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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Pixel 10 Professional faces robust competitors across the $1,000 value tier.
- Samsung, Apple, and OnePlus supply sturdy alternate options.
- Final 12 months’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 house. I am at all times excited for the latest Pixel, however now greater than ever, it faces some robust competitors at $999.
Additionally: I changed my Samsung S25 Extremely with the Pixel 10 Professional XL for weeks – and do not remorse it
Should you’re on the fence about whether or not to choose up Google’s latest Pixel, you must contemplate 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 any case. Let’s check out a it and few different alternate options.
1. Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung continues to supply probably the most direct various 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 urged 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 value ready for official comparisons now that the telephone is unveiled earlier than pulling the set off.
Additionally: I’ve examined each single Galaxy S25 telephone – and my favourite is not the flagship mannequin
Cameras stay my favourite use of Samsung’s flagships, and the bottom mannequin has a good triple digicam array, together with a superb 10-megapixel telephoto. The Extremely is a steep improve, however going huge means you get Samsung’s spectacular 200-megapixel most important sensor paired with twin telephotos with a alternative between 3x and 5x optical zoom. Google’s 5x telephoto is superb, 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 assist, matching the promise made by Google for its Pixel household. Samsung provides its personal AI touches too, from on-device picture era to useful contextualization with the Now Bar. Should you’re not going with a Pixel 10, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 is undoubtedly its closest counterpart.
2. Apple iPhone 17 Professional
Should you’re prepared 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 greater tiers accessible (and a 2TB choice on the Professional Max).
Adjustments from final 12 months 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 digicam system steps as much as three 48MP Fusion sensors (Important, Extremely Huge, Telephoto) and a brand new 18MP Middle Stage entrance digicam. The ProMotion shows are brighter and extra sturdy with Ceramic Protect 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.
Additionally: Apple iPhone 17 Professional vs. iPhone 16 Professional: I in contrast each fashions to see if it is value upgrading
On paper, the iPhone 17 Professional retains tempo with the Pixel 10 Professional and will even set the bar for some. Should you’re cross-shopping at $999 to $1,199, Apple’s {hardware}, digicam upgrades, and longer battery life make this a really credible various to Google’s flagship.
3. OnePlus 13
OnePlus continues to push efficiency and charging velocity to the boundaries, and I am right here for it each time.
The OnePlus 13 undercuts the Pixel’s value barely, but it runs on the most recent Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon, has a beneficiant quantity of RAM, and packs a large 6,000 mAh silicon carbon battery. A full cost takes round 40 minutes to finish, and that new battery know-how stretches battery life to virtually two days beneath reasonable use. For individuals who neglect to cost their telephone at evening, like me, that is an enormous profit.
I discovered the telephone to be extremely quick as nicely, due to all that inner 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 digicam array, co-engineered with Hasselblad, could not fairly equal Google’s computational magic, however it’s versatile sufficient. It is also a variety of enjoyable to make use of, and I not often regretted the digicam’s output taking a look at it later.
Additionally: OnePlus’ flagship telephone is a stable various to the Galaxy S25 Extremely – this is why
The actual compromises are available software program longevity, maxing out at 4 years of main updates. It isn’t almost 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 value, velocity, and endurance.
4. Google Pixel 9 Professional
It would sound unusual to counsel final 12 months’s Pixel instead, however the Pixel 9 Professional is a surprisingly sensible purchase. Google’s 2024 flagship shares most of its {hardware} with the Pixel 10 Professional, together with the identical triple rear digicam 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 sooner than final 12 months’s G4, in response to leaked benchmarks.
Additionally: I nonetheless desire my Google Pixel 9 Professional over the costly flagships — and it is not even shut
The Pixel 9 Professional typically sells for lots of much less now, which makes it a straightforward suggestion for Pixel followers who need many of the software program perks with out paying prime greenback. You continue to get the seven years of software program and safety updates, options like Name Display and Magic Editor, and you continue to seize pictures and video that rival Google’s latest flagship.
5. Google Pixel 10
Hear me out, typically the very best various is hiding in the identical lineup.
The bottom Pixel 10 cuts the value right down to $799 whereas preserving a lot of what makes the Pixel 10 Professional interesting. It has the identical Tensor G5 processor, virtually all the similar AI options, Qi 2 wi-fi charging with Pixelsnap assist, 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 digicam sensor high quality, however the total expertise could be very shut. The marginally bigger battery within the base mannequin even means you could get higher endurance than the Professional.
Additionally: I switched to the Google Pixel 10 from an iPhone 16, and it was surprisingly pleasant
The one AI options lacking from the baseline Pixel 10 embrace an enhanced model of Finest Take that robotically 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 a couple of hundred bucks much less.
The Pixel 10 Professional is a superb smartphone, however it’s not 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 might have loads of alternate options.
Observe my newest tech critiques and tasks throughout social media. You may discover me on YouTube at YouTube.com/@JasonHowell, on X at @JasonHowell, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/thatjasonhowell.
