Are Google Pixel Phones Good? Pros, Cons + Alternatives

The “most personalized, proactive, and helpful Pixels ever.” That’s how Google describes its Pixel 10 lineup!

But with the brand’s preference for software and AI features over hardware, the Pixel 10’s poor specs have drawn the most attention. Unfortunately, the Tensor G5 and battery capacity offer a significant performance deficit compared to competitors like Samsung and Apple.

So, does this deficit mean you should swerve the Pixel? Or are the fantastic AI features and camera quality enough to encourage an investment? 

In this article, we’ve considered the benefits and drawbacks of Pixel phones to help you choose correctly. Our experts have also compared them with the latest flagship releases, including other Android devices like the Galaxy S25. We couldn’t miss the Apple iPhone 17 out, either!

5 Pros of Purchasing a Pixel Phone

If you’re considering a Pixel Phone, one of the biggest benefits is that it successfully integrates well-built hardware with Google’s specialist area: software.  Here’s how:

1. Google AI Features

Pixel phones star plenty of exclusive Google-exclusive AI features you won’t find on any other Android device. Some of our favorite (and genuinely useful) tools include:

• Magic Cue: Helps you retrieve information easily by linking multiple apps.

• Pixel Studio: Makes fun images using text prompts.

• Pixel Screenshots: Creates AI-generated summaries of your screenshots to help locate them.

• Circle to Search: Circle an image or video to find relevant information on that topic.

The standout AI tools you’ll find on Pixel phones, however, come courtesy of Call Assist. Scam Detection, for instance, means your Google phone never rings when you receive spam calls. Instead, these calls are sent directly to voicemail! Take a Message also transcribes voicemails directly onto your Home screen. It even creates Google Calendar events based on these transcriptions!

Pixels have also recently switched from Google Assistant to Gemini AI, Google’s built-in AI assistant. They also exclusively use Gemini Nano, an on-device, large language model that operates without accessing the cloud. Multimodal capabilities make it Google’s most intelligent AI model so far!

2. Camera Quality

Industry-leading cameras are another huge benefit you’ll experience by choosing a Google Pixel.

The Pixel 10 introduced a triple-rear-camera system, including a 48 MP telephoto macro lens with 5x zoom capability – perfect for long-distance shots. It’s also no longer exclusive to the Pro models! 

Google did, however, downgrade the ultrawide lens to 13 megapixels to facilitate the telephoto improvement, but it doesn’t affect the overall camera performance too significantly. 

Google’s brilliant AI features also support the Camera app, which is what makes Pixel phones the best choice for photography. Everything from the Camera Coach feature to the Google Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL’s Pro Res Zoom is designed specifically to boost the quality camera hardware. 

3. Material 3 Expressive Design

Available on almost all Pixel Phones (Pixel 6 and newer), Google calls Material 3 Expressive one of its “biggest updates in years.” 

This design language builds on its award-winning ‘Material You,’ replacing the Pixel’s classic and clean aesthetic with slightly more playful elements. (Without being overbearing, we should add.) Bouncy animations brighten up several apps, from the Wallet to Gmail and many more.

Material 3 Expressive has been much better received than Apple’s controversial Liquid Glass. The new iPhone design was introduced with iOS 26, adding translucent app icons, media controls, menus, system prompts, and notification centers to the iPhone operating system.

4. Displays

All Pixel phones today use power-efficient OLED panels to create bright displays. The Pixel 9, for example, has a 2700-nit peak brightness! This (just!) beats the Galaxy S25’s 2600 nit and completely surpasses the iPhone 16’s Super Retina XDR OLED screen, which is restricted to 2000 nits. 

These screens are upgraded even higher with the Pixel 10 series. The large premium 10 Pro XL’s 6.8-inch screen is 3300 nits!

They also all feature an adaptive refresh rate. However, the Pro models reach a lower 1Hz refresh rate vs the standard Pixel 10’s 60 to 120Hz for even smoother scrolling and content viewing.

5. Range

From the budget-friendly Pixel ‘a’ to two premium models and even foldable devices, the large Pixel phone range offers something for everyone. In fact, as the first standard Pixel to feature three rear cameras, the Pixel 10 looks and feels even more like a Pro.

Pixel phones also integrate easily with the entire Google ecosystem to enhance your productivity, including the Pixel Buds and Watch. They also work with online apps like Google Docs and Gmail for real-time collaboration. For instance, you can create an important document, then send it via email straight from your phone!

The lineup isn’t quite as extensive as Samsung's, though, with the premium Galaxy ‘S’ series complemented by the more affordable Galaxy A.

What Are the Cons of Google Pixel Phones?

The main drawback of Pixel phones? They’re centered mostly around AI and software, while sacrificing on-device performance in the following areas:

Tensor Chips 

The latest Tensor G5 chipset was the first to be custom-designed by TSMC for Pixel Phones, which were previously made by Samsung.

Despite being built on a cutting-edge 3nm process, they’re still not as powerful as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips. Benchmark testing shows that the Tensor G5’s CPU performance is outperformed by both Snapdragon’s 8 Elite (S25) and the A19 found in the Apple iPhone 17. By roughly 30%! It will be difficult for Google to close this gap, even with the next generation of Pixel phones.

Instead, the Tensor G5 is designed to run Google’s most advanced AI models yet. The Pixel 10 reserves 3GB of RAM solely for AI use! 

Battery Life

Pixel Phones have seen a minor improvement from the Pixel 9 to the 10 in terms of battery life. Google claims it should last over 30 hours, while battery tests report 13-hour averages. This is supported by minor capacity upgrades too, from 4700 to 4970 mAh, and across the Pixel 10 board.

However, battery performance is pretty inconsistent, with the Pixel lineup notorious for its poor overall lifespan. A Battery Health Assistance feature was introduced on the Pixel 9a to alleviate this issue, providing a shorter daily battery life that increases your device’s long-term lifespan. 

But this feature being built into the Pixel 10 means users have little choice about turning it off.

Availability

Pixel shipments increased by 25% in 2025 compared to the previous year, but they remain significantly behind Apple and Samsung due to their poor global availability. Despite the Pixel 10 now being available in 33 countries!

Samsung Electronics, in particular, sells its phones in most countries, thanks to partnerships with retailers and carriers in nearly every market. And Apple is continually expanding into emerging markets, now taking a huge 20% share of the global smartphone market.

Our Verdict: Should You Buy a Google Pixel Phone?

Whether you should buy a Google Pixel depends on what you value most in a smartphone. 

If smart and helpful software is your focus, we say yes. Google’s individual AI features may not sound that impressive at first glance, but they come together to greatly enhance the everyday user experience. Even more so than with a Galaxy or iPhone! 

For performance or long-lasting battery life, go for Samsung phones. With their higher specs and better benchmark test results, Snapdragon processors are much better suited to heavy or prolonged gaming than Tensor G chips. 

But if you’re a keen photographer, Google Pixel models have excellent camera systems – particularly the Pro models with their larger sensors and 100x Pro Res Zoom capabilities. Tele-macro lenses haven’t featured on a Samsung since the Galaxy Z Fold 4!

Still unsure about the best Android phone or Apple device for you? Stay updated on the latest tech news with Ghostek Insider, including our verdict on the newest Pixel phone!