The Pixel 10 marks the 10th generation of Google’s homegrown smartphone efforts. This year, alongside a new Tensor G5 chip, the company has included some upgrades that might make the base model the star of the family.
The standard Pixel 10: Now with a dedicated zoom for the first time
Aside from updated color options (obsidian, indigo, frost and lemongrass), the standard Pixel 10 doesn’t look too much different from last year’s phone. It still has a matte aluminum frame and a 6.3-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. For 2025, Google has upped the brightness of its Actua display to a peak of 3,000 nits (up from 2,700 nits). Google also claims the Pixel 10’s speakers have been significantly improved, though it was hard to tell by how much during my demo.
Inside, changes to the Pixel 10’s specs are a bit more robust. The Tensor G5 features a CPU that’s 34 percent better year-over-year on top of a new TPU that’s 60 percent faster than before. Memory and storage are staying the same at 12GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage, though it’s important to note that battery capacity has increased to 4,970mAh (up from 4,700mAh). That latter figure is even more than what you get from the Pixel 10 Pro (4,870mAh).
But by far, the biggest upgrade on the standard Pixel 10 is a new 10.8MP camera with a 5x optical zoom, joining the existing 48MP main and 13MP ultrawide cams. This is the first time Google has ever put a dedicated zoom lens on a base Pixel, which is a huge value add because previously anyone who wanted a telephoto camera had to pay extra for one of the premium models. And based on what I saw in person and its specs, its telephoto camera appears to be similar to what we got in last year’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold, so even if it’s not quite as powerful as what’s available on the Pixel 10 Pros, it’s still a great addition to the base model.
Furthermore, when compared to the standard Galaxy S25, the Pixel 10 suddenly has a significant hardware advantage thanks to a bigger battery (just 4,000 mAh on the Samsung), a longer zoom (5x vs 3x) and slightly faster wired charging (up to 30 watts on the Pixel instead of just 25W). Plus, both phones come with the same seven years of Android updates and security patches.
For the first time ever, Google has equipped the base model of its latest flagship phone with a dedicated telephoto lens.
(Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
That said, it remains to be seen if the Tensor G5 can match the general overall performance of the…