Google Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Early expectations
Intro
Google made quite a drastic design shift with the Pixel 9 series last year, and as we're approaching the summer of 2025, it's time for another turn of the smartphone wheel. The Pixel 10 series is poised to launch sometime in August, and it will be interesting to see what changes this new lineup will bring.
The Pixel 10 Pro is especially interesting, because last year Google shrunk the flagship to make space for the Pro XL model, and now we have a compact and powerful Pixel, something many people asked for. How does the upcoming Pixel 10 Pro stack up against its predecessor, the Pixel 9 Pro? Today we're going to find out.
Pixel 10 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro expected differences:
| Pixel 10 Pro* | Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|
| Same design as the Pixel 9 Pro, more or less | Flat sides, front and back, new camera bar |
| Same building materials, size and weight | Glass-and-metal, around 200 grams |
| Identical camera setup | 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto camera setup |
| The same screen, potentially brighter | 1-120Hz AMOLED main display, 3000 nits brightness |
| Same screen size, resolution | 6.3-inch display, 1280 x 2856 pixels resolution |
| Google Tensor G5 chipset (3nm, new manufacturer) | Google Tensor G4 platform on a 4nm node |
| 16GB of RAM | 16GB of RAM here as well |
| The same 4,700 mAh battery, better battery life potentially | 4,700 mAh battery |
| Potentially faster 45W charging speeds | 27W wired, 21W wireless charging |
| The same $999 base price | $999 for the 16/128GB model |
Table of Contents:
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Design and Size
Don't fix if not broken
Google made a bit of an overhaul with the design of the last generation Pixels and abandoned the curved sides and back and the signature Camera Bar. The Pixel 9 Pro also grew smaller to make room for the Pro XL variant.
It seems that Google won't be making any big changes with the Pixel 10 Pro in that regard. We have some leaked renders, and most of them show a phone that's very similar to its predecessor.
In terms of size and weight, we expect the Pixel 10 Pro to be very similar to the Pixel 9 Pro, the differences will most likely be just a millimeter or two here and there or a gram up or down on the scales.
It seems that Google won't be making any big changes with the Pixel 10 Pro in that regard. We have some leaked renders, and most of them show a phone that's very similar to its predecessor.
In terms of size and weight, we expect the Pixel 10 Pro to be very similar to the Pixel 9 Pro, the differences will most likely be just a millimeter or two here and there or a gram up or down on the scales.
| Pixel 10 Pro* | Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|
| Thickness 8.6 mm | Thickness 8.5 mm |
| Dimensions 152.8 x 72 | Dimensions 152.8 x 72 |
| Weight Around 200 grams | Weight 199 grams |
The building materials used on the Pixel 9 Pro are your common aluminum and glass sandwich, and we expect the same for the Pixel 10 Pro. We could see an upgrade in protection, as the Pixel 9 Pro comes with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the new Gorilla Glass Ceramic is all the hype nowadays, but early indications point toward the same Victus 2 on the Pixel 10 Pro as well.
| Pixel 10 Pro* colors | Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|
| White | Porcelain |
| Black | Rose |
| Pink | Quartz |
| Hazel | Hazel |
| - | Obsidian |
*rumored
Display Differences
Shine bright as a star
In a smartphone age where even midrange phones have super-bright and fast screens, it is difficult for flagships. The Pixels, on the other hand, still managed to top our brightness test, landing at 2655 nits for the Pixel 9 Pro, one of the best results we ever had.
In terms of screen size and technology, there is nothing revolutionary compared to the previous model. We're talking about a 6.3-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 2856 pixels, which translates to around 495 PPI pixel density. The screen uses LTPO and can do a 1-120 Hz display refresh rate with everything in between.
| Pixel 10 Pro* | Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|
| Size 6.3" | Size 6.3" |
| Brightness 3000 nits (peak) | Brightness 3000 nits (peak) |
To say that the Pixel 10 Pro screen will be identical might not tell the whole story, but that's what the early information points toward. We might get a brightness bump, but in terms of size, LPTO tech, resolution, and pixel density, everything seems identical between the two phones.
This will require some proper lab testing, and we will add all display test results once we get the Pixel 10 Pro, so stay tuned for that.
Performance and Software
Tensor changes parents
The Pixel 10 Pro is expected to get the next-generation Tensor G5 processor. Google's in-house chipset switched "parents" and will be made by TSMC on a different node and using a different architecture. This might bring some performance and efficiency gains, but we have to test it in the lab.
The Pixel 9 Pro uses the Tensor G4, the fourth iteration of that in-house platform that uses Exynos-based architecture and is made in Samsung's factories. There have been some problems with efficiency, thermals, and overall performance with the Tensor family, so let's see what the new factory will bring to the table.
The Pixel 9 Pro uses the Tensor G4, the fourth iteration of that in-house platform that uses Exynos-based architecture and is made in Samsung's factories. There have been some problems with efficiency, thermals, and overall performance with the Tensor family, so let's see what the new factory will bring to the table.
| Pixel 10 Pro* | Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|
| Chip Google Tensor G5 | Chip Google Tensor G4 |
| Process 3nm | Process 4nm |
| RAM 16GB | RAM 16GB |
The RAM situation is iidentical;the new Pixel 10 Pro is expected with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, the same as what the Pixel 9 Pro has on board. 16GB is pplenty,and we don't see a need for more at the moment, but the trend of carrying over hardware from the Pixel 9 Pro continues.
The software situation is not surprising as well. Being Google phones, these two Pixels receive new Android versions first. The difference is that the Pixel 9 Pro is effectively one year older and will be supported a year shorter. The Pixel 10 Pro is expected to launch with Android 16 out of the box, as the next big Android OS release is slated for July.
The software situation is not surprising as well. Being Google phones, these two Pixels receive new Android versions first. The difference is that the Pixel 9 Pro is effectively one year older and will be supported a year shorter. The Pixel 10 Pro is expected to launch with Android 16 out of the box, as the next big Android OS release is slated for July.
Camera
AI and algorithms
You've guessed it right, there are no hardware changes expected on the Pixel 10 Pro camera. We will most likely get the same triple camera system that can be found on the Pixel 9 Pro, and while this is not necessarily a bad thing, one might ask what happened to hardware innovation.
But let's not get overly dramatic - the three cameras on the back of the Pixel 9 Pro have proven to be quite capable and flexible. We have a main wide 50MP camera, a 48MP ultrawide, and a 48MP periscope zoom lens with 5x optical zoom. It's a pretty decent package, especially given the small footprint of the phone.
| Pixel 10 Pro* | Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|
| Main 50 MP f/1.7 25 mm (wide) 1/1.31" | Main 50 MP f/1.7 25 mm (wide) 1/1.31" |
| Ultrawide 48 MP f/1.7 13 mm (ultrawide) 123 FOV | Ultrawide 48 MP f/1.7 13 mm (ultrawide) 123 FOV |
| Telephoto 48 MP f/2.8 113mm 5x optical zoom | Telephoto 48 MP f/2.8 113mm 5x optical zoom |
The Pixel 9 Pro managed an overall score of 151 (the current best is 158), so a pretty good result. We expect the Pixel 10 Pro to be able to at least match that (given the identical hardware), but Google might also add new AI magic and polish the post-processing algorithms further.
As always, we need to snap side-by-side samples and also test the Pixel 10 Pro in the lab to produce an objective, data-driven comparison score.
As always, we need to snap side-by-side samples and also test the Pixel 10 Pro in the lab to produce an objective, data-driven comparison score.
Battery Life and Charging
Another copy-paste affair
The Google Pixel 10 Pro is expected to have a battery capacity of 4,700 mAh, which is decent considering the size of the phone. Sadly, the overall battery score of the Pixel 9 Pro wasn't that impressive—the phone ranked #66 among devices tested in the past two years.
Now, with the new Tensor G5 being made on a 3nm node by TSMC, we might see a difference in the final score.
Now, with the new Tensor G5 being made on a 3nm node by TSMC, we might see a difference in the final score.
| Pixel 10 Pro* | Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|
| Battery capacity 4,700 mAh | Battery capacity 4,700 mAh |
Charging speeds 27/45W wired 21W wireless charging USB-C | Charging speeds 27W wired 21W wireless charging USB-C |
*rumored
The charging situation might change as well, as there are some rumors of 45W fast charging support for the Pixel 10 Pro. Worst-case scenario, the phone will retain the same 27W wired charging support of its predecessor, which, in a world where other manufacturers offer triple-digit charging speeds, isn't great.
Let's wait and see how this one plays out, but overall, no big changes in the final charging times are expected. The Pixel 9 Pro charges from 0 to 100 in 1h 21min.
Let's wait and see how this one plays out, but overall, no big changes in the final charging times are expected. The Pixel 9 Pro charges from 0 to 100 in 1h 21min.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick specs comparison between the Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro:
| Pixel 10 Pro* | Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 152.8 x 72 x 8.6 mm Around 200 g | Size, weight 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm 199 g |
| Screen Main: 6.3" OLED 1-120Hz 3000 nits peak | Screen Main: 6.3" AMOLED 1-120Hz 3000 nits peak |
| Processor Google Tensor G5 3nm | Processor Google Tensor G4 4nm |
| Versions: 16/128GB 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB LPDDR5 | Versions: 16/128GB 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB LPDDR5 |
| Cameras: 50MP main 48MP ultrawide 48MP periscope telephoto 5x 42MP front | Cameras: 50MP main 48MP ultrawide 48MP periscope telephoto 5x 42MP front |
| Battery: 4,700 mAh | Battery: 4,700 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 27/45W wired 21W wireless charging | Charging: USB-C 27W wired 21W wireless charging |
*rumored
Summary
Things are looking pretty uninspiring at the moment, with the Google Pixel 10 Pro using the lazy copy-paste scheme. The differences with the previous generation are so minuscule that you probably won't be able to tell these two phones apart.
That said, we're still in the preliminary phase, and things could change. But as of now, the new Pixel 10 Pro comes with just a new silicon on board, with everything else pretty much the same. Stay tuned as we will update this comparison when the Pixel 10 Pro launches.
That said, we're still in the preliminary phase, and things could change. But as of now, the new Pixel 10 Pro comes with just a new silicon on board, with everything else pretty much the same. Stay tuned as we will update this comparison when the Pixel 10 Pro launches.
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