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Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Two-minute review
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is the Pixel phone to buy this year. The Pixel 10 Pro can match the Pro XL on the most important features, but the benefits of the larger display, along with a couple of features that are simply better on the XL device, make the Pixel 10 Pro XL my favorite of the new Pixel family, and the phone I would recommend first, but not last.
I feel confident recommending the Pixel 10 Pro XL above the rest – and above any other Android phone you can buy right now – because I spent the last year using the Pixel 9 Pro as my primary work phone. That means I know exactly why the Pixel is a great phone for being productive, but I also know that I wish I’d had a bigger screen than the 9 Pro’s. The Pro XL will be my primary device this year, for sure.
If you haven’t checked out a Pixel phone in a while, you really should head to a store and get your hands on one. The latest Pixel 10 Pro XL is polished and well-built, with a refined look and gorgeous materials and color combinations. It’s a much nicer-looking phone than the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max, and it delivers on a number of features Apple hasn’t been able to match.
Google’s AI features are the most advanced on any smartphone, and often the most unobtrusive. The newest AI features, like Magic Cue and the live translation, don’t feel pushy or overblown, and they don’t produce embarrassing or useless results. Google is pushing AI into the background as a silent helper, where it should be.
Of course, all of the new Pixel 10 series phones have Google’s advanced new AI features, like the live translator that not only converts your language into another tongue, it also speaks with a voice that sounds remarkably like yours. That may sound alarming from a privacy viewpoint, but Google says this processing happens on the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and not on a distant cloud computer, so your conversations – and your voice – should be safe.
So what makes the Pixel 10 Pro XL so special, the best of the Pixel 10 bunch? First of all, Google’s Pixel displays – so-called Super Actua displays – are among the best you’ll see on any smartphone. These screens are bright and colorful and very sharp. When the screen is this good, I want as much screen as I can get, so I prefer having the larger XL display. At 6.8 inches, it’s 0.5 inches bigger diagonally than the Pixel 10’s display, and that equals 13 square centimeters of extra screen space.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL also has the largest battery of all the new Pixel phones, and that equates to the longest battery life, both in my real-world testing and in our Future Labs battery rundown tests. It wasn’t a massive difference – the Pixel 10 Pro XL only lasted an hour longer than the Pixel 10. Still, every bit helps.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL also charges faster than any other Pixel 10 device, whether you’re charging wirelessly or with a USB-C cord. If you have a 45W charger, the Pixel 10 Pro XL can charge that fast, compared to the 30W charging on the other two Pixel 10 phones. The Pixel 10 Pro XL can also use faster wireless charging. Again, it’s not a huge difference, but every bit yada yada yada.
The biggest benefit for me is the combination of Google’s winning Super Actua display with the Pixel 10 Pro XL cameras. If I’m taking serious photos, I want the biggest viewfinder possible to get the right shot. The extra screen space on the Pro XL phone felt like a big advantage, and if photography is important to you, I’d recommend the Pro XL phone first. The Pixel 10 Pro has the exact same camera specs, but having the bigger Pro XL display helped me take better shots.
Are there other benefits to the Pro XL? Well… not really. It isn’t any faster than the Pixel 10 Pro… or even than the Pixel 10. In our benchmark tests, the extra RAM in the Pro models didn’t seem to make much difference. Pixel phones still disappoint if you only care about the numbers.
I don’t rely on benchmarks, though, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL was satisfying and quick in almost every task. There was some lag on the camera, but most other features – including the latest AI helpers – ran smoothly with no delays.
Google has another winner with the Pixel 10 Pro XL – and the whole Pixel 10 family. Between the premium design, the excellent software, and the advanced AI features, this is a phone that iPhone fans should seriously consider, and Galaxy owners should envy. I’ll be keeping this phone close by – snapped to my MagSafe charging stand – until an even better Pixel comes along.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Price & availability
- Starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU $1,999 for 256GB of storage and 16GB RAM
- Costs more than last year, but starts with more storage than the rest
I remember the days when a new phone would cost the same but come with more storage and RAM than last year’s model because component costs had decreased. This year’s Pixel 10 Pro XL is more expensive than before, and it comes with 256GB of storage, but I’m not awarding Google any medals for giving the phone enough space. This phone should be cheaper.
To be fair, 256GB of storage is the right amount, unless you play a ton of games or you shoot video with your phone at high-resolution. There’s a 1TB model available, but only serious enthusiasts need apply – and you know who you are.
The color options this year are a bit drab. I like the Moonstone color and the Jade, but they aren’t very exciting. My review unit is the Porcelain white, which looks classy but a bit bland. Google also sent along a silicone case with magnets built in that matches the hone perfectly. If you want the 1TB storage option, it’s only available in the black Obsidian.
|
Storage |
US Price |
UK Price |
AU Price |
|
256GB |
$1,199 |
£1,199 |
AU $1,999 |
|
512GB |
$1,319 |
£1,319 |
AU $2,199 |
|
1TB |
$1,549 |
£1,549 |
AU $2,549 |
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Specifications
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL has nearly the same spec sheet as the Pixel 10 Pro, with a few key differences. The display is larger, with more pixels (no pun intended), but it isn’t quite as sharp. You won’t notice, though, and both displays use LTPO tech for the best always-on display with low power drain.
There’s a bigger battery in the Pixel 10 Pro XL as well, and that meant longer battery life in my tests. I also found the 45W charging made a difference, with the Pixel 10 Pro XL charging faster than the other Pixel 10 phones.
|
Dimensions: |
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm |
|
Weight: |
232g |
|
Display: |
6.8-inch Actua display |
|
Resolution: |
1344 x 2992 pixels |
|
Refresh rate: |
1-120Hz |
|
Peak brightness: |
3,300 nits |
|
Chipset: |
Google Tensor G5 |
|
RAM: |
16GB |
|
Storage: |
256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
|
OS: |
Android 16 |
|
Main cameras |
50MP wide; 48MP ultra-wide; 48MP telephoto (5x zoom) |
|
Selfie camera: |
42MP |
|
Battery: |
5,200mAh |
|
Charging: |
45W wired; 25W Qi2 wireless (magnetic) |
|
Colors: |
Obsidian, Porcelain, Jade, Moonstone |
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Design
- Sleek and solid, with great materials and matching color options
- Mostly the same as last year’s model, which is fine with me
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is the Pixel 10 Pro all blown up. It doesn’t add any extra buttons or physical details; the two phones look identical, just at a different scale. That’s a good thing because the Pixel 10 Pro is a great-looking phone, and it keeps the same exact design as the Pixel 9 Pro that was my favorite phone of last year. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
I like the Pixel 10 Pro XL design even more than the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max. It feels just as refined as Apple’s phone, with fewer unnecessary buttons to get in the way. Does anyone actually use the Camera Control? I know I don’t. To be fair, I don’t use the temperature sensor on the back of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but I can ignore that easier than a button.
The color options are a bit ‘professional’ and bland, but closer inspections shows more attention to detail than I would have expected from Google. The Jade color of my Pro review sample, for instance, was matched with a light gold frame that looks barely gilded. It’s a gorgeous match.
The speaker grilles on the bottom of the phone are new, and color-matched to the frame you choose. It’s a nice touch that most people won’t ever notice.
I have no complaints about the Pixel 10 Pro XL design, except that I’d like to see more interesting color options. Google at least matches its phones perfectly with its silicone case colors, and like the Pixel 10 phones, the latest cases have magnets inside that secure a very strong connection to any Pixelsnap (or MagSafe) accessories you might buy.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Display
- One of the absolute best smartphone displays
- Super-sharp and very bright in all situations
Wow… I was expecting to be pleased with the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s display, but this phone somehow looks even better than I anticipated. Google’s Super Actua displays are among the best you’ll find on any smartphone. For the past few years, Google’s new Pixel displays have been dominant, topped only by Samsung’s best Ultra screen, and this year hasn’t been disappointing at all.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a joy to use in any situation. It’s great in outdoor light, even for shooting photos or reading my social feeds. It’s perfect for navigating in the car or on the street. It’s a great phone for reading in the dark late at night, or as a bedside lamp with the Pixelsnap screen savers.
In fact, I like this display so much that I think it justifies paying more to have more of it. The Pro XL is the Pixel to buy not just because it has a bigger screen, but because the screen is so enjoyable that I want to have as much of it as possible.
Whether I’m watching videos, taking photos, or playing games, the Pixel 10 Pro XL display is my favorite on any smartphone I own.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Software
- Material 3 Expressive looks fantastic and adapts nicely to themes
- AI features are most useful when you barely notice them
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL highlights Google’s clean and well-designed interface. I love the Material 3 Expressive interface design, as Google calls its Pixel version of Android. It’s friendly without feeling cartoonish, and it packs plenty of useful widgets and tools that are easy to manage and don’t hog my attention.
With so much screen space, it was a joy to create AI wallpapers and populate my home screen with Google’s slick widgets. I let the phone set all of my icon and widget colors to match my wallpaper, creating a unified theme, and the phone darkened the colors as the day went on, finally flipping to dark mode after sunset.
That’s the best of Pixel – a well-designed interface filled with just enough useful features to make the phone a tool you always want in your pocket. The Pixel 10 Pro XL will definitely remain my primary work phone after this review is published. It gives me simple customizations and shortcuts that remove the clutter of apps from my home screen and surface just the information I need. I wish iOS was better at this.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL also has some of the most useful AI features you’ll find on a phone, and I’m a big fan of Google’s call-screening tools. I can let Google AI answer when an unknown number calls, and it will give me a text transcript of whatever my caller says. Then I can decide whether to answer the call or not. This feature is only available on Pro Pixel models, and it’s worth the upgrade if you take a lot of calls.
There are plenty of new AI features as well, and I’ve talked in depth about the new Magic Cue in my Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro reviews. I think it could be an important addition to Android in the long run, but it still doesn’t work consistently. It offers useful links and buttons to info as you need it, and it doesn’t get in the way or seem pushy, like other AI features, so I have high hopes for it.
Otherwise, there are many smaller improvements that I’ve found scattered throughout the interface and which bring Google’s experience closer to the holistic, thoughtful design I expect from iOS more than Android.
Apple lets you make a contact card for yourself that will accompany your phone number when you share your details. Google lets you make the contact card for your contacts, instead of making them do the work. That seems like a better solution, since not everybody owns an iPhone, and Apple’s contact cards don’t work across platforms.
Even Google’s Daily Hub is more useful than other attempts I’ve seen. Samsung, Motorola, and now Google all offer a home page for your personal information, gathered and summarized by AI. On my Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Now Brief page has been useless at best, and oddly flippant at worst. On the Pixel 10 Pro XL, the Daily Hub offers more useful information, links I actually enjoy, and easy access to more information.
There are still some odd and off-putting AI features, usually generative AI tools. The Recorder app for some odd reason offers to generate a musical background for your recordings; I don’t really need a pop-metal soundtrack for my business interviews, thanks. Still, it’s easy to ignore these oddities, and Google mostly doesn’t shove its AI in your face.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Cameras
- The best Pixel to buy for photography
- Excellent low-light photos and unique AI zoom capabilities
The Pixel 10 Pro XL and the Pixel 10 Pro have identical camera lenses and sensors, but I’m calling the Pro XL the better camera phone because of the larger display and longer battery life. Both of those attributes are features that camera buyers look for, and they make a difference when shooting with the Pixels.
The photos I got from the Pixel 10 Pro XL were fantastic, perhaps the best I’ve seen on any camera phone (and I compile the Best Camera Phones list for TechRadar). I’ll need to test the cameras in more situations, and head-to-head against more competitors, but in my week with the Pro XL it took pics that matched or beat my iPhone 16 Pro Max in most conditions.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL took photos with very accurate colors and plenty of detail at every focal range. For night photography, it was no contest. The Pro XL took pics that looked like I had a professional flashgun attached, while the iPhone shots looked much darker and lacked focus.
You can see plenty of AI help in the photos, but usually the results don’t look fake or off-putting. It’s a trade-off. I took a picture of a snowy egret from far away with my iPhone and the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The iPhone photo was grainy and fuzzy, but you could see the bird’s reflection rippling in the water. The Pixel created a smoother, more recognizable image, but the AI removed the ripples from the end result.
The only downside to Pixel photography is Google’s Camera app. It’s a nightmare. It’s hard to use, with settings that seem to conflict with each other. Adjust one setting, like changing from 12MP to 50MP resolution, and a handful of other settings suddenly go dark without warning.
I also tested the new Camera Coach feature, and you can read more about it in my Pixel 10 review. I think it helps more on the base-model phone, while the Pro XL Pixel takes photos that are good enough that you may not want an AI coach to get in the way.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Camera samples
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Performance
- Tensor G5 performance lags all but the cheapest bargain phones
- Camera stalls after taking a high-res photo
The Pixel 10 Pro XL’s performance is the phone’s only real letdown, and even though it didn’t make a difference most of the time, at key moments the phone struggled to keep up. The gap between Pixel performance and the rest of the smartphone world isn’t shrinking – it’s getting bigger and uglier every year.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL had no trouble navigating the Android menus and launching apps as quick as can be, but not every feature was so smooth. I had trouble in the Camera app, especially when I changed to the higher 50MP resolution. The camera sometimes stalled after I hit the shutter button, and made me wait for a few moments until I could snap my next shot.
That’s a huge disappointment, and I don’t know any other phone outside cheap bargain options that fails to perform basic tasks this manifestly. I can press the shutter button on my OnePlus 13 as fast as my finger can fly and it never misses a beat – likely thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset inside.
Qualcomm has a superior platform this year, and phone makers who don’t use the latest Elite option are being left behind in more ways than one (see my battery complaints below). I no longer think the Tensor G5 is good enough for the Pixel 10 Pro XL. It isn’t. It can’t keep up with the latest Android software and features, and it’s time for Google to rethink its platform strategy.
Google Pixel 10 Pro review: Battery
- Mediocre battery life – is the Tensor G5 to blame?
- Magnetic chargers make up the shortfall
The Pixel 10 Pro XL has the best battery life of any Pixel 10 phone so far (we haven’t tested the Pixel 10 Pro Fold yet), but that isn’t saying much. The Pro XL lasted through a full day with little trouble, but I was still nervous when the battery hit single digits before bed time, which was often.
I alleviated my stress with the MagSafe chargers I have littered throughout my house and office space. Like the Pixelsnap charger, MagSafe is convenient for fast charging when I have 15 minutes to let my phone sit on a stand. A couple of those charge breaks every day made sure I had enough battery to last as long as I needed.
This mediocre battery life is especially disappointing because I’ve seen massive gains in the rest of the Android world. Phone makers like Samsung and OnePlus – using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite platform – are offering new phones that get hours more battery life than last year’s models.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL lasted 15 minutes longer in our Future Labs battery tests than last year’s Pixel 9 Pro XL. That’s pathetic.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra achieved two hours more battery life than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, even though it uses a battery that’s the same size, thanks to the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. If Google can’t offer similar improvements year over year, it’s time to change platforms or it will be time to stop recommending the Pixel.
Should you buy the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL?
|
Value |
The most expensive Pixel, but also the best. The bigger display, longer battery life, faster charging and larger storage capacity justify the higher price tag. |
4/5 |
|
Design |
Mostly unchanged from the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and that’s a good thing. This is one of the most refined and polished phones you’ll see, and it’s even more durable than before. |
4/5 |
|
Display |
You won’t see a better display on a smartphone than the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s Super Actua screen. It’s incredibly bright and perfectly sharp, even in bright sunshine. |
5/5 |
|
Software |
The latest Pixel interface is one of Google’s best, and it makes the Pixel appealing and easy to use. New AI features can be useful, but if you hate them they won’t bother you much. |
5/5 |
|
Cameras |
Image quality is excellent, especially night photography, which is easily the best you’ll find on any smartphone. This might be the best camera phone you can buy. Camera Coach is a fun feature, but is it replacing real experts? Best editing tools, now helped by useful AI instructions. |
5/5 |
|
Performance |
Frankly unacceptable performance from such an expensive phone. It can’t even run the Camera app properly, and benchmarks are lower than any phone that isn’t cheap. Google needs to take this seriously, or next year won’t be so fun. |
3/5 |
|
Battery |
Battery life suffers under the yoke of the Tensor G5 chipset. While Qualcomm-powered phones see massive battery gains, the Pixel 10 Pro XL can’t last longer than last year’s phone, and even with its faster charging it doesn’t charge as fast as the competition. Get magnetic chargers to keep your phone topped up – you’ll thank me for it. |
3/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider…
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL |
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max |
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|
Price |
$1,199 / £1,199 / AU $1,999 |
$1,199 / £1,199 / AU $2,149 |
$1,249 / £1,249 / AU $2,349 |
|
Display |
6.8-inch Super Actua display |
6.9-inch Super Retina display |
6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display |
|
Processor |
Google Tensor G5 |
Apple A18 Pro |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy |
|
Battery Results (HH:MM:SS) |
14:20:57 |
17:35:30 |
18:35:39 |
How I tested the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
I tested the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL for a week, alongside the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro. I used the Pixel 10 Pro XL as a work phone with my high-security work accounts. I loaded the phone with more than a hundred apps, and multiple Google accounts.
I used the Pixel 10 Pro XL as a camera, testing every camera feature. I used AI features to ask questions and generate sample images. I connected Magic Cue to all of my personal Google account information, and I fed the Pixel 10 Pro XL a regular diet of screenshots of my personal dealings for the Screenshots app.
I connected the Pixel 10 Pro XL to my Pixel Watch 3, my Pixel Buds Pro, and many other Bluetooth headsets and devices. I used Android Auto in my Kia and my friends’ Acura and Subaru cars, and connected to Bluetooth in an older BMW.
I’ve been testing phones for more than 20 years, since the days of BlackBerry and Palm OS smartphones and Samsung flip phones. I have tested hundreds of devices myself, and our Future Labs experts have tested hundreds more. I even did a brief stint as the internal phone reviewer for Samsung Mobile, testing products before launch in order to predict review scores and reception.
Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone’s performance on video editing tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness.
For battery testing, we have proprietary rundown tests that are the same for every phone, which we use to determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.
First reviewed August 2025
Read the full article here
