I second-guessed the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but now I can’t imagine not using it

I had been looking forward to purchasing the Google Pixel 10 for almost a year.

My current phone, an imported one with little support in North America, was starting to show its age. At the same time, smartphones were once again getting exciting.

A combination of such factors and timing meant that I was actively looking to get a new phone.

But as a part-time tech reviewer, making purchase decisions is not easy at all. Knowing that there’s always something better six months away doesn’t help either.

So when Google finally took the wraps off the Pixel 10 series a few weeks ago, I was left scratching my head over which model to finally get.

However, after a ton of overthinking, I decided to go with my gut and get the top-of-the-line Pixel 10 Pro XL. Two weeks in, I am glad I did.

Where I was coming from

I used to be a rather active smartphone reviewer who’d change primary devices multiple times a month.

Eventually, when I got a corporate job, I decided to get a nice new phone that would last me for a while and make me excited each time I used it. The answer was the Pixel 6 in 2021.

I used it happily for a while and was eager to understand the new direction Google was headed in with its smartphones. But my happiness didn’t last long, as one day it just died for no rhyme or reason.

I tried getting it fixed, but apparently, it had a fried motherboard that couldn’t be saved. With a replacement part costing almost $400, I decided to use a spare phone I had lying around until I was ready to buy something else.

Something interesting happened when I started using the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra: I began to miss the Pixel 6.

When I was daily driving the Pixel, I’d often complain about how slow it would charge or how poor its gaming performance was. But when I no longer had it, I missed the simplicity of its software and the reliability of its cameras.

These realizations made it clear that my next phone would also be a Pixel, just that I’d wait until Google announced one that was genuinely impressive.

A test of my patience

Come 2025, my Xiaomi had started to show its age. Its cameras were no longer best in class, battery life had deteriorated, and its quad-curved screen had cracked. One more accident and I’d be phone-less.

So, I made up my mind that this summer, I’d get a new phone — this time driven by needs instead of wants.

In many ways, I was the ideal customer for Google. I knew I wanted a Pixel; I valued the upgrades that the Pro models historically brought, I didn’t mind a bigger form factor, and I was somewhat price-insensitive.

But even with these tailwinds, in classic Google fashion, it was not a simple decision to choose between the new Pixels.

The base Pixel 10 now includes a telephoto camera, negating the main reason why most people consider a Pixel Pro.

There were no major hardware upgrades on the Pixel 10 Pro over its predecessor, and the XL only brought a bigger screen and battery — every other spec being the same.

At the stage I was in, it was easy to rationalize buying any of the three Pixel 10s.

As a generally frugal person, I thought hard about whether I should get the Pro or not. I even went to the store to see how much of a difference existed between the devices, but that only confused me further.

Biting the bullet

Throughout this week of confusion, I also asked my buddies who are reviewers about what they would do if they were in my place. They understood where I was coming from and why I was feeling unsure.

After a point, one of them said (probably after losing patience with me, but I don’t blame them) that I should get the best phone possible, because I was used to using flagships, and that $20 to $30 a month wouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

And so I did! The next day, I went to the same store and got a shiny new Pixel 10 Pro XL.

I had forgotten the feeling of owning the latest and greatest product available, and this purchase revived those memories.

It didn’t take long to get convinced

Most people make up their minds before making a major purchase. But here I was, hoping to get convinced that this was the right decision over time.

Maybe it was one of those things where reviewers spend days finding shortcomings in products that the average user might not care about that much. However, to my surprise, I couldn’t find anything major to complain about.

My day job involves traveling across Canada to manage events, so battery life and camera quality were my top priorities.

I also made it a point to try out all the AI features at my disposal to take care of every small decision/research in my life, and honestly, I am loving this life where I don’t need to bother with half the things.

Out of the bunch, Gemini Live with the camera on was my favorite — just pointing the phone at random objects and asking Google how to use/fix them made me feel a lot more competent and capable.

Why I am going to stick with the Pixel 10 Pro XL

Now that the honeymoon phase is over, and I have had time to think logically, here are the other main reasons why I feel choosing the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL was the right decision.

Unsurprisingly, the biggest factor is the cameras. I love clicking photos and sharing them online, and that is precisely the Pixel’s strongest suit.

Its camera is made to provide appealing results, regardless of what you are shooting. I was particularly impressed by how good the telephoto lens is, providing high levels of sharpness and vibrance, without looking overdone.

Yes, there is some generative AI that occasionally takes over the processing to add detail, but I don’t see a problem in that.

I didn’t expect myself to use the telephoto camera so much (based on my history), but I was probably lacking a good camera previously.

Secondly, the battery life on the Pixel 10 Pro XL is quite good. So far, I have not had a single day when it died on me before nightfall.

I feel that the battery backup is so reliable that I have set an 80% charge limit to preserve battery health. Even with that buffer, I can get a day’s worth of use on most days.

Thirdly, I like how recognizable this phone is. Anyone I showed it to could immediately identify that it was a Pro XL Pixel.

I have had no problems finding accessories for it either.

Moreover, the design language is now evolved enough to feel premium and durable, though I think I will always use it with a case.

Lastly, I am glad I chose the top spec because I plan on using this phone for a few years, if not for at least two.

In the long run, tiny issues can become annoying, such as unreliable battery life, poor cameras, and throttled performance.

While I don’t see myself using it for seven years the way Google promises to support it, I feel comfortable using the Pixel 10 Pro XL for around half that duration.

I’ve won, but at what cost?

Previously, I would buy phones up front and then hope to get my money’s worth over the following years. But now that I live in North America, I have had the opportunity to buy the Pixel on a contract.

So, in my head, the extra cost of upgrading from the base to the top Pixel 10 is essentially just about $25 a month, or the price of a nice meal.

This could just be me convincing myself, but I think that’s a reasonable expense to incur for something that gives me a lot of enjoyment and peace of mind.

Would I have been fine if I had gotten one of the other Pixel 10 phones? Quite possibly. But then, I am glad I got the best one possible.

It’s not just about how good it is today, but about how it will age and how (less) desperate I will be to change my phone two years from now.