Google Pixel 10 Pro XL Doesn't Radically Reinvent The Formula But That's Not A Bad Thing

Pixel smartphones have always played the role of a bellwether, not just for how Google sees Android, but also as a vehicle to showcase the company’s apps and services. For the first time in forever though, Google is, with the latest 10th generation Pixel 10 Pro XL, taking the fight not to other Android smartphones but to the iPhone, liberally throwing shade at Cupertino at launch. In doing so, Google’s also shedding the Pixel’s “for the nerds” image that has long appealed to its core Android purist audience, pushing the phone as a legit mainstream flagship. Heck, they even got Jimmy Fallon on stage at launch to tell you all about it.

The ₹1,24,999 question is – does the Pixel 10 Pro XL nail the landing?

What We Liked

Same Wine, Same Bottle

Save for a few new colours, including a blue-grey moonstone and the green-gold-moonstone, the Pixel 10 Pro XL sees Google recycling last year’s design, down to the iconic pill-shaped camera module. It’s still a fresh and altogether premium design, if a little heavy (232g) in the hand, although the gently curved frame ensures its comfortable in the hand. Watch out for the polished frame, which does get slippery, and I’ve had more than a few instances of being grateful for the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the front and rear, when the phone took a fall. The biggest change is invisible – the Pixel 10 series have support for Google’s Pixelsnap technology for magnetic snap-on accessories. If that sounds awfully like MagSafe on the iPhone, it is – right down to compatibility with MagSafe accessories like chargers, power banks and selfie sticks/car mounts. I’m going to wager that this single quality-of-life improvement alone is going to be a big reason for iPhone-toting folks to consider welcoming a Pixel into their lives.

Binge Worthy

Google hasn't tinkered with last year’s Super Actua-branded OLED display, and that’s fine – the screen quality is excellent with accurate colours and peak brightness levels that hit 3300 nits in direct sunlight, and the downward firing speakers deliver a richer, fuller sound. Best screen haptics on the Android side too, and the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner is snappier and more reliable than last year’s 9 Pro XL.

AI Everywhere

The new Pixels aren’t going to claim bragging rights on outright performance, but where they are all in is on infusing AI into the very fabric of each interaction…or at least that’s the intent behind the part-spooky, part-magical and downright ambitious feature called Magic Cue. Think of it as an all-knowing AI assistant that pulls in data from across your Google apps to proactively suggest replies based on what you’re doing, right when you need it (theoretically, at least). Say, you’re chatting with someone about a dinner booking you may have made, Magic Cue will instantly pull information from your inbox and calendar to pop up a button with the answer. Or if you’re dialing an airline about a flight reservation, it will show you your booking details on-screen without you having to hunt for it. It’s a slick idea that’s genuinely helpful when it works, but it’s limited to working within Google’s own messaging app (no WhatsApp, as yet) and is rather hit-and-miss right now. Add in the strong suite of AI features – Pixel Recorder, Voice Translation and the jaw-dropping AI-powered zoom, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL is the phone for an AI-first world.

Pretty Pixels

While the cameras remain unchanged (are you seeing a theme here?), Google makes the relatively modest setup – 50-megapixel primary, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 48-megapixel 5x telephoto and 42-megapixel selfie shooter – go further…quite literally. An on-device AI model enables a “Pro Res Zoom” feature that kicks in anytime you zoom past 30x, all the way to 100x. What it does is use generative AI to enhance blurry photo details – great for landscapes/buildings, less so for faces and text. When it does work, it leaves you slack-jawed, seeing blurriness give way to tack sharp details…and leaving you to question what even is a photo anymore. A new Camera Coach feature evaluates the scene and offers suggestions on how to improve the shot too – we’re all for AI helping less experienced folks take better pictures. Even without, daytime shots are punchy and oozing that contrasty look that Pixel users love, and Night Sight works its wonders brightening up the dimmest of shots. Now, if only Google would actually upgrade the hardware to match its peers…

What We Didn’t Like

Tense, Tensor

Google’s twin decisions of using its new 3-nanometer Tensor G5 processor and running AI models perpetually in the background on the 16GB of memory has its consequences, particularly if you’re a spec nerd who demands flagship performance levels…and at 1,24,999, you certainly should! It’s snappy in everyday use, but heavy photo/video edits or cranking up the graphics on the latest games hand over the performance edge to the Qualcomm / Apple chips – mind you, this is when we compare to last year’s chips, as the latest chips are right around the corner. Even if you’re the ideal Google consumer who prioritizes experience and AI smarts above all else, surely you’ll wonder how well this chip will age over the seven-year software support window that the Pixel is meant to enjoy. Fortunately, battery life is improved, with the larger 5,200mAh battery lasting anywhere between 5.5 to 6.5 hours of screen time (with the always-on display and at maximum resolution), and a bit longer if you dial down the settings.

Verdict

The Pixel 10 Pro XL doesn’t radically reinvent the formula, and that’s no bad thing. As a peek into our AI-everything future, this is Google’s most confident Pixel in recent times, but one cannot help but wonder just how much greater it could be with a solid infusion of bleeding-edge hardware. Right now, is it enough to convince those on the fence? I’d say it comes pretty damn close.