4 reasons to buy the Pixel 10 Pro XL instead of waiting for the S26 Ultra

The Pixel 10 Pro XL has arrived, bringing an improved camera package, a faster Tensor processor, a larger battery, and several other refinements. It’s easily the most advanced Pixel yet, but Google’s devices don’t exist in a vacuum. Samsung already launched a powerhouse with the Galaxy S25 Ultra earlier this year, which we have already compared against the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but let’s not forget that its successor is only about six months away.

So, should you buy the Pixel 10 Pro XL now, or wait for the Galaxy S26 Ultra? Let’s break down four reasons why Google’s new flagship is worth picking up right away.

While the Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra still outpaces the Tensor, the gap has narrowed. Of course, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to bring the even more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, but the Pixel 10 Pro XL offers more than enough performance for a true flagship experience without falling too far behind.

Google also benefits from controlling Android more directly, which allows for a tighter, more user-friendly mainstream experience. While Samsung piles on extra features — many of which go unused for the average user — the Pixel takes a more curated, iPhone-like approach, emphasizing practicality with better battery optimization, AI tools, and a refined interface.

The new Pixel also feels more premium than its predecessor, while matching the Galaxy closely despite key differences in design choices. Its display is brighter than ever at up to 3,300 nits, and its speakers deliver the loudest and fullest sound yet on a Pixel device.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a reliable, everyday flagship and don’t consider yourself a “power user,” the Pixel offers meaningful upgrades right now instead of months down the road for a phone that may or may not be a major shakeup anyhow.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL gets a decent battery upgrade as well, jumping from 4,700mAh to 5,200mAh. Charging is faster too, hitting 70% in just 30 minutes with a 45W charger. To get the best speeds, you’ll want to check out our guide to the best Pixel 10 chargers.

You also get Qi2 wireless charging here, which ditches the old alignment struggles for a slick magnetic system similar to Apple’s MagSafe technology.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra will likely add proper Qi2 support as well without requiring a clunky magnetic case like it did with the S25 Ultra, but rumors suggest it’ll stick with a 5,000mAh cell. With the Tensor’s more modest power draw and Google’s bigger battery, the Pixel looks set to take the lead on endurance. Samsung might fight back with faster 60W charging, but that’s about the only edge it seems to have here. Of course, we can’t say for sure how well the Pixel does in battery life until we have some more hands-on time with it.

While Samsung offers plenty of great AI features, the truth is that it has begun leaning more heavily on Google for its AI smarts. This is ultimately a good thing, as it creates a more cohesive Android AI experience, but it also means Google is more likely to drive innovation than its partners.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL not only includes the latest Gemini Nano model, but it also introduces a range of new AI features — such as a native audio model that sounds more natural and lets you control how it speaks to you. It can even detect whether you’re excited, concerned, sad, or happy, and adjust its responses accordingly.

Other notable features include:

• Magic Cue: Suggests group activities, such as adding events to your calendar, previewing the forecast for an upcoming trip in the Weather app, or reminding you to settle a shared tab with friends.
• Voice Translate: Provides real-time call translation on-device using natural-sounding voices, avoiding the robotic tone typical of most translation apps.
• Pixel Journal: A private AI journaling app that offers prompts to help you process thoughts, track progress, gain insights, and more.
• Call Message: Separates missed or declined calls from spam, provides real-time transcripts, and uses advanced AI to suggest follow-up actions.

That’s just a few of the highlights, but there’s also new AI voice writing tools in G Board, updates to Pixel Studio, and more.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL introduces a new 48MP wide shooter alongside a 10.8MP telephoto and 10.5MP ultrawide lens. On paper, this may not sound as impressive as the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 200MP main camera or the rumored upgraded 200MP Sony sensor that could appear in the Galaxy S26 Ultra. But as always, Google’s strength lies in its AI-driven processing, which consistently delivers results that outperform the hardware specs. That tradition continues with the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

There are several new camera features available with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, though here are some of the biggest:

• Camera Couch: Suggests scenes and provides step-by-step instructions for framing and angles.
• Improved Guided Frame: Powered by Gemini, this offers smarter guidance than ever before, complete with auto hints, vibrations, and other cues to help you line up shots.
• Auto Best Take: Recognizes group photos and analyzes over 150 frames in a few seconds, selecting the one where everyone looks their best.
• Ask Photos: Lets you make quick edits with natural commands like “fix the lighting in this picture”. You can also request multiple edits in a single prompt.

To be honest, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the Galaxy S26 Ultra. A processor upgrade is a given, but beyond that, most of what we’ve heard comes from the rumor mill. Here’s a quick rundown of the whispers surrounding Samsung’s next premium flagship:

• Slimmer design: Rumored to measure just 8mm thick — 0.2mm slimmer than the S25 Ultra and 0.5mm thinner than the Pixel 10 Pro XL. It’s also expected to be slightly lighter.
• Battery tech: Likely to use minor design upgrades for more compact cells, though capacity is still expected to remain at 5,000mAh.
• Camera and display: Possible 200MP camera upgrade, and a slightly larger display with even thinner bezels.
• Faster charging: Could see a bump up to 60W.
• Price: Unless Samsung adjusts its pricing strategy, the S26 Ultra will probably cost more than the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Historically, their predecessors have been priced about $100 apart, with the Pixel being the cheaper option.

At the end of the day, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will likely be a more powerful device, though Google still continues to reign when it comes to AI, It’s also much more focused on the everyday user with solid battery life, decent performance, a great camera experience, and small but meaningful software changes.

If you prefer a powerhouse or you really don’t need a new phone right now, sure, it might not hurt to wait, at least until we know a bit more about Samsung’s plans. Even if you decide not to pick up the Galaxy S26 Ultra, odds are the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL will see a notable discount around that time.

Need a good, reliable everyperson’s device and don’t want to wait? You won’t be disappointed by the Pixel 10 Pro XL.