The only reason you may have seen many people buy a Google Pixel is mostly down to the compelling offers on e-commerce platforms. Models like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 found new homes after the festive season sales, dropping the prices by a huge margin. The Pixel 9 is likely slated to go the same path once the online sale fest begins. But nobody buys a premium Google Pixel by paying the full price. The Pixel 10 might change that.
After painting critics impressed with its photography prowess in the early years, Google’s Pixel lineup has taken a hit in its reputation. The in-house designed Tensor chips have helped Google focus on AI, something which put Google at the forefront. However, the Pixel’s loyal fanbase always celebrated its cameras and the new ones just didn’t have that desirability anymore. With the Pixel 10, Google wants to make some changes.
Mind you, the vanilla Pixel 10 is still as affordable as the base-level iPhone 16 – you get a single variant with 256GB storage only for Rs 79,999. That seems incredible value when you consider how Samsung and Apple plan to bump the prices of their new flagships. This is considering the new 3nm Tensor G5 chip, a full-fledged triple rear camera system, more AI and pretty colours.
Is the Pixel 10, then, as good as it sounds on paper? I decided to find out.
Pixel 10 review: Design and Build
Marked as an evolution of the Pixel 9, the Pixel 10 enters the crowded premium phone market as a beautifully crafted phone with pretty colours. References to the iPhone 16 are obvious, especially with the flat sides, uniform bezels, and the ‘Indigo’ colourway (reminiscent of the Ultramarine blue from iPhone 16) – all of which is a good thing considering the practicality of the design. On the flipside, the distinctiveness of the Pixel is gone. The lineage of the ‘Panda Pixel 2’, the candybar Pixel 5, the elegant Pixel 6 and pebble-shaped Pixel 8 are gone.
Nonetheless, the IP68 certification adds assurance of this surviving rain, sweat and dust. The addition of a third Zoom camera makes it look more akin to Pro counterpart. It feels great to hold and commands attention, which is what you expect from a premium smartphone. Job well done, Google.
Another point worth appreciating is Google’s new eco-friendly packaging – thin recycled cardboard boxes with soy ink graphics and minimum stickers – it is way better than what Apple and Samsung manage.
Pixel 10 review: Display
The Pixel 10 carries over the high resolution and super-bright 6.3-inch OLED screen from its predecessor, retaining the smooth 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10+ content. The OLED panel’s peak HDR brightness is now rated at 3,000 nits and peak high brightness at 2,000 nits, thereby making it nicer to look at. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection should keep it in better shape in the event of an accidental drop on hard surfaces. For a phone of its price category, this is a good display that renders social media apps and video content in a pleasing manner. No complaints here.
*Note that the display is set to 60Hz refresh rate by default. Buyers need to dig into settings and enable ‘Smooth display’ to turn on 120Hz.
Pixel 10 review: Performance
Google’s marketing material has said a lot about the Tensor G5, promising up to 38 per cent faster performance and better AI processing. All of that has allowed Google to offer new AI features like Magic Cue and Camera Coach, along with Gemini features. I, however, would cover the Pixel 10’s performance in a way you’d normally do – using it normally.
Regardless of the processor complaints, Pixel phones have always been smooth and elegant in the way they handle your digital requests. The Pixel 10 benefits from the 3nm chip, allowing for a smoother and more consistent Android user experience. The refreshed design theme on Android 16 makes the Pixel 10 feel more lively than its predecessors – a pretty combination of background colours, subtle haptic vibrations on most interactions, and an aesthetically balanced interface. No iPhone, Samsung Galaxy or OnePlus phone comes anywhere close to Pixel 10’s user interface finesse – it’s that good.
Google promises 7 more Android OS upgrades and timely security patch updates to keep it on the bleeding edge of software technology. However, the Pixel 10-specific software perks like Magic Cue and Camera Coach are clever ways to make AI seem more useful rather than a gimmick. The Magic Cue, when enabled, provides useful data in certain circumstances, whereas the Camera Coach is a good way to help your friend/partner take a nicer looking picture of you. I didn’t find use for Camera Coach, though and hence, kept it switched off for the remainder of my review period. Gemini as the default voice assistant helps to a larger extent – I found myself going ‘Hey Gemini’ more often than usual.
Since some of you would occasionally like to play games on a Pixel 10, I subjected this baby Pixel to popular titles like ‘Call of Duty: Mobile’, Asphalt Legends, Real Racing 3 and a couple of indie games. The phone handled them all like a charm, with no notable stutters or unnatural heat-up.
Pixel 10 review: Photography
Most of you may not know that the Pixel 10 uses the same main and ultrawide camera sensors as the much cheaper Pixel 9a – the 48MP main and 13MP ultrawide shooters are technically less capable than the Pixel 9’s camera setup. Had it not been for the 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, Google would have faced protests.
Even though Google’s post-processing software is good at its job, it is often tricky to adjust for lower-grade hardware. The Pixel 10’s main and ultrawide cameras hold on nicely in well-lit and daytime photography. However, as soon as the Pixel 10 is exposed to low lighting, you can see the loss of details and sharpness on your subject. Be it humans or non-living things, the deterioration in texture rendering is notable – not seen in modern-day flagships. The same goes for the 5x telephoto camera – great in daylight, not so at night.
That’s not to say the camera is unusable at night – you have to work your way around the camera’s limitations to get the desired photos. Play right with the lighting, and the Pixel 10 takes beautiful photos, especially with its saturated colours and exceptional detailing. You can always count on Google’s smart editing tools and AI upscaling to get the desired taste in your photos. It would have been nicer, though, for the camera to do the basic work for me, just like an iPhone. The Pixel 10 also tends to make skin tones warmer, enhance the facial details and suppress any atmospheric effects (volumetric fog, lighting, etc). The front camera exhibits the same characteristics – amplifying facial details and dampening the skin tone. However, when the ambient lighting is good, the selfies turn out pleasant.
Videography is where the Pixel 10 has made strides, offering consistent colour science and sharpness in all lighting conditions. The transition to the telephoto camera is jerky. The overall video camera output is good for vlogging and social media use.
Pixel 10 review: Battery and Charging
With a larger 4,900mAh battery, the Pixel 10 now delivers stamina for an entire day and even leave some for the next day (provided you are gentle with the phone). A busy day with the cameras may require a top-up mid-day but for most users, this phone delivers splendid battery stamina. Charging takes a long while with non-Pixel charging adapters, taking up to 4 hours from 0-100 per cent with a 65W OnePlus adapter.
The PixelSnap Qi2 charging adds a lot of practicality to wireless charging. I likely had a Qi2 compatible wireless power bank that made the most out of Google’s PixelSnap magnetic mechanism. The magnets are compatible with Apple’s MagSafe accessories, thus opening up a sea of accessories.
Google Pixel 10 review: Verdict
The Pixel 10 brings a new persona to the Pixel lineup. Instead of being camera-centric, this phone is now all about AI. While most of you won’t care about Magic Cue or Camera Coach, it is the seamlessness with which these smart features are embedded into the Android OS that makes the phone usage a wholesome experience. It’s as if the phone knows what you want and is always ready to extend help.
Beyond the software, the Pixel 10 is a well-built premium phone with a set of good (not great) cameras, reliable battery stamina, a nice display and the convenience of magnetic accessories. The promise of 7 years of OS upgrades makes brilliant value for money too. The price of Rs 79,999 makes it a tempting alternative to the iPhone 16 and Samsung’s Galaxy S25.
Hence, if you seek a well-rounded premium smartphone experience, the Google Pixel 10 should be your top consideration.