Android's Pixel 10 Pro Reveals the Epitome of What a Top-tier Android Device Should Offer

The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, the latest top-end phone from the tech giant, boasts a slick design, vibrant display, and generally solid cameras. This device is an evolution of its predecessor, offering a great everyday experience in a stylish package.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL's rear camera setup includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. The camera performs well, with impressive AI-assisted Super Res Zoom, allowing digital zoom up to 30x, with the AI taking over beyond that point. However, images taken with the Pixel 10 Pro XL can look over processed, with crunchy-looking details from overzealous image processing in lowlight conditions.

One of the Pixel 10 Pro XL's main selling points is its AI prowess. The device comes with a variety of new tools for image creation and productivity. The camera can capture detailed and bright images with little image noise in lowlight conditions, and it can recreate details in a scene, even at great distances. The AI can also digitally zoom in to 100x, with the resulting image being upscaled by the phone's software.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL's design is similar to the Pixel 9 Pro, with a polished metal edges, frosted glass back, and isolated camera bar. The device is compatible with Qi2.2 magnetic accessories, similar to Apple's MagSafe. It features a 6.8-inch display, which is bright and vibrant, being more than capable of being legible under the bright Paris sun and under the slightly less bright Edinburgh sun.

Under the hood, the Pixel 10 Pro XL uses Android 16 as its platform out of the box, featuring the new Material 3 Expressive user interface and enhanced AI integrations with the Tensor G5 chip. Both the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL share the same Tensor G5 chip and have 16GB of RAM.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL offers slightly faster 45-watt wired charging and larger speakers compared to the standard model. It also has fun and useful new AI skills, such as Magic Cue, which can be of limited use if you don't live strictly in Google's world.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL is not the most powerful or the best-camera phone, but it is a superb jack of all trades. Those carrying last year's Pixel 9 phones or even the Pixel 8 series don't need to consider upgrading to the Pixel 10 Pro. However, for those who prefer big-screen phones for more immersive gaming or something more pocket-friendly, the choice between the two models comes down to personal preference.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL's long software support period, competitive pricing at $999 at Best Buy, and manual editing of images in Adobe Lightroom for better results make it an attractive option for many. Despite some issues with image processing in lowlight conditions and the limited usefulness of Magic Cue, the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is a device that offers a great balance of performance, design, and functionality.

Android's Pixel 10 Pro Reveals the Epitome of What a Top-tier Android Device Should Offer