Google Pixel 10 Pro XL Review: Small Steps and Giant Leaps

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Google’s smartphones have hit double figures, and the company means business.

On paper, the Pixel 10 series is its most accomplished generation yet, fusing ultra-premium hardware with the software polish no other brand can match.

Unless you want a foldable, the Pixel 10 Pro XL sits at the top of that lineup. Google has been cautious with its hardware upgrades this time around, focusing on boosting the battery and charging experience.

But the company has come out swinging on the software side, with several new and potentially game-changing features. And, after a week spent using it as my main phone, I’m ready to declare it the best smartphone of 2025 so far.

Here’s everything that makes it so good, plus the handful of things that I wish Google had done differently.

Design & Build

• Signature Pixel design language
• Durable glass and aluminium build
• IP68 water and dust resistance

Gone are the days when Pixel owners had to put up with a cheap-looking phone. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a work of art, combining classic design language with a standout camera module.

I’d recommend most people apply a case for grip – the 10 Pro XL feels slippery in the hands otherwise. However, I recognise that it’s easy to say that when I’m testing the rather boring Obsidian model, which is essentially a dark grey.

The phone is also available in Moonstone (light grey), Jade (light green) and Porcelain (off-white). If you go for one of the latter two, you might not want to cover it up. A matt coating on the back of the device avoids visible fingerprint smudges unless light is shining directly on it.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a work of art, combining classic design language with a standout camera module

If grip is a little lacking when going case-free, durability certainly isn’t. The glass on both the front and back of the phone is Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is specifically designed to protect against falls onto hard surfaces.

I inadvertently tested this when I dropped the 10 Pro XL face down onto a wooden floor from about 1m high. I picked it up fearing the worst, but the phone was totally unscathed. That’s impressive.

Another key durability metric is the IP68 rating, which confirms that the device is resistant to submersion in up to 1.5m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes and is protected against all dust particles. It’s nothing new for flagship devices, but still important to mention.

The reflective aluminium frame feels just as robust. That’s where you’ll find the clicky power and volume controls, plus a USB-C port and speakers at the bottom. The SIM tray has moved to the top of the phone, but I doubt anyone will care.

However, there’s no doubt that the choice of these premium materials contributes to its overall weight. At 232g, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is significantly heavier than the 221g Pixel 9 Pro XL, and one of the heaviest non-folding phones that you can buy.

Alongside dimensions of 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm (identical to the 9 Pro XL), make sure you’re happy with a big, bulky device before purchasing. I have quite large hands and can make use of the sizeable pockets on most men’s trousers and shorts, so it’s not a big issue for me.

Screen & Speakers

• 6.8-inch, 120Hz OLED display
• Even better peak brightness
• Punchy stereo speakers

Google hasn’t made any significant changes to the display on the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but it didn’t need to. Last year’s 9 Pro XL already had one of the finest screens on any smartphone, and the same can be said for its successor.

The only upgrade is in its brightness, which now peaks at an impressive 3300 nits. A more relevant figure is the one I recorded at 100% – 948 nits – which makes for excellent outdoor visibility, even in direct sunlight.

Elsewhere, it’s the same 6.8-inch OLED panel, which looks stunning in pretty much any scenario. The rich, vibrant colours and deep blacks we’ve come to associate with OLEDs are very much apparent here, making the 10 Pro XL ideal for scrolling social media or watching videos.

The display is also LTPO, meaning it can automatically adjust between 1- and 120Hz refresh rates, depending on what you’re doing. This ensures you get the slick, responsive benefits of 120Hz without the negative impact on battery life.

The FHD+ (1344 x 2992) resolution is nothing special, but detail and clarity are both excellent. It might not be the absolute best display on any phone – that award probably goes to the Galaxy S25 Ultra – but the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s screen excels in all the areas that matter.

As usual, you’ll find a fingerprint sensor within the display. This is an ultrasonic scanner, which is considered superior to the optical version found on most phones, and it shows. Despite only enrolling one fingerprint briefly during setup (a simple process), it was impressively fast and reliable.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL’s screen excels in all the areas that matter

However, I still prefer the 3D face unlock in most situations. It’s even more seamless and secure enough to be used for authenticating payments and logging into apps.

Elsewhere, the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s speaker quality is well above average. Like most flagships, it has a stereo setup, but utilises two grilles at the bottom of the device, plus the earpiece. The result is an impressively full-bodied sound that delivers rich vocals and detailed soundscapes, even if the bass is a little sub-par. Clarity is also strong, until you push the volume up close to maximum, where some distortion is audible.

As usual, connect a speaker or headphones if you’re serious about high-quality audio, but the built-in speakers on the Pixel 10 Pro XL are a solid alternative for casual use.

Specs & Performance

• Google Tensor G5 chipset
• 16GB RAM on all models
• Storage now starts at 256GB

All four of the Pixel 10 phones have been equipped with Google’s new Tensor G5 chipset. It’s a more significant upgrade from the Tensor G4 than the name suggests, with Google moving manufacturing from Samsung to TSMC and upgrading to a 3nm process.

But does it yield a major performance boost on the Pixel 10 Pro XL? Absolutely not. I’ve used the Pixel 9 Pro XL for around five months in total, and I can’t spot a difference between the two.