Over the past weeks, I’ve become very comfortable with the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. It has done what I wanted, when I wanted, regardless of what I asked whether I was taking photos, traveling with it, or even dabbling with the AI.
It may not sound like it, but this is excellent, and actually builds on the recommendation I made in my review. Now, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is available for a price that I think is impossible to ignore.
Starting with the camera
Still so good
I’m not going to rehash old ground. If you know Pixel phones, you’re probably aware the cameras are a standout feature, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL is no different.
What I want to highlight here, rather than just go through the specs yet again, is the consistency. Realizing how well balanced all the cameras are, and how well they work together, only comes with extended use.
This consistency is so noticeable between the main camera and the wide-angle camera. Take a look at the first example above, taken on a miserable day when the sky was overcast and the rain steadily falling.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL’s camera captures the atmosphere, doesn’t over-expose the sky, yet still manages to bring out some of the colors and tones in the buildings and water. Use the slider to see how this description is true for both the main and the wide-angle camera.
It sounds like a small thing, but consistency is one of the areas where a lot of other cameras fall down, often due to low-quality wide-angle cameras. It doesn’t affect the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Take a look at the forest scene for another example of both cameras working together well.
It’s the same story with the zoom modes. The two photos below were taken on the same day as the photos of the river, but at 5x zoom and 10x zoom. Check the colors of the roofs, the stonework, and the sky.
I don’t think it’s quite as well-balanced as the main and wide-angle, but it’s very close, especially as the 10x zoom is not optical. I love the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s camera because I can rely on it.
Great battery life
Real world experience
I’ve been using the Pixel 10 Pro XL as my main Android phone, with my primary SIM inside, for several weeks. It follows a period of using other phones, such as the Xiaomi 15T Pro, after my review.
My general use usually results in about three to four hours screen time per day, without gaming. I have also been using the phone connected to the Pixel Watch 4.
I’ve had no problem maintaining two days’ battery life between charges with this use, which suits my lifestyle perfectly. Considering the phone does not have a 7,000mAh-plus battery inside (such is the growing trend), this is good performance.
I have no complaints about the Tensor G5 processor either, which has not overheated, caused any speed or smoothness problems, or made me miss a phone powered by the Qualcomm equivalent.
Then there’s Android 16. It’s wonderful. I like the design, the amount of fun customization, the way it needs almost no setup after the initial hour or two, and how quick it is to make the phone operate as I want.
Again, this can be a rarity, with other brands pushing either their own versions of familiar Google apps, or filling the Settings menu and app library with so-called added value tools. Great if you use them, annoying if you don’t. It’s not something I worry about with the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
Comfort which came at a price
Until now
This is what I mean about getting comfortable with the phone. Everything has worked, it has been totally reliable, it looks brilliant whether that’s the screen or the overall design, and the camera takes excellent photos.
I’ve traveled with it, used it with the Pixel Watch 4, and lived with it at home taking calls and sending messages. If I have a complaint, it’s that the phone is big and heavy, which is to be expected given the screen size, but it has made me wish for a thin Pixel phone.
However, if the Pixel 10 Pro XL had a dealbreaker it was the price. At $1,200 the Pixel 10 Pro XL is expensive, and up there with the top Samsung and Apple phones. I’m not saying it’s not worth it, but it’s still a figure that will cause many to think twice, no matter how good the phone sounds.
Today, the Pixel 10 Pro XL can be bought for $900 without a trade-in, voucher, or some other catch. It’s yours to buy for that amount through Google itself, Amazon, and Best Buy, as part of the Black Friday deal bonanza we expect to see online at this time of year.
Considering that’s only $100 more than the launch price of the standard Pixel 10, it’s great value. Yes, there are deals out there on the other Pixel 10 phones, but why settle when you can get the top non-folding Pixel 10 for this price?
For $900, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is impossible to ignore.
9/10
- SoC
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Google Tensor G5
- Display dimensions
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6.8-inches
- Battery
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5200mAh
The Pixel 10 Pro XL packs all the same features you’ll find on its less expensive siblings, along with a few exclusive features like a 6.8-inch display and faster charging.
