Google is trying to outdo itself with the Pixel 10 Pro that appeared at the Made by Google event in August ahead of its arrival in stores on August 28. The latest model features some significant new software features along with a handful of hardware improvements to really draw out the Google Pixel 10 Pro vs. Pixel 9 Pro differences.
The year-over-year changes may not be as substantial as the ones we found in our Pixel 10 vs. Pixel 9 face-off, but there's enough changes here aimed at convincing you to upgrade an older phone..
We're going to focus on the 6.3-inch Pro models in this face-off, though that device shares plenty in common with the 6.8-inch Pixel 10 Pro XL (save for the latter's larger screen and battery). Here's what you need to know if you're looking at what's changed with Google's latest Pro phone based on our Pixel 10 Pro hands-on.
Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Google Pixel 10 Pro | Google Pixel 9 Pro |
Starting price | $999 / £999 / AU $1,699 | $999 / £999 / AU$1,699 |
Display size | 6.3 inches | 6.3 inches |
Refresh rate | 1 - 120Hz | 1 - 120Hz |
Rear cameras | 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 5x telephoto | 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 5x telephoto |
Front camera | 42MP | 42MP |
Chipset | Tensor G5 | Tensor G4 |
RAM | 16GB | 16GB |
Storage | 128GB (Pro model only), 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
Battery | 4,870 mAh | 4,700 mAh |
Size | 6.0 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches (152.8 x 72 x 8.6 mm) | 6 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches (152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm) |
Weight | 7.3 ounces (207 grams) | 7 ounces (199 grams) |
Colors | Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain, Obsidian | Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz |
Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Price
The Pixel 9 Pro cost $999 when it arrived last year, which matched the price of the Pixel 8 Pro before it. However, with Google shrinking the screen size on its Pro model to 6.3 inches — if you wanted a bigger screen, you had to pay $1,099 for the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL — you could be excused if you thought you were getting more for less.
Now the good news: the Pixel 10 Pro price starts at the same $999 as its predecessor. You can currently preorder any Pixel 10 model including the Pro, with the phone arriving in stores August 28.
There is a Pro model that costs more this time around. The Pixel 10 Pro XL now starts at $1,199. which is $100 more than the Pixel 9 Pro XL. However, that older model featured 128GB in its base model, while the Pixel 10 Pro XL features 256GB. In essence, you're paying what you would for a 256GB Pixel 9 Pro XL; you just don't have the option of a cheaper configuration any more.
Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Design and display
At first glance, there's not a lot of difference between the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro in terms of design. Google recycled the same look for its Pro phones, though this year's model is fractionally thicker and heavier. That's to accommodate magnets on the back of the phone that provide full Qi2 wireless charging support while also attaching to Google's newly introduced lineup of Pixelsnap cases and charging stands.
Display sizes are the same as last year's, too — 6.3 inches on the Pro model and 6.8 inches on the Pro XL — though Google is going with a brighter panel for its Pixel 10 series. The screens are now rated for a peak brightness of 3,300 nits, up from 3,000 nits on the Pixel 9 Pro.
You get a choice of Porcelain, Obsidian, Moonstone, and Jade for the Pixel 10 Pro colors. Those last two options replace the Hazel and Rose Quartz hues Google offered with the Pixel 9 Pro.
Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Cameras
Take a good look at the Pixel 9 Pro camera up above, because nothing's really changed with the camera specs for the Pixel 10 Pro. You get the same 50MP wide-angle camera, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP 5x telephoto lens found on last year's model. The 42MP selfie is unchanged, too.
It may be disappointing that there's no upgrade like there is on the Pixel 10. (That more affordable flagship now offers a telephoto lens.) But the Pixel 9 Pro already ranked among the best camera phones and fared well in our Pixel 9 Pro vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra camera comparison. Still, it more or less means that anyone with a Pixel 9 Pro needn't bother upgrading.
But Google hasn't totally ignored the cameras on the Pixel 10 Pro, adding a number of AI-powered features including one specific to the Pro models. That would be Pro Res Zoom, which allows you to zoom up to 100x and still come away with a pretty clean shot, thanks to AI removing the noise that can result from extreme close-ups.
Other Pixel 10 Pro AI features focus on photo editing, like Camera Coach, which uses AI to help you find the best possible way to frame your shot or get a particular type of photo.
Ask Photos lets you give photo-editing commands to the Gemini assistant like remove glare from a photo and having the AI do all the heavy lifting for you.
And Auto Take cuts down on your need to take extra shots so that the best faces in each one can be merged into the perfect photo — now AI fine-tunes everyone's face.
Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Performance and AI features
Pixel phones aren't known for being the most powerful devices on the block, with Google-designed Tensor silicon trailing chipsets from Qualcomm and Apple in benchmark tests. Then again, Google typically puts a focus on the neural capabilities of its Tensor system-on-chip, which has helped the company win many an AI phone face-off.
The Tensor G5 chipset in the Pixel 10 Pro figures to change that, as it's built on a 3nm process, compared to the 4nm Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9 Pro. That's supposed to translate to 60% better TPU performance and 34% faster CPU performance according to Google's calculations.
But Tensor chips are still all about AI features, and there are plenty of new ones on board the Pixel 10 Pro in addition to the photo-editing features I detailed above. The highlight is Magic Cue which surfaces information stores on your phone as you need it — think getting the reservation details to appear on your screen before you reply to a friend who texted about where you're meeting for lunch.
Other AI features unique to the Pixel 10 series include an upgraded translation feature where AI mimics your voice to translate what you say on phone calls. Take a Message creates suggestions based on the context of whatever message is left when you miss a call.
Pixel 9 Pro owners got a year-long subscription to Gemini Advanced. With the Pixel 10 Pro, your 1-year subscription covers Google AI Pro.
Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Battery life and charging
Besides the improved power efficiency of a 3nm system-on-chip, the Pixel 10 Pro should benefit from a larger battery than its predecessor. Google is equipping its new phone with a 4,870 mAh power pack compared to 4,700 mAh in the Pixel 9 Pro.
The battery increase is even larger for the Pixel 10 Pro XL, as that phone uses a 5,200 mAh cell. The Pixel 9 Pro XL had a 5,060 mAh battery.
The Pixel 9 Pro reached 13.5 hours on our battery test, which involves surfing the web until a phone runs out of power. That's the best score we've seen from a Google phone since the switch to Tensor processors. We're hoping that the bigger batteries in the Pixel 10 Pro series top that result.
The Pixel 10 Pro offers 30W wired charging, a slight uptick from the 27W charging of the Pixel 9 Pro. The Pixel 10 Pro XL gets a more impressive 45W wired charging support. Qi2 wireless charging helps the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL charge at 15W and 25W, respectively.
Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Outlook
We're working on a full review of both new Pixel 10 Pro models, which will help us see just where they rank among the best phones overall. The hardware changes from the Pixel 9 Pro series may be modest, but it's the new AI capabilities where the latest phones will really stand out.
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