Google Pixel 10 Pro XL Review: Brilliant, Bar the Battery

The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is Google's large-format flagship for 2025, priced from £1,199 for the 256GB version. The independent assessment, conducted over several days, reached a warm verdict: this is a phone to recommend heartily, with one big caveat hanging over it. The screen, the cameras and the software are all among the best you can buy; the battery life is not.

The assessment covers the complete Pro XL package rather than judging it from specifications alone: build quality and ergonomics, measured display performance, Android 16 and Google's added software, the three rear cameras, processor benchmarks and stability, connectivity, battery endurance, charging and speaker quality. Measurements are paired with ordinary daily-use observations, which matters here because the battery result is not just a number on a chart — it affected how confidently the phone could be used through a busy day.

At its core, the Pro XL combines a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display with the Google Tensor G5, 16GB of RAM and storage choices from 256GB to 1TB. Its 232g body is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and carries an IP68 rating. The rear system consists of a 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide and a 48MP 5x periscope telephoto, while Android 16 arrives with seven years of operating-system and security updates. The smaller Pixel 10 Pro shares most of that hardware and camera behaviour; size, battery and charging are the principal reasons to assess the XL separately.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL starts at £1,199 for the base 256GB model, with 512GB and 1TB versions above it. Four colours are sold — black, grey, jade and porcelain — with one subtlety: only the black model comes in every configuration. Grey and porcelain go up to 512GB, and jade is limited to 256GB. It sits at the top of a three-strong high-end range: the smaller Pixel 10 Pro, the Pixel 10 Pro XL assessed here, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which, as its name suggests, folds in two. The obvious question is whether one of them earns a place among the best smartphones of 2025. Almost everything said here applies equally to the standard Pixel 10 Pro, which shares the same design and cameras; that smaller model needs its own assessment because battery and charging results are size-dependent.

Since last year's Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, Google has raised its game on design, finally reaching the level of finish expected of an ultra-premium phone. More than one of the reviewers, seeing the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL in the flesh, let out a small sigh of admiration. This year the recipe is a matte single-colour back, a matte aluminium camera block and glossy aluminium edges. Be warned that darker colours pick up fingerprints on the edges faster than lighter ones. Beyond IP68 certification, both the back and the screen are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and the matte rear has a soft touch that grips the fingertips just enough to stop the phone slipping.

A word on the camera block: the oblong, transverse island makes quite an impression, and it has two concrete merits. It stabilises the phone when it is laid on a table, and it does not get in the way when you watch a video in landscape, since it presents a fairly uniform surface. In the hand, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is a big beast, at 232g with a flat 6.8-inch screen, so do not expect to use it comfortably one-handed. If you are already used to large phones there is nothing shocking here: the weight is well distributed and the flat, bevelled edges aid grip. The right edge carries the usual buttons, set low enough to spare your thumb; the SIM tray sits top-left and one of three microphones top-right; and the bottom edge has a well-centred USB-C port flanked by two speaker grilles. On the front there is little to say beyond a flat screen with rounded corners and thin black bezels, though they are a touch thicker than the very best: an 88.3% screen-to-body ratio against the 90%-plus of the sector's leaders, a difference the eye notices immediately.

An official case is sold separately for around £55 whatever the size of your model. The independent test used it throughout the assessment and found it worth considering despite that fairly steep price. Its silicone coating is soft and shows off the Pixel's shapes nicely; it raises the camera block at the back and sits slightly proud of the front to protect the screen from direct knocks. It is also Qi 2.0 and Pixel Snap compatible, so it will not stop the phone attaching to the magnets of an accessory designed for the purpose. For a device this large and this expensive, it is a sensible first purchase to make alongside the phone.

The Pixel 9 Pro screens were already, by independent measurements, among the reference panels around. Google has not rested on its laurels, pushing quality further still with a generation that, it must be said, took the breath away. Setting aside the specifications, which say little at this level (a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED at 120Hz, 2,992 x 1,344 resolution in 20:9, 486ppi), it is the measurements that matter here. The 3,000 cd/m² barrier has officially been broken: for the first time, the panel reached 3,090 cd/m² of boost brightness under a very strong light imitating the sun, a figure that leaves the competition standing. HDR peak brightness is no slouch either, at 2,198 cd/m², again well ahead of most rivals, which at best sit just under 2,500 cd/m². Minimum brightness is a touch high, but a dedicated setting lowers it further.

The colour work follows the excellent lead set by the brightness. Default white balance, in the "adaptive" colour mode, is very close to perfection at 6,470K — the ideal being 6,500K, so the difference is imperceptible. Colour coverage is very good, spanning 100% of the simpler sRGB space and 85.7% of the more demanding P3. Despite that honourable coverage, on-screen accuracy is there too: the average delta E 2000 in P3 rises to just 2.68 (the lower the delta, the better, and anything under 3 is very promising), while in sRGB it is only 1.91 with fine uniformity, and gloss measures a typical 102 GU.

The review's advice: the default mode is all but flawless and will suit 99% of uses. A second mode, "natural", is best avoided for everyday use because it is too sRGB-oriented, though it does reach an impressive average sRGB delta E of 0.86 if you choose it, at the expense of the P3 space. Faced with such a display, one is tempted to speak of perfection, but a few avenues for improvement remain for Google: better P3 handling, a little less irregularity on colour patches and wider colour coverage. The review does not yet measure colour accuracy in HDR, but is actively working on adding it.

For almost every buyer, the adaptive default is the right setting. Its 6,470K white point sits almost exactly on the 6,500K reference, the average colour error remains below the threshold at which most people can spot a problem, and it uses the wider P3 space more effectively. That combination gives the display vivid range without making ordinary photographs, web pages or interface colours look obviously wrong.

The natural preset is more specialised. It can produce an exceptional average sRGB Delta E of 0.86, but it leans so heavily towards sRGB that it is less suitable as an everyday mode for modern wide-gamut content. There is still room for Google to improve P3 coverage and consistency between individual colour patches, but those are refinements to an already outstanding panel. The practical recommendation is simple: leave adaptive enabled unless you have a specific sRGB workflow.

Since Android 12, Google's Pixels have run their own Pixel Experience interface, and the 10 Pro XL ships with it on top of Android 16. The phone will get seven years of Android and security updates, taking it to 2032 and Android 23 — among the best in the business, level with Samsung and just behind the Fairphone anomaly and its eight years. The interface is also relatively compact at 11GB, against more than 21GB for Samsung's One UI 7.

Despite that slimness, Pixel Experience is far from mean on features; it is in fact one of the most generous interfaces on the market. Google, which feeds AI features to just about every Android brand, keeps some novelties for its own phones, and Pixels also receive quarterly updates bundling further additions. The interface is ergonomic and easy to use, the animations are fluid and the whole is pleasant to handle. Android 16 revisits a few points but for now looks much like Android 15, with a revamped shortcuts space and new widgets for launching Gemini more precisely. Buying any Pixel 10 Pro also grants a year's Google AI Pro subscription, unlocking Gemini 2.5 Pro and three uses of Veo 3, Google's video generator.

The Pixel is full of thoughtful settings: you can create a private space and install apps there under a different Google account, and there are advanced anti-theft features such as automatic locking when theft is detected and remote locking. Among the smaller touches the review enjoyed: in the camera menu you can switch shots between sRGB and DCI-P3, a welcome bit of transparency most makers lack; a rear thermometer, launched with the Pixel 8 Pro, can now measure body temperature, turning a gadget into a handy back-up thermometer; audio sharing to compatible Bluetooth LE headphones; and satellite SOS, offered free for two years after purchase (the review could not fully try this, since a genuine test would mean placing a false emergency call, which is illegal, though the satellite icon did appear in areas with no signal). One could write paragraphs on the small details worth exploring; the short version is that the interface rewards curiosity, and above all it remains ergonomic, fluid and easy to live with. What the pricing will be once those two free satellite years are up is not yet known.

The quarterly Pixel updates are important to that software proposition. They mean the phone is not limited to the feature set present on launch day; smaller tools and interface improvements continue to arrive between full Android releases. Android 16 itself is evolutionary here, with a redesigned shortcuts area and more precise Gemini launch widgets rather than a wholesale change to the way the phone works.

Some additions are genuinely useful rather than decorative. Private Space can keep selected apps under a separate Google account, theft detection can lock the handset automatically, and remote locking gives the owner another route to protect it. The camera can switch between sRGB and DCI-P3 capture, the rear temperature sensor can now take body-temperature readings, and Bluetooth LE audio sharing works with compatible headphones. Satellite SOS could only be checked up to the point where the satellite indicator appeared in an area without mobile coverage; placing a false emergency call would not have been lawful.

The camera set-up is a 50MP f/1.7 25mm main sensor with OIS, a 48MP f/2.8 113mm periscope telephoto (a 5x equivalent, with OIS) and a 48MP f/1.7 123-degree ultra-wide — exactly the same as the standard Pixel 10 Pro. It shoots 4K at 60fps, 1080p up to 240fps, and offers an 8K 30fps option upscaled via Google's servers. To gauge the results, the review lined the main and ultra-wide sensors up against one of the most popular Android phones, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, using a standardised test chart.

Wide angle

The main sensor delivers its usual pleasing performance, leaning on slightly warm, shimmering colour and a sharpness that, while not exceptional, boosts micro-contrast here and there to give a convincing impression of crispness.

Portrait

In portrait the Pixel still shines at flattering the subject, picking out facial detail and managing background blur very well, even with curly hair. Its habitual flaw remains: it tends to make its subjects a little red.

Ultra-wide

The ultra-wide handles macro duty, which is not especially accomplished but does make an impression; despite the 50MP count, detail tends to drop a little with this module. Colour consistency is good, though, and it is more than usable for shots at fun angles.

Telephoto

The telephoto starts at a 5x optical equivalent but easily reaches 10x with near-optical quality, which is very welcome. In general it is highly effective, with a strong impression of sharpness and shots that hit the mark. Watch the colour, though, which tends to "yellow" as you move from 5x to 10x.

Handy new features

Google has added new photography features too. Camera Coach summons multimodal generative AI to help you take a shot: tap the camera-shaped icon and, after a few seconds' thought, it proposes several scenarios, often with strikingly apt descriptions. Once you pick a scene, a progress bar of small rectangles guides you through actions — move closer, adjust the framing, ask the subject to smile — one step at a time. The super-resolution zoom has been considerably improved. Its principle is simple: the moment you zoom past the sensor's optical reach and crop into the frame, the feature engages to rescue an initially rough, big-pixelled shot. Where Google's old version was already good, this one is simply the best on the market, keeping enough natural detail to stay usable up to 30x, even 50x depending on the exposure and the subject, and surprisingly decent as far as 100x, beyond which quality inevitably falls away. Best Take, which combines several similar photos so everyone looks their best, has also been automated: a single shutter press assembles the shot.

Camera Coach is most useful for someone who has a powerful camera but is unsure how to compose a scene. Its suggestions are not simply generic labels: after analysing what is in front of the lens, it offers several possible treatments, then turns the selected idea into a short sequence of practical instructions. The on-screen progress blocks might ask the photographer to move closer, alter the framing or prompt a subject to smile. Each completed action advances to the next, making the feature feel more like guided composition than an automatic filter.

The improved super-resolution zoom is the more consequential addition for experienced users. Digital enlargement normally exposes rough pixels as the crop moves beyond the lens's optical reach; Google rebuilds that first result while trying to preserve natural-looking texture. The source material remained convincingly usable around 30x and, depending on light and subject, sometimes at 50x. Even 100x could produce a surprisingly legible record shot, although quality inevitably declines at that point. Best Take now uses Live Photo information automatically and still offers several alternative composites, typically three or four, if the automatic choice is not the one you prefer.

Google describes the Tensor G5 as the biggest advance since the Tensor family began, and the Pro models pair it with 16GB of RAM plus 256GB to 1TB of storage. That sounds competitive, but the independent benchmark results show that raw speed remains the Pixel's weak point. The important distinction is between benchmark standing and everyday responsiveness: the former is disappointing, while the latter is generally fine.

CPU and Overall Benchmark Results

On AnTuTu, the Pixel 10 Pro XL falls behind phones launched more than nine months earlier with the Snapdragon 8 Elite or Dimensity 9400. Geekbench 6, which concentrates more heavily on CPU performance, tells the same story. The Tensor G5 is an improvement over earlier Google silicon, but it does not complete the hoped-for catch-up with the fastest Android chips.

Graphics Stability and Throttling

Graphics performance does not rescue the result. Across 20 3DMark loops, the best score remains well below rival flagships and the run is notably unstable. Each handset in the comparison was returned to room temperature before benchmarking, so the gap cannot be explained by starting the Pixel unusually hot. A sustained-load test exposes the pattern clearly: the chip holds close to maximum output for roughly two minutes, drops to about 60%, recovers towards 90%, then falls back to around 60% and remains there. That is substantial throttling, and it matters most during long, demanding workloads such as extended gaming or intensive media processing.

What It Means in Daily Use

Those figures do not translate into a sluggish phone during normal use. Navigation is fluid, applications open promptly and the handset usually stays cool. Heat becomes more noticeable during long photography sessions, as it does on many competing flagships, but routine messaging, browsing, streaming and camera use do not constantly advertise the benchmark deficit. Buyers who prioritise peak gaming performance have stronger options; buyers attracted by the Pixel camera and software are less likely to feel short-changed moment to moment.

On connectivity Google fits the best of what is available: Bluetooth 6.0 with Bluetooth LE and its most advanced features such as Auracast broadcasting, and Wi-Fi 7, today's highest standard. On top of that solid base there is ultra-wideband, useful for Bluetooth trackers, and dual-band GPS for greater stability and accuracy in tricky areas such as forests or among tall buildings — handy if you run with your phone. Satellite connectivity for SOS messages is present too.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL packs a 5,200mAh battery — a figure that might have seemed generous not long ago, but the arrival of silicon-carbon batteries of 6,000 to 7,000mAh rather undercuts it. Capacity is only one factor, of course, and system optimisation matters greatly; unfortunately the Pixel does not distinguish itself there either. The review's automated mixed-use run, which simulates continuous use down to 5%, returned 15 hours and 11 minutes. That score is frankly not good: in 2025 even folding phones do considerably better, and the best reach 22 hours. In practice this is a phone you can use lightly to moderately across a day before reaching for the charger; under heavy use there is a real fear of not making it to bedtime.

A concrete example makes the point. Started at 7:30am charged to 100%, the phone was down to 28% by 7:15pm after a train journey with pre-downloaded music, a 30-minute voice recording of a conference, a dozen photos and tethering to two other devices — none of which should trouble a modern flagship. Where earlier phones let their endurance slip quietly into the background, the Pixel turned it into a constant preoccupation, each of those undemanding hours visibly draining the gauge. More worryingly, the indicator warned it would last only "until 9:45pm", with the evening not yet over and the journey home not due to finish until 10pm; switching to airplane mode rescued the last few percent right at the death.

That real-use result supports the automated 15-hour-11-minute figure rather than contradicting it. Pre-downloaded audio and a short voice recording are modest jobs, and even tethering two devices should not turn endurance into a constant concern on a phone at this price. Light or moderate use can stretch to bedtime, but navigation, photography, hotspot use or a long day away from mains power make a compact charger a sensible precaution.

The 10 Pro XL has the highest charging power of the Pixel 10 range, up to 30W wired and 25W wireless, though it never exceeds around 35W at its best even with the official 45W charger. From flat, the review notes 1 hour 32 minutes for a full charge — well behind the 38 minutes of an OnePlus 13 under the same protocol. Ten minutes of charging gives 23%. The review could not verify wireless charging under the exact conditions Google intends, but it is worth noting that the Pixel now supports the Qi 2.0 standard (branded Pixel Snap) — still fairly rare — whose magnets promise an efficient charge that is gentler on the battery.

The practical problem is not merely that competitors advertise larger wattage figures. A 1-hour-32-minute full charge leaves less room to recover from the weak endurance with a brief stop at a socket, and a 23% gain in ten minutes is modest beside the quickest Android flagships. Qi 2.0 magnetic alignment is a welcome convenience and should reduce energy wasted through a poorly positioned wireless coil, but it does not erase the need to plan charging more carefully than the rest of the phone suggests.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL has two speakers on the bottom edge plus a third earpiece speaker hidden at the top of the screen. Together they produce a mid-forward sound capable of a fairly high volume, though it tends to lose precision as you approach 100%. It is more than enough for a video clip or a track played out loud, but you will still want a pair of headphones for any serious listening.

What is the point of a beautiful phone with a screen this large and sumptuous if its battery life is poor? That is the whole question here. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a wonderful phone on many counts: its screen schools the entire industry, its photo quality is undeniable, its interface teems with well-judged features and its finish matches the best. Even on performance, the Tensor G5 produces more convincing results than its predecessors, throttling aside. Against that stands a battery life the review is unequivocal about, on both test and real-world measures: it is not good, and you could even call it mediocre — the sort that tells you to pack a charger for a busy day. It is, as the phrase goes, a 10/10 with a big red flag. Should Google ship an update that corrects the aim, few reservations would remain. As it stands, this otherwise excellent phone comes with the queen of compromises: take it or leave it. It sits among the best in our best camera phones guide and best flagship phones guide, where its rivals include the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 17 Pro.

This is an editorial buying review based on published specifications and current UK pricing.