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Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL | Image Credits - Google
Google's new Pixel 10 Pro may have the same camera setup as the Pixel 9 Pro, but it has a new trick up its sleeve that can give a tough time to the top camera phones of 2025: Pro Res Zoom.
Google phones since the Pixel 3 have offered something called Super Res Zoom to improve the quality of digitally zoomed photos by stitching together multiple images. The Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL go a step further by introducing something called Pro Res Zoom.
Google claims that Pro Res Zoom allows the Pro models to capture "astonishing detail at up to 100x zoom." The feature was made possible by the new Tensor G5 chip and a generative imaging model that recovers and refines small details.
Reddit user Dry_Astronomer3210 played around with the Pixel 10 Pro's camera at a Best Buy. They posted some sample images and weren't impressed at all with Pro Res Zoom.
Shots produced by a Pixel 10 Pro demo unit. | Image Credit - Dry_Astronomer3210
They photographed a shelf full of Mario Kart World at various zoom levels, and the Pro Res Zoom shot looks nothing like the close-up shot. Granted, AI does make things a little bit better, but you can hardly make out any detail, so it's not contributing meaningfully.
A 100x image taken using the Pixel 10 Pro's Pro Res Zoom features looks liked a jumbled mess. | Image Credit - Dry_Astronomer3210
Dry_Astronomer3210 says that while Pro Res Zoom does clean up images, in some cases, it just comes up with fake details. For instance, the zoomed image features text that has no link with the original photo.
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Google uses a latent diffusion model that aims to kill artifacts and keep important details. This has traditionally been a problem with digitally zoomed photos. The process happens on-device, and the official sample shared by Google looked quite impressive.
The images taken from the Best Buy demo unit tell another story and make you question Google's claim about the Pixel 10 Pro's capability to "deliver the highest-quality zoom on a smartphone."
Are you excited about the Pixel 10 Pro's Pro Res Zoom?
I am not interested in gimmicky features.
44.44%
Yes, it can be a game changer.
33.33%
I don't see myself using it.
22.22%
In Google's defence, though, the company said that the feature was intended for wildlife, landscapes, and landmarks. This may explain why the 100x image doesn't look usable at all.
A 100x Pro Res Zoom sample shared by Google. | Image Credit - Google
That said, even if the feature isn't meant for the contents of a store shelf, it doesn't make sense why it downright failed instead of making the image at least somewhat clearer. More importantly, the limitation still doesn't explain why Google's AI botched some elements of the photo.
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Most people don't take photos of game packs from a distance, and thus, this is unlikely to bother potential buyers. It does make you lose your confidence in the tech a bit, though, and it doesn't help that Google shared only one sample photo to demonstrate it.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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