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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- The Pixel 10 has officially launched with a starting terms of $799.
- With a three-camera system, Google Tensor G5, and improved artillery life, it's Google's champion basal exemplary smartphone yet.
- The main and ultra-wide cameras person been downgraded successful bid to acceptable the caller telephoto.
Google's entry-level flagship Pixel has proven to beryllium a susceptible smartphone, with conscionable the close specs and features to delight the masses. So erstwhile I switched implicit to the latest model, the Pixel 10, I wasn't expecting to beryllium wowed. After a week of use, however, I basal corrected.
With the Pixel 10, Google kept its sleek design, portion adding hardware upgrades that volition amended users' mundane experiences successful subtle -- but meaningful, Google hopes -- ways. These see an improved battery, a caller telephoto lens, and Pixelsnap: Android's mentation of MagSafe.
Yet, the Pixel 10's suite of AI features, powered by the Google Tensor G5 chipset, is the bosom of what makes the smartphone basal out. Despite the upgrades, the Pixel 10 retails for the aforesaid terms arsenic its predecessor: $799.
I've been utilizing the Pixel 10 each time since Jimmy Fallon enactment it down connected the Made by Google stage. Let's find if these upgrades are important capable to warrant an upgrade from the erstwhile models.
Specs that won't permission you wanting more
I emotion a Goldilocks analogy, and it's particularly applicable here. When a merchandise is done well, it won't permission you longing for more. Such is the lawsuit with the Pixel 10's performance.
The signifier origin is astir identical to its predecessor, with rounded corners, aluminum sides, and a creaseless Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 backmost (also connected the front). The camera bar, 6.3-inch Actua display, and akin value (just 0.2 ounces heavier than past year) each lucifer the Pixel 9, but this isn't a complaint. If it ain't broke, don't hole it.
Despite the aboveground similarities, much clip with the telephone makes the upgrades much evident. For example, the show present supports 3000 nits of highest brightness, up from past year's 2700 nits. This, combined with the 120Hz refresh rate, 2424x1080 resolution, and OLED panel, makes for a bright, vivid show successful each lighting conditions.
A person look astatine the camera barroom besides reveals a caller 3rd 5x telephoto lens, which makes it easier to get crisper shots of distant objects. While I typically hold until overmuch aboriginal successful a reappraisal to interaction connected the camera, I person to accidental the Super Res zoom up to 20x near maine impressed. It didn't sacrifice details erstwhile cropping intimately successful connected a subject, partially owed to the camera's Imaging Signal Processor (ISP) enabled by the caller Tensor G5 chipset.
The triple camera array is comprised of a 48MP main camera, a 13MP 120-degree ultrawide, and a caller 10.8MP telephoto lens, with a 10.5MP selfie camera connected the front. Consistent with anterior models, the camera strategy is susceptible of taking vibrant, elaborate shots with affluent contrast. The expanded zoom capabilities marque it much connected par with the Pro models, which person ever had telephoto cameras.
Another upgrade, though not instantly visible, is the caller Pixelsnap magnetic technology, which works likewise to MagSafe connected iPhones. With the Pixelsnap, users tin connect magnetic accessories to the backmost of their phones (including MagSafe-compatible ones), specified arsenic chargers, mounts, and docks.
This unsocial is simply a convenient summation that you astir apt won't admit until you find an accessory you love. As an iPhone user, I can't ideate beingness without my MagSafe portable chargers.
Under the hood, the telephone received immoderate upgrades, including a somewhat bigger artillery that Google claims lasts up to 30 hours, up from the 24 hours connected the Pixel 9. During my clip testing, adjacent aft mean enactment activities, including playing euphony astir each time arsenic I write, doom scrolling connected societal media, and texting (only during breaks, of course), I was capable to not lone marque it done an full day, but besides person immoderate foodstuff leftover the adjacent morning.
Also: Why Google's champion Pixel 10 announcement was an iPhone diagnostic - and I don't mind
Lastly, the phone's astir notable upgrade is the Google Tensor G5 chipset, the company's astir precocious processor. Not lone does it enactment an wide amended show from your phone, including faster speeds, optimal artillery performance, and amended photography, but it besides powers each of the precocious AI features recovered connected the Pixel 10.
The Tensor G5 was designed with Google DeepMind and, arsenic a result, optimized for on-device AI workloads. For example, the Tensor G5 runs Google's Gemini Nano model wholly on-device, giving users optimal speeds and the bid of caput that their information isn't leaving the device. This almighty exemplary supports the extended suite of AI features, which is what truly sets the Pixel 10 apart.
The astir baked AI features connected a smartphone yet
In the epoch of AI, astir each telephone motorboat besides includes a suite of automated, machine-learning-based features. However, successful my experience, galore of these features are casual to ignore. With the Pixel 10, Google struck a bully balance, baking assorted tools into galore of the phone's superior functions truthful that they're intuitive to use, portion not being excessively overbearing.
A premier illustration is Magic Cue, a caller predictive diagnostic that uses the discourse of what you're doing -- combined with your enactment crossed Google's apps -- to make suggestions successful existent clip for actions oregon information. For example, if idiosyncratic asks maine successful a substance what clip our preservation is, Magic Cue "reads" it and surfaces the accusation truthful that I conscionable person to pat connected it to reply.
Also: The champion Android phones to bargain successful 2025
While I tin corroborate the diagnostic works, arsenic I tested the Pixel 10 successful mundane interactions, Magic Cue wasn't intrusive, 1 of the concerns I had going into it. I deliberation of it much arsenic thing you tin pat into should you request it, to trim the friction of having to excavation to find information.
Another AI-powered diagnostic I enjoyed is the caller Daily Hub diagnostic recovered successful the Discover feed. Using discourse from my Google Calendar and YouTube activity, it curated a convenient summary of my time that I could beryllium briefed connected astatine a glimpse alternatively of having to toggle betwixt antithetic apps.
The camera app received the bulk of the updates, with features specified arsenic Camera Coach, wherever the AI instructs you connected however to amended your shot, Add Me, which present works with adjacent much people, and Auto Best Take, which automatically finds the champion representation with each your subjects successful what Google considers the perfect state.
Also: I compared the Pixel 10 Pro to each older Google flagship exemplary - the biggest upgrades
There are besides a plethora of different AI features, including a real-time Call Translation feature, a Take a Message feature, which uses AI to supply transcripts for missed calls, Pixel Journal punctual suggestions, and adjacent a NotebookLM integration successful Pixel Screenshots.
ZDNET's buying advice
I've enjoyed my acquisition with the Pixel 10 and would urge it to astir users looking for a comparatively accessible Android, particularly if the adjuvant AI features resonate with you. Ultimately, it delivers connected performance, camera, artillery life, and AI features, making it a beardown rival against different flagship smartphones successful the aforesaid terms range.
You tin preorder yours present for a starting terms of $799, with respective telephone carriers offering further promotions and deals. The colors see Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, and Obsidian, and retention sizes scope from 128GB to 256GB.
You tin support up with my latest stories and tech adventures connected societal media. Follow maine connected Twitter/X at @sabrinaa_ortiz and connected Instagram at @sabrinaa.ortiz.
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