Google Pixel 10 Review: AI power and premium design shine

Pixel 10 comes with right balance of features and hardware, without many trade-off compared to Pro model.

2025 is a milestone year for Google, as it marks the Pixel phone's 10th anniversary. At the start of the journey, Pixel phones, though, had great camera hardware; they lacked a powerful processor.

But, in 2021, Google took measures by introducing its own Tensor G chipset series with the Pixel 6. With every passing year, the company has improved the Pixel phone's computational performance, but it still lacks the raw power we see in Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered premium Android phones. That said, Google has immensely enhanced the user experience with top-class generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI) features, premium built quality and expansion of service centres worldwide, which has helped build more trust among consumers.

And, we can see the results, as Google Pixel phone shipments have increased worldwide. Thanks to the Pixel 9 series, Google has now broken into the top five leaders' board in the premium segment.

With a record 105 per cent year-on-year growth, it is the fastest-growing premium smartphone brand worldwide, according to the latest Counterpoint report.

With the Pixel 10 series, Google promises to deliver improved performance not just over the predecessor, but also standout among the premium Android phone peers.

Design, build quality and display

Google Pixel 10.

Though Pixel 10's key design elements are similar to the Pixel 9, it retains the uniqueness of the Google phone.

It has a big horizontally aligned capsule-shaped camera module. Compared to the other phones, the camera deco is perfectly designed so that when the user keeps the phone back-facing on a flat table, it doesn't wobble at all. Such small but meaningful design elements enhance the user experience of the customer.

Another interesting aspect of the Pixel 10 is that it gets a telephoto lens, which was sorely missed in the predecessor (more on this in the photography section).

Our review unit is the Indigo variant. Google said that this particular colour is a tribute to the Pixel 1st Gen blue model. And, truly, it is best best-looking model among the Pixel 10 series.

Google Pixel 10.

The Pixel 10 features a glossy finish on the back with a sturdy metal frame with a matte finish. It offers a nice grip for the fingers to hold the device firmly.

The company also offer the device in three other colours-- frost, lemongrass, and obsidian.

Also, the handset comes with an IP68 rating, meaning it survives a dip in the swimming pool or any freshwater body for close to 1.5 metres (around five feet) for up to 30 minutes.

The Pixel 10 sports a 6.3-inch Full HD+ OLED display. It has a really good, vibrant display and supports 2,000 nits peak brightness and has a pixel density of 422 ppi (pixels per inch).

Google Pixel 10.

Be it on OTT platforms or social media apps, the Pixel 10 is great for multimedia consumption. Also, it features blue light control settings, which can reduce the strain on the eyes while reading e-books or long-form news articles at night.

It is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is more than enough to safeguard the display from suffering any scratches when kept with pens or coins or keys in a closed confinement like a pant pocket.

The device features a Type-C port at the base and volume and power buttons on the right side.

Google Pixel 10.

It also features an in-display optical fingerprint sensor, which works amazingly fast in terms of detecting the finger impression and unlocking the device with a low rejection rate..

Performance

The Pixel 10 is powered by the advanced Tensor G5 silicon, which, by the way, is co-designed by Google and the DeepMind team. It is backed by 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.

The 3nm class Google Tensor G5 chipset promises 34 per cent faster CPU performance and more than 60 per cent Tensor Processing Units (TPU) computing speed.

It is first custom-developed chipset to run the latest Gemini Nano model. The latter works on-device, and there is no need for the select generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI) features to connect with cloud server.

Most of the work will be done on-device, and this way, there is increased security for user privacy.

It will power gen AI-powered Magic Cue feature, which will surface contextually relevant information on the screen whenever the user is using Google-account-linked apps such as Messages, Gmail, Flights, screenshots and more.

Consider a scenario where you and your friends have planned a trip, but just days before the D-day, one friend messages you to make some last-minute changes, and here's where Magic Cue kicks in and will intuitively bring the trip details within the app for easy reference. It will offer the phone number of the tour agency on the phone's screen within the message app to instantly make the call and change the itinerary.

The device also supports Camera Share on Gemini Live. It can assist with what to wear for an event based on the available clothes in the drawer. It can help solve a math problem for the kid.

For instance, open Gemini Live and tap the camera. Then, point to a math problem and ask how to solve it, and the digital assistant will help you with a step-by-step guide and offer a solution.

Also, the Pixel 10 debuts Journal app. This can help user log their daily life and this will definitely help in improving the mental wellness over time.

Another discernible thing I noticed in the Pixel 10 is the improvement in thermal performance. Be it generative AI features or playing games, the phone doesn't easily heat up than its predecessor. The device is even a little faster and stable while performing day-to-day activities.

During the early days of usage, there were bugs in the software. But, fortunately, after the September 2025 Pixel Drop update, Pixel 10 has been trouble-free.

Also, like all Pixel phones, this too, will received seven years of Android and security patches up to 2032.

The device also comes with a Titan M2 security chipset integrated with Tensor G5. It offers protection to all the sensitive information stored in

The latest Pixel 10 comes with the Crash Detection feature, which will come in handy in sending alerts to emergency responders and loved ones and get help as soon as possible.

It will also get the Pixel Satellite SOS feature, which will help users send messages to seek help whenever users gets lost during trek or meet an accident in remote locations such as hills or mountain ranges and other remote regions where there is no access to cellular connectivity or Wi-Fi. The device will directly connect to the satellite and send the SOS message to emergency responders.

Pixel 10 comes with Car Crash detection and Pixel Satellite SOS emergency features.

Further, Pixel 10 owners will get direct alerts from Google whenever there is a natural calamity such as a Tsunami, hurricane/cyclone/tornado or earthquake nearby. These timely alerts will help device owners to move to a safer place before any disaster strikes them.

As far as the battery life is concerned, the device can easily last a full day under normal usage with Wi-Fi connectivity at home and the office. However, if you are fully reliant on cellular data for multimedia consumption, and scrollling social media platforms, it can last till late evening and then, you may have to look for a charging point or power bank.

The device supports a 29W charger and can charge up from zero to around 55 per cent in 30 minutes. And, it will take 60-65 minutes to reach the 100 per cent mark.

It also comes with Qi-2 charging capability and can support a maximum of 15W wireless charging speed.

The Pixel 10 comes with a really strong magnet on the back to dock snap-on accessories such as power banks and designer cover cases with stands.

Pixel 10's camera samples.

Photography

The best thing about Pixel phones is that the owner has to just point the camera and be assured of the best possible phone.

Pixel 10's camera samples.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

I loved the super-powerful computational photography capabilities of Pixel 7, 8 and 9. And, this time too, Google has done a fantastic job with the Pixel 10.

It boasts a triple-camera module-- a main 50MP sensor with a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 10.8MP telephoto lens with a LED flash.

For the first time, a regular Pixel phone comes with a telephoto lens. This allows users to get lossless optical zoom photos. And with gen AI capabilities, the phone ensures the images are sharp with digital zoom up to 10X. The picture quality is superior compared to the others in its class.

Pixel 10 can support up to 20X zoom, but the photo becomes a bit grainy.

Pixel 10 camera sample with ultra-wide angle

Pixel 10 camera sample with 1X normal.

Pixel 10 camera sample with 2X zoom.

Pixel 10 camera sample with 5X zoom.

Pixel 10 camera sample with 10X zoom.

Pixel 10 camera sample with 20X zoom.

At night, Google's phone manages to get decent quality photos in pitch darkness on par with premium rival phones. But the ones taken in the city with all the lights from street lamps and neon lights of shops are really pretty.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

The Pixel 10 takes amazing portrait images in all light conditions.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

In landscape mode, it can capture a wide area of the field pretty nicely in the frame.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

Even at close-up range, it does a fantastic job of capturing minute details of the subject.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

The new feature that debuted with the Pixel 10 series is the Camera Coach. It is powered by Google Gemini large language models (LLMs) to suggest ways to improve photos. It can assist the device in deciding on different framing and composition for a shot. This will come in handy for naive phone users who are eager to improve their photography skills. However, it need internet connection to guide you to get the best photo.

Camera Coach feature on Pixel 10 series

The Pixel 10 comes with a variety of gen AI photography tools such as Magic Editor, Audio eraser, object eraser, Add Me, Best Take and more. All work flawlessly, but they require internet connectivity to deliver a fantastic photography experience.

Even the recent Gemini app update with editing tool works amazingly good. Users can add objects in the photo to make it more fun and engaging, when shared with loved ones on messenger apps.

Google Pixel 10 comes with Gen AI camera features.

On the front, the Pixel 10 features an 11MP sensor for selfies and video calling. It takes really good pictures in all possible scenarios.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

The device can also capture really good quality videos on par with premium Android phones in the market.

Google Pixel 10 camera sample.

Final thoughts

Those who were in two minds about whether to get a Pixel phone or not, I recommend you go for the latest Pixel 10.

Pixel 10 comes with the right balance of features and hardware, without many trade-offs compared to the Pro model. The build quality is on par with other premium phones in its class and delivers a full day's battery life.

Also, there are noticeable improvements in terms of faster and stable performance; most importantly, there is efficient heat dissipation when running heavy-duty apps and generative AI features, compared to the predecessor.

Google Pixel 10.

The Gen AI features work smoothly without any pressing issues to complain about.

Though Pixel 10 is an iterative upgrade over the predecessor, it is the most innovative AI phone among the rival brands.

The Pixel 10 is available with 256GB of storage for Rs 79,999 in India.

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