There’s a lot of expectation regarding this year's expected Google Pixel 10 launch after the popularity of the Pixel 9 series. And even though we're several months away from the launch of the new flagship models, it's never too early to start thinking about which one is right for you.
Thankfully, at Tom’s Guide, we spend a lot of time tracking down various rumors and how they might impact what we see with the Pixel 10 models. And there's enough detail out there to figure out what could be different from one of Google's flagships to the next.
With the expectation that Google will offer three models as part of the Pixel 10 lineup — we'll leave talk of a Pixel 9 Pro Fold follow-up for another time — we can talk about likely differences between each model. Here's how the Google Pixel 10, Google Pixel 10 Pro and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL are likely to compare when they arrive later this year.
Google Pixel 10 vs Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Price
It's a bit early for pricing rumors, even before you consider how Trump administration tariff policies may impact the price of phones arriving later this year. That said, the current thinking seems to be that the Pixel 10 would keep the same $799 price as the Pixel 9, with the Pixel 10 Pro inheriting the Pixel 9 Pro's $999 price.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL may not be so lucky. A recent report forecasts a price hike of sorts for Google's largest phone. Specifically, the report claims Google will drop the 128GB version of its XL phone, with storage starting at 256GB. But the price of that model would match the $1,199 Google charges for the 256GB Pixel 9 Pro XL. In other words, kiss the $1,099 starting price goodbye, though you would get more storage for your troubles under this scenario.
Google Pixel 10 vs Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Design and display
One of the big debates about the Pixel 10 series is whether it will feature Google’s iconic camera bar. After all, the Google Pixel 9a dropped that bar in favor of a more subtle camera array that sits practically flush against the back of the phone.
Fans of the camera bar can relax if recent CAD leaks of the Pixel 10 are anything to go by. All three Pixel 10 models look to retain the same style camera bar found on their Pixel 9 equivalents.
According to the renders, the Google Pixel 10 and the Google Pixel 10 Pro would feature a 6.3-inch display, while the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL bumps that up to 6.8 inches. That's the same sizes Google used for the Pixel 9 series.
The standard Pixel 10 could see another display, upgrading from the Actua display on the current model to the brighter Super Actua display that the Por models use. That would also give the Pixel 10 a refresh rate that can adapt between 1 and 120Hz, matching the Pro's adaptive refresh rate.
Google Pixel 10 vs Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Cameras
The standard Pixel 10 could pick up another feature that had been previously reserved for the Pros — a telephoto camera. Instead of a dual camera array, one report has a telephoto camera joining the main and ultrawide lenses on the Pixel 10. To keep some distinction between the standard and Pro models, that rumor also suggests the ultrawide camera sensor will drop from 48MP on the Pixel 9 to a paltry 13MP.
Meanwhile, a recent rumor and leaks appear to point toward the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL featuring the same cameras as the current Pro models. The source in question is well known to us, and has been right in the past, so barring any additional updates, the Pixel 10 Pro camera setups may be locked in.
Google Pixel 10 vs Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Performance and AI
There should be no difference in the chipset coming to each Pixel 10 model. And it's easy to make a guess as to what silicon Google plans to use.
With the Tensor G4 powering every Pixel 9 model — yes, even the Pixel 9a — it stands to reason that the Tensor G5 is going to debut on the Pixel 10 phones, from the standard model to the XL version.
The big question is just how much of an upgrade will this be, and that is slightly harder to answer. For one thing, we’ve heard that Google is turning to the chip fabricator TSMC to build the new Tensor’s on-chip system, which could mean it will be built on a 3-nanometer process.
What this means is that the chip’s transistor grouping will be denser. This allows the chip to boost overall performance while also improving power efficiency. However, we can’t say for certain that the Tensor G5 will be built on the 3nm process, as another leak has claimed that the "G5 is basically a TSMC-made version of G4," which would mean less prominent performance gains.
However, it’s worth noting that the Tensor chip series has never really been about power. Instead, the chips focus more on powering the wealth of AI features that Google have been releasing. On that note, we would expect that the phones will come with the all the features seen on the Pixel 9 like Call Assist and the new editing tools.
While we don’t know what the Tensor G5 specific AI features are just yet, we have heard that the phones could include an updated assistant called Pixel Sense. We don’t know much about it yet, but it will reportedly offer a more personalized experience based around your device usage.
The AI capabilities powered by the Tensor chip tend to work on all models of Google's flagship, whether it's the standard version or a Pro phone. That said, Video Boost only worked on the Pixel 8 Pro when it debuted in 2023, so it's not unheard of for Google to restrict some features to its Pro models.
Google Pixel 10 vs Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Battery life
One area where we're going to see some differences between the three Pixel 10 models — and hopefully, some changes, too — would involve the battery.
Currently, the Tensor G4 chip manages to massively increase the battery life in the Pixel 9 series over the Pixel 8 models that came out earlier. While we don’t know if the new chip will do the same, we would certainly hope the Tensor G5 delivers improved power efficiency.
There’s been no rumors regarding an increase in battery size for the Pixel 10 series, which means that we’re probably looking at a 4,700 mAh cell in the standard Pixel and the Pro, a 5,060 mAh power pack in the XL model. The XL is the largest of the three phones, so it has more space for a bigger power pack.
Another possible place that we could see some change is with fast charging — specifically, whether Google narrows the charging speed gap between the Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
For reference, the Pixel 9 Pro charges at 27W, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL can reach up to 37W while using a 45W charger. Hopefully, the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL series see some improvements in that area.
Google Pixel 10 vs Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Outlook
While it's early days for Pixel 10 rumors, looking at the reports that have surfaced can help you start to think about which model to consider. It all comes down to what you need from a phone.
So if you’re looking for a decent phone at a decent price, you have the base Pixel 10. The Pixel 10 Pro should offer a bit more than the standard model, though if the rumor about the telephoto lens coming to the Pixel 10 is true, the smaller Pro model may be a harder sell.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL with its big screen and battery to match seems targeted for people who want longer battery life plus a lot of screen space for gaming and videos.
However, all of this could change over the next few months as we get closer to the final release, which we expect to happen in late summer, assuming Google sticks to the rollout schedule that it followed with the Pixel 9.
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