The best Android phone gets even better

Barely a 12 months in the past, I wrote that the Pixel 9 Professional XL was all the things I hoped for out of a Google flagship after which some. It felt like all the things I’d at all times wished from a Pixel got here along with all the things Google was already doing proper, and the completed product was even higher than the sum of its well-polished elements. I spent a number of months all year long dipping again into essentially the most premium Pixel at any time when I acquired the prospect between testing different telephones, and I felt prefer it simply saved bettering with every passing replace.

Finally, although, I began trying to the longer term. I questioned how Google might comply with its greatest launch ever and nervous it’d push too far and lose the magic. After which I acquired the Pixel 10 Professional XL in my fingers, and my fears (largely) melted away. Right here’s how this maxed-out flagship earned a spot in my small-phone-loving coronary heart.

A lesser (or extra environment friendly) Pixel 10 Professional XL reviewer may sit right here and inform you that should you’ve seen the Pixel 9 Professional XL, then you definitely’ve seen the Pixel 10 Professional XL. And, on no less than a base stage, they’d be proper. This cellphone appears to be like so much like its predecessor — like, so much. It has an identical digital camera bar that’s change into a digital camera island, a well-recognized shiny body, and some shade choices that each one really feel like I’ve seen them earlier than. And, what? I adore it — even when my previous circumstances gained’t match.

Then once more, that ought to come as no shock as a result of I liked the Pixel 9 Professional XL. I waxed poetic about it instantly after launch, calling it one of the best iPhone ever made, and I might copy all that reward and paste it right here with no second thought. Effectively, I’d have to make just a few tweaks, however solely as a result of the Pixel 10 Professional XL pushes barely additional than its predecessor. It’s brighter, it’s louder, and its shiny body is only a bit smoother — fairly actually since there’s now not a bodily SIM tray.

Fortunately, although, that lack of a bodily SIM tray is my solely bone to choose with the Pixel 10 Professional XL, and it’s solely as a result of it makes my very own life tough. As a reviewer, there’s no simpler solution to swap telephones than to pry a SIM card out of 1 system and slot it into one other. As a shopper, I wouldn’t thoughts having one fewer transferring half on a cellphone that I’ve simply spent over $1,000 on.

Anyway, again to the positives. So long as you’ll be able to reside with out that SIM tray, the Pixel 10 Professional XL has all the things you may ask for from a flagship, after which some. Its 6.8-inch LTPO OLED panel is functionally the identical as final 12 months’s, nevertheless it now tops out at 3,300 nits over the earlier 3,000, and is a bit brighter in high-brightness mode (2,200 nits as a substitute of two,000), too.

I additionally completely admire the matching 1,344 x 2,992 decision and variable 1-120Hz refresh charge as a result of the Pixel 10 Professional XL has change into my go-to system for managing my fantasy Premier League squad and maintaining with the primary few weeks of faculty soccer throughout some early fall journey. Up to now, all the things has seemed nice unfold throughout the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s show, aside from my rotating solid of injured defenders.

Do I generally miss the pocket-friendly comforts of a smaller cellphone just like the 6.3-inch Pixel 10 Professional my colleague Joe simply reviewed? Certain, I’m usually a small cellphone man, however I’ve to confess I just like the XL’s bigger audio system (an unique improve) and the truth that Google discovered simply sufficient house to make its greatest battery a bit larger — although it could not truly be longer-lasting, extra on that in a second.

Earlier than I get to what Google has occurring beneath the hood, I’ve to speak concerning the final piece of the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s extremely refined exterior: its shade choices. They’re… nice. I keep in mind just some years in the past when Google supplied its Professional-level Pixels in shades like Bay, Hazel, and Mint, and so they have been all nice. Now, the choices are a bit extra muted, with blue-gray Moonstone and delicate Jade becoming a member of the longstanding Porcelain and Obsidian. I’m fairly positive my assessment unit is Obsidian, however I don’t love that I’m undecided how totally different it’s meant to be from Moonstone.

Then once more, one factor the Pixel 10 Professional XL has that these colourful Pixels didn’t have is magnets. Sure, there’s lastly an Android various to MagSafe, and it’s referred to as Pixelsnap. It’s not unique to the Pixel 10 Professional XL — it’s a normal characteristic throughout the whole lineup — however the greatest Pixel makes one of the best use of the expertise due to Qi2.2 assist rather than the usual Qi2 on the opposite fashions.

Extra importantly, Pixelsnap permits you to use magnetic equipment like wallets, chargers, and stands that you simply might need mendacity round from a earlier technology of iPhone. For me, meaning shortly attaching my beloved Peak Design stand pockets and a magnetic energy financial institution floating round in my tech drawer, simply ready for an official use. And positive, I might have adopted these equipment sooner with a magnetic case, however I’m too married to the no-case way of life that reveals off Google’s fantastically completed aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

After all, I knew that, going into my time with the Pixel 10 Professional XL, I might love all the things about its design. I used to be by no means nervous about that for a second. The place I used to be much less positive was with the adjustments that Google had ready inside. In any case, we spent months theorizing how the TSMC-made Tensor G5 may blow away its predecessor and what it might imply for the way forward for the Pixel household.

That’s some appreciable strain to placed on the primary 3nm design in a rising line of in-house chipsets which have traditionally struggled with thermals and just-okay battery life. In any case, we’ve solely seen small year-over-year enhancements out of the Tensor line, so it’s powerful to count on a TSMC-powered miracle. Did we get one anyway? Effectively, form of.

Basically, I believe that the Pixel 10 Professional XL runs brilliantly. I haven’t had any points with the cellphone in my day-to-day utilization, leaping between common apps like Strava, Slack, and Spotify with out situation as I ready to run the Erie Marathon and searched desperately for someplace to shake out my legs earlier than the massive day. I really like the best way Pixel UI feels, and I can’t cease a number of the smaller tweaks to the interface, just like the color-coordinated settings app and the simplified fast settings shade.

I even have to offer Google a bit credit score for bettering how Pokémon Go performs on its top-end flagship. Beforehand, I’d hearth up the GPS-intensive title and discover that my Pixel become a small, pocket-sized star, warming after only a minute or two of gameplay. Now, although, I really feel a bit extra comfy working round Erie, Pennsylvania, with my Woobat in tow as I spin stops and battle gyms that I’ll in all probability by no means see once more.

Once I completed my little pre-race journey, I discovered that my Pixel 10 Professional XL nonetheless had sufficient juice to navigate me again to my lodge whereas streaming my go-to playlist over Bluetooth. That is precisely the kind of efficiency I would like from my cellphone as a distance runner, and I might have been upset to seek out the 5,200mAh cell run out of steam a bit early.

However earlier than I persuade you that the Pixel 10 Professional XL is all good, on a regular basis, I assume I’ve to say its benchmarking efficiency. Usually, I’d do that first, however I wished to offer you a style of the place the Tensor G5 shines earlier than I provide the underwhelming information. I set the Pixel 10 Professional XL up for our commonplace gauntlet of CPU and GPU-heavy assessments, and the outcomes are, nicely, nice — just about like they’ve at all times been.

And, once I say nice, I imply no less than Google is placing up higher numbers than it did with the Tensor G4. The Pixel 10 Professional XL beats its predecessor throughout all of our Geekbench 6, PCMark Work, and 3D Mark Wild Life Excessive assessments, however doesn’t choose up a lot floor on the likes of the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered Galaxy S25 Extremely or the A18 Professional-powered iPhone 16 Professional Max. I haven’t had an opportunity to benchmark Apple’s latest iPhone 17 Professional but, however I’m nervous concerning the margin it’ll set over Google’s newest chipset.

Sadly, for a bit extra unhealthy information, I’m not fairly positive methods to really feel concerning the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s battery life. On one hand, sure, the battery inside this beast is bigger than ever earlier than, leaping from 5,040mAh to a good 5,200mAh. By all accounts, that ought to result in a pleasant little enhance in efficiency, particularly when paired with a extra performant chipset. In actuality, although, the alternative occurred.

This time, I’ll begin by evaluating the outcomes of our standardized battery drain take a look at earlier than I get to my real-life testing. When in comparison with the earlier Google Pixel 9 Professional XL, the Pixel 10 Professional XL comes out forward in roughly half of our classes. It lasted longer whereas searching the net and looping a 4K video, and handed in matching scores in our gaming simulation, however fell behind throughout a simulated Zoom name, snapping images, and recording a 4K video — all of which I’ll in all probability do each day.

Apparently, my time with the Pixel 10 Professional XL has felt like I’m getting higher battery life than I actually am. I’ve by no means needed to doubt my capability to succeed in the top of a busy day with no less than some cost remaining. Throughout my journey to Erie, I completed most days with about 20 or 25% cost left within the tank, solely dropping as little as 10% on race day itself — a morning that started earlier than 5:00 AM. As talked about, I’ve saved my utilization fairly properly diverse, bouncing between apps and spending hours navigating or streaming earlier than the massive cell kicks the bucket.

When it does run out, you’ll have one more annual charging improve to sit up for. This 12 months, the Pixel 10 Professional XL formally helps the highest 45W wired velocity that Google launched with the Pixel 9 Professional XL. In our testing, that interprets to a full cost in simply over 75 minutes, which is — surprisingly — an identical to the time it took the Pixel 9 Professional XL to fill its smaller cell. As with the Pixel 9 sequence, although, there’s some clear throttling occurring with the Pixel 10 Professional XL, as we present in our intensive testing utilizing the model new 67W Pixel Flex charger. Count on peaks of round ~35W most as Google is favoring long-term battery well being over uncooked charging energy.

Both means, the Pixel 10 Professional XL prices 10 minutes sooner than its smaller Pixel 10 Professional sibling, even when it will get boat-raced by Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Extremely with the identical 45W most, and far greater peaks.

Additionally, the adoption of Pixelsnap means you can connect your favourite magnetic wi-fi chargers to the Pixel 10 Professional XL, together with tried-and-true MagSafe choices and Google’s Pixelsnap chargers (simply don’t get the Stand model, it’s kinda unhealthy). The Qi2.2 certification ought to unlock 25W wi-fi charging, no less than so long as you’ve splurged on a Qi2 charger with the identical capabilities — which appears unlikely until you’ve simply switched from an iPhone.

If we’re being sincere, you in all probability purchased a Pixel for one in every of two causes: the sunshine, easy Pixel UI software program, the cameras, or perhaps each. And should you’ve been following the Android 16 rollout, the previous is secure, sound, and in good fingers. We’ll come again to that and its bag of methods in a second, I promise.

However should you got here into the Pixel world trusting Google’s sensible picture processing over the previous couple of years, you might need been upset. Certain, the picture high quality has at all times been sharp, and Google is all about including new instruments to its field of enhancing magic, however we discovered ourselves let down by the increasingly more pure processing over the previous couple of generations. To get issues correct, Google started sacrificing a number of the persona from its images, leaving us wanting extra — particularly our resident images queen, Rita.

So now, with the Pixel 10 Professional XL sporting the identical digital camera {hardware}, proper all the way down to the megapixel, as its predecessor, I questioned whether or not or not Google would handle its fading colours. In any case, I already know that the 50MP, 1/1.31-inch main digital camera is great, and I already know that I prefer it greatest when set to 2x zoom. The 48MP 5x telephoto sensor is a dependable backup, and I’ve even discovered to belief its barely longer focal size, preferring 5x zoom over the earlier 3x zoom that I’d counted on as a pleasant center floor.

Google’s 48MP ultrawide and 42MP selfie cameras are again for one more spherical, too, so I’ll save a number of the particulars and hop proper into the digital camera samples.

Up first, I wished to see how the Pixel 10 Professional XL would deal with a household weekend away earlier than my marathon. I packed up, drove to the Jersey shore, and began snapping away. Of the 4 samples above, I believe I’m happiest with the one to the left, which reveals significantly better colours than I keep in mind capturing final 12 months. The transition of the sky is spot on, but the water tower that has loomed over me each summer season since I can keep in mind is uncovered excellent.

I’d record the close-up of the praying mantis and the colourful lantana flowers as shut seconds, the primary for its spectacular element in a not-too-common insect, and the second for its vibrant colours and darkish shadows beneath the leaves.

Transferring on, I already talked about that I really like the Pixel 10 Professional XL at 2x zoom, and the center samples above verify that. There’s simply sufficient room for the masts atop the row of boats, whereas the focal size does simply as nicely to make the bench really feel small in my shore city’s wetlands. As soon as once more, the shot of the appropriate portrays a spot-on sundown, although the neon indicators are just a bit extra blown out than I would actually like.

It’s not way back that I keep in mind bemoaning ultrawide cameras altogether, however that’s largely as a result of I didn’t have a superb grasp of the sphere of view. Now that I do, I really like the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s 48MP sensor. Certain, there’s some distortion on the edges of the 123-degree picture, nevertheless it offers the boat and the life-saving station a real sense of scale. I’m additionally proud of the general shade profile in these two pictures, although the little free library to the far proper appears to be like flatter than I keep in mind it being on a night stroll.

After which, there’s the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s up to date zoom capabilities, that are maybe the Tensor G5’s greatest improve. After we reviewed the Pixel 9 Professional XL, we bemoaned that it nonetheless solely supplied as much as 30x zoom — a mark additionally achieved by the much-cheaper Galaxy S24 on the time. Now, the Pixel 10 Professional sequence goes to 100. Effectively, 100x Professional Res Zoom with assist from AI, that’s.

Earlier than we get to the maxed-out zoom, although, let’s discuss concerning the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s mid-range pictures, which I believe are significantly better. The 5x zoom pictures of a crowd of runners and the small white sculpture in entrance of a Baltimore lodge are spot-on, recreating the delicate shadows to the left and the nice and cozy morning mild to the appropriate. I like what I might pull out of the 50x zoom picture of the bumblebee, too, with iridescence in its wings and visual fuzz on its again.

However for each win, there should even be a loss. In my case, that’s the 100x zoom shot that features folks to the appropriate. Google may be very clear that it applies totally different processing strategies to folks to keep away from hallucinations in AI processing, which usually means it simply doesn’t course of them. In consequence, the areas surrounding these individuals are sharp, whereas they appear like barely fuzzy stickers moderately than correct elements of the picture.

Operating throughout Google’s complete vary of zoom choices, I’m fairly proud of all the things from 1x to 10x zoom. The main points are constant throughout all 4 pictures, with solely a slight shade shift within the sky as I reached 10x zoom.

Nonetheless, as soon as I hit 30x zoom, Google’s AI-powered Professional Res processing kicks in. The Pixel 10 Professional XL grabs a burst of pictures, which it then fine-tunes to sharpen the strains and generate smaller particulars that must be there. I largely caught to constructions and landscapes for my long-range zoom testing, taking away as many possibilities for hallucinations as potential, and I’m fairly impressed with how sharp the scaffolding behind the enduring Domino Sugars signal is true as much as the 100x peak.

This final pair of pictures from the rear digital camera reveals precisely how Google’s processing works. The picture on the left reveals the unique scene, with barely blurry letters and a considerably delicate chook, whereas the image on the appropriate reveals a slightly sharper signal and extra element within the chook’s feathers. Google’s processing isn’t excellent, although, with the lettering of the precise New Jersey statute that prohibits public smoking changing into a little bit of a mush of letters.

Flipping round to the entrance, we have now Google’s high-resolution 42MP selfie digital camera — and it’s fairly good. I’m happy with the colour recreation in my face and clothes as I walked just a few blocks after dinner one night, with the Pixel 10 Professional XL capturing each final strand of canine hair on my sweatshirt. I believe the processing might be a bit bit cleaner round my hair, however the softening by my left shoulder offers the ultimate picture a really pure bokeh look.

You can too take a look at full-resolution variations of those samples (and lots of extra) at this Google Drive hyperlink.

Earlier than I transfer on, I want to the touch on yet one more factor: Google’s up to date video capabilities. I admit that that is one other factor that made me nervous about my time with the Pixel 10 Professional XL, nevertheless it in all probability didn’t have to. Was I impressed by the Jonas Brothers’ music video? Not likely, however as my colleague Scott discovered, the Pixel 10 Professional XL is definitely significantly better in on a regular basis recording eventualities.

I’ve largely been utilizing my system to seize fast clips of what I’m as much as, panning throughout Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, and recording an historical Willie Nelson doing his greatest on stage, however Scott was capable of lower collectively a complete video displaying off all the things from Cinematic Blur to Pan to Google’s versatile stabilization modes.

And, with as much as 8K recording at 30 frames per second (due to Video Increase) or 4K at 60 frames per second, it’s value making an attempt something you’ll be able to till you get the appropriate shot. You could simply must skip Locked video stabilization and its obligatory 2x crop, although, until you’ve the world’s longest arms.

After all, one factor ties collectively all the things I’ve written about up to now: Pixel UI. To me, Google’s software program is simply nearly as good a cause to purchase a Pixel as its cameras, and it largely comes all the way down to the truth that there’s at all times one thing new. Effectively, this 12 months, the previous is basically higher than the brand new, however the vital factor is that Google retains making an attempt to flex its muscle.

And when its flexing works, it actually works. In my occasional testing up to now, I’ve been impressed by the brand-new Digital camera Coach, which supplies you step-by-step directions to enhance the composition of your images. The Digital camera Coach gained’t provide you with a composition, nevertheless it’ll take a look at what your viewfinder sees earlier than providing recommendations to scrub up the ultimate body and faucet into options like portrait mode.

Google’s Assist me edit button inside Ask Photographs is sweet, too, even when it could possibly’t determine on the proper identify. Basically, Assist me edit is like the subsequent step in Magic Editor, permitting you to kind out what you’d like to alter in your picture earlier than the Tensor G5 takes over to make it occur.

Sadly, a number of the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s different options really feel extra like ideas than completed concepts. It determined to offer Samsung’s Now Transient a shot with the Every day Hub, however that’s gone so poorly that Google has briefly deactivated the characteristic. Beforehand, it supplied an summary of your appointments, the climate, and belongings you is likely to be interested by, however Google’s YouTube suggestions have been all over, and it by no means appeared to understand what I truly wanted to analysis.

After which, there’s Magic Cue. To me, this feels prefer it must be the idea of Motorola’s Subsequent Transfer, however made higher. Google desires Magic Cue to drag info while you may want it, making it simpler to reply questions in a textual content message or deliver issues up in a name. Up to now, although, it’s not doing so scorching. I can sometimes get it to ship me details about a reservation — which was useful earlier than my marathon — nevertheless it hardly ever offers me the complete image. I’ll both get the date and time or instructions to the restaurant, however seemingly by no means each.

I’ve religion that Google will make its new spotlight options good, and it often does. Typically, it simply takes a protracted, very long time. Keep in mind Video Increase? That took a complete 12 months to shake itself out, nevertheless it occurred.

If nothing else, the Pixel 10 Professional XL ships with Android 16 onboard, and I completely love the way it feels. Its redesigned fast settings menu is less complicated to navigate, and the color-coordinated settings app is a giant enchancment, too. I’m nonetheless getting used to 1 or two issues, just like the refreshed app drawer grid and the Gemini widget on the house display screen, however I believe the adjustments have been good up to now.

Moreover, the Pixel 10 sequence introduces a brand new method to multitasking, with an Open Canvas-like Break up Display mode, and I adore it a lot greater than the previous 50/50 setup. In the event you ask me, the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s software program strengths far outweigh its vivid new concepts, and I’m relieved I’ll have seven years of updates and myriad Pixel Drops forward of me to get all of it discovered.

Once I reviewed the Pixel 9 Professional XL, I believed Google had achieved perfection. I didn’t suppose there was the rest it realistically wanted so as to add, simply fine-tuning a characteristic right here and there and perhaps being a bit extra bold with its digital camera zoom. Effectively, Google did that. After which, it did some extra. It packed the Pixel 10 Professional XL with small adjustments all over the place, and it’s made a reasonably large distinction.

Is it excellent? No, I’d in all probability nonetheless like barely higher battery life from the Tensor G5 and the 5,200mAh battery. I’d additionally wish to see a few of Google’s latest AI-powered options work as they have been meant to.

Then once more, the enhancements of the Pixel 10 Professional XL have made me notice the Pixel 9 Professional XL wasn’t excellent, both — as a result of this cellphone actually is best. It’s greater than adequate for me to come back proper again to it as soon as I’ve made it by the chaos that’s Techtember… and Techtober.

The truth is, there’s in all probability just one cellphone that might sway me away from placing my eSIM again into the Pixel 10 Professional XL in just some months, and that cellphone is the Pixel 10 Professional — the small one. I’ve at all times been a small cellphone man, and the 6.3-inch Pixel 10 Professional ($999 at Amazon) is looking my identify. It’s picked up the identical upgrades because the XL, with higher digital camera zoom, Pixelsnap assist, and upgraded charging, nevertheless it’s simply not fairly so beefy in my pocket.

After all, should you’re not fairly so offered on life within the Pixel ecosystem as I’m, you may end up able to discover much more alternate options. In that case, there are three primary rivals which might be most value a glance, however Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Extremely ($1299.99 at Amazon) presents essentially the most bells and whistles. It has its quirks, like a pared-down S Pen, nevertheless it additionally supplies a extra highly effective chipset, higher battery life, and a 100x digital camera zoom that doesn’t rely fairly so closely on AI.

Outdoors of that, you may need to take a look at both the OnePlus 13 ($899.99 at OnePlus) or the brand new iPhone 17 Professional Max ($1099 at Apple), however one shall be a lot kinder in your pocket than the opposite. Sure, the OnePlus 13 is almost a 12 months previous, nevertheless it tops out at 120x digital camera zoom, and its 80W wired charging runs circles round everybody else on this record. You’ll additionally get 50W wi-fi charging and a few distinctive again panels to choose from — however the Midnight Ocean model is by far one of the best.

After which there’s the iPhone. Apple’s flagship launch appears to be like a bit totally different this 12 months, with a digital camera bump that stretches all the best way throughout the highest edge and a unibody aluminum construct with a glass panel set inside it. I haven’t had an opportunity to place the A19 Professional chip by its paces but, nor do I believe I’m able to abandon Android for iOS (we’ll take a look at that idea quickly), however Apple’s long-term updates and glorious video recording options is likely to be value it.

In the event you ask me, although, I’ll be going proper again to the Pixel 10 Professional XL as quickly as I get an opportunity.