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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Pixel 10 Professional faces powerful competitors across the $1,000 worth tier.
- Samsung, Apple, and OnePlus supply sturdy options.
- Final yr’s Pixel 9 Professional nonetheless delivers nice worth.
Google’s newest flagship, the Pixel 10 Professional, brings its Pixelized mix of AI smarts and photographic intelligence to the premium Android area. I am all the time excited for the latest Pixel, however now greater than ever, it faces some powerful competitors at $999.
For those who’re on the fence about whether or not to choose up Google’s latest Pixel, it’s best to take into account that a number of different telephones supply equal or higher worth in your cash, every with its personal distinctive spin on velocity, battery life, cameras, and software program. Apple simply introduced the brand new iPhone 17 sequence, in spite of everything. Let’s check out a it and few different options.
1. Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung continues to supply essentially the most direct different to the Pixel with the Galaxy S25 sequence. The bottom S25 begins at $799, 2 hundred {dollars} lower than the Pixel 10 Professional. Even on the lower cost, it runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a beast of its personal.
Simply earlier than the Pixel occasion, leaked Reddit benchmarks advised the Tensor G5 lagged behind Qualcomm’s chip, and probably even the Pixel 9’s GPU. Whether or not you purchase that or not, it is price ready for official comparisons now that the cellphone is unveiled earlier than pulling the set off.
Cameras stay my favourite use of Samsung’s flagships, and the bottom mannequin has a good triple digital camera array, together with a superb 10-megapixel telephoto. The Extremely is a steep improve, however going large means you get Samsung’s spectacular 200-megapixel fundamental sensor paired with twin telephotos with a selection between 3x and 5x optical zoom. Google’s 5x telephoto is great, however the Extremely presents extra flexibility for photographers.
The S25 ships with One UI 7 on Android 15 and comes with seven years of software program and safety help, matching the promise made by Google for its Pixel household. Samsung provides its personal AI touches too, from on-device picture era to helpful contextualization with the Now Bar. For those who’re not going with a Pixel 10, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 is undoubtedly its closest counterpart.
2. Apple iPhone 17 Professional
For those who’re keen to courageous an ecosystem change, the iPhone 17 Professional is now official. Preorders start Sept. 12, 2025, with availability on Sept. 19. It begins at $1,099 for 256GB, with larger tiers out there (and a 2TB choice on the Professional Max).
Modifications from final yr are significant: the brand new A19 Professional chip brings stronger CPU/GPU efficiency and speeds, plus there’s a redesigned aluminum unibody with improved thermals. The digital camera system steps as much as three 48MP Fusion sensors (Important, Extremely Extensive, Telephoto) and a brand new 18MP Middle Stage entrance digital camera. The ProMotion shows are brighter and extra sturdy with Ceramic Defend 2, and battery life has even improved. Apple charges as much as 33 hours of video playback on the 17 Professional and as much as 39 hours on the Professional Max.
On paper, the iPhone 17 Professional retains tempo with the Pixel 10 Professional and will even set the bar for some. For those who’re cross-shopping at $999 to $1,199, Apple’s {hardware}, digital camera upgrades, and longer battery life make this a really credible different to Google’s flagship.
3. OnePlus 13
OnePlus continues to push efficiency and charging velocity to the bounds, and I am right here for it each time.
The OnePlus 13 undercuts the Pixel’s worth barely, but it runs on the most recent Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon, has a beneficiant quantity of RAM, and packs an enormous 6,000 mAh silicon carbon battery. A full cost takes round 40 minutes to finish, and that new battery expertise stretches battery life to virtually two days below average use. For individuals who neglect to cost their cellphone at evening, like me, that is an enormous profit.
I discovered the cellphone to be extremely quick as properly, because of all that inside horsepower. Digicam operation feels snappier, video games load faster, and the light-weight OxygenOS software program retains issues bloat-free however nonetheless fascinating and customized. The digital camera array, co-engineered with Hasselblad, could not fairly equal Google’s computational magic, however it’s versatile sufficient. It is also a number of enjoyable to make use of, and I not often regretted the digital camera’s output it later.
The actual compromises are available in software program longevity, maxing out at 4 years of main updates. It is not practically as sturdy as Google’s seven-year dedication, which is able to rightfully matter for some customers. For many who improve each few years, the OnePlus 13 hits a candy spot of worth, velocity, and endurance.
4. Google Pixel 9 Professional
It’d sound unusual to counsel final yr’s Pixel in its place, however the Pixel 9 Professional is a surprisingly good purchase. Google’s 2024 flagship shares most of its {hardware} with the Pixel 10 Professional, together with the identical triple rear digital camera array, 16GB of RAM, and a 120 Hz OLED show. The Pixel 10 Professional has a barely brighter show, a barely bigger battery, and the brand new Tensor G5 chip that’s solely modestly quicker than final yr’s G4, based on leaked benchmarks.
The Pixel 9 Professional usually sells for a whole lot much less now, which makes it a simple advice for Pixel followers who need a lot of the software program perks with out paying high greenback. You continue to get the seven years of software program and safety updates, options like Name Display screen and Magic Editor, and you continue to seize images and video that rival Google’s latest flagship.
5. Google Pixel 10
Hear me out, generally the most effective different is hiding in the identical lineup.
The bottom Pixel 10 cuts the worth right down to $799 whereas conserving a lot of what makes the Pixel 10 Professional interesting. It has the identical Tensor G5 processor, virtually all the identical AI options, Qi 2 wi-fi charging with Pixelsnap help, and for the primary time, a triple-camera array with a telephoto lens included in a non-Professional Pixel. You sacrifice a little bit of RAM, show decision, and digital camera sensor high quality, however the total expertise may be very shut. The marginally bigger battery within the base mannequin even means it’s possible you’ll get higher endurance than the Professional.
The one AI options lacking from the baseline Pixel 10 embrace an enhanced model of Finest Take that routinely suggests a composite picture for you, and Professional Res Zoom as much as 100x. Neither of these options is a showstopper for many consumers, making the Pixel 10 ship a much more cheap entry into Google’s ecosystem for just a few hundred bucks much less.
The Pixel 10 Professional is a superb smartphone, however it isn’t the one sport on the town. Whether or not you need Samsung’s uncooked energy and ecosystem, Apple’s top-tier efficiency and video, OnePlus’s velocity and charging magic, or Google’s personal discounted 9 Professional XL or base Pixel 10, you could have loads of options.
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