Google Pixel 10 review
Design and ergonomics
The new Pixel 10 series isn't much different from its predecessors. The Pixel 10, in particular, is pretty much identical to the Pixel 9. Only the camera bump looks slightly taller than before, likely to accommodate the extra camera.
The build quality is impeccable, and the phone feels extra nice in hand. It's also on the compact side, so it's super easy to handle, even with one hand. The 6.3-inch screen diagonal is perfect for anyone looking for a compact flagship in 2025.
The choice of materials remains the same - Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back, and aluminum side frame.
The flat side frame has slight curvatures that meet the front and back glass panels, making the device feel like an almost unibody.
The SIM Card tray is located at the top and holds just one SIM card slot. If you wish to have two SIM cards, you will need to use a physical SIM + eSIM configuration.
Google Pixel 10
One of the significant upgrades this year is the addition of Qi2 wireless charging capability, complete with magnets for coil alignment. You won't see that from the outside, but you'll appreciate the positive snap when you place the phone on a compatible charging pad - Google has branded this feature Pixelsnap for a reason.
Going around the sides, we see the usual for Pixels, but unusual for pretty much all phones on the market, button arrangement. Both the volume rocker and the power button are placed on the right side of the frame, but the power button is positioned above the volume key, so if you are transitioning from another Android phone, you will find that annoying at first.
The available colors are fresh as always - Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass and Obsidian. We have the Indigo color and it looks very nice, but fingerprints and smudges are easily visible under certain angles.
Obsidian • Indigo • Lemongrass • Frost
The camera bump protrudes quite a bit, but since it spans across the back's width, the handset doesn't wobble on a flat surface.
We have often criticized Google for the sluggish optical under-display fingerprint readers in the past, but we welcomed the modern ultrasonic fingerprint reader on last year's models. Unlocking the phone feels faster and much more consistent.
However, the fingerprint scanner isn't active if the display is turned off. This is a bit annoying because you have to specifically turn on the screen before unlocking it with your finger. Usually, phones with ultrasonic FP readers can be unlocked by just touching the fingerprint area even if the screen is off. Of course, that's only a problem if you want to unlock the phone without first lifting it or if you haven't enabled the AlwaysOn Display.
Aside from a few quirks like the button placement and the inactive fingerprint reader when the screen is off, the Pixel 10 gets our nod of approval for ease of use and overall feel. The device is excellently built, offers premium materials and IP68 ingress protection, which is admittedly less than what most competitors offer (usually IP69), but let's not get nit-picky.
