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We are just a week away from Google's official reveal of the Pixel 10 series. I've been using the Pixel 9 Pro as my daily driver since it launched last year, and it's not just my favorite phone of 2024, but possibly my favorite phone…ever. Now, as the rumor mill churns at full speed for the Pixel 10 launch on August 20, the overall consensus for the upcoming Pixel 10 Pro is that it is going to be, in a word, boring.
From the outside, it looks like a bland, iterative update. So why am I still planning to buy one on Day One? Am I just a hopeless Pixel fanboy, blinded to an uninspired release?
Hear me out. While the Pixel 10 Pro might look familiar, the changes happening under the hood are some of the most exciting upgrades we've seen in years.
Before I dive in, here is a quick disclaimer: This article is based on the torrent of rumors and leaks we've seen so far, as well as Google's own design previews. We won't know the final specs for sure until the official launch event next week, so keep a pinch of salt handy.
Based on the leaks so far, which Pixel 10 model would you buy?6604 votes
Pixel 10
28%
Pixel 10 Pro
35%
Pixel 10 Pro XL
30%
Pixel 10 Pro Fold
8%
A well-earned year off for design
Let's get the obvious out of the way: The design of the Pixel 10 Pro is remarkably similar to its predecessor. Aside from a few subtle tweaks — like the SIM tray moving to a different spot (or possibly going away entirely) and the slight thickening of the camera bar — the phone is a dead ringer for the Pixel 9 Pro.
Usually, I'd be the first to criticize a company for rehashing a design (I'm looking at you, Samsung). But in this case, I think Google has earned a year off.
Consider the Pixel's design journey since 2021. The Pixel 6 was a radical departure from everything that came before it, introducing the now-iconic camera bar among a bunch of other design tweaks. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 each refined that look, introducing new elements like a metal camera bar housing, a totally flat display, and more. In 2024, the Pixel 9 lineup brought another major refresh with flat sides, a fully revamped camera bar (again!), and the introduction of the smaller Pro model. After four straight generations of significant annual evolution, I'm fine with Google taking a year off to perfect the formula.
Let me be clear, though, that if the Pixel 11 and Pixel 12 look just like this, I'll be singing a different tune. But for 2025, I'll allow it.
Rumored specs are deceiving
If the outside is staying the same, the inside must be getting a significant overhaul to justify an upgrade, right? Well, yes and no. At first glance, many of the core components are only seeing minor bumps or are remaining completely unchanged.
Rumors suggest the battery will only be about 3% larger than the one in the Pixel 9 Pro, an increase so small it's unlikely to have a noticeable impact on its own. An increase is an increase, and I'll happily take it, but the Pixel 10 Pro is almost certainly not getting the big jump in battery life we expect to see with the Pixel 10 Pro, which might have a 5,200mAh battery — the largest ever in a Pixel.
The leaked spec sheet for the Pixel 10 Pro is far from bad — it just shows a lot of repeats from last year, from RAM, to storage, to cameras.
Meanwhile, the camera hardware is expected to be identical to last year's model. While we might see new software-driven features, like using the telephoto lens for macro shots, the overall photo and video quality will likely be very similar to the Pixel 9 Pro thanks to this duplicated hardware. Of course, that is far from a bad thing, as Pixels are consistently some of the best camera phones you can get, and the Pixel 9 series is no exception to that.
Other specs are in the same boat. RAM is staying at 16GB, which is plenty for 2025, but no more than in 2024. Storage options remain the same, with 128GB at the lowest end (disappointing due to the rumor that the Pixel 10 Pro XL could start at 256GB, which makes a lot more sense for this price bracket). Even the 6.3-inch display on the Pixel 10 Pro will probably have the same resolution and refresh rate.
So, if this is all the case, then where's the excitement?
Tensor G5, faster charging, and Pixelsnap
The single biggest reason I'm buying the Pixel 10 Pro is the rumored Tensor G5 chip. For the past four years, Google's custom Tensor chips have been built on the foundation of Samsung's Exynos processors. While Google heavily modifies them to boost AI performance, among other things, they are still limited by that Exynos core. Think of it like making a movie: you can make a great film from a mediocre script, but it's a lot easier if the script is great to begin with. Exynos processors are, let's just say, not great scripts.
This year, that all changes. With Tensor G5, Google is rumored to be moving away from the Exynos base and debuting a fully custom-designed chip, manufactured by the best in the business: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). This is the same company Apple, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm use, and it could have massive implications for the Pixel 10 Pro.
Tensor G5 could be a game-changer for Google: a 3nm chip made by TSMC and with benchmarks that get it much closer to Snapdragon territory.
Early benchmarks suggest a performance leap of up to 36% over the Tensor G4. Furthermore, the chip is expected to be built on a 3nm process, which should bring significant gains in power efficiency. That previously mentioned small 3% battery increase suddenly becomes much more meaningful when paired with a more efficient processor. And to address the Pixel's historical weakness with heat, rumors point to a much larger vapor chamber inside the phone to improve thermal management. Better performance, longer battery life, and cooler temps—those three things alone are enough to get me excited.
The bigger thing here, though, is that Tensor has, for the past four generations, been Google's biggest weakness. Ask around, and you'll find that most Pixel naysayers cite Tensor as being the biggest reason they don't buy one. While Tensor G5 will almost certainly still fall way behind something like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it is very possible it could benchmark near slightly older 8-series Snapdragons. Those previously leaked benchmarks — which are easy to fake, so I'm not linking directly to them — suggest Tensor G5 could be on par with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Is that going to quiet the naysayers who think benchmark numbers are the be-all end-all of any phone? Certainly not. Could it possibly make some folks who used to be on the fence about Pixels give them a shot now that they know the performance isn't so far behind? Yes, and that's terrific.
Pixel 10 phones could have faster wired and wireless charging thanks to Qi2, and there also could be 'Pixelsnap' magnetic accessories.
Regardless, the good news doesn't stop with Tensor. Evidence suggests Google is finally improving the Pixel's charging experience — not by much, but at least by something. Wired charging speeds are rumored to see a modest 8% increase, but the bigger story is wireless charging. With the adoption of the new Qi2 standard, we should see a 25% jump in wireless charging speeds to 15W on compatible chargers. Historically, charging speeds have been a sore spot with Pixels, so it was never likely that we'd see a jump to the 80W speeds of the OnePlus 13 — or even the 45W speeds of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. But a bump is a bump, and I'm glad Google is not just letting things stagnate in this realm.
More importantly, Qi2 opens the door for magnetic accessories. Rumors suggest Google will launch a line of "Pixelsnap" accessories, similar to Apple's MagSafe ecosystem. A magnetic charging capability is one of the most requested features among Pixel fans. The only question is whether the magnets will be built into the phone itself or if they will require a special case. Rumors suggest the former, but I'm also not discounting the latter quite yet.
An exciting phone in a familiar package
So, let's return to the original idea of this article. Is the Pixel 10 Pro a boring upgrade? If you only look at the chassis, maybe. But when you look at what's rumored to be on the inside, it's anything but.
We're expecting huge performance gains, potentially better battery life, improved thermals, faster wired and wireless charging, and a new ecosystem of magnetic accessories. And that's before we even get to the suite of new AI-powered software features that Google is certainly cooking up for the phones. After all, those are Google's bread and butter.
The Pixel 10 Pro isn't an exciting phone because of how it looks. It's an exciting phone because of what it will be able to do. And for me, that's a boring-looking phone that's well worth buying.
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