Getting used to the Pixel 10 hardware after about 18 years of iPhone usage was surprisingly easy, probably due to the fact all smartphones are basically just slabs of glass and some kind of metal (or plastic, depending on the budget).
The same is true for the Pixel 10, so in case you wonder how it feels in hand: like every other phone.
Having used it now for around three weeks, the biggest change from the iPhone 16 Pro I used previously is that the volume and power buttons are all on the same side.
Which I have to admit I disliked at first: I use my phone mostly in my right hand, and I need to do some weird finger acrobatics to hit the power and volume down button to take a screenshot. Instead I added a screenshot "toggle" by double tapping the back of the device. It doesn't always work, but it is much easier than trying to push the buttons.
But I got so used to it, that when a friend handed me his iPhone last weekend, instead of toggling the volume I ended up locking the device. My muscle memory seems to have changed rather quickly.
The review unit Google sent me came in Frost, which I'd describe as a soft lavender or lilac. I love lilac so I love the color of this phone.
They also sent me a case, but I dislike cases, so to the drawer it went.
Visually, the biggest hardware changed compared to the iPhone is the position of the camera bump. And I'll be honest, coming from a 16 Pro the bump is an improvement. Apple thankfully changed this with the 17 line-up, but a camera bump should take up the whole width of a device.
The reason is simple: when I lay down my phone flat, I don't want it to rock back and forth when I type. The Pixel 10 does not, the 16 Pro did it all the time, and now the 17 Pro and 17 Air do neither. It sounds stupid but it is an improvement.
I wonder how much I'd appreciate the flush back of the Pixel 10a?
Talking of the camera: it's fine. I don't really take pictures nor videos with my phone, most of my camera roll is just of receipts or things I wanted to quickly remember. The same was true for my iPhone. But it's nice I have a 5x zoom built-in.
To be honest, at this point I think the camera on most smartphones is good enough for the majority of people. I mean, I just have to scroll through my family's Instagram profiles to know that most don't know shit on how to take a good picture, so I struggle to see what the advantage of pixel peeping is.
If the camera quality is super important to you, I'd argue you should get a real camera, but if that is asking too much, you probably buy the latest iPhone each year anyway.
As for the front-facing camera, I have more thoughts. Not because I take selfies all the time, but because it's a punch hole camera, which also unlocks your device.
First of: a punch-hole design is better since you simply have more screen real estate. But on the other hand, since it's lacking all the sensors Apple added to their pill-shaped hole, it's not as precise.
I haven't tested it yet, but if you told me you could unlock my phone with a mask of my face, I would believe you. This is not a problem on an iPhone, but then again, pill-shaped island.
This is why I disabled unlocking my phone with the camera. Instead I use the built-in fingerprint sensor which is under the screen.
Let me tell you: it's the best feature of this phone. No, seriously! You won't believe how much I like it, and for the first week or so it was the feature that made me awe the most.
It's what I showed to all my iPhone-people. There were some rumors Apple wanted to add the functionality to the iPhone next year, and I hope they do. It's just a better experience, don't at me!
Some other reviews mention that it's apparently not the best nor fastest, but coming from an iPhone I don't care. It's good, I like it!
Finally, battery life. I charged my iPhone every night, and I charge my Pixel 10 every night. It holds a day, I wish these devices would go longer, but alas!
Charging is slow, however. I've always heard of the amazing charging speeds of Android devices compared to iPhones, but this is not that. It takes half an hour for 50% which is the same speed than my 16 Pro.
But hey, at least my MagSafe accessories work! (Of which I own exactly one, a charging puck.)
So, what do I think of the hardware?
To be honest, as someone who tries to use his phone less and less, what I expect from a smartphone is a few things:
- The battery should hold a day, at least.
- The experience should be smooth without lagging (turning on the 120hz refresh rate was the first thing I did).
- It should look nice-ish.
- It needs to take pictures that are good enough.
- And it needs to fit into my pocket without looking ridiculous.
Now, what does that mean? That I'd probably be very happy with the Pixel 10a? But this is overkill, so we'll see.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.