Google Pixel 10 Review: Smartphone Reinvents AI Power
Google’s latest power move is making its popular Pixel series a serious Apple rival worth pouncing on.
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We’ve all been there. It’s the end of an exhausting day and you’re excited to finally relax, but home is at least an hour away, trains are late and the sky seems a lot more overcast than the weather forecast predicted. And to top it all off, the battery status on your phone just entered the ‘red zone’.
Now, your brightness is turned down so low it’s hard to see your screen. And you can forget about using anything that requires data.
Google’s latest Pixel 10* has been a total lifesaver when it comes to battery life, lasting days on the 100-hour Extreme Battery Saver setting it introduced with the Pixel 9. It can also fuel back up to 55 per cent charge in just 30 minutes, which is fabulous if you’re like me and terribly impatient.
There’s also been a long-awaited addition to the already popular Pixel camera, with the device now containing a telephoto lens. Read on to see if the Pixel is 10 is worth switching to.
NEED TO KNOW
• The Google Pixel 10 is the base model in the Pixel 10 range, followed by the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 XL. Google also released foldable options, including the Pixel Pro Fold.
• You can extend the 24+ hour battery life to 100 hours with the Extreme Battery Saver setting, and even choose which apps will be available while using this mode.
• If you want more storage, you can try the six-month Google One Premium 2TB plan for free.
1-MINUTE REVIEW: GOOGLE PIXEL 10
PROS:
Nice photo and video quality
Simple and compact design
Seven years of software and security updates
CONS:
- Some critics find the battery life isn’t as good as it should be
- Some lagging with heavy gaming
Processor: Google Tensor G5 | Cameras: 48MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto | Size: 72mm x 8.6mm x 152.8mm
IS THE GOOGLE PIXEL 10 REVIEW WORTH IT?
While Apple and Samsung might get most of the attention when it comes to smartphones, the Pixel range has its own cult following and its latest devices have been quickly converting many shoppers to Google’s underrated (but still very popular) line-up.
The Pixel 10 follows in its predecessors’ footsteps with great camera quality, now adding a 10.8MP telephoto camera to its arsenal. The fast wireless charging is also a bonus to the long battery life, making it a nice option for anyone wanting a compact device with good long lasting power. However, some critics found the battery wasn’t as good as it should be and there is still some lag with certain demanding tasks (e.g. heavy games).
HOW DID WE TEST IT?
I used the Google Pixel 10 as my main phone for a few weeks, making sure to prioritise checking the limits of battery life with a mix of light and heavy tasks such as hotspotting, playing videos, and maintaining long screen time. I also took photos and videos in a mix of well-lit and low-lit conditions.
HOW DOES IT LOOK AND FEEL?
Firstly, can we please take a moment to appreciate how stunning Google’s Pixel 10 looks? It feels criminal to cover the sleek and shiny back cover with a protective phone case, and the build quality screams anything but basic.
You’ll get the same 6.3-inch Actua display in the Pixel 9 but with a brighter screen (up to 2000 nits HDR or 3000 nits peak brightness). This is housed in Gorilla Glass Victus (front and back), and an IP68 water and dust resistance rating.
I’m used to having large phones like the Samsung S25 Ultra but the screen on the Pixel 10 didn’t look too cramped after switching, although it does feel noticeably more compact in hand.
If you’re looking for a phone case, I love the Google’s Pixel covers. They’re fantastic quality and handy if you’re like me and have butter fingers or are generally a little rough with your devices.
HOW IS THE CAMERA?
Google’s Pixel devices have consistently been considered among the best – even its budget friendly Pixel 9A proved to be fantastic when compared to its much pricier rivals that retail for well over the usual $1000 mark.
The Pixel 10 is no exception, producing great colours and capturing finer details in both low lighting and well-lit conditions.
Photos and videos won’t be as impressive as the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, which is typical with base and premium models in any phone series, but it will definitely leave you feeling happy with the results.
The device also introduces a 5x telephoto lens, and a pretty meaty upgrade to 20x Super Res Zoom from the Pixel 9’s 8x limit.
For those who love a fun mode there are new functions such as Camera Coach, Auto Best Take and Pixel Studio to help level up your photos. Although you can expect the same set of features for video.
Honestly, I don’t typically use these types of AI features in day-to-day life since they involve a few extra steps and take me ‘out of the moment’. But if I do whip one out, I prefer settings like Camera Coach which gives feedback in real-time. Auto Best Take is another handy editing tool for fixing any blurriness or group selfies where someone is mid-blink. I wouldn’t call them ‘must-haves’, but they are easy to use.
HOW IS THE BATTERY?
I thought the camera would be the hero of the show, but somehow I’ve become a different person after experiencing Google’s unbelievable charging abilities. It can get from zero to 55 per cent in just half an hour – aka one episode of Ted Lasso – and give you several days’ worth of screen time without having to plug it back in or constantly have an eye on the battery level.
The best part is that you can filter which apps can be used, so you’re not stuck with a black and white screen with only a call function available.
Keep in mind I regularly turned on hotspotting, spent a lot of time taking videos and photos, used it as the communal speaker while getting ready with the girls, and participated in more doom scrolling than I should have.
And on ‘regular’ days when I’m not sucking the life out of my phone, the Pixel 10 comfortably lasts more than a day. It’s usually never low enough to start panicking and resorting to switching on Extreme Battery Saver, but I love how I have that option.
Another bonus is that Google also recently added Pixelsnap magnetic technology to the Pixel 10 series, making them compatible with Qi2 wireless chargers for faster charging and one less cable to deal with.
Google’s Pixelsnap charger will set you back $69, while the option with the Ring Stand costs $119.
HOW MUCH DOES THE GOOGLE PIXEL 10 COST?
The Google Pixel 10 retails from $1349. It’s available in four different colours, including Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass and Obsidian.
VERDICT: SHOULD YOU BUY THE GOOGLE PIXEL 10?
Google’s Pixel phones are always worth checking out and the Pixel 10 is a great introduction into the series. Camera quality is impressive for a base model, as is the device’s overall general performance and battery life. Some have criticised the battery saying it doesn’t last as long as expected, but it should be fine for most people and anyone who doesn’t need a beastly unit to regularly live streaming or gaming for extended periods.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is the Google Pixel 10 waterproof?
The Pixel 10 has a dust and water resistance rating of IP68, so it’s not completely waterproof. Although if you plan on taking it into the pool for some selfies, there’s a specific toggle under advanced camera settings which helps “restores true colours when taking photos and videos underwater”. But you need to make sure the device is protected in a waterproof case.
How much storage do you get?
You can get 12GB RAM with either 128GB or 256GB worth of storage.
Can you get more storage?
Google has a generous six-month free trial for the Google One Premium 2TB plan, so you can give it a test run before committing to the usual $14.99 per month.
Of course, there’s a Basic 100GB alternative for just $2.99 per month. I currently use the Basic plan for two of my Google Accounts and 100GB goes a pretty long way, especially if you’re like me and mainly need it to store photos.
More Coverage
I wish there was a third plan in-between the two, but the Basic plan should be good for most people (especially if you’re much better than me at clearing inboxes and not holding onto blurry concert videos).
*Product has been provided by Google for a 100 per cent independent, honest review.
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