Google Pixel 10 review: The smartest smartphone

With the Pixel 10, Google is launching the successor to the Pixel 9 series, repositioning itself in the upper mid-range segment. The device is said to offer plenty of performance and smart features for a relatively low price. We tested it.

Design & processing

The Pixel 10 continues the design language of the Pixel series. We still have a round camera bar on the back, as well as the flat edges of the Pixel 9. The display is flat, with relatively thin bezels, and the selfie camera sits in a punch-hole in the center of the display. The power button and a volume rocker are located on the right side of the device. The SIM slot (which is still available in Europe) and a microphone are located on the top of the device, and stereo speakers are located on the bottom of the device.

The Google Pixel 10 has a back made of Gorilla Glass. (Image: TechnikNews)

The device is of high quality and protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2; the vibration motor in particular feels very high-quality, as is typical for Google.

Display

The Pixel 10 has a 6,3-inch OLED "Actual Display" with a resolution of 1080 x 2424 and a refresh rate of 60–120 Hz. Unlike the Pro model, it is not an LTPO display (with a variable refresh rate of 1–120 Hz), and the resolution and brightness are slightly lower (Pro 1280 x 2856 pixels with 2200 nits HDR and 3300 nits maximum brightness). However, with a maximum brightness of 2000 or 3000 nits, the screen can be used even on bright days. proeasy to read and content looks good on the screen.

The Pixel 10's display is very bright and sharp. (Image: TechnikNews)

For the price, the Pixel 10 offers a good display, especially when compared directly to the competition.

Performance

This year, Google is using its own Tensor G10 processor in the Pixel 5, which for the first time was built not by Samsung, but by Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC). The base model comes with 12 GB of RAM (16 GB in the Pro), as well as 128 or 256 GB of internal storage. Unfortunately, only the 256 GB model uses the faster UFS 4.0 storage; the 128 GB model still uses UFS 3.1.

Performance is above average. Games run absolutely smoothly, apps launch quickly and remain in the background for a long time, and photos are processed quickly. AI applications also run significantly smoother than on older devices like the Pixel 8 Pro.

camera

Google's biggest leap forward this year is with the camera. For the first time, a telephoto camera is included in the base model. In addition to a 10-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, the Pixel 13 also has a 10.8-megapixel telephoto lens. This allows for up to five times optical zoom and 20 times digital zoom. The wide-angle lens also allows for macro shots.

The Pixel 10 features a telephoto camera for the first time. (Image: TechnikNews)

I went on another photo tour with the Pixel 10 and took several hundred photos in the last few days. You can see some of them look here.

everyday test

The Pixel 10's camera is impressive across the board in everyday use. Color reproduction is – as you'd expect from Google – natural without losing any dynamic range. Especially in daylight, the images are extremely rich in detail and contrast, without compromising dynamic range. The photos of Hamburg City Hall and the Alster Lake demonstrate how well the Pixel 10 can capture bright skies, shadows, and the finest structures simultaneously.

The Pixel 10 delivers excellent results even in challenging lighting conditions. The shots from the planetarium and the Deichtorhallen party clearly demonstrate that Google has further improved its post-processing: neon lights are rendered realistically without bleed-out detail, and details in dark areas remain clearly visible. Especially noticeable in the night shots is the new noise control, which is significantly more controlled. The Pixel 10 produces clean, sharp images without unnatural smoothing or excessive post-processing.

The new five-fold optical zoom is a real plus. Even at high zoom, the images remain amazingly sharp, and Google's Super Res zoom intervenes smoothly without noticeable artifacts or blurring. The ultra-wide angle also does a good job: The perspective remains distortion-free, and the image sharpness almost matches that of the main camera—a point where many mid-range devices often falter. Only the front camera has

Overall, the Pixel 10 delivers one of the best camera performances in the upper mid-range for its price. Whether day, night, party, or architecture – the results are consistently strong, and thanks to the improved software, you hardly need to manually adjust the camera, even in challenging conditions.

Software

The Pixel 10 runs Google's Android 16 with the "Material 3 Expressive" design language, which completely redesigns almost all Google apps. With seven years of OS and security updates, as well as Google's "feature drops," it's the longest-lasting smartphone alongside Samsung. The software is intuitive, runs smoothly, and quickly, and switching from other systems like iOS is child's play. Google has also expanded its ecosystem in recent years, but switching between devices is still not as easy as with Apple.

The Pixel 10 runs the latest Android 16. (Screenshot: TechnikNews)

KI

Google is once again relying heavily on its Gemini AI this year. With the new processor, more RAM, and new features, Google promises the "smartest smartphone" on the market. A new feature in the camera app is "Camera Coach," which suggests several ideas for taking a good photo based on the preview. Gemini has also become more intelligent and can now point directly to objects in Live View. There's a dedicated Journal app that uses AI to summarize memories, and screenshots can be searched in the Pixel Screenshots app.

We'll have to wait a little longer for some of the most exciting new features in Europe/DACH; direct translation of phone calls or "Magic Cue" are not yet available.

Especially after using an iPhone for a long time, the Pixel 10 makes it clear how much easier AI can make everyday life and how incredibly far behind Apple still is. Even compared to Samsung smartphones, which also rely on Google models, Google is significantly ahead. The Pixel 10 is the smartest smartphone on the market and will remain so for a long time to come.

Battery

Google has increased the battery capacity from 4700 milliamperes in the Pixel 9 to a whopping 4970 mAh. Unfortunately, charging is still limited to a maximum of 30 watts, with only the Pixel 10 Pro XL charging at a faster 45 watts. However, Google has incorporated a long-awaited feature into all three models: magnets. With the "Pixelsnap" branding, Google is introducing a range of accessories that can be used to charge or use the device. Apple MagSafe-compatible products also work with the Pixel 10, as I have tested myself. Disappointingly, only the Pixel 10 Pro XL also has Qi 2.2 with a maximum of 25 watts of fast charging; the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro rely on standard Qi 2.0 with a maximum of 15 watts.

The Pixel 10's battery recharges very slowly. (Image: TechnikNews)

The battery life is good, getting you through a normal day without any problems, but the smartphone always needs to be charged in the evening. In standby mode, the device still feels like it consumes a bit too much battery; for a dedicated processor, I expect better energy efficiency. Apple still has the edge in that regard.

Sound

The stereo speakers have also been improved. Both YouTube videos and music/podcasts sound loud and clear, but the sound doesn't quite match the richness of an iPhone 16 Pro. However, for the price, the sound is more than solid, and the same applies to calls.

The Pixel 10 has stereo speakers with full sound (Image: TechnikNews)

Conclusion

With the Pixel 10, Google delivers an all-round strong smartphone that is in the upper mid-range proThe design, performance, camera, and software are all top-notch, especially the new telephoto camera and further improved AI integration, making the device one of the most exciting Android smartphones of the year. The seven years of updates are a truly unique selling point and make the Pixel 10 attractive in the long term.

However, there are also minor criticisms: For the asking price, I would have preferred at least 256 gigabytes of storage in the base model—especially given the ever-increasing size of photo and video files. Charging speed also lags behind some competitors, and Qi 2.2 is only available on the Pro XL.

Despite these details, the Pixel 10 remains a truly excellent overall package, particularly appealing to those who value a powerful camera, a long update schedule, and smart AI features. Especially compared to iPhones, Google demonstrates what a modern AI smartphone should look and function like.