Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G mobile review: Since 2023, the tech industry has not stopped talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI). From AI this to AI that, we have now landed in the era of “AI phones”, where smartphone brand seems to be in quite a hurry to win the race. After testing multiple AI-powered smartphones, I did not find the ideal one until I started using the Google Pixel 10 Pro. And in my opinion, the Pixel 10 Pro takes the “AI Phone crown” for smarter AI integration in day-to-day tasks and apps, making every click hassle-free; In short, it does it all on your behalf. The Google Pixel 10 Pro sets a new standard for AI phones, as it has a level of integration that has not yet been fulfilled by flagship models from Samsung and Apple.
I have been using the Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G for more than a week, and I have noticed a couple of things. It has the best flagship display, and the telephoto lens captures detailed portraits and close-ups. However, its performance feels the same, and the battery life feels okay. But, is the Pixel 10 Pro the right flagship at Rs. 1,09,999? Let’s dive deep into the review and know if it’s worth the upgrade.
Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G Design and display: Looks same, but beautiful
The Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G has a similar design to its predecessor, with a horizontally placed pill-shaped camera island that still retains a big camera bump. It has a matte-finish glass on the rear panel, with a glossy aluminium frame and the Google logo.
The smartphone comes in four attractive colours, but I have received the porcelain colour. Although the smartphone looks premium and classy, I was more inclined towards the Pixel 10 colour options, especially the Indigo and Lemongrass colours.
Coming the of durability, the Pixel 10 Pro looks and feels quite sturdy with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and an IP68 rating for protection against water and dust. Overall, the Pixel 10 Pro’s design surely stands out from the crowd, despite having a similar design to its predecessor.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G features a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED super-actua display that supports 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and up to 3300nits peak brightness. In terms of viewing experiences, the smartphone delivers vibrant and crisp visuals with accurate colours. Therefore, if you prefer watching content on your phone, then it will surely not disappoint.
In terms of usage, the Google Pixel 10 Pro feels smooth and responsive while switching between apps, playing games, and even multitasking. In addition, at the highest brightness level, the smartphone was aptly bright even in direct sunlight. The brightness felt slightly brighter than usual, making the usability seamless. As I said earlier, the display in the Pixel 10 Pro is better than the flagship Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra model.
Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G Camera: Perfect at all clicks
The Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G features a triple camera setup that includes a 50MP main camera, a 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom and 100x Pro res zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide lens. Talking about the performance, the hardware remains the same as the predecessor, but there are noticeable upgrades from the software front, especially with Tensor G5’s Image Signal Processor (ISP). This year, Pixel’s camera plays a major role with Google AI integration, is playing a major role. From providing the best angle suggestions to rectifying the 100x telephoto zoom captures, it smartly manages to enhance the overall scene of the image.
This year, the Google Pixel 10 Pro felt more reliable amongst competitors; the main camera captured beautiful pictures, with crisp detailing, natural colours, and improved dynamic range. Regardless of the lighting conditions, the smartphone steadily captured impressive images that you may expect from a flagship phone. In addition, the Night Sight mode seemed more refined as the colours were bright, while maintaining the natural colours of the scenes.
The portraits are my favourite from Pixel 10 Pro 5G as the edge detection is refined, the background blur feels natural, and the images appear crisp and visually pleasing. However, my only complaint about its portrait mode is that you can switch between only 3 focal lengths. Despite being a pro-level phone, it restricts 5x portrait zoom, which, in my opinion, is disappointing.
Apart from its camera performance, the Google AI integration on the Pixel 10 Pro is also commendable. As I mentioned above, the 100x Pro Res zoom is one standout AI feature, but it needs more work since not all subjects appear very pleasing. Additionally, I also tested out the camera coach feature that helps adjust the camera angle, subject positioning, and more, which felt quite futuristic. Overall, the Pixel 10 Pro does a flawless job in the camera department with little AI help.
Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G Performance: Felt same, could be better
Coming to the performance, the Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G is powered by the new Tensor G5 chipset, which is built with the TSMC 3nm process. It is the first TSMC-built Tensor chip, but the performance still felt the same as its predecessor. In real-time usage, you’ll notice frequent overheating after heavy gaming at higher settings, long-time use of the camera, and extended hours of usage. Although the overheating did not impact the performance. However, longer gaming hours could make the experience choppy.
With day-to-day usage, multitasking, switching between productivity apps, and animation felt snappy. While the Google Pixel 10 Pro offers a decent performance, it may leave you wanting more in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or the iPhone 16 Pro Max, if you are a heavy smartphone user.
Looking at the software front, Android 16 provide a clean and smooth experience. The Material 3 expressive UI is one of the best I have used this year. From a great visual experience to greater customisations, every click feels fluid and responsive. In addition, Google promises a durable lifespan with 7 years of OS and security updates. Furthermore, the software includes several AI-powered features, such as Magic Cue, AI writing tools, Gemini Live with screen share and camera support, and more.
Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G Battery: A decent battery life
The Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G is backed by a 4,870 mAh battery that offers a decent battery life, and could easily last you an entire day with a single charge. With moderate usage, the smartphone could easily last you more than 24 hours. However, the only pain point is the 45W charging capability. The smartphone takes more than an hour to fully charge from 1 to 100%. Therefore, you may have to plan your charging time in advance if you have big plans and need the juice for the entire day. Google also provided support for Qi2 wireless charging that offers 15W charging. However, we were not able to test the charging time.
Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G Verdict
Google Pixel 10 Pro 5G, in my opinion, is a perfect flagship for people who prefer design, ease of usage, best camera performance, and a long-lasting battery over a powerful processor. The smartphone excelled in all areas beautifully, from a vibrant display to a refined camera that captures breathtaking images. It’s greater AI integration makes user experience seamless, clean and hassle-free thanks to Android 16 and Google AI. Hence, it could be your ideal compact flagship, but at a pricy proposition.
