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- Brand
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Google
- SoC
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Tensor G5
- Display
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6.3-inch Super Actua display 1280 x 2856 pixel resolution OLED (1-120Hz)
- RAM
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16GB
- Storage
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128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Battery
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4,870mAh, 30+ hours of battery life
The Pixel 10 Pro features Google’s new Tensor G5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. The smartphone’s overall design looks very similar to its predecessor, including its sprawling camera bump.
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Google / Pocket-lint - Brand
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Google
- SoC
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Tensor G4
- Display
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6.3-inch Super Actua display 1280 x 2856 pixel resolution OLED (1-120Hz)
- RAM
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16GB
- Storage
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128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Battery
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4700mAh, 24+ hours of battery life
The Pixel 9 Pro brings a new squared-off design, the Tensor G4 chip, and new AI features like Pixel Screenshots to Google’s flagship smartphone line. It’s available starting September 4th.
Google revealed the Pixel 10 series at its recent Made by Google event, introducing the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold to the world.
When you first look at Google’s new flagship Pixel 10 Pro, you might wonder: “Isn’t this basically the same phone as last year?” And in terms of design, that’s a fair point – the Pixel 10 Pro looks almost identical to the Pixel 9 Pro, except for its new moonstone and jade color. This year, Google has focused on under-the-hood improvements, and there are many of them.
Let’s take a close look at the key differences between the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro, covering specs, pricing, availability, design, and more.
Price, specs, and availability
A year of refinement
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Google Pixel 10 Pro Pixel 9 Pro Brand Google Google SoC Tensor G5 Tensor G4 Display 6.3-inch Super Actua display 1280 x 2856 pixel resolution OLED (1-120Hz) 6.3-inch Super Actua display 1280 x 2856 pixel resolution OLED (1-120Hz) RAM 16GB 16GB Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Battery 4,870mAh, 30+ hours of battery life 4700mAh, 24+ hours of battery life Ports USB-C USB-C Operating System Android 16 Android 14 Front camera 42-megapixel f/2.2 selfie camera 42-megapixel f/2.2 selfie camera Rear camera 50-megapixel f/1.68 wide camera, 48-megapixel f/1.7 ultrawide camera, 48-megapixel f/2.8, telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom 50-megapixel f/1.68 wide camera, 48-megapixel f/1.7 ultrawide camera, 48-megapixel f/2.8, telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom Dimensions 6 x 2.8 x 0.3-inches (152.8 x 72 x 8.6mm) 6 x 2.8 x 0.3-inches (152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm) Weight 7.3oz (207g) 7oz (199g)
The Google Pixel 9 Pro was released in September 2024, starting at $1,000 USD ($1,349 CAD), with the phone available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options, all featuring 16GB of RAM. The phone comes in four colors: porcelain, rose quartz, hazel, and obsidian.
For the Pixel 10 Pro, which is set to be released on August 28, Google has kept the same price as last year, starting at $1,000 USD ($1,349 CAD). It is also available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options, with 16GB of RAM. The Pixel 10 Pro introduces new color choices, adding moonstone and jade to the existing options of porcelain and obsidian, while forgoing hazel and rose quartz.
Design and build
Not much has changed, except for magnets
On the outside, the design of the Pixel 10 Pro closely resembles that of the Pixel 9 Pro, with the same flat-edge design with rounded corners, and a slightly larger rear camera bar. It’s distinctly Pixel, helping it stand out against the Galaxy S25 series and the iPhone 16 series.
The Pixel 10 Pro features the same aluminum frame as the Pixel 9 Pro and has a glass back protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The dimensions of both the 9 Pro and 10 Pro are nearly identical, with the 10 Pro being slightly thicker (8.6mm compared to the 9 Pro’s 8.5mm), and this difference is justified.
This year, Google integrated a magnet into the Pixel 10 Pro, enabling full support for Qi2 magnetic charging. Google is also launching its own line of magnetic accessories for the Pixel 10 series, called Pixelsnap, to complement this feature. With this, Google has achieved what no other top Android phone maker has managed so far: to take on Apple’s MagSafe.
Finally, one last small design change: the Pixel 10 Pro now features a metallic G logo on the back of the phone, which is a nice touch and certainly makes it look more premium.
Display
The Pixel 10 Pro’s display is brighter than the Pixel 9 Pro
Following the same trend as the phone’s design, the display on the Pixel 10 Pro is identical to that of the Pixel 9 Pro, featuring a 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. The resolution remains the same, at 1280 x 2856 pixels, with a pixel density of 495 ppi, and a 20:9 aspect ratio. Both also have a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, HDR support, and full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors.
Where the Pixel 10 Pro differs from the Pixel 9 Pro in terms of display is in brightness. The Pixel 10 Pro’s display can reach a peak brightness of up to 3,300 nits, a notable increase from the Pixel 9 Pro’s 3,000 nits.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL (which is just a larger version of the Pixel 10 Pro) also has an identical screen to the Pixel 9 Pro XL, with a 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED display, adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, 1344 x 2992 pixel resolution, and the same brightness upgrade as the Pixel 10 Pro.
Internals
The Tensor G5 is the star of the show
The inside of the Pixel 10 Pro is finally where things start to look very different from the Pixel 9 Pro. Most notably, the phone is powered by Google’s in-house-designed ARM processor, the Tensor G5. This is an upgrade from the Pixel 9 Pro, which features Google’s Tensor G4 chipset. On average, Google claims the Tensor G5 chip is 34 percent faster than the Tensor G4, and that it boasts a more powerful TPU (Tensor Processing Units) to help better process on-device AI.
Regarding battery life, the Pixel 10 Pro receives an upgrade with a 4,870mAh battery, which is slightly larger than the Pixel 9 Pro’s 4,700mAh battery. Google states that the Pixel 10 Pro can last over 30 hours, and up to 100 hours with Extreme Battery Saver mode enabled. The Pixel 10 Pro XL boasts a 5,200mAh battery, which is larger than the 9 Pro XL’s 5,060mAh battery.
Internally, the Pixel 10 Pro truly outshines the Pixel 9 Pro, with many impactful differences that will enhance everyday use.
As I mentioned earlier, the Pixel 10 Pro now features a magnet inside, enabling support for Qi2 magnetic charging speeds. The Pixel 10 Pro can achieve up to 30W of wired fast charging, while the Pixel 10 Pro XL can reach up to 45W. Wireless charging, which Google calls “Pixelsnap Magnetic Wireless charging,” can reach up to 15W on the Pixel 10 Pro thanks to Qi2. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is actually faster since it supports Qi2.2, allowing it to reach up to 25.5W wirelessly.
Google has also upgraded the top and bottom speakers, and, design-wise, has implemented a new “symmetic speaker mesh,” so the audio on the Pixel 10 Pro will likely be better than that of the Pixel 9 Pro. What’s similar between the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro is their water and dust resistance rating, which is both IP68, and the fact that both have ultrasonic fingerprint sensors.
Internally, the Pixel 10 Pro truly outshines the Pixel 9 Pro, with many impactful differences that will enhance everyday use.
Cameras
Subtle software improvements
The Pixel 9 Pro already offered an impressive camera array, and for the Pixel 10 Pro, Google has opted to keep it, not surprisingly, virtually the same once again.
The Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro both have a triple rear camera setup, which includes an f/1.68 50-megapixel main wide shooter, a f/1.7 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and an f/2.8 48-megapixel telephoto lens capable of up to 5x optical zoom. The front selfie camera remains the same, also featuring a f/2.2 42-megapixel shooter.
What has changed in the camera department this year is the introduction of a new 100x Pro Res Zoom on the 48-megapixel telephoto lens, which utilizes the Pixel 10 Pro’s Tensor G5 chipset and AI imaging models, allowing you to capture significantly more detail at 100x zoom. The 50-megapixel main lens also has “improved stabilization” to help videos look smoother.
Google already had a winner on its hands with the Pixel 9 Pro’s cameras, and for the Pixel 10 Pro, it’s clear it worked on refining it to be even better via software, rather than changing any of the lenses.
Verdict: Does the Pixel 10 Pro stand as a worthy upgrade to the Pixel 9 Pro?
The Pixel 10 Pro is Google’s best flagship yet, but if you have a Pixel 9 Pro, there’s little reason to upgrade unless you really want to use Pixelsnap
For the Pixel 10 Pro and the entire Pixel 10 lineup as a whole, it’s clear that Google took an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach. Honestly, I’m not surprised about this, and I’m actually okay with it. I really like the design of the Pixel 9 Pro, and for Google to take that successful design and make it even better with the Pixel 10 Pro makes sense in my opinion. Apple has been using the same design on the iPhone Pro since 2019, so Google’s use of the same design for a year on the Pixel 10 Pro isn’t a significant issue, and I don’t think it warrants the criticism it will likely get.
- Brand
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Google
- SoC
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Tensor G5
- Display
-
6.3-inch Super Actua display 1280 x 2856 pixel resolution OLED (1-120Hz)
- RAM
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16GB
The Pixel 10 Pro features Google’s new Tensor G5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. The smartphone’s overall design looks very similar to its predecessor, including its sprawling camera bump.
That said, with the Pixel 10 Pro costing the same as the Pixel 9 Pro did last year, starting at $1,000 USD ($1,349 CAD), and with all the subtle yet impactful improvements Google has made — including the Tensor G5 chipset, PixelSnap magnetic charging, and better battery life — overall, I think the Pixel 10 is a worthy successor to the Pixel 9 Pro. While it may not look much different on the outside, Google really focused on the internals this year, creating a more refined and premium handset.
- Brand
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Google
- SoC
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Tensor G4
- Display
-
6.3-inch Super Actua display 1280 x 2856 pixel resolution OLED (1-120Hz)
- RAM
-
16GB
The Pixel 9 Pro brings a new squared-off design, the Tensor G4 chip, and new AI features like Pixel Screenshots to Google’s flagship smartphone line. It’s available starting September 4th.
If you’re using an older Pixel smartphone, like the Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, or a mid-range model such as the Pixel 8a, and you’ve been considering an upgrade, the Pixel 10 Pro is definitely worth considering. For the same starting price as the Pixel 9 Pro, you’ll get many useful upgrades that will significantly enhance daily use. However, if you already own a Pixel 9 Pro, given its similarities to the Pixel 10 Pro, it might be better to wait for next year’s Pixel release before upgrading. If you’re seeking a deal, with the Pixel 10 Pro launching on August 28, there’s a strong chance that discounts on the Pixel 9 Pro will be available to clear out inventory, which could be worth taking advantage of.
