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The fastest, most efficient Pixel phone is here, and many current Google phone users are considering upgrading. Google's latest Pixel 10 Pro phone has an upgraded Tensor G5 processor, which makes it more powerful than any Pixel phone ever. If you have an older Pixel, you may wonder if the new flagship is worth the upgrade and why.
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The Pixel 10 lineup is the first to get Pixelsnap wireless charging, which is Google's response to Apple's MagSafe on the iPhone. While older Pixel phones supported wireless charging, the Pixelsnap features strong magnets to hold accessories like a battery pack or wallet.
This is just one of the many changes coming with the Pixel 10 Pro. Here's how the new flagship compares to previous models, including the Pixel 9 Pro, 8 Pro, 7 Pro, and 6 Pro.
Pixel 10 Pro versus Pixel 9 Pro
The Pixel 10 Pro's biggest upgrade is its performance, as it features a pretty significant performance boost compared to the 9 Pro. The new Google Tensor G5 processor features a more efficient 3nm process node and can deliver up to 36% faster performance than the Pixel 9 Pro. Both models have the same camera 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 48MP 5x telephoto lens camera.
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If you have a Google Pixel 9 Pro, you may find that the new 10 Pro doesn't show much of a physical change. The current flagship has some new features, but it's more of an iterative upgrade to the previous model than anything else, with almost identical dimensions and a similar design.
If you're wondering whether upgrading to a Pixel 10 Pro from the previous model, the magnetic Pixelsnap wireless charging may make it worthwhile.
Pixel 10 Pro versus Pixel 8 Pro
The notable Tensor G5 processor will make the most difference in the 10 Pro's performance compared to the Pixel 8 Pro, but the new flagship also features a brighter display, improved battery, and an upgraded selfie camera.
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The Pixel 8 Pro's rear camera set is the same as the new 10 Pro, but the front-facing camera is a big upgrade, going from 10.5MP to a 42MP sensor. The display on the new flagship supports a higher peak brightness, going from the 8 Pro's 2,400 nits to 3,300 nits.
The Pixel 10 Pro has 16GB of RAM, an increase from the 12GB in the 8 Pro, to boost its day-to-day performance a bit more.
Pixel 10 Pro versus Pixel 7 Pro
The older the Pixel model you have, the bigger the upgrade the Pixel 10 Pro represents. Compared to the Pixel 7 Pro, the 10 Pro features a brighter, more resistant display, a better camera array, support for Wi-Fi 7, and faster, more capable performance.
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The Tensor G5 is undoubtedly a major upgrade from the Pixel 7 Pro's Tensor G2, giving the 10 Pro a noticeable difference in everyday use. This, along with bringing the RAM from 12GB to 16GB, should deliver snappier performance and the ability to run AI tasks with more ease.
While the Pixel 10 Pro doesn't feature a complete overhaul of the full camera array that you've come to love in the Pixel 7 Pro, it does have some huge improvements. The Pixel 10 Pro's rear triple camera system adds a 48MP telephoto lens to what used to be a dual-camera system in the 7 Pro. The new flagship's ultrawide camera has a 48MP sensor that outshines the 7 Pro's 12MP sensor, and the front-facing camera goes from 10.8MP to 42MP.
Pixel 10 Pro versus Pixel 6 Pro
Coming from the Pixel 6 Pro to a Pixel 10 Pro is a no-brainer and will deliver the biggest upgrade for users. The camera array alone is fully updated, with more powerful sensors that have higher sensitivity -- not to mention the set of more recent Pixel-exclusive photography software features to upgrade your experience from capturing to editing.
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The Google Pixel 10 Pro's new Tensor G5 processor is the best Pixel chipset available and a massive upgrade from the Pixel 6 Pro's original Tensor chip. If you're a Pixel 6 Pro user, this means you'll see a cleaner, snappier performance with the new smartphone.
The 6 Pro has an 800-nit peak brightness, which is only a fraction of the Pixel 10 Pro's 3,300 nits of peak brightness. As far as protection, the new 10 Pro has the Gorilla Glass Victus 2, a newer finish than the 6 Pro's Gorilla Glass Victus.