Google Pixel 10 vs. Pixel 10 Pro

For another year, Google’s hardware department is outing not one but two compact-sized flagship phones. You’ve got the Google Pixel 10 as the “entry-level” flagship for the Pixel 10 series, while the Google Pixel 10 Pro builds upon the vanilla model with better cameras and comes with larger memory configurations.

Of course, there are other, less obvious differences, as you will see, and we will try to answer whether the €200/$200 price premium for the Pro version is worth it.

Table of Contents:

For starters, you can compare the complete specs sheets or directly continue with our editor’s assessment in the following text.

Size comparison

There’s no practical size difference between the vanilla Pixel 10 and the Pro model. Both weigh about the same and have near-identical dimensions.

No difference in build quality either. Both are IP68-rated against water and dust, and feature Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the front and back, kept together by an aluminum frame.

Display comparison

The Google Pixel 10 and the 10 Pro feature very similar displays, but the Pro’s is just a tad better. It has higher resolution and is technically slightly brighter in Auto mode. The difference in our measurements is rather negligible (2,361 vs. 2,030 nits), given that our perception of light isn’t linear, and at these high brightness levels, the difference will be less perceivable.

Either way, both displays are more than bright enough to provide excellent outdoor legibility.

Battery life

The battery life of both devices is similar. The Active Use Scores are just a few minutes apart, with the Pro edging out in the video and call tests. The difference is still quite negligible. Unfortunately, neither phone’s battery life is great.

Charging speed

Charging speed is also indistinguishable in real life. Since the two devices have roughly the same battery capacities (4,870 vs. 4,970 mAh, in favor of Pixel 10) and share the same 30W max charging rate over PD, it’s no surprise. We are looking at well past an hour and a half charging time from flat to full.

Speaker test

As evidenced by the loudness score and the frequency response curves, the Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro share the same hybrid stereo speakers. They are a sensible upgrade over the last Pixel generation.

Performance

The two phones share the same in-house Tensor G5 chipset, offering slightly better performance and supposedly better efficiency than before. The newer SoC appears to offer significantly more CPU horsepower and a much more powerful NPU for AI tasks.

The memory configurations are where the two devices start to drift apart. While both models ship with 128GB internal storage by default, the Pro offers 16GB of RAM by default, as opposed to the 12GB memory on the non-Pro. Additionally, the Pro comes in 512 and 1TB flavors, whereas the Pixel 10 caps at 256GB.

Benchmark performance

It’s no surprise that the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro show similar performance in our benchmark tests. The slight differences you see are well within the statistical error range.

Camera comparison

The biggest difference between the Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro is the camera hardware. Naturally, the Pro gets the better sensors. The main 50MP camera features a considerably larger sensor compared to the 48MP unit on the non-Pro, and the Pro’s 48MP telephoto unit outclasses the 10.8MP shooter on the Pixel 10 proper. The same goes for the ultrawides (48MP and 13MP). The 42MP selfie on the more expensive model should, in theory, provide nicer image quality compared to the Pixel 10’s 10.5MP selfie cameras.

Outside the image quality itself, another difference between the two Pixels is that only the Pixel 10 Pro offers the Pro shooting mode that lets you tinker with camera settings such as ISO, exposure, shutter speed, etc.

There’s a small feature disparity in video recording, too. For instance, the Pixel 10 Pro is advertised to support 8K video recording (a bit of a gimmick as it involves cloud-based upscaling after the video has been shot). The Pixel 10 Pro also has Video Boost and Night Sight video modes.

Image quality

Surprisingly, in good light, there’s not much difference in the ultrawide stills. Both phones output pictures with comparable quality, but the 10 Pro gets bonus points for its close focusing distance and the less geometric distortion caused by the ultrawide lens (though that may not be apparent in each shot).

When it comes to the main camera, however, the Pixel 10 Pro produces generally nicer-looking photos. While the overall rendition in terms of contrast, colors and dynamic range is very similar, the 10 Pro comes out as a winner with better sharpness and definition of distant objects. The difference becomes even more apparent in more challenging lighting conditions, such as when shooting indoors.

Pixel 10 (0.6x) • Pixel 10 Pro (0.6x) • Pixel 10 (1x) • Pixel 10 Pro (1x)

The 2x crop zoom photos are a tad better on the Pixel 10 Pro. The 10 Pro also takes a more convincing lead in the 5x telephoto race. The stills from the Pro model are more detailed, sharper and cleaner.

On the other hand, the Pixel 10’s rendition of foliage somehow manages to come through more natural-looking.

Pixel 10 (2x) • Pixel 10 Pro (2x) • Pixel 10 (5x) • Pixel 10 Pro (5x)

In low-light scenarios, the Pixel 10 Pro’s ultrawide shots are cleaner and sharper than the Pixel 10’s.

The 10 Pro’s main camera has the upper hand as well, with many of the same benefits. Both of these cameras have larger sensors than the Pixel 10’s.

Pixel 10 0.6x • Pixel 10 Pro 0.6x • Pixel 10 1x • Pixel 10 Pro 1x

The 2x shots at night, however, look absolutely identical between the two phones.

The Pixel 10 Pro’s telephoto cam with its bigger sensor once again captures cleaner and more detailed photos, and has more accurate white balance.

Pixel 10 (2x) • Pixel 10 Pro (2x) • Pixel 10 (5x) • Pixel 10 Pro (5x)

When it comes to selfies, we couldn’t really spot any difference in quality, even when zooming in. But that’s not the whole picture. The Pixel 10 Pro’s selfie cam uses an 18mm focal length, which gives you a wider field of view compared to the Pixel 10’s 21mm. The fact that the Pro still keeps the same sharpness and detail with this wider perspective is actually pretty impressive.

Selfies: Pixel 10 (21mm) • Pixel 10 Pro (18mm)

Video quality

Generally, the Pixel 10 Pro takes better-looking videos during the day, no matter the camera. It’s most noticeable in the ultrawide and main camera videos (even at 2x), where the Pro produces slightly sharper and more detailed footage with a wider dynamic range.

Below we have a few framegrabs from the videos taken by the two phones at each focal length, so it’s easier to compare them to one another.

4K video screengrabs: Pixel 10 (0.6x) • Pixel 10 Pro (0.6x) • (1x) • (2x) • (5x)

At night, the Pro’s videos are generally cleaner and resolve more detail. Color rendition and contrast on the non-Pro footage are more likable. The shadows are also a bit brighter, which affects the contrast negatively to a small extent.

4K video screengrabs: Pixel 10 (0.6x) • Pixel 10 Pro (0.6x) • (1x) • (5x)

Verdict

At the end of the day, the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro provide a largely similar user experience. Many users won’t tell the difference between the two, and Google is targeting them with the Pixel 10. It’s the perfect choice for users seeking a pure Pixel experience without breaking the bank.

The Pixel 10 Pro, on the other hand, will appeal to people who take photos or videos more often. Admittedly, the camera gains aren’t as big as we expected, but it’s still the better choice in this regard, and it even has a few extra features.

Additionally, the 10 Pro comes with more RAM (16GB) by default, so it’s better future-proofed. You also get larger storage options on the 10 Pro (512GB or 1TB), which are not available for the Pixel 10, and that alone could potentially be the deciding factor. And finally, the 10 Pro comes with a brighter and higher-res screen.

But is it worth the extra $200/€200 for the Pixel 10 Pro? Well, that’s up to you. You are essentially paying a price premium for slightly better cameras and a higher-res screen. Some will say it’s worth it, others will settle for paying less for the Pixel 10 and still enjoy what is essentially the same user experience.