what each and every speaker mentioned, so conversations are not seamless. Additionally, in contrast to different are living translation options we have now observed, it makes use of AI to translate what you mentioned the usage of your personal voice. It is jarring to listen to myself announcing issues in Spanish I did not in fact say.
I believe this can be a love-it or hate-it characteristic. In my view, I might have most popular a generic voice as a substitute, however it strikes us nearer to real-time common translation.
Magic Cue in motion.
Credit score: Screenshot: Alex Perry/Google
The opposite doubtlessly fascinating new AI characteristic is Magic Cue, which is absolutely exhausting to check as it’s fully context-dependent. The elemental thought here’s that you probably have private data saved someplace for your information, like in a textual content message, Gmail, or Calendar match, Magic Cue can pull up that data when you wish to have it maximum.
For example, if I had data referring to an upcoming flight or resort keep someplace in my telephone and anyone texted me to invite about it, the Pixel 10 would carry up that data within the Messages app, with out me wanting to actively seek for it. I examined this out via making a pretend dinner reservation in my Calendar for Domino’s Pizza. Once I texted the Pixel 10 from my on a regular basis telephone asking in regards to the reservation, lo and behold, a bit of Calendar app icon seemed within the textual content window, taking me to that data.
Magic Cue is some other instance of an AI characteristic that may indubitably save time for other folks, even supposing it isn’t essentially saving a ton of time.
My customized Day-to-day Hub.
Credit score: Screenshot: Alex Perry/Google
Sadly, the remainder of the brand new AI options on Pixel 10 are mediocre, at excellent. There’s a brand new Day-to-day Hub widget that collates such things as the elements forecast, calendar occasions, YouTube movies, and information articles into one position. It’s a pleasing thought, in principle, however essentially the most helpful facets of it (climate and occasions) don’t have anything to do with AI and take about 10 seconds to test out of doors of Day-to-day Hub. I by no means sought after to faucet on any of the inside track or YouTube suggestions, and the row of customized Gemini activates did not tempt me in any respect.
For instance, the Pixel 10 beneficial that I ask Gemini in regards to the Kansas Town Royals pitching team of workers as it is aware of I’m a Royals fan. Once I did, it spit out the similar elementary stats you would in finding at the ESPN app, along some simplistic research like, “the Royals have a just right pitching team of workers.” As a baseball fan, I do not in reality in finding that helpful or compelling. If you are more recent to the sport, I may just see it being helpful for finding out such things as what the WHIP stat manner (walks and hits in line with innings pitched, you are welcome), however I will be able to’t say it served me in any significant approach.
Talking of Gemini, Gemini Are living and Circle to Seek are again, integrating AI seek with the Pixel 10’s digicam. That implies you’ll spotlight an object for your box of view whilst speaking to Gemini and ask the chatbot questions on mentioned object. I used to be in a position to invite Gemini what number of energy had been in a can of Monster I used to be consuming, and it instructed me. That’s neat, I suppose, however I may just additionally simply, you already know, have a look at the can. That mentioned, I will be able to simply see this understanding in positive cases, like when you need to spot a plant or a computer virus.
No edits right here.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
You’ll inform it is edited.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
Finally, I’d say the most important addition to the picture enhancing suite this 12 months is the power to generatively edit pictures with textual content activates. I took an image of a flag all over the day and requested the telephone to make it sundown as a substitute. I additionally instructed it so as to add a “jolly outdated guy” to a photograph of a few canines I took. Did it paintings? Positive, even though the general effects had been extraordinarily fake-looking.
I hate this.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
There are, in fact, instances when this may well be helpful. If you are vulnerable to sand out the imperfections in footage for social media, as an example, it is surely more straightforward to kind “take away the pimple” than it’s to do all of that your self. In response to my reports with this selection, I might say it is best left to less-creative duties like that.
Google Pixel 10: How are the cameras?
Credit score: Joe Maldonado / Mashable
Google made some quite vital adjustments to the rear digicam array this 12 months. Listed below are the total digicam specifications:
For reference, the Pixel 9’s broad lens used to be 50MP and the ultrawide lens used to be 48MP. That appears like a large downgrade, a minimum of numerically, however it’s now not with out just right reason why: There’s now a telephoto zoom lens with 5x optical zoom at the base Pixel fashion, after years of that being a Pixel Professional unique characteristic.
And wouldn’t you understand it, the optical zoom appears beautiful great.
No zoom.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
5x zoom.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
I didn’t have as a lot good fortune with virtual zoom. If you get previous 5x, the tool begins to fill in blanks, leaving some footage searching smudgy and pretend. I wasn’t even status in particular some distance clear of the canines within the “jolly outdated guy” picture from previous, however the Dalmatian at the proper appears downright ugly. Even static constructions glance a bit of bizarre in the event you move the entire approach as much as 20x.
It appears a bit of bizarre, proper?
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
Except for that, the entirety else is principally appropriately. Footage curious about the default lens settings can glance beautiful beautiful, particularly whilst you’re capturing the best town on the earth in the course of an unbelievably stunning late-summer day.
NYC rocks.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
Night time Sight remains to be just right at retaining the essence of midnight intact whilst illuminating footage in order that they’re in fact, you already know, legible.
That is with out Night time Sight.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
And with Night time Sight became on.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
And portrait pictures glance as just right as ever.
No longer a lot to mention right here.
Credit score: Alex Perry/Mashable
In case you care about pictures, improve to the ten Professional
The most important be aware right here: Google’s largest improve with the brand new Pixel line is a Pixel 10 Professional unique. I am speaking about the principle rear digicam at the Pixel 10 Professional, which Google many times referred to as the sector’s best-ever telephone digicam all over the Made via Google match.
In our trying out, the Pixel 10 Professional and its 100x zoom beat out the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely, and it most commonly lives as much as the hype.
So, in the event you care about pictures above all else, move with the Pixel 10 Professional this 12 months, which begins at $999. The Pixel 10 Professional is a Mashable Selection product; the bottom Pixel 10 isn’t.
Is the Google Pixel 10 value it?
It’s exhausting for me to counsel any individual dash to their nearest smartphone distillery to get Pixel 10 as a result of its non-AI adjustments are in large part incremental, and the brand new AI toolkit failed to provoke this AI-skeptical reporter.
However that’s to not say it’s a nasty telephone, in any respect. And in case you are excited to make use of its AI options, the Pixel 10 provides just right specifications at a aggressive value. The cameras paintings neatly, and having telephoto zoom on a base Pixel is in reality great. Efficiency and battery existence also are robust.
I simply can’t take a seat right here and inform you that you just want this telephone, until you’re a number of generations at the back of and will get a pleasing bargain thru your provider or one thing. That’s much less of an indictment of Google than of the incremental improve generation. Those annual smartphone launches are turning into extraordinarily iterative and reliant on options that really feel much less and no more spectacular through the years.
