Are you wondering whether Google’s latest flagship smartphone is worth your hard-earned money? The Pixel 10 Pro XL has arrived in India at ₹1,24,999, promising cutting-edge artificial intelligence features and impressive camera capabilities.
This comprehensive review helps you understand whether this premium device matches your needs and justifies its price tag in today’s competitive smartphone market.
Pixel 10 Pro XL Review: Design, Display and First Impressions
The Pixel 10 Pro XL maintains Google’s signature design language with subtle refinements from last year’s model [2]. According to the Times of India review, the phone features a 6.8-inch “Super Actua display” with variable refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz, offering excellent outdoor visibility with peak brightness up to 3,300 nits.
The device weighs 232 grams and comes in three sophisticated colours—Moonstone, Jade, and Obsidian—with spacecraft-grade polished aluminium framing and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.
The camera visor is slightly enlarged to house the triple camera array, and the IP68 rating ensures dust and water resistance. Build quality remains top-tier, making it one of the most beautiful-looking smartphones in the premium segment.
The display quality impresses with excellent contrast ratios, readability, and low eye fatigue—perfect for long hours of content consumption.
Performance and AI Features That Make a Difference
At the heart of this phone lies the Tensor G5 chipset, manufactured using TSMC’s advanced 3nm process. While benchmark scores may not compete with other flagship processors, Google’s AI-first approach delivers something unique.
The phone is the first to run Android 16 with the Material Expressive interface, and it includes a free year of Google AI Pro with Imagen 4 and Veo 3.
According to CyberMedia Research, India’s premium smartphone segment (above ₹1,00,000) is experiencing significant growth, with consumers seeking devices that deliver on-device AI and strong performance.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL meets this demand with features like Camera Coach, which provides AI-powered photography guidance for better shots. Magic Cue attempts contextual information delivery, though its performance remains inconsistent during real-world testing.
Google promises seven years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates—offering exceptional long-term value compared to competitors.
For everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and messaging, the phone performs admirably with minimal stuttering. The UFS 4.0 storage ensures fast app loading and efficient multitasking.
Camera Quality and Battery Life
The camera system retains the same sensors as its predecessor but benefits from improved image processing through the Tensor G5’s enhanced image signal processor.
The triple camera setup includes a 50MP primary sensor, 48MP ultra-wide lens, and 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. Google’s computational photography remains the system’s greatest strength, producing consistently pleasing images with excellent dynamic range and natural colour reproduction.
The Pro Res 100x zoom feature uses on-device AI to upscale extreme digital zoom shots, working reasonably well for static objects like buildings and landscapes [2]. The 42MP front-facing camera delivers good quality for social media use, though portrait mode bokeh effects can occasionally appear overly pronounced.
Video recording supports 4K at 60fps across all four cameras.
Battery performance proves adequate for full-day usage under typical conditions, thanks to the 5,200mAh capacity—marginally larger than the previous generation.
The phone supports 45W wired charging and introduces Pixelsnap Qi 2.2 25W wireless charging, making it competitive in the charging ecosystem.
Android 16’s improved power management and Tensor G5’s efficiency improvements contribute to better battery optimisation.
Final Thought
The Pixel 10 Pro XL succeeds as an AI-focused smartphone that prioritises computational capabilities and software experience over raw performance numbers.
With seven years of guaranteed updates, refined build quality, and India’s growing premium smartphone market showing 18% growth this festive season, it represents excellent long-term value for users deeply integrated into Google’s ecosystem.
Whether upgrading from older devices or entering the premium segment, this phone delivers a distinctly Google experience that stands apart from traditional flagship approaches.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional purchasing advice. Please consult authorised retailers or technology experts for your specific smartphone needs and budget considerations.
Also Read: Oppo Find X9 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Test 2025