Google’s flagship smartphone series for 2025 is finally here. The vanilla model in this series is particularly interesting as it gets some crucial upgrades that bring it closer to the Pro models. There’s a new telephoto sensor in the camera array, and the smartphone boasts Google’s new ‘Pixelsnap’ wireless magnetic charging. Furthermore, its 4,970mAh battery pack is larger than the one on the Pro model (4,870mAh). Priced at Rs 79,999, it undercuts the Pixel 10 Pro by Rs 30,000. Interested in finding out whether the vanilla model is worth buying over the Pro, we used it as our daily driver for a week. Here is our review of the Google Pixel 10.
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In This Article
Google Pixel 10 Review: Design and Display
First, let’s take a look at what you get inside the Pixel 10’s retail box:
- Smartphone
- USB Type-C to Type-C charger
- SIM ejector
- User Guide
Google’s big design shift for the Pixel came last year, so it isn’t a surprise that the new Pixel 10 doesn’t stray from the established design language. The smartphone has a flat form factor with rounded corners. The rear camera bar has a matte finish. Its sensor section is wider than its predecessor due to the presence of a telephoto lens. One of the benefits of having a horizontal camera bar is that it does not cause any wobble when the phone is placed on a flat surface. However, it does collect loose fibres and lint when placed in pockets. The glass back panel has a contrasting glossy finish and tends to attract fingerprints and smudges.
The aluminium frame houses the side button and the volume rocker on its right edge. At the bottom lies the primary microphone, the USB Type-C port, and the speaker grille. The SIM tray and the noise-cancelling microphone are positioned up top. The smartphone’s earpiece acts as the secondary speaker.
The 6.3-inch OLED display on the Pixel 10 has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. In High Brightness Mode, this display can hit 2,000 nits. This is enough for it to remain legible under direct sunlight. The touch response offered by this panel is smooth and fluid. The bezels around the screen are slim and uniform. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is far superior to its optical counterparts. It can unlock the phone with a single tap. However, you still need to wake up the display to use this sensor.
The media streaming experience on the Pixel 10 is delightful. The OLED display has HDR 10+ support. The images are crisp and vibrant. With a 442ppi pixel density, the display renders detailed visuals. The dual speaker setup produces a well-balanced audio output with a strong low-end, which is missing from most smartphones.
Google Pixel 10 Review: Performance and Cameras
At the heart of the Pixel 10 lies Google’s in-house Tensor G5 processor. This next-gen chipset is based on a 3nm process. The smartphone is available in a single 12GB RAM + 256GB storage (UFS 4.0) variant priced at Rs 79,999.
We ran a couple of benchmark tests on the smartphone. Here is how it performed.
- AnTuTu 3D: 1,182,510
- Geekbench: 2,273 (single-core) | 4,757 (multi-core)
The Tensor G5 SoC puts up a good display in everyday use. It handles routine tasks like calling, instant messaging, media streaming, social media browsing, and navigation with ease. Juggling different apps at once does not cause any issues. The smartphone runs a little warm while carrying out heavy tasks like video recording and editing. There is no visible lag in performance, but the smartphone could handle the internal temperature better. On the bright side, the Pixel 10 retains its spot as the smartphone with the best haptics.
Google is yet to bridge the gap with other flagships when it comes to the Pixel’s gaming performance. We played titles like Call of Duty Mobile and BGMI on this device with the highest possible graphics settings. While the gameplay was smooth, the back panel warmed up within the first 20 minutes. The thermal management of the Pixel 10 needs more work. Perhaps a Vapor Chamber cooling system could be the answer.
The software duties on the Pixel 10 are handled by the stock Android 16 OS. There is absolutely no bloatware on the device. Google has promised 7 major OS upgrades for this smartphone.
The Pixel 10 remains one of the most intelligent smartphones out there. This year’s headline-grabbing feature on Google’s flagship phone is ‘Magic Cue’. The idea behind it is simple – your smartphone looks into a bunch of Google apps (Gmail, Notes, Contacts, Calendar, etc.) and uses AI to come up with relevant suggestions wherever necessary. For example, if you’re texting a friend about your vacation plans, Magic Cue will read the context of the messages and display a small pop-up with your flight details. While this can be useful in certain situations, we didn’t feel the need to incorporate it into daily use.
The native photo editor in the Photos app has been tweaked for better accessibility. If you have trouble finding your desired tools, you can simply look them up using the search function. The editor can also accept text and voice prompts for the changes you want in an image. It then applies those changes to the image and lets you know how it got to the final result. If you struggle with taking well-composed pictures, the Camera app has a new ‘Camera Coach’ tool that scans the scene in front of you and gives you useful tips to take better shots.
The Pixel 10 has taken voice translation for phone calls to the next level on its Phone app. Not only does it accurately translate your speech, but it also does so in your own voice. The final result is impeccable and nothing short of magic. We can see other OEMs jumping on this feature and coming up with their iterations pretty soon. Interestingly, the Call Screen tool is not present on the base variant.
The 4,970mAh Li-ion battery pack on the Pixel 10 lasts an entire day with ease. On days with average usage, we were left with ~20% charge in the tank. With Pixelsnap onboard, you can lock your phone to a wireless charger. The good news is that it works with MagSafe chargers and accessories as well. A standard 30W USB Type-C charger takes a little over an hour to fully charge the phone.
The rear camera bar houses a 48MP primary shooter, a 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. Up front, a 10.5MP selfie camera is placed inside a punch-hole cutout on the display. This isn’t the same camera array as the Pro models, but the results are delightful nonetheless.
The 48MP primary shooter takes incredible images in outdoor daylight conditions. Google’s photoprocessing technique remains rock-solid. The images showcase vibrant but balanced colours and excellent dynamic range. We were particularly impressed with the way the smartphone exposed the sky. Nothing about these pictures seems artificial. The device does justice to the scene in front of you. In limited lighting conditions, the primary shooter relies on the Night Mode to resolve the noise and produce clear and well-lit images.
Despite rocking a 13MP sensor, the ultrawide camera retains the quality of the primary shooter. Of course, you will notice the difference when you pixel peep, but on the surface, the images look great. The colour profile remains consistent with the main camera, minus the slight tinge of warmth. Overall, we were pleased with the details and vibrancy of the ultrawide shots. In limited lighting conditions, the smartphone does a decent job of illuminating the subject, but the images are visibly softer.
The 10.5MP telephoto lens isn’t present solely to fill up space in the camera bar. This camera takes sensational images with 5x optical zoom. The vibrant colours and rich details are nothing but impressive. Even with 20x zoom, the images do not distort or pixelate. This is largely due to the photoprocessing chops of the Pixel 10.
The portrait shots taken by the Pixel are clear and well-focused. The edges of the subject remain sharp, even at 3x zoom. However, would’ve preferred a more intense background blur. The primary shooter and telephoto lens can record 4K videos at 24, 30, and 60 fps. The ultrawide lens can accomplish the same at 24 and 30 fps only.
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Verdict
At Rs 79,999, the Pixel 10 is one of the best flagship phones you can buy. It has one of the most aesthetically pleasing back panels in the game. The clean software experience of stock Android still remains unbeatable. Intelligent features like Voice Translation on calls, Magic Cue, and Camera Coach make sure that the Pixel is still ahead of the curve. The inclusion of the telephoto lens on the rear camera array is another great move that bridges the gap between the vanilla model and the Pro variants. While it may not have the same sensors as the Pro and Pro XL, Google’s incredible photoprocessing algorithm produces delightful pictures on the Pixel 10. Lastly, Pixelsnap opens the door to MagSafe and other magnetic accessories.
Pros
- Cool design
- Telephoto lens
- Pixelsnap
- Clean OS
Cons
- Runs a little warm
