Overview
Google’s Pixel superphone is back, packed with a bigger battery, faster charging, magnetic accessories and even more cutting-edge AI tools to try to usurp Apple and Samsung as the monarchs of really big phones.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is the largest slab phone Google makes and is one of the biggest available in Europe and the US. It costs £1,199 (€1,299/$1,199/A$1,999), sitting above its smaller sibling the Pixel 10 Pro and below the upcoming folding Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and competing directly with Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The 10 Pro XL is almost identical on the outside to the 9 Pro XL it replaces in terms of dimensions but with 11g of additional weight. It is a big, heavy phone that requires two hands to use most of the time and benefits from a phone grip or handle.
Specifications
- Screen: 6.8in 120Hz QHD+ OLED (486ppi)
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Processor: Google Tensor G5
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RAM: 16GB
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Storage: 256, 512GB or 1TB
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Operating system: Android 16
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Camera: 50MP + 48MP UW + 48MP 5x tele; 42MP selfie
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Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, wifi 7, UWB, NFC, Bluetooth 6 and GNSS
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Water resistance: IP68 (1.5m for 30 minutes)
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Dimensions: 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm
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Weight: 232g
Be creative without realising
“The thing with artists is they absorb other artists,” says Ryan. “So if you are looking back to, say, Cézanne and El Greco, you become part of that timeline and it is part of your story. I tell students to look back and create a family, whether it’s something from the 1700s or whenever. It narrows your world in a good way. You start seeing cultures and ideas through the ages very differently, because you start placing yourself there.” Your style may be reminiscent of what has come before it. For a while Ganjei made work with the text “Not David Shrigley”. “It is quite hard to know when you’ve been influenced by something or when it’s your original idea,” Ganjei says, “because if you’ve found something that simple, it almost always existed.”
Verdict
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a true superphone in size, price and capability. If you like what Google’s been doing with 6.3in smartphones but want everything bigger, this is the model to get.
The camera is one of the very best, the screen is great and the software, including Google’s most cutting-edge AI features, is top notch. The addition of Qi2.2 support speeds up wireless charging, but more helpfully opens up a world of magnetic accessories including grips to make the big phone easier to hold.
The Pixel feels responsive but it isn’t a dramatic upgrade on last year’s 9 Pro XL model. When it comes to raw power, particularly for games, the Pixel falls short against rivals such as the Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra, which remains the superphone to beat.
Pros
Seven years of software updates, great camera with 5x and 10x optical magnification plus AI zoom, great big screen, Magic Cue and impressive local AI features, Qi2.2 wireless charging and magnetic accessory support, good battery life, great size, fast fingerprint and face recognition, 12 months of Google AI Pro included.
Cons
Very expensive, huge and heavy, face unlock option not as secure as Face ID, raw performance and battery life short of best-in-class, no physical Sim card slot in the US, not a massive upgrade.
