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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Pixel 10 Professional faces powerful competitors at $999.
- Samsung, Apple, and OnePlus provide robust alternate options.
- Final yr’s Pixel 9 Professional nonetheless delivers nice worth.
Google’s newest flagship, the Pixel 10 Pro, is lastly right here, bringing its Pixelized mix of AI smarts and photographic intelligence to the premium Android area. I am all the time excited for the discharge of a brand new Pixel, however now greater than ever, it faces some powerful competitors at $999.
Additionally: I’ve tested every major foldable phone on the market – here’s why Google is suddenly winning
When you’re on the fence about whether or not to choose up Google’s newest Pixel, you must think about that a number of different telephones provide equal or larger worth on your cash, every with its personal distinctive spin on pace, battery life, cameras, and software program. Let’s check out a number of key alternate options.
1. Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung continues to supply essentially the most direct various to the Pixel with the Galaxy S25 collection. The bottom S25 begins at $799, 2 hundred {dollars} lower than the Pixel 10 Professional. Even on the lower cost, it runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a beast of its personal.
Simply earlier than the Pixel occasion, leaked Reddit benchmarks recommended the Tensor G5 lagged behind Qualcomm’s chip, and presumably even the Pixel 9’s GPU. Whether or not you purchase that or not, it is price ready for official comparisons now that the telephone is unveiled earlier than pulling the set off.
Additionally: I’ve tested every single Galaxy S25 phone – and my favorite isn’t the flagship model
Cameras stay my favourite use of Samsung’s flagships, and the bottom mannequin has a good triple digital camera array, together with a wonderful 10-megapixel telephoto. The Extremely is a steep improve, however going massive means you get Samsung’s spectacular 200-megapixel essential sensor paired with twin telephotos with a alternative between 3x and 5x optical zoom. Google’s 5x telephoto is great, however the Extremely presents extra flexibility for photographers.
The S25 ships with One UI 7 on Android 15 and comes with seven years of software program and safety assist, matching the promise made by Google for its Pixel household. Samsung provides its personal AI touches too, from on-device picture technology to helpful contextualization with the Now Bar. When you’re not going with a Pixel 10, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 is undoubtedly its closest counterpart.
2. Apple iPhone 16 Professional
When you’re prepared to courageous an ecosystem change, the iPhone 16 Pro is a strong various. It begins on the identical $999 start line, however its A18 Professional chip is round 52% sooner than Google’s Tensor G5, in line with leaked benchmarks. Apple’s flagship iPhones are identified for his or her effectivity as properly, which implies squeezing all-day battery life from smaller battery cells than rivals.
Images on the iPhone 16 Professional retains tempo with the Pixel 10 Professional in nonetheless photographs whereas persevering with to drag forward in video. Apple additionally added a 5x telephoto to each Professional fashions this yr, not simply the Max, making the digital camera array extra versatile.
Additionally: iPhone 16 review: Why I’m recommending this model over the Pro this year
In low mild, Apple’s Photonic Engine delivers robust dynamic vary, and in video, the iPhone 16 Professional fashions assist 4K video at 120 fps, together with ProRes when paired with exterior storage. That is one thing different mainstream smartphones do not but match.
Add within the polished titanium design, deep integration with Apple’s ecosystem, and the distinctive Motion Button, and you’ve got a telephone that competes with the Pixel 10 Professional in areas Google normally dominates whereas providing strengths of its personal.
3. OnePlus 13
OnePlus continues to push efficiency and charging pace to the bounds, and I am right here for it each time.
The OnePlus 13 undercuts the Pixel’s value barely, but it runs on the newest Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon, has a beneficiant quantity of RAM, and packs a large 6,000 mAh silicon carbon battery. A full cost takes round 40 minutes to finish, and that new battery expertise stretches battery life to nearly two days underneath average use. For individuals who neglect to cost their telephone at night time, like me, that is an enormous profit.
I discovered the telephone to be extremely quick as properly, due to all that inner horsepower. Digicam operation feels snappier, video games load faster, and the light-weight OxygenOS software program retains issues bloat-free however nonetheless fascinating and customized. The digital camera array, co-engineered with Hasselblad, might not fairly equal Google’s computational magic, however it’s versatile sufficient. It is also a variety of enjoyable to make use of, and I not often regretted the digital camera’s output taking a look at it later.
Additionally: OnePlus’ flagship phone is a solid alternative to the Galaxy S25 Ultra – here’s why
The actual compromises are available in software program longevity, maxing out at 4 years of main updates. It is not almost as robust as Google’s seven-year dedication, which can rightfully matter for some customers. For many who improve each few years, the OnePlus 13 hits a candy spot of value, pace, and endurance.
4. Google Pixel 9 Professional
It’d sound unusual to recommend final yr’s Pixel instead, however the Pixel 9 Pro is a surprisingly good purchase. Google’s 2024 flagship shares most of its {hardware} with the Pixel 10 Professional, together with the identical triple rear digital camera array, 16GB of RAM, and a 120 Hz OLED show. The Pixel 10 Professional has a barely brighter show, a barely bigger battery, and the brand new Tensor G5 chip that’s solely modestly sooner than final yr’s G4, in line with leaked benchmarks.
Additionally: I still prefer my Google Pixel 9 Pro over the expensive flagships — and it’s not even close
The Pixel 9 Professional typically sells for lots of much less now, which makes it a straightforward advice for Pixel followers who need a lot of the software program perks with out paying high greenback. You continue to get the seven years of software program and safety updates, options like Name Display and Magic Editor, and you continue to seize photographs and video that rival Google’s latest flagship.
5. Google Pixel 10
Hear me out, typically one of the best various is hiding in the identical lineup.
The bottom Pixel 10 cuts the value all the way down to $799 whereas maintaining a lot of what makes the Pixel 10 Professional interesting. It has the identical Tensor G5 processor, nearly the entire identical AI options, Qi 2 wi-fi charging with Pixelsnap assist, and for the primary time, a triple-camera array with a telephoto lens included in a non-Professional Pixel. You sacrifice a little bit of RAM, show decision, and digital camera sensor high quality, however the general expertise could be very shut. The marginally bigger battery within the base mannequin even means chances are you’ll get higher endurance than the Professional.
Additionally: I tried the standard Google Pixel 10 and didn’t miss the Pro models one bit
The one AI options lacking from the baseline Pixel 10 embrace an enhanced model of Greatest Take that robotically suggests a composite picture for you, and Professional Res Zoom as much as 100x. Neither of these options is a showstopper for many patrons, making the Pixel 10 ship a much more affordable entry into Google’s ecosystem for a number of hundred bucks much less.
The Pixel 10 Professional is a wonderful smartphone, however it’s not the one recreation on the town. Whether or not you need Samsung’s uncooked energy and ecosystem, Apple’s top-tier efficiency and video, OnePlus’s pace and charging magic, or Google’s personal discounted 9 Professional XL or base Pixel 10, you may have loads of alternate options.
Comply with my newest tech evaluations and initiatives throughout social media. You may discover me on YouTube at YouTube.com/@JasonHowell, on X at @JasonHowell, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/thatjasonhowell.
