Google Pixel 10 Pro Review: A Camera Artist With the Best Phone Display Tested

The Google Pixel 10 Pro performs superbly in testing with its various improvements. As in the previous year, the display and camera impress most. The OLED display has extremely strong brightness and convinces in all other aspects as well. Image quality, hardware and AI functions of the triple camera also remain a Google trademark — it can hardly get better than this. The new processor noticeably increases the smartphone's performance, which is sufficient even for demanding apps and games. The Tensor processor remains the weakest aspect of this top phone, however. Battery life is excellent and the equipment is appropriate for the upper class. There are also seven years of Android and security updates again.

Pros

• Brilliant and bright OLED display
• Excellent camera
• Great battery life
• New AI functions
• Long software support (until 2032)

Cons

• Tensor processor not at top level
• Automatic battery throttling

The Google Pixel 10 Pro is an outstanding smartphone that proves itself in testing.

Display Quality

The display has a 6.3-inch diagonal and convinces with its presentation. In particular, the brightness is immensely high.

Triple Camera Performance

A fantastic result is also shown again by the triple camera. The quality can hardly be improved further.

Equipment and Processor

The equipment is excellent and the new Tensor processor offers more performance.

Battery Capacity

The Pro model has the smallest battery of all three new Pixels, but the runtime is nevertheless excellent.

The Three New Pixels in a Row

In a row: the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, the Pixel 10 Pro, and the Pixel 10.

AI-Enhanced Zoom

When strong magnification is used in photography (up to 100x), AI image enhancement kicks in. The result is a sharper but also more artificial photo.

Optical and Digital Zoom

Up to 5x magnification, the optical zoom is used; beyond that the digital zoom takes over (up to 100x).

Daylight Photography Quality

The image quality convinces. The photos appear natural and detail-rich.

Low-Light Performance

The triple camera also copes with low light.

Test Result

The Google Pixel 10 Pro received a test verdict of Very Good (1.3) with a price assessment of Expensive (4.5). It ranks 29 of 252 in the smartphones best list.

Performance Benchmarks

PDF loading over Wi-Fi was completed in 0.7 seconds. The GFX-Bench benchmark recorded 112 frames per second.

Processor and Memory

The Google Tensor G5 processor is rated good in performance. The phone has 16 GB of RAM. Security updates are guaranteed until 2032.

Wireless Connectivity

Wi-Fi is Wi-Fi 7. VoLTE is supported. The phone supports satellite emergency calls and location data, with the theoretical capability for satellite text messages and calls (subject to a compatible mobile contract).

SIM and Connectivity

The phone has a SIM slot supporting one physical Nano-SIM and one eSIM, with dual SIM 5G/5G operation.

Build and Protection

Dust and water protection is rated IP68. Biometric unlocking is via fingerprint reader and face recognition.

Storage and Ports

Storage variants are 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB. There is no storage card slot. The USB port is USB-C with USB 3.2 standard. Bluetooth is 6.0. NFC is supported. A temperature sensor is included as an extra feature.

Charging Specifications

Wireless charging is supported via the Qi2 standard, with magnetic mounting on Qi2 chargers. The phone is 5G capable.

Battery Specifications

Battery capacity is 4,870 mAh. Battery life on LTE at 60 Hz is 16 hours 27 minutes. Charge time is 1 hour 30 minutes from empty. After 30 minutes of charging, the battery reaches over 50 percent.

Display Specifications

Display diagonal is 6.3 inches. The panel is OLED with a "Super Actua" branding. Refresh rate dynamically adjusts between 1 and 120 Hz. Maximum brightness measured is 2,625 cd/m² (manufacturer claim 3,300 cd/m² in ideal lab conditions).

Camera Specifications

The triple camera consists of a 50 MP main sensor, 48 MP ultrawide, and 48 MP telephoto with optical 5x zoom. The front camera is 42 MP with autofocus. Video recording is possible in 8K resolution; 60 frames per second is available in 4K. Digital zoom reaches 100x with AI image enhancement.

Physical Specifications

Thickness is 12.2 mm. SAR value is 0.99 W/kg. The firmware version tested was BD3A.250721.001.A1. Tested on 19 August 2025. Price at test time was 1,099 euros for the 128 GB variant.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro combines complete equipment with the smaller format of the standard Pixel 10. The difference from the Pixel 10 Pro XL lies in the size of the display and the capacity of the battery. It is precisely the display that impresses in testing. While the XL model achieves the best camera rating in the best list, the Pixel 10 Pro takes the crown in the display area and sets a new reference value here.

This is mainly due to the maximum brightness. The 6.3-inch display carries the Google brand designation "Super Actua" like the Pixel 10 Pro XL and is said to offer a peak brightness of 3,300 cd/m². However, ideal laboratory conditions are required for this. The independent test measurement is more practice-oriented, and the result was 2,625 cd/m². This is also immensely high — the highest value of all Pixels — and guarantees good readability of the display and a strong HDR presentation.

Sharpness and Refresh Rate

Thanks to the high resolution on the OLED display, the image is very sharp. Added to this are a very good contrast value and rich colours in a wide spectrum. The display dynamically adjusts the refresh rate between 1 and 120 Hertz, depending on display content. In individual aspects, the displays of other top phones are sometimes slightly better, but the Pixel 10 Pro convinces across the board and therefore achieves the top display rating.

The battery capacity of the Pixel 10 Pro has grown slightly compared to its predecessor, from 4,700 to 4,870 mAh. This still gives the device the smallest battery of all three Pixel models, however. The slight capacity increase results in only an eight-minute longer runtime, as the battery comparison test showed. Nevertheless, the result is very good: in continuous operation, the Pixel 10 Pro lasts 16 hours 27 minutes.

Charging Improvements

While the runtime has increased only minimally, the improvements in charging time are more noticeable. Instead of 1 hour 49 minutes like its predecessor, the Pixel 10 Pro now takes only 90 minutes for a full charge. Half an hour at the charger fills more than half of the battery. Like all new Pixel models, the Pro also supports the Qi2 standard for wireless charging. One of the new features is the magnetic attachment of the phone to the Qi2 charging station.

Battery Health Throttling

The "battery health" function that Google introduced with the Pixel 9a is now mandatory on all Pixel 10 models. The consequence is that from 200 charging cycles onwards, the battery's capacity is gradually reduced. This is intended to extend the battery's lifespan, but leads to decreasing runtime. Anyone using the Pixel 10 Pro very intensively could reach 200 charging cycles within a year. Initially, however, the throttling should hardly be noticeable.

The computing power now comes from the Tensor G5. Google has been relying on its own Tensor processors for years. These usually offer good performance but do not reach the peak values of the best Snapdragon or Apple A models. This year is no different. The Tensor performance rating at test time was again "good", although the new processor almost made it into the "very good" range this time.

Performance Gains Over the Predecessor

Compared to the predecessor processor, the performance increase is clearly noticeable. In work processes, the Tensor G5 is around 15 percent faster. When using standard apps, this is hardly noticeable in any case. There is also an improvement in graphics performance. The previous year's GFXBench measurement result was increased from 102 to 112 frames per second. Demanding games are no problem. The Snapdragon 8 Elite, however, boasts 180 fps here.

When it comes to camera quality, only a few competitors can challenge Google. This year is no different. In the previous year, the Pixel 9 Pro achieved the best result in testing and has been firmly anchored in 1st place in the camera ranking ever since. It does not quite manage that this time, however, because the new reference value is set by the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The "normal" Pro nevertheless ranks again right at the top, with one of the best phone cameras.

Image Quality

In the result, the test centre experts see hardly any differences in image quality. The photos look just as outstanding as in the previous year: the colours are natural, the details are wonderfully reproduced, and the contrasts are pleasing.

New 100x Digital Zoom

The only striking change is the digital zoom. Instead of the previous 30x, this now magnifies up to 100x. Since hardly any sharpness remains here naturally, Google uses AI image enhancement.

Camera Hardware

The digital zoom, like the other image enhancement functions, is software-dependent. Regarding hardware, nothing has changed: a 50 MP main sensor, 48 MP ultrawide and 48 MP telephoto with optical 5x zoom were already on the predecessor. The 42 MP sensor of the front camera takes good selfies, with autofocus helping. You can film in 8K resolution; the full 60 frames per second is only available in 4K resolution.

Camera Coach AI Feature

A new feature is the "Camera Coach". This uses artificial intelligence to scan the subject and make suggestions for better photography. Various other AI functions were already introduced last year, with which, for example, better night photos are possible or the photographer can be added to the photo afterwards using the "Add Me" function.

The equipment includes small updates but differs little from the predecessor model. New is the current Bluetooth 6 standard. In addition, Google is working on integrating even more satellite communication. Several phones, including the Pixel 9 series, can already send emergency calls via satellite. Now location data can be added. Text messages and calls via satellites are theoretically also possible with the Pixel 10 Pro, according to Google, but the prerequisite is a mobile contract that supports satellite communication.

Standards and Storage

Otherwise, there are all the usual modern standards such as Wi-Fi 7 for wireless network and USB 3.2 for data transmission, as well as NFC for contactless payment. As an extra, a temperature sensor is on board. The dual SIM function supports a physical SIM card and an eSIM. The housing is water and dust resistant according to IP68 protection class. For storage, you can choose between 128, 256, 512 GB or 1 TB. RAM is standard at 16 GB. There is no slot for a microSD memory card.

AI Functions

AI development is progressing rapidly, and so a lot of AI functions are available with the Google Pixel 10 Pro. The heart is the Gemini assistant, but you generally have many options for editing or generating texts, images, and audio, or you can use the live translator. Google provides system and security updates for seven years, so you will still receive the current Android version in 2032.

Pricing

Anyone choosing the 128 GB variant of the Google Pixel 10 Pro pays an introductory price of around 1,100 euros. If the 1 TB storage is required, it is 1,590 euros. This is no bargain, but unfortunately is now standard in the upper class of phones.

The independent test centre evaluates smartphones across the categories of equipment, operation, and battery. The test winner of a category sets the best score with a school grade of 1.0; all others adapt to it. Battery life is measured in a worst-case scenario where a test page including embedded video is refreshed every three minutes via the LTE network of Deutsche Telekom. The display brightness is set to 200 cd/m² for the measurement. The display refresh rate is set to 60 Hz for comparability.

The Pixel 10 Pro is positioned alongside its predecessor (Pixel 9 Pro), the test winner (Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra), the value pick (Xiaomi Poco F7), the best phone under 600 euros (Xiaomi 15T Pro), and the best iPhone (Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max).

Pixel 9 Pro Comparison

The housing of the Pixel 9 Pro leaves a high-quality impression — and it is waterproof. As usual, however, the camera protrudes considerably. It sits very well in the hand with its 6.34-inch screen. The OLED display is contrast- and bright-strong. Performance is also good.

Triple Camera Reach

On board is a triple camera that takes really good photos. In addition to the 50 MP main camera, there is an ultrawide camera and a telephoto lens.

Compact Premium Build

The phone is slim, high-quality, and excellently equipped. The maximum resolution and refresh rate are only achieved by adjusting the settings on the Pixel. However, you also use more battery this way.

Telephoto Performance

The triple camera, consisting of a 50 MP main camera, a 48 MP ultrawide camera, and a 48 MP telephoto camera, takes really good pictures. The telephoto allows an optical, lossless zoom up to factor five; digitally, you can zoom in by a factor of 30. Ultrawide photos are also on board.

Photo Style

The 50 MP camera of the Pixel 9 Pro (XL) takes particularly realistic photos with many details, but also paler colours than most competitors. The evening atmosphere reflected in a pile of pumpkins is brought across very nicely by the Pixel. The details in the foreground grass are also pleasing.

Background Blur

Focused on closer objects, the Pixel camera gives the background a very nice blur. The bark itself also makes a good showing.

Pixel vs iPhone Comparison

Contrasts and details of the main subjects are slightly clearer with Google, but the iPhone also captures distant objects like the blue car well. Both the iPhone and the Pixel show very nice details and high sharpness. The sunlight gives a more summery impression with Google, however.

Optical and Digital Zoom Comparison

The five-fold optical zoom of the 48 MP telephoto camera also shows distant subjects with clear details and convincing sharpness. Digitally, you zoom in 30x to your subject. Google's software clearly helps here and brings out details even more clearly.

Night Photography

At night, the Pixel brightens the scene well and shows nice details. Many other top devices bring a little more light into the darkness here, however.

AI Object Removal

Using an AI function, you can remove objects from photos.