Google announced four compelling Pixel 10 smartphones during the August 20 launch event. In this article, we’ll compare the company’s vanilla offering with its large-format flagship. In other words, this is a Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL comparison. Yes, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is the more expensive phone that has more to offer, but the Pixel 10 is likely more than enough for most of you… and it’s also rather compact.
We will kick things off by listing the specs of both smartphones, and will then move to a number of other categories. We’ll be comparing their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. These two phones have very similar designs and a number of other similarities, but there are also some notable differences to highlight. Let’s get to it, shall we?
- Specs
- Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Design
- Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Display
- Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Performance
- Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Battery
- Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Cameras
- Audio
Specs
Google Pixel 10
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
| Google Pixel 10 | Google Pixel 10 Pro XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 152.8 x 72 x 8.6mm | 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm |
| Weight | 204 grams | 232 grams |
| Display | 6.3-inch Actua OLED display | 6.8-inch Super Actual LTPO OLED display |
| Refresh rate | Smooth Display (60-120Hz) | Smooth Display (1-120Hz) |
| Resolution | 2424 x 1080 | 2992 x 1344 |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G5 | Google Tensor G5 |
| RAM | 12GB (LPDDR5X) | 16GB (LPDDR5X) |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB | 256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0) |
| Main camera | 48MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.0-inch sensor size, 82-degree FoV) | 50MP (f/1.68 aperture, 1/1.3-inch sensor size, 82-degree FoV) |
| Ultra-wide camera | 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.1-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV) | 48MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV) |
| Telephoto camera | N/A | N/A |
| Periscope telephoto camera | 10.8MP (f/3.1 aperture, 1/3.2-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom, 23-degree FoV) | 48MP (f/2.8 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom, 22-degree FoV) |
| Selfie camera | 10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 95-degree FoV) | 42MP (f/2.2 aperture, 103-degree FoV) |
| Battery size | 4,970mAh | 5,200mAh |
| Charging | 30W wired, 15W Qi2 wireless (charger not included) | 30W wired, 25W Qi2 wireless (charger not included) |
| Colors | Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, Obsidian | Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain, Obsidian |
Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Design
Google has a specific design language for its Pixel phones, and both of these devices are fit in there. They have rounded corners, flat front and back sides, while their frame is also flat all around. You’ll notice a centered display camera hole at the top of both displays. The bezels around the two panels are uniform, and they’re also rather thin. The ones on the Pixel 10 Pro XL are slightly thinner, but only barely.
Both phones are made out of aluminum and glass, by the way. All the physical buttons sit on the right-hand side. The power/lock key sits above the volume up and down buttons. That’s the way Google sets things up, and Pixels are basically the only phones that have them reversed. The power/lock key is usually below the volume buttons. There is nothing on the left-hand side in terms of buttons.
If we flip the two phones around, you’ll see camera bars on both phones. Yes, both of them have a pill-shaped camera bar and three cameras on the inside. The camera sensors are larger on the Pixel 10 Pro XL, however. Both camera bars also protrude on the back. Google’s logo is centered on the backplate. These two phones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is considerably taller and wider, while they’re almost identical in terms of thickness. The larger phone is also 28 grams heavier. Yes, they’re also quite slippery due to the build materials.
Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Display
The Google Pixel 10 features a 6.3-inch Actua display. That is a fullHD+ (2424 x 1080) OLED panel with a 422 PPI and a 20:9 aspect ratio. It’s a Smooth Display (60-120Hz refresh rate), and it supports HDR content. Its peak brightness is 3,000 nits, in theory, while the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this display. This panel is also flat.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
The Google Pixel 10 XL, on the flip side, has a 6.3-inch Super Actual LTPO OLED display. The resolution here is 2856 x 1280, and this is also a Smooth Display, but its refresh rate goes from 1 to 120Hz as needed. This panel is also flat, and it has a 20:9 aspect ratio. HDR is supported, while the peak brightness is 3,300 nits, in theory. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 from Corning is here to protect the panel.
Both of these displays are really good. They’re vivid, have great viewing angles, and the touch response is also good. They do get bright enough when you need them to as well. They both also support a 120Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 10 Pro XL’s panel does have the advantage of being sharper, while it also has a wider range of refresh rate, which should benefit battery life. Still, both displays are very good, and many of you won’t even notice the refresh rate or resolution differences.
Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Performance
Google’s brand-new Tensor G5 processor fuels both of these smartphones. This is the very first TSMC-made Tensor chip, and it’s made using the latest 3nm node. That chip may not offer as much sheer power as the Snapdragon 8 Elite, but it has a number of other benefits, and it’s made for Pixel phones. It’s also made for AI that Pixels offer. The same chip is used in both phones, there are no differences.
Having said that, the two phones do come with different RAM setups. While both of them offer LPDDR5X RAM, the Pixel 10 Pro XL offers more RAM. It comes with 16GB of RAM, while the Pixel 10 includes 12GB of RAM. Generally speaking, that should be enough, but it’s always nice to have that extra RAM. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is, after all, the higher-end phone, and it’s supposed to be in line with other flagships.
When it comes to performance itself, we didn’t get to review either phone just yet. However, we do expect it to be just fine. Yes, these two phones will test considerably below the Snapdragon 8 Elite phones on benchmarks, but the Tensor G5 seems to be a very capable chip with a number of aces up its sleeve. In all honesty, chances are that both phones will be as smooth as you need them to be.
Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Battery
What about the batteries? Well, the Google Pixel 10 includes a 4,970mAh battery, while the Pixel 10 Pro XL ships with a 5,200mAh unit. Both of these phones have larger batteries than their predecessors. As a reminder, the Pixel 9 has a 4,700mAh unit, while the Pixel 10 Pro XL includes a 5,060mAh unit. It’s nice to see an improvement in the battery life department, that’s for sure.
In all honesty, both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL offered good battery life, but we’re expecting things to visibly improve with their successors. That’s another aspect that you’ll have to wait a full review for, as we didn’t get to test battery life just yet. We do expect the Pixel 10 Pro XL to offer better battery life, though, if that’s what you’re wondering about. The same was the case for the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and based on specs, it does make sense. We’ll see if that will be the case, however.
When it comes to charging, both of these phones support 30W wired charging, along with wireless Qi2 charging. Yes, both of them include magnets on the inside as well, for full-fledged wireless charging. The thing is, the Pixel 10 Pro XL supports the Qi2.2 standard, and thus faster 25W wireless charging. The Pixel 10 is limited to 15W wireless charging, which is a bit slower.
Google Pixel 10 vs Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Cameras
Both of these phones have three cameras on the back, but the actual hardware used is different. The Pixel 10 Pro XL has the upper hand across the board. All three of its cameras are better… on paper. The Pixel 10 has a 48-megapixel main camera (1/2.0-inch sensor size), along with a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/3.1-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV). The third camera on the back is a 10.8-megapixel periscope telephoto unit (1/3.2-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom). Google uses a smaller main camera here than in the Pixel 9, which is very odd.
Google Pixel 10
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, on the other hand, has a 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.3-inch sensor size). A 48-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV) is also included, as is a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom). As you can see, each of those sensors is larger than what the Pixel 10 offers, notably larger.
Google can do a lot with software when it comes to cameras, the company proved that over and over again. The decrease in main sensor size for the Pixel 10 is quite considerable, so it will be interesting to see how will that reflect on the actual pictures. We do expect better results on the Pixel 10 Pro XL across the board. That is especially true when it comes to low-light photography.
Audio
Both of these smartphones have stereo speakers. We didn’t get a chance to test them out yet, but Google did promise some audio improvements. Either way, if previous generations are anything to go by, they’ll be on the same level in terms of loudness and sound quality.
Neither of these two smartphones has an audio jack. You can still hook up your wired headphones via the Type-C port that each phone has, you’ll just need a dongle. Alternatively, Bluetooth 6 is on offer by both phones.
