I must be lucky — the Pixel 10 Pro XL feels almost perfect

Google seems to have really found its stride over the last few years in terms of the Pixel lineup.

While many of its handsets have been among some of the best Android phones available, there has always been a whisper that the devices were still not quite there.

With the latest Pixel 10 Pro XL, I’ve heard many of the same whispers, and some are outright complaints about the phone. For me, that hasn’t been anywhere near the case.

Instead, I’ve happily spent more time with this slab phone than my beloved foldables, and I think that says something.

Polished in the right ways

And one I’d rather it not be

After owning at least one model of the Pixel line since its inception, except the Pixel 5, which my wife had, I can confidently say that the Pixel 10 Pro XL is not only the most complete Pixel device, but also one that truly competes against the other juggernauts in the smartphone arena.

One area I haven’t heard too many specific complaints about is around the design of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, aside from the iterative complaints, which are valid.

Aside from feeling a little bit wide in the hand, I love the hardware on this phone. It feels balanced, weighty without being overly heavy, the buttons are clicky, and it is just flat out a joy to use.

I opted for the Jade color for the device, and picked up the Mous Clear Lime Green case. The overall aesthetic of the phone is beautiful, as far as phones go.

My only issue with the hardware and design of the phone is the polished frame. I would rather it be more of a satin finish to help with grip and smudges, but this is minor.

While the physical aspects of a smartphone are very important, especially when spending so much money on it, if the software isn’t dialed in, then it doesn’t matter how good the hardware is.

Thankfully, Android 16 is very good on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The internal hardware for the phone is well-tuned to handle Google’s vision for Android.

However, just as with my infatuation with the external hardware, there are some odd hiccups from time to time on the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Using Gboard, there are instances when it won’t pop up when tapping an input field, and the only solution I’ve found is the swipe back and re-tap.

Ignoring that issue, I love interacting with the phone. Swiping between screens, changing apps, and watching content, all of it is buttery smooth. The little animations and color choices that Material Design 3 slips in based on my wallpaper is refreshing.

This extends to using Gemini and the other AI aspects of Android on the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

I’m not fully on board with many of the AI tools in the world yet, but the times I’ve wanted to use Gemini in the past have been mostly positive. The different ways I’ve interacted with it on my phone have been so seamless and actually fun.

The tight integration with Android on the Pixel 10 Pro XL shines in speed and accessibility. The Tensor G5 processor may not win any brute power battles, but the way it handles the onboard AI is truly impressive.

From Gemini Live to Google Photos edits, I can’t help but be even more excited for when Gemini makes its way to the smart home.

That is when, much like Google Assistant did over 9 years ago, I can see Gemini truly making our phone and home interactions seamless.

A borderline perfect camera

That zoom 😍

Since I skipped the slab phone Pixel devices last year in favor of the 9 Pro Fold, I haven’t had the pleasure of extended testing of a flagship camera from Google for a couple of years — and wow, it is so good.

I’ve heard plenty of complaints in this area, and I really don’t get it. Are the “photos” perfect? No.

Yes, I meant to put quotation marks around the word photos. This is because smartphone cameras use so much AI processing that the question of “what is a photo” has become a very common one in recent years.

For me, and many other people, as long as the final result from the camera looks like what I see and remember, I don’t care how it’s done. I’ve loved taking photos with the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

While I had planned to take the OnePlus 13 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 with me when I went to Berlin for IFA, I changed backpacks at the last minute and left those devices at home.

However, if I could only take one phone with me, I’m glad it was the Pixel for the photography aspect. Not to mention the Pro Res Zoom, wow.

Here are some photo samples from the Pixel 10 Pro XL:

Aside from static subjects like buildings and trees, capturing moving objects is fantastic. My youngest son plays soccer, and my oldest decided to join his middle school cross-country team.

I change phones a couple of times a week and have switched to a phone in the morning and forgotten that there was a meet or game later that day.

Now, would these other phones do a fine job? Sure. But I know the Pixel 10 Pro XL will nail the photos and video this year, so I switch back.

This phone has become a requirement anytime I need not only a reliable camera, but one that pumps out great photos every time.

Close enough to perfect for me

I do not regret this choice

As the August 25 Made By Google event neared, I hadn’t heard any rumors that had me overly excited for the event. Plus, I had recently started using the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I had the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and the OnePlus 13.

So, in my mind, I was only going to follow the announcements to stay up to date with what Google was doing. I had no intention of picking up one of the new devices. If so, it was likely going to be the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

By the end of the announcements, I was pre-ordering the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and my 9 Pro Fold was getting boxed up for trade-in.

I feel like Google needs to do some work on its modems or antenna or something because the Pixel 10 Pro XL still has the same inconsistent connectivity issues my Fold did.

There are still little quirks here and there that can annoy me when using it, but so does every other phone I’ve used. But those issues are relatively minor, and everything else the Pixel 10 Pro XL brings to the table far outweighs the negatives.