Android software at its best

As much as we love the standard Pixel 10 Pro, and would recommend it to those who prefer having a more compact phone to hand, there’s no denying that for a more cinematic, big screen experience, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is an excellent pick. You’re getting so much of what makes the standard 10 Pro great but with a sizeable 6.8-inch display that offers up plenty of room for apps to spread out.

Having that larger panel just makes the Pixel 10 Pro XL far more competent as a device for entertainment. The 3300 nits of peak brightness, not to mention the use of OLED technology, provides stunning colour and contrast which makes the latest shows from Netflix and Disney Plus look amazing. If you’re the type of person who relies on their phone for catching up on any must-watch TV then you’ll love what Google’s put together here.

Of course, by having a larger phone, you’re also getting a bigger battery to go with it. Although the 5200mAh battery won’t be going toe to toe with the 7200mAh cell in the OnePlus 15, it still carries enough juice to get you through a fairly heavy day of use. There’s also speedier charging at 45W so you won’t have to wait around for it to top up. Plus, there’s now Qi2-enabled wireless Pixelsnap charging which is perfect for those who don’t want to carry around cumbersome cables alongside their power banks.

In terms of cameras, you’re getting the same triple-array found on the Pixel 10 Pro, but that’s no bad thing. The 50MP main sensor, alongside the 48MP 5x telephoto and the 48MP ultrawide provide plenty of flexibility when it comes to getting the shot you’re after. Just like previous Pixel phones, the 10 Pro XL can handle its own in low light scenes and it’s a true stunner when it comes to taking portrait shots of friends and family.

The only area where the 10 Pro XL stumbles somewhat against the competition is in gaming. While the Tensor G5 chipset is perfect for everyday tasks and jumping between apps, it just isn’t quite as powerful as the latest Snapdragon CPUs, but if you’re not a gamer then you’ll rarely (if ever) notice the discrepancy.

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If there’s one problem with the latest flagship Android phones it’s that they constantly try to outdo one another when it comes to display sizes. Just take a look at the 6.9-inch Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and you’ll see what we mean – that’s a phone that can only really be held two-handed. Thankfully, the Google Pixel 10 Pro offers something that the rest don’t: a flagship phone that sits comfortably in one hand.

Even with a smaller stature, the Pixel 10 Pro doesn’t feel like a compromised device as you’re still getting top-shelf specs pretty much across the board. The big win is the absolutely gorgeous 6.3-inch display which can reach 3300 nits of peak brightness. When paired with the OLED panel onboard, everything looks vibrant and crisp. You certainly won’t have any trouble seeing what’s on screen whilst roaming the great outdoors.

The phone also benefits from Google’s big AI push, including features like Magic Cue which can intelligently offer up relevant bits of information depending on what you’re looking at onscreen. For instance, if a friend is asking for directions to the restaurant you’ve booked a table at, Gemini can track it down from your booking email and immediately offer it to them with just a single tap on your end. It’s incredible stuff, and it sits on top of existing features in this area such as Google’s superior call screening.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Pixel phone it if didn’t benefit from having outstanding camera tech. Admittedly, the Pixel 10 Pro isn’t a major overhaul in this area compared to the Pixel 9 Pro, but the triple-camera array on the rear can still put out some of the best looking shots around, and it all benefits from Google’s outstanding eye for skin colour, producing outstanding portrait shots in a pinch.

The only reason why you might be tempted to nab one of the latest iPhones instead is for video capture, as those handsets still have the upper hand. However, with magnetic Qi2 charging available on the Pixel 10 Pro, you can enjoy compatibility with a ton of accessories that were once only accessible via MagSafe. As an all-in-one package, the Pixel 10 Pro is a great compact flagship that’s bound to be preferable to those who miss having a smaller phone.

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It’s no secret that Google’s range of foldable phones didn’t have the smoothest start, particularly as it entered a space largely dominated by Samsung and with plenty of great alternatives available from the likes of Honor, but the Pixel 10 Pro Fold now feels like the phone that Google always wanted to make. For all the foldable fans out there, this is a great option to consider in 2026.

The main thing that separates the 10 Pro Fold from the competition is its unparalleled durability. We’re talking full IP68 dust and water resistance which, for a form factor that has always had an underlying element of concern regarding long-term durability, is a big win. There’ll be no need for a minor panic attack if you spill a drink over the 10 Pro Fold as you can just dry it off and get straight back to using it.

Unlike other brands, Google has doubled down on its more squat build for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and what this means is that you have a foldable phone that fits quite comfortably in one hand. The smaller 6.4-inch external display is perfect for just whipping out of a pocket and quickly interacting with apps like Spotify or WhatsApp, without needing to break out the larger display.

However, with an almost square-like eight-inch display inside, the 10 Pro Fold is perfect for a bit of productivity and multitasking on the go. For instance, when doing a spot of research and writing, you can have Google Docs open on one side and Google Chrome open on the other, and it all works brilliantly. The fact that it all runs on the clean aesthetic of stock Android is even better.

At the time of its release, the 10 Pro Fold is also the only foldable phone of any kind that features magnetic Qi2 charging. Branded by Google as Pixelsnap, this helpful concept lets you attach the 10 Pro Fold to MagSage-compatible accessories such as wireless power banks or phone holders in your car. All of this makes the 10 Pro Fold far more versatile than the competition, and especially helpful for a quick battery top-up without having to bring cumbersome cables with you.

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Our pick for the best Google phone is the top-end Pixel 9 Pro XL. Though the branding is new, this is the follow-up to the 6.7-inch Pixel 8 Pro, putting it up against top-end competition like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

We were impressed with the updated look of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, with curved edges ditched in favour of flat alternatives and a redesigned camera housing that now resembles a pill more than a bar – but it’s more than just a simple redesign.

In a year with massively increased competition in the AI space, Google shows that its Pixel line still has the upper hand. The new Tensor G4 chipset, while not offering major performance gains compared to the G3, offers support for on-device Google Gemini with multimodal functionality, allowing you to have live discussions with Gemini, as well as being able to analyse photos you share.

It doesn’t stop there, of course; like previous Pixels, the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a boost to AI photo editing smarts with the new Add Me mode and improvements to Magic Editor, but the AI experience permeates practically every corner of the Pixel experience, from Pixel Screenshots that help you search for information in screenshots, Pixel Studio that can generate images on-device, and much, much more.

It also has the same clean approach to Android as the rest of the Pixel collection, and like other recent Pixels, it benefits from Google’s industry-leading seven years of OS upgrades, meaning it’ll continue to improve over time.

Elsewhere, the 6.8-inch Super Actua display is a treat for the eyes, with a pixel-packed 1.3K resolution and a whopping 3000nits peak brightness that makes using the phone a doddle, even in direct sunlight. That’s backed up by a smooth 120Hz refresh rate with battery-friendly LTPO tech, and it plays particularly well with HDR10+ content too.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL, along with the Pixel 9 Pro (essentially a smaller 6.3-inch version of the Pro XL) offer a triple camera array comprised of a 50MP main and matching 48MP ultrawide and 5x telephoto lenses. These lenses continue to deliver some of the best photographs taken on any smartphone, with accurate colours, plenty of detail and Google’s top-notch skin tone reproduction tech.

It’s also capable of all-day battery life with its 5060mAh battery delivering around six hours of screen-on time with charge left to spare, making it a great all-round high-end option for Pixel fans.

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If your first thought when laying eyes on the Pixel 10a is that it looks almost identical to the previous-gen Pixel 9a then don’t worry, you’re no alone. As far as upgrades go, the Pixel 10a is far more iterative than what we’ve seen from Google’s mid-range handset, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty to love about it.

For starters, in what is sure to be a boon to anyone who’s tired of having their smartphone cameras bulging from their pockets, Google has done away with having a camera bump completely. Instead, the two rear-facing cameras now sit flush within the device itself to create a completely smooth backing that just feels great in the hand.

The display has also been given an upgrade here, reaching a new peak brightness of 3000 nits, which makes the phone a lot easier to use outdoors. You won’t be squinting when trying to read Google Maps directions on the Pixel 10a. The display is more resistant as well, now using Gorilla Glass 7i to better withstand scratches over time.

Of course, the real reason why you’d want to buy the Pixel 10a over competing mid-rangers like the Samsung Galaxy A56 or the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro are the cameras onboard. Thanks to Google’s computational processing, its mid-range phones consistently put out the type of photos that can oftentimes outdo handsets at the flagship end of the market.

The biggest omission here is definitely the Pixelsnap feature that allows for magnetic wireless charging and is available on every other phone in the Pixel 10 range. There’s also a case to be made that if you’re tied to a strict budget then you’ll be able to find the Pixel 9a for even less nowadays, but the 10a will be supported for a bit longer into the future, making it more of a solid investment.

The Google Pixel Fold was a solid first attempt at a foldable, but it wasn’t without its issues. It was thick and heavy, had a notable crease, and struggled to run Android apps full-screen on that larger screen.

Thankfully, the follow-up Pixel 9 Pro Fold fixes practically every issue we had with the original. It’s a complete rethinking of Google’s book-style foldable, with a design similar to the OnePlus Open, complete with flat edges. It’s much thinner and lighter to hold as a result, making it a joy to use in day-to-day life.

Plus, with a 20:9 6.3-inch outer screen, it feels like a regular smartphone when not using the larger 8-inch internal panel. Though it still sports a rather notable crease, the internal panel can now render practically any Android app in full-screen, making it much more capable than its predecessor.

Pixels have a reputation for great cameras, and while the experience is solid here, it’s not the same setup as other ‘Pro’ models in Google’s Pixel 9 collection. The primary 48MP sensor is similar to the Pixel 9a, while the telephoto and ultrawide lenses cap out at 10.8 and 10.5 megapixels, respectively.

Still, even with less advanced hardware, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold can deliver a great photo with Google’s signature colour accuracy – just don’t rely too much on the zoom lens.

It also packs the same Tensor G4 as the rest of the Pixel collection. As we’ve already said, it’s a wholly capable chipset for the phone’s expansive suite of AI features, but it’s not the most performative chipset around.

Still, if you want a book-style foldable with core Pixel features and functionality, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a good – if premium – option.

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