Pixel 10 Professional overview: Well worth the improve however with a couple of caveats through NewsFlicks

Google’s annual refresh of its Pixel line is all the time a deal with. The Pixel {hardware} is beautiful, and the visor at the again is instantly changing into an iconic glance. (For Superstar Trek fanatics, it is giving primary Geordi LaForge vibes.) The tool gives certainly one of my favourite consumer interfaces within the Android international, and it comes with a ton of chocolates to play with but even so. Anecdotally, I’ve noticed increasingly Pixel telephones out “within the wild” in 2025, and no longer simply amongst my fellow tech-nerd pals. The marketplace percentage is not there but, however it is indubitably mountain climbing.

This yr’s Pixel 10 Professional refresh does not have as a lot new as earlier years, and no longer all the new options are essentially welcome. Google made some possible choices with this telephone that don’t seem to be touchdown for me, and that isn’t a connection with having Jimmy Fallon host the Made through Google tournament.

Total, this has been a in point of fact a laugh telephone to play with, in large part on account of the aforementioned digital camera bump at the again. Google promised the brand new flagship Pixel would land with the arena’s best-ever telephone digital camera, and up to now, it is dwelling as much as the hype. I have been the use of the Pixel 10 Professional for slightly below every week, and those are my preliminary ideas. There is a lot to like on this telephone (and the intently comparable Pixel 10 Professional XL), so let’s get to it.

Pixel 10 Professional specifications and design: Usual, usual

Credit score: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

First, let’s take a peek below the hood:

• Processor: Google Tensor G5 chipset

• Rear cameras: 50MP huge, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto

• Entrance digital camera: 48MP

• Show: 6.3-inch Tremendous Actua LTPO OLED show (1280×2856 solution)

• Refresh charge: 1-120Hz adaptive refresh charge

• Brightness: 3,300 nits height brightness

• RAM: 16GB RAM

• Garage choices: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB garage

• Battery: 4,870mAh battery

In relation to its aesthetics, Google obviously did not wish to modify the right away recognizable glance of the Pixel line. The telephone has the precise dimensions as its predecessor. On best of that, the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Professional are so identical having a look that I by accident grabbed the Pixel 10 on my option to do a little digital camera trying out, and did not realize till I would been using for half-hour.

I am getting it — that is a me drawback.

The Google-engineered Tensor G5 processor, constructed on a 3nm procedure, brings the Pixel consistent with different trendy flagships. The telephone has a ample 16GB of RAM, however Google despatched me the 128GB model, which is already 56 % used up — no longer nice! We are well beyond the time when 256GB must be the usual, particularly on a flagship. No less than Google makes it simple to add to its cloud garage.

The battery is up only a hair over remaining yr’s Professional fashion through 3 %. However the greatest improve to the battery has little to do with the real battery. All telephones within the Pixel 10 sequence now include wi-fi Qi2 charging enabled — magnets and all. That is proper, MagSafe Pixelsnap charging equipment are right here. That is nice information for me — I’m a MagSafe addict. 

That is arguably the primary mainstream telephone with integrated magnet improve. Frankly, it is about time.

I really like Pixel tool, however some AI options really feel undercooked

Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

For Android-heads, the Pixel tool is one of the supreme, if no longer the most productive. It is blank and has a laugh interactions all over the running device. Two new AI options that Google is touting are the Day-to-day Hub and Magic Cue, although they constitute each just right information and unhealthy information. Each are pushed through Google’s onboard AI.

The excellent news is the day-to-day hub, which offers you a type of abstract of your upcoming day on the best of your Google Uncover feed. Faucet on it, and also you get a abstract of what is going on in line with your calendar, e mail, and different tastes. The highest offers you upcoming occasions and reminders, whilst the ground feeds you YouTube suggestions, on account of path it does. How just right they are going to be more than likely relies on how a lot you employ the platform.

Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

In the meantime, at the different facet, Magic Cue — in concept — permit you to arrange data from quite a lot of resources, so when you want to recall that data, it will serve it as much as you. The commonest method this may occur shall be within the Messages app. Any person asks you for any individual else’s telephone quantity, and Magic Cue will take hold of the touch data and feed you an autocompleted box with that data — no less than, in concept.

Magic Cue is in line with a number of apps all running in combination to provide you with this data, and on my overview unit, I did not have all of the important tool I wished. After running with Google for slightly, I were given a part of the way in which there.

Within the state of affairs I described above — inquiring for any individual’s quantity — Magic Cue labored. It gave me an autocomplete recommendation with the individual’s telephone quantity. Tremendous! When I used to be requested what time my flight was once, Magic Cue opened a button to leap to my calendar, which could also be great, however the entire level of Magic Cue was once to provide the data with out leaping between apps. In the end, I used to be requested what my International Access quantity is, which is a pinned observe in Google Stay (which is meant to be a supported app), and I wasn’t given any data in any respect.

I additionally attempted calling United Airways, and I used to be served up a trip voucher that United Airways despatched me from my remaining flight. It is great that it hooked up the ones dots, however in truth, if I am calling United Airways, and I am flying this night on United Airways, would not my itinerary be extra useful?

So, Magic Cue appears to be midway there, which is arguably higher than a definite different corporate’s monitor file rolling out AI options, however that is a unique subject totally. Additionally it is honest to say that Magic Cue can take a little time to curate the right kind data, so I believe the fairest complaint I will make is that it isn’t slightly performed cooking, however as with every tool, that may exchange quick.

Efficiency and battery

Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

Traditionally talking, Google Tensor processors have no longer been the most productive in the marketplace. Like Samsung Exynos processors (Google collaborated with Samsung on Tensor processors from the start), they suffered compared to Apple and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. I additionally famous the efficiency hole between Exynos and Snapdragon processors after I reviewed the newest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 a couple of weeks in the past. That being mentioned, whilst the processor is not the quickest available in the market, it is lots quick to open apps, transfer between them, and tool onboard AI options like are living language translation.

I performed a couple of video games at the Pixel 10 Professional, the heaviest of which was once Asphalt Legends. After a 20-minute gaming consultation, the telephone confirmed no lag, nor did it warmth up an excessive amount of. That is an growth over previous Pixels I have reviewed, and I am glad about it.

Anecdotally, I will say that the battery existence appears to be nice. (As a smartphone reviewer, my utilization is not precisely conventional.) Past the days when I used to be trying out the cameras to their limits, I nonetheless had 30-40 % left within the tank on the finish of the day. Final analysis, until you are a heavy gamer or taking high-def movies, you must be nice.

Pixel 10 Professional cameras: A case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

I already examined the digital camera set widely after I when put next it with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely. Here is the headline: The Pixel 10 Professional primary digital camera lives as much as the hype, and Google set the hype bar further excessive this yr. On steadiness, the Pixel 10 Professional beats out the S25 Extremely.

The 100x Tremendous Res zoom specifically is eye-popping. Different sides, like portrait mode, are slightly clunky, however total, you’ll be able to fight to take a nasty photograph throughout the day with this smartphone.

Left:
The 100x zoom at the Pixel 10 Professional (left)
Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

Proper:
The 100x zoom at the Galaxy S25 Extremely (proper)
Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

At evening, it is a other tale. The primary digital camera is OK, taking very applicable pictures at evening with some quantity of grain within the darker spaces and blown-out highlights from gentle resources, however if you happen to stray from that primary digital camera to the ultrawide or telephoto lenses, or in case your topics reside (and due to this fact transferring, even minimally), your pictures fall aside briefly.

Video is the same tale, sadly. The exception to that rule comes from the Evening Sight video mode. This isn’t a brand new idea this yr — Evening Sight Video Spice up, which introduced at the Pixel Professional 8, can do a large number of heavy lifting to wash issues up in this sort of state of affairs. There is nonetheless a just right little bit of grain, however the shudder and shake from footsteps is wiped clean up significantly. I nonetheless would not shoot — to consider an absolutely random state of affairs by no means in line with actual occasions — a song video with it, however a a laugh evening out with pals may paintings.

That is lovely disappointing, to be completely frank. Bearing in mind how just right the cameras are throughout the day, to peer this a lot drop off through evening is unexpected. Google has constructed its Pixel logo on being nice at pictures, and this is not it.

The Pixel 10 Professional captures a large number of element even in a hectic, fast-moving scene.
Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashabl;e

The ultra-wide lens compares favorably to different flagships. Faces blurred for privateness.
Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

The Pixel 10 Professional has a brand new AI pictures device referred to as Digital camera Trainer.
Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

The photograph I took with Digital camera Trainer’s lend a hand.
Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

A photograph focused on 5x zoom.
Credit score: Adam Doud / Mashable

Pixel 10 Professional: My ultimate verdict

Total, this is a superb telephone with a couple of notable flaws. I have never even addressed the truth that Pixels went to eSIM best on this overview, which is at supreme inconvenient (as evidenced through the 30-minute cling required with T-Cellular’s customer support to turn on it), and at worst, consumer-hostile. eSIMs may not adversely impact the common user’s existence, however they are heckin’ irritating for telephone reviewers and somebody else who switches telephones greater than as soon as in keeping with yr.

Midnight pictures could also be very disappointing, although daylight efficiency (and Tremendous Res Zoom) nearly totally makes up for it. Past the ones two drawbacks, although, this telephone is slightly just right and a worthy improve.

The {hardware} is on level, although the colour variety might be higher and brighter. The tool is superb as is, and if Magic Cue can begin to ship what it guarantees, that would vary from neat to game-changing. At this time, it is extra towards the “neat” facet. The one factor preventing me from the use of this telephone full-time is the truth that it does not fold, however that may exchange in October when the Pixel 10 Professional Fold lands, and I’m right here for it.