Google opened a new chapter in the Pixel phone story – the first models with TSMC-made chipsets are up for pre-order. Three of the new models will start shipping next week, the foldable won’t be out until early October. The prices are the same as last year, which is great
Even better, you get gift codes worth £100. Note that this isn’t an Amazon Gift Card but instead a Google Play Gift Code, so you can spend this on apps or on Google’s online store. Additionally, you can get up to £250 trade-in bonus if you send in an old device.
The Google Pixel 10 is the first vanilla model to have a telephoto lens. However, it loses the large 1/1.31” sensor in the main and the high-resolution ultra-wide of the Pixel 9. The new model comes with a £100 gift code. We will have a look at the 9-series alternatives shortly.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro also gets a £100 Gift Code. Gift codes or not, the Pro is £200 more expensive. The Pro model does have the large 1/1.31” main sensor and the high-resolution ultra-wide (48MP vs. 13MP), plus a superior telephoto – both have 5x zoom, but this one can go further with its 48MP sensor (vs. 10.5MP).
The Pro model also gets a superior LTPO OLED display with a higher resolution (1280p+ vs. 1080p+). The chipset is the same for both, Tensor G5, but the Pro has more RAM (16GB vs. 12GB). The battery is essentially the same (4,870mAh vs. 4,970mAh) with 30W wired charging – and new this generation is the 15W magnetic Qi 2 charging and support for Pixelsnap accessories.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is essentially an upsized version of the 10 Pro. It has a 6.8” LTPO display (1344p+) and a 5,200mAh battery with faster 45W wired and 25W Qi2 charging. Note that this year there is no 128GB option – the cheapest Pro XL is now the 256GB model.
Again, the Pixel 10, 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL are on pre-order now and will start shipping next week (nominally, on August 28, but the first units may arrive early). The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is coming later on (open sales will start on October 9).
You can grab a Pixel 9 and save a lot of money over the 10. You will miss out on the tele camera and the magnetic charging, but as noted above, you get better main and ultra-wide cameras. The difference between the Tensor G4 and G5 chipsets will become more clear over the next few days as benchmark results roll in.
To save even more, you can grab the Google Pixel 9a. This one also uses the Tensor G4 like the 9, but the camera system has been downgraded. Still, it’s the cheapest new Pixel phone that you can buy.
Google didn’t really change the camera system on the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro, so have a look at the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. There are some new AI features, but those will be backported with a Pixel Feature Drop soon. This mainly leaves the chipset and the magnetic system – but you can always buy a Qi 2 case for the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL as well.
Samsung’s flagship series has been around for a while now and they have competitive prices. The Galaxy S25 is smaller than the Pixel 10 with its 6.2” LTPO display and it’s cheaper too. Plus, you get a free Galaxy Watch7 40mm (note: it’s the previous generation watch). The S25 has the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip – we haven’t seen the Tensor G5 in action (not properly, anyway), but the Elite is sure to outperform it. The 10MP 3x telephoto camera loses out to the 48MP 5x camera of the Pixel 10 Pro, but it should be closer to the 10.5MP 5x camera of the vanilla Pixel.
As for battery endurance, the 4,000mAh cell inside the S25 puts it at a disadvantage, but Google’s Tensor has yet to prove it’s capable of running efficiently. Oh, and if you want magnetic charging and accessories, you will need the right case – that’s not built into the phone.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is around the same price as the Pixel 10 Pro XL – though the S25 Ultra comes with a free 14” Galaxy Chromebook Go (that’s worth £200 or so). Which of the two phones has better cameras? That is the topic of a future shootout.
If you’re concerned more with weight rather than height and width, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is 163g, a whopping 41g lighter than even the “small” Pixel 10. This is despite offering a large 6.7” 1440p+ LTPO display (vs. 6.3” 1080p+). On the downside, the 3,900mAh battery is 1,070mAh smaller than the Pixel 10 battery. Also, there’s no dedicated telephoto lens – for zooming in, you get what you get from the 200MP main. The Edge also comes with a free Samsung Chromebook.
Like we mentioned above, the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold will not be out for over a month. In the meantime, consider the Galaxy Z Fold7 – though you might want to wait a while for discounts to kick in. Right now you only get £100 if you are a Prime Student subscriber and that free Samsung Chromebook.
Google skipped the flip-foldable form factor yet again. For around the same price as the Pixel 10, you can have the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE and experience a new form factor. We’d recommend the premium Galaxy Z Flip7, though – it costs more, but it’s a noticeably better phone. But again, you might want to wait a bit as the current offer isn’t great unless you are a Prime Student member.
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