Google Pixel 10 Pro and XL arrive with Tensor G5, Qi2 charging, and AI upgrades

Google has released two new flagship phones that mark a deliberate step forward rather than a radical departure. The Pixel 10 Pro and its larger sibling, the Pixel 10 Pro XL, arrived on August 20 with a familiar design language but a meaningful set of internal and software upgrades that Google believes will reshape how people use their phones.

The Pro model starts at $999 with 128GB of storage, while the XL begins at $1,199 but comes with 256GB standard—a shift that effectively raises the entry price for the larger phone by $100 compared to last year's XL model, though you're getting double the base storage. Both phones are available for pre-order immediately, with a release date set for August 28. The color palette includes Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain, and Obsidian across both models.

The hardware tells a story of refinement. The 10 Pro carries a 6.3-inch OLED display while the XL stretches to 6.8 inches, both capable of 3,300 nits of peak brightness and a variable refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz. The screens use Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is solid if not cutting-edge compared to some competitors' armor glass options. The design itself hasn't shifted dramatically—Google kept the rounded corners and the distinctive central camera bar from the Pixel 9, though the company added symmetric speaker mesh and a metallic Google logo on the back. One notable change for U.S. buyers: the physical SIM tray is gone, replaced entirely by eSIM.

The camera system maintains the same hardware foundation as before—a 50-megapixel main lens paired with a 48-megapixel ultrawide and a 48-megapixel telephoto with 5x optical zoom, plus a 42-megapixel front camera. But Google has pushed the Pro Res zoom capability to 100x, matching Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra. The company also claims improved stabilization on the main lens, though specifics remain vague. More tangible are the software enhancements: Camera Coach uses Gemini to guide you toward better composition, while an updated Guided Frame feature now works in any scene to describe what the camera sees for people with visual impairments. Portrait mode can now capture at full 50-megapixel resolution, and a feature called Add Me now works with pets, letting you stitch animals into group photos after the fact. Google has also added C2PA content credentials, which document exactly how an image was created—what camera took it, what edits were applied, and whether AI was involved.

The Tensor G5 chipset powers both phones alongside 16GB of RAM. Google hasn't detailed the chip's raw performance gains, instead emphasizing that it will deliver "the best performance" and "fastest web browsing and app launching." The real story with Tensor G5 is its role in enabling the new AI features. Models with 256GB of storage get UFS 4.0 storage for faster read and write speeds, while U.S. models with 512GB or more receive Zoned UFS storage with even greater bandwidth and lower latency.

The software experience centers on Android 16 and a design overhaul called Material Expressive, which aims to make the system more personalized and responsive. Google has layered in several AI-driven features: Magic Cue is a proactive assistant that offers relevant information without interrupting you, pulling from Google's own apps like Messages, Maps, and the new Daily Hub in the weather app. Voice translation during calls is now built in, as is the ability to create music within the Recorder app. A revamped "Take a Message" feature essentially reimagines voicemail by filtering spam. Google has also introduced Pixel Journal, an AI-guided journaling tool, and updated Gemini Live to identify what your camera sees and suggest solutions. All buyers receive seven years of software support and one free year of Google AI.

Battery and charging represent one of the more concrete improvements. The 10 Pro XL houses a 5,200 mAh battery with 45W wired charging and 25W Qi2 wireless charging. The standard Pro gets a 4,870 mAh battery with 30W wired and 15W Qi2 wireless—a slight step down from the Pixel 9 Pro's 21W wireless, but now with magnetic alignment built in. Google is launching a new "Pixelsnap" accessory line featuring Qi2-compatible cases, ring stands, and a wireless charger that resembles Apple's MagSafe design. The company claims both phones will deliver over 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, though real-world testing will determine whether that holds up. Both phones ship with Android 16 and arrive in the same four colors.