Google Pixel 10 Pro XL Review: AI Superphone Upscales Camera, Battery & Magnetic Charging

Pixel 10 Pro XL: Google's AI-Powered Superphone Takes on iPhone and Samsung

Google has unveiled the latest iteration of its flagship slab phone, the Pixel 10 Pro XL, positioning it as a direct competitor to the biggest and best from rivals like Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra. This year's model focuses on maximizing AI integration, boosting battery endurance, and finally introducing modern wireless charging standards.

Starting at £1,199 / $1,199, the 10 Pro XL is a genuinely "superphone" in both size and capability. It is the largest model Google offers, a big and heavy device weighing 232g that comfortably lives up to the "XL" in its name, making a phone grip a practical necessity for most users.

A Display for Entertainment and New Hardware Features

The device boasts a huge, bright, and smooth 6.8-inch QHD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, making it one of the best displays available for watching films and TV.

Crucially, the hardware sees two major modern upgrades:

Qi2.2 Wireless Charging: The Pro XL now supports the newer Qi2.2 standard, enabling faster wireless charging speeds of up to 25W with compatible magnetic accessories. This also introduces magnetic accessory support, opening up a world of useful attachments like grips and stands.

Google Tensor G5: Powered by the new Google Tensor G5 chip, the phone feels rapid in daily use. While the G5 is excellent at handling the phone's intensive AI features, it still lags behind Qualcomm's top Snapdragon chips (found in competitors like the S25 Ultra) when it comes to raw graphics performance for demanding mobile games.

AI That Anticipates Your Needs with Magic Cue and Gemini

The Pixel 10 Pro XL runs on Android 16, offering a refined and cutting-edge software experience that is guaranteed to receive updates until 2032.

The core of Google's mobile experience is now its integrated AI. The Gemini chatbot is available across the system, capable of understanding screen content and camera input to provide contextual help. However, the standout feature is Magic Cue. Running locally in the background, this proactive helper surfaces data from your Google apps exactly when you need it. For instance, it can pop up with a restaurant's location when a friend texts you about a dinner date.

The flagship purchase also includes a year's subscription to Google AI Pro (for access to more powerful Gemini models) and 2TB of cloud storage.

The Best-in-Class Camera System

Google maintains its leadership in mobile photography. The 10 Pro XL features the same exceptional camera array as its smaller sibling: a 50MP main lens, a 48MP ultrawide, and a 48MP 5x telephoto. The ability to "point and shoot" with the Pixel and be "almost guaranteed a great shot" remains a signature strength.

The camera is bolstered by several AI tools:

Best Take: Now automatic, it ensures every group photo has people looking at the camera by blending multiple shots.

Add Me: A novel feature that blends two photos to seamlessly put the photographer into a group shot.

Pro Res Zoom: This new feature uses generative AI (genAI) to restore detail and sharpness in images zoomed beyond 30x magnification, making previously blurry 100x digital zoom shots much clearer and more usable. The camera app is transparent about this processing, labeling the AI-interpreted photos with C2PA content credentials.

Verdict: The Ultimate Google Experience

The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a fantastic device for anyone who wants Google’s best, biggest screen, and most intelligent software experience. The camera system is flawless, the battery life is excellent at an average of 52 hours between charges, and the inclusion of Qi2.2 is a welcome upgrade.

The main drawbacks are its bulk and price, and the fact that its raw gaming power is surpassed by rivals. Overall, if you are looking for the phone with the most helpful, integrated AI and one of the world's best cameras, the 10 Pro XL is the definitive choice.